SCOOP: OLP extends AGM vote
Also: More Bonnie buzz, TikTok signs up to lobby, Ford's big fundraising dinner, mayoral race heats up in the 416, Naqvi's reunion bash, TVO on strike, staff moves and loads more
ABOVE THE FOLD
First in Queen’s Park Observer — VOTE ON: After calls for more access, the Liberals have extended voting hours at this weekend’s annual general meeting.
In a memo obtained by Queen’s Park Observer, chief returning officer and party counsel MILTON CHAN confirmed there will be an extra 90 minutes of voting for the Grits’ next president and executive council.
“Today, the AGM Steering Committee, following my advice, met with the intention of amending voting hours to make participation at our Annual Meeting more accessible. At this meeting, it was decided that voting hours will be extended by 90 minutes, giving delegates additional time to cast their ballots,” Chan wrote late last night.
The original AGM schedule, first published in this newsletter, had three hours of voting on Saturday night and two hours on Sunday morning. Now, delegates will be able to vote from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday.
The background: As we previously scooped, presidential candidate NATALIE HART had written to outgoing president BRIAN JOHNS, now a councillor in East Gwillimbury, asking for an extension on voting hours to accommodate more attendees.
While some party insiders dismissed Hart’s request by pointing out that she signed up roughly 200 “instant delegates” — those who don’t stick around for the whole convention — others say the schedule should be flexible because people have busy lives.
“I’m recovering from Covid and am effectively disenfranchised by the schedule and discouraged by ‘insiders’ labelling me an ‘instant delegate.’ Requiring committed, card-carrying members to swear a weekend-long blood oath before we get a say is how we get more DOUG FORD,” tweeted local organizer MARY FRASER-HAMILTON.
More shade — and delegate drama.
A wrinkle: The voting hours change throws a wrench in the race to lead the party’s youth wing. “The Ontario Young Liberals Annual General Meeting will now take place at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, instead of 6 p.m. as originally scheduled. This will ensure all delegates have a chance to listen to all candidate speeches, if they so wish, before casting their ballots,” Chan wrote.
Behind the scenes: The party’s executive council was also dealing with a motion to extend the voting hours this week, but it didn’t get very far. While it’s virtually unheard of for the exec to overrule the chief returning officer, that didn’t stop member VITO TOTINO, who’s supporting Hart, from putting forward the motion. But the party’s acting counsel JACK SIEGEL informed them they were in a conflict of interest, so they dropped off the call and lost quorum, which ended the meeting.
Grits gather in Hamilton on March 3 to 5, where they’ll elect a new party president and lay out the rules for the upcoming leadership contest, including whether it’s delegated or one-member-one-vote.
— MEANWHILE, MORE BONNIE BUZZ: The Star followed our scoop on the Draft BONNIE CROMBIE-for-leader chatter floating around in Liberal circles.
Our sources expect Crombie to make a cameo at this weekend’s AGM. Ditto would-be Toronto mayoral candidate ANA BAILÃO, whose bid would see cross-partisan operatives TOM ALLISON, a Grit, and NICK KOUVALIS, a Tory, team up again.
Speaking of potential mayoral bids in the 416: BRAD BRADFORD — a councillor who many PCs are backing — is inching closer to making it official, enlisting some high-profile names for his team: PC operative KORY TENEYCKE, Liberal strategist BOB LOPINSKI, Navigator’s JAMIE WATT and ex-TTC chair KAREN STINTZ.
Why it matters: The Ford government has skin in the game. Queen’s Park is closely watching the race to replace JOHN TORY, as the province empowered him as a strong mayor with the expectation that he would do much of the municipal heavy lifting for their ambitious housing plan. Just no “lefties” please, per DOUG FORD.
HAPPENING TODAY
DOUG FORD’S WEDNESDAY — 9 a.m.: The Premier is taking a photo-op to celebrate the “largest single corporate donation to a hospital in Canadian history,” alongside Trillium Health Partners president and CEO KARLI FARROW. Also on hand: Health Minister SYLVIA JONES and Trillium Health Partners Foundation president CAROLINE RISEBORO.
9 a.m.: Health care workers and labour advocates, including the Decent Work and Health Network and the Workers’ Action Centre are in the Media Studio to call for more paid sick days. Teaser: “They will call on Premier Ford to stop rewarding pandemic profiteers for bad employment practices while denying workers permanent paid sick days.”
10 a.m.: Another fiscal update to whet your appetite before the March 23 budget: Financial Accountability Officer PETER WELTMAN will release a report on the province’s spending for the first three quarters of fiscal 2022-23.
Spoiler alert: These quarterly updates tend to result in Oppo criticizing the Ford government for not doling out much-needed cash, while the PCs brush off the report as a snapshot in time, while promising to allocate money by the end of the year.
FUNDRAISING WATCH — 6 p.m.: YASIR NAQVI — the federal MP who’s looking to make the jump back to Queen’s Park as provincial Liberal leader — is headlining a “Friends of Yasir Toronto Reunion” fundraising event at the Pilot in Yorkville, partially owned by ex-Grit ARTHUR POTTS. Tickets go for $100-a-pop, and the event is hosted by longtime party operatives TIM SMITHEMAN — current lobbyist at Rubicon who was tour director on the 2022 campaign — and GABRIELLE GALLANT — a prominent comms strategist and former press secretary for the previously governing Grits. Here’s why our sources say this is the closest thing to Naqvi’s campaign launch so far. And the invite.
