Petersen holds Ford’s Conservatives accountable in French language debate

February 21, 2025

OTTAWA — Ontario Greens’ candidate for Orlèans and leader of their Caucus for the Francophonie, Michelle Petersen held Doug Ford’s government and Minister Mulroney to account on a number of key issues including French language services, wasteful highways, and the housing crisis, and highlighted the Greens’ plan for a fairer Ontario that protects the people and places we love.

“How do you expect our francophone community to trust Mr. Ford when he talks about protecting Ontario,” Petersen said. “Do you sincerely believe that Franco-Ontarians have already forgotten Mr. Ford’s first move to abolish our French Language Services Commission?”

Petersen also took aim at the Ford government’s plan for wasteful highways like Highway 413 and a tunnel under the 401 that will destroy nature and increase climate pollution: 

“I find it very simplistic to just blame your colleagues for not passing bills. We need a collaborative approach and Mr Ford doesn’t have the track-record of collaborating with the other parties, for creating relations with us, in the interests of the public rather than in the interests of his own profits.”

A Registered Psychotherapist with 20 years of experience in social and community services, Petersen highlighted how the housing affordability and homelessness crisis is impacting women who are facing intimate partner violence:

“I want to bring this back down to earth. My background is in social work. I’ve worked in the field with vulnerable people. I know the importance of housing people. I worked in the gender-based violence sector for several years. This has a devastating impact on the sector. Women who want to flee a violent relationship have nowhere to go, so they have the choice of staying with a violent partner or what? Homelessness? Is that really a choice?”

To view the Ontario Greens’ fully costed platform in both Official Languages: www.gpo.ca/platform

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