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“The Moose in the Room.”

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“The Moose in the Room.” Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report April 5, 2019 Quotation of the day “The moose in the room.” Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy wore a moose-printed tie to illustrate the ​ ​ “Canadian version” of the “elephant in the room” in a speech about Ontario’s public sector ​ ​ compensation spending. Today at Queen’s Park On the schedule The House convenes Monday at 10:30 a.m. for question period. Thursday’s debates and proceedings Two backbench bills passed and a motion failed during the afternoon’s private members’ business debates: ● NDP MPP Rima Berns-McGown’s Bill 83, Day of Remembrance and Action on ​ ​ ​ ​ Islamophobia Act, is off to the social policy committee; ● PC MPP Roman Baber’s Bill 84, Prohibiting Hate-Promoting Demonstrations at ​ ​ ​ ​ Queen’s Park Act, was sent to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy; and ● NDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo’s motion, calling on the government to commit to funding ​ ​ ​ ​ and a timeline for two-way, all-day GO train service along the Kitchener corridor, failed (Ayes 22; Nays 51). In the park A pop-up safe injection site was set up on the Queen’s Park lawn by the Toronto Overdose ​ ​ Prevention Society, as advocates demonstrated against the government’s funding cuts to some sites. Students at hundreds of high schools across the province staged a walkout in protest of the government’s education changes, with many turning up at Queen’s Park. Tories eyeing caps on public-sector wage hikes Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy fired a shot across the bows of public-sector ​ ​ unions, saying the government may cap their members’ wage increases as it looks to trim the deficit. “When we talk about controlling spending or managing expenditures, we must realize that a central component to this conversation is public-sector compensation,” Bethlenfalvy said at a luncheon speech to the Canadian Club Thursday. The government invited public-sector employers and bargaining agents that cover thousands of workers from teachers to nurses to provincial police to participate in consultations, asking them to consider different approaches to managing compensation, which Bethlenfalvy said is a $72 million annual expense. One of those options the government is looking at is “legislated caps on allowable compensation increases that can be negotiated in collective bargaining or imposed binding arbitration.” Bethlenfalvy said all options are on the table. That includes “voluntary agreement to wage outcomes lower than the current trend, trade-offs that will lead to reductions in compensation costs and consideration of legislative measures.” NDP MPP Catherine Fife accused the Ford government of making a “new vow to attack the ​ ​ pay cheques of public-sector workers.” “The NDP is deeply concerned about the thousands of workers in sectors like education, health care and social services that simply can’t afford to be squeezed any more,” Fife said in a release. OPP anti-rackets reviewing alleged ‘illegal’ lobbying Allegations of illegal and unregistered lobbying are being reviewed by the OPP’s anti-rackets arm, Queen’s Park Today has confirmed. ​ ​ Independent MPP Randy Hillier made the allegations in an open letter to his constituents last ​ ​ month after he was expelled from the PC caucus. The premier’s office has said the allegations are “outright lies.” NDP MPP Taras Natyshak had asked the OPP to look into allegations of “illegal and ​ ​ unregistered lobbying by close friends and advisers employed by the premier.” Interim OPP Commissioner Gary Couture wrote back to Natyshak confirming the anti-rackets ​ ​ branch’s investigation and support bureau will review the allegations. The review is routine and not a formal investigation, though it may or may not lead to one. Hillier has also taken his concerns up with Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake. ​ ​ Today’s events April 5 at 10 a.m. – Brant ​ ​ Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell will make an official visit to Brant County, where ​ ​ she’ll meet with Mayor David Bailey and participate in a roundtable discussion with community ​ ​ leaders on volunteerism. April 5 at 11 a.m. – Toronto ​ ​ NDP MPP Catherine Fife will hold a news conference in the media studio to talk about ​ ​ Statistics Canada’s jobs data for March. April 5 at 2:30 p.m. – Leamington ​ ​ Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek will make an announcement at the Pelee Island ferry ​ ​ terminal alongside local MPP Rick Nicholls. ​ ​ Upcoming events April 6 at 12 p.m. – Toronto ​ ​ A rally against the government’s education changes will take place at Queen’s Park. Legislative ​ ​ security is expecting a big crowd and has asked legislature staff to clear the parking lot in advance. Topics of conversation ● City News is reporting the PC government is looking for half-a-billion in savings from ​ ​ OHIP — potentially by reducing the number of pain injections used in hospitals and limiting the use of sedation during colonoscopies. ● According to memos from the Ministry of Education