Queen’s Park Today – Daily Report February 22, 2019

Quotation of the day

“I can feel the phone vibrating now.”

Premier ’s cell phone rings immediately after giving out his oft-shared digits during a ​ ​ fireside chat with his friend and U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft in Washington. ​ ​

Today at Queen’s Park

On the schedule The House is adjourned until Monday, February 25 at 10:30 a.m.

Thursday’s debates and proceedings In the morning MPPs debated the government’s time allocation motion for Bill 48, Safe and ​ ​ Supportive Classrooms Act, which passed on division after question period. The bill is off to committee for public hearings and clause-by-clause consideration and is due back to the House for third reading Wednesday, March 6.

Two opposition bills cleared second reading and a non-binding motion was killed:

● NDP MPP Bhutila Karpoche’s Bill 63, Right to Timely Mental Health and Addiction ​ ​ ​ ​ Care for Children and Youth Act, is now off to be scrutinized by the Standing Committee on General Government.

● NDP MPP ’s Bill 64, Noah and Gregory’s Law, passed second reading and ​ ​ ​ ​ will go under the microscope at the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

● NDP MPP ’s motion calling for an end to mandatory time-of-use electricity ​ ​ pricing and for the development of a “fairer price structure that meets conservation goals” was shot down.

Liberal MPP tabled Bill 72, Right to Repair Electronic Products. The private ​ ​ ​ ​ member’s legislation proposes to amend the Consumer Protection Act to require companies

such as Apple to give consumers or repair shops the parts and information needed to repair an electronic device.

MPPs continued debating Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, for the remainder of ​ ​ the afternoon.

In the park The Ontario Heritage Awards ceremony takes place at the legislature.

Suspended MPP has a new seat on the opposition backbench next to his fellow ​ ​ ex-Tories Jim Wilson and . He was kicked out of caucus indefinitely ​ ​ ​ ​ Wednesday for “unacceptable” remarks to autism parents; Hillier says he was just heckling the NDP. The PCs say caucus will discuss Hillier’s future in their ranks during a caucus meeting next Tuesday but it isn’t clear if that’s when they will decide his fate.

Government House Leader said Thursday Hillier is “in the penalty box” for his ​ ​ yada, yada, yada comment after question-period debate dominated by the controversial autism program. He said the House Leader’s office had decided the PCs would handle the autism file “in a very respectful way, understanding the frustration of parents” going forward, but Hillier’s heckle was “flippant.”

Child and youth advocacy services will not be carried over to ombudsman’s office: Dubé

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé opened up about his office’s strategy for taking over the ​ ​ mandates of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth and the French Language Services Commissioner Thursday, as ordered by the PC’s Bill 57. ​ ​

When it comes to the child and youth role, the ombudsman’s office will take over Irwin Elman’s ​ ​ former office’s investigative functions with regard to children’s aid societies and child protection matters, but not its advocacy functions, which, pursuant to the legislation, will be eliminated. This includes the wind-down of an office in Thunder Bay that is devoted to advocacy for northern and Indigenous communities.

Fewer changes are expected on the French-language services front, where all of the responsibilities of French Language Services Commissioner François Boileau’s office are ​ ​ mandated to be transferred directly to the ombudsman and deputy ombudsman. Dubé says a dedicated unit within the ombudsman’s office will be created for French-language services issues.

While Dubé says his office will utilize the “expertise of colleagues from the two former offices,” he also suggests jobs will be lost. “The exact number of positions affected will be determined in the next few weeks,” according to the ombudsman.

Per the PC’s Bill 57, the uptake must be complete by May 1 — but Dubé says his office will be ​ ​ ready by April 1, the start of the fiscal year.

The ombudsman is also signalling his office will need more cash to cover its new responsibilities and plans to present a supplemental budget to the Board of Internal Economy in the coming weeks.

Premier Doug Ford said repeatedly during the election campaign that “not a single person” ​ ​ would lose their job under a PC government.

