Look, I’m not saying Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservatives purchased the votes they wanted in automotive hotbeds reminiscent of Windsor, Brampton and Oshawa. However their funding in Ontario’s auto business actually paid dividends on June 2 after they crushed the opposition to win a second consecutive majority mandate.

How else may you clarify the blue wave over areas reminiscent of Windsor, Brampton and Oshawa? 

The PCs elevated their whole seat depend to — unofficially as of Friday — 83 and cruised to victory over the NDP (31), Liberals (8) and Greens and independents (one every) simply months after the business as an entire dedicated $13 billion within the province over an eight-week span in early 2022. And the Ontario authorities promised billions in monetary support to every of the province’s 5 automakers.

And simply have a look at the outcomes, beginning in Windsor.

The PCs managed to win the driving of Windsor-Tecumseh for the primary time in 97 years. The auto was barely on the highway when the driving, dwelling to auto suppliers, moldmakers and — perhaps most significantly — Stellantis and Ford Motor Co. staff, when Conservatives final gained the driving. The social gathering additionally gained again from the NDP the driving of Essex, a bed room neighborhood by which hundreds of autoworkers and retirees sleep every night time.

After which there’s Brampton, which is dwelling to a Stellantis plant that many, myself included, thought was on its final legs. Not so. Stellantis dedicated to a retooling and new product there. I’m informed Doug Ford pushed the automaker and federal authorities to make that promise public earlier than the marketing campaign. And so they did, sooner or later earlier than the official launch of the June 2^nd marketing campaign. 

Weeks later, the PCs gained again three ridings from the NDP within the area. In actual fact, it swept all 5 ridings bearing the title Brampton, from the centre out to the north, east, south and west.

Transfer on as much as Oshawa, the place Normal Motors is as soon as once more constructing pickups at its meeting plant there.

Oshawa may need caught with the NDP, however solely barely. Julie French beat Conservative Alex Down by about 800 votes. Each driving surrounding Oshawa selected a Conservative.

The province now appears to be like like an ocean of blue with islands of orange left on their lonesome, and that features Windsor West, which re-elected Lisa Gretzky, however was as soon as known as a “political wasteland” by Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, who insinuated voting NDP was all however pointless after which brazenly endorsed the PCs this election.

No, Doug Ford didn’t purchase his strategy to a majority. However some large time spending actually appears to be like to have paid off.