Ghosts of Queen's Park
Plus: Dirt from OLP's AGM, deputy minister mini-shuffle, and a big birthday weekend
ABOVE THE FOLD
Cabinet was discussing post-Step 3 measures until late yesterday as Premier DOUG FORD is set to drop the official word at 2 p.m. There’s a Deputy Minister mini-shuffle and a new crop of Parliamentary Assistants. Plus, a grassroots Liberal dished at this week’s AGM.
But first: get to know the ghosts of Queen’s Park.
The Pink Palace has a reputation for being haunted — for starters, it’s built on the grounds of a former lunatic asylum for women, and the limestone from the demolished building forms the foundation of the sandstone that stands today.
So with Halloween around the corner, I asked DAVID BOGART, a communications officer with the Legislature’s parliamentary protocol office, about the building’s spooky history.
Bogart is no stranger to spirits — he once toured the Leg with a medium who picked up on a spirit named Charles. After some research, Bogart concluded it was CHARLES RUTHERFORD, a former Sergeant-at-Arms and war hero. Here’s our chat (lightly edited for clarity and length):
Is Queen’s Park really haunted? “There’s a fair amount of folklore and urban legend about the place being spooky for many years — some of the stories are a bit far-fetched, but as we’ve been providing the annual ghost tours, some of the tales are now becoming more consistent.”
Where are the best spots for a ghost sighting? “The answer to this one might be — just about anywhere. However, the northeast basement area is certainly creepy, with its exposed brick walls…It was also there that the provincial government temporarily housed patients from the Queen’s Street Mental Health Facility for about a decade in the 1850s. Previous visits by mediums in this area have picked up on the spirits of disturbed former patients, but in addition, there have been sightings of several male spirits in this area whose origin is quite uncertain.”
Which spirits are spotted most often? “It could possibly be the ghost of a female spirit who is allegedly hanging out in the building’s centre attic above the Chamber. When I toured this area with a visiting medium once, he picked up on her, describing her as a somewhat malevolent entity that could really make her presence known. He said her name was either CLAIRE or CLARICE and said she was capable of poltergeist-like activity, such as moving drapes or other objects. He was quite disturbed by her and looked troubled when describing her. He also said she is a constant presence there, and pointed to an area where he said she was staring down at us from.”
Have you ever had a creepy encounter? What happened? “One afternoon while providing a tour of the Chamber, I recall looking up to see the door leading out of the East Public Gallery down to the Press Gallery open slightly and close, as if someone was leaving the area. There was no one up there and the access to the gallery was locked as the House was not in session that day. I was aware of a sighting of a male spirit in that gallery that was reported decades ago — a ghost of a soldier clad in a 19th century-style uniform. So, perhaps it was him letting me know he was bored with my tour!”
Tell us about meeting CHARLES RUTHERFORD’s spirit with the medium. “I guess Charles really wanted to make his presence known that evening, as he eventually showed up in spirit and had the medium trail him to the Chamber, where he showed himself to him sitting in the Sergeant-at-Arms’ desk. What strikes me about his story is the thought that his spirit still wishes to serve and protect, even years after his death. The medium felt strongly that he is one of the most frequent returning ghosts to the building, and I’ve heard of several other encounters with him, especially by constables who have either seen or heard him in the Chamber.”
Ghosts tend to get a bad rap. What’s your sense about our phantoms at the Leg? “Overall, aside from the disturbed spirits of the former asylum patients who seem out of context within the building, the medium acknowledged that the predominant spiritual energy he was picking up on here was one of dedication to public service, whether that be administrative, political, military or police — the whole place resonates with it, which not only makes sense, but seems quite reassuring.”
If you want to find out more about the ghosts of Queen’s Park, check out the haunted tour on Fridays at lunchtime.
SPARKS FLY AT OLP AGM — Ontario Liberals gathered over the weekend for their Annual General Meeting — where Leader STEVEN DEL DUCA made those bold promises for ranked ballots and a four-day work week. Over in the chat groups, some in the grassroots were airing their concerns with the youth wing and how it handles party elections.
According to screen shots I got my hands on, prominent Liberal organizer SIMONE RACANELLI told her fellow card-carrying Grits:
“It was extremely disappointing that only 2 candidates even declared publicly that they’re running and the comms director didn’t share anything online so only those in the know knew to apply. We had an opportunity to expand our base and instead it seems like the current exec chose to do nothing so that certain people could run unopposed. An exec that has every single candidate acclaimed demonstrates an extremely weak youth wing.”
