Meanwhile, in Doug Ford’s Ontario...
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BeaverFever @ Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:40 pm
Aaaand today in Doug Ford’s Ontario, still more coming to light today in the Doug Ford shitshow. For a guy who’s made “stop the gravy train “ his personal political brand his team is sure hauling a lot of gravy and not finding any among his foes!
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Ontario reviewing political appointments after latest accusation of nepotism
The Canadian Press
Niece of premier's former chief of staff quits Public Accountants Council
Posted: 6 Hours Ago
Last Updated: 2 Hours Ago
Ontario's government says it will review all its upcoming appointments to office, after three such appointments were scuttled by accusations of nepotism in less than a week.
Katherine Pal, an appointee to Ontario's Public Accountants Council, resigned on Tuesday after it became known that she is the niece, through marriage, of Premier Doug Ford's recently departed chief of staff Dean French.
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Ford's office on Tuesday said the premier has ordered a review of "all pending appointments" and that anyone "appointed for the wrong reason … will be removed from their positions."
The statement added French "no longer has any influence in this government."
The NDP had called Pal's presence on the council another "gravy train" appointment by the Ford's Progressive-Conservative government.
"This reeks of nepotism, with paycheques, power and favours for Ford's inner circle, while everyday Ontarians get nothing but cuts," MPP Taras Natyshak said in a statement.
French himself resigned late Friday after the premier rescinded the appointments of two other people with reported personal ties to French.
A day earlier, Ford announced four agents-general appointments — positions that haven't existed in the Ontario government since the 1990s — which come with salaries between $165,000 and $185,000. The roles aim to drum up business in the province.
Doug Ford's chief of staff resigns following patronage controversy
Taylor Shields, an assistant vice-president of marketing for Chubb Insurance, was appointed to a post in London and Tyler Albrecht, a senior analyst at Optimize Capital Markets, was being sent to New York City.
The Globe and Mail reported that sources said Shields is related to French through his wife, and that Albrecht, 26, is friends with one of French's sons. A 2014 tweet from French said one of his sons and Albrecht are former lacrosse teammates.
Both appointments were revoked Friday.
Ford 'hit the roof'
A government source told CBC News that Ford "hit the roof" on Tuesday when Pal's connection to French was revealed.
"It makes him look like he doesn't know what's going on in his own office," said the source.....
The Canadian Press
Niece of premier's former chief of staff quits Public Accountants Council
Posted: 6 Hours Ago
Last Updated: 2 Hours Ago
Ontario's government says it will review all its upcoming appointments to office, after three such appointments were scuttled by accusations of nepotism in less than a week.
Katherine Pal, an appointee to Ontario's Public Accountants Council, resigned on Tuesday after it became known that she is the niece, through marriage, of Premier Doug Ford's recently departed chief of staff Dean French.
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Ford's office on Tuesday said the premier has ordered a review of "all pending appointments" and that anyone "appointed for the wrong reason … will be removed from their positions."
The statement added French "no longer has any influence in this government."
The NDP had called Pal's presence on the council another "gravy train" appointment by the Ford's Progressive-Conservative government.
"This reeks of nepotism, with paycheques, power and favours for Ford's inner circle, while everyday Ontarians get nothing but cuts," MPP Taras Natyshak said in a statement.
French himself resigned late Friday after the premier rescinded the appointments of two other people with reported personal ties to French.
A day earlier, Ford announced four agents-general appointments — positions that haven't existed in the Ontario government since the 1990s — which come with salaries between $165,000 and $185,000. The roles aim to drum up business in the province.
Doug Ford's chief of staff resigns following patronage controversy
Taylor Shields, an assistant vice-president of marketing for Chubb Insurance, was appointed to a post in London and Tyler Albrecht, a senior analyst at Optimize Capital Markets, was being sent to New York City.
The Globe and Mail reported that sources said Shields is related to French through his wife, and that Albrecht, 26, is friends with one of French's sons. A 2014 tweet from French said one of his sons and Albrecht are former lacrosse teammates.
Both appointments were revoked Friday.
Ford 'hit the roof'
A government source told CBC News that Ford "hit the roof" on Tuesday when Pal's connection to French was revealed.
"It makes him look like he doesn't know what's going on in his own office," said the source.....
That’s because Fuckup Ford doesn’t know what’s going on. Let’s continue
$1:
...."Maybe she's qualified, but if we're making a patronage appointment we should know that we're making a patronage appointment," said the source. "The fact that we didn't know is the problem. It makes cabinet look like they're culpable or incompetent."
Ford rescinds patronage appointments with reported ties to chief of staff Dean French
Public records show the cabinet order appointing Pal was made on Dec. 31, 2018....
Ford rescinds patronage appointments with reported ties to chief of staff Dean French
Public records show the cabinet order appointing Pal was made on Dec. 31, 2018....
Gee a patronage appointment made quietly on New Years eve. Nothing suspicious about that at all!
$1:
...Numerous appointments
The Ontario government has come under fire numerous times for appointments given to associates of the premier and the Progressive Conservative party.
Gavin Tighe, a Ford family lawyer and who is also acting for French in a defamation lawsuit he launched, was also appointed to the Public Accountants Council.
Ford also sparked a huge outcry when he named family friend Ron Taverner as Ontario Provincial Police commissioner, an appointment Taverner ultimately turned down.
Jenni Byrne left her post as Ford's principal secretary for an appointment with the Ontario Energy Board with an annual salary of about $197,000.
Past Progressive Conservative party president Rueben Devlin was granted a three-year term as a health-care adviser. Ford campaign adviser Ian Todd was appointed Ontario's trade representative to the United States, with a $350,000 salary, and failed Tory candidate Cameron Montgomery was appointed to lead a standardized testing organization.
