Somehow Premier Doug Ford, his anointed PC candidates and members of his re-election team can keep a straight face when they repeatedly tell us we “need” a provincial election “right now” to give him a “strong mandate” to deal with possible U.S. trade protectionism and any other political storm that arises.

Respectfully, that is baloney.

It is solely a political calculation, designed to try to distract from his shortcomings as premier and, he hopes, extend his party’s dominant rule in Ontario.

And he probably will succeed because the folksy Ford schtick seems to resonate with people. Ultimately, you — the voter — will decide his government’s future.

But please, let’s not simply drink the Kool-Aid. Look beyond his rah-rah Captain Canada rhetoric and instead assess his track record over seven years as Ontario’s top dog, while weighing his government’s numerous missteps, scandals and unkept promises.

That’s not easy when your populist premier is Ontario’s equivalent of the late Ralph Klein, Alberta’s 1990s-era everyman. (Nice “not-made-in-Canada” ball cap, by the way, Mr. Premier. Ralph woulda loved the idea.)

While Ford is a great talker and keeps telling us how he’ll fight for Canada if Donald Trump imposes tariffs or other protectionist measures, respectfully, that’s not really the premier’s job.

Of course, he can and should speak up for both the province and the country, but when it comes down to negotiating with the United States or pushing back with our own made-in-Canada solutions, it will largely be up to the federal government to decide what happens. It’s unlikely the premiers will even be at the table.

The feds will consult with the provinces (and might even listen to the premiers’ ideas), but ultimately this is an area of federal responsibility.

(By the way, what does Ford really mean when he suggests Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie or the NDP’s Marit Stiles would be a “disaster” if they were the ones dealing with Trump?

Surely he’s not suggesting the longtime former mayor of one of Canada’s largest cities and the New Democrats’ equally capable leader would be unable to handle the job just because they’re women. Such politicking can be an age-old dog-whistle to the ingrained sexist attitudes some voters still hold and Ford should avoid it.)

His Tories control almost two-thirds of the seats in the Ontario Legislature heading into the Feb. 27 election, which he made official on Tuesday by asking the lieutenant-governor to dissolve the Legislature.

If his “I need a strong mandate” snow job were true, what does he call having a governing majority that already controls the legislative agenda? Plus his opponents have said they will support any stimulus packages or spending that Ford invokes should Trump follow through on his tariff musings.

No, spending an estimated $175 million on a provincial election two years early is simply an attempt to solidify power and bury all the errors and questionable decisions Ford’s government has implemented since 2018.

It is definitely not about “serving” the people of Ontario.

So, please let’s spend the next month of this unnecessary campaign with our eyes wide open.

Besides whatever he promises to do if he wins a “strong mandate,” as voters let’s weigh the scandals and expensive boondoggles Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives have overseen and decide if Ford deserves to remain in charge.

A partial list to consider: We love Ontario’s health care and education systems, but both remain underfunded and face major problems under Ford’s watch (and he has been increasing private health care); the costly decision of cancelling green energy contracts; ending the Beer Store monopoly in order to bring booze to corner stores; the destruction of Ontario Place to make way for a fancy European spa; and the billions in profits developers will earn thanks to changes to the Greenbelt, a controversy that remains under investigation by the RCMP.

Once the votes are counted on Feb. 27, Doug Ford might still be premier of Ontario. However, it falls to each of us to make sure he earns that trust and is made accountable for his past actions and future promises.