Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report June 6, 2019

Quotation of the day

“Talking to constitutional lawyers.”

What OPSEU president Warren “Smokey” Thomas says the union is doing after the Ford ​ ​ government tabled a bill capping public sector wage increases.

Today at Queen’s Park

On the schedule It’s the last day of the spring session. The House convenes at 9 a.m. The government could call:

● Bill 108, More Homes, More Choice Act; ​ ● Bill 115, Bringing Choice and Fairness to the People Act; and ​ ● Bill 116, Foundations for Promoting and Protecting Mental Health and Addictions ​ Services Act.

Third-reading votes on Bill 108 and Bill 115 will be held after today’s question period. ​ ​ ​ ​

There are two PC backbench bills and an NDP motion slated for the afternoon’s private members’ debates:

● PC MPP ’s Bill 118, Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act, which limits the ​ ​ ​ ​ recovery of damages for personal injuries caused by snow or ice against landlords and contractors;

● PC MPP ’s Bill 106, Egyptian Heritage Month Act, which would proclaim ​ ​ ​ ​ an awareness week in July; and

● NDP MPP ’s motion calling on the government to immediately start ​ ​ implementing recommendations from the Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illness Task Force’s report from April 2018. ​ ​

The House could sit until midnight tonight, if the government deems it necessary.

The Toronto Sun reports the House will not reconvene for a fall session until October 28, after ​ ​ ​ the federal election.

Wednesday’s debates and proceedings Bill 108 was debated at third reading in the morning and in the afternoon. ​

Bill 115, which legislates the break-up of the Beer Store’s near-monopoly on selling suds, ​ cleared a second-reading vote after question period. (Ayes 70; Nays 48). Bill 117, which ​ ​ extends animal welfare enforcement to OSPCA affiliates, passed third reading on a voice vote.

In the afternoon, Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy introduced Bill 124, Protecting ​ ​ ​ ​ a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act. (Read on for more on the public sector wage cap bill.)

A slew of backbench bills hit the clerk’s table on the eve the House is set to rise:

● NDP MPP introduced Bill 125, Making Northern Ontario Highways ​ ​ ​ ​ Safer Act, to improve standards for winter road maintenance.

● Liberal MPPs Nathalie Des Rosiers and Marie-France Lalonde introduced a ​ ​ ​ ​ co-sponsored Bill 126, La Francophonie Act; which would expand the French Language ​ ​ ​ Services Act by, among other things, requiring the Legislative Assembly to function in ​ both official languages, and making courts and tribunals operate in French as well as English, with major decisions published in both official languages. ○ This could be the final PMB for these MPPs. Des Rosiers is resigning her seat to take on a role at Massey College, Lalonde could be exiting Queen’s Park as she makes a bid for federal Liberal MP.

● NDP MPP tabled Bill 127, Ontario Food Terminal Protection Act; ​ ​ ​ ​ which would designate the land under the Ontario Food Terminal as a provincially significant employment zone and limit real estate development.

● PC MPP tabled Bill 128, Ontario Water Resources Amendment Act, which ​ ​ ​ ​ tightens up water-taking permits for dams when the dam is associated with the production of electricity;

● Liberal MPP introduced Bill 129, Safe and Healthy Communities Act, to ​ ​ ​ ​ address gun violence;

● PC MPP introduced Bill 130, Combatting Litter for the Environment ​ ​ ​ ​ and Nature Act.

In the park Cheese! MPPs from all parties were all smiles when posing for the 42nd Parliament’s official photo Wednesday. Female MPPs posed in another snapshot to mark their record-breaking 39.5 ​ ​ ​ per cent representation.

PCs to cap public sector wages at one per cent per year until 2021 Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled legislation Wednesday to cap public ​ ​ sector wage hikes to an average of one per cent per year for the next three years.

The bill impacts over one million unionized and non-unionized employees and applies to future collective agreements with the public service, school boards, teachers, colleges and universities, nurses, the OPP, Ornge, Ontario Power Generation, the Independent Electricity System Operator, childrens’ aid societies, hospitals, and several other bodies.

Municipalities and entities they are responsible for — such as firefighters and local police — are not covered by the legislation, nor is the Ontario Medical Association, judges or certain broader public sector executives.

Bethlenfalvy said the government decided on the one per cent benchmark because it was “fair” and “reasonable.” It would only apply to future collective agreements and where contracts have already expired. “We respect the bargaining process,” Bethlenfalvy said.

“If we do not take this action, we could be putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk, which our government refuses to do,” Bethlenfalvy said. The bill will “reflect the fiscal situation of the province” he said, noting the Tories are working to trim an $11.7 billion deficit.

Bethlenfalvy stressed the bill doesn’t impose a wage freeze, roll back or job cuts.

The government plans to launch an informational website and hold consultations related to the plan during the summer break. Bethlenfalvy quipped his caucus-mates wouldn’t be too happy with him if they sat through summer to get it through due process.

The government spends $72 billion annually on public sector compensation. A one per cent limit would cap next year’s compensation total from rising more than $720 million.

According to ministry officials, speaking without attribution during a media technical briefing, there was an average 1.6 per cent pay increase in the last year.

This fiscal year the teachers, nurses and OPSEU’s collective agreements expire. In April Bethlenfalvy announced consultations with public sector unions over the compensation.

NDP Leader called the consultation process a “sham” and said Premier Doug ​ ​ ​ Ford is acting like the “king of Ontario.” ​

OPSEU president Warren “Smokey” Thomas said the government isn’t respecting collective ​ ​ bargaining rights and that the union is talking to constitutional lawyers. He likened the move to tearing up the Beer Store contract.