The Ontario government has come under fire numerous times for appointments given to associates of the premier and the Progressive Conservative party.
Gavin Tighe, a Ford family lawyer and who is also acting for French in a defamation lawsuit he launched, was also appointed to the Public Accountants Council.
Ford also sparked a huge outcry when he named family friend Ron Taverner as Ontario Provincial Police commissioner, an appointment Taverner ultimately turned down.
Jenni Byrne left her post as Ford's principal secretary for an appointment with the Ontario Energy Board with an annual salary of about $197,000.
Past Progressive Conservative party president Rueben Devlin was granted a three-year term as a health-care adviser. Ford campaign adviser Ian Todd was appointed Ontario's trade representative to the United States, with a $350,000 salary, and failed Tory candidate Cameron Montgomery was appointed to lead a standardized testing organization.
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5189652
Meanwhile this year the annual Ford Family neighbourhood barbecue, known as Ford Fest, became an official Conservative party-sponsored event and was moved to the Markham Fairgrounds to accommodate the Conservative party faithful from across the province. Also was a conveniently scheduled to avoid participating in the Pride festivities going on that same weekend. But there was a skunk at the garden party. Look up! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a banner! It’s the Premier getting trolled from above at his own party!!!
BeaverFever @ Thu Jun 27, 2019 12:36 pm
Annnnnnnd Today in Doug Ford’s Ontario another one bites the dust!
$1:
Niece of Doug Ford’s former chief of staff resigns from appointment after NDP points out relation
BY THE CANADIAN PRESS
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: JUN 25, 2019
TORONTO — An appointee to Ontario’s accountants council resigned Tuesday after the Opposition noted that she is the niece of the premier’s ex-chief of staff — who also resigned recently after other appointees were revealed to have personal ties to him.
Premier Doug Ford’s office spoke with Katherine Pal and she resigned effective immediately from the Public Accountants Council, said spokeswoman Kayla Iafelice.
The resignation follows a press release from the NDP criticizing the government for yet another “gravy train” appointment by giving a post to Pal, a niece of Dean French’s wife.....
BY THE CANADIAN PRESS
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: JUN 25, 2019
TORONTO — An appointee to Ontario’s accountants council resigned Tuesday after the Opposition noted that she is the niece of the premier’s ex-chief of staff — who also resigned recently after other appointees were revealed to have personal ties to him.
Premier Doug Ford’s office spoke with Katherine Pal and she resigned effective immediately from the Public Accountants Council, said spokeswoman Kayla Iafelice.
The resignation follows a press release from the NDP criticizing the government for yet another “gravy train” appointment by giving a post to Pal, a niece of Dean French’s wife.....
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/nationalpos ... french/amp
How many more will there be?? Sounds like quite a few
llama66 @ Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:25 pm
RobDoug Ford is exactly as I imagined. A raging lunatic.
BeaverFever @ Fri Jul 05, 2019 6:15 pm
Today in Doug Ford’s Ontario yet another firing over nepotism from Ford’s former chief of staff, the recently canned Mr French there’s a nice twist to this one, wait for it!
This time it’s one of French’s long-time buddies and decades-long customer of his life insurance business, who was appointed to a new Deputy Minister level position the Ford government recently created back in November with $325,000 salary, budget of $2.2 Million and 11 staff, all making salaries over $100k. Now in response to the breaking news they’ve not only fired the appointee but eliminated his office.
So to repeat not only did they cancel the hiring they’ve decided to eliminate the entire office of the “strategic transformation advisor” that they just invented 7 months ago with its 11 highly paid positions (not yet filled) and it $2.2 million budget.
Ok so here’s the punchline: So just what exactly is a “Strategic Transformation Advisor” anyway? The Ford government crested the office in November with a mandate ”to drive greater efficiencies in the delivery of public services,” 
.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqOQg ... id=CA%3Aen
Can’t you just smell the efficiency, people?
Why if I didn’t know better Id say it’s almost like Doug and the conservative government have no fucking clue what they’re doing!
Also this week Lisa MacLeod, the recently demoted former Minister of children, community and social services, currently minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport was at a Rolling Stones concert here in Ontario in an official capacity and for some unknown reason went on a vulgar verbal attack on the owner if the Ottawa senators Eugene Melnyk who was attending the concert. :
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Melnyk alleges he was on the receiving end of a profanity-laden rant from the provincial minister, telling the Ottawa Citizen that MacLeod burst through the crowd and accosted him yelling: “I am your minister and you’re a f—ing piece of s–t and you’re a f—ing loser’.”
MacLeod tweeted to “set the record straight” early Friday.
“I gave @MelnykEugene some feedback at the Rolling Stones concert and I apologized to him for being so blunt,” she wrote on Twitter.
“I have serious concerns about the state of our beloved Ottawa Senators! We need to get our team back on the road to winning the cup!”
But Melnyk took issue with MacLeod’s claim that she offered “feedback” to the hockey team owner.
“It’s important the reality of the situation is not misunderstood,” Melnyk told CP24 in an email.
“Minister MacLeod at no point offered feedback on the Ottawa Senators, but rather launched into a vulgar and profane attack in front of families and my friends.
“The ongoing characterization of the Minister’s recent comment by tweet as advice or feedback is inaccurate. I sincerely hope she will come forward and own up to her actions as a public official.”
Melnyk claims to have been left “shocked” and “upset” by the incident and complained to Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
He told CTV News he was later contacted by Ford personally.
“It was the first time we have ever spoken - and I can tell you I’m very impressed by his leadership and how he addressed this with me,” Melnyk said by email.
“Unfortunately Lisa McLeod hasn’t followed her boss’ example.”
He called out her response on Twitter saying, “her tweet this morning takes no accountability for her actions and in fact, tries to justify them.”
