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First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.
First in POLICORNER — The top spenders, revealed — MPP expense disclosures are out. We dug into the document to track who billed what for rent, personnel, travel and more since last year.
The highlights:
— Here’s who led the charge in spending:
— On travel: Mamakwa, representing the province’s top-end riding, had the most expensive commute, with $45,585. Greg Rickford (Kenora—Rainy River) came second with $32,381. Bourgouin came second at $26,819. Stephen Blais (Orléans) spent $20,959 and Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan) spent $20,080.
Travel inside Kiiwetinoong doesn’t come cheap. Mamakwa spent $111,553. Bourgouin spent $31,909, followed by Holland at $8,972, Gélinas at $8,016 and Anthony Leardi at $7,515.
— Staying in Toronto will cost you. The accommodation limit: $29,990 for MPPs, $30,990 for cabinet. Here’s who came closest to the cap:
Add these names to the big-bill bunch:
— At $379,200, Guy Bourgouin was the biggest spender on salaries. Close behind are Wayne Gates, Jessica Bell, Dolly Begum and Kristyn Wong-Tam.
— The priciest constituency rent goes to Sheref Sabawy, with $81,927. George Pirie spent $80,800.
— Donna Skelly spent the most on operations, at $170,726.
— At $106,875, Vic Fedeli rang up the highest communications spend. Christine Hogarth spent $106,429. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta spent $102,975. Andrea Khanjin and Stephen Lecce spent $63,906 and $61,914.
— The House is out for a 137-day summer break. The fall session will begin on Oct. 22.
Per the government: “It’s very important… for us to take the summer to consult and to work with Indigenous leaders, the business community, community leaders and stakeholders to get [the government’s policies] and those bills implemented,”
— Ford Fest will hit Centennial Park in Etobicoke on Friday. As we reported, Premier Doug Ford’s yearly grill-fest is poised to go on a province-wide swing. RSVP here.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie’s second $1,600 or $3,400-a-ticket Leader’s Dinner is on Wednesday.
— First in POLICORNER — The NDP is expected to host a post-election convention in mid-September in Niagara Falls. A vote on Marit Stiles’ leadership will happen then, too.
Key dates: Early registration will open on June 23, with the deadline to submit resolutions set for July 25. Dippers have until August 1 to take advantage of discounted registration, while the final deadline to secure childcare and hotel accommodations is August 18.
The convention’s earlier delay, which we told you about, didn’t go unnoticed. Though top brass said it was about readying for an early election call, some charged Stiles with seeking to dodge a discontented base and a brewing policy clash around Gaza and nuclear energy.
Members, assemble: Over in Liberal land, the rank-and-file will gather a weekend earlier at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto for their annual general meeting. Read up.
— Bill 39, Notwithstanding Clause Limitation Act — Tabled by Lucille Collard, the bill would limit the use of the notwithstanding clause — and block the government from using it pre-emptively.
— Bill 40, Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act — Tabled by Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, the bill would add “economic growth” as a formal objective of provincial energy agencies, bring hydrogen development under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s umbrella and open up the Future Clean Electricity Fund to include nuclear and transmission infrastructure.
— Bill 44, Healthcare Staffing Agencies Act — Co-sponsored by Jamie West, Lisa Gretzky, Wayne Gates and France Gelinas, the bill would require all hospitals and LTC homes in cities of 8,000+ to create a plan, within a set timeline, to curb reliance on agency-based healthcare workers.
— Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act — A 46-page omnibus bill by Andrea Khanjin. Changes include: making the Canada Disability Benefit non-countable income and expanding booze zones in Ontario Parks.
— Bill 47, Fairness for Road Users Act — Jennifer French’s bill would hike penalties for driving offences that cause death or serious injury — with fines up to $50,000, jail time of up to two years, and licence suspensions of up to five years.
— Bill 49, Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Lise Vaugeois, John Vanthof and Guy Bourgouin, would beef up oversight on northern highways. It’ll require inspection sites on Highways 11 and 17 be crewed for at least 12 hours, mandate stronger enforcement and tighten licensing rules for commercial truck drivers.
— Bill 51, Rent Stabilization Act — The bill, co-sponsored by Chandra Pasma, Catherine McKenney, Alexa Gilmour and Jessica Bell, would overhaul landlord maintenance rules, strengthen tenant enforcement options, cap rent for new tenants, expand rent dispute rights and create a province-wide rent registry. It’ll also mandate legal representation for tenants facing above-guideline rent increases.
