QUEEN’S PARK — Doug Ford’s new Welcome to Ontario signs featuring the slogan “Open for Business” have generated controversy amongst taxpayers for leaving out Ontario’s business hours.
“I find the complaints odd,” said pundit Rachel Bilton. “You’d think criticism of the signs which cost taxpayers $100,000 would be along the lines of, ‘What was wrong with the old signs?’ or ‘Who did Ford think was unaware that Ontario was open for business?’ But sure, the business hours. That’s also valid.”
U of T politics professor Louis Westman agreed, “I would have expected that a Premier who campaigned on a platform of responsible spending would draw ire from the public for dropping a doctor’s salary on signs that are identical to the previous ones except for a vague allusion that the province has somehow been closed all this time.”
Westman added, “I thought people would be furious that this is obviously a nepotistic make-work project. But they’re definitely more worked up about the operating hours.”
Amanda Hurley, CEO of Boring Blue Signs, pointed out that the situation is more complicated than it seems. “We would have loved to print the operating hours on there,” said Hurley. “But what are they? Is Ontario open for a full 9 to 5 workday? Do we open on Sunday? The last thing we want is for consumers to drive all the way from Buffalo to find out the province is closed for the day.”
A representative from Ford’s office assured the public that the signs will eventually be upgraded at a cost of $500,000 to feature a secondary sign to hang over the first which reads: “Gone for lunch, back in an hour.”
Doug Ford was unavailable for comment as he is reportedly hard at work on a new set of stop signs that add the words “YOUR VEHICLE.”