MacLeod tweeted to “set the record straight” early Friday.
“I gave @MelnykEugene some feedback at the Rolling Stones concert and I apologized to him for being so blunt,” she wrote on Twitter.
“I have serious concerns about the state of our beloved Ottawa Senators! We need to get our team back on the road to winning the cup!”
But Melnyk took issue with MacLeod’s claim that she offered “feedback” to the hockey team owner.
“It’s important the reality of the situation is not misunderstood,” Melnyk told CP24 in an email.
“Minister MacLeod at no point offered feedback on the Ottawa Senators, but rather launched into a vulgar and profane attack in front of families and my friends.
“The ongoing characterization of the Minister’s recent comment by tweet as advice or feedback is inaccurate. I sincerely hope she will come forward and own up to her actions as a public official.”
Melnyk claims to have been left “shocked” and “upset” by the incident and complained to Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
He told CTV News he was later contacted by Ford personally.
“It was the first time we have ever spoken - and I can tell you I’m very impressed by his leadership and how he addressed this with me,” Melnyk said by email.
“Unfortunately Lisa McLeod hasn’t followed her boss’ example.”
He called out her response on Twitter saying, “her tweet this morning takes no accountability for her actions and in fact, tries to justify them.”
https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEM ... id=CA%3Aen
Well at least Douggie was a nice guy about it. I’m going to guess that she was drunk at the time.
Sunnyways @ Fri Jul 05, 2019 8:37 pm
Fairly outlandish behaviour by MacLeod there.
BeaverFever @ Mon Aug 19, 2019 6:05 pm
Today in Doug Ford’s Ontario, the conservative slash-and-burn jihad continues:
$1:
Shortsighted' and 'wrong': Ontario moving forward with municipal funding cuts
CBC News
Toronto mayor softens criticism but city's health board chair calls cuts 'an attack'
Posted: August 19, 2019
Last Updated: 5 Hours Ago
Ontario Premier Doug Ford waves as he leaves the stage following his speech to the Associations of Municipalities Ontario conference in Ottawa on Monday. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
Child-care and health-care advocates are slamming the provincial government's plan to go ahead with some of its controversial municipal funding cuts next year.
Premier Doug Ford made an announcement on the cuts Monday at a gathering of municipal leaders in Ottawa.
The Progressive Conservative government tried to force retroactive funding cuts this year, but had to cancel them after municipal leaders complained their annual budgets had already passed.
Despite some extra time before funding is slashed, the news was unwelcome for Carolyn Ferns, public policy and government relations co-ordinator with Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.
"Sure, they've delayed some of those cuts now — but they're still coming," she said. "That just creates uncertainty, stress for families and sort of chaos at the municipal level across the province as they try to scramble to figure out what's happening."
Ford said some of this year's planned cuts — to public health, child care and land ambulance funding — will take effect Jan. 1.
CBC News
Toronto mayor softens criticism but city's health board chair calls cuts 'an attack'
Posted: August 19, 2019
Last Updated: 5 Hours Ago
Ontario Premier Doug Ford waves as he leaves the stage following his speech to the Associations of Municipalities Ontario conference in Ottawa on Monday. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
Child-care and health-care advocates are slamming the provincial government's plan to go ahead with some of its controversial municipal funding cuts next year.
Premier Doug Ford made an announcement on the cuts Monday at a gathering of municipal leaders in Ottawa.
The Progressive Conservative government tried to force retroactive funding cuts this year, but had to cancel them after municipal leaders complained their annual budgets had already passed.
Despite some extra time before funding is slashed, the news was unwelcome for Carolyn Ferns, public policy and government relations co-ordinator with Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.
"Sure, they've delayed some of those cuts now — but they're still coming," she said. "That just creates uncertainty, stress for families and sort of chaos at the municipal level across the province as they try to scramble to figure out what's happening."
Ford said some of this year's planned cuts — to public health, child care and land ambulance funding — will take effect Jan. 1.
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5251772
Meanwhile Ford continues his cozy conflicts of interest with lobbyists:
$1:
Premier Doug Ford’s ties to lobbyists has Tory riding association ‘alarmed’
By Robert BenzieQueen's Park Bureau Chief
Mon., Aug. 19, 2019timer3 min. read
Premier Doug Ford’s ties to lobbyists have “alarmed” a Progressive Conservative riding association president, according to an internal party email obtained by the Star.
In a letter to Ford, Tory executive director Mike Crase and other PC officials, Lillo Ognibene complained about the premier’s appointment of a dozen lobbyists to his 17-member re-election committee.
“These series of decisions represent a continued undermining of the democratic integrity of our Ontario PC Party,” Ognibene, who is president of the Cambridge riding association, wrote last week.
“It leaves grassroots party members, and their representative boards, with a shrinking voice, and without any legitimate means to enable accountable representation,” he continued.
“We are alarmed at these decisions and the impact they will have on our party as we move closer to the next election. We trust that you will consider these matters with the level of seriousness that they deserve.”
...In February, the Star disclosed that the Conservatives had enlisted lobbyists to sell tickets to Ford’s $1,250-a-ticket dinner at the Toronto Congress Centre.
That revelation led the premier to ban the media from covering the event, which was attended by 3,200 supporters and brought in a Canadian-record $4 million to party coffers.
Ognibene said the association has “concerns about the ongoing positioning of lobbyists within the senior ranks of our party, their access to government, and the perpetual conflict of interest this creates.”
“A recent media report in the Globe and Mail described the increasing influence that lobbyists continue to have on our party and the government,” he said, referring to a lengthy newspaper story last month on Ford’s deep connections to two lobbying firms.
