PROGRAMMING NOTE: I’m taking off for the Thanksgiving long weekend and will return to your inbox bright and early on Tuesday.

THANKSGIVING SPECIAL

For this special holiday edition, I asked big players around the Pink Palace what they’re thankful for, their favourite local causes and family recipes. And from the vault: BILL DAVIS’s most consequential Thanksgiving, and MPPs get feisty during a debate about turkeys and castrated fowls.

Before we dig in, I want to take a moment to give thanks to you, dear readers. This newsletter wouldn’t be possible without you, and I’m so grateful for your support. Thanks for reading, sharing, subscribing — and tipping me off! — these past five years.

WHAT THE LEADERS ARE GRATEFUL FOR

NDP Leader MARIT STILES says she’s “feeling especially thankful to live in Canada, and for the chance to carry on in the spirit of all the people who built our country; those who fought for public healthcare, education, and an honest…

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THREE YEARS LATER

The Grits are not giving up on accountability for the Greenbelt scandal.

As the RCMP’s investigation hangs over the Ford government’s head, Liberal ADIL SHAMJI is reminding PC House Leader STEVE CLARK — who resigned as Housing Minister at the height of the drama — that he’s still facing a possible legislative reprimand.

To wit: Back in 2023, the late former Integrity watchdog J. DAVID WAKE’s bombshell investigation called on the Legislature to reprimand Clark for breaking ethics rules when his ministry carved up protected lands for development. Wake found Clark failed to oversee the process, which created “an opportunity to further the private interests of developers improperly.”

At the time, Premier DOUG FORD promised accountability, saying Wake’s recommendation was “going to go to the legislature, and we’ll see when we get back into the house in September.”

Three years later, it’s crickets. Shamji is now pushing the Ford governmen…

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SCAPEGOATS, SCHOOLS, SOVEREIGNTISTS

A very busy day in provincial politics. Let’s hop to it.

— KEEL CONTROVERSY: ROB GODFREY, head of the Keel Digital Solutions — the company caught up in the SDF drama that was placed into receivership this week in an attempt to recoup $4.5 million — is lashing out at the Ford government, calling the move “bullshit.”

Godfrey makes some wild allegations in a statement posted to social media. He maintains “no fraud” took place and that the company, which provides virtual mental health supports for students and training for first responders, is being used as a “scapegoat” to “distract from [the government’s own] Skills Development Fund scandal.”

“I guess we hired the right lobbyist. A lobbyist that managed to get the Labour Minister [then DAVID PICCINI] to come to his wedding in Paris. Did that happen? Absolutely,” he went on to say, insisting that the government funds went to mental health support…

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PARTY HAUL OF FAME

First in Observer — FUNDRAISING WATCH — The PCs have deep-pocketed donors, the NDP has the bigger base, and the Liberals have a crucial asterisk. That’s the upshot from the third-quarter fundraising tally that puts the Tories on top and the Grits behind the Greens — until you count the cash flowing into the Liberal leadership race. Let’s break it down.

Per Elections Ontario’s real-time disclosures for July, August and September:

The PC Party clocked in with $1,188,329 in donations, with 1,504 donors giving an average of $790.

New Democrats came in with $447,224 over the past three months, with a whopping 5,351 supporters giving an average of $83.

As for the Liberals: Straight party donations rounded out to $188,578, from 1,727 donors giving an average $109. But, and it’s a biggie: when you factor in donations filed under the leadership race, the Q3 tally jumps to $1,030,867. Much of that money will be spent by…

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WHO’S HOGGING THE HEADLINES?

POLL WATCH — Premier DOUG FORD insists he’s staying out of the municipal elections — but that doesn’t mean we have to.

With familiar Queen’s Park faces chasing City Halls, there’s loads riding on the October 26 vote. And when it comes to the fight to get noticed, Liaison Strategies is out with tracked news coverage that shows some contenders are getting more airtime than others — something that could make or break civic campaigns.

In Mississauga: Arguably the spiciest of the 444 races, ex-Grit captain BONNIE CROMBIE is soaking up the most media coverage at 45 per cent of news appearances compared to incumbent Mayor CAROLYN PARRISH at 26 per cent. ALVIN TEDJO netted nearly 17 per cent while DIPIKA DAMERLA came in at roughly 12 per cent.

Go deeper: “A new poll from Liaison Strategies, conducted after an “out of control” debate last Thursday, found that if the vote were held today, 22 per cent of Missis…

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LINE-BY-LINE TAKEDOWNS

Oppo critics took a fine-tooth comb to the Public Accounts and are raising eyebrows at what they say are sketchy payouts from the Ford government. Meanwhile, the Liberal leadership shifts into high gear as the contenders chase 55,000 ballots and the cash competition tightens. And things got nasty at last night’s mayoral debate in Mississauga.

