Ontario Majority Government 2022-2026 (?)

[suffolkowner]

hmm I would have though that Provincial cabinets would be covered as well. I would guess that should it move them a Province would fight that as well. Is not the Prime Minister only the first amongst equals?

 

[Good2Golf]

hmm I would have though that Provincial cabinets would be covered as well. I would guess that should it move them a Province would fight that as well. Is not the Prime Minister only the first amongst equals?

It appears only for matters covered by provincial statute, not federal criminal legislation. Re: PM as first amongst equals - practically he is still head of the representation of all provinces under the federal system of representation, so not a peer of the premiers. In theory, within the Westminster System, the PM is lead representative of the members of parliament in whom the majority of the House of Commons gives their confidence.

 

[brihard]

hmm I would have though that Provincial cabinets would be covered as well.

This bit I’m confident on: the law that protects federal cabinet confidence from court disclosure is the Canada Evidence Act, specifically section 39. It absolutely doesn’t extend that coverage to provincial cabinet. I’m just not aware of whether something else does for purposes of federal law; I don’t think so, but I’m not certain.

Anyway, sorry, I’m being a law nerd and creating an unnecessary tangent.

 

[The Bread Guy]

... Anyway, sorry, I’m being a law nerd and creating an unnecessary tangent.

No worries - this element could be important to know about depending on how things unfold.

 

[dapaterson]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1719082662315409641

 

[dapaterson]

Time to start the clock?

 

[The Bread Guy]

So far, Ontario's Integrity Commish says not enough there to ding the Premier re: the developers at the wedding parties ....

... In consideration of the evidence gathered during that inquiry as well as the analysis about the allegations and the obligations under the Act provided in the interim report of March 16, 2023, Commissioner Wake has determined that there are insufficient grounds to warrant an inquiry as to whether the premier has contravened the Act with respect to the two wedding events ...

Archived link here - report attached.

And as others predicted, the environmentalists add to the stew ....

Environmental group releases thousands of government documents on Greenbelt, urban boundary scandals

Opposition politicians say the document dump shows the premier was in the loop

www.bradfordtoday.ca

Behind Ontario’s controversial housing changes: Documents shed light on Greenbelt, boundary changes | Globalnews.ca

A trove of new documents released by an environmental group show how developers contributed to controversial housing decisions in Ontario, including the Greenbelt scandal.

globalnews.ca

Ford insists he ‘had nothing to do’ with Greenbelt changes

Ontario Government Political Staff Directed Changes to Municipal Official Plans to Favour the Interests of Select Landowners - Environmental Defence

Newly obtained documents released by Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as a result of a series of freedom of information requests, show that Minister’s Office staff directed changes to the Official Plans of Municipalities across Ontario that favoured select landowners and...

environmentaldefence.ca

 

[The Bread Guy]

Interesting development on the health services front .....

The province will soon be expanding the prescribing powers of Registered Nurses who complete additional training, allowing them to provide Ontarians with birth control, travel medications, and vaccinations such as the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced that starting in January 2024, Registered Nurses (RNs) who complete the training programs will be able to prescribe medications for contraception, immunizations, smoking cessation, and topical wound care in a variety of settings, including long-term care homes and retirement homes ...

Various Ontario governments have been trying to shave away the (alleged?) influence Big Doctor has on the system by offering some alternatives (like nurse-practitioner-led clinics and expanding prescribing powers for pharmacists), especially with folks in a lot of areas outside the 416/905 without access to a family doc. Yet another option looks like it'll be out there soon.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Well, that's one way to get more immigrants employed more quickly ....

Ontario looking to ban employers from requiring Canadian work experience on application forms and in job postings

In a first-of-its-kind move among all Canadian provinces and territories, Ontario has announced its intention to introduce new legislation that would, if passed, ban employers from requiring “Canadian work experience … in job postings or application forms.” Announced today, Ontario’s Ministry of...

www.cicnews.com

More straight from the horse's mouth

The Ontario government will soon introduce legislation that, if passed, would make it the first province in Canada to help even more internationally-trained immigrants work in the fields they’ve studied in by banning the use of Canadian work experience as a requirement in job postings or application forms. This change would help more qualified candidates progress in the interview process and follows historic legislation to prohibit regulated professions from requiring discriminatory Canadian work experience requirements in licensing for more than 30 occupations, which comes into effect December 2023.