Read more:
Ford government working with lobbyists to promote corner store beer and wine
Lobbyists selling tickets for Ford’s $1,250-a-plate fundraiser
After buying Greenland, Trump will turn his eye on Canada
After buying Greenland, Trump will turn his eye on Canada
Doug Ford severs ties with Dean French after cronyism scandal
“In light of these details, we find it alarming that the composition of the (re-election team) is dominated by individuals who are either registered lobbyists, or who own or are employed at firms that focus on lobbying.”
The Cambridge association — in the riding held by Tory MPP Belinda Karahalios — is critical of the fact that PC president Brian Patterson and vice-president Chris Loreto are on the campaign, charging that’s “inappropriate.”
“Mr. Patterson and Mr. Loreto are each currently serving two-year terms as president and first vice-president of our party, respectively, as a result of an illegitimate election that inexplicably has been accepted by party staff.”..
By Robert BenzieQueen's Park Bureau Chief
Mon., Aug. 19, 2019timer3 min. read
Premier Doug Ford’s ties to lobbyists have “alarmed” a Progressive Conservative riding association president, according to an internal party email obtained by the Star.
In a letter to Ford, Tory executive director Mike Crase and other PC officials, Lillo Ognibene complained about the premier’s appointment of a dozen lobbyists to his 17-member re-election committee.
“These series of decisions represent a continued undermining of the democratic integrity of our Ontario PC Party,” Ognibene, who is president of the Cambridge riding association, wrote last week.
“It leaves grassroots party members, and their representative boards, with a shrinking voice, and without any legitimate means to enable accountable representation,” he continued.
“We are alarmed at these decisions and the impact they will have on our party as we move closer to the next election. We trust that you will consider these matters with the level of seriousness that they deserve.”
...In February, the Star disclosed that the Conservatives had enlisted lobbyists to sell tickets to Ford’s $1,250-a-ticket dinner at the Toronto Congress Centre.
That revelation led the premier to ban the media from covering the event, which was attended by 3,200 supporters and brought in a Canadian-record $4 million to party coffers.
Ognibene said the association has “concerns about the ongoing positioning of lobbyists within the senior ranks of our party, their access to government, and the perpetual conflict of interest this creates.”
“A recent media report in the Globe and Mail described the increasing influence that lobbyists continue to have on our party and the government,” he said, referring to a lengthy newspaper story last month on Ford’s deep connections to two lobbying firms.
Read more:
Ford government working with lobbyists to promote corner store beer and wine
Lobbyists selling tickets for Ford’s $1,250-a-plate fundraiser
After buying Greenland, Trump will turn his eye on Canada
After buying Greenland, Trump will turn his eye on Canada
Doug Ford severs ties with Dean French after cronyism scandal
“In light of these details, we find it alarming that the composition of the (re-election team) is dominated by individuals who are either registered lobbyists, or who own or are employed at firms that focus on lobbying.”
The Cambridge association — in the riding held by Tory MPP Belinda Karahalios — is critical of the fact that PC president Brian Patterson and vice-president Chris Loreto are on the campaign, charging that’s “inappropriate.”
“Mr. Patterson and Mr. Loreto are each currently serving two-year terms as president and first vice-president of our party, respectively, as a result of an illegitimate election that inexplicably has been accepted by party staff.”..
https://www.thestar.com/politics/provin ... armed.html
BeaverFever @ Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:41 am
Today in Doug Ford’s Ontario:
- Ford’s up to new shenanigans involving special appointments outside of the standard due process. This time it’s for appointments to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, which oversees land use disputes. Ford’s pandering to land developers is well known and is well documented here on MiDFO. Also Ford has granted himself new emergency powers to exempt his hand-picked appointments “to bypass appointment rules that stipulate the government must use a “competitive, merit-based process,” including publicly posting the position for 10 business days“. Ford is still reeling from appointment scandals that resulted in the termination or cancellation of numerous senior appointments to cronies and the resignation of his long-time personal friend and Chief of Staff.
- After a year of spreading false claims, whipping up hysteria over the Wynne governments “outrageous” sex-ed curriculum (which they repealed last year) and promising to re-release an “appropriate” curriculum with the ‘greatest amount of public consultation ever,’ the Ford government released its revised version ( with minimal public consultation). And guess what? It’s basically identical to the Wynne version with only a few minor tweaks so they can pretend they actually did something. The conservative nuts that Ford had stirred up are apoplectic about Ford’s betrayal while the sane population of Ontario is just annoyed by the lost year and wasted millions for no reason.
-In order to keep his agenda secret and reduce transparency, Doug Ford’ is suing the Ontario Privacy Commissioner in order to keep the mandate letters he issued to his Cabinet members secret. Mandate letters are letters written by the Premier to each Cabinet minister, outlining the values, guiding principles and policy objectives to applied to the Minister’s portfolio specifically and those the broader government in general, with which the Minister should aligned. As previously reported, Ford broke with the precedent set by Wynne, and also practiced federally, of making these letters public. The Privacy Commissioner agreed with an access to information request for the letters that was denied by Ford the regime, so “The People’s Premier” is suing the Privacy Commissioner in order to keep his agenda secret from the people.
Articles below:
$1:
Ford government changed rules to fast-track a new appointment
Ontario Premier Doug Ford's cabinet made a significant change to Ontario's appointment rules, CTV News Toronto has learned, in order to fast-track an appointee to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT), an agency that mediates disputes between developers and municipalities.
The change allowed the Premier’s Office to bypass appointment rules that stipulate the government must use a “competitive, merit-based process,” including publicly posting the position for 10 business days.
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Sources say that when members of the Progressive Conservative government quietly questioned why the Premier's Office wanted to speed through the appointment process, they were told the matter was “urgent.”
The move, PC insiders say, is especially concerning because the government has been mired in a summer-long appointments scandal in which taxpayer-funded jobs were being given to people with personal and family connections to Dean French, Ford’s former chief of staff.
