Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report September 21, 2018 Today at Queen’s Park .............................................................................................. 1 Topics of conversation .............................................................................................. 4 Today’s events .......................................................................................................... 4 Upcoming events ...................................................................................................... 4 News briefs — Governmental ................................................................................... 4 Question period ......................................................................................................... 5 Lobbyist registrations ................................................................................................ 7 Quotation of the day “Enjoy a dose of reality for breakfast.” Finance Minister Vic Fedeli teases his Friday morning speech that will reveal the results of the commission of inquiry’s report on the previous Liberal government’s books. Today at Queen’s Park On the schedule The House is adjourned until Monday, September 24 at 10:30 a.m. Thursday’s debates and proceedings MPPs reconvened at 9 a.m to continue debate on the government’s motion to change the standing orders and Liberal MPP Nathalie Des Rosiers’ amendment asking for more House time for Liberal and Green members. Tory MPPs spoke out against Des Rosiers’ amendment, saying the people of Ontario only voted in seven Liberal members, and Des Rosiers’ changes would not serve the will of the people. “It’s about self serving,” PC MPP Dave Smith (Peterborough—Kawartha) said. Government House Leader Todd Smith later confirmed the PCs would not vote in favour of Des Rosiers’ amendment. “Well, the answer is no,” he said. “They’re asking for an awful lot, it was pages and pages in their amendment and we’re not ready to make that move yet.” 2 September 21, 2018 Energy Minister Greg Rickford introduced a new government bill entitled Bill 34, the Green Energy Repeal Act. Rickford’s bill will eliminate the Liberal government’s green energy program, a centrepiece of former premier Dalton McGuinty’s political career, and restore municipal authority relating to the siting of green energy projects. One bill and two motions were debated during the afternoon’s private members’ business. • NDP MPP Percy Hatfield put forward Bill 6, Poet Laureate of Ontario Act (In Memory of Gord Downie), for debate. The bill passed second reading by voice vote and was referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills. • PC MPP David Piccini (Northumberland—Peterborough South) put forward a motion to make it mandatory for Ontarians to declare whether or not they consent to being an organ donor when they receive a driver’s licence. The motion carried. • NDP MPP Monique Taylor put forward a motion calling on the Tories to reverse its decision to cut the basic income pilot and to reduce the increase to social assistance benefits. The motion was defeated by the PC’s (Ayes 29; Nays 51). After voting on private members’ business, the House adjourned for the weekend. Finance Minister says “ongoing decision” being made on Toronto waterfront casino Finance Minister Vic Fedeli is not ruling out the construction of a new casino at Ontario Place. Fedeli said the prospect of a Toronto casino is part of “an ongoing decision from [the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation]” and that the province is having “continued discussions” on the matter. The prospect of a Toronto casino was closed before Ford came into office because Toronto City Council voted against it in 2013 — much to the chagrin of Rob Ford who was mayor at the time of the vote. Both Fords pushed for the casino at the time, saying it would create “10,000 good-paying jobs.” OLG signed numerous gambling bundle contracts with casino operators over the past year as part of its modernization efforts. The gaming bundles are geographically assigned and limit the number of gaming centres in each region. The Globe and Mail reported Wednesday that the OLG’s contract with Great Canadian Gaming, which owns the Toronto-region bundle, would allow the gaming company to build a new casino, as long as it gets city council approval. This would leave the decision in the hands of the new council elected on October 22. However, the province also has the power to override a council decision on land use by using a “Minister’s Zoning Order,” according to a source that spoke to the Globe. NDP leader Andrea Horwath said “a casino at Ontario Place would be absolutely the wrong thing,” and that the space is meant for “all Ontarians to enjoy.” Copyright © 2018 Queen’s Park Today queensparktoday.ca 3 September 21, 2018 Fedeli to brief business audience on province’s books Finance Minister Vic Fedeli says he’ll be serving up a “dose of reality for breakfast” at his sold-out speech at the Economic Club Friday morning. The minister will detail a report from the financial commission of inquiry into the previous government’s finances that was led by ex-B.C. premier Gordon Campbell. “Tomorrow will be a pretty important day, a must-see day,” Fedeli told reporters after question period, adding he would talk about “the true state of the economy in Ontario.” Fedeli confirmed the report will be made public, but he did not say when. “The public will see exactly the same report the premier and I received.” The main issues the commission looked at are the pension accounting spat between the previous ruling Liberals and Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk over whether to include joint pension assets on the province’s bottom line, as well as the former government’s Fair Hydro Plan. Fedeli confirmed with reporters that the line-by-line audit of government spending, which was received September 17, will be “coming out in the next few weeks.” Stakeholders still have questions about natural gas bill Details about the government’s new plan for expanding natural gas infrastructure — and what will happen to the former government’s $100 million Natural Gas Grant Program — are still vague. The North Bay Nugget reports the City of North Bay found out Wednesday that provincial funding for an $8.6 million project to extend natural gas service in its area has been cancelled. Funding for the North Bay project and a dozen others was announced by the Liberals in April 2018. Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton was tight-lipped on details but said if Bill 32, Access to Natural Gas Act, passes a “framework will be created for the Ontario Energy Board to ensure that natural gas is spread through rural and remote communities in Ontario.” He also lambasted the previous Liberal government’s $100-million natural gas grant program but did not confirm whether the PCs are scrapping it. NDP Infrastructure critic Jennifer French said the Ford government is trying to make a $100 million cut look like a good thing. “We're reviewing the government's bill now,” French said in a statement. “But it appears that instead of natural gas expansion based on need, it’ll be based on who is willing to pay a premium. Families are going to pay the price while private corporations reap the benefits — a disturbing trend in the first few months of the Ford government.” Ontario Chamber of Commerce CEO Rocco Rossi said the business community is pleased with government’s plan, saying it will “boost job creation and economic growth in rural and northern Ontario communities.” The Ontario Energy Board is still reviewing the legislation and corresponding regulations and was unavailable to comment Thursday. Copyright © 2018 Queen’s Park Today queensparktoday.ca 4 September 21, 2018 Topics of conversation • Former Ontario Liberal environment minister Glen Murray has a new gig. Murray exited provincial politics and headed out west last year to take on the role of executive director at the Pembina Institute, a non-profit energy think tank headquartered in Calgary. Now he is reportedly headed for the private sector to work for software company Emerge Knowledge in Winnipeg. • Transportation Minister John Yakabuski was in Etobicoke Thursday morning to announce increased GO Train service along the Lakeshore East and West corridors. Starting on Monday, the GO train will add 220 new trips to both lines, a 2 per cent increase in service. The PC government billed it as “the largest GO service increase in five years.” But, as Toronto Star transportation reporter Ben Spurr noted, Metrolinx was already working on the service increase before the PCs were elected. Today’s events September 21 at 7:30 a.m. – Toronto Vic Fedeli will give his inaugural speech as finance minister at the Economic Club of Canada at the Marriott Eaton Centre Hotel. September 21 at 1 p.m. – Thunder Bay NDP leader Andrea Horwath will tour Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre. Upcoming events September 22 at 5 p.m. – Vaughan The Ontario PC Party hosts Ford Fest at the Veneto Centre. The event is free to the public and advertises live music, dancing, food and fun. News briefs — Governmental Ministry of Energy Energy Minister Greg Rickford introduced a new government bill entitled Bill 34, the Green Energy Repeal Act. The legislation would “fully strike” the 2009 Green Energy Act from provincial law, a government release said, affirming one of Premier Ford’s key election campaign promise. The Green Energy Act was introduced by former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty and was designed to boost the renewable