Ontario Premier Doug Ford has had himself quite a week. After delivering sharp kicks to bicycle lovers, homeless encampment residents, and the out-of-control Toronto District School Board, Ford topped it all off by promising an audacious solution to Toronto’s traffic gridlock.

If Ford’s goal was to sharply differentiate himself from his political opponents, then mission accomplished. The way he did it helps explain why his party is in power and the other two are not. It comes down to talking about things that matter to people in ways they can understand.