HAPPENING THURSDAY — 6 p.m.: DOUG FORD’s annual Leader’s Dinner fundraising event for the PCs goes down in Toronto on March 2. Folks have to cough up $1,500 to snag a spot at what’s expected to be a minister-studded event. Invite.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
First up: A bunch of private bills will be dealt with in the morning.
After Question Period, a couple of deferred votes — Bill 60, the health bill that expands private delivery of OHIP-funded services, goes for a second reading vote before heading off to be studied at committee.
— MPPs will also vote on second reading of Bill 50, Liberal STEPHANIE BOWMAN’s backbench proposal requiring companies to show how they’re recruiting diverse folks to their boards.
Later on, Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA kicks off second-reading debate on her Bill 69, which changes environmental assessments in the name of red-tape reduction. That includes allowing the Environment Minister of the day to alter or waive the 30-day consultation period for certain environmental assessment projects.
The late show: PC DAVE SMITH will move his private member’s Bill 31, to create an award program for cadets.
Enshrine time: Bill 63, Housing Minister STEVE CLARK’s legislation to change the boundaries of St. Thomas and Central Elgin, has cleared third reading and is awaiting Royal Assent.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT — Committees are out. SCOFEA finished drafting its report on pre-budget consultations, so the committee wrapped early this week.
AROUND THE PRECINCT — The University of Windsor and Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario are serving up an MPP breakfast. The Ontario Book Publishers Organization is hosting a luncheon, while the union for Ontario professional employees, AMAPCEO, and the National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco are putting on evening receptions.
IN OTHER NEWS…
— OH NO TVO: “Unionized workers at Ontario’s public broadcaster have voted in favour of a strike if ongoing labour talks stall.” At issue, via CBC: “The Canadian Media Guild says members have received below-inflation wage increases for the past 10 years, including three years of complete wage freezes. They're also concerned by what they say is an apparent move to hire new employees on contract.”
Meanwhile: In a mandate letter earlier this year, Education Minister STEPHEN LECCE outlined priorities for TVO, with no references to journalism.
— GREENBELT GRAB: “Ontario already had enough land designated to build two million new homes — more than its overall goal of 1.5 million over the next decade — before it decided to release parts of the protected Greenbelt and force municipalities to earmark even more farmland for housing, according to new research” from Environmental Defence. The Globe has the details.
— PRIVATE SURGEON: “Last weekend, The Ottawa Hospital began allowing a private corporation run by eight Ottawa physicians to perform orthopedic surgeries in vacant operating rooms at its Riverside Campus.” Here’s how it went, via the Star.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
TRANSITION — In Citizenship Minister MICHAEL FORD’s camp, MICAEL THOMPSON has now tacked on senior legislative affairs adviser to his title as issues manager.
BEYOND THE BUBBLE — FADI DAWOOD has landed at the Toronto Region Board of Trade as vice president. Dawood previously worked for the Ford government, including as a top staffer to then-minister ROD PHILLIPS.
QUESTION PERIOD
Oppo NDP Leader MARIT STILES pulled another PC controversy out of her arsenal, leading off the debate with the Greenbelt. “It was 18 years ago today that the Greenbelt was established in law…But today’s anniversary is a solemn one…Will the Premier reverse his decision to bulldoze the Greenbelt and release the details of his dealings with the developers involved?”
Premier DOUG FORD was in the House but wasn’t roused to respond until Stiles’s later question on health care. He took the opportunity to slam the previously ruling Grits and tout previously announced PC funding.
The NDP devoted most of their Qs to budget asks, shedding light on what they would do if they were in power.
THE HIGHLIGHTS: “Will you fund Indigenous health services in the upcoming budget, including the proposals from Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre?” — “Do the fiscally responsible thing and provide OHIP coverage for life-saving medications” — “Will this government provide the necessary funding to make schools accessible in this year’s budget?” — “Will there be funding for a Red Lake multi-purpose centre in this budget?” — “Why did the Premier break his promise” and open up the Greenbelt? — “Will this government finally break the cycle of violence against women by providing stable, long-term funding to organizations like Hiatus House in this budget?” — “Will this government ensure that Ontario’s libraries receive the direct, stable funding they need in this budget?” — Adequate funding for the Ontario Community Support Association.
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations over the past 24 hours:
Maryanne Sheehy, PAA Advisory | Conseils: TikTok Canada
After the Premier’s Office told us it’s considering following the feds and banning TikTok from government devices, the Chinese-based app company’s Canadian arm has renewed its lobbying registration.
What they’re lobbying for: “To engage provincial officials about policies and programs to support Canadian creators and arrange meetings to discuss arts and culture, privacy, data and security.”
Ted Gruetzner, Global Public Affairs: Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC, Siemens Canada, Acatgon
Jared Burke, Loyalist Public Affairs: Wine Growers Ontario
Gregory Stulen, Pathway Group: Ontario Paramedic Association
Jonathan Rose, Policy Concepts: Wallace & Carey
Lily Mesh, Wellington Dupont Public Affairs: 369 Konnect
William Dempster, 3Sixty Public Affairs: RAREi - The Canadian Forum for Rare Disease Innovators
Patrick Lavelle-Tuns, Endgame Strategies: Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis
In-house organizations: Ontario Charitable Gaming Association — AdvantAge Ontario — Covenant Canadian Reformed Teachers College — OpenCircle National Advocacy — Nieuport Aviation.
⌛ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 2 days until the Liberal Party convention…15 days until the byelection in Hamilton Centre…22 days until the budget drops…117 days until Toronto’s mayoral byelection.