Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report October 29, 2019

Quotation of the day

“Feeling like a champion.”

Premier describes his mood on the first day back at the legislature following the ​ ​ ​ ​ five-month recess.

Today at Queen’s Park

On the schedule The house convenes at 9 a.m. The government could call any of the following pieces of legislation for morning and afternoon debate:

● Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, which caps ​ public sector compensation at one per cent; and

● Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, the new red-tape reduction ​ legislation.

Monday’s debates and proceedings , associate minister of small business, tabled the government’s first bill of ​ the fall session in the afternoon.

Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, contains a smorgasbord of regulatory ​ ​ ​ ​ changes aimed at reducing the bureaucratic burden for businesses, including allowing 24-hour ​ booze service in airports, letting dogs onto bar and restaurant patios and into some breweries, and easing rules for food banks and food donation programs.

If passed, AgriCorp will have full financial control of the Crop Insurance Fund and a new agency will be appointed to manage farming registrations and licence reviews. Rules around pesticide use, aggregate quarry development and deforestation of Crown land will be loosened, and the minister of agriculture will no longer need cabinet sign-off to change beef marketing regulations.

Some aspects of the Environmental Protection Act will be repealed, including officials’ ability to ​ ​ demand environmental penalties from companies that contravene the act. The complaint process for livestock or crop damage caused by contaminants will be dropped, and motor vehicle emissions will be governed by the Highway Traffic Act, instead of the Environmental ​ ​ ​ Protection Act. ​

The corporation that owns the Highway 407 will no longer have to send reminder invoices to drivers who don’t pay their tolls on time when driving on the provincially owned portion of the highway. Instead, only one “notice of failure to pay” will be sent, and if the bill is not paid within 90 days a penalty will be charged and their vehicle permit will be non-validated.

Economic Development Minister told reporters later the bill is the centrepiece of a ​ ​ red tape-reduction package coming this fall.

A few Liberal private members’ bills landed on the clerk’s desk:

● introduced Bill 133, Buy in Canada for Mass Transit Vehicles Act; ​ ​ ​

● tabled Bill 134, Carribean Heritage Act, which would proclaim the ​ ​ ​ month of October as Carribean Heritage month;

● John Fraser retabled the last joint PMB from former MPPs Marie-France Lalonde and ​ ​ ​ entitled La Francophonie Act. ​ ○ Among other things it proposes to expand the French Language Services Act by requiring the legislative assembly as well as courts and tribunals to function in both official languages.

Treasury Board President kicked off second-reading debate of Bill 124, ​ ​ ​ ​ which would cap public sector compensation at an average of one per cent over three years.

In the park Labour groups staged a welcome-back protest that circled Queen’s Park for much of the first day of the fall session. The papier mâché version of the premier also resurfaced.

Ex-parliamentarians gathered inside the legislature to honour former Ontario cabinet minister ​ ​ . Former premier , and ex-ministers and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ were in tow, as well as , who won a Liberal seat in last week’s federal election. ​ ​

The Ontario Mining Association and Ontario Community Newspapers Association both have evening receptions scheduled at the Pink Palace today.

Rickford says PCs sticking with anti-carbon tax stickers

Energy Minister said the government is sticking with the anti-carbon tax stickers ​ ​ at gas stations.

Ontarians need “to have the information,” Rickford said in post-question period scrums Monday.

Rickford’s commitment to the stickers comes after Premier Doug Ford recommitted to the ​ ​ carbon-tax court challenge following last Monday’s federal election. Ford suggested in August the electorate would decide the future of the carbon backstop but has held firm post-election.

Scofflaw stations remain off the hook for now; Rickford said the government is still focusing on education over enforcement and has not issued any warnings or financial penalties. By law gas stations face daily fines of up to $10,000 if the stickers aren’t displayed to exacting standards.

The rollout of the decals hasn’t exactly gone smoothly; the Star reported the nearly $5,000 ​ ​ batch of stickers used the wrong adhesive and are easily peeled off.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has launched a legal challenge against the PC’s mandatory sticker law, arguing it is compelled political speech and unconstitutional.

Today’s events

October 29 at 9:30 a.m. — ​ Solicitor General will make an announcement at the George Drew Building. ​ ​

October 29 at 12 p.m. — Toronto ​ Deputy Premier , Social Services Minister and Associate Small ​ ​ ​ ​ Business Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria will make an announcement at the Our Lady of Lourdes ​ ​ School.

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.

Topics of conversation

● Ontario’s credit rating could slip if economic growth isn’t as rosy as expected. That’s the upshot from the Financial Accountability Office’s update on Ontario’s credit rating, released Monday, which shows Ontario’s rating still hovers in the middle of the pack compared to the rest of the provinces, but has slipped below and Nova Scotia. ○ “Ontario’s economic outlook has weakened over the past year, leading to lower expectations for revenue growth,” states the report from fiscal watchdog Peter ​ Weltman. ​

○ “Since the government’s budget plan depends heavily on sustained economic growth and success in limiting spending, the agencies agree that an economic downturn or a significant departure from current spending plans could lead to a deterioration in Ontario’s credit health,” the report also noted. ○ Since the PCs took office last June, Moodys downgraded its credit rating and revised its outlook from negative to stable; Fitch maintained its rating but also raised its outlook from negative to stable. The other two of the four rating agencies have not made changes.

● Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli told reporters the government is ​ ​ “disappointed” that the Ford Motor Company is cutting 450 jobs at its Oakville assembly plant starting in February 2020.

● Premier Doug Ford’s Twitter account retweeted a series of anti-Andrew Scheer tweets ​ ​ ​ ​ on Monday afternoon. The premier’s office told Global News a staffer “who used to have ​ ​ access to @fordnation account RTd a tweet by accident.”

● leadership hopeful has moved his campaign ​ ​ team into the same building as the party’s headquarters at 344 Bloor Street West. ○ In a memo sent to the current leadership contestants last week, obtained by Queen’s Park Today, the party lays out ground rules to ensure it remains at arm’s ​ length from Del Duca’s team. ○ “To be clear, we have absolutely no reason to believe there is anything untoward in renting space where they did, but nevertheless, it is important to continue to ensure that there is a high degree of confidence in the impartiality of the process,” the memo reads. “To the extent possible, casual conversations in such locations are to be limited to friendly greetings, and are not to relate to the leadership process.” ○ Christine McMillan, secretary general of the 2020 leadership contest, confirmed ​ the OLP recently rented out additional space in its existing building at 344 Bloor to house the staff and volunteers managing the party’s leadership race.

Appointments and employments TVO ● Jennifer Hinshelwood will take on management of day-to-day operations at TVO until a ​ new CEO is named to replace Lisa de Wilde, who is stepping down at the end of the ​ ​ ​ ​ month, according to the Toronto Star. ​ ​ ​

Question period NDP lead-off Education funding

● Opposition Leader began Monday’s relatively subdued debate saying ​ ​ ​ ​ it was great to “finally” have the opportunity to ask Premier Doug Ford questions after ​ ​ the extended five-month recess. She led with a question about education funding and the Financial Accountability Office’s projection that the government’s plan to raise high school class size caps will see 10,000 fewer teaching positions in the system.

● Ford replied by boasting his government’s education policies, including math tests for teachers and the cellphone ban in classrooms. He praised Education Minister Stephen ​ Lecce, who responded to Horwath’s follow-up question. ​ ○ Lecce maintained the government is investing in education and committed to getting a deal with teacher unions at the bargaining table. (Opposition critics say the PCs are effectively cutting education spending since the budget increase is below the cost of inflation.)

● Horwath used an anecdote about two teachers who have lost their jobs under the Ford government and called on the premier to admit the impact of his policy changes.

● Lecce responded by pointing out the FAO report also said the PC’s $1.6-billion teacher job protection fund would be enough to achieve the planned 28 student cap without teacher layoffs. ○ The PCs have since watered down the cap as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the union, proposing a lower average of 25, but that’s still up from the current 22.5 students.

Carbon-tax court challenge

● Horwath wanted to know why Ford is still pursuing the carbon-tax court challenge despite his suggestion in August that “democracy” and last week’s federal election would determine the fate of Ottawa’s carbon backstop. “Will the premier abandon this obscene waste of public money?” she asked.

● Ford reiterated that he was elected on a mandate to make life more affordable. He also addressed Horwath’s vague criticism from an earlier question about “shutting down the legislature” for almost five months by touting the Ontario Line transit project.

Hydro bills ● Energy critic wanted to know why the average household hydro bill is ​ ​ ​ going up by about $2 next month when the PCs pledged to cut bills by an additional 12 ​ per cent on the campaign trail. Tabuns called it a “stretch goal.”

● Energy Minister Greg Rickford said the government inherited an “unmitigated disaster” ​ ​ from the previous Grit rulers.

The NDP also asked about paramedics declaring level zero in Ottawa, class size caps, changes to child care funding and protections for temporary workers.

Independent question French-language services ● Independent MPP congratulated Finance Minister Rod Phillips in his ​ ​ ​ ​ still-new role and asked if the government would restore the standalone office of the French-language services commissioner. Simard wanted to know the cost savings of the move. ○ Simard defected from the government benches last fall over cuts to French-language services, many of which have been reversed — though the watchdog’s role has not been restored.

● Phillips punted the question to Francophone Affairs Minister , who ​ ​ said those duties are now being handled by Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé. ​ ​

PC friendly questions Premier Doug Ford received the first standing ovation of the session for his response to a ​ ​ softball question about last week’s federal election, during which he laid low. Ford reiterated his call for national unity. backbenchers also asked their ministers about the three-stop Scarborough subway and ending hallway health care.

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

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