Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report April 11, 2019 Quotation of the day “I’d put my name behind this any day.” Premier Doug Ford puts his political rep on the line when unveiling his big transit plans. ​ ​ Today at Queen’s Park On the schedule Happy Budget Day. The House convenes at 9 a.m. The government could call either Bill 87, ​ Fixing the Hydro Mess Act, or Bill 74, People’s Health Care Act, in the morning and afternoon. ​ ​ Finance Minister Vic Fedeli is expected to deliver the budget speech in the chamber around 4 ​ ​ p.m. Queen’s Park Today will be covering the Ford government’s first-ever budget from the media ​ lockup and will blast out a “Special Budget Report” to all subscribers as soon as the embargo is lifted. There is no private members’ business on today’s order paper. Wednesday’s debates and proceedings The time-allocation motion for Bill 87 passed (Ayes 62; Nays 35) after question period following ​ ​ morning debate. Liberal MPP Marie-France Lalonde tabled a private member’s bill (PMB) entitled Bill 98, ​ ​ ​ ​ Sunshine Protection Act, which would amend the Time Act to keep the province on daylight ​ ​ savings time year-round. When presenting the legislation, she cited research on increased heart attacks, traffic collisions and workplace injuries as a result of people adjusting to an hour of less sleep. Green MPP Mike Schreiner introduced his PMB, Bill 99, Election Finances Amendment Act ​ ​ ​ ​ (Changes for Fundraising Events). It would tighten up campaign finance laws loosened by the PCs earlier this year, including capping the price of admission to fundraisers at $100 apiece. Health Minister Christine Elliott kicked off third reading of Bill 74, People’s Health Care Act, in ​ ​ ​ ​ the afternoon. MPPs adopted the bill from committee on a divided vote, with the government voting in favour. In the park MPPs donned pink Wednesday in a stand against homophobia, transphobia and bullying. During question period, NDP MPP Terence Kernaghan asked Education Minister Lisa ​ ​ ​ Thompson about changes to the sex-ed curriculum, and asked her to say the words ​ “homophobia” and “transphobia.” At first, Thompson said the words weren’t in her vocabulary because she was thinking of her friends, Frank and Craig. “We don’t classify and we don’t use terms to label,” she said. “We ​ ​ ​ ​ embrace relationships.” However, Thompson used the terms when speaking to reporters later. Ford reveals ‘crown jewel’ Ontario line, pledges $11.2B to transit plan Premier Doug Ford revealed his government’s ambitious Toronto-area transit plan in Etobicoke, ​ ​ the heart of Ford Nation, on Monday. “We're making the largest investment in new subways in Canadian history,” Ford told reporters at the Willowbrook GO Transit repair facility. Ford said he’s looking to the federal government, Toronto and York Region to cover more than half of the $28.5-billion bill, with the province responsible for $11.2 billion. However, if the other levels of government don’t participate in his plan, Ford said Ontario would foot the entire bill. The plan would double the length of the City of Toronto’s proposed Downtown Relief Line to 15 kilometres, and name it the Ontario Line. The new "free-standing" light rail would run from the Ontario Science Centre in the former city of North York to Ontario Place, just west of Toronto’s city centre. If all goes according to plan, it will be completed two years earlier, in 2027, than the city’s current relief line plans — but that will come with $3.7 billion more in costs. Here’s the cost breakdown and timelines: ● Ontario Line at $10.9 billion (up from city estimate of $7.2 billion); ● Scarborough subway extension with three stops (instead of the city’s planned one-stop extension) by 2029-30 at $5.5 billion; ● Yonge-University subway line extension to Richmond Hill by around 2029 at $5.6 billion; ● Eglinton West Crosstown underground extension to Pearson Airport at $4.7 billion. Toronto Mayor John Tory was noticeably absent from Wednesday’s announcement and had ​ ​ said his office wasn’t briefed on it. He told reporters later he didn’t think it was prudent to attend when he’s “not fully informed and stand there because my appearance there can lead to the impression that I support the announcement.” Ford said he spoke with Tory over the phone the previous night (during which the premier also said he was too excited about the announcement to sleep). “I had a good chat with him. Both of us want transit built. The mayor understands. He doesn’t have the funds.” Meanwhile, the city and province are in talks about the controversial TTC subway upload and recently signed off on the joint terms of reference. ​ ​ NDP transportation critic Jessica Bell raised concerns shaking up transit plans would lead to ​ ​ delays. “By ripping up years of detailed transit planning, Doug Ford is ensuring it will be years before GTA commuters see any new subway lines,” she said in a statement. Today’s events