SCOOP: Inside the plot to derail debate night
Also: Insiders dish on French-Saunders connection, Jones' big-ticket breakfast, Treasury staffs up, upshot from FAO health report, MPPs spring break, Ford holds forth, hot heckles and lots more
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ABOVE THE FOLD
First in Queen’s Park Observer — STEELTOWN SNUB: The PCs tried — and failed — to get the Liberal and Green candidates in Hamilton Centre to drop out of debate night in solidarity against the NDP frontrunner.
I’ve confirmed the scuttlebutt that was first reported in yesterday’s newsletter: That the local PC campaign for PETE WIESNER had tried to choreograph a boycott in the name of alleged antisemitism, as the controversy swirled around New Democrat SARAH JAMA, a prominent disability advocate who’s considered a shoo-in for the long-held orange seat in Hamilton Centre.
“At least on our end, it was never a possibility. The only reason it came up was because the PC campaign manager decided to call us up…to try and goad us into not attending,” said an organizer from a rival campaign. “We shut it down quickly.”
Behind the scenes, the Liberals seemed to be on board with the boycott, so long as the Greens were game. The PCs gave both those camps the impression that the other was seriously considering it, but that wasn’t actually the case.
Debate went on sans local cop Wiesner — typical M.O. for the PCs, who ducked out of many local debates last spring. Hamilton’s was a heated affair, with Liberal DEIRDRE PIKE reaming Jama out because she was associated with anti-Israel groups, something B’nai Brith says should disqualify her. Catch up on the fireworks.
Meanwhile, advance polls are open in Hamilton Centre. Byelection Day is March 16.
FRENCH CONNECTION — DEAN FRENCH — Premier DOUG FORD’s embattled ex-chief of staff — is pumping up former Toronto police chief and PC candidate MARK SAUNDERS as the city’s next mayor.
Intel from our source: “Dean French was walking Mark Saunders around the PC fundraiser [leader’s dinner] saying he’s going to be his fundraising chair. Little nutty.”
Catch up on our scoop about Ford’s $6-million money-making event.
More from the Star, which downplayed French’s role: “French is also helping out, but…only has a minor role in helping raise money.”
And the rest: “Behind the scenes, Saunders’s nascent campaign has attracted some top Conservatives. They include PC fundraising czar TONY MIELE; LARYSSA WALER, Ford’s former director of communications; lobbyist NICO FIDANI-DIKER, the premier’s former executive assistant; DAN ROBERTSON, one-time adviser to former PC leader PATRICK BROWN and former federal Conservative leader ERIN O’TOOLE; consultant MITCH WEXLER; and developer CARMINE NIGRO, Ford’s hand-picked chair of both the LCBO and Ontario Place Corporation, who sat at the premier’s table at his daughter’s wedding last year.”
Ford weighed in: “Let’s see if he’s going to announce. I think the world of a lot of the candidates, but chief Saunders did a great job as police chief and if he goes in, that’s good. I think that’s great,” the premier told reporters at an unrelated presser (about allowing Grade 11 students to transition to a full-time skilled trades apprenticeship.)
HAPPENING TODAY
9:45 a.m.: Ontario Health Coalition head NATALIE MEHRA and NDP Health critic FRANCE GÉLINAS are in the Media Studio to expose an under-the-radar section of the PCs hot-potato Bill 60, which expands private delivery of OHIP-funded services.
Teaser from the OHC: “What has not been publicly disclosed is a Schedule in the Bill that amends an array of other legislation to deregulate health care professionals from doctors to nurses and allied health in private clinics and also across Ontario's health system.”
10 a.m.: Labour Minister MONTE MCNAUGHTON is in Windsor for an announcement alongside Mayor DREW DILKENS.
11 a.m.: Social Services Minister MERRILEE FULLERTON and Health Minister SYLVIA JONES head to Hamilton for an announcement.
FUNDRAISING WATCH — 7:30 a.m.: JONES is also headlining a $1,000-a-ticket breakfast fundraiser for the PCs in Toronto. Invite.
— 12 p.m.: A trio of PCs are hosting an International Women’s Day luncheon at Tory haunt the Albany Club, featuring MPPs ROBIN MARTIN, CHRISTINE HOGARTH and DONNA SKELLY. Tickets go for $65 a pop. RSVP.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
SPRING BREAK — It’s the last sitting day before the March Break constituency week. After the House rises this evening, MPPs will head back to their ridings and won’t get back at it until Monday, March 20.
— First up: MPPs will consider the government’s supply motions — a routine that authorizes already-approved ministry spending.
— After the morning’s Question Period, back-to-back deferred votes: On second reading of Bill 71, which fast-tracks mining permits. Ditto Bill 62, Independent BOBBI ANN BRADY’s legislation to protect farmland from development.
— Later on, House Leader PAUL CALANDRA is expected to kick off second-reading debate on Bill 75, the Legislature’s makeover bill.
— The late show: PC LORNE COE will move second-reading of his private member’s Bill 65, which would mandate a moment of silence in the House on the last sitting day before Remembrance Day.
WEDNESDAY’S RUNDOWN:
Killed: NDP JESSICA BELL’s motion to expand the jurisdiction and enforcement power of the Condo Authority Tribunal.
