Day 1 drama: Hot heckles, hard power plays

Ford drops the A-word

ABOVE THE FOLD

THE DIN AND THE DRAMA — There was no easing into the first Question Period in 102 days, with Opposition laying into the government on freedom-of-information and beyond. The Speaker doled out warnings like nobody’s business — the Premier even cursed! — while dashing the NDP’s latest attempt to bring DOUG FORD’s cellphone records into the light. In true Ford form, the Premier hogged the spotlight from the House, making waves at his morning announcement at Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport. Let’s dig in.

NDP Leader MARIT STILES hammered Ford on his decision to shield himself and his front bench from FOI laws, but her hopes of getting the Premier’s personal cellphone records is dead on arrival.

Stiles and the NDP tried to go the procedural route, tabling a motion to request a Speaker’s warrant to compel the documents. It’s something the Legislature last used to open the financial books on Laurentian University during a dispute with the Auditor General.

But, and it’s a biggie: As…