Rob Ferguson

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Rob Ferguson.

Doug Ford slams Alberta Premier Danielle Smith over possible separation vote

Doug Ford slams Alberta Premier Danielle Smith over possible separation vote

As Prime Minister Mark Carney prepared to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, Premier Doug Ford took a thinly veiled shot at his Alberta counterpart over her threat of a referendum on separation. “This is a time to unite the country, not people saying, ‘oh, I’m leaving the country,’” Ford said Tuesday morning in a speech to a group promoting...

Tory MP accuses Doug Ford of ‘sabotaging’ federal campaign by helping Liberals

Tory MP accuses Doug Ford of ‘sabotaging’ federal campaign by helping Liberals

As the federal Conservatives assess a campaign that saw leader Pierre Poilievre lose his Ottawa-area seat of Carleton, they are pointing fingers at the most powerful Tory in Ontario. Let the blame begin. As the federal Conservatives assess a campaign that saw leader Pierre Poilievre lose his Ottawa-area seat of Carleton, they are pointing fingers at the most powerful Tory...

Doug Ford’s surcharge on exports of electricity to the U.S. remains on the table, sources say

Doug Ford’s surcharge on exports of electricity to the U.S. remains on the table, sources say

The tone has changed, but the threats remain. While Doug Ford says “the temperature is being lowered” in the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, the premier is reserving the right to reinstate his 25 per cent surcharge on Ontario’s electricity exports stateside.

Recording reveals Doug Ford calling for return of death penalty in campaign speech: ‘Send ‘em right to sparky’

Recording reveals Doug Ford calling for return of death penalty in campaign speech: ‘Send ‘em right to sparky’

Doug Ford took his tough-on-crime talk to new heights in a campaign speech where he pushed for a return to capital punishment, the Star has learned. Musing about stiffer penalties for home invaders who kill victims, the Ontario Progressive Conservative leader called for changes in the federal Criminal Code that would empower judges to “send ‘em right to sparky.”

Crombie, Stiles pounce on Doug Ford’s hot mic admission that he ‘100%’ wanted Donald Trump to win election

Crombie, Stiles pounce on Doug Ford’s hot mic admission that he ‘100%’ wanted Donald Trump to win election

Doug Ford‘s hot mic admission that he “100%” wanted Donald Trump to win the U.S. presidential election has jolted the snap Ontario vote. That’s because Ford framed the Feb. 27 campaign as a referendum on who could best deal with Trump’s threatened tariffs against Canada.

Doug Ford overheard saying he was happy Donald Trump became president — ‘then the guy pulled out the knife’

Doug Ford overheard saying he was happy Donald Trump became president — ‘then the guy pulled out the knife’

A defensive Doug Ford insists it was not reckless to call a provincial election against the spectre of a trade war that could devastate Ontario’s economy. That came as Ford was caught on a hot mic Monday saying that he “100 per cent” wanted Donald Trump to win the American presidency last November.

Doug Ford warns Pierre Poilievre that Ontario’s auto industry must be protected

Doug Ford warns Pierre Poilievre that Ontario’s auto industry must be protected

Doug Ford is taking a veiled shot at federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, saying whoever is the next prime minister must continue Canada’s supports for the auto industry — particularly in electric vehicles. On the second day of Ontario’s Feb. 27 election campaign, the Progressive Conservative leader, who is seeking a third term in office, said Ontario would maintain its...

Doug Ford pushing to meet with Donald Trump to talk ‘businessman to businessman’

Doug Ford pushing to meet with Donald Trump to talk ‘businessman to businessman’

Will there be dinner at Mar-a-Lago? Premier Doug Ford says he’s pressing U.S. contacts for a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump to persuade the president-elect his threat of 25-per-cent tariffs is a bad idea on both sides of the border.

Doug Ford hosting meeting with premiers to discuss response to Trump trade threat

Doug Ford hosting meeting with premiers to discuss response to Trump trade threat

Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders are meeting Monday to discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump‘s threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canadian products. Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, is hosting the meeting at the Hilton Hotel near Pearson International Airport.

Doug Ford tells Fox News that Trump’s tariff threat a bad idea between friends

Doug Ford tells Fox News that Trump’s tariff threat a bad idea between friends

Premier Doug Ford went on Donald Trump’s favourite TV network to convince the incoming U.S. president that his threat of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods is a bad idea. “It’s unfortunate,” Ford told Fox News in a telephone interview Wednesday after his video feed conked out.

