NDP deputy speakers KO'ed
Also: Ford's next principal secretary, the big health plan, ex-chief staffer lands, Karahalios enters civic arena, DiEmanuele goes for round 2, Ford's still buzzing
ABOVE THE FOLD
SO LONG, SPEAKERS — And then there was one.
The NDP is down to one deputy speaker, from three, thanks to a motion from the PCs that the Official Opposition says amounts to “revenge” over the Speaker’s vote that saw TED ARNOTT beat out Premier DOUG FORD and Government House Leader PAUL CALANDRA’s pick: NINA TANGRI.
The background: As first reported in this newsletter, Calandra tabled a motion stripping the NDP of two of its three deputy speaker appointments. BHUTILA KARPOCHE made the cut, while JILL ANDREW and JENNIFER FRENCH did not. They were replaced by the PCs PATRICE BARNES and Grits’ LUCILLE COLLARD.
The motion also swapped out the NDP’s recommendations for committee roles, which meant, for example, that their Finance Critic CATHERINE FIFE won’t be sitting on the Public Accounts committee, which falls in her wheelhouse (that said, Fife is on the Finance and Economic Affairs committee).
The NDP challenged the motion on a point of order, saying it went aga…