John Semley: When it comes to this premier, Donald Trump’s enemy is still my enemy - Toronto Star

Doug Ford's Captain Canada routine can't hide his many flaws.

Trump shouldn’t be a distraction from the many reasons to dislike Doug Ford’s tenure as premier, writes John Semley. 

I was doing a bit of highway driving over the long weekend, and it got me thinking about — of all things on this earth — Doug Ford. Bear with me.

As any canny long-haul motorist knows, there’s a trick for not getting pulled over while driving a few (dozen) clicks over the limit. It’s called “chasing the rabbit.” You find a car that’s driving faster than you, pull in behind it, and just set the cruise control. The idea is that if pesky highway patrol cars appear, they’ll always pursue the speediest speeder, leaving you free to hang back, and wait for your next “rabbit.” (I believe the term originates from dog racing?) Politically, Donald Trump is Doug Ford’s rabbit.

Ontario’s Premier has made a good show, of late, of standing up to the U.S. President, whose attitude toward Canada has been increasingly hostile — some might even say, unhinged. Ford gives good sound bites. He calls Trump a “loser” (one of the great burns), and he even made a big sign reminding everyone that Lake Ontario is called Lake Ontario and not … well, you know. (The billboard apparently cost Ontario taxpayers something like $25,000. Given the Ford’s family label and tag business, couldn’t they have swung a deal somehow?)

The year before the name-calling started, the premier admitted he had hoped the mercurial U.S. president would be re-elected in 2024.