<html><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; 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-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><span style="font-weight: 700;">----------------------------------</span></div><div><b class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000"><font class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000" style="font-size: 14px;">G) Recent Media - Martin Regg Cohn - The Toronto Star:</font></b></div><div><b class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000"><font class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></font></b></div><div><b class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000"><font class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000" style="font-size: 14px;"><div class="asset-masthead" data-lpos="asset|header" style="font-weight: 400; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: none; margin: 0px auto; width: 690px; padding: 0px;"><header class="asset-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: min(960px, 100%); max-width: none; margin: 0px auto;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><h1 itemprop="headline" class="headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 44px; margin: 20px 0px 10px; font-family: var(--font-daily-serif); line-height: 48px; word-spacing: -0.5px; letter-spacing: -0.25px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span id="opinionHeadline" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(156, 102, 0); cursor: pointer;">Opinion | </span>Doug Ford wants to buy your silence</span></h1></div><div class="meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 26px; margin-bottom: 16px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 16px;"><div class="metaPrimary metaInstance1" data-lpos="asset|header" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex;"><div class="metaContainer" data-pubinfo="null" style="box-sizing: border-box; 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background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div itemprop="image" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img src="https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267" srcset="https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/54/a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564/67116e672149d.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w" sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 1140px, calc(100vw - 30px)" width="1763" height="1175" alt="doug ford and cheque and cohn.JPG" class="img-responsive full tnt-restrict-img-a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564 white" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; max-width: 1763px; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; width: 690px;"></div></div><figcaption class="captionNew" id="mainCaption_a54be0de-f7e1-5631-8687-33e534d51564" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; height: auto; overflow: hidden; max-width: 690px; width: 690px; padding-top: 16px; font-family: var(--font-daily-sans); transition: height 0.5s; overflow-wrap: break-word; line-height: 20px; letter-spacing: 0em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 16px; cursor: initial;"><span class="caption-text" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; max-width: 95%;">The unspoken reason Premier Doug Ford wants to send cheques to Ontarians is to satisfy the premier’s lust for power. The official rationale is to support people’s purchasing power, Martin Regg Cohn writes.</p></span><span class="credit" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="tnt-byline" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Chris Young THE CANADIAN PRESS</span></span><span class="clearfix" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></figcaption><hr style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 0px; margin: 16px 0px 24px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) currentcolor currentcolor; border-image: none;"></figure></div></div><div id="tncms-region-article_top_content" class="tncms-region hidden-print" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div id="tncms-block-3249568" class="tncms-block" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div></div><div id="asset-content" data-asset-uuid="319359b6-8cc1-11ef-aecc-3fa29ef06663" class="tsArticle" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; margin-top: 24px;"><div class="asset-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 690px; padding: 0px; max-width: 100%; margin: 0px auto; position: relative !important;"><div class="article-pe-author-detail-container" data-lpos="asset|header" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; row-gap: 16px; align-items: center; flex-wrap: nowrap; margin-bottom: 24px; line-height: 20px;"><span id="author-adcc1bd8-9d00-11ed-950d-83ddc828e6bf-asset-319359b6-8cc1-11ef-aecc-3fa29ef06663" class="tnt-byline asset-byline author hasAvatar authorListItem" itemprop="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; align-self: flex-start;"><div class="avatar-box hidden-print" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; width: 40px; height: 40px; min-width: 40px; min-height: 40px; overflow: hidden; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); margin-right: 8px; border-radius: 50% !important;"><a href="https://www.thestar.com/users/profile/Martin-Regg-Cohn" class="tnt-user-profile-link user-profile-link card-author media-object" rel="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration: none; display: block; line-height: 20px; height: 37.647057px;"><img alt="Martin-Regg-Cohn" src="https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/avatars/a/dc/c1b/adcc1bd8-9d00-11ed-950d-83ddc828e6bf.2ae7ffeca29ec738db8b83dc1c40e11d.png?