Multiple sources tell CTV News Toronto that two cabinet orders were signed on Aug. 15. The first allowed the government to circumvent the appointments process if the matter was deemed to be “urgent.” The second order appointed Marie Hubbard to the LPAT board.
Hubbard, 84, has extensive knowledge of the appeals system having served as a board member of the Ontario Municipal Board—the predecessor of the LPAT—for a decade. In 2003, Hubbard was promoted to chair the board by the former Liberal government and served until 2007.
While Hubbard’s resume was never in question, the process to appoint her to the tribunal raised eyebrows internally. Hubbard was recommended for the vice-chair position by the executive chair of Tribunals Ontario just one day before she was appointed, giving the government little opportunity to review the recommendation.
Sources say the appointment was directed by the Premier’s Office and shepherded by Ford’s interim chief-of-staff Jamie Wallace.
“Jamie Wallace was running this train,” the source said, speaking strictly on the condition of anonymity. “They amended the rules specifically to achieve this.”
Senior sources within the Premier’s Office confirm to CTV News Toronto that the government changed the regulations in order to “fix the problem” of an 18-month backlog of cases at the tribunal.
The source, describing Hubbard as “eminently qualified,” stressed that the appointment is for a six-month term and that the government plans to hold an open search for a new vice-chair.
“She’s going to step in and help us figure out how to deal with the backlog to get things moving and to make recommendations to government on how to improve the process,” the source said.
Critics of the Ford government, however, say they are troubled by the lengths the PC party went for this appointment and question whether the tool will be used again.
“This basically is a blank cheque,” says NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. “He basically is going to be able to appoint anybody at anytime.”
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner says the government would have known about the tribunal backlog for months, rendering the change unnecessary.
“I’m all for clearing the backlog at LPAT, but changing the appointment process in this way in order to facilitate an appointment, is just wrong.” Schreiner told CTV News Toronto.
“The premier could have waited ten days. It raises questions about the motive.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford's cabinet made a significant change to Ontario's appointment rules, CTV News Toronto has learned, in order to fast-track an appointee to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT), an agency that mediates disputes between developers and municipalities.
The change allowed the Premier’s Office to bypass appointment rules that stipulate the government must use a “competitive, merit-based process,” including publicly posting the position for 10 business days.
Advertisement
Sources say that when members of the Progressive Conservative government quietly questioned why the Premier's Office wanted to speed through the appointment process, they were told the matter was “urgent.”
The move, PC insiders say, is especially concerning because the government has been mired in a summer-long appointments scandal in which taxpayer-funded jobs were being given to people with personal and family connections to Dean French, Ford’s former chief of staff.
Multiple sources tell CTV News Toronto that two cabinet orders were signed on Aug. 15. The first allowed the government to circumvent the appointments process if the matter was deemed to be “urgent.” The second order appointed Marie Hubbard to the LPAT board.
Hubbard, 84, has extensive knowledge of the appeals system having served as a board member of the Ontario Municipal Board—the predecessor of the LPAT—for a decade. In 2003, Hubbard was promoted to chair the board by the former Liberal government and served until 2007.
While Hubbard’s resume was never in question, the process to appoint her to the tribunal raised eyebrows internally. Hubbard was recommended for the vice-chair position by the executive chair of Tribunals Ontario just one day before she was appointed, giving the government little opportunity to review the recommendation.
Sources say the appointment was directed by the Premier’s Office and shepherded by Ford’s interim chief-of-staff Jamie Wallace.
“Jamie Wallace was running this train,” the source said, speaking strictly on the condition of anonymity. “They amended the rules specifically to achieve this.”
Senior sources within the Premier’s Office confirm to CTV News Toronto that the government changed the regulations in order to “fix the problem” of an 18-month backlog of cases at the tribunal.
The source, describing Hubbard as “eminently qualified,” stressed that the appointment is for a six-month term and that the government plans to hold an open search for a new vice-chair.
“She’s going to step in and help us figure out how to deal with the backlog to get things moving and to make recommendations to government on how to improve the process,” the source said.
Critics of the Ford government, however, say they are troubled by the lengths the PC party went for this appointment and question whether the tool will be used again.
“This basically is a blank cheque,” says NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. “He basically is going to be able to appoint anybody at anytime.”
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner says the government would have known about the tribunal backlog for months, rendering the change unnecessary.
“I’m all for clearing the backlog at LPAT, but changing the appointment process in this way in order to facilitate an appointment, is just wrong.” Schreiner told CTV News Toronto.
“The premier could have waited ten days. It raises questions about the motive.”
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/mobile/ford- ... -1.4558275
$1:
Ford government’s sex-ed changes blasted from all sides
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government released a new sex-ed curriculum Wednesday after a controversial repeal.
The Ford government is being blasted from all sides for unveiling a new sex-education curriculum similar to the previous Liberal version the premier promised to scrap, leaving the school system in tumult.
“Doug Ford wasted a year playing politics with our kids’ safety and well-being,” New Democrat MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport) told a news conference Wednesday after the province provided full details of the revamped guidelines.
“It should never have come to this.”
As reported by the Star, the curriculum put in place by the previous Liberal government has been changed to have students learn more about consent and move discussion of sexual orientation a year earlier, but delays instruction on gender identity until Grade 8. The topics of mental health, concussions, cannabis use and vaping have also been added.
New guidelines keep most of the material that caused controversy when the new curriculum was introduced four years ago, easing concerns raised by educators and others that health and physical education lessons would not be up-to-date with the social media era, and that social conservatives would forces changes putting LGBT youth at risk.
But the slightly revamped curriculum is also being slammed by former allies, including a Progressive Conservative leadership candidate who threw her support to Ford, helping him win the race on the way to becoming premier 14 months ago.
