Speaker OKs committee grillings, Simcoe gets a heavyweight
And Ford chief's first huddle
Brought to you by the Ontario Pharmacists Association
Cheat sheet: The Speaker has sided with Oppo critics when it comes to summertime meetings of the committee that vets government appointments, the Premier’s new(ish) chief of staff is hosting his first chiefs-wide huddle, and the PCs confirmed my scoop about a star contender for the York-Simcoe byelection. Meanwhile, BONNIE CROMBIE still isn’t saying much about her expected bid for Mississauga Mayor — but her rivals aren’t holding back. A protester is shaken up after getting bumped by a junior PC minister’s vehicle. And the NDP wants the Integrity Commish to look into an ex-Ford staffer’s too-close-for-comfort move to a mining giant. Let’s get to it.
First in Observer — NO REST FOR THE COMMITTEE — The “friends and donors” committee lives to grill another day.
Speaker DONNA SKELLY has settled the summertime turf war at the Standing Committee on Government Agencies — and it’s a win for Oppo MPPs trying to keep Ford government appointees in the hot seat.
To wit: The PCs tried to block the committee from meeting over the summer. The Speaker took a hard pass. Buckle up: this one’s for the procedural wonks.
I got my hands on Skelly’s ruling, which landed after government MPPs appealed Liberal committee chair MARY-MARGARET McMAHON’s decision allowing SCGA to sit over the break.
How it started: Liberal STEPHANIE SMYTH — who has taken to calling SCGA DOUG FORD’s “friends and donors” committee — had teamed up with NDPer WAYNE GATES on the three-member subcommittee to set the summer schedule. Since the subcommittee only needs two of three members to agree, the PCs were outnumbered.
The counterpunch: PC LAURA SMITH moved to rule the subcommittee’s decision out of order, with the government side arguing this particular committee does not typically meet during legislative recesses. Opposition critics accused the PCs of trying to dodge uncomfortable questions about who is getting appointed to provincial agencies, boards and commissions — and how.
McMahon rejected the PC challenge, pointing to a lack of precedence. PC WILL BOUMA promptly appealed to the Speaker, who has the final word.
Skelly sided with McMahon. It’s pretty simple: Subcommittees always set the calendar, and there’s no history of that ever being overruled by the broader committee.
“As they are created by the House, committees have no power to amend or suspend the application of orders of reference or Standing Orders,” the rulebook for procedure and decorum, Skelly wrote. “I find that the Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies was correct in her ruling that the motion moved by the Member for Thornhill [Smith] was out of order and I confirm that decision.”
That said, Skelly left the door open to a detente, noting the subcommittee can rejig the calendar. “Perhaps there is a schedule that would suit the members of the Committee better, and I encourage them to work together to find a solution that will be satisfactory to everyone,” she wrote.
Smyth is claiming the W. “This is a win for the people of Ontario. More transparency surrounding the people who are being appointed to key government agencies, committees, and boards. Given that the government has continuously extended their breaks, it’s important that committees such as these regularly meet to discuss business and hold the government to account where we can,” she texted.
Now what? SCGA is set to deal with the Speaker’s decision when it meets this morning. Also on the docket: ROB FRANCIS, a member of the Ontario Honours Advisory Council, will be front and centre.
Why it matters: SCGA can’t veto appointments either way, that’s up to the Premier and Cabinet. But it is one of the few places where MPPs can publicly grill would-be appointees about how they got their gigs. Earlier this month, they exposed a pair of appointees who had donated thousands to the PCs and applied for their positions after being encouraged to do so by ministers.
We called it! — LAHEY’S IN — It’s official: SUSAN LAHEY will fly the PC banner in the hopes of keeping York-Simcoe blue.
The PCs announced the candidate appointment yesterday, confirming my scoop from earlier this week. Lahey is a councillor in East Gwillimbury, a small business owner, and president of the local riding association.
That gives her an edge when it comes to organization and name recognition. She’s also got the blessing of former longtime MPP and Cabinet minister CAROLINE MULRONEY, whose resignation triggered the byelection.
And while Lahey still hasn’t called me back, she’s been getting loads of praise from chatty insiders who say she checks all their boxes.
“People like her and she knows the riding. She’ll be hard to beat. The question is by how much (can she win)?” one Tory organizer said earlier this week.
The PCs have had a rough go in the polls and headlines, and while they’re expected to hold on to the seat, the victory margin will be a solid gauge of just how much political capital the ruling party has left. “Will anyone be paying attention? You know how it is with summer byelections,” they added.
