Premier Doug Ford is itching to fire back at federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for constantly attacking his provincial Progressive Conservative government, sources told the Star.Ford, who has shown remarkable discipline throughout the federal campaign in order not to hurt Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, has privately told associates he is growing fed up with Trudeau’s daily barbs.In his few public comments on the Oct. 21 election, the premier has calmly maintained he is “busy governing” while the Liberal leader is “busy campaigning.”But behind the scenes, those close to Ford say he is not happy at being Trudeau’s punching bag on issues like education, health, justice, and infrastructure funding.“He’s getting sick of the cheap shots,” said one Conservative insider, speaking confidentially in order to relay private conservations.“It’s not in his nature to sit back and let someone take shots at him,” added the Tory, noting Ford enjoys a political tussle.Indeed, the premier has even gotten into shouting matches with rowdy protesters who demonstrate in the public viewing galleries inside the legislature.Yet he has so far resisted the temptation to blast Trudeau, who mentions Ford almost every day on the hustings.In contrast, Scheer treats the premier’s surname as a four letter F-bomb he is loathe to say aloud — even when he campaigned 700 metres from his home in Etobicoke Centre two weeks ago.The Tory leader appears to have only said it once during the campaign — when CP24’s Stephanie Smyth asked him Sept. 12: “Can we expect to see Doug Ford campaigning with you?”“I will leave it to Doug Ford to decide what he wants to do. I’m focused on our campaign,” Scheer told Smyth.Trudeau cites Ford in English and in French regardless of where in the country he is campaigning.“Who do you want at the negotiation table standing up to Doug Ford ...
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