Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report September 10, 2019 Quotation of the day “Hey gas stations: tired of waiting for Ford’s propaganda sticker? Try ours instead.” The Green Party offers an alternative to the Ford government’s mandatory anti-carbon tax ​ ​ stickers, the English version of which was still out of stock Monday. People on social media ​ ​ have reported seeing gas stations with the French version of the stickers in non-francophone neighbourhoods. Today at Queen’s Park On the schedule The House is in recess until Monday, October 28. Today’s events September 10 at 9:15 a.m. — Toronto ​ Education Minister Stephen Lecce will meet with the German Education Committee from the ​ ​ State Parliament of Schleswig-Holstein at Queen’s Park. September 10 at 12:30 p.m. — Woodstock ​ Premier Doug Ford, Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman and his parliamentary assistants ​ ​ ​ ​ Toby Barrett and Randy Pettapiece will participate in a roundtable discussion at Canada’s ​ ​ ​ Outdoor Farm Show. September 10 at 12:45 p.m. — Toronto ​ Infrastructure Minister Laurie Scott will make an announcement and participate in a fireside ​ ​ chat with Ehren Cory, CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, at Arcadian Court, 401 Bay Street. Scott is ​ ​ expected to release Infrastructure Ontario's “2019 Market Update,” which will outline provincial commitments for a “robust pipeline of important public infrastructure projects.” The event is co-sponsored by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships. September 10 at 1:30 p.m. — Mississauga ​ Health Minister Christine Elliott, Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Social Services ​ ​ ​ ​ Minister Todd Smith will make an announcement about World Suicide Prevention Day at the ​ ​ YMCA. ● According to the Toronto Star, the PCs will announce a $6-million pilot project to help ​ ​ ​ curb youth suicide in Mississauga by 2027. September 10 at 2 p.m. — Grimsby ​ Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton will make an announcement at Shalom Manor and ​ ​ ​ Gardens, a retirement home. Her PA Effie Triantafilopoulos and area MPPs Sam Oosterhoff ​ ​ ​ and Will Bouma will be on hand. ​ ​ Topics of conversation ● Opposition critics unleashed a fresh wave of accusations over Premier Doug Ford’s ​ ​ plans for the protected Greenbelt lands after the CBC revealed the government spent ​ ​ nearly a year in talks with a developer hoping to lift restrictions on land protected by the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act to build housing. ○ Vaughan landowner Lucia Milani and her family have donated $100,000 to the ​ ​ PC Party over the years, including to Ford’s 2018 leadership bid. ○ The NDP’s newly minted Ethics and Accountability critic Taras Natyshak said ​ ​ the premier “acted in true Doug Ford fashion and tried to strike another shady deal with wealthy developers at the expense of the interests of regular Ontarians.” ○ Green Leader Mike Schreiner said whatever the PCs say about the Greenbelt in ​ ​ public is “completely hollow” and not to be trusted. “These secret negotiations to chip away at the Oak Ridges Moraine reveal the Premier has never given up on his campaign to open up the Greenbelt for his developer friends.” ○ Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark told CBC he’s committed to protecting the ​ ​ Greenbelt and the case is closed. ○ It isn’t the first time Ford and his government had to double down on that promise. Just before the 2018 campaign, Ford landed in hot water after a video came out in which he tells developers he wants to open up a “big chunk” of the Greenbelt. The PCs also back-pedalled to scrap a section in Bill 66 after ​ ​ environmental advocates and municipalities warned it would allow companies to build on the protected lands. ● CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn launched a new campaign targeting the Ford ​ ​ government to stop funding cuts to local communities. The “Communities Not Cuts” campaign could include actions from petitions to strikes, and see CUPE members working with like-minded community groups to fight back against the “all-out attack” on the public service, Hahn told reporters at Queen’s Park. ● The Ontario Labour Relations Board has sided against the high school teachers’ union, ​ ​ ruling that class size caps and sick day provisions should be hammered out at the central bargaining table, instead of at the local level. ● A survey from the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association suggests almost 95 per cent of pupils aren’t keen on the Ford government’s plan requiring them to earn four online course credits to graduate, the Toronto Star reports. The online course requirements are ​ ​ ​ ​ scheduled to begin in fall 2020. ● Parent advocacy groups say the Tories aren’t being transparent after stonewalling information about education consultations. Per Global News, the coalition was denied a ​ ​ freedom of information request for the results of consultations on class sizes. ● Most of the Ontario Liberal Party’s youth wing is backing frontrunner Steven Del Duca ​ for leader, according to a report