Fernwood Publishing’s Art Bouman caught up with Against the People co-editors Bryan Evans and Carlo Fanelli, to discuss the state of Ontario politics a year into the second Doug Ford government.
Art Bouman (AB): The Ford administration has been marked by a constant stream of corruption accusations, which Against the People documents. A year into your book’s publication, what do you make of this?
Bryan Evans (BE): There is certainly a perception of corruption, but nothing has been determined yet. However, the Green Belt scandal, the intrigue around Ontario Place and the Science Centre, not to mention the Skills Development Fund, certainly have an aroma of suspicion about them. And then the legislation to effectively destroy Ontario's freedom of information process, and do so retroactively, looks very much like an attempt at a cover up. Again, as we do not know if corruption is at play here so it is difficult to comment on that. But what we do see is a political practice where Ontario public assets and the legislative power of the government are deployed to redistribute public resources to for-profit private interests. Employing the province's resources to benefit corporations and wealthy individuals in such a bald manner is unheard of since before WW2. As for resilience, the cracks are starting to show. While election results have demonstrated a large plurality of voters support the Ford government, a recent poll had the Conservatives running slightly behind the leaderless Liberals.
Carlo Fanelli (CF): The steady stream of corruption accusations surrounding the Ford government confirms many of the concerns raised in Against the People. Examples include the Greenbelt land swap scandal benefiting well-connected developers, the controversial use of ministerial zoning orders, the privatization of parts of Ontario’s healthcare system, repeated investigations into lobbying, insider access and preferential treatment for corporate interests and personal friends. What we are seeing is not a series of isolated incidents, but a governing model rooted in privatization, deregulation and the concentration of power among political and corporate insiders. The weakening of public oversight and the erosion of public services all point to an administration that treats democratic accountability as secondary to private profit. A year later, our book’s central argument — that these policies deepen inequality while undermining public institutions — has only become more difficult to dispute.
AB: What are your thoughts on the lengths Ford is going to protect himself from investigation, and what are the implications of this for Ontario politics after he leaves office?
BE: Ford expresses a real shift in Ontario’s politics and economy. This is not just Ford and company. Forty years of economic and social restructuring has taken a serious toll. Accelerating economic inequality is resulting in economic apartheid. Public services are eroding, as are public goods such as education. Single-payer health care is being stealthily dismantled as private operators provide more and more services. The damage which has accumulated cannot be undone without a serious and broad popular counter movement that demands a new deal.
CF: What is deeply concerning is the extent to which the Ford government has sought to insulate itself from public scrutiny and independent investigation. From weakening oversight mechanisms to concentrating decision-making power within cabinet and the premier’s office, these moves undermine democratic accountability and public trust. The long-term danger is that this style of governance becomes normalized in Ontario politics, leaving future governments with stronger executive powers and fewer institutional checks. Even after Ford leaves office, the erosion of transparency and public oversight may prove difficult to reverse.
AB: With Ford securing his majority and having several years left in office, how confident are you feeling about the future of Ontario politics?
BE: No one can predict how history will unfold. But events in the US and other parts of the world demonstrate that people can be pushed only so far. Bernie Sanders is travelling into solid Trump Republican areas and holding massive rallies in opposition to Trump and the oligarchs. Where Ontario will go, we’ll see.
CF: I think there are real reasons for concern, particularly given the continued weakening of public institutions and the growing influence of corporate interests in policymaking. At the same time, Ontario has also seen significant resistance from labour unions, community organizations, healthcare workers, educators, and social movements pushing back against austerity and privatization. The future of Ontario politics will depend in large part on whether those forces can build sustained political alternatives that move beyond short-term electoral cycles. Ford’s majority gives his government considerable power, but it does not eliminate public opposition or the possibility of broader political realignment.