Crombie issues pushup challenge to Ford during campaign stop
Article content
Bonnie Crombie is pumped up for a fight.
The Ontario Liberal leader issued a challenge to PC counterpart Doug Ford during a campaign stop on Monday — a day after their parties were the only ones to run Super Bowl ads during Sunday’s big game — suggesting the two should hit the gym and settle the race to become Ontario’s next premier with a feat of strength.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Crombie issues pushup challenge to Ford during campaign stop Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“I was very proud that we have the clout, we raised the money to run Super Bowl ads and we’re the only two parties that did, so let’s say, you know, it’s Ford against Crombie in this race,” she said while campaigning with Spadina–Fort York Liberal candidate April Engelberg.
“I’m happy to challenge him any time on his turf or on mine. My turf’s the gym, so if he wants to come at me and we’ll have a competition in the gym and maybe we’ll do pushups. What do you think?”
Not going to happen, according to the Ontario PC Party, which said the stunt shows Crombie is “not a serious leader.
“Today, Bonnie Crombie doubled down on her erroneous health-care numbers,” a party spokesperson said in an email to The Toronto Sun. “She referred to herself as the former mayor of Toronto. She was asked why she announced a full slate of candidates despite not appearing to actually have one. She proposed an ‘F Trump fund’ to deal with tariffs after she bizarrely challenged Doug Ford to a push-up contest.”
The suggestion came a day after the parties aired competing Super Bowl ads, while also pulling away as early favourites in the provincial election campaign.
Recent polling from Liaison, Mainstreet and Nanos showed Ford’s PC party with a sizable lead over the rest of the field, ranging from 41% (Liaison) to 44% (Nanos and Mainstreet) support across the province, according to Polling Canada.
The Liberals were well behind the PCs with between 26% (Mainstreet) and 31% support (Nanos and Liaison), but were also the clear No. 2 ahead of Marit Stiles’s NDP, which had dropped to less than 20% support in all three polls.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The Liberal Super Bowl ad, meanwhile, took aim at Ford’s “wrong” priorities and a health-care system in “crisis,” which Crombie says would be her focus if elected premier. In contrast, the PC ad continues to present Ford as the only one to protect the province from the threat of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“I’m very proud of our Super Bowl ads, I think they’re a direct contrast to Doug Ford and his proposals,” Crombie said. “We’re showing him for who he is — someone who wanted a self-serving election and hence supported Donald Trump — versus us, who are trying to highlight the issue of health care.”
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.