from the Toronto Star. ​ ​ ​ ○ Meanwhile, Michael Coteau, another leading contender, boasted an ​ ​ ​ ​ endorsement from Carol Mitchell, who was then-premier Dalton McGuinty’s ​ ​ ​ ​ agriculture minister. ○ Coteau’s campaign contributions surpassed the $100,000 mark, Queen’s Park ​ Today has learned. Elections Ontario’s disclosure database is expected to be ​ updated in the coming days. ● Another day, another dig at Doug Ford from the federal Grits, who have been linking the ​ ​ Ontario premier to his federal counterpart, CPC Leader Andrew Scheer, in the run-up to ​ ​ ​ ​ the October election. ○ On Monday, Liberal Finance Minister Bill Morneau shared a video of Scheer ​ ​ ​ during the 2016 CPC leadership contest saying he can make the case for spending cuts in 2019. Scheer notes some Tory parties have a “very hard-edged tone” to those measures so proper communication is key. ○ Morneau said that’s right out of the Ford playbook. “Ford said one thing during the election, then made cuts to schools, libraries, public health agencies, and francophone services. Scheer has promised the same timeline for cuts as Doug Ford did: five years. Scheer just won’t talk about it until after the election.” ○ Ford maintains he’s staying out of the federal fray. ● Could Ontario’s wildlife rehab centres become endangered? Most of the 57 registered centres are run by their founders, who will be retiring soon with no heir apparent, TVO ​ reports. ​ ● ICYMI Kathleen Wynne’s former chief of staff Pat Sorbara has written a book entitled ​ ​ ​ ​ Let ‘Em Howl: Lessons from a Life in Backroom Politics, out on October 5. ​ ​ ​ ○ Sorbara’s time at the Pink Palace ended on a controversial note. She resigned in 2016 after being charged with alleged bribery during the 2015 Sudbury byelection. The charges were later dismissed. ○ The book is available for pre-order on Amazon. ​ ​ Appointments and employments Conservative Party of Canada ● The federal Tories announced changes to their election campaign team Monday, including two Ontario PC alumni. ○ Simon Jefferies, who left a communications role in Premier Doug Ford’s office ​ ​ ​ to join official Opposition CPC Leader Andrew Scheer’s office in May, is working ​ ​ on the campaign side as associate director of media relations. ○ Jamie Ellerton, a principal at Conaptus, former staffer to then-PC opposition ​ leader Tim Hudak and a failed 2014 PC candidate in Parkdale—High Park, will ​ ​ be on the buses with Scheer as his manager of media relations. ○ Scheer is expected to officially launch his campaign Wednesday. ○ Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have enlisted Queen’s Park veterans ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Gerald Butts, Katie Telford, Zita Astravas and Ben Chin for the campaign. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ○ The election writ is expected to be drawn up this week by September 15 for an October 21 election. Management Board of Cabinet and of the Treasury Board ● There was a mini shakeup on the Management Board of Cabinet and Treasury Board (a Treasury Board sub-committee) this summer following the big cabinet shuffle in June. ○ Labour Minister Monte McNaughton (who previously held the Infrastructure ​ ​ portfolio), Energy Minister Greg Rickford, and Government and Consumer ​ ​ ​ ​ Services Minister Lisa Thompson (demoted from the Education file) were ​ ​ removed from the committee, while now-Infrastructure Minister Laurie Scott and ​ ​ Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney have signed on. ​ ​ ○ Finance Minister Rod Phillips takes on the vice-chair role from Vic Fedeli, now ​ ​ ​ ​ Economic Development minister, who remains a member of the board. ○ The sub-committee is chaired by Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy, ​ ​ and also includes Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark, ​ ​ Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton and Natural Resources Minister ​ ​ ​ John Yakabuski. ​ News briefs — Governmental Ministry of Education ● Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Monday school boards will have until January 1 ​ ​ to come up with policies for service animals in the classroom. ○ The provision was first introduced in Bill 48, Safe and Supportive Classrooms ​ ​ Act, which passed in April and required boards to develop policies and guidelines for service animals in the classroom. Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade ● Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli launched the government’s $10-million, ​ ​ three-year Ontario Automotive Modernization Program on Monday. Eligible small and medium-sized auto parts suppliers will be able to apply for up to 50 per cent of funding for projects to improve technology and lean manufacturing practices. ○ Government funding is capped at $100,000 per project. Queen's Park Today is written by Sabrina Nanji, reporting from the Queen's Park press gallery. What did you think of this Daily Report? What else would you like to see here? Email [email protected] and let us know. ​ ​ Copyright © 2019 Queen’s Park Today. It is a violation of copyright to distribute this newsletter without permission. .