Top storylines to watch as the House reconvenes
Also: What's on the Order Paper, a cross-partisan mayoral match-up, Freedom Convoy fallout, welcome back protests, fundraising watch and loads more
ABOVE THE FOLD
TOP STORYLINES TO WATCH AS THE SPRING SESSION KICKS OFF
The House reconvenes for the first time this year amid a smorgasbord of drama. Expect Question Period to be a riot. Brace for big showy performances from the new NDP leader — ditto the Grits who are eyeing a leadership bid. Meanwhile, the Greens are still having a will-he-or-won’t-he moment. And the Ford government has plenty of scandals to bat down while dealing with the health care crisis, Greenbelt investigations and a spring budget.
Here’s what to watch for:
MARIT MAKES HER MARK — All eyes will be on MARIT STILES as the new leader of the Official Opposition NDP takes the lead in the morning’s Question Period. Since her days as the party’s Education critic, Stiles has been a powerful orator in the chamber — but don’t expect her to be front and centre so often.
As much as Stiles would want to be seen in the House, looking Premier-like and holding the Ford government to account, the downtown Toronto Davenport MPP is also planning to hit the road and introduce herself to Ontarians around the province.
FORD’S CONTROVERSIES — Back in the House, there’s plenty of fodder for Stiles to hammer the government on.
Reporters clearly got under Premier DOUG FORD’s skin when asking about the $150-a-head stag and doe for his daughter’s wedding that was attended by lobbyists and developers, who benefited from Greenbelt zoning changes. Stiles and Oppo parties will pounce on that.
Meanwhile, the auditor general and integrity commissioner are investigating allegations about whether developers were tipped off about the Greenbelt changes, and while it isn’t clear whether those reports will land this session, they’ll provide plenty of ammo for Oppo parties in the House.
GREEN WITH ENVY — A source tells us that they expect MIKE SCHREINER to hang up his Green hat and go sit with the Grits. Schreiner’s office denies that’s happening this week.
It would be a shocking turn of events in the bizarre leadership saga that’s dragged on for weeks — so allow us to indulge the rumours:
One wild piece of speculation was that some Green organizers wanted to lock Schreiner out of their party’s database, out of fear he could cross over to the Liberals and take precious party contacts and resources with him.
Schreiner has laid low ever since he asked for time to consider the request from 40 high-profile Liberals asking him to run to be their leader. It sparked major blowback among the party faithful and a counter-offer from the Greens inviting the Grits to join their club, which Schreiner already leads.
Actual Grits are still jockeying for the leadership, details for which are expected at the party convention in March. Still, potential contenders TED HSU and MITZIE HUNTER will want to stand out this session, and there’s an opening as interim leader JOHN FRASER was temporarily sidelined thanks to Covid.
ON THE POLICY SIDE — Topping the agenda for the PCs will be the health care crisis, and reducing wait times for patients in particular.
New legislation is in the wings to move certain surgeries and diagnostics — such as CT scans, MRIs and colonoscopies — into independent, private and not-for-profit facilities.
Municipal changes are also on the horizon. Our sources have been buzzing about the possibility of changing the rules for Toronto’s mayoral race so that sitting councillors have to step aside to campaign. There’s also a plan to expand strong mayor powers to other municipalities and the possibility of amalgamating regional governments.
And the budget: Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY has teased the spring budget as “more of the same.” Typically, budget nuggets are held close to the chest, but Bethlenfalvy has set the stage for austerity. “We have a plan to build Ontario. It’s going to be a plan that updates how we are doing on those priorities.”
That’s tough words for the stakeholders looking for help from the province — including children’s hospitals, which are asking for $371 million to fix pediatric care.
It’s also not surprising — the minister noted there’s mounting pressure thanks to high inflation, interest rates and more — but he’s not sweating a future recession. “Ontario is absolutely resilient to be able to get past whatever the economy throws our way.”
HAPPENING TODAY
— 9 a.m.: Union leaders are in the Media Studio for a presser on the “urgent issues facing workers as the legislature resumes.” Featuring: Ontario Federation of Labour president PATTY COATES and more.
— 9:45 a.m.: Advocates — including folks from Indigenous, environment, democracy, education and health care groups — will follow. The groups say they’re “united against the Ford government’s anti-democratic, anti-environment, anti-worker and pro-sprawl agenda.”
— Another “Welcome Back” protest: Education unions and more are holding a “protest party” on the Legislature’s South Lawn on Saturday, February 25. RSVP.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
First up: The day kicks off with a bang — the first Question Period of the spring session goes down around 10:30 a.m., after the morning housekeeping routine.
Later on, NDPer BHUTILA KARPOCHE get the first private member’s debate slot and will move second reading of Bill 33, to proclaim the first Wednesday in May as Maternal Mental Health Day.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT — The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs meets behind closed doors for a report-writing session on its study of the big renovation at the Legislature.
