But first…
Our last feature was about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s reasons for buying a private jet.
There were plenty of votes in our poll and BAD IDEA won in a landslide.
The people have spoken. What the heck were you thinking, Doug?
I think symbolism matters more than money.
Groceries are expensive. Gas is pricey. Unemployment is a concern. Meanwhile, the government’s out shopping for a private jet, of all things.
Yet another case of rules for thee, but not for me.
Today’s feature sticks to the theme of government spending.
Recent polling shows the proposed Alto high-speed rail network between Toronto and Quebec City has a high level of support — but also a high level of opposition.
The breakdown is below, followed by the poll.
Hey it’s Friday! Enjoy your weekend.
-Neil Malik
Photo: Unsplash
Build now, or fall behind
With half the country’s GDP tied to this region, slower travel and bottlenecks could stall economic growth. Alto would unlock $35 billion in economic activity, create 50,000 jobs, and cut travel times in half. The federal government is betting that faster, cleaner trains will reshape how millions move and work. Now’s the time to get it done.
Spend now, regret it later
A $100-billion megaproject with a high chance of overruns is a fiscal trap. If Alto misses its ridership targets, taxpayers across Canada could be subsidizing it for generations without ever using it. While Ottawa is betting big, property owners face mass expropriation and uncertain compensation. Is this a visionary investment or a runaway bill?
In other news
Here’s what to do if your flight is cancelled because of fuel costs (Globe and Mail)
Doug Ford keeps making news about himself. This time for throwing insults in the legislature (CP24)
In case you missed it, here’s a link to our previous story breaking down Doug Ford’s private jet debacle
Where do you stand?
In our last issue, we asked if Doug Ford's decision to buy a used private jet was a good or bad idea?
The results:
Good idea: 7%
Bad idea: 93% ✅
Today’s question is:
We’ll publish the results in our next issue.
Until next time!