Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 9h

Ford's gravy train

Clients of Ford's campaign manager received $100 million from the Skills Development Slush Fund.

The Auditor General called the fund "not fair, transparent or accountable."

#ONpoli

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 5d

Two years since the #Greenbelt scandal broke, and it’s the same story: Ford’s friends get richer while Ontarians get priced out of housing, healthcare, and higher education.

This isn’t leadership—it’s government by and for Ford’s insiders. It’s oligarchy.

#ONpoli

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 7d

Some people go to Paris for love. Others go for lobbyists whose clients got millions from their government.

#ONpoli

Jack Hauen @jackhauen.bsky.social · 7d

NEW: David Piccini, the minister whose office picks Skills Development Fund recipients, was in Paris this weekend at the wedding of a lobbyist whose clients received millions from that fund.

From me and @charliepinkerton.bsky.social.

www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic...

Ontario labour minister attended lobbyist’s wedding after granting his clients millions in training funds

Two clients of lobbyist Michael Rudderham have received more than $8.5 million in Skills Development Fund grants, records show

www.thetrillium.ca

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 8d

We’re watching the dismantling of our democracy by Ford’s Conservatives in real time.

A poll released yesterday found that a majority of Ontario parents support keeping their trustees. Ford needs to listen to parents and stop this madness.

#ONpoli #OntEd

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 9d

🚨Ontario’s Auditor General says Ford’s Skills Development Fund process was “not fair, transparent or accountable.”

800,000 Ontarians are looking for jobs—and Ford has turned the Skills Development Fund into a personal slush fund.

#ONpoli

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 14d

www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...

Thousands of charges against drivers withdrawn in Ontario as critics decry system in ‘shambles’

Hundreds of thousands of charges against drivers, including careless driving, speeding, dooring and failing to stop, are being withdrawn before trial as one judge says Ontario’s provincial offences co...

www.ctvnews.ca

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 14d

Ford says:
"I’m tough on crime and a prudent fiscal manager.”

Reality:
🚨273,000 traffic offenses withdrawn because of staff shortage in Ontario courts

💰$9.3 million tax dollars given to Ford's friend to train staff at the friend's nightclub

#ONpoli

www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 16d

▶️Disruptive classroom shuffles
▶️Increase in class sizes
▶️Fewer supports for special needs students

Decisions are being made by a Ford appointed supervisor working out of his law office.

Ford's takeover of school boards leave parents with no advocate.

#ONpoli

www.thestar.com/news/gta/stu...

Students shuffled, teachers reassigned: Why this year’s ‘dramatic’ TDSB reorganization has Toronto parents fuming

Annual process seems more disruptive than usual, as staff work to bring class sizes in line with provincial requirements. And there are no trustees.

www.thestar.com

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 19d

Ford's TDSB supervisor is responsible for responding to 240,000 students at 584 schools.

Without elected trustees, parents & students have no voice.

The seizure of our school boards is a real estate scam. Once Ford has control, he'll start selling our schools.

toronto.citynews.ca/video/2025/0...

Ford government's appointed school supervisors not meeting demands: parents

As Tina Yazdani reports, parents say without their trustees, they have no one to turn to with critical concerns, and they've been unable to get a hold of the Ford government's appointed school supervi...

toronto.citynews.ca

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 20d

💰Ontario for sale

Interested in buying:
-Greenbelt lands
-Ontario Place
-Schools
-Provincial Parks
-Healthcare system
-Service Ontario contracts?

Ford has 5 fundraisers this week.

Meanwhile, the Legislature sits empty.

#ONpoli

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 21d

Ontarians see through Ford's attempt to get rid of democratically elected trustees.

57% of Ontarians agree the main problem is underfunding.

Tell Ford to fund our schools.

#OntEd #ONpoli

www.cp24.com/local/toront...

Ontarians skeptical of eliminating school board trustees: poll

A new public opinion poll finds Ontarians aren’t clamouring to eliminate school board trustees and are skeptical such a change would improve the education system.

www.cp24.com

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 22d

The ONDP passed a Convention Resolution—Securing our Future by Investing in Post-Secondary Education.

We need to reverse the decline of our colleges & universities.

Debt should never be the price of education—and a progressive society must invest in its future.

#onpoli #OntEd

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 23d

bsky.app/profile/chri...

Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 26d

Ford's gravy train.

$6.5 million taxpayer dollars went to Ford's friend to train staff at his nightclub.

Meanwhile, $1500 per student per year is cut from the education budget.

The Auditor General is investigating.

#ONpoli

www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic...