“Doug Ford promised to ‘repeal’ the Kathleen Wynne sex-ed curriculum, but this new curriculum is simply another version of the Wynne sex-ed,” social conservative Tanya Granic Allen, president of a lobby group called Parents as First Educators, said in a statement Wednesday.
“Promise made, promise broken,” she added.
The Campaign Life Coalition described the new curriculum as a “betrayal” and the “same garbage” the administration of Kathleen Wynne — Ontario’s first openly gay premier — introduced in 2015.
“Homosexuality’s snuck into Grade 3 with a wink and a nudge via the teacher prompt on accepting people ‘regardless of who they love’ without any regard for the religious beliefs of many parents,” said president Jeff Gunnarson, whose group charged the government “rigged” consultations to favour unions and “left-wing activists.”
Green Leader Mike Schreiner accused Ford’s Progressive Conservatives of using sex education as “a ploy to divide voters in the last election” and to distract from cuts to education and plans to increase class sizes.
“For months the government created unnecessary disruption and fear among students and educators that LGBTQ+ rights were not going to be respected in schools,” Schreiner added in a statement.
“In the span of a year, educators have had to sort through no less than four different health and physical education curriculums — from 1998, 2015, a revised hybrid version and today’s.”
The Ontario Physical Health and Education Association praised the new curriculum as a “thoughtful, high-quality, evidence-informed policy document” and urged the government to focus on implementing it effectively.
But both Schreiner and the NDP said Ford — despite his mantra of “respect for taxpayers” — wasted millions of dollars on public consultations and preparing the thick new curriculum document teachers will follow as kids go back to school in two weeks.
“This was a lost year,” said Stiles, her party’s education critic, crediting student protests, a court case launched by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, and a public outcry by many parents and teachers for raising concerns about returning to a 1998 sex-education curriculum.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he’s confident students won’t miss out on crucial information and there are no formal plans for makeup lessons for elementary students who were taught using the old curriculum in the last school year after his predecessor Lisa Thompson ditched the 2015 version.
“The way that the curriculum is built is foundation-based, so they will still be receiving some of those concepts that may not have been included” in the old lessons as they work through the new lessons this year, he told the Star.
While educators had expected the new curriculum to be released last spring, Lecce — appointed minister in a June cabinet shuffle — said boards typically teach sex-ed in the second half of the school year, so there will be time to train teachers.
Ford had long pledged to scrap the elementary school sex-ed curriculum, saying parents had not been adequately consulted, and amid an outcry from social conservatives about age appropriateness and any talk of gender identity. His government held a series of online surveys and telephone town halls before making revisions.
“For me, this curriculum really does reflect a priority of the government’s, of educators, of parents and of (society) of keeping kids safe,” Lecce said.
The new curriculum introduces the topic of consent in Grade 1. Changes also refine teacher “prompts” and student responses that irked some parents, particularly regarding masturbation, which remains in the Grade 7 lesson plan.
With the new materials, Ontario will be introducing topics such as consent earlier than any other province, and will be among the leaders in areas of bullying, concussion, mental health and cyberbullying, “tolerance, respect and inclusion” and even cannabis use and vaping when compared to other jurisdictions across the country.
But among provinces that cover gender identity — not all do — Ontario now introduces that issue the latest, moving it from Grade 6 to Grade 8.
Rev. Charles McVety, a prominent Ford supporter and vocal critic of the 2015 curriculum, said he considers the new guidelines a victory, saying the curriculum “reflects balance and compromise on a topic of sex education that is full of passion and diverse opinions.”
“The real winners are the millions of children who will not be confronted with complex gender fluidity until the second half of Grade 8. Little children Grade 1 to 7 will not be taught multiple genders that can be chosen at will,” he added in a statement.
But the Elementary Teachers’ Federation (ETFO) said delaying gender identity discussions two years will be “contentious given that educators are seeing gender identity manifest itself in some children at a much earlier age.”
The government is also ushering in a new, standardized system for parents to opt their children out of sexual health and development lessons, which may be at odds with the current practice that some boards like Toronto and Peel have had in place, where parents cannot formally opt their children out of lessons around gender identity, citing human rights obligations.
Starting this fall, boards will have to give parents 15 school days — or three weeks’ — notice about upcoming human development and sexual health lessons with moms and dads then able to submit opt-out forms.
Campaign Life Coalition called the opt-out provisions a “deceitful farce” while ETFO and the NDP’s Stiles said they could be challenged under human rights laws.
“You do not get to opt out of human rights,” said Sam Hammond, president of the union representing 83,000 elementary teachers in public schools.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government released a new sex-ed curriculum Wednesday after a controversial repeal.
The Ford government is being blasted from all sides for unveiling a new sex-education curriculum similar to the previous Liberal version the premier promised to scrap, leaving the school system in tumult.
“Doug Ford wasted a year playing politics with our kids’ safety and well-being,” New Democrat MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport) told a news conference Wednesday after the province provided full details of the revamped guidelines.
“It should never have come to this.”
As reported by the Star, the curriculum put in place by the previous Liberal government has been changed to have students learn more about consent and move discussion of sexual orientation a year earlier, but delays instruction on gender identity until Grade 8. The topics of mental health, concussions, cannabis use and vaping have also been added.
New guidelines keep most of the material that caused controversy when the new curriculum was introduced four years ago, easing concerns raised by educators and others that health and physical education lessons would not be up-to-date with the social media era, and that social conservatives would forces changes putting LGBT youth at risk.
But the slightly revamped curriculum is also being slammed by former allies, including a Progressive Conservative leadership candidate who threw her support to Ford, helping him win the race on the way to becoming premier 14 months ago.
