Doug Ford stands by taxpayer-funded ad blitz railing against federal carbon-pricing
(The Star Toronto Raptors)

Premier Doug Ford is defending his Progressive Conservative government’s decision to spend millions of taxpayers’ money on an advertising campaign attacking the federal carbon-pricing plan. In his first comments since the Star revealed that the Tories will launch a TV-radio-online-print blitz after the April 11 budget, Ford was unrepentant about his crusade against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.“Our government is going to fight the Trudeau carbon tax with every tool at our disposal,” the premier told reporters Monday as the federal carbon measure took effect. “We have to protect the people of Ontario. We’re going to keep fighting this carbon tax … every which way we can,” he said, noting the province’s court challenge continues later this month.“As far as we’re concerned, it’s unconstitutional. That’s our opinion. Hopefully the courts will agree with us.”Read more:Ford plans taxpayer-funded TV ad blitz opposing Trudeau’s ‘carbon tax’Poll suggests support for Ottawa’s carbon plan among GTHA residentsDoug Ford kills Drive Clean emissions testingAt the same time, Ford appeared to back off from his party’s campaign pledge to return to the auditor general the power to veto government advertising.He said he was going “to consult with our whole team” about whether to keep the promise to strengthen the Government Advertising Act after the previous Liberal government had watered down. Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk has been calling for a revival of her oversight ever since former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne amended the Act in 2015.In the past, Lysyk castigated the Liberals for airing ads that she ruled “create a positive impression of government.”While in opposition and on the campaign trail last year the Tories pledged to curb such advertising.The premier’s comments came at Thorncrest Ford, an Etobicoke car dealership where he ...