Thomas vowed to “screw up” Tory events in the coming months, including Ford Fest on June 22. “That’s going to be a dandy,” he said in a media scrum.

Bethlenfalvy refused to weigh in on whether the bill could stand up to a Charter challenge.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce warns Ford PCs killing contract sends ‘negative signal’ to international investors The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the Ford government’s move to rip up the Beer Store contract could turn off businesses and investors beyond Ontario’s borders.

“Our strong concern is that terminating an existing contract, and doing so without compensation … risks sending a negative signal to U.S. and other international investors about the business and investment climate in Ontario,” Neil Harrington, senior vice-president of the chamber wrote ​ ​ in a letter to Premier on Tuesday. ​ ​

Closer to home, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, which has endorsed many of Ford’s open-for-business policies, said the move could deter investment. The US and Canada Bar Association echoed the sentiment. ​ ​

The PCs ploughed ahead with their campaign pledge to liberalize beer and wine sales by passing second reading of Bill 115, the enabling legislation, after Wednesday morning’s ​ ​ question period.

Finance Minister didn’t stray from his talking points when defending the move, saying ​ ​ the “sweetheart deal” with the Beer Store is bad and unfair for business and Ontarians.

In his letter to Ford, Harrington did otherwise praise the premier for his government’s tax reforms and other “pro-business” policies, while thanking him for his recent visit to Washington, D.C.

Today’s events

June 6 at 9 a.m. – Toronto ​ ​

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser will hold an end-of-session press conference in the media ​ ​ studio. He will be followed by session-enders from NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Green ​ ​ Leader . ​ ​

June 6 at 1:15 p.m. – North York ​ ​ Finance Minister Vic Fedeli will make an announcement at Yummy Market. ​ ​

June 6 at 1:45 p.m. – Toronto ​ ​ NDP Health critic France Gélinas will table thousands of petitions gathered by Unifor calling on ​ ​ the provincial government to legislate a minimum four hours standard of care in long-term care homes.

June 6 at 6:45 p.m. – Markham ​ ​ Premier Doug Ford will deliver remarks at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ ​ ​ 2019 AGM at the Hilton in Markham.

Topics of conversation

● Ottawa is picking up where Ontario backed out, spending $15 million to save the 50 ​ ​ Million Tree Program. ○ At Queen’s Park, Natural Resources and Forestry Minister ​ suggested the federal Liberal government, which is staring down a federal election in October, is campaigning against the Ontario PCs. ○ The 50 Million Tree Program, which was cut in the most recent provincial budget, had an annual budget of $4.7 million and had planted some 27 million trees in Ontario since 2008, with a goal of reaching its namesake number by 2025.

● PC MPP raised eyebrows on social media for a now-deleted, then ​ ​ ​ re-upped tweet connecting the anniversary of D-Day to the Beer Store brouhaha. ​

● Northern Development Minister has issued a request for Metrolinx to ​ ​ stock up on 36 new GO Transit rail cars and, per CBC, said “the option is on the table” ​ ​ when it comes to acquiring them from Bombardier’s Thunder Bay facility. ○ In February, the province slapped Bombardier with financial penalties after it failed to deliver Eglinton LRT vehicles on time. In 2017, the former Liberal government attempted to tear up a $770-million contract with the Quebec company, also for failing to meet deadlines, but was ultimately blocked by the ​ ​ Superior Court.

Question period NDP lead-off

● NDP Leader Andrea Horwath kicked off the session’s second-to-last question period by ​ ​ asking about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s letter warning the Ford government against tearing up the Beer Store contract. ○ “They’re joining the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and thousands and thousands of Ontarians who are raising serious concerns about this reckless scheme. Does the minister still believe it’s a good idea?” Horwath asked.

● Finance Minister Vic Fedeli evaded the question and stuck to his rote defence. ​ ​

Health cuts in London ● Horwath asked about London Health Sciences Centre announcing staff hours would ​ ​ have to be significantly cut in order to deal with its $24-million deficit.

● Health Minister claimed that is no longer the case. ​ ​ ○ “London Health Sciences Centre is exploring opportunities to not fill vacant, non-patient-facing roles and is also reviewing parameters to mitigate overtime hours. There are no job cuts or reductions being contemplated at this time.”

GO bus service cuts ● NDP transit critic Jessica Bell asked Transportation Minister about cutting ​ ​ ​ ​ $184 million from Metrolinx, which this week reduced bus service around the GTA.

Redrafting Toronto’s development plans ● NDP MPP noted the Globe’s report revealing Ontario’s plan to rewrite ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Toronto’s development plans by allowing more and taller buildings in midtown. Morrisson said her question was simple. “Why?”

● “I’ll tell you why,” Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark replied. “Last June ​ ​ we had an election, and those two official plan amendments, 405 and 406, were presented to the ministry. Those didn’t reflect our government’s priorities. We’ve made it very clear, and we continue to make it clear, that we need to build more housing.”

Independent questions Ford agenda ● Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter rattled off a list of Ford government policies she is not a fan ​ ​ of and wanted to know when the government would turn them around.

● To which Fedeli wondered: “Where do you start with all of those pieces?” He responded in kind and sounded off on the PC’s accomplishments.

PC friendly questions

Tories asked themselves about interprovincial trade, overhauling the skilled trades and apprenticeship program, expanding broadband infrastructure in rural and northern Ontario, uploading the TTC and changes to 50-50 charitable gambling draws.

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

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