Why Adam Vaughan changed his mind about the megaspa
And PO moves
Presented by Boehringer Ingelheim Canada
ABOVE THE FOLD
Q+A — ADAM VAUGHAN didn’t expect to be on the same side as DOUG FORD.
The former MP, Toronto councillor and frequent thorn in the side of the Premier’s was once among those decrying the Ontario Place makeover — wary of restricted access and the fate of public space on the city’s waterfront.
Now, Vaughan has joined the ranks of Therme — the embattled Austrian company behind the planned spa and waterpark — and says the project has morphed into something he can get behind.
Here, Vaughan explains what changed his mind, how Therme won him over, and why good policy can come from unexpected places.
You were once a vocal critic of Ford’s Ontario Place redevelopment. Now you’re working with Therme. What changed? One of my concerns was that the site was going to be bundled off and turned into a casino or a mall. And so I've been tracking it since I was in elected office. They came to see me when the Wynne government was in charge and presented their first set of designs, which have evolved substantially and gotten better each time. But the public park — the 16 acres of public park…change facilities…Indigenous participation — are exactly what I was talking about. I wanted a clean, green waterfront that people could access without having to pay an admission price.
There’s been quite the reaction online — some Ontario Place advocates are essentially calling you a traitor to the cause. What do you have to say about that? My support for it grew and my opposition changed because of what the project was — not who was proposing it, not who was arguing about it — but because of what the actual project was…. When conversations about it started to get a little strange, that’s when I decided to approach [Therme] to see if they wanted some support. Because the one thing I missed most about politics is building parks at city council.
Therme has had its fair share of controversy — just look at the Auditor General’s report that raised concerns about an unfair bidding process. How do you square that with your current support for the company? I've been a politician, and Auditor Generals’ reports serve a purpose: to make sure that you know the processes are followed. That's a political issue, and while the government and the politicians of Queen's Park — opposition and government — figure out what that next step should be, what I know, and what the Auditor General's report confirms, is that there was a bidding process, and we were evaluated under it, and we scored the highest, and the project was awarded to us, so now we're building it.
You’ve been a frequent thorn in Doug Ford’s side for years. I know you weren’t the biggest fan of his late brother ROB FORD when you all were at City Hall. What’s it like working toward the same goal as the Premier now? Quite frankly I haven’t had a conversation with him about it, and anyway I’m working with Therme, but when someone does something which I disagree with, I've never been shy about speaking out. And when someone does something I agree with, I've never been shy about supporting it. It's the quality of the idea that matters, not the source. It shouldn’t be about me or Doug Ford. It should be about how Toronto accesses the water. That's the issue here, not whether I Doug Ford and I have a checkered past, or, you know, a new relationship.
OK, OK, I get it — you won’t bite. It’s a very diplomatic answer. I mean, I’m a very diplomatic person. I can be partisan, but that’s not my job.
I guess I was hoping for a zinger, something like that whack-a-mole joke you made about Ford a couple years back. I can have fun [laughs]. Go back and look at that — that was a cartoon, I started life as a cartoonist, you know. Just some people don’t have the sense of humour.
This interview was lightly edited for clarity and length.
HAPPENING TODAY
9 a.m.: Housing Minister ROB FLACK, Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY, Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA and Transportation Minister PRABMEET SARKARIA are making an announcement in Vaughan.
Spoiler alert: “The Ford government is planning to impose new rules on how local governments greenlight development projects, Global News has learned, pushing the changes on municipalities as the province struggles to meet its self-imposed goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031.”
11:30 p.m.: Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY teases the Spring Budget in a luncheon speech to the Empire Club at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, moderated by CTV News’s AMANDA LANG. Invite.
Crashing the party will be Oppo NDP critics CATHERINE FIFE and JESSICA BELL, who will give reporters their reaction after Bethlenfalvy’s speech.
In the Media Studio…
9:30 a.m.: The Chiefs of Ontario will release a report re: the mental health of First Nations police officers.
10 a.m.: The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario will unveil a new report re: “Enhancing Community Care for Ontarians.”
Teaser: Says RNAO prez DORIS GRINSPUN — who has a special spot in DOUG FORD’s heart and isn’t afraid to wield it when it comes to policy asks: “This report is an urgent call for action given the intersecting challenges affecting our province. These include primary care access, toxic drugs, access to affordable housing, food insecurity, the climate crisis, and a relentless health human resource shortage including registered nurses and nurse practitioners.”
11 a.m.: CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions is up next, to release findings from a CCPA research study “exploring the intersection of hospital underfunding and growth of private staffing agencies.”
12 p.m.: Advocacy groups follow, to talk about “the threats that Bill 5” — the Ford government’s legislation speeding up mining approvals and gutting endangered species protections — “poses to democracy, Indigenous rights and the environment.”
