One of the best ways to appraise politicians is to match their words against their deeds. On that scale, Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is scoring poorly.

Ford boasts of having courage. He talks of respecting the intelligence of voters. He speaks of having a plan for Ontario.

Yet he will not have a bus for media to follow him on the provincial election campaign to begin in a few weeks.

This is more than a mere inconvenience to a few journalists who will need to scramble — and might well find it impossible — to keep up with Ford’s campaign.

Political reporters in Ontario don’t value a seat on campaign buses for weeks at a time for the quality of the cheese-doodles or the privilege of making multiple visits to Tweed or Strathroy.

Rather, they cover auditioning leaders during a critical time in the life of the province — leaders aspiring to positions of great power over institutions such as schools and hospitals and services that most families hold dear.

Journalists monitor these campaigners for consistency, credibility and capacity under pressure. They do this to provide voters with the best possible information on which to base decisions.

Any party leaders with respect for the office they seek and the people they purport to serve, with proper confidence in the thoroughness and sense of their platform, should welcome media coverage.

Which is why Ford’s decision is egregious.

Local coverage on campaign stops is splendid. The more, the better. But to cover an Ontario election, journalists should be immersed in provincial issues, know politicians’ track records, be able to readily identify dissembling, contradiction and promises divorced from reality.

Not long ago, Doug Ford was considering a run to be mayor of Toronto. After a series of remarkable events, he ended up being elected PC leader. He has no experience in a legislature, no experience with the complexities of a $159-billion enterprise spanning a vast territory.

His platform to date is minimal and unexplained. Its tires deserve a good kicking.

Voters should reasonably be suspicious of any aspiring premier reluctant to face the most rigorous scrutiny.

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