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How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
Got 5+ on your team? Team subscriptions are available. Got a client with a message to reach the province’s most powerful players? Ask for our ad rates. Reach out.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now.
How much did your MPP spend — and on what? Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court over her firing. The Liberals head to Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Plus, the Tories trek to Niagara for a round of golf. But to start:
Seen: Olivia Chow met with Nate Erskine-Smith at a hotel near Toronto City Hall on Friday.
A spokesperson for Toronto’s mayor said the two met to “catch up,” but noted that the mayor has recently met with some of Erskine-Smith’s colleagues to talk about “shared priorities around housing, transit and safety.”
Cue the speculation: Now that Erskine-Smith is set to exit federal politics — he’s hosting a farewell event later this month — could City Hall be next? Behind the scenes, some around Erskine-Smith have been encouraging him to consider a run in the Beaches. (Should he run, he’d face former CTV News reporter Natalie Johnson and seven other would-be councillors.)
Yet some around Erskine-Smith aren’t ready to move on. In a Saturday email asking supporters to chip in to his leadership exploration, two Erskine-Smith volunteers wrote: “If you believe Ontario needs principled leaders willing to challenge the status quo, we’d be grateful if you’d consider showing your support... Your support sends a powerful message that this work matters and should continue.”
Erskine-Smith, meanwhile, has remained publicly silent since losing his appeal in Scarborough Southwest.
SCOOP — The biggest spenders, revealed: Annual MPP expense disclosures are out. Here’s who spent the most — and where the money went.
— No one spent more than: Guy Bourgouin, who spent a total of $497,018 last year.
Then: George Darouze (Carleton) at $492,166, Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) at $480,670, Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) at $479,841 and Rob Flack (Elgin-Middlesex-London) at $479,201.
— Most expensive commute: Greg Rickford at $45,642 in travel between Kenora-Rainy River and Toronto.
— Most expensive in-riding travel: Sol Mamakwa at $51,827 travelling within Kiiwetinoong.
— Most expensive accommodations in Toronto: Doug Downey, Jill Dunlop, Rob Flack, Kevin Holland, Zee Hamid, Neil Lumsden, Todd McCarthy, David Piccini, Nolan Quinn and Greg Rickford each claimed their full $31,740 allowance.
Tyler Allsopp, Will Bouma, Guy Bourgouin, Jeff Burch, Monica Ciriello, Lorne Coe, Lucille Collard, George Darouze, Jess Dixon, Andrew Dowie, Catherine Fife, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, John Jordan, Anthony Leardi, Sol Mamakwa, Karen McCrimmon, Chandra Pasma, Natalie Pierre, Steve Pinsonneault, Matthew Rae, Bill Rosenberg, Stéphane Sarrazin, Peggy Sattler, Brian Saunderson, Sandy Shaw, Dave Smith, John Vanthof and Tyler Watt hit their $30,740 cap on accommodation expenses.
— Most expensive salary budget: Guy Bourgouin at $382,172 in staff salaries.
— Most expensive constituency office: Sheref Sabawy at $83,944 in rent.
— Most expensive operations budget: Donna Skelly at $184,544.
— Most expensive communications operation: Jonathan Tsao at $108,712.
Yazdani v. Rogers — Former CityNews reporter Tina Yazdani is taking Rogers to court.
Recall: CityNews cut ties with Yazdani — now with The Trillium — in April, while at least two of her stories about the Ford government had vanished from their website without explanation. At the time, a spokesperson acknowledged her departure, but wouldn’t say why she was let go, or why the stories were taken down.
Now, Yazdani is alleging wrongful dismissal. In a statement of claim, Yazdani says Rogers fired her for cause without notice or severance, claiming her reporting style was “inappropriate, unnecessarily confrontational with politicians, and violated Rogers’ journalistic standards.”
What happened: According to Yazdani, the dispute began in December, when she was sent to question Premier Doug Ford about the Skills Development Fund. Ford’s press conference ended before Yazdani had a chance to ask her question, so she tried to catch him on his way to his car. That footage was later used in a story reporting that Ford had refused to take questions. Yazdani says it was reviewed and approved before it went to air.
That’s when the trouble started. A month later, Yazdani was called into a meeting with two managers, Jessica Bruno and Brendan O’Mahony — and told the story was “a serious breach of journalistic standards and unnecessarily confrontational in both tone and approach.” The story was removed from all platforms, and Yazdani was issued a formal warning.
The message, according to Yazdani: The alleged breach was “very serious,” and the concerns were coming from senior management.
Second: In March, Yazdani reported on a tense exchange with Education Minister Paul Calandra during a scrum, in which he told her not to interrupt him. According to Yazdani, she included video of the interaction in her story because it provided important context about how Calandra had conducted himself.
Déjà vu. Two days later, management allegedly informed her that including the exchange constituted another “serious breach of journalistic standards.” That story was also removed.