“For far too long, too many people arriving in Canada have been funnelled toward dead-end jobs they’re overqualified for. We need to ensure these people can land well-paying and rewarding careers that help tackle the labour shortage,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “When newcomers to Ontario get a meaningful chance to contribute, everyone wins.” ...

 

[The Bread Guy]

To those worried about an activist, bought-and-paid-for Supreme Court, they've ruled that Ontario's ministers' mandate letters can be kept secret ....

Doug Ford mandate letters should stay secret: Supreme Court | CP24.com

Supreme Court's news release here, with Full decision attached.

For the record, here's how other jurisdictions handle mandate letters ....

• GoC
• MB
• AB
• BC
• NB
• NS
• NL
• PEI
• Yukon
• NWT
• Nunavut

 

[The Bread Guy]

A little something for the hospitality sector ....

Ontario stopping scheduled beer tax increase - Canadian Pizza Magazine

Two-year freeze aims to keep costs down while supporting hospitality and alcohol sectors

www.canadianpizzamag.com

 

[daftandbarmy]

A little something for the hospitality sector ....

Ontario stopping scheduled beer tax increase - Canadian Pizza Magazine

Two-year freeze aims to keep costs down while supporting hospitality and alcohol sectors

www.canadianpizzamag.com

A band aid on an arterial bleed, sadly...

After withstanding the once in a lifetime pummeling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada's restaurant industry is still in dire straits and many businesses are in danger of going under.

That's the main takeaway from a recent report from Restaurants Canada, which found that despite surviving the depths of the pandemic, the outlook for the industry as a whole looks bleak.

Total spending at restaurants is on track to top $110 billion this year, a 10 per cent increase from the previous year's level, but costs are up by even more, which is pushing many to the brink of insolvency.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/restaurants-struggling-report-1.7016367

 

[The Bread Guy]

A few recent snippets: lower-than-forecast deficit .....

Ontario projecting $4.5B deficit this year in third-quarter finances

Ontario is projecting that it will end this fiscal year with a $4.5-billion deficit, while also so far hanging onto a large contingency fund.

www.cp24.com

Ontario lowers 2023-24 deficit forecast on increased revenue

Ontario on Monday projected a smaller deficit for the current fiscal year than it previously expected due to increased revenue and lower borrowing costs, a third-quarter report from Canada's most populous province showed. The province, one of the world's biggest sub-sovereign borrowers, said it...

ca.finance.yahoo.com

"Ontario Releases 2023–24 Third Quarter Finances" (ON info-machine)

---

... no more wage cap legislation ...

Ontario Court of Appeal rules provincial legislation imposing wage caps on workers is unconstitutional

The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled on Monday that provincial legislation in the central Canadian province that capped public-sector workers' wages is unconstitutional. This decision upheld the Ontario...

www.jurist.org

Ontario will repeal law that capped public servant wages

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government will not fight a recent Appeal Court ruling that upheld a lower court decision that found a wage-cap law unconstitutional. Ford says the province was in dire fiscal shape when they introduced the new law in 2019 that capped wage increases to one...

ca.news.yahoo.com

Ford says Bill 124 repeal comes amid high cost of living

Ford says Bill 124 repeal comes amid high cost of living

barrie360.com

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... and "Thanks, PMJT, for the health cash"

Ontario signs $3B health-care deal with feds to increase access to doctors, reduce wait times

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has signed a $3.1-billion health-care deal with the federal government to increase access to primary care and reduce wait times.

www.cp24.com

"Cutting Wait Times, Delivering Better Health Care in Ontario" (ON info-machine)

 

[The Bread Guy]

Class action suit under way against Team Blue Ontario over guaranteed income pilot project ....

