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The Ontario Liberals had been circling around the point for days. But on Wednesday, Premier Kathleen Wynne came right out and said it: Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford is Canada’s Donald Trump, pursuing an “ugly, vicious brand of politics.”

Wynne’s extraordinary attack on the man polls suggest will be the province’s next premier targeted his reputation as a blunt-talking populist, calling him a “bully” after Ford suggested many Liberals should be going to jail.

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Ford has indeed been quick to attack the government in the run-up to the June 7 vote, and slow to reveal exactly how he would run the province.

But Wynne’s full-frontal assault, coupled with a first wave of Liberal TV ads that are also extremely negative, is a risky strategy, and it repeats one that clearly failed to work for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton against Trump himself.

Despite Ford’s divisive profile — still linked to his late brother Rob’s chaotic term as Toronto mayor — the Tories have actually inched up in the polls since he became leader last month, suggesting his approach is resonating with some Ontarians.