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One of the stock stories about Doug Ford these days is that he has to produce a plan.

The plan is the thing that’s supposed to help get him elected in Ontario in June. Kathleen Wynne, the premier, has a plan — a big, glorious, expensive plan to bring all sorts of lovely new free stuff to Ontarians because that’s what “progressive” governments do, constantly provide new free stuff. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath seems to have a plan of sorts — though after nine years on the job you wouldn’t think it would still be necessary to check.

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But Ford hasn’t revealed his plan yet. His people say details will be made clear in due time. It’s going to be a concise plan, they say — just a few main points — and won’t be dropped on the public all in one go. Instead they’ll be unwrapped one juicy morsel at a time, hopefully to savour and enjoy.

Photo by Chris Young/CP

It’s taken for granted, for some reason, that a comprehensive plan is essential to any hope of the Progressive Conservative leader dislodging the Liberals from power after 15 long years. It’s the roadmap to the future. How are we to judge Ford’s suitability unless he provides a detailed, step-by-step outline of the means by which he intends to rescue the province from its deep dive into debt and return it to the status it once enjoyed as a prosperous, peaceful place that can also pay its own way without having to hit up the bank for another loan every other payday?