_dc=1683205814" width="200" height="200" loading="lazy" class="img-responsive tnt-user-avatar lazyloaded" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; max-width: 100%; height: 37.647057px; line-height: 20px; object-fit: cover;"></a></div></span><div class="authorList list hasAuthorAvatar" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.4px; width: 642.003662px;"><span data-pos="0" data-first="true" data-last="true" id="author-adcc1bd8-9d00-11ed-950d-83ddc828e6bf-asset-319359b6-8cc1-11ef-aecc-3fa29ef06663" class="tnt-byline asset-byline author hasAvatar authorListItem" style="box-sizing: border-box; align-self: flex-start;"><span class="leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px;">By </span><span class="authorName" data-avatar="yes" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px;"><a href="https://www.thestar.com/users/profile/Martin-Regg-Cohn" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration: none; line-height: 20px;">Martin Regg Cohn<span class="authorTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin-left: 5px;">Political Columnist</span></a></span></span><div id="authorBios" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); line-height: 20px; font-weight: 400; font-family: var(--font-daily-sans); letter-spacing: normal;">Martin Regg Cohn is a Toronto-based columnist focusing on Ontario politics and international affairs for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/reggcohn" target="_blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(104, 104, 104) !important;">@reggcohn</a>.</p></div></div></div><div id="tncms-region-article_body_top" class="tncms-region hidden-print" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div id="article-body" data-tier="1" itemprop="articleBody" class="asset-content subscriber-premium" data-lpos="asset|body" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="subscriber-preview" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; font-family: var(--font-daily-text); overflow-wrap: break-word;">Some politicians try to buy votes.</p></div><div class="subscriber-preview" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; font-family: var(--font-daily-text); overflow-wrap: break-word;">Doug Ford wants to buy your silence. And acquiescence.</p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; font-family: var(--font-daily-text); overflow-wrap: break-word;">For a roughly $200 payout, to be handed out to everyone in Ontario, the premier hopes voters will forgive his political sins and forget his legal transgressions.</p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; font-family: var(--font-daily-text); overflow-wrap: break-word;">The planned cash bonanza, to be distributed early next year, is a calculated gamble. The goal is to clear the way for an early election before any bad news — legal and political — erodes the support Ford’s Tories now enjoy in public opinion polls.</p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; font-family: var(--font-daily-text); overflow-wrap: break-word;">As my colleague Robert Benzie <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-poised-to-send-out-pre-election-cheques-to-16-million-ontarians/article_87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70.html" target="_blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration: none !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-bottom-style: solid !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(216, 216, 216) !important; transition: background-color 0.25s linear !important;">reported this week</a>, the premier’s sudden generosity will be made public later this month. In its annual fall economic statement, the government is dropping any pretence of fiscal probity as it invests heavily and recklessly in its own political survival.</p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="inline-asset inline-article subscriber-hide tnt-inline-asset tnt-inline-relcontent tnt-inline-article tnt-inline-relation-child tnt-inline-presentation-headline tnt-inline-alignment-default tnt-inline-width-default" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 690px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: flex; padding-bottom: 24px; flex-direction: column; gap: 10px; align-self: stretch; padding-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"><article id="card-summary-87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70" class="tnt-asset-type-article clearfix card summary has-image letterbox-style-white tnt-section-politics tnt-sub-section-provincial" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 690px; margin: 0px; position: relative; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);"><div class="card-container" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="card-image" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 687.647034px; float: none;"><div class="media-preview-87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70 media-preview article-asset" data-aspect="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><figure class="photo layout-horizontal letterbox-style-white" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; width: auto; float: none;"><div class="image" data-toggle="modal" data-target=".modal-87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-poised-to-send-out-pre-election-cheques-to-16-million-ontarians/article_87a56eaa-8b2e-11ef-8b0a-3b68e949aa70.html" class="tnt-asset-link" aria-label="Doug Ford poised to send out pre-election cheques to 16 million Ontarians" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration: none; line-height: 27px;"></a></div></figure></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></font></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>