Bonnie Crombie is fighting back.
The Liberal leader finally launched her first campaign commercial Friday after enduring millions of dollars in attack ads from Premier Doug Ford‘s Progressive Conservatives.
Taking aim at Ontario’s chronic doctor shortage at a time when some 2.5 million people don’t have a family physician, Crombie’s advertisement says people deserve “better.”
“Every day I hear that you that you can’t find a doctor,” she intones over footage of a diverse group of Ontario families going about their daily lives.
“Your kids’ school is overcrowded and you can’t afford the essentials. You feel stuck,” says Crombie before a veiled reference to the $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap scandal now being investigated by the RCMP.
“And every day, you hear about another one of Doug Ford’s friends getting richer while you fall behind. Enough is enough,” she says.
“Your government should be working for you. As your premier, I’ll make sure we’re getting the basics right: your health care, your kids’ education, a home and a life you can actually afford, and a strong economy that brings opportunity back to Ontario so you can get ahead.”
The one-minute spot will be initially be online only, but the party has plans to air it on more costly broadcast television in the weeks ahead.
Crombie’s salvo comes after an 11-month blitz of Tory ads attacking her, which polls suggest have been effective for the governing party.
It’s believed the Tories have spent about $10 million of party donors’ money on their ads targeting the rookie Grit leader, who won the leadership last Dec. 2.
Mindful that polls show Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s Liberals are not popular, Crombie’s commercial emphasizes her personal brand more than her party’s name.
“I’m Bonnie Crombie and I’m here for Ontario,” it concludes.
The ad comes as Ford is considering a snap spring election, one year ahead of a scheduled June 2026 vote.