1 p.m. Liberal Leader BONNIE CROMBIE and MPPs TED HSU and STEPHANIE SMYTH are up to talk about the Dresden landfill and links to PC donors.
SAVE THE DATE — June 3: Fresh off a call with Premier DOUG FORD, U.S. Ambassador PETE HOEKSTRA is coming to Canada, featuring a speech to the Empire Club. Invite.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
First up: MPPs will kick off second-reading debate on Bill 13 from Health Care Minister SYLVIA JONES, which establishes a framework for primary care and requires the minister to make regular public reports on the government’s progress.
After the morning’s Question Period, a deferred vote: On the motion addressing the the Throne Speech.
In the afternoon, it’s Oppo Motion Day #3: NDP Leader MARIT STILES will move a very pointed motion re: “nation-building projects” — which, according to Premier DOUG FORD, includes a tunnel under the 401 — but to Stiles, that means “critical hospital infrastructure,” including new hospitals for “Durham Region, Brantford, Kitchener-Waterloo and Brampton; re-opening the Minden Hospital; expanding the Windsor-Essex Regional Hospital, Queensway Carleton Hospital, Arnprior Regional Hospital and Hamilton Health Sciences; redeveloping the Weeneebayko General Hospital and Health Sciences North; renovating the Thessalon Hospital, Matthews Memorial Hospital, Manitoulin Health Centre and Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital; and restoring 24/7 emergency services and urgent care to Welland Hospital, Douglas Memorial and Port Colborne.”
Reminder: Motions are non-binding but have symbolic weight — and these types of motions from the Opposition can make the government look pretty bad if and when they vote them down.
Later on, it’s another round of second reading for Bill 11, Jones’s re-tabled Convenient Care Act.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT
12:30 p.m.: Public Accounts will get a closed-door briefing from Auditor General SHELLEY SPENCE on her latest report.
COCKTAIL CHATTER
The Ontario Dairy Council is serving up breakfast and policy talk in Room 228 this morning. Harrison Staffing is putting on a lunch reception in Room 151. On the evening rounds is Beer Canada, hosting in the Dining Room.
Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Canada
AHEAD of the Curve: Transforming Diabetes Care in Canada
Here, we speak with DR. MATTHEW D’MELLO, community family physician innovating diabetes care with Boehringer Ingelheim Canada’s Access for Health Education and Disease Management (AHEAD) programming.
Diabetes and patient education: Understanding the risks
As is the case for many primary care providers across Canada, Dr. Matthew D’Mello’s experience with managing diabetes began long before his career.
“Diabetes was a personal experience first, and it’s something that many of my family members live with. Now, combined with my medical training, I’ve become acutely aware of the prevalence of diabetes and the need for better patient education,” says Dr. D’Mello. “I make a point to counsel patients, especially those who are living with prediabetes or have uncontrolled diabetes, so they understand the gravity of the condition and how to manage it.”
As a practicing physician in the community, D’Mello is passionate about patient education, including implementing partnerships between patients and care providers for customized treatment plans to help Canadians living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) discover improved health outcomes.
The AHEAD program, which took place in 72 primary and specialty care clinics across Canada, focused on providing in-person care with guideline-directed medical therapy that helped AHEAD patients to better understand their condition, finding support from their provider to become informed about self-management.
While the initial AHEAD program pilot is complete, D’Mello continues to find ways to improve patient outcomes with his learnings from the program.
“The biggest challenge is patient education. Many patients don’t experience symptoms, even when their blood sugar is elevated, making it difficult to convince them to make a change or incorporate medication into their lifestyle. They often struggle to understand how short-term habits impact their long-term health.”
This is compounded by the shortage of family physicians, limiting the time doctors spend with each patient. Allied health professionals, like diabetes educators, play a critical role in providing the knowledge patients need.
Cutting through the noise toward better health outcomes
Dr. D’Mello regularly hears from patients about being bombarded with conflicting information about diet, exercise and medications, making it difficult to know what to follow. The information overload is driving a deadly combination of confusion and inaction.
"This program, supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, has been instrumental in enhancing patient education at our clinic. This unrestricted support enabled us to hire a dedicated healthcare educator to work with patients with diabetes and address their concerns, without directing the activities of the clinic or healthcare professionals," says D’Mello.
Having this resource on-site, where patients are comfortable and familiar with the staff, removed barriers to access and created a positive patient experience.
Helping patients become partners in their own health journeys
Based on the reports from physicians like D’Mello, the AHEAD program has supported thousands of patients, 65 per cent of whom required support through medication optimization and 77 per cent required knowledge improvements. This program highlights a need for a better understanding among patients of their condition and the impact it has on long-term health. Because of education and data tracking, AHEAD discovered that 61 per cent of its patient group was identified as having cardiovascular risks, illustrating just how critical support systems like this are for patients.