“Doug Ford promised to ‘repeal’ the Kathleen Wynne sex-ed curriculum, but this new curriculum is simply another version of the Wynne sex-ed,” social conservative Tanya Granic Allen, president of a lobby group called Parents as First Educators, said in a statement Wednesday.
“Promise made, promise broken,” she added.
The Campaign Life Coalition described the new curriculum as a “betrayal” and the “same garbage” the administration of Kathleen Wynne — Ontario’s first openly gay premier — introduced in 2015.
“Homosexuality’s snuck into Grade 3 with a wink and a nudge via the teacher prompt on accepting people ‘regardless of who they love’ without any regard for the religious beliefs of many parents,” said president Jeff Gunnarson, whose group charged the government “rigged” consultations to favour unions and “left-wing activists.”
Green Leader Mike Schreiner accused Ford’s Progressive Conservatives of using sex education as “a ploy to divide voters in the last election” and to distract from cuts to education and plans to increase class sizes.
“For months the government created unnecessary disruption and fear among students and educators that LGBTQ+ rights were not going to be respected in schools,” Schreiner added in a statement.
“In the span of a year, educators have had to sort through no less than four different health and physical education curriculums — from 1998, 2015, a revised hybrid version and today’s.”
The Ontario Physical Health and Education Association praised the new curriculum as a “thoughtful, high-quality, evidence-informed policy document” and urged the government to focus on implementing it effectively.
But both Schreiner and the NDP said Ford — despite his mantra of “respect for taxpayers” — wasted millions of dollars on public consultations and preparing the thick new curriculum document teachers will follow as kids go back to school in two weeks.
“This was a lost year,” said Stiles, her party’s education critic, crediting student protests, a court case launched by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, and a public outcry by many parents and teachers for raising concerns about returning to a 1998 sex-education curriculum.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he’s confident students won’t miss out on crucial information and there are no formal plans for makeup lessons for elementary students who were taught using the old curriculum in the last school year after his predecessor Lisa Thompson ditched the 2015 version.
“The way that the curriculum is built is foundation-based, so they will still be receiving some of those concepts that may not have been included” in the old lessons as they work through the new lessons this year, he told the Star.
While educators had expected the new curriculum to be released last spring, Lecce — appointed minister in a June cabinet shuffle — said boards typically teach sex-ed in the second half of the school year, so there will be time to train teachers.
Ford had long pledged to scrap the elementary school sex-ed curriculum, saying parents had not been adequately consulted, and amid an outcry from social conservatives about age appropriateness and any talk of gender identity. His government held a series of online surveys and telephone town halls before making revisions.
“For me, this curriculum really does reflect a priority of the government’s, of educators, of parents and of (society) of keeping kids safe,” Lecce said.
The new curriculum introduces the topic of consent in Grade 1. Changes also refine teacher “prompts” and student responses that irked some parents, particularly regarding masturbation, which remains in the Grade 7 lesson plan.
With the new materials, Ontario will be introducing topics such as consent earlier than any other province, and will be among the leaders in areas of bullying, concussion, mental health and cyberbullying, “tolerance, respect and inclusion” and even cannabis use and vaping when compared to other jurisdictions across the country.
But among provinces that cover gender identity — not all do — Ontario now introduces that issue the latest, moving it from Grade 6 to Grade 8.
Rev. Charles McVety, a prominent Ford supporter and vocal critic of the 2015 curriculum, said he considers the new guidelines a victory, saying the curriculum “reflects balance and compromise on a topic of sex education that is full of passion and diverse opinions.”
“The real winners are the millions of children who will not be confronted with complex gender fluidity until the second half of Grade 8. Little children Grade 1 to 7 will not be taught multiple genders that can be chosen at will,” he added in a statement.
But the Elementary Teachers’ Federation (ETFO) said delaying gender identity discussions two years will be “contentious given that educators are seeing gender identity manifest itself in some children at a much earlier age.”
The government is also ushering in a new, standardized system for parents to opt their children out of sexual health and development lessons, which may be at odds with the current practice that some boards like Toronto and Peel have had in place, where parents cannot formally opt their children out of lessons around gender identity, citing human rights obligations.
Starting this fall, boards will have to give parents 15 school days — or three weeks’ — notice about upcoming human development and sexual health lessons with moms and dads then able to submit opt-out forms.
Campaign Life Coalition called the opt-out provisions a “deceitful farce” while ETFO and the NDP’s Stiles said they could be challenged under human rights laws.
“You do not get to opt out of human rights,” said Sam Hammond, president of the union representing 83,000 elementary teachers in public schools.
https://www.thestar.com/politics/provin ... idate.html
$1:
Ford government sues privacy commissioner to block release of cabinet letters
By Fatima Syed in News, Politics August 21st 2019
The Doug Ford government is suing the office that preserves public-sector transparency in an effort to block the release of documents outlining Ford's expectations for each cabinet minister.
Brian Beamish, Ontario's information and privacy commissioner (IPC), said his office, which upholds and promotes open government and the protection of personal privacy in Ontario, had issued a request on July 15 for the release of the mandate letters sent by Premier Ford to all government ministers. The order was for 23 mandate letters: 21 letters to each of the ministers, not including intergovernmental affairs, and two letters directed to the ministers responsible for francophone affairs and women’s issues.
In a post titled "Why I ordered the Government of Ontario to share its mandate letters" on the IPC website Wednesday, Beamish, an independent officer of the legislature, said his office received notice on Aug. 14 "that the government intends to challenge my decision in court and prevent the release of the letters."
Mandate letters are the first communication a premier makes with their appointed ministers. They convey party values and policy priorities, as well as the government's plan of action. Mandate letters can include advice, instructions and guidance in this regard.
The government's cabinet office denied Beamish's request for the letters "based on the premise that, as cabinet documents, they are automatically exempt from disclosure," Beamish wrote.