Group training workers for ‘Rob Ford’s favourite nightclub owner’ got $6.5M in provincial skills development funding

Training takes place at Zlatko Starkovski’s event venue at Exhibition Place

www.thetrillium.ca

2 2 5

Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 23d

Ford's gravy train

▶️Pace Law
Donate $28,000
Receive $3.3M

▶️King animal hospital
Donate $80,000
Receive $1.3M

▶️FGF Brands
Donate $66,000
Receive $1.2M

Ford is using the $2.5 billion Jobs Training Fund as a personal slush fund

Auditor General is investigating

www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic...

Critics blast millions in Skills Development Fund grants given to PC-friendly companies

A law firm, a private animal hospital and a large commercial bakery are among the recipients with ties to the PCs

www.thetrillium.ca

6 34 54

Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 26d

Ford's gravy train.

$6.5 million taxpayer dollars went to Ford's friend to train staff at his nightclub.

Meanwhile, $1500 per student per year is cut from the education budget.

The Auditor General is investigating.

#ONpoli

www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic...

Group training workers for ‘Rob Ford’s favourite nightclub owner’ got $6.5M in provincial skills development funding

Training takes place at Zlatko Starkovski’s event venue at Exhibition Place

www.thetrillium.ca

2 23 29

Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · 28d

Ontario's deficit rising to $12 billion 2025-26.

Ontario's debt rising to $549.3 billion in 2029-30.

Ford can save money by cancelling the $2.3 billion taxpayer subsidy for a private luxury spa at Ontario Place and the $100 billion fantasy 401 tunnel.

#ONpoli

toronto.citynews.ca/2025/09/17/o...

Ontario deficit and debt to grow significantly over next 5 years: FAO report

A new FAO report projects the province's deficit and debt will grow significantly over the next five years.

toronto.citynews.ca

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Sep 12

Ford's gravy train:
Scale hospitality owners donated $10,000 to the PCs & received $17million tax $ to train their restaurant workers "despite its application being submitted late & scored low"

Meanwhile, Ford cut $2billion from our public colleges and universities.

www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/poli...

Ontario’s Auditor General to probe $2.5 billion Skills Development Fund amid questions about grants

Ontario’s Auditor General has quietly started a probe into a multi-billion dollar provincial program that writes big cheques to organizations offering to train workers – but couldn’t answer questions ...

www.ctvnews.ca

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Sep 11

Ford's gravy train... instead of using tax dollars to upskill workers, he's funneling money to PC donors.

The Auditor General is now investigating the $2.5 billion Skills Development Fund.

#ONpoli

www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic...

Minister’s office insisted restaurateurs be granted millions despite ‘late’ and ‘low’ scoring application: emails

One of the company's owners had donated thousands to the PC party and was friendly with a key Ford aide, according to three well-placed sources

www.thetrillium.ca

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Sep 10

Doug Ford, stop blaming young people for your failures.

Young people are looking for jobs. Your government isn't creating them.

Ontario lost 26,000 jobs in August and has Canada’s 2nd highest unemployment rate. Youth unemployment is at 16.5%

#ONpoli

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Sep 9

Being a nurse is one of the most dangerous professions in the province—but it doesn’t have to be.

The evidence is clear. Safe nurse-to-patient staff ratios improve care and retain nurses.

We need to legislate safe staffing ratios in Ontario now.

#ONpoli

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Sep 9

actionnetwork.org/events/sep13...

Community Rally: No to Hate, Yes to Immigrants!

COMMUNITY RALLY: All out to stop a racist and anti-immigrant event at Christie Pits Park on September 13. Ours is community-led and family-friendly, with music, speeches, snacks and workshops More in...

actionnetwork.org

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Sep 8

When there is economic instability, people like to blame the vulnerable. This is the lesson of history.

Our community is stronger when we protect each other. Let's unite to fight racism!

www.torontotoday.ca/local/commun...

‘We have the power’: Locals organizing to oppose ‘racist’ rally at Christie Pits Park

An anti-immigrant rally planned for Christie Pits this month has spawned two counter-protests

www.torontotoday.ca

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Sep 4

They say if you tell a lie once, it's a lie, and if you tell a lie a thousand times, it becomes the truth.

Ford's Conservatives are forcing school boards to make funding cuts to our kids' education. We need to stand up for their future and for our elected trustees.

#ONpoli

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Chris Glover @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social · Aug 28

▶️ Eglinton Crosstown-
$4 billion over budget, 5 years late, still no launch date

▶️ Ontario Line-
Estimated budget $11 billion, now expected to cost $27 billion

▶️ Scarborough Subway Extension-
Estimated budget $5.5 billion, now expected to cost $10.2 billion

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