Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report June 18, 2020 Quotation of the day "We didn't play politics." Premier Doug Ford reflects on three months leading Ontario under a state of emergency. ​ ​ Today at Queen’s Park On the schedule The house is adjourned until next Tuesday, June 23. Government house leader Paul Calandra has a motion on the order paper to renew the state of ​ ​ emergency until July 15 (it expires June 30). Ford's office says he's "hopeful" this will be the final extension. Wednesday's debates and proceedings Bill 156, Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act — lauded by farmers and ​ decried as an "ag-gag" by animal welfare groups — passed a third-reading vote after question period (Ayes 68; Nays 22). Liberals John Fraser, Amanda Simard and Stephen Blais queued ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ up to vote in favour alongside the PCs in the east lobby. The law hasn't received royal assent (at publishing time) but is already staring down potential constitutional challenges. "Today is a dark day for animals in Ontario, and for transparency and free expression," said Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal Justice, adding a court ​ ​ challenge is inevitable. ​ ​ Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney kicked off third-reading debate on Bill 171, Building ​ ​ ​ ​ Transit Faster Act, which spurs the PC's GTA transit expansion plan by eliminating property expropriation hearings and allowing the government to legislate access to municipal permits related to the projects. The government also extended the emergency orders (some of which were loosened this month) until June 30, the same day the state of emergency itself expires. Commercial eviction ban extended by a month, retroactive to May 1 Facing mounting pressure, the Ford government moved Wednesday to temporarily ban commercial tenant evictions during the pandemic via Bill 192, Protecting Small Business Act, ​ ​ which Housing Minister Steve Clark tabled in the afternoon. ​ ​ The bill would protect tenants from being locked out or having their assets seized because of COVID-19, retroactive to May 1, which is a month earlier than the PCs originally planned. The eviction ban would end on September 1. The NDP wanted the PCs to make the bill retroactive to mid-March and to cover all landlords, not just those who qualify — but don't apply — for the federal rent relief program. Despite the NDP's earlier threat to hold back unanimous consent, government house leader ​ ​ Paul Calandra's plan to fast-track Bill 192 through third reading went off with only a few ​ ​ ​ hitches, and it passed around 8 p.m. last night (with PC majority). The NDP agreed to expedite the bill, but voted against it. Calandra credited Liberal house leader John Fraser and Green Leader Mike Schreiner for ​ ​ ​ ​ making "important contributions" to the bill. They helped convince the PCs to change the retroactive date. Fraser and Schreiner said Bill 192 isn't everything they'd hoped for — both wanted to see it ​ ​ back-dated even earlier — but it's better than no protections for struggling businesses. "The greatest imperfection is that it's two months too late," Fraser said (his caucus voted in favour). Schreiner said he'll continue to push for a blanket ban for all tenants, or those whose revenues have dipped by 20 per cent (instead of 70 per cent as required by the federal program). "Something is better than nothing, but it's far from perfect." Ford mulls civil liability protection for COVID-19 lawsuits Premier Doug Ford is considering civil liability protection for lawsuits related to COVID-19, ​ ​ telling reporters he'll take the idea to his cabinet this week. A government source told the CBC the move would shield organizations and individuals, ​ ​ including health-care providers and seniors' homes, from civil lawsuits if they contributed to the spread of COVID-19 while acting in "good faith." In question period, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath wanted to know why Ford is "offering legal ​ ​ protection to homes that didn't protect their residents?" In reply, the premier boasted his own government's response to the LTC pandemic, pumping up testing blitzes and staff redeployments. Ford was more bold speaking to reporters later: "I'm not supporting bad actors, and not only that … I'm holding these people accountable. There's going to be accountability for the people we've lost, there's going to be accountability for the companies that let this happen." Meanwhile, proposed class-actions have been piling up, involving hundreds of Ontario homes. In the park Health-care professionals repped by OPSEU rallied at Queen's Park to demand a $4-an-hour pandemic pay bump for all on the front lines — not just the 375,000 workers who have yet to receive the premium the government promised. Health Minister Christine Elliott had said the ​ ​ money wasn't flowing because the shortlist of eligible workers had to be finalized, but