Chaos at committee

The art of procedural shenanigans

Presented by the Ontario Professional Planners Institute

ABOVE THE FOLD

CLOCK-BLOCKING BILL 5 — Days out before the summer recess and the NDP is digging in to delay the Ford government’s sweeping new mining bill — a hot-potato package critics say hands the PCs a blank cheque to bulldoze environmental protections and sidestep local laws.

Bill 5, which dangles the promise of fast-tracked northern development and “special economic zones,” has ignited outrage from First Nations, environmental groups, and Oppo MPPs alike.

The NDP’s goal? Jam the legislative gears with every procedural wrench they’ve got in the hopes of running out the clock before the bill can pass.

And they pulled it off at committe last night. The NDP managed to block the controversial legislation from going to third and final reading, and instead, the committee process will continue into next week.

There could be some late nights ahead: The government has already allowed MPPs to sit as late as midnight in order to get …