Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report January 17, 2019

Quotation of the day

“’s coming tuition announcement is going to turn out to be a smoke and mirrors exercise.”

NDP MPP joined the chorus of post-secondary advocates concerned ​ ​ about today’s expected announcement about tuition fee cuts and OSAP changes.

Today at Queen’s Park

On the schedule The House is recessed until February 19.

Government sources have told Queen’s Park Today, and reportedly the CBC, that cabinet will ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ convene today. Sources say caucus meets as well. The premier’s office remains on lock.

Premier watch A “Game Changer of the Year” award was bestowed upon Premier Doug Ford Tuesday night at ​ ​ a gala put on by the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada, a group ​ that bills itself as a “growing and powerful voice” for manufacturing firms. The guest list for the ​ Scarborough event included the finance and environment ministers, treasury board president and a few Tory MPPs.

The premier wrapped up a two-day stint at the Detroit auto show earlier that day after meetings ​ with executives from Toyota Canada and General Motors as well as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. ​

In the park The Legislature’s public galleries are getting a fresh look. ​ ​

NDP ask why deputy minister didn’t recuse himself in Taverner hiring

Let’s get ethical.

That’s the message from NDP community safety critic , who wrote to ​ ​ soon-to-be-retired Cabinet Secretary Steve Orsini Wednesday asking why Deputy Community ​ ​ Safety Minister Mario Di Tommaso didn’t recuse himself from the hiring committee that picked ​ ​ Ron Taverner for OPP commissioner, given the pair’s history. ​

Orsini and Di Tommaso — who began his new DM job on October 22, the day the hunt for a new OPP chief began — were on the recruiting committee that recommended Taverner for the top cop gig. Cabinet, including Ford, gave the final sign-off on the controversial appointment.

Yarde pointed to recent headlines detailing Di Tommaso’s relationship with Taverner, and the fact that Di Tommaso was Taverner’s boss in the Police Service. His letter points to photos the Globe published this week featuring Premier Doug Ford, his family friend Taverner, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and Di Tommaso dining together at a golf tournament in June, as well as news reports quoting Taverner praising Di Tommaso’s provincial appointment a few months later.

“I feel the public has a right to know whether you were fully briefed on this close relationship before you offered your opinion and, if so, why you felt this did not raise concerns about the appearance of preferential treatment,” Yarde asked Orsini in the letter.

As ’s topmost bureaucrat, Orsini helms the “ethics executive,” which gives the civil service advice and information about conflict-of-interest guidelines.

Orsini and Di Tommaso did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The premier has faced much flak over the appointment, which he now refers to as “political.” Last month, the premier said he had “zero influence” on the decision.

Ford has intimated Taverner will take command of the OPP; the government postponed the oath-taking ceremony at Taverner’s behest, pending the integrity commissioner’s ongoing investigation.

Today’s events January 17 at 10 a.m. – Toronto ​ First Nations leaders with a stake in the Bamkushwada Limited Partnership will be in the media studio to talk about delays impacting the million-dollar project, which will connect communities in northwestern Ontario to a stable source of electricity.

January 17 at 11 a.m. – Toronto ​ Training, Colleges and Universities Minister drops the official word on ​ ​ changes to post-secondary tuition fees in Macdonald Block. The minister is also expected to announce OSAP changes.

January 17 at 3 p.m. – Pelham ​ , the finance minister’s parliamentary assistant, and PC MPP ​ ​ will host a pre-budget consultation. ​ ​

Topics of conversation

● Mayors from around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area seem keen on the provincial government’s review of regional governments. Per the CBC, both Mississauga Mayor ​ ​ ​ Bonnie Crombie and Mayor Patrick Brown said they support the review as ​ ​ ​ long as cities and towns are meaningfully consulted, and the province acts “in good faith” before “unilaterally making changes.” ○ Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark also reportedly said the possibility of future ​ ​ amalgamations won’t be a formal part of the current round of consultations, but didn’t rule it out. ○ Special advisers Michael Fenn and Ken Seiling are leading the review and will ​ ​ ​ ​ each earn up to $36,000 for their term, which could run up until September 30. ○ Their recommendations are due in to the minister this summer.

● The lineup for Ontario’s carbon-tax challenge is getting crowded, with the Court of Appeal green-lighting more than a dozen interveners this week. The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation’s Christine Van Geyn says her organization will enter the fray to ​ ​ ​ ​ argue Ottawa is overstepping its jurisdiction by imposing a carbon tax on provinces without a carbon pricing plan of their own. The Jason Kenney-led UCP, Alberta’s ​ ​ opposition party, is the only other intervener to publicly state it’s on side with the Ontario government. The full list is expected later this week. ○ The hearing is scheduled for April 15 to 18. Saskatchewan’s twin legal challenge, which Ontario is intervening in, is expected to be heard in February.

● The Tories may have zapped 758 Liberal-era green energy contracts, but two are still alive. According to the National Observer, an Ottawa-area renewable energy co-op and ​ ​ ​ the local French-Catholic school board have inked contracts with the IESO to build solar projects for two schools.

● The Town of Georgina is asking the PC government to gut Schedule 10 from Bill 66, ​ ​ ​ ​ Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, which lets municipalities pass “open-for-business” bylaws to allow developers to override certain environmental standards. Critics say the move will put precious green space and drinking water at risk, but the Tories maintain the environment will be protected.

● The government's cannabis arsenal may be located in Oakville, but the city itself has opted out of having pot shops within its borders. Less than a week out from the government’s January 22 deadline, Oakville councillors voted overwhelmingly against hosting cannabis retailers, the Oakville Beaver reports. ​ ​ ​ ​ ○ Cities and towns can opt back into the cannabis market at any time, but once they’re in, they can’t back out. Here’s the list of who’s in and who’s out. ​ ​

Appointments and employments Ontario Arts Council ● David Tsubouchi is headed for the Ontario Arts Council board. The OAC says ​ Tsubouchi, who served as a cabinet minister under former premier Mike Harris, was ​ ​ appointed to the board of directors in mid-December.

LCBO ● The LCBO is officially recruiting a part-time replacement for ex-board chair Ed Clark — ​ ​ ​ ​ the former TD Bank head and business adviser to then-premier Wynne who resigned at the end of August. ○ One challenge facing the new booze boss is a surge in thefts at the LCBO, which now comprise almost half of the city’s shoplifting incidents, according to the ​ Toronto Star. ​

News releases — governmental Ontario Energy Board ● The province’s independent energy sector regulator launched an “Innovation Sandbox” ​ ​ project, where utilities and companies can discuss ideas for regulatory relief or new products.

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

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