"Young Doug Ford" is my ongoing comic strip that allows me to reflect on youthful memories while touching on regional news events. We're talking about the current Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, and speculating about his youth.
Admittedly, the series may resonate primarily with a narrow demographic—people from Ontario who lived through their formative years in the 1970s and into the mid-1980s. I notice this whenever I post my "Young Doug Ford" strips on social media, as the likers and sharers tend to be primarily middle-aged account holders.
However, it doesn’t have to be this way. I like to think Doug Ford represents the populist everyman politician. His style is not uncommon in the politics of today or yesteryear. He’s not particularly ideological; he wants to be liked and acts accordingly when the criticisms become harsh. In that sense, he’s as “for the people” as any populist premier or governor, and he’s quite skilled at it. What he struggles with is keeping a lid on enriching his friends and political donors.
Still, he’s a popular leader and likely one of the few politicians you could envision having a beer and wings with—if only he weren’t a teetotaller and a vegetarian. Oh well.
Some have suggested that I should publish a book of the "Young Doug Ford" series. I’m not sure. It’s a niche topic that could be fantastic for the aforementioned age demographic, but it might quickly become bargain-bin filler thereafter.
On my website, I note that the series made its debut in early summer 2018, coinciding with the Ontario government’s investigation into pricing following the legalization of cannabis across Canada. Doug’s time as a hash dealer in high school is part of a long-form story about the Ford family that can be easily found with a few keystrokes on the Globe and Mail website. Partisan posters often highlight Doug’s dubious past under any given "Young Doug Ford" strip, and you can practically feel the cannabis fumes wafting from the frenzied typing of critics retelling the old story. It’s not far-fetched; Doug’s brother Rob became infamous as the crack-smoking mayor of Toronto and passed away from cancer in 2016.
Returning to my website, I remind my interrogators—especially those older than me—that my generation had to endure retrospective homages to Elvis, the 1950s, and the cultural aspects of those times. This is my small contribution to preserving memories of a bygone era while gently ribbing the top guy currently running the province.
Doug Ford and I are of similar age—he from Etobicoke and I from suburban Hamilton, specifically Dundas. He’s the first Premier who isn’t 15 years older than me. Like me, he’s the second youngest of four kids (three boys and one girl). Our upbringings were quite comfortable; his father was a successful businessman, while my father was a dentist. I believe I have a good understanding of what his youth was like. The series has shifted from satire towards Ford to more of a nostalgic slice of time for my fellow middle-agers.
The alignment of this anxious moment in American history—on the cusp of what’s expected to be one of the closest elections in living memory—parallels an election from 48 years ago, particularly given the name of another Ford running for office. We all know how that election turned out; as for the 2024 vote, we can only wait and see. In the meantime, enjoy my latest episode of "Young Doug Ford."