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Quotation of the day
“This government has justified its overuse and abuse of Ministers’ Zoning Orders based on a secret Deloitte report that no one can find and may not even exist.”
In question period, NDP MPP Jeff Burch took Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark to task over a mysterious report he has refused to release, and which Deloitte cannot locate, as revealed by Queen’s Park Today’s reporting.
Today at Queen’s Park
Written by Alan S. Hale
On the schedule
Today, MPPs will continue to debate Bill 43, the Fall Economic Statement legislation.
The house will then adjourn for a ceremony to unveil a new piece of Indigenous artwork.
Wednesday's debates and proceedings
MPPs spent the morning continuing debate on Bill 43, the Fall Economic Statement legislation.
In the afternoon, second-reading debate wrapped up on Bill 37, Providing More Care, Protecting Seniors, and Building More Beds Act. A recorded vote will be held today.
During private members’ time, NDP MPP Peggy Sattler's Bill 28, Preventing Worker Misclassification Act, was up for debate. It aims to increase protections for gig workers and others who are wrongly classified as independent contractors, by taking the onus off them to prove that they are employees and placing it on employers to prove they are not.
“Although it is illegal under the Employment Standards Act for employers to misclassify their employees as independent contractors, employers do it anyway because it saves them money,” said Sattler.
The highly anticipated report from the Workforce Advisory Committee, which is expected to include recommendations on reforming gig employment, is in the hands of Labour Minister Monte McNaughton, but it is not clear when it will be made public.
When asked, McNaughton’s office said the release date is still pending, noting there are several other “unrelated” announcements it plans to make first.
Sattler’s bill was defeated by oral vote.
PC MPP Rudy Cuzzetto tabled Bill 50, Hungarian Heritage Month Act, which would proclaim every October.
Premier watch
Premier Doug Ford dialled into a Tuesday night call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his fellow premiers, spokesperson Ivana Yelich confirmed yesterday.
According to a readout from the PMO, Trudeau highlighted Ottawa’s recent child care deal with Alberta and told the conference call he “looked forward to working with premiers from other provinces” on implementing $10-per-day regimes.
The PM also confirmed Pfizer will “quickly” send 2.9 million paediatric vaccine doses as soon as Health Canada grants regulatory approval for those under 12 to get the jab. Top doc Dr. Kieran Moore expects kids in Ontario will start getting their shots by the end of the month.
At a press conference yesterday, Ford was asked to respond to complaints from First Nation leaders, including Six Nations of the Grand River Chief Mark Hill, that the distribution of money to search for unmarked graves has been too slow and inconsistent. Ford promised he is open to talks with Indigenous leaders about any issues.
“At any given time, my phone's on, and we just have a phenomenal relationship with First Nations communities right across Ontario, and we're going to do everything we can to support them [with] technology and funding,” said Ford.
But the premier admitted consultations with Six Nations over a proposed Ministerial Zoning Order for a new warehouse project near Cambridge have “slipped a little bit.”
A provincial deadline is looming for the City of Cambridge to provide proof it has consulted with Indigenous communities about the project, but Ford said he still believes there is enough time to get it done so the project can go ahead.
Ford was also asked to clarify some confusion about the PC’s pledge to build a new hospital in Brampton. The current proposal is actually an expansion to the existing Peel Memorial facility, which would give it an emergency room and more beds. The Region of Peel has also been told it may have to raise up to $125 million for the project.
“I think there's a little bit of misinformation out there because … it’s going to be a brand spanking new hospital,” the premier contended.
The opposition jumped on the apparent contradiction with Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath both issuing statements promising a completely new standalone hospital for Brampton, should they be named premier. The NDP is also planning to force a vote on the matter next week.
U.S. protectionism could crush Ontario’s EV dreams
The PCs are doubling down on Premier Doug Ford’s promise to make Ontario into a world-leading jurisdiction for the production of electric vehicles (EVs) by launching the second phase of the province’s Driving Prosperity plan — but the continued push for protectionism south of the border could spoil those grand visions.
