Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report October 2, 2020

Quotation of the day

“It's available for them to voluntarily put them on.”

Energy Minister concedes gas stations will no longer be forced to display ​ ​ anti-carbon-tax stickers after the courts deemed them unconstitutional. Rickford confirmed the government will not appeal the decision or repeal the law, saying, "there's no need to."

Today at Queen’s Park

Written by Sabrina Nanji

On the schedule The house is adjourned until Monday, October 5.

Thursday's debates and proceedings Two backbench motions and a bill passed second reading during Thursday's private members’ business:

● PC MPP 's motion asking the government to remove regulatory barriers ​ ​ to the expansion of hydrogen technologies in order to reduce GHG emissions;

● PC MPP 's motion calling on the government to recognize parents' roles as ​ ​ primary educators of their children; and

● PC MPP Jim McDonell's Bill 208, Scottish Heritage Day Act. McDonnell's bill is now off ​ ​ ​ ​ to be studied by the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

Government house leader moved a motion allowing the standing committees to ​ ​ meet beyond their regular schedule whenever the chair calls for it. It passed on a divided voice vote.

MPPs wrapped third reading of NDP MPP 's private member's Bill 180, Somali ​ ​ ​ ​ Heritage Week Act — one of the fast-tracked PMBs. It also received royal assent.

Premier watch This week, Premier held a call with Jenny Young, British Consul General in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ , to talk about the pandemic and economic recovery. Ford also hosted Nicole Crimi, a ​ ​ ​ ​ medical student who wrote and illustrated a children's book, Patty and the Pandemic, to educate ​ ​ little ones about Covid.

PSWs get temporary pay bump After dropping many hints, Premier Doug Ford announced a six-month pay raise for personal ​ ​ support workers he says are "overworked and underpaid" — especially in pandemic times.

PSWs who work in long-term, home and community care will earn an extra $3 per hour, while PSWs employed at hospitals — who tend to rake in a little more than their counterparts — will receive a $2 hourly raise. That's a little less than the $4 pandemic pay bump certain front-line health-care workers received during the spring and summer.

About 147,000 PSWs, who currently earn about $20 an hour, will get a little more in their wallets, at a cost of $461 million. The hike kicked in yesterday and runs to March 31, 2021, at which point it will be reviewed and potentially renewed.

Ford said the increase will help "stabilize" and retain the workforce.

But opposition critics want to make it permanent. A string of reports, including the PC’s own LTC staffing study, have cited better pay and full-time hours to retain desperately needed PSWs.

"How dare Doug Ford call PSWs heroes, then deny them even a decent wage for their work," NDP Leader said. "PSWs are run off their feet, doing incredibly challenging ​ ​ work...They deserve a permanent wage increase, full-time jobs and benefits. And the people they care for deserve for them to have that stability too."

There was also no bonus for the folks who work side-by-side PSWs, something CUPE's Council of Hospital Unions says will "demoralize" registered practical nurses.

"In many facilities, the result of this increase will be to all but erase any wage differential between PSWs and registered practical nurses," said OCHU president Michael Hurley. "The ​ ​ government needs to respect everyone's contribution by expanding who is covered by this wage enhancement."

Runny nose, sore throat knocked off stay-home-from-school checklist Children who have a fever or cough should stay home from school or daycare until they test negative for the coronavirus. But if kids show other symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat or headache, they may return to class after 24 hours if they're "improving."

That's the latest update to Ontario's screening checklist that parents can use to decide whether to send their little ones to school.

The questionnaire is now a two-parter — those who answer "yes" to any of the symptoms in part one (fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste) will be asked to isolate immediately and seek medical attention or a Covid test.

Students experiencing one of the symptoms in part two (sore throat, runny nose, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle aches) should stay home for 24 hours and may return to school "when they feel well enough to do so." Children who check off at least two of those symptoms will be asked to isolate as with part one.

The NDP said the PCs are creating confusion with all the "contradictory instructions."

"Parents who spent hours and hours in line this week with their little ones waiting for a test, and those who are home right now with little ones waiting for test results, have a right to be frustrated at the horrible lack of clarity on when kids need a test, and when they should return to school or daycare," said Education critic . ​ ​

A new version of the online screening tool will launch today. British Columbia also recently removed symptoms commonly associated with other illnesses, like runny noses, from its school screening checklist.

Today’s events

October 2 at 9:45 a.m. – Zoom ​ Agriculture Minister will make a virtual announcement about supporting the ​ ​ agri-food sector alongside federal government representatives.

October 2 at 1 p.m. – Online ​ Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Minister Lisa MacLeod will host a tele-townhall ​ ​ with various sectors to discuss the pandemic response. Her former PC Party captain and Ontario Real Estate Association CEO will moderate. ​ ​

October 2 at 1 p.m. – Toronto ​ Premier Doug Ford is expected to hold his daily press conference at Queen's Park. ​ ​

Topics of conversation

● Another 538 Covid cases and three new deaths were confirmed Thursday. A record 82,473 tests are backlogged, which associate CMOH Dr. Barbara Yaffe said is affecting ​ ​ contact tracing in a "negative way." ○ Health Minister said the matter is "urgent" because the ​ ​ specimens are only good for three days, "then they spoil and people have to be retested." The province is looking to boost lab capacity by enlisting universities, which are "coming on board very shortly," Elliott said. ○ Schools saw 64 new infections and daycare settings had eight, while two more long-term care homes declared outbreaks, bringing the active total to 48.

