OTTAWA — The Ford Conservatives have scored another union endorsement, The Toronto Sun has learned.
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On Monday, the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA) — representing over 12,000 firefighters across the province — will announce they’re endorsing the Progressive Conservatives in this month’s provincial election.
This comes just days after Unifor, Local 1285 — representing autoworkers in Brampton — threw its support behind the Doug Ford Tories, the first time a Unifor local has endorsed the party.
“We’re very excited about this,” PC MPP David Piccini, who served as Ford’s labour minister, told the Sun.
“This builds on our Unifor endorsement, and really underscores the broader labour coalition that we’re building.”
Both Ford and Piccini were credited with securing the endorsements — courting and making inroads into a broader coalition of union and labour groups traditionally off-limits to the Progressive Conservatives.
Like Unifor, this is the first time the OPFFA have endorsed the party.
“Premier Ford and his government have been steadfast, active partners in addressing firefighter issues,” said OPFFA President Greg Horton.
“We’ve worked shoulder-to-shoulder on critical initiatives to ensure the safety and well-being of firefighters, as well as fire and life safety in communities across Ontario.”
In a statement, Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford said he’s honoured to have the OPFFA’s support.
“Ontario’s first responders have our backs when we need them the most, and we will always have their backs,” he said.
“The OPFFA has been a tremendous partner to our government, and we’ll continue to ensure our firefighters have the training, tools and resources they need.”
Ontario voters go to the polls Feb. 27.
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