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Abstract
This article explores how a Right-wing populist discursive framework, which mobilized popular resentment against progressive neoliberalism, secured consent for strong-mayor reforms in Ontario. A discourse analysis of the Hansard records reveals that a form of “Ford Nation” populism—which reconceptualizes the essence of democracy as being constituted by a strong executive with the speed and flexibility to respond to market demand—functioned as a necessary moment in a broader effort to preserve neoliberalism’s hegemony by situating it in a minoritarian institutional shell.
Disclosure statement
The author declares none.
About the author
Tom McDowell teaches in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Notes
1 The Globe and Mail, “Doug Ford Fires.”
2 Keenan, “‘Good Luck, Toronto’”; Taylor and Horak, “Strong Mayor Powers.”
3 Taylor and Horak, “Strong Mayor Powers”; Tindal et al., Local Government in Canada.
4 Fraser, The Old is Dying, 11–12.
5 Mudde, “The Populist Zeitgeist,” 541.
6 Bray, “Rearticulating Contemporary Populism.”
7 Hall, “Great Moving Right Show,” 15.
8 Norris and Inglehart, Cultural Backlash, 137.
9 Wong-Tam, “Strong Mayors,” September 7, 2022.
10 Gillespie, “Premier Wants Strong Mayor.”
11 Martin, “Strong Mayors,” August 17, 2022.
12 Braun and Clarke, “Using Thematic Analysis.”
13 Braun and Clarke, “Using Thematic Analysis.”
14 Tindal et al., Local Government in Canada.
15 Tindal et al., Local Government in Canada, 30.
16 Schragger, “Can Strong Mayors,” 2542.
17 Spence, “Looking for Accountability,” 43.
18 CBC News, “Ontario Expanding ‘Strong-Mayor’ Powers.”
19 Clark, “Strong Mayors,” August 11, 2022.
20 Bruff, “Overcoming the Allure.”
21 Foucault, Birth of Biopolitics.
22 Jessop, “Schumpeterian Workfare State?” 7.
23 Marx and Engels, German Ideology, 21.
24 Althusser, “Ideology and Ideological.”
25 Freeden, Ideology, 98.
26 Freeden, Ideology, 98.
27 Freeden, Ideology, 98.
28 Freeden, Ideology, 544.
29 Mudde, “Populist Zeitgeist,” 543.
30 Mudde, “Populist Zeitgeist,” 543.
31 Engels, Socialism.
32 Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit.
33 Hegel, Encyclopedia, 33.
34 Marx and Engels, The German Ideology.
35 Hegel, Encyclopedia of Logic.
36 Hegel, Encyclopedia of Logic.
37 Fraser, The Old is Dying, 11–12.
38 Giddens, The Third Way, 28, 37.
39 Giddens, The Third Way, 28, 37.
40 Giddens, The Third Way, 4.
41 Norris and Inglehart, Cultural Backlash, 137.
42 Norris and Inglehart, Cultural Backlash, 135.
43 Boffo, Saad-Filho and Fine, “Neoliberal Capitalism,” 262.
44 Hall, “Great Moving Right Show,” 15.
45 Hall, “Great Moving Right Show,” 15.
46 Bray, “Rearticulating Contemporary Populism,” 20.
47 Bray, “Rearticulating Contemporary Populism,” 18.
48 Barney and Laycock, “Right-Populists,” 317.
49 Bray, “Rearticulating Contemporary Populism.”
50 Urbinati, “Populist Phenomenon,” 137.
51 Kipfer and Saberi, “From ‘Revolution’ to Farce,” 135.
52 Keil, “‘Common-Sense’ Neoliberalism,” 594–5.
53 Brenner, Peck and Theodore, “Variegated Neoliberalization,” 1091.
54 Fanelli and Albo, “Local Roads to Austerity,” 7.
55 Keil, “‘Common-Sense’ Neoliberalism,” 594–95.
56 Keil, “‘Common-Sense’ Neoliberalism,” 594.
57 Fanelli and Albo, Local Roads to Austerity, 7.
58 City of Toronto, Blueprint for Fiscal Stability.
59 Gillespie, “Premier Wants Strong Mayor.”
60 Vincent and Lu, “Mayor Defends Push.”
61 Vincent and Benzie, “Premier Backs.”.
62 Erl, “People and the Nation.”
63 Silver, Taylor and Calderón-Figueroa, “Populism in the City,” 1.
64 Budd, “People’s Champ,” 176.
65 Budd, “People’s Champ,” 177.
66 Budd, “People’s Champ.”
67 Kipfer and Saberi, “From ‘Revolution’ to Farce,” 135.
68 Kipfer and Saberi, “From ‘Revolution’ to Farce,” 135.
69 Kipfer and Saberi, “From ‘Revolution’ to Farce,” 135.
70 Kipfer and Saberi, “From ‘Revolution’ to Farce,” 135.
71 Kipfer and Saberi, “From ‘Revolution’ to Farce,” 135.
72 McDowell, Neoliberal Parliamentarism.
73 Ford, “Strong Mayors,” August 11, 2022.
74 Parsa, “Strong Mayors,” August 11, 2022.
75 Martin, “Strong Mayors,” August 17, 2022.
76 Ford, “Strong Mayors,” August 11, 2022.
77 Clark, “Better Municipal Governance,” November 17, 2022.
78 Clark, “Better Municipal Governance,” December 6, 2022.
79 Smith, “Strong Mayors,” August 17, 2022.
80 Taylor and Horak, “Strong Mayor Powers.”
81 Fullerton, “Strong Mayors,” August 17, 2022.
82 Holland, Hansard, December 6, 2022.
83 Holland, Hansard, December 6, 2022.
84 Ghamari, “Strong Mayors,” August 11, 2022.
85 Skelley, “Strong Mayors,” September 6, 2022.
86 Bray, “Rearticulating Contemporary Populism.”
87 Hall, “Great Moving Right Show,” 15.
88 Benzie, “Doug Ford Gives.”.
89 Hegel, Encyclopedia, 33.
90 Hall, “Great Moving Right Show.”
91 Coletto, “Toronto Pulse.”
92 Jeffords, “Kill John Tory’s.”