Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report October 25, 2019

Quotation of the day

“Disgusting. There is no place in for hate like this. While we may disagree on matters, we must always respect one another.”

Premier rallies behind federal Liberal MP Catherine McKenna after the C-word was ​ ​ ​ ​ spray-painted across her constituency office in Centre. ​

Today at Queen’s Park

On the schedule The house convenes on Monday, October 28.

In the park The recurring Fridays for Future climate protest will be held on the Queen’s Park lawn today.

Premier watch For the first time in a long time, Premier Doug Ford made the media rounds Thursday. But the ​ ​ premier bypassed press gallery reporters eagerly awaiting to scrum ministers on their way into the afternoon’s cabinet meeting.

That said, Ford did stop by the Star Queen’s Park bureau for the first time, and ​ ​ ​ ​ conducted interviews with CFRA, CP24 and Newstalk1010.

Here’s the message the premier passed on to Ontarians: ● On the carbon-tax court challenge: “We are going to pursue it … We’ll see it through,” Ford said, noting he was elected on a pledge to fight the federal Liberals’ carbon backstop and to make life more affordable. ○ The premier’s comments contrast with his suggestion in August that Monday’s vote (in which the Liberals handily held on to ) would decide the fate of the case. ○ Environment Minister reiterated the court challenge is still happening ​ ​ on his way into cabinet but wouldn’t provide the cost.

● On contract talks with teacher unions: “I hope the unions aren’t unreasonable,” Ford said. The PCs are hoping to appease the union with lower class size caps than planned (more on this below). ○ “They were quite upset about class sizes,” Ford said, repeating a line he’s used for the autism portfolio (a political hot potato) and calling education the “toughest file we inherited.”

● On Monday’s federal election: “This country is divided like I’ve never seen before … Ontario has to step up and unite the country.” ○ The premier re-congratulated all federal political leaders, doubled down on his commitment to work with Ottawa, and gave a shout-out to his fellow Tory first ministers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick. ○ “We need to work with him,” Ford said of Trudeau. “People expect us to work with him.” ○ Ford evaded questions about his own federal political ambitions.

PCs tamp down class size cap proposal as a bargaining chip Education Minister says the government is willing to walk back plans to ​ ​ increase the average cap for high school classes to 28 students over four years — instead capping classrooms at 25 students.

Speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park Thursday afternoon, Lecce said he hoped to sweeten the deal for the teachers’ union, calling the Crown’s proposal “positive” and “sufficient.” Lecce wouldn’t say how much the change would cost.

But the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation said Lecce’s proffer isn’t the olive branch he’s making it out to be.

“It was not mentioned at today’s press conference that the proposal OSSTF received at the bargaining table this morning would also remove any class size limits imposed by local collective agreements with school boards around the province,” the union said.

That could see lower class sizes for students with special needs go out the window.

The government’s proposal still ups the current 22.5 student-teacher ratio and would see the loss of 5,000 teaching positions, said union president Harvey Bischof. ​ ​

“With the removal of locally enforceable class size caps, there would essentially be no limits on the size of classes into which Ontario students could be squeezed,” Bischof added.

OSSTF asked for a no-board report Thursday, which would lead to them being in a legal position to strike.

At issue for the union is compensation; while the OSSTF has asked for a cost-of-living increase of about two per cent, the government wants to cap it at one per cent.

The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, the other party at the central bargaining table, lauded the government’s “flexibility” on class sizes but is still concerned that things will continue to get “worse” under the proposed 25-student cap.

“With fewer program options, students are forced to take courses they didn’t choose, which reduces motivation and engagement,” OPSBA president Cathy Abraham said in a statement. ​ ​ “For example, a student interested in the skilled trades will have a very limited opportunity to explore various options within the technology subject areas.”

“This is even more of an issue in rural, remote and northern school settings,” she said.

Opposition critics said the Ford government’s concession shows raising the cap was a bad move to begin with.

“The government should never have made these cuts in the first place,” said NDP education critic . “It’s still a significant increase and a significant loss of adults in the ​ ​ classroom.”

Green Leader echoed the sentiment, saying that “pulling back on average class ​ ​ sizes is an admission from the government that they made a mistake.”

Negotiations with OSSTF, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario continue and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association continue. All three unions are holding strike votes with results expected next month.

Today’s events

October 25 at 8:30 a.m. — London ​ Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark will address the Association of ​ ​ Municipalities of Ontario’s fall policy forum.

October 25 at 10:45 a.m. — ​ Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Associate Minister of Women and Children’s Issues Jill ​ ​ ​ Dunlop will make an announcement at Kids Childcare and Preschool. ​

October 25 at 11:15 a.m. — Kitchener ​ PC MPP will make an announcement at the local Goodwill. ​ ​

October 25 at 11:45 a.m. — Kitchener ​ Finance Minister Rod Phillips will address the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. ​ ​

Upcoming events

October 28 at 9 a.m. — Online ​ The Financial Accountability Office will release a report on Ontario’s credit rating on its website.