“Many patients [from the program] are returning with lower blood pressures and better blood sugar control because they are more focused on diet and exercise. The diabetes educator spends time with patients to analyze their day-to-day habits and identify areas where meaningful changes can be made, such as reducing sugary drinks. We're also seeing patients ask more informed questions about optimizing their health and preventing long-term complications,” D’Mello says.
One of the biggest challenges for people facing a T2D diagnosis is consistent access to a regular physician for check-ups. Walk-in clinics don't facilitate proper continuity of care, says D’Mello, and it's difficult for a physician to provide personalized advice without knowing the patient's individual circumstances, such as physical limitations. Streamlining the process for patients to access medication coverage is also crucial.
With more programs like AHEAD, that provide funding for health educators in clinics, there can continue to be a meaningful impact on patient communities. With a health educator on staff, physicians can dedicate their time to patients who require their care, while educators can work with patients who need longer, individualized appointments to help manage conditions like diabetes.
In the words of D’Mello: “Together, we can improve the patient experience and improve the health of those living with chronic illnesses.”
CLIPPINGS
— POILIEVRE PICKS UP THE PHONE: “Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE’s team has reached out to Ontario Premier DOUG FORD’s office to arrange a call between the two, an apparent bid to ease tensions after Poilievre’s party lost the federal election. The move follows weeks of conflict within Canada’s conservative movement, including public criticism from Ford.” CBC has the story.
— WHERE WE’RE GOING, WE DON’T NEED ROADS: “They’re amphibious, they float on a cushion of air, and they could be coming to Toronto’s island airport. An Ontario company that plans to use marine hovercraft to run a high-speed ferry service to Niagara has reached a deal with Toronto’s port authority to operate out of Billy Bishop Airport, the Star has learned.”
— NOT-SO-STRONG MAYORS: “An area township could add to the growing list of communities voicing opposition to newly acquired strong mayor powers.” CTV has the latest in Springwater.
— FORD FLICK: “It looks like Toronto’s former mayor, ROB FORD, will take over television screens once again, but this time, in a Netflix documentary series called ‘Trainwreck.’ The series, which is slated to start airing next month, is touted as an anthology delving into what Netflix says are some of the most scandalizing events that gripped the public, where viewers will look back at some of the most “bizarre—and sometimes even horrifying—events.” Via CP24.
— RENDER TO CAESAR: “Windsor’s top tourist attraction will retain its world-famous name after the province and Caesars Entertainment Windsor reached a new agreement that the government expects to begin in 2026.” The Windsor Star reports.
— JOB NUMBERS: “Ontario's unemployment rate ticked up again last month, according to Statistics Canada, reaching its highest level in more than a decade, with the exception of the initial economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Oppo critics are having a field day. Said NDPer LISA GRETZKY, who reps Windsor: “Thousands of people in Windsor are losing their jobs. Where is the urgency from this Premier? We cannot sit by and watch good paying jobs leave because of Trump's unjustifiable tariffs.” More from the CBC.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
First in Observer — POACHED FROM PO — JACKSON JACOBS is headed to Health Care Minister SYLVIA JONES’s office as director of communications, a source tells me. Jacobs has been a senior issues manager to Premier DOUG FORD since last year, and before that, did stints at Municipal Affairs, Long-Term Care and Economic Development.
SOLGEN STAFFS UP — Following the mass exodus in MICHAEL KERZNER’s office (scooped here), some fresh blood for the Solicitor General: BETHLEHEM TELAHUN has signed on as director of policy, having previously held the gig at Indigenous Affairs…DAKOTA MONIZ joins Team Kerzner from Housing as D-Comms. And MANVIR HUNDAL, who also exited Kerzner’s office last month, has landed in Citizenship Minister GRAHAM McGREGOR’s camp as director of strategy.
LOBBY LIST
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations since Friday:
Adwet Sharma, Edelman: Alstom Transport Canada Inc., Oracle Corp., Cisco Systems Canada, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory
Harvey Nightingale, NightLine Corporate Communications: Fortinet Technologies (Canada)
Michelle Francis, TTG Consulting Group: The Henry Alexander House
Alex Armanious and Fraser Macdonald, StrategyCorp: College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario, College of Dental Hygienists Ontario
Wil Robertson, StrategyCorp: Canadian Nuclear Association
Daniel Pascucci, Rubicon Strategy: Domingos Meats (O/A Northern Farms)
Jan O'Driscoll, Rubicon Strategy: Doornekamp Construction Ltd.
MacKenzie Collings, Rubicon Strategy: AtkinsRéalis
Kevin Den Heijer, Enterprise Canada: Addictions and Mental Health Ontario, Ontario College of Family Physicians
In-house organizations: Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association — Canadian Steel Producers Association — Achev — Evvo — AbbVie Corp.
🍽️ LUNCH SPECIAL: Chicken chow mein with vegetables.
⏳ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 3 days until the Budget…2 days until Spring Fling…24 days until the House recesses for summer.