CASH QUESTIONS — The Health Ministry shelled out more than $2 million to consulting giant McKinsey & Company in fiscal 2025-26, per the latest receipts in the Public Accounts.

The line item was buried under the vague heading of “other payments,” which offers no specifics about the contract — and Health Minister SYLVIA JONES didn’t offer an explanation when pressed by Global News.

And while McKinsey is not new to the province’s Health file, this hefty spend is giving opposition plenty of ammo. Interim Liberal chief JOHN FRASER demanded to know whether the firm was part of DOUG FORD’s “swat team” — …

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THE LIBERAL RACE SHRINKS AGAIN

Another Liberal leadership candidate is stepping out of the ring.

ERIC LOMBARDI, the dark horse contender who framed his candidacy as that of an outsider who doesn’t toe the traditional party line — so much so that he attracted Tory members and donors — is backing out and throwing his support behind sitting MPP candidate LEE FAIRCLOUGH.

Lombardi hasn’t been afraid to, ahem, get cheeky on social media and beyond — including going after reporters for a lack of coverage on the so-called “boring” leadership race, then going viral for a debate clip in which he said Premier DOUG FORD “spread cheeks” for U.S. prez DONALD TRUMP.

While his platform (the only fully costed so far), unconventional campaign and online persona helped him gain prominence in the relatively sleepy race, Lombardi reportedly acknowledged that his social media “blunders” factored into his decision to bow out.

“I always knew that running as a young, unelected candi…

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CABINET OFFICE CASH CONTROL

First in Observer — The Ford government has quietly rewritten the rules governing how Ontario’s most senior civil servants receive certain pay bumps, ditching the rigid formulas in favour of bureaucratic discretion.

According to a recent Order in Council — approved by Premier DOUG FORD and his executive council — Cabinet Secretary MICHELLE DiEMANUELE will now have direct, unilateral authority to determine annual performance-based salary increases for Deputy Ministers, ranging from zero to four per cent.

That means “no fixed percentages shall be applied based on individual performance ratings for the purposes of calculating deputy minister in-range movement” — bureaucratic speak for permanent salary increases within a pay band — according to the OIC.

Cabinet Office spokesperson KRISTINE BUNKER framed the change as one that will “ensure strong performance and fiscal accountability,” adding that it will be “managed within existing …

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THE SHUFFLE HITS THE PREMIER’S OFFICE

First in Observer — The post-cabinet-shuffle switcheroo has reached DOUG FORD’s own office.

Recall: Two weeks ago, I told y’all about four chiefs-of-staff moves. Now, the Premier’s chief TRAVIS KANN has sent around a memo laying out another round of chief appointments, plus a big change in Ford’s inner circle. Who’s who:

In PO: MICHAEL KLIMUNTOWSKI is making a comeback as deputy chief of staff for policy and delivery. Klimuntowski has been around since day one of this government — he cut his teeth at Trade, then led issues management in PO, served as chief to the ministers of Long-Term Care, Municipal Affairs and Housing, and most recently worked as chief to then-Treasury Board Presidents CAROLINE MULRONEY and PETER BETHLENFALVY.

Kann had high praise for his returning staffer, who officially joins after the Thanksgiving weekend, calling Klimuntowski “an exemplary model of a political public servant: hard-working, collegial, disciplined, discreet, adaptable, strategic and thoughtful.”

And he’s not the only one. One Tory insider tells me Klimuntowski’s got a “very good policy brain.”

His recruitment comes as Ford loses another key policy head: KEVIN LYNCH, who led major projects, infrastructure, natural resources and industries policy. Lynch is also an OG staffer — (with a wicked sense of humour, as noted by Kann) — working the Small Business and Treasury Board files before handling policy in PO circa 2022. He’s now headed for the private sector.

Earlier this month, Ford said goodbye to his executive director of policy, GIANCARLO DA-RÉ, and Klimuntowski appears to be the first deputy CoS of policy hired since RAHUL BEDI left last year.

That’s a lot of change in not a lot of time when it comes to policy in PO.

What’s not changing: ALYSSA BEST, Ford’s widely praised head of budget, health and social policy, and ADAM WALLACE, head of economic and fiscal strategy and policy, are sticking around.

As for the nine new chiefs:

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PASSING THE UNION TORCH

First in Observer — DAVE BULMER is hanging up his hat as president and CEO of AMAPCEO.

