There are two ways to measure Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s resounding election victory. By the usual political standards, Thursday’s vote was a huge success. What’s not to like about three straight majorities, 80 seats in the 124-seat legislature and the dismal failure of the opposition parties?

The only expectations Ford did not meet were the ones he set for himself. He said he wanted an overwhelming mandate to send a message to U.S. President Donald Trump. It’s difficult to spin winning three fewer seats than he did in 2022, the support of just 20 per cent of eligible voters, and a 45-per-cent voter turnout as an overwhelming mandate. In fact, it’s a lot like the mandate that Ford already had before the election.