SCOOP: Amalgamation nation
Also: Ford's frustration, budget hints, MPP disclosures, promotions in Labour Minister's office, Stiles debut, byelection alert, Mulroney's mulligan and much more
ABOVE THE FOLD
First in Queen’s Park Observer — MAKE IT A MEGACITY — Politicos in Peel are buzzing about the possibility of amalgamation — again. At least one local politician believes a “City of Peel” is “imminent.”
It’s topical: The Ford government is going for another round of regional government reviews, “to assess the best mix of roles and responsibilities between upper and lower-tier municipalities.”
When the move was announced last fall, Municipal Affairs Minister STEVE CLARK did not rule out the possibility of dissolving any of the six regional governments.
When asked this week, Premier DOUG FORD was just as tight-lipped, but he didn’t deny the possibility of amalgamation in Peel — the vote-rich 905 area that includes Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.
Now, the matter has been thrust to the forefront again, as Mississauga councillors cleared a motion asserting the city’s independence on Wednesday. Mayor BONNIE CROMBIE has long called for her city to be a single-tier municipality.
The late ex-mayor HAZEL MCCALLION was also not a fan of amalgamating the town she presided over for 36 years — and our sources say her passing has “totally changed the dynamic” with the Ford government.
“Doug promised ‘Hurricane’ it wouldn’t happen, but now she is gone. And everyone is freaking,” said one source. “Based on what happened in Toronto, reducing municipal government is clearly a policy the province is fond of.”
FORD’S FRUSTRATION — A tense exchange between Premier DOUG FORD and the reporter that broke the story about developers and lobbyists attending the buck and doe for his daughter’s wedding:
Ford bristled at questions from Global News’s QP bureau chief COLIN D’MELLO, calling out his journalistic integrity.
He also confirmed tickets for the wedding fundraiser went for $150 a pop. In this reporter’s personal experience, that’s fairly pricey — tickets typically go for $20-$50.
But Ford insisted that’s “a regular stag” and that “the boys” — his son-in-law and groomsmen — were in charge of the guest list, which Ford is keeping under wraps.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” he told D’Mello, visibly agitated. “You’ve known us for years. No one can influence the Fords. No one.” Ford added that “the place was packed full of police officers” — not surprising since three of his four daughters are in relationships with cops — and that he doesn’t “sit there with a checklist as they’re coming through the door.”
Meanwhile: “An X-rated Ford fest” — that’s how one elected official who was at the event described it to me.
Ford also weighed in on the JOHN TORY drama in Toronto:
— It’s officially official: Tory resigns as the Mayor on Friday — but Ford wished he wouldn’t. “It’s not time to change…Everything’s going tickety-boo in Toronto,” the Premier said, dropping another Ford-ism. “Tory has been a phenomenal partner, he’s been a really good mayor for the City of Toronto…They’re working well with the federal [and] provincial governments…Let’s not upset the apple cart for a personal issue he’s dealing with.”
— That said, Ford maintained he’ll work with whoever the next mayor happens to be — with a big caveat. “If a lefty mayor gets in there, God help the people of Toronto,” he said. “It would be a disaster. Taxes going through the roof…out of control spending…lining the pockets of City Hall’s coffers…I’ll tell you if a left-wing mayor gets in there, we’re toast.”
— For now, the Premier is happy Tory is seeing the city’s budget through. It’s the first budget under provincially-granted strong mayor powers that help do the heavy lifting for the Ford government’s ambitious plan to build more housing. “Everyone has seen the good job Mayor Tory has done. The guy’s a relentless worker. I don’t think he sleeps — he’s up at 5 a.m. and the guy doesn’t stop til midnight.”
The actual announcement: Ford was at the Magna plant in Brampton to announce $23.6 million towards the auto supply company’s $471-million expansion, including a local EV battery facility that will create more than 500 jobs.
LET’S GET FISCAL — A rosy budget teaser from Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY, who released the third-quarter finances yesterday:
This year’s deficit clocked in at $6.5 billion — about half of what the Ford government projected in the Fall Economic Statement.
The brighter outlook is thanks to higher-than-expected revenues from corporate and sales taxes, with overall revenue now pegged at $9.6 billion higher.
Bigger spenders: Expenses are also expected to go up, pegged at $188.6 billion. That’s roughly $3 billion more than earlier forecasts.
Meanwhile, Bethlenfalvy weighed in on pre-budget speculation:
— On what to expect: “More of the same,” the Minister teased. Typically, budget nuggets are held close to the vest, but Bethlenfalvy is setting 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.”
It’s not surprising — the minister noted there’s mounting pressure thanks to high inflation, interest rates and supply chain disruptions around the globe. “Now is the time for governments to show restraint, to act cautiously and responsibly.”