AROUND THE PRECINCT — Stakeholder and lobbyist receptions are also back. Serving up breakfast for MPPs is the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Association, as well as the AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) Foundation & C.A.R.E. In the evening, both the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Architectural Conservancy Ontario are hosting receptions.
FUNDRAISING WATCH — The Grits in Beaches—East York are hosting a fundraiser to raise money to help young partisans get to the Liberal convention in Hamilton next month. Invite.
IN OTHER NEWS…
— IT’S AN EMERGENCY!: The federal Emergencies Act report is out — and it isn’t looking good for Premier DOUG FORD, who refused to testify in the commission.
“Ford abandoned his responsibilities to the province’s second-largest city when it was overrun by the so-called ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest last year, a federal report concluded Friday.”
More from the Star: “Repeated efforts by Ford and other ministers to shift the responsibility for dealing with the protests in Ottawa squarely onto the federal government were part of a political and policing breakdown that ultimately required the invocation of the Emergencies Act, wrote Justice PAUL ROULEAU in his long-awaited report into the use of the law.
“If there had been greater political collaboration from the start, issues that plagued the early responses to the protesters could have been ironed out, Rouleau said. Potentially useful — and already available — powers and authorities also could have been identified.”
— PSW EXPANSION RAISES EYEBROWS: “It’s the proposal to have PSWs give noncontrolled medications, under approval of a home’s registered nursing staff, that is raising concerns in some quarters,” the Star reports.
‘It really is an acknowledgment of the dire straits of our health human resources, particularly as it relates to the dramatic, severe shortage of nurses that we have right now,” says Liberal MPP Dr. ADIL SHAMJI (Don Valley East), an emergency room physician. ‘Historically, nurses have been the ones administering medications, for which they are singularly qualified and trained.’”
Queen’s Park Observer had the scoop on the new LTC regulations here.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
WANNABE MAYORS — Our sources say TOM ALLISON, a Liberal war room veteran, will work on ANA BAILÃO’s potential campaign for Toronto mayor, should the former councillor officially throw her hat in the ring.
Her campaign would see Allison match up with his sometimes-political rival, PC strategist and pollster NICK KOUVALIS, who has thrown his support behind Bailão. Allison and Kouvalis have teamed up before and worked on JOHN TORY’s 2014 bid.
— CAMERON MONTGOMERY, the failed PC candidate who sparked criticism after being appointed to a $140,000-a-year job at the EQAO, is back for another one-year term as chair.
SPOTTED:
NDP JOEL HARDEN defending a rally outside the Herzig Eye Institute protesting DOUG FORD’s “privatization scheme” — noting the clinic was closed so “staff or patients were not impacted”…
LG ELIZABETH DOWDESWELL and Ukraine Consul General in Toronto OLEKSANDR SHEVCHENKO opening “The Year of Resilience” photography exhibition to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion…Ford’s Family Day statement.
REGULATORY ROUNDUP
On Tuesdays, we sum up the government’s latest proposals on the regulatory registry — where the nitty-gritty of policymaking is hammered out.
KIDS IN CARE — The proposal: “Regulatory amendments and a policy directive to hold children's aid societies clearly accountable for preparing youth to successfully exit their care and to introduce a new program for youth leaving care, to improve their long-term economic independence through life skills development, post-secondary education and pathways to employment.” Deadline for public feedback: March 1.
ULTRASOUND UP — Proposal: “To exempt respiratory therapists from the prohibition on the controlled act of applying soundwaves for diagnostic ultrasound when acting under the order of a physician or nurse practitioner.” Deadline: March 10.
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations since Friday:
— Utilia Amaral, Utilia Amaral/MarketStep Consulting: Google LLC (COB as Google Nest), Carbon Upcycling Technologies Inc.
— Daniel Moulton, Crestview Strategy: Rogers Communications Inc.
— Muhammad Ali, Crestview Strategy: Nokia Canada Inc
— Devan Sommerville, Counsel Public Affairs: CNIB Foundation
— Isaac Crawford-Ritchie and Rick Roth, Global Public Affairs: Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee
— Vince Amodeo, Global Public Affairs: SAP Canada Inc.
— Mark Holmes, Marlyn Consulting: Schad Foundation, Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers, Ontario Federation of Trail Riders, Canada Masq Corp
— Kelly Mitchell, KW Mitchell Consulting Services: The Schad Foundation
— Dan Mader, Loyalist Public Affairs: 1384341 Ontario Ltd. (operating as Cavanagh Developments)
In-house organizations: Greater Toronto Airports Authority — United for Literacy — The Canada Life Assurance Company.
🍫 TUCK SHOP — Need some first-day-back-at-the-Leg sustenance? There’s plenty of snacks, caffeinated drinks — and hot gossip — to be had in the Press Gallery Lounge’s Tuck Shop, located on the third floor of the east wing.
⌛ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 10 days until the Liberal Party convention…23 days until the byelection in Hamilton Centre…38 days until the budget is legally due out.