Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report October 24, 2019

Quotation of the day

“At our annual Pickering—Uxbridge barbecue I picked up the guitar for the first time in 10 years … I may lose some votes, but I played Day Tripper and ​ ​ Rockin’ in the Free World, and crapped my pants, actually, because I hadn’t ​ played in so long.”

At the Economic Club, Treasury Board President goes off-script with an ​ ​ anecdote about his recent jam sesh. ​ ​

Today at Queen’s Park

On the schedule The end of the extended 144-day recess is nigh — the house convenes Monday, October 28.

MPPs are gearing up for the six-week-long fall session at Queen’s Park this week; cabinet ministers will meet today at 12:30 p.m., while the NDP held a caucus meeting on Wednesday.

Unions and advocates are also preparing a welcome-back protest and will “form a cavalcade” at ​ ​ the pink palace on Monday as part of the “communities, not cuts” campaign.

In the park Thirteen paramedics received the Award for Paramedic Bravery at a ceremony hosted ​ ​ by Deputy Premier on the grand staircase Tuesday evening. ​ ​

Horwath urges Ford to ‘come out of hiding,’ drop carbon tax challenge NDP Leader says it’s time for the premier to “come out of hiding.” ​ ​

Speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park Wednesday, the official Opposition leader criticized Premier for laying low during the federal campaign and said Monday’s election was ​ ​ a litmus test for his leadership in Ontario, where the federal Grits dominated.

“In swaths of Ontario, folks rejected Doug Ford, they rejected Doug Ford’s cuts,” Horwath contended.

She also chided Ford for only holding two media availabilities (in Kenora and Verner, near North Bay) since the writ dropped. CBC noted Ontario’s premier is the only first minister who hasn’t ​ ​ made himself available to take reporters’ questions following Monday’s vote.

“Break time is over,” Horwath said of the extended recess.

The NDP leader also said Ontario’s ongoing carbon-tax court challenge against the Liberals’ ​ ​ keystone environmental policy isn’t the best way to start off a fresh relationship with a newly re-elected government.

She said the election showed “there are many people from coast-to-coast around this country who are concerned about climate change.”

“Here we have Mr. Ford still fighting against the environment. He needs to back away from that, drop that wasted energy and time.”

Despite Ford saying in August that democracy and the federal election would decide the fate of the federal carbon backstop, on Wednesday he called it “the worst tax you could ever face.”

Ford made the comment at a “fireside” chat hosted by the C.D. Howe Institute; reporters were only given about a half-hour notice of the event that his office claimed was closed to the media. ​ ​

The premier’s office also bolstered its statement on the matter from earlier in the week, saying Wednesday the PCs will “continue our efforts to oppose the federal carbon tax.” The day before Ford’s office said it would “evaluate the results of the federal election” and “continue to discuss” those efforts.

In his first post-election press conference yesterday, newly re-elected Prime Minister Justin ​ Trudeau said Tuesday’s phone call with Ford was “very cordial.” ​ ​ ​

Today’s events

October 24 at 9 a.m. — Richmond Hill ​ Seniors and Accessibility Minister and his parliamentary assistant, , ​ ​ ​ ​ will make an announcement at the Ontario Disability Network’s “rethinking disability” conference.

October 24 at 9 a.m. — Toronto ​ Health Minister Christine Elliott will make an announcement at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge ​ ​ Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital.

October 31 at 11 a.m. — Toronto ​ Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark and his parliamentary assistant, , will make an ​ ​ ​ ​ announcement alongside Toronto Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão at Margaret’s Housing and ​ ​ Community Support Services.

October 24 at 11:30 a.m. — Toronto ​ Green Leader will be in the Queen’s Park media studio to discuss the ​ ​ upcoming fall session.

Upcoming events

October 29 at 6 p.m. — Hamilton ​ Premier Doug Ford will be at a $500-a-head leader’s reception fundraiser for the PC Party at ​ ​ the Hamilton Club on the night after the house returns from the extended break.

October 31 at 11:30 a.m. — Toronto ​ Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Minister Lisa MacLeod will address the Economic Club of ​ ​ Canada at a sold-out event at the Omni King Edward Hotel. MacLeod will talk about “plans to reposition her portfolio to protect and preserve Ontario’s unique and diverse cultural heritage, while at the same time championing industries.”

Topics of conversation

● Patrick Brown has brought forward a motion to dismiss ’s $8-million ​ ​ ​ defamation suit under Ontario’s anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) law established under , according to the Toronto Star. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ○ Economic Development Minister Fedeli has claimed that Mayor Brown’s tell-all book Takedown is a “vicious and petulant attack” for alleging he ​ ​ sexually harassed an employee. ○ Sources told the Star Premier Doug Ford’s office is trying to convince Fedeli to ​ ​ ​ ​ drop the lawsuit before any current or former political staff are compelled to give evidence. ○ None of the allegations have been tested in court.