Phase two of the plan aims to see 400,000 EVs and hybrid cars manufactured in Ontario by 2030. To accomplish this, the province’s strategy is to “reposition vehicle and parts production for the car of the future” and “establish and support a battery supply chain ecosystem.”
“We have the geographic advantages, and we are blessed with mineral resources to make the batteries that these in-demand new cars will need,” Ford declared to reporters yesterday, referencing the PC’s belief that critical minerals located in Ontario’s north could bolster the province’s position as an EV-manufacturing jurisdiction.
To that end, a “regional development technology site” will be established in northern Ontario to liaise between the mining and EV-battery development sectors. The province will spend $56.4 million over the next four years on these types of industry linkages and R&D projects.
However, the plan also recognizes the “uncertain” U.S trade environment. President Joe Biden’s administration recently unveiled buy-American provisions for his country’s auto sector that include a maximum tax credit of $12,500 for EVs “made in America with American materials and union labour.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to push back against this stance at a meeting with Biden today but, as it stands, the White House’s position poses a significant obstacle to Ontario’s fledgling EV industry. Ford acknowledged this Wednesday, saying he and other premiers are “standing shoulder-to-shoulder” with the prime minister against a level of protectionism he hoped would have ended with the last U.S. administration.
“We’re facing the same issues as we did with Donald Trump,” said Ford. “Indirectly, we are employing nine million Americans with our trade, and we’re different than any other jurisdiction in the world. With all due respect to Mexico and China, and every other country, there is no better partner or closest ally than Canada, and we should be respected.”
For his part, Trudeau said yesterday from Washington that his government is “a bit concerned” about Biden’s EV proposal, which is currently before Congress. Federal Trade Minister Mary Ng warned U.S. officials last month it would cause “serious and irreparable harm to the Canadian automotive sector.”
However, obstructionist West Virginia U.S. Senator Joe Manchin has also been public about his opposition to the provisions (on competition grounds) so there is a possibility Biden will have to water down the measure to get it through the Senate.
Ontario’s economic interests lack representation in D.C., Grits charge
For the past three years, Ontario has had a man in Washington, Ian Todd, to represent the province’s economic interest to U.S. lawmakers, but his term came to end last month. Queen’s Park Today broke the news earlier this week that the government has left the trade commissioner position vacant since his departure, although some staff remain to “monitor the situation.”
But it turns out Todd went on vacation for three weeks before his term ended in late October, which means the role has been vacant since the end of September. Ford said the PCs are working “aggressively” to fill the post.
The vacancy could not have come at a worse time, said Liberal house leader John Fraser.
“I don’t understand why we don’t have someone in Washington,” said Fraser. “That’s absolutely incredible. At a critical time, with a new administration, we have been without a trade commissioner. Unbelievable.”
With the United States offering tax credits for EVs, Ford appeared to soften his stance on bringing back Ontario’s tax incentives for buying them, even though he said as recently as this week it had only benefitted millionaires.
“Before the election, I didn’t believe in giving rebates on $100,000 Tesla cars. But let's look at what the market dictates,” said Ford.
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Omnibus red-tape bill hits committee
Associate Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Minister Nina Tangri’s Bill 13, the omnibus red-tape reduction legislation the PCs say will position Ontario businesses “for a brighter tomorrow,” was under the microscope at the general government committee this week.
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation president Karen Littlewood and Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario president Karen Brown both appeared Tuesday to complain about a section of the bill that would reduce the number of Ontario College of Teachers’ council members from 18 to 12, with half the spots reserved for members of the public, meaning teachers can’t hold those council seats.
This, among other changes to how the college’s adjudicative panels operate, will transform the Ontario College of Teachers from a self-regulatory body into an extension of the Ministry of Education “in everything but name,” Brown said.
NDP MPP Chris Glover agreed it would be tough for the college to continue being considered a “self-regulatory body” under those conditions.