— Bill 52, EV-Ready Homes Act — The bill, tabled by Jennifer French, would require EV-ready infrastructure in new home construction.
— Bill 54, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act — Tabled by Marit Stiles, the bill would restore the Auditor General’s power to block partisan government ads, reinstate a ban on using public dollars to boost the government’s image, and prohibit ads from featuring ministers’ names, faces or voices. Ministries would need the Auditor General’s sign-off before rolling anything out.
Also tabled:
— Bill 2, Bill 5, Bill 10, Bill 11, Bill 13, Bill 17 and Bill 24 have passed.
— Bill 27 was debated at second reading.
— Bill 22 is en route to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.
— Teresa Armstrong’s motion to hike the pension guarantee to $4,500-a-month and tie it to inflation was defeated — 73 voted no, 29 yes. Jeff Burch’s motion to kibosh hospital parking fees was also voted down — 70 against, 43 in favour.
— Tracking the measles: Public Health Ontario is reporting 121 new cases — bringing the total to 2,009 since the fall. 36.1 per cent of cases are from Oxford County, Elgin County and St. Thomas. York Region joined the tally, logging a single case.
RIP: “It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away,” says Ontario’s top doctor. Dr. Kieran Moore says the baby caught measles before birth from a mother who hadn’t been immunized. Their premature birth and death may have been partly due to measles, though other serious, unrelated conditions were also at play.
— The People’s Politician: At +20, Pollara found that Doug Ford is Canada’s best-known and best-liked premier, followed by Wab Kinew at +15. Ford is riding high in the East Coast and struggling in Alberta, though he’s more popular out-of-province than in it.
Cue Martin Regg Cohn’s “I told you so.” The irony, he wrote, is that Ford is at his strongest when he’s outside the province.
— John Tory isn’t closing the door on another run for Toronto mayor.
— Meanwhile, Brad Bradford is gearing up for another crack at it.
— Barbara Patrocinio has an inside look at last weekend’s Liberal provincial council check-in.
Here’s what we know:
— Drip, drip: Griping wasn’t only about the agenda — it was about media-friendly leakers. Executive director Simon Tunstall wouldn’t share a line-by-line summary of expenses because “people are leaking stuff to the media.” It didn’t take long before this reporter took Tunstall’s comments to X, quickly becoming the talk of the room. Post-lunch, Tunstall called my post a case in point about the leaking problem.
— Tunstall did give a glimpse at the financials. It’s a flat line across the board: $6.2M for revenue, spending and budget.
— Crombie spoke: The Liberal leader — who is set to face a leadership review in September — weighed in on February’s outcome, though her defeat in Mississauga East—Cooksville didn’t come up. “The deck was stacked against us,” she said, highlighting the party’s restored status and increased vote share.
— In a Ford-style move, Crombie closed her speech by giving out her personal cell.
— The Liberal leader was a no-show at the post-election debrief — intentionally, sources say, to give space for candid input. Also absent: co-directors Gen Tomney and Chad Walsh, and nominations chair Stevie O’Brien. Both Tomney and Walsh are expected to participate in a debrief of their own, but whether they turn up is anyone’s guess.
— Milton Chan and Jack Siegel will co-chair the constitutional task force. They’ll craft a bundle of proposed constitutional changes set for a vote this fall. “They have helped guide us through many rule changes and progress over the years and they will both continue to do so,” said president Kathryn McGarry in an email.
— McGarry says: “Everyone has perspectives to share — and that’s a good thing. It shows how deeply we all care about the future of our party,” she wrote. “So far, we've held seven debrief sessions, with seven more still to come. These conversations have been thoughtful, constructive, and deeply valuable as we continue to learn and grow together.”
— One First Nation leader says Bill 5’s passage could trigger legal action, protests and highway blockades.
— A major leg of road to the Ring of Fire won’t be shovel-ready until 2028 at the earliest.
— A mother is taking the Peel District School Board to court, claiming “rampant and largely unchecked” anti-semitism that “result[ed] in a dangerous and toxic environment.”
— A regulatory change could force insurers to let patients decide where to fill their prescriptions — even if they’ve locked in exclusive pharmacy agreements.
— An emergency alert meant for one region mistakenly blanketed the province. So far, no answers.
