'Unfiltered' political independence key for top doc
Plus: School countdown...Moment of reckoning on reconciliation...Shuffle time
Good Tuesday morning. This is Queen’s Park Observer.
ABOVE THE FOLD
Another day, another teaser from the PC government — news on schools reopening (or not) is coming “in the next day or two,” Premier DOUG FORD said yesterday in a brief hockey-related scrum with the pool camera at Queen’s Park.
BACKGROUND: While the premier is seeking “consensus” from experts and is concerned about a potential six-to-11 per cent spike in daily Covid infections as a result, the science table and top doc have backed a regional return to in-person learning for the last month before summer.
This is all happening on the eve of the expiry of the stay-at-home order, which is happening Wednesday. But the province likely won’t move into step one of its reopening plan until June 14, so the “emergency brake” measures will prevail for that limbo period.
Speaking of (not-so-hot) news on the education front: Financial Accountability Officer PETER WELTMAN’s latest report scrutinizing Education ministry expenditures shows a cumulative $12.3-billion hole in the budget by fiscal 2029-30. The watchdog said ministry spending should be growing at an average annual rate of two per cent, but the Ford government’s budget pegs it at 1.2 per cent. The PCs can also say goodbye to their goal of creating 30,000 new child-care spaces by 2024, “unless the province introduces program changes that reduce costs.”
FROM THE SCRUMS: Being free from political influence is key for opposition critics when it comes to soon-to-be chief medical officer of health Dr. KIERAN MOORE.
“The critical thing is that the CMOH needs to be able to have independence and to be able to communicate — unfiltered — to the people of Ontario,” Liberal Health critic JOHN FRASER told reporters Monday, indicating the Grits will support the PCs motion to solidify the appointment.
Echoed Green Leader MIKE SCHREINER: “The biggest question is: Will the Premier follow Dr. Moore’s advice, and will Dr. Moore have the independence to make smart decisions?”
Calls to find all of the Indigenous mass graves and search the sites of Ontario residential schools came heavy after the remains of 215 children were unearthed in B.C. NDP Indigenous and Treaty Relations critic SOL MAMAKWA delivered a sombre speech in the chamber before a moment of silence and called on the PC government to support a formal survey of such sites, which House Leader PAUL CALANDRA said they’ll work to get done — but he didn’t offer further details.
“We are in pain, remembering all those who we have lost and the destruction of what residential schools has left behind,” Mamakwa said. “The death of our children is a crime against humanity.”
HAPPENING TODAY
— At 10 a.m.: Labour Minister MONTE MCNAUGHTON will make a virtual announcement about employment and training in the medical technology and health care sectors.
— 12 p.m.: An announcement from Health Minister CHRISTINE ELLIOTT, Associate Mental Health Minister MICHAEL TIBOLLO, and Children’s Mental Health Ontario CEO KIM MORAN.
— 1 p.m.: Heritage and Culture Industries Minister LISA MACLEOD is up with an announcement about support for community museums.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
The motion to crown Dr. Moore the new CMOH for the next five years is up for debate this morning. After Question Period, MPPs will vote on the bill to establish an oversight authority for PSWs.
MONDAY’S RUNDOWN: The PCs will hang on to their emergency-level powers under the Reopening Ontario Act now that the motion to keep them going until December 1 has passed. Anti-lockdown MPPs ROMAN BABER and RANDY HILLIER called out how that came to be — Hillier knocked the lack of members who voted (36 Ayes vs. 22 Nays), while Baber accused the PCs of whipping the vote on a matter he contends there’s much dissent over within caucus ranks.
Bills to combat Human Trafficking and crack down on stunt driving and e-bikes cleared third reading. The NDP’s PMB to dissolve the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority was killed.
AT COMMITTEE
— Two government appointees are in the hot seat to talk about their new gigs: ROBERT FULLER, vice-chair of the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal — and E. JAMES T. HOOK, member of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. Both are lawyers.
— The Estimates committee wraps up its look at Long-Term Care’s spending plan, then turns an eye to Education.
AROUND THE PRECINCT
MPPs are back at it, and so too are the protesters: this morning will see school bus operators rally against the RFP system and advocates demonstrate for a doubling of basic allowances from ODSP to end homelessness.
MAKING HEADLINES
— POLL WATCH: The PCs came out on top in a new Leger survey, with 34 per cent support, and though that still isn’t close to how popular they were before the third wave, their political rivals are failing to capitalize on the public’s disdain. The NDP and Liberals were virtually tied with 25 and 26 per cent support respectively, while the Greens rounded out the ticket with nine per cent.
— So many juicy nuggets in Robert Benzie’s scoop on an impending summer cabinet shuffle. From the Toronto Star: Outspoken anti-lockdown ministers STEVE CLARK, LAURIE SCOTT, BILL WALKER, JOHN YAKABUSKI and JEFF YUREK — “Some of them could be shuffled out because they gave (Ford) questionable advice that was out of step with what Ontarians wanted…It’s too white and too male…I really think he wants ROD [PHILLIPS] back and so do we…The Conservatives are not yet sure if Health Minister CHRISTINE ELLIOTT will choose to seek re-election next year.”
— A lesson in LTC: As of July 1, staff in nursing homes who turn down a Covid vaccine will need to provide a valid medical reason or take part in an “educational program” about the benefits of a shot and risk of not getting one. About 66 per cent of LTC workers are fully immunized, as are 97 per cent of residents.
