“How do I love thee?”

I had so many questions to ask Doug Ford — questions posed by many Black Ontarians who want to probe the Conservative leader’s mind and discover if he has any concrete initiative to unlock the stymied potential of Blacks in the province.

For starters, why the focus on his own charitable acts — “I take Black kids up to my cottage” — rather than removing the barriers that victimize Black Ontarians?

Why would Ford promise to reintroduce TAVIS (Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy) — the most reviled police initiative that proved racist in its application in Toronto neighbourhoods?

Will you ban carding, not simply try to regulate it?

I would have asked Ford, in person, had he turned up at the April 11 leaders debate organized by a broad number of Black organizations. About 500 people attended. The issues were focused, targeted, germane to the everyday lived experiences of Black Ontarians. Ford skipped the debate, even as Premier Kathleen Wynne, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Green Party head Mike Schreiner attended.

The debaters were doused in wave after wave of questions that challenged the impotence of the province’s political apparatus to address intransigent anti-Black racism in the justice system, education, health care, housing, employment — you name it.

Horwath and Schreiner surprised more than a few with their direct acknowledgement of racism. Wynne’s views were generally known through government initiatives many in the audience consider a first step, though not enough.

Ford chose instead to attend a rally in Sudbury while the debate was in full swing at the Jamaican-Canadian Centre in North York. He had been given ample notice. He skipped the debate because he wanted to. Period.

It was a politically astute move by Ford, the front-runner in the race to become premier and ahead in all opinion polls by double-digit margins. Conventional wisdom says when you are ahead you don’t make grand pronouncements, announce controversial plans and raise alarm about your politics.

It’s hard to imagine Ford disrespecting more connected and powerful communities — and then rubbing salt in their wounds as he did by claiming that he has enough support in the Black community so he doesn’t really need to be at this debate.

I moderated that April 11 debate. Considering Ford’s self-declared love for “the Blacks,” I wanted to ask:

Will you reinstate the Employment Equity Act requirements Mike Harris killed, setting in motion the destruction of data and initiatives that had started to significantly improve the job prospects and socioeconomic status, impact and reach of many marginalized groups?

I don’t have to think up questions. I received many from Facebook friends and other citizens. For example, here’s a gimmie that Ford should hit out the park, seeing he hates the current LRT plans for Eglinton and Finch Avenue West:

How would a Ford Administration ensure that large infrastructure projects provide direct benefits to the Black community? For instance the York TTC extension has done little to enhance economic development in the Jane and Finch area. The Eglinton Crosstown threatens the existence of Lil Jamaica (Oakwood and Eglinton).

Other than trips to Muskoka, what will your government do to ensure that Black families and young people no longer face the barriers related to anti-Black racism and have the opportunity to fully and equitably participate in growing Ontario’s economy?

Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is throwing an Ontario campaign tradition under the bus.

Here’s a delicate one: Mr. Ford, you recently claimed that no politician other than your brother Rob Ford has done more for the Black community than you have. You’ve done more for Black communities than Jean Augustine? Than Lincoln Alexander? Than Michael Thompson? Than Mitzie Hunter? Than Margaret Best? Than Zanana Akande? Than Rosemary Brown? Than Celina Caesar-Chavannes? Than Howard McCurdy? Than Rocky Jones? Than Alvin Curling? Other than charitable acts, what exactly have you done as a politician that has led to systemic change on any level, in any domain?

Yeah, what?! Or, as one query states: Give four tangible policy positions you’ve taken, or motions you have tabled, that have led to targeted improvements in Black communities?

What will a Ford government do to ensure that Black-owned businesses are treated fairly in winning procurement with the provincial government?

Mr. Ford, as both a businessman and a politician, what is your record and experience of working with Black businesses? As the CEO of Deco Labels, what is your record on hiring Black staff and promoting them? How do you work with Black-owned subcontractors in any aspect of your business?

And here’s a cheeky one:

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According to media reports and court documents, the Fords have had significant interaction with people in the drug trade. Do you support the move to legalize marijuana use? Considering that young Black men are over-represented in arrests and convictions for cannabis possession (seven times greater than whites in some studies), do you support calls for the pardoning, clearing of records and amnesty of the many people incarcerated for activities that are now being legalized?

If Doug Ford wants us to count the ways he loves Black people, here’s one he should embrace — to counter the blatant disrespect he showed in skipping the debate.

Come to a town hall with the Black community. Give community leaders a date and they’ll set it up. One-on-one. Just you and us, Doug.

We won’t be able to print enough tickets.

Royson James is a former Star reporter who is a current freelance columnist based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @roysonjames

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