Queen's Park Monitor

This Month in Provincial Politics

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Five Things You Need to Know

From soaring electricity rates to criminal convictions, road tolls to upside down bridge installations, and the unprecedented election of a 19 year old MPP, these last few months at Queen’s Park have produced interesting headlines. To some, this may come as a surprise, but the Ontario Government has actually had an exceptionally busy fall session that has pushed 19 bills through the Legislature. It’s now officially winter break with the house adjourned until February 21, 2017. Wrapping up 2016, we witnessed an eventful year where Premier Kathleen Wynne shuffled her cabinet, prorogued her parliament and reestablished her government’s priorities as she now heads into the final stages of the Government’s current mandate.

In case you missed it - Here are the top 5 things you need to know from 2016:

1. Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk releases the 2016 Annual Report (Click here for CHG’s coverage) 2. Finance Minister Charles Sousa releases the 2016 Fall Economic Statement (Click here for CHG’s report) 3. Premier Kathleen Wynne releases the 2016 Mandate Letters (Click here for CHG’s analysis) 4. Cabinet Shuffle: 30 Ministers, 12 Women (40%), 7 New Members (Click here for CHG’s summary) 5. Climate Change Action Plan – Five Years, $8.3 Billion (Click here for CHG’s breakdown)

Bills Passed in the Fall Session

Government Bills Bill 2, Election Finances Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016 Bill 7, Promoting Affordable Housing Act, 2016 Bill 13, Ontario Rebate for Electricity Consumers Act, 2016 Bill 28, All Families Are Equal Act (Parentage and Related Registrations Statute Law Amendment), 2016 Bill 37, Protecting Students Act, 2016 Bill 41, Patients First Act, 2016 Bill 45, Election Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016 Bill 70, Building Ontario Up for Everyone Act (Budget Measures), 2016

Private Members’ Bills Bill 9, Improving Post-Stroke Recovery for All, 2016 Bill 16, Hazel McCallion Day Act, 2016 Bill 34, Children's Law Reform Amendment Act (Recognizing Relationships with Grandparents), 2016 Bill 36, Albanian Heritage Month Act, 2016 Bill 38, Islamic Heritage Month Act, 2016 Bill 43, PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day Act, 2016 Bill 44, Bangladeshi Heritage Month Act, 2016 Bill 47, Protecting Rewards Points Act (Consumer Protection Amendment), 2016 Bill 55, Remembrance Week Act, 2016 Bill 56, Hindu Heritage Month Act Bill 63, Nurse Practitioner Week Act, 2016

Government Bills Introduced in the Fall Session

Bill 27, Burden Reduction Act, 2016 Bill 39, Aggregate Resources and Mining Modernization Act, 2016 Bill 59, Putting Consumers First Act (Consumer Protection Statute Law Amendment), 2016 Bill 65, Safer School Zones Act, 2016 Bill 68, Modernizing Ontario's Municipal Legislation Act, 2016 Bill 84, Medical Assistance in Dying Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016 Bill 87, Protecting Patients Act, 2016 Bill 89, Supporting Children, Youth and Family Services Act, 2016

If you require more information on the bills highlighted above, our team of consultants is available to provide further detail.

Looking ahead to 2017, there is still time to be involved in the development of next year’s budget. The deadline is January 20, 2017, so contact our team of consultants to learn how to get involved if you haven’t already.

Lastly, it’s the final countdown to the end of corporate and union donations. If you would like to make a political contribution before year end, please contact our office. With that, it’s been another exciting year. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends. All the best in 2017.

CHG TORONTO