Justin Trudeau’s ‘carbon tax’ is ‘wrong,’ Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie says

Justin Trudeau’s ‘carbon tax’ is ‘wrong,’ Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie says

Taking aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon price as “wrong,” Bonnie Crombie says her Ontario Liberals need to go their own way with an early provincial election looming. “We have to get our elbows up,” she said in a Tuesday night speech prepared for the first Liberal leader’s fundraising dinner in eight years, putting $1.65 million into the party’s...

Doug Ford spending nearly half of Ontario’s tax windfall on $200 ‘rebate’ cheques

Doug Ford spending nearly half of Ontario’s tax windfall on $200 ‘rebate’ cheques

Premier Doug Ford is spending nearly half of a $6.9-billion tax windfall on $200 pre-election “rebate” cheques. Bolstered by higher than projected revenue from personal income tax, corporations tax and sales tax, Ford’s Progressive Conservatives have earmarked $3 billion to send cheques to 15 million Ontario adults and children in the new year.

Doug Ford’s nephew Michael Ford takes leave from cabinet for health reasons

Doug Ford’s nephew Michael Ford takes leave from cabinet for health reasons

Premier Doug Ford’s nephew Michael Ford is taking a leave of absence from his post as Ontario’s minister of citizenship and multiculturalism for health reasons. The move comes a month before the legislature is slated to return from an extended summer recess on Oct. 21, and as the premier considers whether to call an early election next spring instead of...

First Nations consultant scolds MPPs at hearing about controversial Sir John A. Macdonald statue

First Nations consultant scolds MPPs at hearing about controversial Sir John A. Macdonald statue

The warning was frank. Four years after a Queen’s Park statue of founding prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald was boarded up for protection from vandals, a committee of MPPs slowly gathering input on its future has been scolded and schooled by a First Nations equity consultant.

Doug Ford names new education minister after Todd Smith resigns just 10 weeks into the job

Doug Ford names new education minister after Todd Smith resigns just 10 weeks into the job

Todd Smith’s surprise resignation after just 10 weeks as education minister has forced Premier Doug Ford to shuffle his cabinet, promoting Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop to that key post. Smith, 53, a Progressive Conservative MPP since 2011, stepped down Friday in a stunning move that will trigger a byelection in the riding of Bay of Quinte within six months.

Ontario health minister’s concerns about Pierre Poilievre’s interest in forced drug rehab reveals latest tension between the two parties

Ontario health minister’s concerns about Pierre Poilievre’s interest in forced drug rehab reveals latest tension between the two parties

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones is taking issue with federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s talk of forcing people with drug addictions into treatment as the country grapples with a deadly opioid crisis. In another sign of tensions between the provincial and federal Tories, with polls suggesting Poilievre is poised to become Canada’s next prime minister, Jones said mandatory rehab is...

Canada is fighting to get Honda's massive EV expansion. Here's why it's a tough sell

Canada is fighting to get Honda's massive EV expansion. Here's why it's a tough sell

Are the days of multibillion-dollar government subsidies over in Canada for international automakers making the hot new thing — electric vehicle batteries? That question lingers as Honda holds talks with federal officials this week on a potential $18.4-billion auto assembly and electric vehicle battery factory at its complex in Alliston, Ont., which now makes piston-powered Civics and CR-Vs.

Doug Ford's government called him with a 'real challenge' — so he packed his bags for Washington

Doug Ford's government called him with a 'real challenge' — so he packed his bags for Washington

A former General Motors executive is putting the pedal to the metal as Ontario's new representative to Washington, D.C., helping the province on the road of "accelerated industrial renewal" sparked by two new electric vehicle battery plants. "This is not one and done," David Paterson says of the massive Volkswagen and Stellantis EV factories under construction in St. Thomas and...

How the Greens dealt a stunning blow to the NDP and stole Kitchener Centre

How the Greens dealt a stunning blow to the NDP and stole Kitchener Centre

Mike Schreiner was never so happy to be so wrong. The Green leader predicted last week’s byelection in the NDP riding of Kitchener Centre would “go down to the wire," but his candidate won by a whopping 5,022 votes in a stunning blow to the New Democrats soon after dumping Hamilton Centre MPP Sarah Jama from their caucus for