Ford has until December 2 to call the byelection, but it could be held in tandem with Scarborough Southwest, which must be called by August 5. The PCs are holding an open nomination July 9 to pick their contender in that long-shot riding (scooped here).
CHIEFS ASSEMBLE — TRAVIS KANN is rallying the troops.
Premier DOUG FORD’s chief of staff is hosting a meeting of ministerial chiefs this afternoon — a notable first for Kann since he took up the mantle from PATRICK SACKVILLE, who is now at Sussex Strategy (you read it here first!).
As far as one chief of staff can remember, it’s the first in-person huddle in a year, maybe longer. “It’s exciting,” they said.
After months of major turnover in the PO and across government — which regular readers will know all about — Kann seems to be settling the waters and is getting rave reviews from the folks he’s been steering since March.
“Travis has been very available by phone and text to chiefs and ministers. His presence is felt and seen. Quick to provide a steer,” said one senior staffer.
The Premier’s new command centre has had somewhat of a rough hazing after a bumpy stretch this spring. It includes IVANA YELICH, who has returned as principal secretary (scooped here) — a move that insiders said would bring more discipline to Ford’s bull-in-a-china-shop approach.
A message from the Ontario Pharmacists Association
Unlock Pharmacy’s Full Potential: Ontario’s pharmacists are ready to help ease the primary care crisis
Ontario is experiencing a primary care crisis, and ready-made solutions are needed to ease pressure on the health care system. Pharmacists are highly trained, accessible providers located in nearly every community, and most Ontarians already see them regularly.
To maintain this high level of patient support and reduce strain on other parts of the system, the pharmacy sector requires a sustainable financial framework. The provincial dispensing fee has not seen an increase since 2014, straining the ability of pharmacies to operate. By modernizing this fee and funding the services pharmacists already provide — like prescription renewals and adaptations — government can immediately improve patient access to care. Resourcing these services would help patients stay on essential medications without interruption and reduce unnecessary visits to physicians and walk-in clinics — particularly for those without a regular provider.
At the same time, there is an opportunity to further expand pharmacists’ scope of practice so they can prescribe all vaccines, administer all publicly funded vaccines, and deliver more chronic disease management such as initiating prescriptions, therapeutic substitutions, ordering lab tests, and offering additional point-of-care testing. Many of these changes have already been adopted in other provinces and Ontario has an opportunity to realize these same system wide benefits. By expanding pharmacists’ scope, pharmacy can play a bigger role in the primary care system and deliver more care to help address growing gaps in the health care system.
To learn more, visit YourPharmacyCares.ca.
HAPPENING TODAY
DOUG FORD’S THURSDAY — The Premier is expected to make an (unconfirmed) cameo at the funeral for fallen OPP officer TARUN BALI in Mississauga.
9:30 a.m.: NDPer KRISTYN WONG-TAM is in the Media Studio to pump up private member’s Bill 135, the Swahili Heritage Month Act.
10 a.m.: The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance and the Ontario Autism Coalition are hosting a virtual town hall to hear what parents of students with disabilities need in the classroom.
12 p.m.: Information and Privacy Commissioner PATRICIA KOSSEIM will deliver a keynote to Transparency International Canada’s virtual AGM.
6 p.m.: Liberal leadership contenders NAVDEEP BAINS, ERIC LOMBARDI, LEE FAIRCLOUGH and ROB CERJANEC at a Filipino-Canadian Community Townhall at Soulpepper Theatre. Invite.
FUNDRAISING WATCH — 5:30 p.m.: Back-to-back fundraisers from the PCs, featuring STEPHEN LECCE and MICHELLE COOPER at a $500-event in Toronto and a World Cup watch party with STEPHEN CRAWFORD in Oakville for $500 a pop.
CLIPPINGS
— BONNIE BUZZ: Would-be mayoral contender BONNIE CROMBIE is still keeping tight-lipped on her expected bid in Mississauga (you read it here first!), telling CP24 she’s “considering options” and will have more to say in the “coming weeks.” But with opponents already ripping into her comeback, she might be getting cold feet.
“She quit to do something else, and she’s currently treating the city like a backup plan and a consolation prize,” ALVIN TEDJO told JOHN MOORE on Newstalk 1010.
“Mississauga is looking ahead, and so am I,” said DIPIKA DAMERLA. Read on.
— HOLLAND HIT: “Coming into physical contact with [Associate Forestry Minister] KEVIN HOLLAND’s car came as a bit of a surprise, DAN DUBRAY said Tuesday. Video recorded at the scene shows a vehicle driven by Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan, move forward slowly and hit Dubray’s right leg as the union member was protesting on Hewitson Street.” Full story.