● The Ontario Real Estate Association is celebrating now that the first phase of the PC’s Trust in Real Estate Services Act has come into force, authorizing real estate agents to ​ set up their own corporations. In a news release, OREA outlined the perks of the new law, including allowing agents to defer taxes, income split, hold investment income within their corporations, and benefit from the lifetime capital gains exemption, should they sell their business. ○ "These changes will go a long way toward fostering a healthy, open, and competitive real estate marketplace for consumers and businesses,” Government Services Minister Lisa Thompson said in a statement, adding that she ​ ​ encourages real estate agents to incorporate by the end of the year.

● A lack of access to courses. No face-to-face interaction with classmates. Less support from professors. These are among a slew of challenges the Ontario Undergraduate Student Association wants to bring attention to with its new campaign about the flaws in ​ ​ online learning. The group wants governments, post-secondary institutions and profs to collaborate with students on how to improve their (mostly) digital learning experiences as they enter month seven on Zoom.

● Don't count on seeing Ontario Power Generation employees languishing in long lines for a Covid swab. The provincial electricity producer set up two of its own privately run testing sites for workers and their families, which might be the ultimate job perk. ​ ​

● After AMAPCEO claimed victory over a pause in OPS's staged return to work, the Treasury Board says its plan is still going off as intended. ​ ​

News briefs

Cybersecurity conference ● Let's get digital. Ontario's municipalities, universities, hospitals and other broader public sector organizations are taking part in the "first-ever" virtual conference on cybersecurity this week. Government and Consumer Services Minister Lisa Thompson, a keynote ​ ​ speaker, took the opportunity to announce a new partnership with Ryerson's

cybersecure catalyst program, "to provide ongoing cyber security support" to the public sector via learning modules. ​ ​

Question Period

NDP lead-off Covid 2.0

● Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath led Thursday's debate true to form, asking ​ ​ why the government has left Ontario so "unprepared" for the second wave of Covid and why Premier Doug Ford is so "incapable of admitting that Ontario has fallen short?" ​ ​

● Fresh off an all-party meeting the day before, Ford took a partisan shot and pumped up the $2.8-billion preparedness plan that was fully released this week. "We're ready, the people are ready. The only people who may not be ready is the leader of the Opposition," Ford charged.

Rent relief for small biz

● Horwath also wanted to know what the government is doing to shore up revenue-strapped businesses, calling its commercial rent support program a "disaster that has left thousands of businesses unable to access relief." ○ The PC’s moratorium on commercial evictions is being extended via Bill 204, ​ ​ which cleared third reading earlier this week. It temporarily bans landlords that have not applied for CECRA, the federal rent assistance program, from evicting tenants. However, critics say there hasn't been much uptake for the program.

● Ford boasted about the PC’s support for small firms and slammed the Opposition for being "anti-business." ○ "I just find it so rich," he told the house. "Everything we've ever done for small businesses, they voted against it."

'Heartbreaking' child surgery wait times

● NDP MPP asked about McMaster Children's University declaring ​ ​ ​ surgery wait times a "crisis" and that it will take at least a year to clear the backlog.

● Health Minister Christine Elliott called pediatric cases "particularly heartbreaking" and ​ ​ said the government is working to cut the waitlist. "We know that people have been waiting. We know that they need cardiac surgeries, cancer surgeries. Children need specialized pediatric surgeries. We've allowed for that and we're dealing with it," the minister said.

New Democrats also asked about capping classes at 15 students and improving online learning.

Independent questions

● Liberal MPP John Fraser asked about recruiting much needed contact tracers in Covid ​ ​ hot zones like his riding of Ottawa.

● MPP Jim Wilson asked about one of his pet issues, replacing the aging Collingwood ​ ​ General and Marine hospitals where he represents.

PC friendly questions Tories lobbed softballs about securing PPE, the made-in-Ontario Covid Alert app, the new family law bill and funding for the film industry.

Lobbyist registrations

Consultants who registered, renewed or amended registrations from September 25 to October 1, 2020

● Lauren McDonald, Proof Inc. ​ o Clients: Revera Inc.

● John Penner, StrategyCorp Inc. ​ o Clients: The Canadian Renewable Energy Association, Choice Properties Limited Partnership, Woodbine Entertainment Group

● Michael McCarthy, Grosso McCarthy Inc. ​ o Clients: Allevio Pain Clinic

● Katie Heelis, Enterprise ​ o Clients: Belgravia Holding LLC

● Regan Watts, Fratton Park Inc. ​ o Clients: Belgravia Holdings LLC, First Cobalt Corp.

● Peter Milczyn, PM Strategies Inc. ​ o Clients: Flato Upper Markham Village Inc., Flato Fletcher Meadows Inc.

