Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report November 30, 2020

Quotation of the day

“You want to come at me, come at me, and leave my family and leave my neighbours alone.”

Premier reacts to anti-lockdown protests on his front lawn. ​ ​

Today at Queen’s Park

Written by Sabrina Nanji

On the schedule The house reconvenes at 9 a.m. for the penultimate sitting week of the fall session.

Topping today's agenda is PC MPP 's motion calling on the attorney general to ​ ​ make permanent the temporary pandemic measures allowing the virtual witnessing of wills and powers of attorney.

With a slew of government bills making their way through committee, the only other bill that's expected to be called is Bill 236, Supporting Local Restaurants Act. ​ ​

The bill from Small Business Minister would put an overall cap of 20 per ​ ​ cent on the fees third-party food delivery apps charge restaurants. The Liberals tried to pass the bill immediately after first reading last week, but the NDP denied their motion, arguing the PCs are infamous for slipping unrelated provisions into their bills. The Liberals might try again now that the NDP has had a few days to read the legislation.

Committees this week Public hearings on the budget bill kick off at the finance committee this morning, with Finance Minister Rod Phillips as the opening act. The witness roster includes Conservation , the ​ ​ Ontario Long Term Care Association, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, among others. Clause-by-clause consideration is slated for Friday.

On Wednesday morning, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk will make a closed-door appearance at ​ ​ the public accounts committee; the committee then opens its doors in the afternoon to discuss an NDP motion asking the AG to conduct a followup on her special Covid report.

The PC's transit fast-tracking legislation Bill 222, Ontario Rebuilding and Recovery Act, will go ​ ​ for clause-by-clause consideration at the social policy committee today.

On Tuesday, two government appointees will be in the hot seat at the government agencies committee to talk about their new gigs: Natalka Falcomer will discuss her role on the Ontario ​ ​ Trillium Foundation's board of directors, while Peter Bishop testifies about his position as a ​ ​ member of the Social Benefits Tribunal.

Also on Tuesday the legislative assembly committee will begin its study of Bill 61, Eating ​ ​ Disorders Awareness Act, NDP MPP 's private member's bill to proclaim the week ​ ​ of February 1 as an awareness week.

A raft of private bills goes under the microscope at the Standing Committee on Regulations on Wednesday.

Premier watch Premier Doug Ford was at Queen's Park Friday alongside retired General Rick Hillier to press ​ ​ ​ ​ on a clear timeline for when Ontario will receive its first doses of the Covid vaccine. Without those details, the premier said it will be next to "impossible" to plan for proper distribution because the vaccines need to be stored in certain temperatures.

"Without proper planning or the proper information, this can be a logistical nightmare," Ford told reporters.

Regardless, Hillier — who is leading Ontario's vaccine rollout while getting paid $20,000 a ​ month — said his task force will be ready to go by December 31. "I'm not an over-the-top ​ ​ ​ optimist, I'm a pragmatic person, but we're going to be ready."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister has refused to provide a clear timeline, only saying ​ ​ he hopes more than half of Canadians would be vaccinated by next fall. Health Minister previously said she expects to get a combined 2.4 million doses from Pfizer ​ and Moderna between January and March, but said the PM's comments have raised skepticism.

On Saturday, Premier Ford attended the funeral for fallen OPP officer Marc Hovingh in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ M'Chigeeng First Nation. Hovingh was killed in the line of duty on Manitoulin Island earlier this month.

Bill 213 at committee: LGBTQ and Muslim advocates decry CCC provisions as college calls for fairness There was a dramatic start to committee hearings on Bill 213 — the red-tape reduction ​ ​ ​ ​ legislation that also expands degree-granting authority and university status for Charles ​ McVety's Canada Christian College. ​

On Friday, Canada Christian College delivered impassioned testimony to the general government committee, saying critics have been "playing politics" and attempting to "demonize" the school.

Academic dean Michael Reardon argued CCC is entitled to procedural fairness under the ​ ​ charter.

Pressed on why the college removed biographical information about faculty and staff from its website after the legislation made negative headlines, Reardon said the school was worried ​ ​ people would "get doxxed." Reardon said the college has received a number of death threats in recent weeks. He also suggested CCC's original Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board application with now-redacted financial and CV info was "illegally leaked."

The Opposition has asked the CRA to look into that financial info.

Groups representing LGBTQ folks, Muslims, post-secondary students and faculty testified against the CCC provisions in the bill, alleging that certain CCC practices are discriminatory and likely to face legal challenges.

Paul Saguil, vice-chair of The 519's board of directors, pointed to the CCC's admissions rubric ​ ​ ​ in particular, which requires a letter from a pastor.

"Unless Canada Christian College complies with applicable human rights' principles, the government is basically inviting litigation over this issue," Saguil told MPPs on the committee. If Bill 213 passes as drafted, it will "openly welcome homophobia, transphobia and Islamophobia ​ within our province" and will "result in further violence toward those communities," Saguil said.

The PCs maintain the fate of the CCC’s university status is in the hands of PEQAB. PEQAB says it expects to complete its review sometime in January; that said, it's only a recommendation and the decision rests with the minister.

Green Leader said it was unfortunate public discussions on a bill that purports ​ ​ to be all about cutting red tape for business was dominated by the CCC.