Representatives from the Ontario Professional Planners Institute testified Wednesday on the perks of Bill 13’s changes to the Planning Act that give municipalities the ability to delegate minor planning decisions and bylaw sign-offs to city workers, saying it could save councils “months” when it comes to issuing development approvals. However, the group wants the bill tweaked to ensure the work can only be delegated to “qualified” municipal workers, such as professional planners.
On the bill’s measure to make police record checks free for volunteers, Ontario Nonprofit Network executive director Cathy Taylor suggested a “friendly amendment” be made to how “volunteer” is defined, noting the term is rarely used in law so getting it right in this legislation is “very important” because it could be used as precedent.
She said the definition should only include people performing unpaid civic work on their own volition and in conjunction with a non-profit or public body, not those providing court-mandated public service or high school students completing graduation requirements, for example.
Omar Khan, a former Ontario Liberal Party staffer and current senior vice-president of cannabis firm High Tide Inc., weighed in to laud Bill 13 for allowing cannabis retailers to permanently sell their wares online.
Some good news from Khan: over the past year, Canadians have begun purchasing more legal cannabis than black market product. The PC’s bill will help that trend continue, he said. He also acknowledged the “clustering” of cannabis shops in some Toronto neighbourhoods and suggested allowing municipalities to require a minimum distance between stores could solve the issue.
PC MPP Mike Harris Jr. and NDP members of the committee seemed on board with that idea, which would require amendments to the Cannabis Licence Act (Marit Stiles has a private member’s bill on the order paper that would do just that).
Ontario Society of Professional Engineers CEO Sandro Perruzza used his time to ask for more reform to how engineers are regulated than Bill 13 offered up, saying the government “missed a tremendous opportunity” to amend the Professional Engineers Act.
Perruzza wants Professional Engineers Ontario, the province’s registar and regulatory body, to be required to do more enforcement — it currently only has three people in its enforcement branch for 187,000 engineers, he said.
Cutting red tape is all well and good for businesses, Perruzza added, but some sectors require checks and balances, evoking the Radiohead stage collapse disaster. “It’s time for your government to lead before there is another engineering failure that impacts the health and safety of Ontarians.”
Hearings wrapped up Wednesday afternoon; the bill is expected to face clause-by-clause next week, which MPP Glover says will include a package of proposed amendments from the NDP.
Today’s events
November 18 at 9:30 a.m. — Toronto
NDP MPPs Peter Tabuns, Doly Begum, Suze Morrison and Rima Berns-McGown will hold a presser to announce a new bill that would allow Ontario to take legal action against U.S. handgun manufacturers.
Topics of conversation
- There were 512 new Covid infections confirmed on Wednesday. The province reported 274 patients in hospital (down 27) and 133 in ICU with a Covid-related illness (down six).
- Twelve more deaths, including one person under the age of 20, were added to the provincial toll, putting it at 9,950.
- There were 128 new school cases confirmed on Wednesday, 110 of which were among students.
- Meanwhile, 15,040 vaccine doses were administered on Tuesday.
- A public inquiry will be held into the problems plaguing Ottawa’s LRT system, which the province helped fund. Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney’s office confirmed an inquiry will be set up “as soon as possible,” with its scope and terms of reference to be announced “in the coming weeks.”
- The move comes after CBC Ottawa obtained emails showing the city’s then-head of transportation John Manconi had warned that “things are not going well” with the $2.1-billlion Confederation Line a few weeks before the city accepted delivery of the new rail system.
- "The reliability of the fleet is not where it needs to be to provide dependable service ... that means the vehicles require attention (repair) more often than they should," wrote Manconi in 2019.
- Mulroney’s announcement was apparently news to Mayor Jim Watson.
- The PCs attempted to deflect criticism about authorizing symptomatic Covid in pharmacies by releasing public polling on the matter and pointing out the top doc endorsed the idea.