— MASS EXODUS: 41 per cent of nurses want to leave their job once the pandemic is over because of sub-par pay and working conditions. “‘They’re exhausted, they now have accumulated mental health issues on top of things,’ says SHARLEEN STEWART, President of the SEIU.”
SPOTTED:
— 550 health care workers in the stands at Scotiabank Arena for Game 7 between the Leafs and Canadiens after the PCs changed course to make it happen (the Habs wiped out the Leafs 3-1). Also: blowback from envious business groups that took the opportunity to call for an earlier reopening of long-shuttered patios, salons and gyms.
— IN MEMORIAM: Energy Minister GREG RICKFORD’s brother, JOEL, has passed away at the age of 33. A funeral service was held yesterday.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
MARK LAWSON has landed at digital media and and gaming company Enthusiast Gaming as vice-president of strategic initiatives. Lawson was chief of staff to Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY up until last month, and before that, held senior policy roles in PO and Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
PANDEMIC TRACKER
“GETTING CLOSE” — CMOH Dr. DAVID WILLIAMS hit an optimistic note Monday as relatively fewer Covid cases rolled in: 916 — the lowest single-day tally since mid-February. Thirteen more deaths were put on the books. Williams said the province is slowly crawling out of the third wave, “but we are not yet below where we were [in] the transition between the second and third.” Still, the numbers are “most encouraging as we had predicted with our vaccination rates continually rising.”
QUESTION PERIOD
Against the backdrop of noisy protesters outside — the final week of debate before summer recess kicked off on a sombre note, with a striking speech from SOL MAMAKWA and a moment of silence to acknowledge the horrific news out of Kamloops. But as NDP Leader ANDREA HORWATH said, “it’s my job to change the topic” — and led off with a question about “the Hunger Games”-esque vaccine situation for Premier DOUG FORD, who was in the building, but not in the chamber.
THE HIGHLIGHTS: Why hasn’t Ford fixed his mistakes from the initial rollout to the rollout of Dose 2? — Why wait until the very last minute on schools? — Every school must be searched for the graves of our ancestors — Will the government rip up Section 2 of Bill 213 today? — Will it make Indigenous education and the true teaching of residential schools mandatory? — A complete ban on evictions for small businesses — A free vote on emergency order extension — Why are you so obsessed with me Paul? — A third round of funding support for small biz — How are we once again in this situation with seniors 80-plus? — Will the minister put an end to eviction applications and hearings for the duration of the pandemic? — Repeal Bill 124 — Second-shot uncertainty.
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations over the past 24 hours:
— Vince Amodeo, Global Public Affairs: Affirm Inc.
— Sarah Letersky, Rubicon Strategy: PMML Corp., Sonderbloom
— Jan O'Driscoll, Rubicon Strategy: South Essex Fabricating Inc., Canadian Niagara Hotels Inc.
— Christine Simundson, Rubicon Strategy: Pattern Energy, Teranet
— Aaron Gairdner, Rubicon Strategy: The Social Equality and Inclusion Centre, Heddle Marine Service Inc.
— Patrick Harris, Rubicon Strategy: Council of Ontario Universities
— Trisha Rinneard, Wellington Advocacy: Brane Inc
— Jean-Guy Fréchette, Solstice Public Affairs: Centres d'accueil héritage
— Michael Mazzuca, Koskie Minsky LLP: Local 353, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Pension Plan
— Hande Bilhan, Golfdale Consulting: Primerica Financial Services (Canada) Ltd.
— Christopher Froggatt, Loyalist Public Affairs: Wine Growers Ontario
— Diana Levy and Stephanie Gawur, Santis Health: Takeda Canada Inc.
— Bradley Metlin, Upstream Strategy Group: Top Aggregate Producing Municipalities of Ontario
— Caroline Pinto, Counsel Public Affairs: Ontario Judicial Service Summons Office Inc.
— Chris Benedetti, Sussex Strategy Group: Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario
— Cynthia Rynne, PBI Actuarial Consultants: Labourers' Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada
— Roy Wong, Nathalie Jutras and Riley St-Jacques, PBI Actuarial Consultants: Teamsters Canadian Pension Plan
— Ujwal Ganguly, Temple Scott Associates: RockTech Lithium Inc.
— Robert Belanger-Polak, Cumberland Strategies: Georgian Bay Preservation Alliance
— Rene Drolet, Rene Drolet Consulting Services: SEI Industries Ltd.
— Peter Curtis, Pathway Group: Hamilton Tiger-Cats Football Club
— Bill Anderson, Crestview Strategy: Canadian Basketball Ventures L.P. Operating as Canadian Elite Basketball League
— Steven Megannety, Niagara Luminaire: Hydes Distribution Limited
— Carys Baker, Cumberland Strategies: In Common Laboratories
— John Perenack, StrategyCorp: 7-Eleven, Inc.
— Kyle Sholes and Troy Sherman, StrategyCorp: Quebecor Media Inc.
— Christopher Loreto, Kelly Baker and Kyle Sholes, StrategyCorp: Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment & Training
IN-HOUSE ORGANIZATIONS: Futurpreneur Canada — Colleges Ontario — Ontario Bar Association — AdvantAge Ontario — Association of Consulting Engineering Companies — Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario — Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies — Supply Chain Canada — IKEA Canada — TransAlta Corporation — Club Coffee LP.
🥳 HAPPY BIRTHDAY: MAURIZIO BEVILACQUA, Mayor of Vaughan.
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