Racanelli declined further comment.
POST-STEP 3 — Following yesterday’s cabinet meeting to discuss what comes next for reopening, stakeholders will be briefed on the changes this morning, with the official word coming from Premier DOUG FORD, Health Minister CHRISTINE ELLIOTT and top doc KIERAN MOORE at 2 p.m. at Queen’s Park.
Much has already leaked, and my sources have confirmed the following:
— Capacity limits on restaurants and gyms could be lifted by Monday.
— Masks are here to stay for now, but cabinet is hammering out the timeline to lift the mandate. Measures could be lifted after the holidays in January or spring, which aligns with what Moore has said.
— Voluntary proof-of-vaccination systems could be coming for places with capacity limits.
The news comes on the same day that Ontario’s QR code system comes into force.
HAPPENING TODAY
— 8:30 a.m.: Long-Term Care Minister ROD PHILLIPS and Toronto Mayor JOHN TORY will make an announcement.
— 9: 30 a.m.: NDP Leader ANDREA HORWATH tours Sarnia, and will call for a plan to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine to children as soon as it’s approved.
— 2:30 p.m. in Ottawa: Heritage Minister LISA MACLEOD will make an announcement alongside STEPHANIE (MIKKI) ADAMS, Executive Director, Inuuqatigiit Centre for Inuit Children, Youth and Families.
— THE HOUSE IS OUT: MPPs will reconvene on Monday morning.
— SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION: I’ll be joining the On the Ledge podcast crew, DAVE TRAFFORD, KEITH LESLIE, and JOHN WRIGHT. Catch up on last week’s chat.
HAPPENING SATURDAY: NDP PROVINCIAL COUNCIL
New Democrats will meet virtually for their regular provincial council meeting on Saturday, featuring a keynote speech from HORWATH in Cambridge that will “highlight her vision for an NDP government in 2022 that is on people’s side.”
FUNDRAISING WATCH
The PCs are again taking aim at Liberal Leader STEVEN DEL DUCA — this time, in their latest fundraising email appeal, signed by MPP TODD SMITH (Bay of Quinte): “Del Duca, the new Ontario Liberal Leader, was KATHLEEN WYNNE’s right-hand man. Together they sent your hydro bills skyrocketing, sold Hydro One, all while Liberal insiders got rich…Ontario crumbled under Kathleen Wynne and Steven Del Duca. Let's not go back. Chip in.”
MAKING HEADLINES
— UNVAXED HEALTH WORKERS: SickKids Hospital has put 147 workers on unpaid leave for not providing proof that they’re fully vaccinated against Covid. Meanwhile, the Ontario Hospital Association replied to Premier DOUG FORD’s request and recommended mandatory shots for staff.
— VAX PASS: The Feds have come up with a “standardized” vax pass that provinces will issue for travel.
— HILLIER IN HOT WATER: Families are outraged after photos and personal info of their late loved ones were used in anti-vax posts by MPP RANDY HILLIER.
— HELPING (SOME) NEWCOMERS FIND WORK: The NDP says the PCs proposed legislation that would remove barriers to help internationally-trained immigrants get a job in their field falls short of what’s needed. “It excludes all doctors, nurses and medical professionals. Ontario is experiencing a massive shortage of healthcare professionals, yet this announcement fails to address their concerns.”
— PAVED PARADISE: Green Leader MIKE SCHREINER channels JONI MITCHELL when warning the Ford government that the proposed Highway 413 will be a “climate disaster” and pave over precious farmland. The Star has the story.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
First in Queen’s Park Observer — DEPUTY MINISTER MINI-SHUFFLE: BEILI WONG has been named the new interim comptroller general at Treasury Board, taking up the mantle from CARLENE ALEXANDER, who’s now DM at Seniors and Accessibility. Wong was previously Ontario’s chief internal auditor and helped shape the province’s internal audit function. Prior to that, she was VP of audit and risk at the LCBO.
Background: The PCs made the comptroller a standalone DM office last year, which is responsible for “working with ministries and provincial agencies to provide advice, share information on effective enterprise risk management and ensure risks are properly identified and managed before public money is spent.”