Basic Income Class Action | Cavalluzzo LLP

If you were a recipient of the Ontario Basic Income, you might benefit from this Class Action. We encourage you to fill out the form found a...

www.cavalluzzo.com

Ontario government facing $200M proposed class-action over early cancellation of basic income pilot

The provincial government is facing a class-action lawsuit seeking $200 million in damages for the early termination of a basic income pilot project in three cities across Ontario.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Class action lawsuit over basic income pilot gets certified

Read the full story and comment on Tbnewswatch.com

www.tbnewswatch.com

Court Certifies Class Action Lawsuit Brought On By Four Lindsay Residents Who Were Part Of The Ontario Basic Income Pilot Project

KAWARTHA LAKES-The Government of Ontario is facing a class action lawsuit brought on by four Lindsay residents on behalf of 4,000 people who had participated in the Ontario Basic Income Pilot. The Pilot, which was meant to last for three years, was cancelled after only one year. On March 4, 2024

www.kawartha411.ca

Court decision on certifying the class action here (7 page PDF).

 

[The Bread Guy]

Digging this one up from waaaay back (18 months ago) when we were discussing long-term care changes forcing people to move to places they didn't prefer ...

...

Ontario considering moving some seniors up to 300km away due to bed shortages: sources

Consultations remain underway, the government says, and the north may not even be included when the official distances are announced.

ottawa.citynews.ca

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

LILLEY: Ford government needs to slow down on bill to move patients to LTC

There is a massive and growing problem in Ontario’s hospital system with patients who should be moved out to other locations taking up beds.

torontosun.com

My own quick-and-dirty ...

• Interesting the not-for-profit homes got hit with fines first (although I suspect there's more to follow)
• The 300 km figure is still one side's estimate, so we'll see how that unfolds
• Bypassing hearings isn't a great idea - and when a Sun columnist says to take care in doing this (notwithstanding they money the outlet/chain gets as bought-and-paid-for media), this sounds like across-the-board "do it right" call

... until they get things figured out, Aunt Jenny from Timmins will just have to give up her bed at Timmins Hospital for digs down the road in Sudbury, 295 km away. But, look on the bright side, thanks to our socialist medical system, it won't cost anything

It looks like it's not just Aunt Jenny from Timmins feeling the "gotta get outta that hospital bed now" heat ....

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

Sounds like things are still being figured out

 

[Quirky]

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

Sounds like things are still being figured out

Population is increasing and aging in Ontario, it will only get worse.

 

[OldSolduer]

Population is increasing and aging in Ontario, it will only get worse.

LTC will be a huge challenge - if you can't afford it you will be relegated to the crap homes whether you like it or not.

A good portion of the Earth's population houses the seniors with the family so there are three generations in the same house.

 

[The Bread Guy]

... A good portion of the Earth's population houses the seniors with the family so there are three generations in the same house.

Good model as long as the kids don't have to leave town to find work, where they end up raising families of their own

 

[The Bread Guy]

Knew about not enough judges causing problems in the court system, but if one believes this editorial, some of the issue may be other processes.

Star Editorial Board: Ontario has the lowest conviction rate of any province. That’s a sign that something’s very wrong

The problem of delayed justice, it is becoming increasingly clear, stems not just from too few judges, but also from too many cases.

www.thestar.com

Also archived here if you encounter a firewall with the previous link.

From the editorial ....

Looks to my non-expert eye that the choice seems to be between laying fewer charges, with (generally) higher odds of conviction, or more charges, and settling for (generally) lower odds of conviction. In one scenario, victims'll be unhappy at charges not being laid, in the other, at charges not making it through the courts or accused being found not guilty.

I suspect there's at least a kernel of truth here, but I'd LOVE to hear from anyone with LEO experience about the REST of the story (or as much as they can share in public fora like this).

 

[The Bread Guy]

A lot of people are going to say "about time" ....

Toronto, Canada and Global Breaking News – CP24

Most recent News News business news stories and video from CP24

www.cp24.com

In other news, a snap election in the wind?

Tory insiders say fear of a Pierre Poilievre victory has Doug Ford considering an early election call

Premier Ford is considering an early election over concerns about cuts a future federal Conservative government might impose.

www.thestar.com

Doug Ford was asked about calling on early election. ‘Stay tuned,’ he says

The premier was pressed on whether he will call an early election in the wake of his expedited liberalization of booze sales, which could cost taxpayers $1 billion.

www.thestar.com