— On whether a recession is on the horizon: Bethlenfalvy said Ontario’s economy is strong enough to weather a possible recession, pointing to a lower-than-expected deficit. “Ontario is absolutely resilient to be able to get past whatever the economy throws our way.”
— On big contingency funds, which Financial Accountability Officer PETER WELTMAN has called out for the lack of transparency: “I wouldn’t be doing my job as Minister of Finance if I didn’t build some prudence and contingency funds.”
Oppo isn’t buying it.
“No other government is squirrelling away massive amounts of money…at the expense of Ontarians,” said NDP Finance critic CATHERINE FIFE.
She slammed the government for earmarking billions in contingency funds instead of allocating much-needed cash for health care, education and other programs. “It’s clear that the government has the fiscal capacity to invest in Ontarians but has simply chosen not to…This is a pattern from this government, using deficits as a justification for underspending on critical sectors.”
Related: Just last week, Weltman projected a much smaller deficit of $2.5 billion. He also noted a $6.1-billion hole for health and education over the next three years.
The budget is legally due out March 31, the end of the province’s fiscal year — but the PCs have missed that self-imposed deadline in the past.
BYELECTION ALERT — We called it! As we first reported yesterday, a byelection in Hamilton Centre has been set for March 16. Get up to speed on the state of play.
MPP DISCLOSURES are out. Wondering how many MPPs are landlords? Which Ministers are getting pricey gifts? Who bought shares in GameStop? Stay tuned for a deep dive in tomorrow’s newsletter — for now, sate yourself with the raw data.
HAPPENING TODAY
DOUG FORD’S THURSDAY — 1:30 p.m.: The Premier is in Sault Ste. Marie for a presser alongside Mines Minister GEORGE PIRIE.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT — 9 a.m.: Bill 46, the PCs latest red-tape reduction package, is up for a possible makeover during clause-by-clause consideration at the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.
— Over at the Justice Policy committee, it’s another day of closed-door report writing re: the study of bail reform.
IN OTHER NEWS…
— MULRONEY’S MULLIGAN: “DOUG FORD should demand CAROLINE MULRONEY’s resignation,” argues the Star’s Martin Regg Cohn. His case in point: “Someone in Mulroney’s political office ordered public servants at the Metrolinx transit agency to exclude opposition MPPs from alerts that trees were to be cut in their riding…Tempting as it is to laugh this off as amateurish meddling and manipulation by the Mulroney brain trust, it is not so easily shrugged off. Trees are a big deal in this town, as every politicians knows well.”
— BUDGET ASKS: “A group of Ontario children’s hospitals and health organizations have asked the province for $371 million in the upcoming budget to fix pediatric care, saying the funds are desperately needed to tackle surgical, clinical and diagnostic wait-lists. The request comes just days after Ottawa laid out its offer to provinces and territories on federal funding of health care.” The Canadian Press reports.
What do you want to see in the upcoming spring budget? Send me your written submissions, demands and wildest fiscal fantasies at sabrina@qpobserver.ca, or just reply to this email.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
First in Queen’s Park Observer — PROMOTIONS: In Labour Minister MONTE MCNAUGHTON’s office, KYLE FRITZ is now a senior policy adviser. He was previously a policy adviser to the minister. BRANDON CRANDALL also has a new “senior” moniker tacked on to his title as manager of stakeholder relations.
BEYOND THE BUBBLE — SARAH LETERSKY, former senior PC government staffer, is now heading up Rubicon Strategy’s national health practice. Letersky joined Rubicon as a VP in 2020 (but regular readers will recall that the political drama followed her).
SPOTTED:
NDP Leader MARIT STILES kicking off the first caucus retreat at the party helm, slamming DOUG FORD’s cozy relationship with developers and urging JOHN TORY to “stick to his words” and resign…Agriculture Minister LISA THOMPSON pumping up Ontario beef on a trade mission to Japan and Vietnam…Interim Liberal leader JOHN FRASER benched from the House next week thanks to Covid…A cross-partisan Galentine’s celebration feat. politicos KIM WRIGHT, LARYSSA WALER, MICHELLE EATON, KATE MCNAUGHTON and more…A legislative Jeopardy! game.
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations over the past 24 hours:
— Stephen McKersie, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP: Molson Canada 2005
— Jan O'Driscoll, Rubicon Strategy: Amazon Corporate LLC
— Brian Zeiler-Kligman, Sussex Strategy Group: Mississauga Bus Group of Companies, AON Inc., General Contractors' Association - Toronto
— Alexander Kostenko, Global Public Affairs: Career Find
— Ashton Arsenault, Crestview Strategy: CAAT Pension Plan
In-house organizations: Air Canada — Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto Branch — Dexcom Canada.
⌛ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 5 days until the House reconvenes…28 days until the byelection in Hamilton Centre…43 days until the budget is legally due out.