- “The only buddy that we have received information from is our chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore,” said Health Minister Christine Elliott. “That’s who we follow, and the people at Public Health Ontario. They’re epidemiologists. They know what’s safe, and they have indicated that this is going to be safe.”
- Opposition members did not agree, calling the plan dangerous.
- Lake Simcoe Watch hired Oraclepoll Research Ltd. to survey residents in three PC-held ridings to gauge support for the Bradford Bypass, which critics have dubbed the “Holland Marsh Highway” because it paves over parts of that wetland. A poll of 900 folks in Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, Barrie—Innisfil and York—Simcoe shows 48 per cent of respondents oppose the highway link, even though 49 per cent said they intend to vote for PCs (who plan to build it).
Nomination roll call
Pettapiece not running again
- PC MPP Randy Pettapiece announced he will not be running again in Perth—Wellington after 10 years as its representative. He noted he turned 73 this year and wants to spend time doing things other than politics.
- “For a full-time MPP, the hours are often long. In retiring, I choose instead to spend those hours as a full-time husband, father, and grandfather,” said Pettapiece, who is the parliamentary assistant to the agriculture minister.
- Pettapiece’s departure could put Perth—Wellington up for grabs. He won with half of the popular vote in 2018, but previous elections have been considerably more competitive.
Funding announcements
Money to help people in Wheatley after explosion
- The province is providing another $3.8 million to help residents of Wheatley who had to be evacuated after a gas explosion this summer destroyed multiple buildings. The money will go towards things such as housing and food, as well as to help fund the municipality’s emergency services.
- “We will keep going until we’ve determined the cause of the gas leak, and in the meantime, we are providing this additional funding to help alleviate some of the burdens for those who have been displaced from their homes,” said Premier Doug Ford in a statement.
Question Period
‘Doesn’t want to make a deal’
- NDP MPP Jessica Bell accused the PCs of merely pretending to want a child care deal with Ottawa.
- “It’s no wonder we are the last province without affordable child care for families, because this government doesn’t want to make a deal to lower child care fees.”
- Education Minister Stephen Lecce stuck to the province’s line about wanting a good deal that is in line with what other major provinces such as Quebec and Alberta received.
- “How is it that the NDP and the Liberals are comfortable with Ontarians paying more than every province east and west of us? We want to get that deal.”
Still no plan for vaccinating kids
- NDP MPP Marit Stiles demanded to know when Ontarians will see the plan for vaccinating children aged five to 11. She said the government is taking too long to make the information public.
- “The government is dithering and delaying, and anti-vax activists are filling that silence. We are risking losing people to misinformation,” said Stiles.
- Health Minister Christine Elliott said a lot of work has been done and details will be released to parents via their public health units “very shortly.” That plan will have several options for parents to get their kids immunized.
$3-billion shortfall in health-care spending
- NDP MPP Sandy Shaw pointed to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives that projects health-care spending shortfalls to the tune of $3 billion over the next two years.
- “This government would rather cut corners and shortchange our health-care system than get people the knee surgeries, the cancer screenings that they need to live a healthy life,” said Shaw. “People are feeling those cuts already.”
- Elliott denied the report’s findings, arguing the government has poured money into the health-care system, particularly when it comes to getting through the surgical and diagnostic backlog caused by the pandemic.
Independent questions
Municipal workplace harassment bill in the works?
- Liberal MPP Stephen Blais posed a question about the case of an Ottawa city councillor accused of workplace harassment, arguing the province should pass his private member’s Bill 10, Stopping Abuse by Local Leaders Act, or introduce its own legislation to fix the problem.
- Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said the government takes this situation “very seriously,” noting that the province has held consultations on the issue with organizations such as the Association of Municipalities Ontario. He said he will have more to say on the matter “in the coming weeks.”
- “We will ensure that our municipal partners have the resources and the tools that they need to foster safe and respectful workplaces.”
PC questions
PC backbenchers asked their party colleagues softball questions about infrastructure deficits in northern and rural communities, housing support for veterans, anti-racism efforts, and mental health supports.
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