Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report May 23, 2019

Quotation of the day

“We’ve got the hucksters out there spinning lies and buying the news.”

The latest PC Party fundraising email, signed by Premier , takes aim at CUPE, after ​ ​ the union commissioned an Environics poll, the results of which suggest a majority of Ontarians are opposed to public health cuts and think the Ford government is on the “wrong track.” (The poll aligns with recent surveys from Pollara and Corbett.)

Today at Queen’s Park

On the schedule It’s constituency week; the House sits on Monday, May 27, at 10:30 a.m. for question period.

Reining in spending to ‘historic lows’ needed to balance budget: FAO The Ford government will have to cut program spending to levels not seen since the mid-1990s if it wants a balanced budget by 2023-24, ’s budget watchdog says.

Financial Accountability Officer Peter Weltman’s report on the 2019 budget, released ​ ​ Wednesday, found the government’s cuts this year will reduce annual spending by an average four per cent, half of the eight per cent claimed by the Progressive Conservatives.

That means the government will have to trim an additional $6 billion in spending by 2021-22, the report states.

Weltman’s calculations factor in planned cuts to income and gas taxes — still unannounced — that the government has included in its spending estimates for future years. His report found that the government’s future tax cut plans will cost the government $3.6 billion by 2023.

The FAO determined it is possible for the government to cut taxes and meet its goal of eliminating the deficit in five years if it can hold spending growth at one percent and find eight per cent overall savings in the province’s $163.5 billion budget.

If the PCs hit that mark, Ontario will be spending $1,100 less per person on public services, the report states. The pace of spending growth will also be the slowest since the Harris days — from 1992 to 1999, program spending was limited to a paltry 0.3 per cent annually.

The FAO also notes restricted spending will contribute to weaker economic growth and suggests the PC’s budget relies on a more rosy outlook for revenue growth.

Finance Minister said the FAO report confirms the Ford government’s plan to ​ ​ balance the books is “credible” and “will put the province on a sustainable footing.”

But opposition critics warned of deeper future cuts to public services.

“More than $6 billion in cuts in Ford’s first budget are still unspecified, which leaves Ontario families worried that the pain they're feeling from cuts so far is only going to get worse,” NDP finance critic Sandy Shaw said. ​ ​

Green Leader said the PCs must address the revenue problem before carrying ​ ​ out “plans to squeeze more out of the system” or “it will be the province’s most vulnerable who suffer from an additional $6 billion in cuts.”

Today’s events

May 23 at 9 a.m. – ​ ​ Former Ontario Liberal health minister Helena Jaczek will be in the Queen’s Park media studio ​ ​ to talk about an open letter opposing the Ford government’s public health cuts signed by ex-health ministers of all partisan stripes.

May 23 at 10 a.m. – Toronto ​ ​ Seniors and Accessibility Minister will make an announcement about removing ​ ​ barriers for people with disabilities alongside Rick Hansen, founder of the namesake ​ ​ foundation, at Mars Discovery District.

May 23 at 10:30 a.m. – Toronto ​ ​ NDP energy critic will hold a media studio presser on his forthcoming motion ​ ​ calling on the government to strike a special select committee on climate change.

May 23 6:30 p.m. – St. Catharines ​ ​ NDP Leader and Niagara-area NDP MPPs will host a health care town hall at ​ ​ ​ the St. Catharines Best Western.

May 23 to May 25 – Toronto ​ ​

OPSEU’s annual convention kicks off at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre. Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath will deliver a keynote speech today. ​ ​

Topics of conversation

● The Pink Palace-Clamshell budget battle roils on with the latest salvo from Toronto Mayor , who launched an online petition against provincial funding cuts ​ ​ Wednesday. The “Stop the Cuts” petition demands the Ford government reverse almost ​ ​ $178 million in cuts this year that will hit a wide range of services including public health and child care. ○ The move comes one day after Premier Doug Ford announced over $7 million to ​ ​ help large municipalities and school boards hire private auditors to suss out cost savings in their already-approved budgets as they grapple with unexpected provincial cutbacks.

● Meanwhile, Toronto Deputy Mayor and longtime Ford family ally ​ accused the premier of "half truths" Wednesday after Ford doubled down on his offer to ​ provide provincial funding to pay for audits of the municipalities his government is cutting funding to. Ford told CP24 that is full of "spendaholics" and home to a ​ ​ "bloated bureaucracy." ○ Holyday, who has chaired the City of Toronto’s audit committee since 2017, issued a statement in response to Ford that trumpeted the city’s fiscal record, saying Toronto identified $35.8 million in financial benefits from implementing audit recommendations in its 2019 budget process. He added that the implementation of audit recommendations since 2014 has led to $303.7 million in savings. ○ Holyday, the son of ’s deputy mayor , is widely seen as ​ ​ ​ ​ one of the city’s most sympathetic councillors to the premier. His criticism of Ford was, therefore, noted by several Toronto politicians who have opposed the provincial government’s plans for the City, including Mayor Tory and councillors ​ ​ and . ​ ​ ​

● The Ford government has been quietly working in alliance with multiple lobby groups and industry associations, including the Ontario Convenience Stores Association (OCSA) and the Retail Council of Canada, to promote corner store wine and beer sales and rally against the Beer Store, e-mails obtained by the Toronto Star reveal. ​ ​ ​ ​ ○ The government has produced a new website in partnership with the private ​ ​ lobbyists to campaign against the province’s 10-year contract with the Beer Store, signed in 2015. ○ The site, launched on May 15, takes issue with reports that the province could be subject to a $1 billion fine if it backs out of its deal with the Beer Store, which is

controlled by subsidiaries of U.S.-based Molson Coors, Belgium-based AB InBev and Japan-based Sapporo. ○ OSCA CEO Dave Bryans, in a press release, said his organization launched the ​ ​ site “in conjunction” with the government as "an educational website to clarify all the fictional stories or myths around beer retailing and sales in the province.” ○ “Fact: Let’s be clear: nowhere in the province’s contract with the Beer Store are there any set financial penalties for ending the contract early or breaching any of its conditions,” the website claims.

● A new report by the Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups and the Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic found permanently injured workers are having their benefits slashed because of the WSIB practice of “deeming” those workers capable of doing “imaginary” jobs. The Toronto Star has the story. ​ ​ ​

● Former Liberal cabinet minister, now wannabe Liberal leader Steven Del Duca says if ​ ​ he were leading Ontario he would upload Toronto’s DVP and Gardiner Expressway, and ​ would offer a 50 per cent discount on TTC fares during off-peak hours. ○ Del Duca also says he thinks the premier is not “competent.” ​ ​

● Premier Doug Ford hosted New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs at his Queen’s Park ​ ​ ​ ​ office on Wednesday. “We spoke about working together to get rid of trade barriers to grow interprovincial business and investment opportunities and create good local jobs,” Ford said in a statement. The pair also discussed their opposition to the federal carbon backstop and this summer’s Council of the Federation meeting in Saskatoon.

● Premier Ford has a new social media habit: commenting on Instagram posts from Toronto meme account 6ixBuzz. iPolitics looks at some of the premier’s recent ​ ​ ​ ​ interactions on the platform.

Funding announcements

Ministry of Infrastructure ● Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton announced a $63.7 million investment for ​ ​ Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT), a not-for-profit corporation that’s working to better broadband service in Southwestern Ontario.

● Energy Minister and Treasury Board President were ​ ​ ​ ​ both in Dryden Wednesday to announce $51,000 to help the city develop a strategic community improvement plan.

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

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