● Natalie Dash, Ted Griffith and Chris Holz, Campbell Strategies ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ o Clients: Corporation of The Town of Ingersoll

● Samuel Duncan, Wellington Advocacy ​ o Clients: ThoughtWire

● Jennifer Mossop, Mossop Media/JFM Productions Inc. ​ o Clients: Hospice Palliative Care Ontario

● Peter Curtis, Kirsten Krose, Jerry Khouri, Jeffrey Bangs and Jim Burnett, Pathway ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Group Inc. o Clients: Hamilton 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid Corporation

● Jim Burnett, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Mid Asset Management

● Kirsten Krose, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Archdiocese of Toronto, Coach Canada

● Natalia Lasakova, Global Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: Future of Infrastructure Group

● Andrew Retfalvi, Global Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: Leadiant Biosciences

● Elaine Larsen and Andrew Retfalvi, Global Public Affairs Inc. ​ ​ ​ o Clients: EmpowerPharm

● Sarah Letersky, Rubicon Strategy ​ o Clients: Cubic Transportation Systems Canada Limited

● John Capobianco, FleishmanHillard HighRoad Corp. ​ o Clients: LuminUltra Technologies Ltd.

● Stephanie Gawur, Santis Health ​ o Clients: Infrastructure Performance Exchange Limited, Canadian Red Cross

● James Warren, Riseley Strategies Inc. ​ o Clients: Pollard Banknote Limited

● Danielle Peters, Magnet Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Spectrum Patient Services

● Christopher Froggatt, Dan Mader, Kenzie McKeegan, Jill Wilson and Nicholas ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Pozhke, Loyalist Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Memsel Manufacturing Co. (ULC)

● Kenzie McKeegan, Nicholas Pozhke, Dan Mader and Christopher Froggatt, Loyalist ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Public Affairs o Clients: Moshe Rothman

● Daniel Brock and Andrew House, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP ​ ​ ​ o Clients: Fio Corporation

● Michael Diamond, Upstream Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Allvision, Alpha Laboratories, Janssen Inc.

● , Aird & Berlis ​ o Clients: Paletta International Corp.

● Harvey Nightingale, Hill+Knowlton Strategies ​ o Clients: 3M Canada Company

● Andrew Pask, AP Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Loyalist Plaza Amherstview Inc., Woodbine Entertainment Group

● Jordan Angus, The Capital Hill Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Strategic Relationship Solutions Inc

● David Angus, The Capital Hill Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Uniprint.net

● Kenneth Stewart and David Angus, The Capital Hill Group Inc. ​ ​ ​ o Clients: DXC Technology

● Matthew Gibson, Sussex Strategy Group ​ o Clients: ITC Holding Corp., NextBridge Energy Transmission - Canada, Energy Storage Canada, Northeast Midstream L.P., BHE Canada Limited, Rayonier Advanced Materials

● Robyn Gray, Sussex Strategy Group ​ o Clients: CLEAResult

● Chris Benedetti, Sussex Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Greenfield Energy Centre LP, NRG Peaks

● Brian Zeiler-Kligman, Sussex Strategy Group Inc. ​ o Clients: FSET Inc.

● William Pristanski, Prospectus Associates ​ o Clients: Merieux Nutrisciences

● Tyler Bjornson, T.Bjornson and Associates Consulting Inc. ​ o Clients: Phoslock Environmental Technologies

● Peter Zakarow, Alexynn Strategy ​ o Clients: IBM Canada Ltd.

● Micheline McKay, Micheline McKay + Associates ​ o Clients: Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council

● Fraser Macdonald, Stosic & Associates ​

o Clients: Omni Health Care

● Joshua Albert, The CCS Group ​ o Clients: Shawanaga First Nation

● , Klees & Associates Ltd. ​ o Clients: Avenue 7 Developments Inc.

● Caroline Pinto, Counsel Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: MOLLI Surgical Inc.

● Bob Lopinski, Counsel Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: NextEra Canada Development LP

● Scott Munnoch, Temple Scott Associates Inc. ​ o Clients: Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited

● Andrea Chmielinski, Steward Wise ​ o Clients: Canon Medical Systems Canada Limited

● Amir Remtulla, Amir Remtulla Inc. ​ o Clients: Dream Maker Inc.

● Richard Mullin, Impact Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, Prompt Payment Ontario, Mortgage Professionals Canada, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, Ontario Dairy Council, Partnership of Registered Psychotherapist Associations, Appraisal Institute of Canada, Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science, Toronto Insurance Council, Fontem Ventures, Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario, Composite Panel Association, Ontario Association Appraisal Institute Of Canada, Technical Institute, National Elevator and Escalator Association, Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicle Clubs

Organizations that registered in-house lobbyists from September 25 to October 1

● Receivables Management Association of Canada ● Mechanical Contractors Association of Ontario ● Consumer Health Products Canada ● Food & Consumer Products of Canada ● Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada ● Child Development Institute ● Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers ● Life Sciences Ontario ● Ontario Hockey League ● Ontario Home Respiratory Services Association ● Diabetes Canada ● Medtronic Canada ULC ● Borale Canada

● Saputo Inc. ● COLDMAX EMC

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

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