Today’s events

February 22 at 8 a.m. – ​ ​ NDP transit critic Jessica Bell and her fellow caucus mates will set up camp at various TTC ​ ​ subway stops with a message for the premier: “Don’t steal our subway.”

Topics of conversation

● The Toronto Star has blown the lid off a PC money-raising tactic to get lobbyists to sell ​ ​ ​ tickets to the premier’s $1,250-a-plate “leader’s dinner” fundraiser at the Toronto Congress Centre in Etobicoke next week. Per the Star, Sussex Strategy Group’s Chris ​ ​ ​ Benedetti sent an email to the firm’s clients saying he “has been asked to help with the ​ event” and encouraging the recipients to purchase a package of tickets. ○ In the email to clients, Benedetti said he was contacted by the Ontario PC fund, led by Tony Miele, to help sell tickets — not by the premier’s office. ​ ​ ○ This year the PCs loosened fundraising rules the Liberals were forced to bring in after negative news reports. That includes lifting the ban on politicians and staff attending events. Last fall the finance minister said the province wanted to align with federal rules, but it is unclear if attendees will be disclosed, as required by the feds.

● Energy Minister issued a directive to the Hydro One board ordering it to ​ ​ ​ ​ align its proposed CEO compensation with the PC government’s preferred $1.5 million salary cap. That would be a $500,000 paycheque plus up to $1 million in incentives for meeting certain targets on distribution and transmission costs. ○ Rickford wrote to the board last week demanding it lower its proposed $2.775-million CEO salary but the board refused, arguing it cannot “attract, retain and motivate highly-qualified leadership” unless it offers a market rate salary.

○ Rickford said he was meeting with the chair Thursday but noted “there isn’t any room to negotiate on this.” ○ “The board will continue to focus on its CEO search,” Hydro One said in a brief statement. The same day the utility reported higher fourth-quarter results: $162 million in profits in 2018 versus $155 million the year prior, a 4.5 per cent increase — thanks to favourable weather and lower taxes. ○ The PC Party blasted a fundraising email pitch on the topic signed by the premier: “The board of Hydro One is trying to hire a new CEO. You know what they want to pay? $2.7 million per year. For one person! We told them it’s a flat-out no. But they didn’t listen. So we are directing them.”

● Premier Doug Ford is in Washington D.C. to talk trade alongside New Brunswick ​ ​ Premier Blaine Higgs and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. At a fireside chat with ​ ​ ​ ​ U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft Thursday at the Canadian American Business ​ ​ Council, Ford took the opportunity to slam the previous Liberal government’s “spending like drunken sailors.” ● He also railed against the federal carbon backstop program as well as U.S.-imposed metals tariffs, over which Ford repeated he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ottawa. That said, Ford has been vocal in his criticism of how the federal government has handled the tariff tiff. He told Craft the steel and aluminum tariffs are “hurting” both Canadians and Americans. ○ (It is traditionally considered uncouth for political leaders to bash their domestic rivals while on foreign soil.) ○ On Friday Ford will be on a panel on Canada-U.S. relations with his fellow first ministers and meet with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. He is ​ ​ expected to speak with reporters as well.

● Independent MPP Jim Wilson thanked his constituents for support through “a difficult ​ ​ few months” in a recent missive. Wilson is back at the legislature this week since he was ​ ​ asked to resign from the PC cabinet and caucus amid a sexual misconduct allegation, after which he sought treatment for alcohol addiction. Wilson also noted he had received many calls about the political hot-potato autism file.

Question period

NDP lead-off Autism program ● NDP Leader began question period asking Children Services Minister ​ ​ Lisa MacLeod if she thought an iPad was the government’s idea of adequate autism ​ treatment. The night before MacLeod was asked by CTV what sort of treatment $5,000 (the annual cap for kids 6 and up, depending on income) would get and suggested an

iPad, saying she’s heard from parents who say technological aids helped their kids.

