Ontario’s premier Doug Ford recently said in a press conference announcing a new medical facility in Windsor-Sussex that he only wants “hard-working immigrants” for the province. He related the controversial remark just after saying that Ontario needs “hundreds of thousands of workers” in response to the current labour shortage in the region.
“If you think you’re coming to collect the dole and sit around, not gonna happen,” Ford stressed during the Q&A portion of the press conference. “Go somewhere else. You want to work, come here,” he added. The premier’s comment immediately drew a lot of criticism from citizens and other Ontario party leaders.
According to Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, Ford’s remark was not just disappointing. It was also divisive. “A Premier is supposed to unite Ontarians, not wedge us further apart. As a son of immigrants, I know first-hand how people like my parents helped to build Ontario,” Del Duca said in a tweet. He also called for Ford’s apology for his “callous” comments.
NDP leader for Ontario Andrea Horwath shared the same sentiment with Del Duca regarding Ford’s “Go somewhere else” remark. She pointed out in a social media post that the Ontario premier “chose to traffic in demeaning stereotypes about new Ontarians looking to build a better life for their families.”
Horwath emphasized that Ford should apologize. “But we’ve been here before,” she added. “Sadly, this is who he is.” The NDP leader also quipped that “our diverse, welcoming province deserves better.”
Twitter user David Fisman stressed that it is “always fun to see a comment like this from a guy who inherited his wealth and his company.” Remarkably, however, Ford’s controversial comment is still racking up criticism and opposition in social media until now.
A day after Ford said the disputed remark, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott defended the Ontario premier from his detractors by saying that “I don’t think it’s necessary because what the premier was actually saying is that we need more immigrants in Ontario.”
