Doug Ford: Ex-Toronto mayor's brother to be Ontario premier

BBC - Doug Ford, the brother of troubled former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, has been elected premier of Canada's most populous province.

Mr Ford's centre-right Progressive Conservatives (PC) wrested control of Ontario from the Liberal Party for the first time since 2003.

The populist politician has drawn comparisons to US President Trump.

A former city councillor, he was close to his late brother Rob, who infamously took drugs in office.

The Conservatives took 41% of the vote, winning 76 of 124 seats in the province with 99% of polls reporting, according to local media.

Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau offered his "sincere congratulations" to Mr Ford in a statement, tweeting that "Ontarians have voted for change".

Mr Ford, 53, is known for his plain-speaking style and attacks on media and the elites - whom he once described as "drinking champagne with their pinkies in the air".

The premier-designate has voiced support for Donald Trump, though he has dismissed the direct comparison and has been careful to avoid controversial comments during the hotly contested race for Ontario.

The final days of the campaign saw the PCs in a neck-and-neck battle with the left-leaning New Democrats, with most polls showing them holding a knife-edge lead over their rivals.

Mr Ford ran a populist campaign, promising to fight for "the little guy" and to make life more affordable for Ontario residents by cutting energy cost, slashing the price of petrol, and lowering provincial income tax.