● MacLeod responded by citing someone named Monica, a mom of an autistic teen, who ​ ​ apparently told MacLeod that her son was considered high-functioning and therefore not entitled to public funding — but he needed therapy, so she took classes and wound up “doing it [her]self.” ○ The New Democrats devoted almost all of their questions to the autism program save for one accusing the government of privatizing health care based on leaked draft legislation and documents, which gave the health minister an opportunity to repeat that won’t happen. Cat Lake ● The House was subdued when NDP Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation critic Sol ​ Mamakwa asked about the housing crisis in Cat Lake First Nation, where chiefs have ​ declared a state of emergency over poor housing conditions. Indigenous leaders have criticized governments for a lack of action. ● Mamakwa described his recent visit and asked the province to address its treaty obligations and take action. “Eighty-seven out of 128 homes are uninhabitable. I visited Cat Lake two weeks ago to see the state of the community for myself. What I saw was very shocking. I saw young children and babies covered in rashes and was told about elders with serious lung infections. One parent told me about his 12-year-old daughter, about a rash on her face and neck so bad that she wouldn’t leave her bedroom. The mother was worried about her mental health,” Mamakwa said.

● Minister Greg Rickford reiterated that he’s written to the federal government to address ​ ​ the issue. “We’re coordinating our efforts with respect to their declaration of an emergency response. We continue to help them find solutions for their housing crisis. We call on the federal government to live up to their responsibilities,” he said.

Green question ● Green Leader asked if and when the government would release funding ​ ​ for sexual assault crisis centres that was promised under the previous government.

● Attorney General blamed the former Grit government for making an ​ ​ election-friendly promise without attaching funding, and reiterated the PC’s pledge to review spending and tackle the deficit.

PC friendly questions Tories lobbed softball questions about the COPS Act, the Tarion redux, combatting human trafficking, and hospital infrastructure funding. They also asked about Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister ’s meeting last week with his federal and provincial ministerial ​ ​ counterparts in “cold, but beautiful Red Deer, Alberta.” Tibollo responded to the friendly question about his meeting by mentioning he was also out West to witness the 2019 Canada Games.

Lobbyist registrations

If you are looking for further information on any lobbying registry, it is all public and easily searchable here. ​ ​

Consultants who registered as lobbyists from February 15, 2019 – February 21, 2019

● Aaron Scheewe, The Capital Hill Group ​ o Clients: Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show ​

● Aaron Gairdner, Stephanie Delorme, Rubicon Strategy Inc. ​ ​ ​ o Clients: IBM Canada ​

● Christine Simundson, Rubicon Strategy Inc. ​ o Clients: Innovative Medicines Canada (Médicaments novateurs Canada) ​

● Alan Young, TACTIX Government Relations and Public Affairs Inc. ​ o Clients: Dell Canada ​

● Alex Chreston, Crestview Strategy ​ o Clients: True North Gaming; K-BRO Linen Systems ​

● Ashton Arsenault, Crestview Strategy ​ o Clients: True North Gaming ​

● Kate Moseley-Williams, Crestview Strategy ​ o Clients: GlaxoSmithKline; CoreFour, Inc. ​

● Amir Remtulla, Amir Remtulla Inc. ​ o Clients: Unique AT Management Inc. ​

● Andrew Retfalvi, Global Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Knight Therapeutics Inc. ​

● Anika Christie, Grosso McCarthy Inc. ​ o Clients: HealthCare 365 ​

● Barry Campbell, Campbell Strategies ​ o Clients: EnerCare Inc. (formerly registered on behalf of Stratacon Inc.) ​ ● Paul Brown, Campbell Strategies ​

o Clients: EnerCare Inc. (formerly registered on behalf of Stratacon Inc.) ​

● Bonnie Hiltz, Sussex Strategy Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Hydrostor Inc.; Anbaric Development Partners; Electricity ​ Distributors Association

● Brian Zeiler-Kligman, Sussex Strategy Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Teaching Solutions Software Inc. ​

● Chris Benedetti, Sussex Strategy Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Electronic Product Stewardship of Canada ​

● Dan Pfeffer, Public Affairs Advisors ​ o Clients: Renewable Industries Canada ​

● David Denov, PwC ​ o Clients: Sykes Assistance Services Corporation ​

● Don Gracey, CG Management & Communications Inc. ​ o Clients: Total Hearing Centre ​

