What they're saying about the front bench
And the C-word
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ABOVE THE FOLD
HOT TAKES — DOUG FORD’s last-day-of-the-session cabinet shuffle is still rippling out. Here’s what people are saying about the latest switcheroo.
TORY VS. TORY, Round II — If you had any doubt about the friction between the Premier and federal Tory Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE, this should fix that:
“Ontario has desperately needed a new education minister for years. I hope real policy changes are coming,” came the X post from JAMIL JIVANI, Conservative MP for Durham and former special adviser to Ford.
On thin ice: It’s not the first time Jivani has called out the government he used to be part of. When he blasted “liberal elites” in the Education Ministry, Ford fired back that his ex-provincial adviser wouldn’t be anywhere without him and that he should stick to fighting the carbon tax — before insisting there’s no beef with Team Poilievre
This time, PC pollster NICK KOUVALIS clapped back: “I love Pierre. I love Jenni. But, Jamil, be careful...Lecce is under my protection. Chose your next steps carefully.... You’ve had a wide berth so far because of Pierre and Jenni.” That would be JENNI BYRNE, one of the most powerful Conservative operatives in Canada.
BLAME GAME — PAUL CALANDRA may have held on to Municipal Affairs and Housing, but he’s being punished for not giving the Premier a proper heads-up about Speaker TED ARNOTT’s keffiyeh ban, which as we first reported April 19, caused a rift in the PC caucus.
Juicy tidbits from the Star: “Sources, speaking confidentially in order to discuss the back story of Thursday’s ministerial shuffle, said the premier, who opposed the kaffiyeh ban, was unhappy at being caught flat-footed on such a divisive issue…That’s why the premier stripped house leader duties from Paul Calandra, who he felt should have warned him about Arnott’s surprise move, and handed them to STEVE CLARK.”
613 PURIST — Liberal STEPHEN BLAIS, who reps Orléans, took issue with my characterization that Ottawa now has its closest thing to cabinet representation in newly named junior Forestry minister NOLAN QUINN (Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry).
Blais writes in: “There is NO WAY that Nolan Quinn from SD&G represents Ottawa. That would be like calling a Minister from Paris, Ontario the Political Minister for Toronto. I’m also pretty sure Nolan wouldn’t want his constituents in SD&G thinking he spends any of his time worrying about Ottawa.”
LABOUR PEACE IN OUR TIME — Newly sworn Education Minister TODD SMITH is already seen as an affable guy, and that charm seems to be rubbing off on teachers’ unions — for now.
From the Canadian Press: While his predecessor STEPHEN LECCE secured contracts-without-strikes for the next couple years, “teachers have complained that many of those moves were done without enough consultation, and they hope the change in ministers signals a new, more collaborative path forward.”
Said OSSTF’S KAREN LITTLEWOOD: “(Lecce) is a great talker, but I don't know that we've actually had the action that we need in schools…When you consider the level of violence, and the lack of supports, and the number of challenging incidents that have happened in schools lately, I think a change might be helpful.”
Icebreaker: Smith’s wife TAWNYA is a high school vice principal.
REPRESENTATION MATTERS — Operation Black Vote Canada wants to know why PATRICE BARNES (Ajax) was left off the most-bloated front bench in provincial history. “She should be acknowledged for her files and dedication. Beyond her party loyalty, she has been a true champion for many communities.”
GRAVY TRAIN — What the right is reading (albeit unhappily): Randall Denley in the National Post: “Premier DOUG FORD’s Thursday cabinet shuffle illustrates two points. First, the premier has very few aces in his cabinet deck. Second, the new cabinet reflects the bloat that afflicts his government.” That’s not helping the impression he helps his insider pals first.
VOTERS’ WRATH — TVO’s John Michael McGrath argues that the electorate might not be up in arms about the biggest-ever cabinet and ballooning salaries in the Premier’s Office, but that could change, say, if there’s an early election that would put the spotlight on these less-than-taxpayer-friendly aspects of the Ford government.
HAPPENING TODAY
10:30 a.m.: Solicitor General MICHAEL KERZNER is up in London.
10:30 a.m.: Labour Parliamentary Assistant PATRICE BARNES is in Niagara for an announcement.
11:30 a.m.: Trade Minister VIC FEDELI makes an announcement in Woodstock.
FUNDRAISING WATCH — 5 p.m.: The PCs are revving up the big blue fundraising machine for the summer, starting with a $1,000-a-plate event in Niagara featuring Environment Minister ANDREA KHANJIN. Invite.
THE HOUSE IS OUT. It’s summer, and then some — MPPs won’t be back until October 21.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT
No rest for committees: MPPs will continue to meet over the summer to study Ministry Estimates and more. This afternoon, Natural Resources Minister GRAYDON SMITH and bureaucrats zero in on this year’s spending at the Interior.
CLIPPINGS
— THE C-WORD: Oppo NDP Leader MARIT STILES is doubling down on her use of the word “corrupt” to describe DOUG FORD and his government — and she’s daring him to sue her for it. Global News has the story.
— MISSISSAUGA GOES TO THE POLLS: Mississauga picks its new mayor today. Catch up on the stakes and familiar faces here. It’s anybody’s game — with turnout in the toilet, every vote counts. According to Liaison Strategies’ DAVID VALENTIN, it could come down to a couple thousand votes. Upshot: CAROLYN PARRISH may be in the lead, but DIPIKA DAMERLA or ALVIN TEDJO might be able to pull off a come-from-behind-victory if they can get out the vote. BRIAN CROMBIE, ex-mayor BONNIE CROMBIE’s former husband, is trailing.
Speaking of Crombie, the new Grit captain hasn’t formally endorsed her successor, but as I previously scooped, some of her key operatives are working on Team Tedjo. Crombie did endorse former party presidential candidate NATALIE HART for Ward 5. Hart faces off with another familiar face: MANISH SAWHNEY, who handles operations and public appointments for Seniors Minister RAYMOND CHO.
— CODE RED: A rural ER in Rainy River closed over the weekend due to staffing problems. The next one over is in Fort Frances — almost 100 kilometres away.
— SOBERING STAT: “Prisoners in Hamilton put in segregation at far greater rate than any other Ontario jail, data shows. The city’s segregation rate is 4 times higher than province, meets UN conditions for torture.” CBC reports.
— JOB NUMBERS: EcDev Minister VIC FEDELI is celebrating the fact Ontario’s unemployment rate ticked down ever so slightly last month, down 0.1 percentage points to 6.7 per cent. Bonus: 50,000 new jobs.
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SPOTTED:
Politicos at outgoing federal NDPer CHARLIE ANGUS’s show at the Horseshoe…Even more politicos at CJPAC’s annual shindig last week…Seniors Minister RAYMOND CHO not in cardboard cut-out form but AI…LG EDITH DUMONT kicks off Luminato…A brave throwback to KATHLEEN WYNNE’s 2018 war room, courtesy of SCOTT REID…JILL DUNLOP judging butter tarts.