Tabled: A backbench motion from Liberal TED HSU calling on the Ford government to dole out more funding to address the backlogged tribunal system.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT — 9 a.m.: A pair of government appointees get grilled at the Standing Committee on Government Agencies: SAM VANDERVEER, who’s up for a role on the Species At Risk Committee — and appears to have worked as an adviser to then-federal finance minister JIM FLAHERTY. MEG DAVIS will talk about her role on the board of governors at Toronto Metropolitan University.
(Reminder: MPPs on the committee can’t veto appointments either way, but they can ask tough questions about how appointees got their gigs on the public record.)
— 2 p.m.: The Standing Committee on the Interior will deal with committee business.
AROUND THE PRECINCT — Celebrate Women’s History Month by taking a lunchtime tour of the Legislature — this month’s theme: Women in Parliament.
(Shameless plug: This reporter regularly re-takes the Leg’s themed tours — and they’re a blast, loaded with cool tidbits and secrets about the Pink Palace. Be sure not to miss the haunted ghost tour in October — if you dare.)
FAO HEALTH REPORT: SUPPLY, MEET DEMAND
Spending watchdog and media darling PETER WELTMAN dropped a bombshell report showing a $21.3-billion hole in Ontario’s health budget.
The Ford government will have to make up that shortfall in order to meet its own targets for hospitals and long-term care — something that could get derailed by a rapidly growing and greying population.
How to fill the gap: Per the Financial Accountability Office, the Tories would either have to dip into its (bigger-than-usual) contingency funds or the new federal health transfers. Otherwise, it’ll take increased spending (via higher taxes, something the PCs aren’t wont to do) or cuts to other programs.
Premier DOUG FORD wants the feds to pitch in even more. “We need the federal government to support us. And again, I thank the federal government for the down payment,” he said, referring to the recently inked $46.2-billion, 10-year health agreement with Ottawa, which fell far short of the premiers’ demands.
Making matters worse: By 2027-28, Ontario will be short about 33,000 nurses and personal support workers.
“The funding shortfall is only part of the story. The more pressing issue I think is that Ontario is currently experiencing shortages of nurses and personal support workers, which is projected to persist throughout our six-year forecast,” Weltman said.
For example: Another 10,000 hospital workers will have to be recruited in order to staff the estimated 1,400 new hospital beds by 2028.
“They’re doing a lot, but they have a lot to do,” Weltman said. Stay tuned for the budget on March 23.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
First in Queen’s Park Observer — STAFFING UP — CHIARA BATASAR has signed on to Treasury Board prez PRABMEET SARKARIA’s office as a junior policy adviser.
QUESTION PERIOD
DOUG FORD was off campus making the skilled-trades announcement, so his front bench did much of the heavy lifting during the debate.
That’s not unusual for the Premier — but his office is taking issue with our characterization of yesterday’s QP, noting that Ford has answered some questions from MARIT STILES — just not the lead ones, which historically see the Premier and Official Oppo leader of the day go back and forth.
Hot heckles: Environment Minister DAVID PICCINI — one of the more vicious hecklers on the government benches — got testy on a friendly Q about battery recycling. “Pipe down and listen about kids who are recycling. Come on,” he told raucous NDPers. “I’m going to send some AA batteries over to the opposition to keep the energy in their constituencies.”
THE HIGHLIGHTS: Re: FAO report, “Will the Premier admit his government underfunded health care as an excuse to sell it off?” — “Drop his wasteful appeal of his government’s legislated wage gap, Bill 124” — “Will the government follow British Columbia’s lead and introduce a no-cost prescription contraceptive policy for all residents in Ontario?” — Will this government increase adult eating-disorder beds? — “A mother reached out because she had to leave her job as a teacher to care for her child with autism” — “Declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.”
SPOTTED (OR NOT):
No “blues” — despite our readers’ excitement at the possibility of the first draft of Hansard getting publicly released, it’s not going to happen anytime soon at Queen’s Park, and may not even be happening on the Hill after all…
TVO anchor STEVE PAIKIN hosts a book launch for his latest bio on JOHN TURNER…Evergreen candidate JOHN TURMEL — who holds the Guinness world record for most contested elections — joins the fray in Hamilton Centre… Ontarians howling with wolves at this wildlife reserve…
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations over the past 24 hours:
Laura Kurkimaki, Earnscliffe Strategies: Newlight Technologies
Kelly Baker, StrategyCorp: Ontario Psychological Association
Steve Coupland, SGC Research: Henvey Inlet Wind
Karl Baldauf, McMillan Vantage: Vector Institute
Daniel Pascucci, Rubicon Strategy: Amazon Corporate LLC
Peter Curtis, Pathway Group: Assaulted Women’s Helpline
In-house organizations: Bimbo Canada — Canadian Medical Association — Bird Canada — Speech-Language Audiology Canada.
🥳 HAPPY BIRTHDAY: SIMON JEFFERIES, former director of media relations to the Premier, now senior vice-president at Jenni Byrne & Associates.
⌛ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 7 days until the byelection in Hamilton Centre…14 days until the budget drops…109 days until Toronto’s mayoral byelection.