● Frank Klees, Klees & Associates Ltd. ​ o Clients: ASI Technologies Inc. ​

● Jeff Bolichowski, Armstrong Communications Inc. ​ o Clients: Ontario Kinesiology Association ​

● Jeffrey Bangs, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: AMAPCEO ​

● Jim Burnett, Pathway Group Inc. ​ Clients: Canadian Consumer Finance Association; OMERS Infrastructure ​ Management Inc.; Archdiocese of Toronto; AMAPCEO; Keurig Canada

● Leanna Karremans, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Parks and Recreation Ontario ​

● Peter Curtis, Pathway Group Inc. ​ o Clients: Covenant Canadian Reformed Teachers College ​

● John Matheson, StrategyCorp Inc. ​ o Clients: River Valley Developments; Greater Toronto Airports Authority ​

● Joshua Albert, The CCS Group (formerly Connect Consulting Solutions) ​ o Clients: Mavencare ​

● Kelly Mitchell, KW Mitchell Consulting Services Inc. ​ o Clients: Forests Ontario ​

● Lindsay Aagaard, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP ​ o Clients: Canadian Safe Pipe Coalition ​

● Lisa Kinsella, Daisy Consulting Group ​ o Clients: dosist ​

● Marissa Steiner, Hill+Knowlton Strategies ​ o Clients: Canadian Blood Services ​

● Melissa Lantsman, Hill+Knowlton Strategies ​ o Clients: Canadian Cancer Survivor Network ​

● Martin Green, Foresight Strategic Advisors Inc. ​ o Clients: Toronto Wholesale Produce Association ​

● Michael Keegan, Michael Keegan & Associates ​ o Clients: The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance ​

● Michael Hutchinson, Impact Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Toronto Insurance Council ​

● Richard Mullin, Impact Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Toronto’s Insurance Council ​

● Michele Cadario, Vanguard Strategy Inc. ​ o Clients: Electra Meccanica Vehicles Corp. ​

● Mike Van Soelen, Navigator Ltd. (formerly Playbook Communications) ​ o Clients: Ontario Energy Association ​

● Shakir Chambers, Navigator Limited ​ Clients: AirBnb ​

● Monika Bujalska, Sutherland Corporation Ltd. ​ o Clients: Camping in Ontario; Glen Huntington Business Park; Royalton ​ Homes Inc.

● Nicholas Pozhke, Loyalist Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Board of Trustees, Canadian Christian Schools Pension Plan ​

● Patrick Tuns, Upstream Strategy Group ​

o Clients: Rainy River Future Development Corporation ​

● Patrick Dion, Patrick Dion & Associates ​ o Clients: Receivables Management Association of Canada ​

● Peter Van Loan, Aird & Berlis ​ o Clients: 7700 Keele Street Limited ​

● Peter Seeman, Grassroots Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Association of Canadian Distillers; Ontario Federation of ​ Agriculture

● Raphael Brass, Bluesky Strategy Group ​ o Clients: Liuna Local 183 Training Centre ​

● Thomas Blackmore, Edelman ​ o Clients: ServiceNow ​

● Tom Trbovich, Earnscliffe Ontario Inc. ​ o Clients: Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) ​

● William Dempster, 3Sixty Public Affairs ​ o Clients: Indivior Canada Ltd.; Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders ​

Organizations that registered in-house lobbyists from February 15, 2019 – February 21, 2019

● Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) ● Ontario Medical Association ● Ontario Association of Architects ● Enbridge Inc. ● Bombardier Inc. ● IBM Canada Limited ● GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc. ● Electricity Distributors Association ● Carrot Insights ● CenterCourt ● CAA South Central Ontario ● George Brown College ● Cisco Systems Canada Co. ● Receivables Management Association of Canada (RMA) ● Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) ● Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association ● Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Inc. ● The Pollution Probe Foundation ● The Toronto Humane Society

● Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario ● Toronto Financial Services Alliance ● Canadian Independent Petroleum Marketers Association ● Ontario Waterpower Associations

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

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