Topics of conversation

● Wannabe Ontario Liberal leader Alvin Tedjo is proposing to eliminate provincial funding ​ ​ to Catholic school boards and merge them into a system of only English and French. ○ “Let’s have one publicly funded system, one for English boards and one for French boards, and then within those boards, let’s give students the option as an elective to take religious education,” Tedjo said in an interview at Queen’s Park on Thursday. ○ “We want to make sure that we’re giving all students and parents, and teachers frankly, the option to teach at any publicly funded school, which the current system doesn’t allow,” he told Queen’s Park Today. ​ ○ Tedjo, whose kids attend Catholic school like he did, said he’s talked to some Catholic school teachers who agree education should be “available to everyone.” ○ Education Minister Stephen Lecce promptly shot down the idea, telling reporters ​ ​ later that the current system is “constitutionally protected.”

● NDP MPP , the critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, is ​ ​ calling on the Ford government to stop “using the excuse of jurisdiction” and take action to help North Spirit Lake First Nation, which declared a state of emergency on Wednesday. ○ Chief Caroline Keesic said the Indigenous community situated north of Red ​ ​ Lake has been dealing with “an escalation of drugs fuelling the addiction epidemic and a breakdown of the community’s water system,” which has “caused widespread crisis.”

News briefs — governmental PCs have relatively little to announce after trade mission to South Korea and Japan ● Trade Minister and Agriculture Minister wrapped up a ​ ​ ​ ​ 12-day business mission to Asia boasting an MOU signed with the Korea Importers Association and one $20-million deal between Toronto and Seoul-based firms. ○ In contrast, a 2017 trade mission to China under then-premier ​ turned up nearly $2 billion in agreements and a 2016 mission to Japan and South ​ Korea netted $240 million in deals. ​ ​ ○ Seniors Minister was also on the trip but returned early. ​ ​

Funding announcements Ministry of Health ● Minister announced over $6.8 million for 19 health research projects at ​ ​ ​ four research hospitals in Toronto.

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing ● Minister Steve Clark announced $5.2 million toward the creation of 35 new apartments ​ ​ ​ at the Margaret’s Housing and Community Support Services in Toronto. The project will be built by converting four semi-detached homes into bachelor and one-bedroom units, including seven that will be wheelchair accessible.

Lobbyist registrations

If you are looking for further information on any lobbying registry, it is all public and easily searchable here. ​ ​

Consultants who registered as lobbyists from October 18 – October 24

● Michael Diamond and Christopher Chapin, Upstream Strategy Group ​ ​ ​ o Clients: Information Services Corporation

● Jason Lietaer, Enterprise Canada ​ o Clients: Stelco

● Micheline McKay, Micheline McKay + Associates ​ o Clients: The Corporation of Massey Hall and , Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council

● Scott Munnoch, Temple Scott Associates Inc. ​ o Clients: Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals

● Stephanie Gawur, Counsel Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: Algonquin Park Residents Association

● John McKenna, Hansell McLaughlin Advisory ​ o Clients: Genworth MI Canada Inc.

● Charles Harnick, Counsel Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: Algonquin Park Residents Association

● Jim Burnett and Peter Curtis, Pathway Group Inc. ​ ​ ​

o Clients: Bruce Trail Conservancy

● Danielle Peters, Magnet Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies

● Aaron Scheewe, The Capital Hill Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Maximus Canada, Canadian Council of the Blind, JAMA - Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association of Canada, Rycom, SAS Institute (Canada) Inc., RedMane Technology, Adobe

● Wayne Snow, Fulcrum Advocacy ​ o Clients: Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario

● Gabriela Gonzalez, Crestview Strategy ​ o Clients: Intact Financial Corporation

● Catherine Beagan Flood, Fraser Malcom and Brian Facey, Blake, Cassels & Graydon ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ LLP o Clients: Labatt Brewing Company Limited

● Michelle Mackenzie, Michelle Mackenzie Consulting Inc. ​ o Clients: Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission

● Peter Van Loan, Aird & Berlis ​ o Clients: 5000933 Ontario Inc., North Markham Landowners Group c/o Malone Given Parsons, Orlando Corporation, 2513564 Ontario Limited

● Sara Bourdeau, StrategyCorp Inc. ​ o Clients: Mondelez Canada

● Noah Niznick, Public Affairs Advisors ​ o Clients: SecureKey Technologies Inc.

