Ford and Chow's kumbaya moment
Also: Greenbelt Hail Mary, what the PCs pollster wants to know, caucus retreats, fresh pharma regs, Plowing Match primer, teacher talks, weekend weddings, new comms staff and more
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ABOVE THE FOLD
COMMON GROUND — What a difference 12 weeks and a personal connection can make.
DOUG FORD and OLIVIA CHOW have come a long way from their summertime campaign clash — when the Premier warned that the so-called “lefty” and former NDPer would be an “unmitigated disaster” as Toronto’s Mayor.
Now, at their first face-to-face meeting since Chow won the top job in the 416, they’re singing each other’s praises — and have teamed up on a “New-Deal Working Group” to suss out ways to deal with the cash-strapped city’s billion-dollar budget hole.
Here are the highlights:
All in the family: Things got personal. At a joint presser after their closed-door meeting ran late, Ford gifted Chow with a framed photo of his late brother and ex-mayor ROB FORD unveiling the waterfront statue of Chow’s late husband and former NDP captain JACK LAYTON. “You’re always trying to get me to cry,” Chow said, before congratulating the Premier on his youngest daughter’s weekend nuptials (more on that below).
A New Deal: The working group’s roster will include officials from the province and city, and it’s mandate will be to “achieve long-term stability and sustainability of Toronto’s finances.” They’ll report back by the end of November — just in time for the city to draft its budget.
But, and it’s a biggie: The new deal won’t — as Chow previously pitched — include new taxes, fees, or a slice of the HST, something that would require provincial approval. Ford said he’s “just not in favour” of new levies. “We look at revenue growth as opposed to taxing people.” As for whether Toronto could nab a portion of the HST: “Not right now,” Ford said. That won’t be surprising to regular readers.
Over to you, Trudeau: The pair expressed hope that Ottawa pitches in, but the civic deal isn’t “contingent” on Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU’s participation, Chow said. Ford was more forceful. “It’s critical,” he said. “We need the infrastructure money.”
A hot potato: The biggest point of contention between Ford and Chow has so far been the province’s redevelopment plans for Ontario Place — something Chow came out swinging against during her campaign. But the Mayor struck a more collegial tone on that front, too, saying she hopes local processes will be respected and promised to follow-through on the timelines.
“I think there was a little concern that the city will deliberately try to delay that process but the planning process is what it is and it will continue.”
A good start: Ahead of the tete-a-tete, the province doled out another $42 million to help municipalities house asylum seekers and refugees — with more than half of the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit going to the 416.
“POLLS ARE FOR DOGS” — For the first time in weeks, Ford was probably happy that reporters were mostly asking him about something other than the Greenbelt debacle. Still, CityNews’s Cynthia Mulligan managed to squeeze in a final question on his lagging popularity numbers.
Ford isn’t sweating it. He said that, despite his government’s approval tanking in most public-opinion surveys since the Greenbelt drama broke, his own internal polling shows they’re at around 38 or 39 per cent — enough to secure a majority.
“Polls are for dogs,” he quipped. “If you go out there — the reason we’re at that per cent — ask the people, who do you trust with your wallet? Who do you trust on reducing taxes? Who do you trust on creating jobs?”
SCOOP — Meanwhile, I got my hands on the latest survey from Campaign Research — which is run by NICK KOUVALIS, the PCs pollster who’s back in action.
Survey says: While the poll wasn’t necessarily commissioned by the government, it gauges, among other things, how folks feel about the current provincial and federal leaders, and tellingly, refers to BONNIE CROMBIE as the “likely new leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.” That’s not surprising, given that the frontrunner contender has the PCs shaking in their boots.
HAPPENING TODAY
TO THE FURROWS — The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo kicks off today in Bowling Green. It’s a major event in Ontario politics — the House even pushed back its start date so MPPs could attend, swapping out their blazers and ties for rubber boots and 10-gallon hats to court rural Ontarians.
At 2 p.m., the main event: Party leaders will hop on tractors to compete for who can plow the straightest furrow. It’ll be new-ish NDP Leader MARIT STILES’s first rodeo. She and Premier DOUG FORD — who often says he likes to get out of the Toronto “bubble” and chat with “real” folks in rural Ontario — will deliver keynotes at the opening ceremonies around 11:30 a.m.
Top of mind for rural Ontario is something that’s pretty much front and centre for the rest of the province: Housing.
ROBIN JONES, chair of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association, says: “When we strengthen rural communities, we make the whole province more prosperous. Housing continues to be a top priority, and we are hoping that the province follows through on recommendations from our 2022 housing task force report. Homelessness is, of course, top of mind, as we are seeing more people who are unhoused. We’re also keen for solutions to improve rural access to services and we have been getting input and hope to have some recommendations for Ontario at the ROMA Conference in January.”
