“Personal Pleasure Wagon.”

Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report December 20, 2018 Quotation of the day “Personal pleasure wagon.” NDP MPP Taras Natyshak caused a few titters on both sides of the aisle with his characterization of the premier’s OPP van request. Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones suggested Natyshak “would rather be a headline writer than a legislator.” Today at Queen’s Park On the schedule The House meets at 9 a.m. for no less than one hour of third-reading debate on Bill 67, the nuclear workers’ strike-prevention bill. The bill is expected to pass after question period. There is no debate or private members’ business planned for Thursday afternoon. This will be Queen’s Park Today’s final issue of the year. We’re back in your inbox January 4. As Patrick Brown might say, 2018 has been a remarkable year. Have a relaxing holiday, #onpoli. Wednesday’s debates and proceedings The government’s time allocation motion for Bill 67 was debated in the morning and passed after question period. Per the motion, the bill is skipping over the committee stage and needs one hour of debate before a vote at third reading. There was no debate Wednesday afternoon. Premier watch Premier Doug Ford didn’t show for the second question period of the emergency session, which Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called “shameful.” Ford’s office said the premier was meeting with stakeholders, but did not say which. Coming up at committee The Select Committee on Financial Transparency’s final report is expected in the new year. Sources told QP Today that NDP members have considered the possibility of writing a dissenting report if the government side refuses to include the scathing letter from former provincial controller Cindy Veinot in the report. Veinot says she quit her post in September because she disputed the Ford government’s accounting decisions and refused to sign off on the public accounts. The Tory side had blocked Veinot from testifying, saying the committee had a limited timeline to hear from witnesses. Pre-budget consultations are coming to a town near you. The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs is holding public hearings to give people and organizations a chance to tell the government what matters to them ahead of the Ford administration’s first spring budget. The schedule follows, and the deadlines for in-person and written submissions are here. ● January 15 and 29 — Toronto ● January 21 — Dryden ● January 22 —Timmins ● January 23 — Ottawa ● January 24 — Sarnia ● January 25 — Kitchener-Waterloo ● January 28 — Peterborough Finance Minister Vic Fedeli is taking a tandem tour around the province for his own budget talks, but his office has not yet published his itinerary. People can also send written submissions or take an online survey; the deadline to participate is February 8. NDP double down on Taverner controversy Premier Doug Ford dined with his friend and future top provincial cop Ron Taverner at a pricy Etobicoke restaurant five days after Ford held a separate meeting with now-retired OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes, according to a copy of the premier’s schedule the opposition dug up through a freedom-of-information request. That’s got NDP Leader Andrea Horwath questioning the optics. She said she thinks the private meeting with the former police commissioner on July 25 was probably when he told the premier he would be announcing his retirement soon. “Very coincidental then that five days later, Mr. Ford’s calendar includes a dinner with Mr. Taverner,” Horwath said. Toronto police chief Mark Saunders was also at the July 30 dinner at Posticino Ristorante. The Ford government continues to come up against allegations of political interference in Taverner’s appointment as OPP commissioner. Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake confirmed his office is investigating NDP community safety critic Kevin Yarde’s complaint that Ford, or someone acting in his favour, violated conflict of interest rules in the recruiting process. The Tories maintain the hiring process was independent. Ford has indicated Taverner, who is temporarily back on the Toronto police beat, will take command of the OPP when the integrity commissioner’s report is tabled, which could be about four to six weeks. Attorney General Caroline Mulroney told reporters Wednesday the government will “of course abide by the recommendations of the integrity commissioner.” But when pressed, Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones would not commit to accepting the report even if it determines there was a conflict of interest. “I’m not going to presuppose anything,” she said. According to Jones, Ford asked the OPP to provide him with a used vehicle “because he wants some space to work” and the allegation police were asked to keep the cost of a customized van off-book is “categorically false.” Ford said Tuesday that was a “baseless claim” and he had only “asked for a used one.” Topics of conversation ● Environmental Defence is denouncing the annual drinking water report Environment Minister Rod Phillips released Tuesday as “misleading and dishonest” because it contains “troubling contradictions” with Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act. ○ “In [the report], the Ontario government is celebrating the comprehensive drinking water legislation that it has very recently put under significant threat,” said Kelsey Scarfone, Environmental Defence’s water program manager. ○ The report outlines how Ontario’s tap water is protected and treated, but Environmental Defence says the so-called open-for-business bylaws proposed in Bill 66 would allow municipalities to override those same protections “the government so proudly trumpets in its report.” ○ Phillips states in the report that last year, “99.8 per cent of more than 518,000 test results from municipal residential drinking water systems met Ontario’s strict drinking water quality standards.” ○ He also pumps up initiatives aimed at cleaning up Ontario’s waterways including the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan, which is aimed at reducing phosphorus that can cause toxic blue algae, and extending the moratorium on bottled water-taking permits. ● Ryerson University is plowing ahead with plans for a new law school despite the provincial government’s decision to disqualify would-be students from receiving financial support for tuition through OSAP, according to the Toronto Star. ● Milton councillors are taking a pass on pot shops in their town for now. News releases — governmental Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care ● Health Minister Christine Elliott was at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto to announce the first chunk of PC government funding for mental health and addictions services, which will see more than 50 new mental-health beds created at 12 hospitals across the province. Elliott said funding will help lower wait times for those in need of treatment. ○ The Tories have pledged $3.8 billion over the next decade for a mental health and addictions strategy. Question Period NDP lead-off Ron Taverner ● Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath started off with a question about the premier’s comments that his friend and veteran Toronto cop Ron Taverner would assume command of the Ontario Provincial Police once the integrity commissioner’s review is complete, no matter what the report has to say about the premier’s involvement in the hiring process. ● Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones said it was “shameful” the NDP continue to raise “unsubstantiated” allegations about the controversial appointment while the integrity commissioner is investigating. The minister said she will be first in line to congratulate Taverner when he takes his post as OPP commissioner after the integrity watchdog’s report comes in. “Personal pleasure wagon” ● NDP MPP Taras Natyshak asked about the premier’s request for the OPP to buy him a used vehicle, calling it a “personal pleasure wagon.” A few other phrases were tested out by the NDP members Wednesday morning, such as “shaggin’ wagon,” “magical mystery tour bus,” and “cannabus.” ● Jones said she didn’t know why the NDP thinks there is “anything wrong with the premier suggesting that he’d like a used van because he wants some space to work so that he can call constituents and he can continue to work.” Education funding cuts ● NDP education critic Marit Stiles asked about the $25 million in cuts to education programs aimed at giving extra supports to students, including an after-school program for at-risk youth in Toronto, which will result in 95 student job losses. ● Education Minister Lisa Thompson said the NDP are “absolutely tone-deaf” when it comes to the state of Ontario’s finances. The government has said the cuts were the result of a review of the fund, which showed over- and wasteful spending, but has not provided specifics. Liberal question Taverner ● Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser asked, “When will the premier stop being the chief conductor on the gravy train and focus on improving Ontario’s economy?” ● Finance Minister Vic Fedeli flipped the script to detail the less popular moments of the previous Liberal government’s legacy. 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 December 14, 2018 – December 19, 2018 · Adam Yahn, Summa Strategies Canada o Clients: Lafarge Canada Inc.; Automotive Industries

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