Days later, she was fired. Rogers terminated Yazdani for cause, alleging she had engaged in a “deliberate pattern” of violating both the company’s news policy and social media policy. According to Yazdani, Rogers argued the alleged breaches had caused irreparable damage to the employment relationship.
Yazdani’s response: The allegations are “outrageously misleading and patently false,” she claims, noting that both stories at the centre of the dispute had passed through Rogers’ approval process before publication and alleging the company sought to retroactively characterize her reporting as misconduct.
The ask: Yazdani is seeking more than $650,000 in damages, including 18 months’ pay in lieu of notice, $250,000 in moral and aggravated damages and another $250,000 in punitive damages.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Rogers has yet to file a statement of defence.
In a statement, Yazdani’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, called Rogers’ allegations “categorically false” and argued the stories at the centre of the dispute were reviewed and approved through the broadcaster’s editorial process before publication.
“My client was a dedicated and well-respected employee for eight years and Rogers fired her because it didn’t like her coverage of the Ontario legislature," Marshall said. “We look forward to the truth coming out in court and holding Rogers accountable.”
Rogers did not respond to a request for comment.
— The House is out. Not that anyone’s counting, but T-141 days until the fall session.
Also happening:
— Noted: The Liberals will be out canvassing in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek on Saturday. The riding is currently held by PC MPP Neil Lumsden, who is weighing retirement.
Also: The party’s executive council is set to gather Thursday for a retreat. (The June meeting was cancelled.)
— Fundraising watch: Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto. At 7 p.m., Liberal leader John Fraser and Ahsanul Hafiz will headline a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Scarborough.
On Wednesday at noon, the Tories are hosting a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
At 5 p.m., Housing Minister Rob Flack and Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid will headline a $750-a-ticket fundraiser in Milton.
Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Tories will host a $500-a-ticket fundraiser in Timmins.
Back in Toronto, the Tories are hosting yet another $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser.
On Thursday at 5 p.m., former Premier Kathleen Wynne will headline a $150-a-ticket fundraiser in Kitchener.
At 5:30 p.m., Premier Doug Ford and Hamid will headline a $1,000-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.
— 🍴 On the lunch menu: Monday: Barbecued jerk chicken with rice and coleslaw. Tuesday: Ginger beef with rice and vegetables. Wednesday: Pork schnitzel with spaetzle and vegetables. Thursday: Fish and chips. Friday: Peri Peri chicken with potatoes and vegetables.
— Know a seventh or eighth grader? Applications to become a Legislative Page are due next Monday. (For full disclosure: I was once a page. No, you can't see the photo.)
— Mr. Ford goes to Washington: “With the looming deadline for a mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that covers about 85 per cent of trade, Ford is hosting a reception Monday with Ross Perot Jr.” The Star has more.
Brian Lilley writes: “As he lands in Washington on Monday morning, Carney, his cabinet and more than a few provincial premiers are worried about what Ford will say and do.”
— Cabinet watch: “With MPPs gone for the summer, Ford should by now be wrestling with the task he hates most as premier: a serious cabinet shuffle to plug the holes and prune the excess — not pad the payrolls,” says Martin Regg Cohn. “Instead, the premier blinked and then looked the other way Friday.”
— Who got the money? “Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent $465 million more on Ontario Student Assistance Program grants, and 95 per cent of that went to private career college students.”
— Not a fan: When Greg Sorbara heard about Doug Ford’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport, he wrote to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin for help. He’s still waiting for a reply — and growing increasingly frustrated, writes Steve Paikin.
— Tough crop: Anxiety and depression continue to take a toll on Ontario farmers, new data shows. More here.
— Think things are slowing down? Stephen Alder says the real political action is just beginning.
— Seen: Niagara played host to some in the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday for a voluntary, self-funded day on the links.
A group of New Democrats made it out to the Blue Jays-Orioles game Friday night.
Peter Bethlenfalvy and Natalia Kusendova-Bashta at their swearing-in ceremony. Kusendova-Bashta, pictured with her son, wrote: “No matter what titles I may pick up, mom is the most important one of all.”
About 150 supporters gathered in Ajax for Rob Cerjanec’s leadership campaign launch on Saturday.
— Noted: Dipika Damerla has entered the race to become Mississauga’s next mayor.
She said: “This campaign is about restoring confidence in local government and bringing people together around a shared vision for Mississauga’s future. My belief in this city has never wavered. Mississauga’s best days are still ahead of us, and with the right leadership, we can build a city that is more transparent, more affordable, safer, and better prepared for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
— Noted: Kory Teneycke says Pierre Poilievre is “applying to be A-hole in chief.”
Brad Bradford contrasting Toronto’s FIFA deal with New York’s, where 1,000 World Cup tickets will be available to residents for $50.
AI has entered the chat.
— Hired: André Ashley Ducasse is joining the Superior Court of Justice as an associate judge.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. Where’s Nate Erskine-Smith? What are you keeping an eye on this summer? Hit me up — anonymity guaranteed, just like those sources you’re wondering about. We’re back in your inbox on Monday.
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