After 12 years leading the union that represents nearly 17,000 civil servants across provincial government, Bulmer says it’s time for a “brand new generation of leadership” that can bring “fresh energy, innovative ideas, and a renewed connection to the evolving needs of our members.”

His choice of words has raised a few eyebrows inside the union.

Enter CYNTHIA WATT, Bulmer’s longtime vice-president who was also a senior policy adviser at the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Word on the street is that Watt is widely expected to run for AMAPCEO’s top post — which makes Bulmer’s call for fresh blood a curious one.

As one union member mused: Was that “perhaps a subtle knock” against his longtime running mate? Some folks in AMAPCEO circles are certainly reading it that way, but Bulmer’s farewell note didn’t name a preferred successor.

One thing’s…

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Premier DOUG FORD’s inner circle huddles at Queen’s Park today to talk about the tariff war and what appears to be its latest casualty — a delay in Volkswagen’s production plans for St. Thomas. A slew of Ministers will scrum with reporters during cabinet ins and outs.

But first: There’s loads of juicy numbers to sink our teeth into after the release of the Public Accounts.

Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY and new Treasury Board President KINGA SURMA put out the annual receipts on Thursday, which show actual spending for fiscal 2025-26.

Highlights — RED INK: The Ford government’s ever-elusive promise to balance the books continues to get punted down the line. And don’t hold your breath for the Fall Economic Statement, which is due out by November 15 — Bethlenfalvy suggests it’ll be deficits for the foreseeable.

“While deficits are not desirable in the long run, they reflect the world we are in,” he told reporters. “The world has changed, global economic conditions ar…

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POLL WATCH — The PCs are still sitting pretty amid a summer Trump bump in the polls, and while the Liberals aren’t far behind, the leadership contest is morphing into a wild card.

That’s the upshot from fresh polling from Liaison Strategies this morning, which suggests that Premier DOUG FORD’s rebound is holding.

By the numbers: 40% of decided and leaning voters would pick the PCs if an election were held today, versus 34 per cent who would vote for the leaderless Grits, 21 per cent for the NDP, and 2 per cent for the Greens.

Ford’s approval had edged up ever so slightly — to 38 per cent from 36 per cent in August — while disapproval is down to 59 per cent (from 61 per cent). Seventy per cent still believe the province is moving in the wrong direction. So, while Ford seems to have recovered from his government’s expense scandal, the majority are still unhappy with the job he’s doing as Premier.

Which brings us to the Grits. The Liberal brand is still going stro…

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Yesterday’s International Plowing Match in Walkerton featured all the trappings of a county fair, complete with cows, cowboy hats and, naturally, some good ol’ fashioned political mudslinging. Spotted:

— GASSED UP: Premier DOUG FORD used his time at the podium to pump up his love and support for farmers and rural Ontario — but the Opposition says there’s much more to be done when it comes to alleviating cost pressures.

Specifically: the rising price of diesel amid the war in Iran. While the province is upping its $150-million risk management program to $250M next year, farmers and critics say they need relief now. “Several farmers said they feel like the federal and provincial governments have forgotten about them, and are asking for help to lower operational costs as most farm equipment uses diesel as fuel.” Per the Canadian Press.

Rural residents are also looking for more protections for farmland and wetlands — while Ford is touting his proposed Northern Shield pipeline that…

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MPPs are trekking to Walkerton for the annual International Plowing Match, a big to-do in Ontario politics in which politicians swap their suits for Stetsons, climb aboard tractors and compete to carve the straightest furrow, all in pursuit of wooing rural votes.

All party leaders will take the stage, and with municipal elections just over a month away, expect plenty of promises aimed beyond Toronto’s borders.

The IPM may look like a county fair — but for provincial politicians, it’s a strong gauge of rural sentiment. There’s a reason the Legislature traditionally clears its calendar for it: showing up beyond the big cities still counts, and so does the reception.

Just ask KATHLEEN WYNNE. The then-premier was booed at the 2016 match by farmers and rural residents furious over soaring hydro bills and a growing sense that Queen’s Park wasn’t listening. In hindsight, it looked like an early foreshadowing of the Liberals’ electoral wipeout two years later.

Fast forward a decade…

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READ BETWEEN THE WALK-BACKS

Premier DOUG FORD is doing damage control after seemingly giving Toronto Mayor OLIVIA CHOW his blessing for another term — and rattling some members of the Tory clan in the process.

At an announcement featuring the pair last Wednesday, Ford had praised their “phenomenal relationship” and said Chow was doing an “incredible job” when asked about an endorsement. He told reporters to “read between the lines.”

And plenty did. That includes Chow’s main challenger, BRAD BRADFORD, who quickly branded it as a full-on endorsement and argued that Chow has been easy for Ford to push around: “She’s the easiest negotiation he ever had.”

