February 13, 2025
'ABSOLUTELY CLASSLESS': Ford blames Horwath for jeers at expo
Premier Doug Ford waves to the crowd at the International Plowing Match parade.
Premier Doug Ford waves to the crowd at the International Plowing Match parade.

VERNER, Ont. — Premier Doug Ford picked a political fight with Ontario’s opposition leader at a normally non-partisan rural expo Tuesday, accusing her of being behind a smattering of jeers he received at the event.

Ford lashed out at NDP Leader Andrea Horwath during a news conference at the International Plowing Match in Verner, making the accusations which she immediately denied.

Ford received a largely warm welcome from the rural crowd taking in the match 55 kilometres west of North Bay, but did receive a handful of boos as he prepared to deliver a speech during the event’s opening ceremonies.
“I was so disappointed with Andrea Horwath and her team,” Ford said.

“They’re absolutely classless to do that.”

Horwath denied Ford’s accusation, saying all Ontario residents have reason to be upset with cuts made by the Progressive Conservative government over the last year.

“I don’t know where the premier gets that from,” she said. “…I don’t know why the premier seemed to think this had something to do with us but that’s definitely not the case.”

Ford said he raised the issue with Horwath and some of the NDP caucus members who attended the event.

“Politics will be politics,” he said. “I know the support I have in the farming community is absolutely massive.”

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