● Laura Greer, Hill+Knowlton Strategies ​ o Clients: Express Scripts Canada

● Jill Wilson and Dan Mader, Loyalist Public Affairs ​ ​ ​ o Clients: First Gulf Corporation

● Jim Burnett, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses

● Georganne Burke, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Covenant Canadian Reformed Teachers College

● Peter Zakarow, Alexynn Strategy ​ o Clients: IBM Canada Ltd

● Peter Curtis, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Coach Canada

● Caroline Pinto, Carol Mitchell and Stephanie Gawur, Counsel Public Affairs Inc. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ o Clients: Grape Growers of Ontario

● Carly Luis, StrategyCorp Inc. ​ o Clients: Ontario Long Term Care Association

● Peter Curtis, Megan Flynn, Jeffrey Bangs, Leanna Karremans and Jim Burnett, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Pathway Group Inc. o Clients: Dart Canada Inc.

● Jim Burnett, Megan Flynn and Jeffrey Bangs, Pathway Group Inc. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ o Clients: Hamilton International Airport

● Harvey Nightingale, Hill+Knowlton Strategies ​ o Clients: Harris Canada Systems

● David Angus, The Capital Hill Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Accerta, Oracle Canada

● Leslie Noble, StrategyCorp Inc. ​ o Clients: Ontario Long Term Care Association

● Suzanne van Bommel, Suzanne van Bommel Enterprises Inc. ​ o Clients: Luc Duchesne and Suzanne Wetzel, Domenic and Anna Maria Ferrelli, Dr. Steven and Mrs. Brenda Deskin, Janet and John Shaughnessy, Sheila Laredo and Richard Marcovitz, Simon and Robyn Wynberg, Tammy Starr, Arthur Fleischmann, Carly Fleischmann, Elisabeth Cooper, Renewi Canada - London

● Lindsay Aagaard and Daniel Brock, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP ​ ​ ​ o Clients: K+S Windsor Salt Ltd.

● Francesca Grosso, Grosso McCarthy Inc. ​ o Clients: Pedorthic Association of Canada, Medavie EMS

● Frank Klees, Klees & Associates Ltd. ​ o Clients: Castlepoint Greybrook Huntington Inc., dynaCERT Inc.

● Lester Scheininger, Les Scheininger ​ o Clients: Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association

● Christina Marciano and Chris Benedetti, Sussex Strategy Group ​ ​ ​ o Clients: Enwave Energy Corporation

● Daniel McIntyre, Grosso McCarthy Inc. ​

o Clients: Canadian Healthcare Management Information Services Inc., Dexcom Canada, Novari Health

● Joshua Albert, The CCS Group (formerly Connect Consulting Solutions) ​ o Clients: Shawanaga First Nation

● Jonathan Rose, Policy Concepts Inc. ​ o Clients: Advisory Board of LIGHTS

● Jonathan Rose and Amy Boddington, Policy Concepts Inc. ​ ​ ​ o Clients: Youth Treatment Centre

● Alanna Sokic, Global Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: LeafLink Inc.

● Anika Christie and Daniel McIntyre, Grosso McCarthy Inc. ​ ​ ​ o Clients: EMD Serono Canada

● Jaskiran Shoker, Devan Sommerville, Charles Beer, Caroline Pinto and Stephanie ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Gawur, Counsel Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs (OASIS)

● Nathaniel Wallace, Canadian Urban Transit Association ​ o Clients: Ontario Public Transit Association

● Jeff Garrah, Garrah Corp. ​ o Clients: Hazelett Corp.

● Chris Benedetti, Sussex Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Algonquin Power Corp., Rayonier Advanced Materials

● Kelly Mitchell, KW Mitchell Consulting Services Inc. ​ o Clients: CannAssist Group Inc., Ontario Water Centre

● Sarina Rehal, Crestview Strategy ​ o Clients: ProResp Inc., Trudell Medical Limited

● Chris McCluskey, Proof Strategies ​ o Clients: StubHub, Maritime Employers Association

● Reema Gill, Global Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Eczema Society of Canada

● Rick Roth, Global Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: Cement Association of Canada

● Andrew Boddington, Policy Concepts Inc. ​ o Clients: Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre

Organizations that registered in-house lobbyists from October 18 – October 24

● Ontario Chiropractic Association ● Futurpreneur Canada (formerly Canadian Youth Business Foundation) ● Global Automakers of Canada ● Ontario Federation of Labour ● Schizophrenia Society of Ontario ● Canadian Live Music Association (formerly Music Canada Live) ● Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association ● Chemistry Industry Association of Canada ● FilmOntario ● Insurance Bureau of Canada ● Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers ● Ontario Long Term Care Association ● Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) ● Ontario Hospital Association ● Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco ● Blogen Canada Inc. ● Emera Inc. ● Mobility View Inc. ● Premier Tech Ltée ● The Co-operators Group Ltd. ● LifeScan Canada ULC ● Coach Canada ● Pattern Canada ● Sidewalk Labs Employees, L.L.C. ● Syngenta Canada Inc. ● GPVTL Canada Inc. ● Bombardier Inc.

Queen's Park Today is written by Sabrina Nanji, reporting from the Queen's Park press gallery.

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