UPDATED: Breaking: Doug Ford's News Conference In Which His Credibility Further Erodes

I just watched Doug Ford's news conference, prompted no doubt by the fury people feel in Ontario over his government's heavy-handed use of the Notwithstanding Clause to try to break CUPE's strike. Replete with inaccuracies and lies, Ford tried to present a conciliatory tone, but hyperbole such as the province facing bankruptcy if they cede to CUPE's demands undermined that tone. One does not easily forget, for example, the surrendering of over $1 billion in licence and toll fees and other measures to deplete the treasury.

Apparently, people are starting to wake up.

Here is Sid Seixiero's take on the debacle:

WATCH:

@sid_seixeiro

shares his thoughts on Premier Ford's announcement that the province is willing to rescind Bill 28 if CUPE agrees to show similar "gesture of good faith" - by ending the walkout and getting kids back to school.

UPDATE: CUPE will end the strike upon the Ford government's written promise to rescind Bill 28.

And Theo for the win:

Timely And Relevant

 A nice follow-up to yesterday's post:

H/t Theo Moudakis

As well, Bob Coupland of Oakville expresses some timely sentiments:

Ford government’s planning entrenches sprawl at expense of environment

I just heard the term “The Big Sprawl,” and it alarmed me to hear that between now and July 1, 2022, the Doug Ford government is forcing every Greater Golden Horseshoe municipality to rush through planning decisions to lock in 30 more years of outdated and environmentally damaging residential, commercial and industrial sprawl.

It seems to me that this goes hand in hand with their attitude towards the building of Highway 413, the appointment of Norm Sterling as head of the Greenbelt Council, and the rampant use of MZOs (Ministerial Zoning Orders), decisions that are designed to make developers and land speculators even wealthier.

Policies of this sort are heavy-handed and dictatorial, blatantly harmful, unnecessary, and not what the people of Ontario want.

It’s time to stop urban boundary expansions, and firmly and forever protect farmland and natural areas.

It appears that Doug Ford's attempt to use the Covid crisis as an opportunity for misdirection while he enriches his developer cronies is not wholly successful, eh?