● Sheila Copps — Canada’s deputy prime minister under Jean Chrétien who is now ​ ​ ​ known for her controversial Twitter persona — is endorsing for the next ​ ​ Ontario Liberal leader. ○ “The guy works incredibly hard. He campaigned for over half of our Ontario candidates in the federal election, bringing energy, a ‘happy warrior’ attitude and some serious skills door knocking,” Copps said in a statement Wednesday. “We need someone bold, charismatic and relatable to go toe-to-toe with Doug Ford.” ​ ​

● The Eye Opener, Ryerson University’s student newspaper, has a breakdown of opt-ins ​ ​ ​ ​ and opt-outs under the Ford government’s Student Choice Initiative, which makes certain tuition fees optional. The data show the lowest opt-in rate for a student group or union for 2019-20 is 43 per cent (for campus radio) and the highest is 79 per cent (for the architect club). ○ The paper itself clocked a 44.4 per cent opt-in rate, which is lower than what some other student newspapers report. The Varsity at the University of Toronto ​ ​ recently told Vice about 75 per cent of students opted in. ​ ​

● During his “fireside” chat at C.D. Howe Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford teased plans ​ ​ ​ ​ for an “affordable ownership” housing program, pointing to sky-high rental fees in Toronto and suggesting many renters would be better off paying a mortgage. ○ "Everyone talks about affordable housing, which is really important," Ford told the crowd. "I talk about affordable ownership. There's a difference."

● The PC’s plan to axe the carbon tax may have kept Ontario out of conflict with the Trump administration. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a lawsuit against California ​ ​ Wednesday over its cap-and-trade program — which was hitched with Ontario until last summer and remains tied to Quebec’s carbon market — contending the state conducted illegal foreign policy when it signed a 2013 agreement with Quebec establishing the emissions reduction program.

● Peter Bethlenfalvy wants to let the dogs out in breweries. The MPP for ​ Pickering—Uxbridge, who is also president of the Treasury Board Secretariat, has written to his fellow minister in charge of small business, , urging the ​ ​ province to ease up on health code rules to allow pups at the Second Wedge Brewing Co. in his riding. ○ The brewery also launched a petition after it was forced to rescind its dog-friendly policy following an anonymous complaint to the local health department this summer. The Uxbridge Times has the story. ​ ​ ​ ​

● Call it a good omen ahead of the legislature’s return: a pair of rare white “spirit” moose were spotted along Highway 101 between Timmins and Chapleau this week. ​

● Fatima Syed, who was on the #onpoli beat for the National Observer, is headed to The ​ ​ ​ ​ Logic. Syed says she’ll still be covering Queen’s Park occasionally at her new gig. ​

News briefs — governmental Treasury Board Secretariat

● Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy was at the Economic Club Wednesday to detail what he ​ ​ calls “smart initiatives,” which include making the top 10 most-used transactions at Service Ontario accessible online. ○ Bethlenfalvy also touched on previously announced moves to centralize the ​ ​ government’s procurement process, which he has said could save up to $1 billion a year — but it’ll take five years and a second mandate to do it. ○ The government is also consolidating the transfer payment system for health-care, non-profit and social services agencies among others, and taking stock of its real estate for potential sell-off. ○ The plan is based on last year’s EY Canada report. ○ Bethlenfalvy’s announcement got a stamp of approval from Ontario Chamber of Commerce CEO Rocco Rossi, who said the PC-friendly OCC looks forward to ​ ​ “working with government and private sector to help shape these important public policy initiatives together and put this plan into action.”

Ministry of the Attorney General ● The province is raising the threshold for small court claims with an eye to speeding up the sluggish court system. Effective January 1, the limit for cases heard in small claims court will be raised to $35,000, up from the current $25,000, after which cases go to the Superior Court of Justice. ○ Attorney General says the Superior Court is one of the busiest in ​ ​ the country, where litigation can drag out for years and become expensive. On the other hand, small claims cases are typically resolved in less than a year. ○ “As a result of the change, more people will be able to file and respond to claims using less expensive representation, such as paralegals and law students, or through self-representation,” Downey said in a release. ○ The cap was last raised from $15,000 in 2010.

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks ● Ontario’s first-ever official litter cleanup day will be May 12, 2020, Minister ​ announced Wednesday alongside MPP . But the government scooped ​ ​ itself on the news — back in June, Khanjin tabled a private member’s bill to designate the second Tuesday in May as provincial litter pickup day. ○ The move is part of the “made-in-Ontario” environment plan.

Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development ● Minister Monte McNaughton cut the ribbon at a new “action centre” in Oshawa that will ​ ​ give laid-off General Motors employees “local, targeted” training to help them get back into the workforce. The project is also supported by the automaker and Unifor. ○ Ontario is doling out $531,700 through the rapid re-employment training program.

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

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