Late nights, legal fights and Liberal bites

Spotted: Grit crashers

QUEEN’S PARK AFTER DARK

The Ford government is once again keeping MPPs at Queen’s Park late into the night to push through a pair of political hot potatoes.

Bill 101, the government’s school board overhaul, was debated into the wee hours earlier this week before clearing a third-reading vote Wednesday thanks to the PC majority. Among other things, it gives Queen’s Park more authority over school boards and the newly created CEO position, and reins in trustees. It’s awaiting Royal Assent.

Next up is Bill 100, the PCs regional governance bill, which was also debated late Wednesday and is now teed up for a third-reading vote after today’s Question Period. That bill would give the Municipal Affairs Minister of the day sweeping new powers over elected regional councils, including authority to appoint and remove heads of council.

But, the bills mark another round of late-night legislating and truncated debate and committee hearings from a government wielding its majority to move quickly on c…