Ontario Legislature Prorogued
The provincial government has decided to give itself a new lease on life by proroguing the House and introducing a new Throne Speech March 8. This marks the beginning of a new Parliamentary session. As expected, the prorogation will be brief, lasting for Friday, plus a weekend. The old session ends the afternoon of March 4. The new one begins Monday, March 8.
A Throne Speech traditionally receives wide media attention and lets a government declare its priorities for the foreseeable future. Many old pieces of legislation that haven’t been passed by March 4th will expire. For example, most private members’ bills will need to be re-introduced. That being said, I expect bills dealing with Ontario pension reforms, full-day kindergartens and new regulations for energy retailers will proceed into the new session without interruption.
In my view, the real reason for the Throne Speech is to divert the focus away from issues such as the eHealth scandal, the $24.7 billion deficit, and the Harmonized Sales Tax. In a speech last week, the Ontario Premier revealed Ontarians can expect a five-year plan to get Ontario back on track. Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has acknowledged that the province lost 252,000 manufacturing jobs in the last year. The unemployment rate currently stands at 9.2 per cent. The McGuinty government is often asked about the possibility of so-called “Dalton Days” in which civil servants would take unpaid days off to help rein in spending. Finance Minister Dwight Duncan was quoted last week as saying no decision has been taken on this idea.
Statistics Canada figures confirm that this government’s job crisis began before the global recession touched Ontario. When the McGuinty government took office, there were 1,072,800 manufacturing jobs in Ontario. Today there are only 793,800. This means more than one out of every four manufacturing workers has been left unemployed.
This government is essentially, attempting to “change the channel” by proroguing the House. As a member of the Official Opposition, I can assure you we will do everything possible to ensure this government can prorogue, but it can’t hide. The concerns over accountability and the economy that dominated the past parliamentary session will follow this government into the new session.
Government Dismisses Public Watchdogs
Ontario’s Ombudsman, André Marin, has been a strong voice for accountability at Queen’s Park. Many will recall that his report exposed insider winnings at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Most recently, he recommended ending the “absurd and indefensible” cap on funding of the anti-cancer drug, Avastin. In addition to annual reports on many complaints brought to his attention, the Ombudsman tabled 16 special reports on topics such as private career colleges, the administration of Newborn Screening Programs, Property Assessment, and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. The Ombudsman had recently been investigating the unelected bureaucracy running a Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).
The Ontario Ombudsman was very effective at communicating his findings. He included postings on Facebook and Twitter to keep Ontarians informed.
In a speech last fall to the Economic Club of Toronto, he said: “I have investigated enough examples of acute maladministration to know conclusively that the problem of ABC (Agencies, Boards and Commissions) accountability is not confined to just a few rogue agencies. It is a symptom of a widespread, systemic failure.” My guess is that the Ontario Ombudsman was doing too good a job.
The second victim is Ontario Environmental Commissioner, Gord Miller. In my view, he is also not being reappointed because he dared to criticize the McGuinty government’s inaction on the environment.
Officially, the McGuinty government is declining to renew their contracts and inviting the Ombudsman and the Environmental Commissioner to join all other candidates in applying for their old jobs. But, it doesn’t take an ombudsman to notice a connection between the fact that both officials have criticized the government and both have not had their contracts renewed. Given the government’s record on eHealth and similar lapses in spending of public funds and accountability, we need the integrity, independence and experience of both public watchdogs if they are willing to serve.
Know Your Rights When Planning a Trip
Travellers are encouraged to book with a travel agency registered with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO). That way, if you don’t receive the travel services you paid for due to the bankruptcy or insolvency of a registered travel retailer, wholesaler or an airline or cruise line, you can claim for a reimbursement of up to $5,000 per person from the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund. Remember that TICO-registered travel agents are required to disclose terms, conditions, and penalties before selling travel services to you. More information about the Travel Industry Council of Ontario is available www.tico.ca
A SALUTE TO OUR OLYMPIANS – Congratulations to Durham Olympian, Matt Morison, of Burketon, who finished 11th in the Parallel Giant Slalom on the weekend. His teammate Jasey Jay Anderson’s victory in the event was one of the crowning moments of the games. However, it was disappointing that fog blocked the visibility for competitors and spectators in this event. Thanks to all Olympians for inspiring us, for bringing Canadians together in celebration and for serving as such outstanding ambassadors for Canada.
