Building Ford Nation
Robyn Doolittle
Urban Affairs Reporter
Earlier this week, the mayor threatened to unleash “Ford Nation†on Premier Dalton McGuinty should the province refuse the city’s request for more money.
It may have come off as a spur-of-the-moment turn of phrase, but Ford Nation is very real and about to change the political landscape of Ontario.
For months, members of Ford’s former campaign staff have been quietly drawing up plans to form a right-wing advocacy group. The intention is to monetize and organize this huge ideological voting base, essentially forming a quasi Tea Party North.
It would means millions of dollars for the conservative movement, high-profile publicity for Tory-friendly issues and an energized right-wing base.
“But it won’t be called Ford Nation. It’s going to be an advocacy group for the taxpayers of Toronto. It will be something like: Respect for Taxpayers Action Group,†said Nick Kouvalis, the mayor’s former chief of staff and deputy campaign manager.
Kouvalis, the man credited with parlaying the phrase “gravy train†to a Ford victory, has been meeting with lawyers over the past few weeks to ensure no one is violating campaign-financing legislation.
Neither the mayor nor his right-hand man, Councillor Doug Ford, has anything to do with the group, said Kouvalis. Legally it would create complications under municipal campaign fundraising laws.
But the organization is clearly a spinoff of Ford’s mayoral campaign, which was also called Respect for Taxpayers.
A year ago this month, Ford entered the race for mayor as a long shot. But with each passing week, his simple message of “protecting the taxpayer†began to catch on.
While the candidate stuck to his script, Ford’s team, backed by Kouvalis’ polling firm, Campaign Research, was rapidly building a database of diehard supporters through aggressive polling, robocalls, and a grassroots-led door-knocking campaign. By June, Ford had overtaken the man many thought couldn’t be beaten, George Smitherman.
When the votes were tallied, Ford had coasted to victory. Kouvalis believes a majority of those voters would be interested in signing up for Ford Nation, or whatever it ends up being called.
Since leaving Ford’s office a month ago, Kouvalis has been heading up the initiative. If everything goes according to schedule, the group could open its doors by the end of the month. The plan is to initially start in Toronto, then expand to other Ontario cities.
Then nationwide.
“What we found during the campaign is there is a lot of frustration out there among taxpayers. And those taxpayers are willing to be politically engaged, donating their time and money to have their voice heard. It’s happening across the States and now here in Canada,†he said.
“I wanted to continue building this movement that would be a voice for taxpayers. Not just for Toronto but for the whole province.â€
Fundraising will be a large objective for Ford Nation, which will be registered as a non-profit. But Kouvalis also has plans to commission research, advocate in political campaigns, buy advertising and release opinions on the issues of the day.
“Right now, (transit union president) Bob Kinnear goes on the radio to argue his points and there’s no one speaking against him,†said Kouvalis.
During the election, Ford’s campaign was frustrated by attacks from groups such as the Toronto Environmental Alliance. There was no right-wing equivalent to fire back.
“The left wing has a monopoly on this stuff. Now it’s our turn … we will be a voice on the centre-right,†said Kouvalis, drawing a comparison to Working Families, which the Tories charge is connected to the Liberals though Elections Ontario has ruled it is an independent organization.
At Queen’s Park, Liberals are closely watching the rise of the so-called Ford Nation.
There is concern in some Liberal quarters that the province appears to be antagonizing the mayor at a time when he is still basking in a political honeymoon.
“Ford is going from a position of strength,†noted one official, who is hopeful tensions will be defused soon.
Neil Thomlinson, chair of Ryerson University’s politics department, said provincial Liberals have reason to be nervous.
“Anything that organizes people and gives them a feeling of belonging and engagement has the potential to influence political outcomes. And these aren’t any old people, these are energizing people with a particular axe to grind, just like the Tea Party,†he said.
If the group does launch, it would be the first of its kind, left or right, said Thomlinson.
Interest groups such as the Toronto Environmental Alliance are focused on particular issues and lobby those in power to implement policy to their liking, said Thomlinson.
In contrast, “Ford Nation centres around an ideology. They’re not organized around an issue or even a set of issues,†he said. “I can’t think of (any other group) whose whole purpose in life is political-electoral.â€
Trying to channel the electricity of a campaign into a broader political movement isn’t new. After Barack Obama’s victory, his team tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to continue the energy of Organizing for America, which in 2008 boasted 8 million volunteers. Organizers found that without the candidate, the motivation wasn’t there.
Nelson Wiseman, a politics professor at the University of Toronto, is skeptical Ford Nation would have much political impact.
“Municipal issues are totally different than provincial ones. I don’t think people elected Ford to go fight (Premier Dalton) McGuinty. People were outraged about Kyle Rae’s retirement party,†he said.
“And so he had highest municipal turnout record. Well, really, how competitive have the last municipal elections been?†Wiseman continued. “(Kouvalis) has had a big moment of glory (and) I think he’s very smart, but I also think this has gone to his head.â€
With files from Robert Benzie
