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<\/p>\nOntario Premier Doug Ford says he doesn\u2019t like getting involved in municipal politics \u2014 specifically, mayoral elections \u2014 but he made an exception during a stop in Mississauga on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
In the city to deliver details of a provincial proposal that will make it easier for people to buy new homes, the premier was asked by a reporter near the end of a 35-minute press conference to weigh in on a potential clash of political heavyweights in the Mississauga mayoral race to take place in October.<\/p>\n
Mayor Carolyn Parrish, among those on hand alongside Ford for Wednesday\u2019s housing announcement, said earlier she plans to run for re-election one more time.<\/p>\n
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Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie, who stepped down as mayor of Canada\u2019s seventh-largest city just over two years ago to become leader of the Ontario Liberal Party (since resigned from that post as well), has said she wouldn\u2019t rule out another run for the mayor\u2019s seat<\/a> in Mississauga.<\/p>\n Crombie\u2019s Liberals were defeated soundly by Ford\u2019s Progressive Conservatives in the February 2025 provincial election, the latter re-elected to a third consecutive majority government, the first time a party has accomplished that since 1959.<\/p>\n The Liberal Party, while second in the popular vote, wound up with 14 seats to finish third in that measure behind the PCs and NDP.<\/p>\n Not only did her Liberals lose the election in decisive fashion, but Crombie \u2014 Mississauga\u2019s mayor from 2014 to 2024 \u2014 failed to win her seat in Mississauga East-Cooksville, losing to Conservative candidate Silvia Gualtieri.<\/p>\n Crombie subsequently announced her resignation as Liberal leader earlier this year, on Jan. 14.<\/p>\n Ford didn\u2019t mince words on Wednesday when asked if he\u2019d get involved should Crombie take on Parrish for the mayor\u2019s seat later in 2026. The premier and former Liberal leader have maintained a publicly contentious relationship that ranges from bickering to sharp personal attacks and policy disagreements.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know something, I never get involved in municipal elections, but I will send an army down here to make sure I support Mayor Parrish,\u201d said Ford, who earlier in the press conference heaped praise on Mississauga\u2019s current mayor, describing Parrish as \u201can absolute champ.\u201d<\/p>\n Former mayor of Mississauga Bonnie Crombie.<\/p>\n Thoughts back to Crombie, the premier continued, opining Mississauga was \u201can absolute disaster under Bonnie Crombie; rose taxes like they\u2019d never seen before, cut off everything about housing. She was an absolute disaster. So what I say to (former) mayor Bonnie Crombie \u2014 bring it on. Let\u2019s go. We\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n The next municipal election will be held on Oct. 26.<\/p>\n After stepping down as leader of the Ontario Liberals in January, Crombie said in a written statement to the media she was \u201clooking forward to spending more time with my family, including welcoming my first grandchild, while giving the party the space it needs to move forward with new leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n However, buoyed by the results of a poll last October, Crombie said at that time she wouldn\u2019t rule out another run for the Mississauga mayor\u2019s seat. She succeeded longtime Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion in 2014 and won re-election twice before leaving the post in January 2024<\/a> to become leader of Ontario\u2019s Liberal Party.<\/p>\n Though Crombie officially resigned as leader of the Liberals in January, she decided last September to step down after receiving just 57 per cent support in a leadership vote at the party\u2019s annual general meeting.<\/p>\n Parrish, a longtime politician who served on Mississauga city council for 13 years in addition to the same amount of time as an MP in Ottawa, won a mayoral byelection in June 2024<\/a> to succeed Crombie.<\/p>\n The Mississauga mayor told INsauga.com in an interview late in 2025 that she planned to serve no more than one more term in the seat.<\/p>\n Parrish also said at the time the notion of Crombie eyeing a return to the Mississauga mayor\u2019s office \u2014 as Crombie\u2019s own words indicated<\/a> \u2014 was just fine with her.<\/p>\n She said she\u2019d view such a development as \u201ca fabulous challenge,\u201d adding \u201cI\u2019d love it. We don\u2019t think alike.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026 I would look forward to a debate with Bonnie Crombie.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774450332_767_awZCW3rPmWvxPqZHnBCKLu.jpg\")
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