Target seats, tough talk, tax holiday
More candidates on deck
ABOVE THE FOLD
Premier DOUG FORD is pulling no punches when it comes to Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU’s handling of the DONALD TRUMP situation. Before we dig in, the Liberals tell me they’re gunning for some key NDP seats, and I’ve got the latest on battleground Eglinton-Lawrence.
First in Observer — TARGET SEATS — Senior Liberals in the war room tell me they’re poaching candidates that “we know the NDP would love to have.” That includes incoming contender LIBAN HASSAN, a TDSB trustee who will challenge NDPer TOM RAKOCEVIC in Humber River—Black Creek.
Another Grit heavyweight: Former Grand Council chief REG NIGANOBE is vying for Algoma-Manitoulin, which is held by longtime MPP MICHAEL MANTHA, who now sits as an Independent after getting booted from the party. Mantha is running again, but the NDP has yet to pick their challenger.
Crossover candidates: The Liberals claim at least two of their candidates were also approached by the NDP to run, but they turned them down because the NDP is “too radical.”
“We are signing up candidates who have been approached by the NDP but are choosing to run for us instead because they think the Ontario New Democrats are too radical to be successful in the next election,” a source said.
New Democrats, meanwhile, have been shaming the Grits for picking a candidate with a Conservative past in Brampton West, ANDREW KANIA.
We called it! — Over in Eglinton-Lawrence: It’s official. MICHELLE COOPER will carry the Tory banner in battleground Eglinton-Lawrence. I suggested as much earlier this week.
Cooper is the executive director of the Ontario PC Party Fund, which handles fundraising. She’ll be officially acclaimed as the candidate on December 15.
Eglinton-Lawrence is a hot race. Outgoing two-term MPP ROBIN MARTIN narrowly held on to the riding by just 524 votes in the last round, and Liberal star candidate VINCE GASPARRO is already stumping in the hopes of poaching the seat.
Cooper’s candidacy is getting mixed reviews in PC circles. Some believe she’s “too insider-y,” while others suggest her fundraising prowess will give her an edge.
“Robin is walking away after two bad nights at the casino, having just squeezed by. Michelle is obviously glad to try her luck but not many others were interested in doing so,” said one insider. (A party source tells me at least one other person was interested in the nomination, but that fizzled out.)
“I mean, if you have to go THAT inside…does that not suggest they are struggling to find a candidate?” texted another Tory organizer.
“He’s toast,” countered one senior operative, referring to Gasparro.
Cooper, like most PC candidates, hasn’t responded to a request for comment. Get the lay of the land.
In the NDP corner: ROZHEN ASRANI, who does digital health at Dynacare, has been nominated to run in Etobicoke-Lakeshore…SANDY SHAW is going for another term in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas. And the rest.
HAPPENING TODAY
DOUG FORD’S THURSDAY — 10 a.m.: The Premier is at Hospice Mississauga for a groundbreaking ceremony. There’s no media availability scheduled, but reporters on site will probably try to sneak in a question or two.
9 a.m.: In the Media Studio, a coalition of advocates and parents will “challenge Ontario’s Ministry of Education for awarding more than $500,000 to pro-Israel organizations to deliver antisemitism training in Ontario public schools.” Independent SARAH JAMA is the sponsor MPP.
9:30 a.m.: NDP MPP SOL MAMAKWA is up next to talk about his private member’s bill to make September 30th a Day of Reflection for Indian Residential Schools. His PMB is up for debate tonight.
10 a.m.: His benchmate TOM RAKOCEVIC, Consumer Protection critic, follows, to announce measures to protect consumers from predatory buy-now-pay-later schemes ahead of Black Friday.
10 a.m.: Rural Affairs Minister LISA THOMPSON makes an announcement in Norfolk County.
12:30 p.m.: Health Minister SYLVIA JONES is up in Toronto.
AG REPORT INCOMING — Christmas comes early for transparency-minded folks: The Auditor General’s annual report lands on Tuesday, December 3.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
First up: Bill 228, Natural Resources Minister GRAYDON SMITH’s legislation dealing with carbon storage among other things, continues to chug through second-reading debate.
After the morning’s Question Period, a deferred vote: On House Leader STEVE CLARK’s time-allocation motion fast-tracking Bill 223, which puts the nail in the coffin for supervised drug consumption sites, and Bill 227, the omnibus red-tape-reduction package (scooped here).
Later on, Labour Minister DAVID PICCINI will kick off second-reading debate on Bill 229, the Working for Workers Act 6.0. Piccini already teased much of the bill, which includes a minimum $500,000 fine against companies with repeat worker safety violations, a crackdown on immigration fraud, a new parental leave, cancer coverage for firefighters, the WSIB surplus for employers and more. Backgrounder.
On the PMB docket: NDPer SOL MAMAKWA will move his Bill 221, to proclaim a Day of Reflection for Indian Residential Schools and make it a provincial stat holiday.
WEDNESDAY’S RUNDOWN:
Tabled I: Bill 229, the aforementioned Working for Workers Six Act.
Tabled II: From Liberal STEPHANIE BOWMAN, backbench Bill 230, aimed at protecting tenants on a wide range of matters from unit temperature to compensation for withheld services.
Off to committee: PC SHEREF SABAWY’s private member’s Bill 215, to make September Ukrainian Heritage Month, is headed for the Committee of the Whole House, which will allow all MPPs to weigh in before a final vote.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT
9 a.m.: A pair of government appointees are up to talk about their gigs: LETIZIA FILIPPAZZO, who’s headed for the Assessment Review Board, and ANJU KUMAR, who’s joining Toronto Metropolitan University’s Board of Governors.
1 p.m.: The intimate partner violence study continues at Justice Policy, featuring testimony from Solicitor General MICHAEL KERZNER and Attorney General DOUG DOWNEY.
COCKTAIL CHATTER
Save the date: Speaker TED ARNOTT’s annual holiday party goes down next Wednesday on the grand staircase and lobby. It’s a time for everyone who works at the Pink Palace to let their hair down as the busy session winds down. ‘Tis the season: Be sure to bring an unwrapped toy for the Toronto Fire Fighters’ drive, or a donation for the Daily Bread Food Bank.
For those outside the bubble: The halls of power are decked out for the holidays and the Legislature is hosting a bunch of open-house events featuring carollers, crafts, roaming festive characters, snacks, special tours and more. A well-placed source tells me SANTA will make an appearance.
CLIPPINGS
— TRUMP TALK: About last night…. “Premier DOUG FORD is calling on the federal government to ‘take a more proactive approach at the border’ following a call Wednesday night between Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU and all 13 premiers to discuss U.S. president-elect DONALD TRUMP’s tariff threat.”