Back in 2018, the province’s controller quit after refusing to sign off on the PCs’ $15-billion deficit claim that was later widely deemed to be inflated, even by the government’s own public accounts.
PA SHUFFLE — The PCs are bringing in DONNA SKELLY (Flamborough—Glanbrook) as Parliamentary Assistant to Attorney General DOUG DOWNEY — replacing LINDSEY PARK, who was stripped of the role after “misrepresenting” her vax status to caucus. JEFF YUREK (Elgin—Middlesex—London) — who was demoted in the last cabinet shakeup — was named PA to Economic Development Minister VIC FEDELI. Full roster.
PAs get a $16,600 top-up on their $116,500 salary. The NDP’s CATHERINE FIFE said that’s like giving “working Ontarians the shaft.”
“The gravy train is making its way through the Ford government benches with two more big raises for Doug’s buddies…He is forcing our frontline health care heroes to accept a 1 per cent wage cap so they fall further behind the cost of inflation. But he’s giving his MPP pals big bucks, including $27,000 for MPP PAUL CALANDRA.”
SPOTTED:
The Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation rallying against per-vote subsidies with a cardboard version of Premier DOUG FORD a.k.a the “$60 million man”…Liberal Leader STEVEN DEL DUCA touring Kitchener South—Hespeler…Ford defended in the comment section on meme site 6ixbuzz, over his remark about immigrants that critics deemed a divisive dog-whistle:
QUESTION PERIOD
Party leaders were absent from the chamber but the morning debate was as spicy as ever — featuring a moment in which PAUL CALANDRA name-checked every PC caucus member with an immigrant connection in response to Liberal MITZIE HUNTER’s question about ranked balloting, which she argues promotes diversity. (Her critics say ranked ballots would benefit the Grits, too.)
THE HIGHLIGHTS: Saving 1,800 auto jobs at Stellantis — Make PSW pay raises permanent — Yes to Calandra’s $26K pay bump, No to raising nurses’ wages — Period hygiene products for First Nation schools — Scrapping Highway 413 to save precious farmland — Make rent affordable — Ranked ballots for diversity vs. All the immigrants in PC caucus — Green-light more temp road test centres to clear backlog — Keeping unvaccinated health workers on the job? — Needs-based autism services now — Mandate Covid shots for health and education workers.
ECHO ANNOUNCEMENTS
Municipal money, a new OPP detachment and cash for auto manufacturing — catch up on the latest government announcements.
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations over the past 24 hours:
— Trisha Rinneard and Samuel Duncan, Wellington Advocacy: Ontario Real Estate Association
— John Allen, Global Public Affairs: ParticleOne
— Andrew Retfalvi, Global Public Affairs: Hologic Canada ULC
— Naomi Shuman, Sussex Strategy Group: DermTech Canada Inc.
— Carys Baker, Cumberland Strategies: Midori-Biosolution
— Jan Goerge and John Danner, Daisy Consulting Group: The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation
— David McArthur, McMillan Vantage Policy Group: NextBridge Energy Transmission Canada
— Christopher Loreto, StrategyCorp: Enbridge Inc.
— John Duffy, Aidan Grove-White, Kailey Vokes and Tahereh Granpayehvaghei, StrategyCorp: Choice Properties Limited Partnership
— John Penner, StrategyCorp: AffordAbility Fund Trust
— Peter Van Loan, Aird & Berlis: Orlando Corporation
— Benjamin Menka, Capital Hill Group: VinFast Auto Canada Inc.
— Aaron Scheewe, The Capital Hill Group: Canadian Council of the Blind
— Jodie Kiss, 3Sixty Public Affairs: RAREi - The Canadian Forum for Rare Disease Innovators
IN-HOUSE ORGANIZATIONS: Ontario Arts Foundation — Ontario Real Estate Association — Canadian Marketing Association — Edvance Christian Schools Association — Canadian Transportation Equipment Association — Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada — Geneseeq Technology — Huawei Technologies Canada — Bruce Power.
🥳 HAPPY BIRTHDAY: PC MPPs JANE MCKENNA…DONNA SKELLY…NDPer SANDY SHAW…ON SUNDAY: Oppo Leader ANDREA HORWATH…JAMIL JIVANI, Ontario’s advocate for community opportunities…DRAKE.