Public hearings on Bill 213 continue today, featuring testimony from ex-NDP MPP and Trinity ​ ​ St. Paul's minister Cheri DiNovo, CUPE, and groups representing post-secondary staff and ​ ​ students, as well as bus line companies. Clause-by-clause consideration starts Wednesday.

Today’s events

November 30 at 1 p.m. – Ontario ​ ​ ​ Premier Doug Ford will hold his daily press conference. ​ ​

November 30 at 3 p.m. – ​ ​ ​ Health officials will provide their regular COVID-19 update in the media studio.

Topics of conversation

● Ontario shattered its own record for new coronavirus cases on the weekend. There were 1,855 more cases Friday, 1,822 on Saturday and 1,708 on Sunday. Seventy-three more deaths were recorded over the past three days. ○ Over the past week, nine Ontarians between the ages of 40 and 59 have died from Covid, as have two people aged 20-39. ○ So far this month, at least 259 long-term care residents have died, according to the CBC's deep dive into how the second wave is hitting seniors' homes. Nearly ​ 500 Ontarians have died overall in November.

● A Black Friday enforcement blitz saw at least six businesses across York Region charged and fined, amid complaints over overcrowded stores and concerns about ​ residents in hot-spots Toronto and Peel crossing the border to shop in York's still-open stores ahead of the holiday season. ○ Two of six new cases linked to a Richmond Hill Costco were Toronto residents. ​ ​ ○ Hot-spot dwellers aren't just shopping in regions where restrictions are more lax — they're also reportedly playing sports. Of 11 cases connected to an indoor ​ ​ soccer centre in , eight were from Toronto and one was from Peel.

● Ontario's Big City Mayors are calling on the Ford government to scrap controversial changes to conservation authorities from the budget bill, which many environmental advocates, First Nation groups and critics say will undermine their ability to protect natural environments in watershed planning. The mayors said they want to engage the province on new proposals that "will improve conservation authority operations while strengthening environmental protections for the people of Ontario and ensuring cost-neutrality for municipal governments." ○ Finance Minister Rod Phillips and Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark also ​ ​ ​ ​ attended the virtual meeting.

○ Meanwhile, the PCs celebrated the second anniversary of their Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan this weekend. The plan spurred a provincial flooding strategy, ​ ​ released in March, which describes conservation authorities and municipalities as central to the success of local flood management. ○ The centrepiece of the PC’s environment plan, a $400-million Carbon Trust, has yet to be established.

Appointments and employments

Kusendova named PA to francophone affairs minister ● has been named parliamentary assistant to Francophone Affairs ​ Minister . Kusendova replaces Gila Martow as PA; Martow recently ​ ​ ​ ​ announced her bid for the federal Conservative nomination in Thornhill. (Over the weekend, Kusendova endorsed Martow while Mulroney backed Martow's competition, veteran Tory strategist Melissa Lantsman.) ​ ​ ○ Mulroney's Twitter announcement led to a bit of a tiff with her former PA, now-Liberal , because Mulroney claimed Kusendova was the ​ ​ youngest woman MPP. Simard pointed out that wasn't the case; the youngest ​ ​ female MPP is actually . ​ ​

Liberals, NDP, Greens secure more candidates for 2022 ● The Grits have nominated Emilie Leneveu as their candidate in Bay of Quinte. She's ​ ​ described as an entrepreneur, advanced biotechnologist and a director on the Quinte Regional Science and Technology Fair Board.

● Education critic is the next New Democrat locked in for 2022; she was ​ ​ renominated to run in Davenport on the weekend.

● The Greens picked Matt Richter to run in Parry Sound—Muskoka. Richter was the ​ ​ Green candidate in the riding in 2018; he's a long-time teacher and also serves as the party's education critic.

Ontario Big City Mayors get new chairs ● The Big City Mayors named Mayor as their new chair and ​ ​ Mayor Bonnie Crombie as vice-chair. Lehman takes up the mantle from ​ ​ Mayor . ​ ​

News briefs

Five regions bumped up a notch in lockdown framework ● Some Ontario regions are moving into stricter tiers in the province's colour-coded framework for Covid restrictions, effective today. Windsor-Essex is now in the

Red-Control level; the region was sitting in the green zone at the beginning of the month. Haldimand-Norfolk was moved into Orange-Restrict while Hastings Prince Edward, Lambton and Northwestern entered Yellow-Protect.

More hospital takeovers of LTC homes ● The Ministry of Long-Term Care has approved voluntary management takeovers at two hard-hit LTC homes. The Scarborough Health Network will take command of the local Rockcliffe Care Community, and Mackenzie Health will assume control at Langstaff Square Care Community in Richmond Hill.

Service Ontario locations now booking appointments ● After months of long lines at Service Ontario locations, the PCs are now shifting to appointment booking at 42 of the busiest.

Funding announcements

Ontario opens up the pursestrings for community paramedicine programs ● The province is looking to tackle long-term care waitlists by providing more at-home support for seniors, via an up to $15-million package for community paramedicine programs. The government previously earmarked $5 million to pilot community paramedicine programs in five regions, and is now inviting other communities to consider joining in. Eligible communities will be asked to submit an implementation plan and budget proposal. ○ LTC Minister said the programs will help elderly folks stay at ​ ​ home longer by providing more home visits and in-home testing procedures, access to virtual care and monitoring to reduce emergency incidents.

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

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