April 11 at around 4 p.m. – Toronto ​ ​ Finance Minister Vic Fedeli delivers his first budget speech in the chamber. ​ ​ Topics of conversation ● The premier’s office said there are “absolutely no connections” between Premier Ford’s chief of staff Dean French and Alberta’s United Conservative Party’s controversial 2017 ​ ​ leadership race. The response comes after French’s name made a cameo in CBC’s coverage of an alleged voter fraud scheme during the race. According to documents ​ obtained by CBC News, fraudulent emails linked to UCP memberships were used to cast ballots in the contest eventually won by Jason Kenney. One of the suspect domains ​ ​ ​ ​ CBC referenced was “Mail.deanfrench.ca,” which French used as a campaign website in 2014 and 2015 when he was running as a Toronto city councillor in Etobicoke. However, the domain was not registered to French at the time of the leadership campaign. ● Education Minister Lisa Thompson confirmed changes to what’s known as Regulation ​ ​ 274, which deals with teacher hiring practices, the Toronto Star reports. Thompson said ​ ​ ​ ​ she’s drafting a proposal to scrap seniority-based hiring for long-term and permanent teacher jobs. The minister had said ongoing consultations, launched on March 15, are ​ ​ aimed at boosting flexibility for principals and teacher mobility. ● Independent MPP Amanda Simard takes to the opinion pages to call out her former PC ​ ​ ​ caucus mates for the government’s “outright absence” of pre-budget consultations with key groups in health care, education, autism and francophone affairs. Simard called the lack of consultation “parodic.” ● New data from the Public Health Agency of Canada reports 1,031 apparent opioid-related deaths in Ontario from January to September 2018. At least 924 of those were ruled to be accidents. ○ There were 1,265 opioid-related deaths in the province in all of 2017. Appointments and employments PC Caucus Services Bureau ● As Queen’s Park Today previously reported in November, longtime Ford ally Jeff ​ ​ ​ Silverstein’s promotion to executive director at the caucus services bureau is now ​ LinkedIn official. Silverstein, who was previously the communications director, took up ​ the mantle from former director John Sinclair, who left last fall and is currently working ​ ​ at City Hall. Question period NDP lead-off Class sizes ● NDP Leader Andrea Horwath led by asking the education minister if she thought 46 ​ ​ students in a classroom was too many, as the Halton District School Board warned in a letter this week. ● Education Minister Lisa Thompson pointed out the government’s plan would see high ​ ​ school classes increase from an average 22 students to 28. She accused the NDP of playing political games and spewing talking points, and also invited education unions to come to the collective bargaining table in good faith (which could happen as early as April 29). ● Horwath also asked about a disclaimer that “eLearning may not be for everyone” being ​ scrubbed from Ontario’s online learning website, and a study into online learning at ​ TDSB that suggested students would suffer under a mandatory program. ○ The PC’s education policy changes would require high school students complete four e-learning courses out of 30 credits total. ● Thompson defended the plan, citing an online-friendly study, and said she could go “study-for-study all day.” She also suggested NDP stood for “No Digital Party.” Far North Act review ● NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa raised First Nations’ concerns about the government’s lack of ​ ​ meaningful consultation on its Far North Act review. ● Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford mentioned he discussed the matter with ​ ​ Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler this week. “Of course First Nations communities ought to ​ ​ have … every opportunity to develop the resources, participate in the economic activity, and see an improvement in the overall economic conditions and prospects in their communities moving forward. That’s exactly what we intend to deliver,” Rickford said. The NDP also asked about possible OHIP cuts as the government and physicians review certain tests and treatments; mental health services funding; and meeting accessibility targets. Independent questions Budget cuts ● Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter said she wondered if the premier was taking a page from ​ ​ prominent tidying-up consultant Marie Kondo. “Is Doug Ford the anti-Marie-Kondo? ​ ​ ​ ​ Because if it sparks joy, Doug Ford cuts it.” She rattled off the ways she believed the Ford government took joy away, from parents of children with autism, for example, and asked, “What will the anti-Marie-Kondo premier cut next?” ● Government House Leader Todd Smith scoffed at the question. “She takes the most ​ ​ circuitous route to actually ask a question in this House so that we don’t know what she’s asking,” he said, taking aim at Hunter’s home riding.