But by Thursday evening — more than a day after Ford’s quasi-endorsement — the Premier’s Office was insisting Ford hadn’t actually endorsed anyone and that he wouldn’t be picking a horse in Toronto’s mayoral race (unlike, say, in Mississauga, where Ford has voiced support for incumbent CAROLYN PARRISH over e…

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PROGRAMMING NOTE: This is the last edition for the week. See you bright and early Monday, assuming nothing collapses.

FORD HOLDS FORTH

It’s been a hot minute since Premier DOUG FORD held a formal presser. Here’s what went down at the podium on Wednesday…

On Housing Minister ROB FLACK’s threat to municipalities that they could lose funding if they don’t follow “Buy Ontario” procurement policies: “I just want to reinforce it. We have a rule: buy Ontario first, Canada second,” Ford said. “It’s a shame that I even have to put that out after you know, saying it about 10 million times…get with the program — buy Canadian.”

NDP Leader MARIT STILES isn’t, ahem, buying it. “Ontario’s new subway cars: built in Maryland. Our highway maintenance: Texas. Our teachers’ supplies: Staples. You awarded $140M at Mississauga’s new hospital to a U.S. firm and sent WSIB work to Boston. Premier, if Buy Ontario is the law, you’re breaking it.”

Ford — who doesn’t always stick to his pledge to stay out of munic…

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LABOUR PAINS — Oppo critics are zeroing in on the departure of embattled ex-Labour minister DAVID PICCINI’s chief of staff amid an ethics probe into Piccini’s handling of the Skills Development Fund.

Global News has the latest on the chiefs shuffle that I scooped for y’all yesterday.

As regular readers will know, Premier DOUG FORD decided not to hold out for the Integrity Commissioner’s hotly anticipated SDF report and went ahead and shuffled Piccini from Labour to the high-profile Infrastructure file last week. That got his critics riled up, with some calling it a “middle finger” and just plain “hubris.”

Now, as Piccini’s former chief of staff KYLE FRITZ makes for the exit, critics are again accusing the Premier of trying to get out ahead of the hot-potato ethics report.

As Liberal JOHN FRASER put it to Global: the Premier wants “it all to go away.”

“They’re hoping by shuffling the deck, shuffling some chiefs out [that] it’s all going to go away. Everyone’s going to forge…

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First comes the cabinet shuffle, then comes the chiefs of staff switcheroo. This time around, it’s a mini shakeup from the Premier’s Office, hitting four key ministries.

I got my hands on the internal memo from DOUG FORD’s chief TRAVIS KANN, which frames the shuffle as one that puts Ontario on “long-term footing to protect workers, businesses and communities from the impacts of President TRUMP’s tariffs.”

The roster:

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DOUG FORD’s Friday cabinet shuffle which vaulted embattled minister DAVID PICCINI to the high-profile Infrastructure file is taking plenty of flak. But does anyone beyond the bubble actually care?

CTV political analyst SCOTT REID doesn’t see the move hurting the Teflon Premier — for now.

Sure, the promotion was a “middle finger” to the Opposition, media and anyone else asking “tough questions” about the Skills Development Fund controversy that has landed ex-Labour minister Piccini under the microscope of the Integrity Commish.

But but but: “It hasn’t penetrated to people and it has not caused one drop of sweat off of Doug Ford’s forehead. So if it doesn’t cause him political discomfort, if it doesn’t threaten him politically, then he is not going to respond,” Reid says.

Star columnist MARTIN REGG COHN says it’s just plain “hubris.”

“How else to explain his hubris, arrogance and defiance this week when unveiling a bloated, bloviating, 37-member cabinet — the biggest i…

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We called it! — The hotly anticipated cabinet shuffle went down Thursday, featuring some fresh blood, familiar faces and new portfolios. Here’s what you need to know.

Perhaps the biggest storyline of the day was DAVID PICCINI getting schlepped from Labour over to Infrastructure. That’s at least a lateral move or arguably even a promotion for the Minister who’s been taking flak for his handing of the Skills Development Fund and who is currently the subject of an ethics probe.

Critics were quick to pounce.

Liberal interim leader JOHN FRASER accused Premier DOUG FORD of “protect(ing) his own. Piccini is under investigation over millions — so Ford put him in charge of billions.”

NDP captain MARIT STILES said Piccini’s “track record shows he can't be trusted with public dollars and contracts.” and that the shuffle is “a desperate act by a flailing Premier.” With no one getting turfed, “Ontario continues to have the largest cabinet in history, doing as little as possible for the…

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