Political ad watch
Plus, a top bureaucrat retires
Good Tuesday morning. This is Queen’s Park Observer — and we’re three weeks into this newsletter. What are you liking so far? What could I do better? Hit me up with your thoughts by leaving a comment or replying to this email.
ABOVE THE FOLD
AD WATCH: The four main political parties have been coughing up cash to run ads on Facebook. Here’s a rundown of their campaigns:
The ONTARIO LIBERAL PARTY is the biggest spender, running up a bill of $46,397 over the past 90 days, according to Facebook. At 30, the Grits are also running the most individual ads this month (some are now inactive). That includes a promo that says, “DOUG FORD wants you to believe his Ontario is the best we can do. He’s wrong,” complete with a photo of Liberal Leader STEVEN DEL DUCA.
Del Duca’s page has also put out a handful of ads ($480 worth), including those boosting universal child care and calling out Premier Ford as someone who “underestimated Covid and overestimated the capacity of our health care system.”
The PC PARTY trailed in a close second, forking out $44,770 in the last 90 days, including $168 in Quebec. May’s ad blitz was mainly about the border, featuring at least 10 with the ominous video attacking the feds, which was released earlier this month. “JUSTIN TRUDEAU failed to close our borders when the pandemic started. He failed to close them when it got worse. Nobody wants a fourth wave. It’s time to act,” it says.
The premier’s FordNation page hasn’t run ads since October — back then it was about the pandemic pay bump for personal support workers and hospital funding for Brampton.
Not far behind was the NDP with $40,990, including $811 for an audience in Quebec. The Opposition’s sponsored posts flashed the messages “Doug Ford has got to go” and “Fight to save Ontario.” The latest ad takes aim at Long-Term Care Minister MERRILEE FULLERTON, with a clip splicing together negative headlines and statements promising an “iron ring.”
NDP Leader ANDREA HORWATH’s page isn’t running any new ads this month, but the party paid $1,307 for some of her earlier posts calling for paid sick days and celebrating various community holidays.
The Green Party of Ontario spent $6,581 on Facebook promos over the last three months. This month’s posts pump up the party’s virtual town hall events, while a recurring ad blasts Ford for “paving over nature.”
HAPPENING TODAY
— Labour Minister MONTE MCNAUGHTON will make a virtual announcement at 9 a.m., about training and business development.
— Transportation Minister CAROLINE MULRONEY will make a virtual announcement about transit in Northern Ontario at 11 a.m. Also in tow: Economic Development Minister VIC FEDELI (Nipissing), NORM MILLER (Parry Sound—Muskoka) and Ontario Northland president and CEO CORINA MOORE.
— Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Minister LISA MACLEOD will make an announcement about support for screen-based industries at 1 p.m.
— Health officials will provide their regular Covid update at 3 p.m. in the Media Studio. Monday’s Covid case counts are delayed due to the long weekend and will be posted later this morning.
— At 6 p.m. via Zoom: “An evening with JOHN YAKABUSKI,” Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, in support of the PC Party. Tickets go for $825 apiece.
AT COMMITTEE
The House is on a constituency break, but committees are busy chugging through due process. The Finance committee is hosting public hearings for Bill 288, the PCs’ legislation to speed up the apprenticeship process and create a new Crown agency called Skilled Trades Ontario. On the witness roster: the Council of Ontario Construction Associations, Ontario General Contractors Association, Ontario Home Builders' Association, Anishnawbe Business Professional Association and LIUNA.
The Estimates committee will wrap up its study of the Health ministry’s spending plan this morning, and will then get cracking on the 2021-22 budget for Natural Resources and Forestry. Minister Yakabuski will kick off the proceedings and deliver testimony this afternoon.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Veteran top bureaucrat HELEN ANGUS is reportedly hanging up her hat this summer. Most recently Deputy Minister of Health under the PCs, Angus has served in high-ranking positions in the civil service throughout the years, including as DM at the Treasury Board and then-Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade. Prior to that, she was vice-president of the Ontario Renal Network.
MAKING HEADLINES
— Controversial pastor and Ford friend CHARLES MCVETY’s Canada Christian College has been denied university status. In an interview with the Toronto Star’s Kristin Rushowy, “an upset McVety said the process was political and accused PEQAB of ‘fraudulently misrepresenting’ the college to the government.”
— “He had waited so long to be touched by a family member. So then I started crying. He’s not a crier, but I thought I saw a little wet eye there.” CP captures the moment when families are reunited with long-term care residents as outdoor visits resume.
— CBC’s Eric Grenier on federal Conservative Leader ERIN O’TOOLE’s struggle in battleground Ontario (and Alberta): “Unable to make any headway in the polls against the Liberals, O’Toole could use a little help from his friends…Basically, he needs Ford and [Alberta Premier JASON] KENNEY to avoid doing anything that makes matters worse for him.”
— Covid has claimed the life of a fourth migrant worker in Ontario. More from CP24.
— “Technical difficulties”: As Ontario expands vaccine booking eligibility to those 12 and up, some public health units including Halton and Durham regions warned people they wouldn’t have immediate access to the provincial portal.
— Some pharmacies and residents are expressing frustration with a lack of information on where AstraZeneca doses are being distributed.
SPOTTED:
— Back-to-back appeals from the big blue fundraising machine: On Friday, Ford signed off on an email touting a “cautious” three-step reopening plan “that provides certainty and predictability…P.S. We must be prepared to fight and win an election next year…Chip in.” On Monday, Economic Development Minister VIC FEDELI to PC supporters: “We cannot rely on foreign governments again if there is a future pandemic…Do you agree that Ontario must become less reliant on other jurisdictions? If so, support our party and our action that puts Ontario first.”
— A record-shattering 190,129 Covid vaccines administered on Friday.
— More ads: The Retail Council of Canada takes out a full-page promo urging the Tories to reopen more stores earlier, by June 2 (instead of around June 14).
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations since Friday:
— Samuel Duncan, Wellington Advocacy: DIALOGUE HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES
— Daniel Brock, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP: Windsor Salt / Sel Windsor
— Vince Amodeo, Global Public Affairs: Ontario University Athletics
— Rick Roth, Global Public Affairs: VIN Verification Services
— Lily Mesh, Wellington Dupont: Commercial Packaging Solutions, VitalSign
IN-HOUSE ORGANIZATIONS: Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance — Council of Ontario Universities — Ontario Landlords Watch — The Pollution Probe Foundation — Xid corp Limited — NOVA Chemicals Corporation.
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