— John Michael McGrath is asking how we break free from the regulatory status quo. Steve Paikin says boxing up a defaced statue was a bad idea. Eric Lombardi says Ford isn’t slashing red tape — he’s letting his buddies skip the line. Brian Lilley argues the province should put a stop to boards throwing cash at school renamings. David Urbach and Danielle Martin write that co-ordination of referrals and resource allocation could cut prolonged surgical wait times.
— Eric Grenier and Philippe Fournier want to know: Is Doug Ford “Canada’s premiere premier?”
— Kathleen Wynne and Tim Hudak weigh in on Bill 5.
We’re piloting this new segment — a peek at the people behind the curtain at the Pink Palace, from job switches to sightings and all that’s in between. Got a tip, a move or a promotion worth noting? You know where to find us.
— Making moves: Rahul Bedi, who has served as Doug Ford’s go-to on policy, is set to depart for a new gig. “He was known to get things done. He put a lot on the line — but it’ll be rewarded well,” texted one ex-colleague.
Sean Webster is out as the head of the government’s regional shop in Ottawa and has signed on with Chelsea Strategy Group. Webster is an ex-Progressive Conservative candidate in Kanata—Carleton.
Scott Phelan’s stepping in. He ran in Kanata—Carleton and is a trustee in the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Patil Imasdounian is Vic Fedeli’s new Deputy Director of Communications. Heather Potter, who was Fedeli’s chief, has joined Invest Ontario as Vice President of Business Development.
Kyle Fritz is David Piccini’s new chief.
Jad El Tal is replacing Ryan Gurcharn as Marit Stiles’ new Director of Tour and Logistics. He was her executive assistant — and the so-called “wagon master” on the campaign trail. El Tal is hiring.
Eric Osborne, deputy chief to Bonnie Crombie (who cut his teeth as an OLIP intern), is out, we’re told. Margarita Simon, Crombie’s lead on policy and research, is also expected to exit for a new opportunity.
The Liberal Caucus Service Bureau has brought on four new interns: Olivia Georgiou, Lauren Sarney, Reza Rashidi and Shyan Hayder.
Darryn McArthur, who’d been a senior advisor to the Liberal leader and was in charge of candidate recruitment, is back on the day-to-day grind. We’re told he’s been dialing into regular calls, led by Miles Hopper, to discuss strategy in the lead-up to Crombie’s leadership review. Also on the line: Sandra Jansen, Elizabeth Mendes, Alexis Lavine, Chad Walsh and more.
Sabrina Maddeaux has signed on with Global. Michelle Johnston has landed at Syntax Strategic. Michele Cadario has joined Rubicon Strategy.
— Marcel Wieder is celebrating Aurora Strategy Global’s 13-year mark.
— Erin O’Toole and his wife, Rebecca, dropped by to check in on their niece, Emile, serving as a page.
— Speaker Donna Skelly co-hosted a Taste of the North event with Sol Mamakwa. Earlier that day, she ejected him from the chamber for accusing Ford “of telling ’untruths’ to First Nations communities.” Awkward, I say?
— Dr. Kieran Moore was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
— Doug Ford welcomed the United States’ representative in Canada and Ottawa’s mayor. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island joined Manitoba in inking a deal with Ford to scrap interprovincial trade barriers. Ford likened Mark Carney to “Santa Claus.” “His sled was full,” he said. Bonnie Crombie spoke to card-carrying Liberals at the Central East and York-North York-Scarborough check-ins. Marit Stiles joined striking CUPE workers on the picket line.
— Joel Harden, the ex-NDP MPP, seen alongside now-former school trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth.
— Farewell: The House paid tribute to Steve Paikin, who is stepping away from TVO’s The Agenda later this month.
Zinger! “When a renowned journalist on a state-run news channel is told that they’re going to retire, there is literally a Conservative stampede to the door of everybody that wants to wish them goodbye. I got there first,” Paul Calandra said. “It’s no secret that, when I was in Ottawa, of course, we rallied and talked — still did — about getting rid of the CBC. Imagine my horror when I found out that, as Minister of Education, I run my own state broadcast.”
“I think I was invited on The Agenda, but I would never go on The Agenda and I’m happy it’s coming to an end,” Calandra added. John Fraser, though: “I’ve been here almost 12 years and I’ve never, ever been invited to The Agenda. All my colleagues — everybody; even the new ones.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Was that you who wrote amendment #3,872? Planning a challenge to Bill 5? A blockade, maybe? I want to hear from you — and I’ll leave your name behind. We’re back in your inbox on Friday.