Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford gives a brief speech as he unveils his campaign bus and slogan in Toronto on April 15, 2018. IPOLITICS/Marieke Walsh

Doug Ford says the Ontario Liberals are “lying” about comments he made in 2014 that were widely reported and then defended by Ford.

“You’re going to hear a lot of lies, desperate lies from Kathleen Wynne,” he told reporters at his campaign bus launch in Toronto on Sunday.

On Friday the Liberals launched a $1 million ad blitz that zeroes in on his past comments and policies. One ad called “Doug said” repeats comments that he made about a home for teens with autism when he was a Toronto councillor. News stories from that time quote him saying the home “ruined the community.”

READ MORE: Ontario Liberals launch fear campaign against Doug Ford

The Liberals said they believe voters don’t know about the comments from years ago and that the ads will make people think twice about voting for the front runner. Two months ahead of the June 7 election all polls have the Progressive Conservatives polling well ahead of the governing Liberals.

Asked whether he thought his the comments would sway people Ford rejected the comments out right.

“I’ll make Kathleen Wynne a deal today, if Kathleen Wynne stops telling lies about me I will stop telling the truth about Kathleen Wynne,” he said.

The comments were first reported by the Etobicoke Guardian on May 16, 2014. They were then picked up by other outlets on May 17, 2014. The next day The Canadian Press reported that Ford stood by the comments.

“My heart goes out to kids with autism. But no one told me they’d be leaving the house,” he was reported saying.

Amid freezing rain and rainfall warnings Ford’s campaign bus rolled up at the Toronto Coach Terminal Sunday morning with his family in tow.

He said his campaign slogan shows that he and the policies he puts forward are “for the people.”

READ MORE: Ford tosses promise of a costed platform

In a nod to reports that he would focus his campaign on a few key policies, Ford told the small crowd of supporters he would campaign on “straightforward commitments.” Pledging:

“An affordable and a practical plan to put money back into your pocket instead of the government’s pocket;”

“To clean up the hydro mess;”

“To create good paying jobs;”

“Restore accountability and respect;”

“And to make sure we cut hospital line waiting times.”

“You can always count on me to give you straight talk,” he said in his brief speech. “I will only make promises I can keep and I will always keep the promises I make.”

Ford has already walked back a previous commitment, however. Although he promised to put forward a “fully costed” platform, he tossed that pledge a week later. Ford told reporters more details on his policies would come in the “next few weeks.”

He took four questions from reporters at the bus launch before ending the news conference.

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