Impact of the Leaders’ Debate on the Ontario Election Campaign

Ford Plays It Safe in Leaders’ Debate as Rivals Try to Break Through

Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford’s campaign slogan may be “Protect Ontario,” but during Monday night’s province-wide leaders’ debate, it seemed more like “Protect My Lead.”

For 90 minutes of televised debate time, Ford stuck to a cautious script, avoiding any major missteps. His strategy extended beyond the debate itself—he once again skipped the scheduled post-debate press conferences, just as he did after the northern debate on Friday. That means Ford has now gone over a week without taking questions from reporters in Ontario, right in the middle of a short four-week election campaign.

It’s all part of a clear game plan: staying laser-focused on his message of protecting Ontario from economic threats, while minimizing engagement on other issues.

Crombie Comes Out Swinging

Among Ford’s challengers, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie was the most aggressive in trying to knock him off his talking points.

During the debate, each leader had a two-minute one-on-one exchange with an opponent. Crombie seized the moment to confront Ford head-on.

“Doug, I have one question for you and one question only,” Crombie said, staring at Ford on a split-screen. “After seven years of lies, why should anyone trust a word you say?”

She intensified her attack near the debate’s end, highlighting Ford’s privileged background.

“You don’t get the plight of real people because you were raised privileged, with a silver spoon in your mouth,” Crombie said. “You didn’t have to work for anything. You had a company handed to you, Doug, so you don’t understand how expensive things are today. I bet you couldn’t tell me what the cost of eggs is.”

If Ford didn’t know the price of eggs before the debate, it’s a safe bet his team will make sure he does before his next press appearance.

Crombie’s strategy is clear—chipping away at Ford’s “For the People” image. It’s a tough task, though. Ford’s former communications director, Laryssa Waler, argues that past Liberal and NDP attacks on him have failed because they paint him as someone he isn’t.

“You can’t convince everyday voters that Doug Ford doesn’t care about you, because he genuinely does,” Waler said in a recent interview.

Stiles Takes Aim at Education, Crombie at NDP Voters

NDP Leader Marit Stiles used her debate time to challenge Ford on education funding, though her approach was less combative than Crombie’s. She spent nearly half of her two-minute segment setting up her argument before pressing Ford on per-student funding.

“Parents with kids in our schools right now, they know that that’s not true. The class sizes are huge,” Stiles said. “You’ve actually reduced funding by $1,500 per student.”

While the NDP later declared Stiles the winner of the debate, finding a particularly viral or memorable moment from her performance is tricky. She did, however, land a hit on Crombie, alleging the Liberals received $25,000 in donations from “private health-care insiders.”

An NDP official later provided a list of 11 donors, including executives in long-term care, medical labs, and other health-related businesses.

Crombie, meanwhile, made a direct appeal to NDP voters in her closing statement.

“I’m asking those of you who voted NDP in the last election to vote Liberal—to vote for a government that will fix our health-care system and get you a family doctor,” she said.

Crombie’s aggressive approach toward Ford, combined with her overt pitch to NDP supporters, could shift the campaign’s dynamics—not necessarily enough to change the winner, but possibly enough to determine who finishes second and forms the official opposition.

Schreiner Sticks to His Game Plan

The fourth leader on stage, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, largely avoided the back-and-forth attacks, focusing instead on articulating his party’s policies. While his performance may not have generated viral moments, it likely helped boost his profile in his effort to add Green seats at Queen’s Park.

Debate Highlights Gaps in Campaign Promises

The debate format pushed the leaders beyond their usual talking points, forcing them to defend their policies and address inconsistencies. Some of the most telling moments came when they dodged tough questions:

• Ford refused to discuss the cost of his proposed tunnel under the 401—potentially one of the most expensive campaign promises in Ontario history.
• Crombie skirted the fact that her middle-class tax cut wouldn’t help those earning under $50,000.
• Stiles offered few specifics on tackling the addictions crisis.
• Schreiner was pressed on why he dropped his long-standing promise to eliminate Catholic school boards.

With just days left before voters head to the polls next Thursday, the real test will be whether the debate shifted public opinion—or if Ford’s strategy of playing it safe will carry him to victory once again.