From PEGGY BREKVELD, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture: “Preserving and protecting farmland continues to be a top priority for OFA. It’s a finite resource and we believe strongly the best use of arable farmland is for growing food, fuel, fibre and flowers for today and for future generations. At the same time, the housing crisis facing Ontario is real, and we understand the government’s need and plan to add more housing to the market. We believe those goals can be achieved by building within existing urban boundaries — utilizing underdeveloped areas, reclaiming abandoned industrial lands and building up instead of out. It’s a balancing act, but we can do both.”
CAUCUS RETREATS — HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND — On the eve of the Legislature’s return, the Progressive Conservatives will head from the Plowing Match to wine country in Niagara for a pre-House huddle. The caucus retreat is expected to take place over Thursday and Friday.
Also: The Greens will hold their annual convention in Kitchener — byelection territory. The three-day event features a keynote from leader MIKE SCHREINER and an “all-out canvass” with candidate AISLINN CLANCY. The Greens are hoping to repeat their historic federal win in the riding and were first out of the gate to nominate their candidate.
Get to know Clancy in our Q+A.
KW is having a moment. This month, the NDP, which is hoping to hold on to the seat in the as-yet-uncalled byelection, held their caucus retreat in town, while the PCs hosted a Ford Fest barbecue at the local Bingemans.
AROUND THE PRECINCT — The long-awaited statue of the late QUEEN ELIZABETH II has finally arrived on the South Lawn — thanks to another $1.5 million from the province — but it’s still under wraps (literally). NDP Indigenous Relations critic SOL MAMAKWA has spoken out against it as a token of colonization.
CLIPPINGS
— HOUSING HAIL MARY: Oppo NDP leader MARIT STILES isn’t letting up on the Greenbelt debacle, teasing a private member’s bill that she’ll table on the first day of the fall session next week, that would reverse the land swaps and restore their protected status.
Fat chance: Regular readers will know the drill by now — PMBs rarely get enshrined in law, especially ones that do something the majority-enjoying Ford government has refused to do (though they are reviewing the controversial land swap). But a PMB would force the PCs to shut it down on the record, and given the public’s ire on the matter, that’s bad optics.
On the committee circuit: This comes after New Democrats tried (and failed) to get more answers on the land swap, and as the PCs shot down a Grit motion to have a committee study the carve-up and have ex-Minister STEVE CLARK and top staffers testify. Catch up on our scoop.
— ANOTHER BLOW TO BARGAINING: There’s another hurdle for the Ford government when it comes to a tentative agreement with the high school teachers’ union that would avoid a strike. Following in the Toronto bargaining unit’s footsteps, the local OSSTF chapter in Windsor is coming out swinging against the proposal that would see any outstanding issues go to binding arbitration, effectively giving up their right to strike. The agreement isn’t a done deal — members still need to vote to ratify it, with results expected at the end of the month. More from the Star.
Speaking of possible strike votes: Elementary teachers have begun voting on whether they’ll hit the picket lines in the event of an impasse at the bargaining table. It’s par for the course, and while the union hasn’t agreed to arbitration a la the tentative pact with OSSTF, it’s not a guarantee that workers will walk off the job. Meanwhile, a conciliator has been called in and progress has been made, union head KAREN BROWN told CP. Voting runs until October 17.
— 11,000 LOST: “An estimated 11,000 Ontarians have died while waiting for surgeries, MRIs and CT scans in the past year.” CityNews has the grim story.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
First in Observer — STAFFING UP — Solicitor General MICHAEL KERZNER has poached a Director of Communications from Agriculture Minister LISA THOMPSON: CHELSEA McGEE.
— Education Minister STEPHEN LECCE has a new senior comms adviser and press secretary: ISHA CHAUDHURI, who previously did stints at Earnscliffe, Hill+Knowlton, and on ANA BAILAO’s mayoral campaign. Chaudhuri is replacing GRACE LEE, who as we previously scooped, was promoted to Lecce’s D-Comms.
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.
BIG PHARMACIST — The proposal: Ahead of flu season, it’s another round of expanded powers for pharmacists, allowing them to administer and/or prescribe the RSV vaccine, Paxlovid, Tamiflu and more. Deadline for public feedback: September 26.
BUILDING WATER AND ENERGY REPORTS — Proposal: “To streamline the exemption process for eligible building owners by removing the requirement to submit supporting documentation when requesting either an on-going or annual exemption from reporting” water and energy consumption data. Deadline: October 14.
💍 WEEKEND WEDDINGS: As we first told you last week, Premier DOUG FORD’s youngest daughter KYLA FORD and JOHN AIELLO celebrated their nuptials at the Omni King Edward Hotel. Fun fact: The father-daughter dance was a mash-up that included You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban.
The guest list: Asked if any developers were in attendance — like at his other daughter’s wedding and buck-and-doe that is now the subject of a possible ethics probe — Ford said “no.”
Global News’s ISAAC CALLAN also tied the knot and absolutely kilt it on the outfit. (I know, I know).
⌛COUNTDOWN: T-minus 6 days until the House reconvenes…74 days until the Liberal leadership contest…116 days until the Premier has to call a byelection in Kitchener Centre.