obtained by the Toronto Star, the ​ ​ ​ ​ Ford government plans to eliminate 3,475 teaching positions in the next four years. The job cuts will come from both elementary and high school boards. ○ The phaseout of jobs will begin this fall and will save $851 million, per the Star. ​ ​ ○ There are currently just over 115,000 teachers in the province. ● Introducing Solicitor General Sylvia Jones (again). Jones was re-sworn in under the ​ ​ ​ ​ new moniker Thursday afternoon, shedding the “tongue twister” community safety and corrections minister title, Premier Doug Ford told the legislature. “At 12 o’clock today, ​ ​ we’ll have a new Solicitor General with the same great ideas.” ○ The title solicitor general was in use in Ontario up until 2002 and is still in play in other provinces. ● The three-men-in-a-hot-tub trillium logo is getting a makeover at a cost of $89,000, the ​ Star reports. The logo was last redesigned under then-premier Dalton McGuinty by ​ ​ ​ ​ Liberal-friendly ad agency Bensimon Byrne to the tune of $219,000. ​ ​ ● Ken Hughes, the former Alberta energy minister enlisted by the PCs to lead the ​ ​ ​ expansion of alcohol sales, will earn $1,000 a day in the role up to a maximum of $200,000, plus expenses, the Toronto Star reports. ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The province is eyeing mandatory annual math tests for all teachers, according to the ​ Canadian Press. Premier Doug Ford confirmed as much during Thursday’s question ​ ​ ​ ​ period, saying, “I have an idea: Why don’t we test all teachers rather than just the new ones on learning how to deliver math?” Question period NDP lead-off Education protests ● NDP education critic Marit Stiles led question period asking what message the premier ​ ​ had for thousands of high school students that walked out of the classroom in protest of the government’s changes to the education file, including increased class sizes. ● Premier Doug Ford said the walkout wasn’t about class sizes. “This is about the union ​ ​ bosses telling the teachers and the students what to do.” ○ In a statement on the walkout released late Thursday afternoon, Education Minister Lisa Thompson said it was a “disappointing day for Ontario's parents ​ ​ and students.” She also suggested parents “concerned about their child's safety because of any union support of the walkout” could file a “misconduct” complaint with the Ontario College of Teachers. ○ To school boards, Thompson said she expects them to “take action to discipline anyone who abandons their classroom responsibilities.” OPP reviewing alleged “illegal” lobbying ● NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson wanted to know if Ford would cooperate with the ​ ​ OPP’s anti-rackets branch, which is reviewing allegations of unregistered and illegal lobbying raised by Randy Hillier, and which were referred to the police by the NDP. ​ ​ ● Ford denied the allegations with a familiar defence. “There’s no illegal lobbying going on. It’s very simple: No one can influence our team. No one can buy our team. Very simply, if you want to talk to the government, call me on my cellphone.” He then suggested Bisson, who represents Timmins, ask about the government’s work to create jobs in northern Ontario. The NDP also asked about the reworked autism program, Ken Hughes and funding cuts to ​ ​ supervised injection sites. PC friendly questions Tory backbenchers asked their ministers about the student walkouts, the newly named solicitor general, the federal carbon tax and combatting violence against women. 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 March 29, 2019 – April 5, 2019 ● Aaron Scheewe, Elaine Larsen, The Capital Hill Group ​ o Clients: Bioverativ; Gemalto Canada ​ ● David Angus, The Capital Hill Group ​ o Clients: Gemalto Canada; Behlen Industries LP; Pegah; VMware Canada ​ Inc. ● Nathan Scheewe, The Capital Hill Group ​ o Clients: Rycom ​ ● Adam Yahn, Summa Strategies Canada Inc. ​ o Clients: Convenience Industry Council of Canada ​ ● Katlyn Harrison, Summa Strategies Canada Inc. ​ o Clients: Genesee & Wyoming Canada Inc.; Lafarge Canada Inc.; ​ Convenience Industry Council of Canada ● Alan Spacek, Alan Spacek ​ o Clients: Town of Kapuskasing ​ ● Alex Chreston, Crestview Strategy ​ o Clients: Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. ​ ● Amir Remtulla, Amir Remtulla Inc. ​ o Clients: RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust ​ ● Isaac Shirokoff, Amir Remtulla & Associates Inc. ​ o Clients: RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust; Lifetime Developments ​ ● Bliss Baker, Maple Leaf Strategies (formerly Bentham & Associates) ​ o Clients: In Common Laboratories; Zebra Technologies ​ ● Jonathan Telch, Maple Leaf Strategies ​ Clients: Chiefs of Ontario ​ ● Brett McDermott, Cozette Dagher, 2Traverse ​ o Clients: OnPharm-United ​ ● Brian Zeiler-Kligman, Sussex Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Peter Maier ​ ● George Hatzis, Sussex Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation ​ ● Mark Olsheski, Sussex Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Peak Power Inc.; EACOM Timber Corporation ​ ● Brian Teefy, StrategyCorp Inc. ​ o Clients: Axon Enterprise Inc.
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