Ontarians heading to the polls on June 7 face a stark choice between two visions of government and two styles of governing. The choice they make could reverberate across the country. A Progressive Conservative victory under the leadership of the right-wing populist Doug Ford would almost certainly usher in another period of harsh and unnecessary austerity, and has the potential to set racial and economic justice back decades. On the other hand, every other major party is promising to expand Ontario's social safety net, reflecting a growing acceptance among voters of the power of government to do good in people's lives.
This special issue of the Monitor takes a longer view of the political and policy developments that shaped the current political moment in Ontario, and that will continue to shape events outside the province as well.
- Two Worlds Collide: CCPA Ontario Director Trish Hennessy introduces us to the provincial election
- Reconnecting Taxes and the Common Good: Ontario can't afford a Trump-style race to the bottom on taxes, argues Alex Himelfarb
- A Revolutionary Plan for Income Security in Ontario: Jennefer Laidley plugs the transformative social assistance roadmap all parties must support
- Environmental Rights Now: Intervenor funding is essential to public debate about major projects, argues Poh-Gek Forkert
- Populism and Racism in Two Ontario Elections: Anthony Morgan sees historical parallels between the Harris and Ford "revolutions"
- What's Next for the Fight for $15? Important changes to labour law can be rolled back when they must be expanded, writes Pam Frache
- Next Stop - A Subway That Works: Matt Elliott thinks transit planning should be based on evidence, not slogans
- Lessons in Precarity: A just-in-time mentality at Ontario campuses is transforming education, and learning, for the worse, argues Erika Shaker
- Power to the People: Edgardo Sepulveda explains Ontario's electricity crisis, and how to fix it, in six easy graphs
- Local Roots to Canada's New Food Policy: Good things grow in Ontario, writes Emery Huszka. So why arent we helping them get onto our dinner plates?
Also in this issue, Luke Savage reviews recent Trump-lit on the Alt-Right threat, Asad Ismi assesses the damage from the Italian election, and migrant justice activists ask why Canada's immigration policy still discriminates against people with disabilities.
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Cover illustration by Remie Geoffroi