now that it has, her office could only tell the Canadian Press the cash is coming in "very short order." ​ ​ ​ ​ "If the premier wants to keep dodging us, we have no choice but to take our frustrations directly to him on the front yard of his workplace," said OPSEU's hospital division chair Sara Labelle. ​ ​ Asked why some front-line workers are being left out of the pandemic raise, Premier Doug Ford ​ again called them "heroes" who are doing "an incredible job" and "everyone deserves it" — but he's not about to cough up more dough. "I wish we had the money to pay everyone." The premier also said there is nothing he can do to change the fact that grocery stores recently dropped their pandemic pay bump — despite the fact Queen’s Park controls the purse strings on the minimum wage. Today’s events June 18 at 12:30 p.m. – Online ​ Infrastructure Minister Laurie Scott, Infrastructure Ontario CEO Ehren Cory and Canadian ​ ​ ​ ​ Council for Public-Private Partnerships head Mark Romoff will make a virtual announcement. ​ ​ June 18 around 1 p.m. – Toronto ​ Premier Doug Ford is expected to hold his daily briefing at Queen's Park. ​ ​ Topics of conversation ● Another 190 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday brings the provincial tally to 32,744, including 12 new deaths for a total of at least 2,550. ● The Ontario Health Coalition says it is filing a formal complaint to the chair of the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly against PC MPPs Christina Mitas, ​ ​ Robin Martin and Sam Oosterhoff for how they treated witnesses during hearings on ​ ​ ​ Bill 175, Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, earlier this week. ​ ○ According to OHC president Natalie Mehra, these committee members refused ​ ​ ​ ​ to let witnesses critical of the bill provide more than yes or no answers to their queries. Mehra called it “a new low” and said she had never seen MPPs behave that way in her “decades of experience” speaking before committees at Queen's Park. ○ The OHC has previously called Bill 175 “irredeemable” and accused the PCs of ​ ​ destabilizing home and community care during a pandemic. ● Experts from Sick Kids say students should be allowed to go back to school in September even though COVID-19 will likely still be around. In a new report, the doctors ​ ​ emphasized hand hygiene over wearing masks and physical distancing, saying children are not superspreaders of the virus. Some cohorting, like spacing desks apart, is important, but keeping students distanced isn't practical and "could cause significant psychological harm" the report states. ● Drivers who have been given a break on insurance premiums amid the pandemic can expect to keep an average $150 in their pocket. That comes from the Financial Services ​ ​ Regulatory Authority, which stated auto insurers provided a total of $685 million in relief via premium deferrals, rebates, refunds and rate reductions. The FSRA is encouraging the industry to continue doing more to keep prices down during the pandemic. Question period NDP lead-off Pulling long-term care licences ● Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath launched the debate following up on ​ ​ Premier Doug Ford's earlier insistence that his government did everything it could to ​ ​ protect seniors. Horwath countered he has refused to hold himself and his minister accountable, and turned the spotlight on the long-term care facilities themselves. "Can the premier tell us whether any will lose their licences, and if so, which ones?" she wanted to know. ● Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton deflected, vaguely citing high-level staffing ​ ​ and capacity issues that her ministry was already working to resolve. Pressed on the fate of hard-hit Orchard Villa, Fullerton gave a little more, saying "the issues surrounding licences are complex" — before squeezing in a partisan jab — "and largely involve the lack of capacity that was, really, a responsibility of the previous Liberal government supported by the NDP." ● Horwath said she thought the situation was pretty straightforward. "Will there be any consequences whatsoever for these homes?" ○ Fullerton said the government will address families' concerns in its "independent commission" slated to begin next month. PC-connected lobbyists ● Horwath hammered Premier Doug Ford on PC-connected lobbyists who have ​ ​ registered on behalf of seniors' homes, but Ford said she had it twisted. "I haven't met with any lobbyists, so I don't know where the Opposition is coming up with this," he said. ● The premier has previously said he's been getting lobbied hard by groups eager to reopen for business (and quipped that his 12-year-old nephew was lobbying him to reopen summer camps, which appears to have been somewhat successful). ​ ​ The NDP also asked about anti-racism measures and migrant workers protections. Independent questions ● Liberal Stephen Blais asked LTC Minister Fullerton to release a plan to head off future ​ ​ COVID-19 flare-ups.