IPC Ontario | CIPVP Ontario
@IPCinfoprivacy
The Ontario government is challenging Order PO-3973 in court. https://www.ipc.on.ca/why-i-ordered-the ... e-letters/ …
5
11:49 AM - Aug 21, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
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Beamish said he reviewed Ford's mandate letters and determined that "they do not reveal government deliberations, the substance of any meetings, discussions, or any other options considered by the Premier’s Office," and ordered the release of the documents under the province's freedom-of-information laws by Aug. 16.
These laws ensure Ontarians have the right to access government information to help further a transparent democratic province and help keep government to account.
Cabinet documents are often exempt from freedom-of-information laws to allow elected members of government "to engage in free discussion of sensitive issues, in private," Beamish wrote. "As such, cabinet documents cannot be disclosed if they reveal the substance of deliberations of the Executive Council or its committees."
However, mandate letters "are frequently made public," he said.
Under former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne, mandate letters were made available for the public on the government's website.
"The purpose of our freedom of information law is to support the public’s ‘right to know.’ Unless government records are exempt, they should be disclosed to the public. In this case, the mandate letters do not qualify for exemption as cabinet documents. I ordered their release because Ontarians have a right to know what the government’s policy priorities are," the commissioner wrote.
In an email to National Observer, Ford's spokeswoman, Ivana Yelich, confirmed that the government had filed an application for judicial review of the commissioner’s order before the Ontario's divisional court.
"Our position is that the Premier’s mandate letters reflect the deliberations of Cabinet and are exempt from disclosure under FIPPA," Yelich wrote. "As this matter is currently before the Courts we cannot comment in detail on the Judicial Review proceedings."
Beamish, too, said in his post that he cannot comment further due to the ongoing judicial review. "I stand by my decision, and hope to see a swift resolution," he said.
“What are the government’s real priorities?" John Fraser, interim Liberal leader, said in an email. "They should be releasing the mandate letters. Ontarians deserve to know. That’s a reasonable expectation. What are they hiding?"
NDP MPP Taras Natyshak said in an email that Ford was "going to (the) mats to keep his schemes hidden away in back rooms."
"If there was nothing wrong with the plans he ordered his cabinet ministers to execute, he wouldn’t be fighting with the Information and Privacy Commissioner to keep them secret," Natyshak wrote. "Mandate letters should be made public because they lay out the priorities of a government. But Doug Ford doesn’t want you to know what his priorities and plans are, because you won’t like them."
By Fatima Syed in News, Politics August 21st 2019
The Doug Ford government is suing the office that preserves public-sector transparency in an effort to block the release of documents outlining Ford's expectations for each cabinet minister.
Brian Beamish, Ontario's information and privacy commissioner (IPC), said his office, which upholds and promotes open government and the protection of personal privacy in Ontario, had issued a request on July 15 for the release of the mandate letters sent by Premier Ford to all government ministers. The order was for 23 mandate letters: 21 letters to each of the ministers, not including intergovernmental affairs, and two letters directed to the ministers responsible for francophone affairs and women’s issues.
In a post titled "Why I ordered the Government of Ontario to share its mandate letters" on the IPC website Wednesday, Beamish, an independent officer of the legislature, said his office received notice on Aug. 14 "that the government intends to challenge my decision in court and prevent the release of the letters."
Mandate letters are the first communication a premier makes with their appointed ministers. They convey party values and policy priorities, as well as the government's plan of action. Mandate letters can include advice, instructions and guidance in this regard.
The government's cabinet office denied Beamish's request for the letters "based on the premise that, as cabinet documents, they are automatically exempt from disclosure," Beamish wrote.
IPC Ontario | CIPVP Ontario
@IPCinfoprivacy
The Ontario government is challenging Order PO-3973 in court. https://www.ipc.on.ca/why-i-ordered-the ... e-letters/ …
5
11:49 AM - Aug 21, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
See IPC Ontario | CIPVP Ontario's other Tweets
Beamish said he reviewed Ford's mandate letters and determined that "they do not reveal government deliberations, the substance of any meetings, discussions, or any other options considered by the Premier’s Office," and ordered the release of the documents under the province's freedom-of-information laws by Aug. 16.
These laws ensure Ontarians have the right to access government information to help further a transparent democratic province and help keep government to account.
Cabinet documents are often exempt from freedom-of-information laws to allow elected members of government "to engage in free discussion of sensitive issues, in private," Beamish wrote. "As such, cabinet documents cannot be disclosed if they reveal the substance of deliberations of the Executive Council or its committees."
However, mandate letters "are frequently made public," he said.
Under former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne, mandate letters were made available for the public on the government's website.
"The purpose of our freedom of information law is to support the public’s ‘right to know.’ Unless government records are exempt, they should be disclosed to the public. In this case, the mandate letters do not qualify for exemption as cabinet documents. I ordered their release because Ontarians have a right to know what the government’s policy priorities are," the commissioner wrote.
In an email to National Observer, Ford's spokeswoman, Ivana Yelich, confirmed that the government had filed an application for judicial review of the commissioner’s order before the Ontario's divisional court.
"Our position is that the Premier’s mandate letters reflect the deliberations of Cabinet and are exempt from disclosure under FIPPA," Yelich wrote. "As this matter is currently before the Courts we cannot comment in detail on the Judicial Review proceedings."
Beamish, too, said in his post that he cannot comment further due to the ongoing judicial review. "I stand by my decision, and hope to see a swift resolution," he said.
“What are the government’s real priorities?" John Fraser, interim Liberal leader, said in an email. "They should be releasing the mandate letters. Ontarians deserve to know. That’s a reasonable expectation. What are they hiding?"
NDP MPP Taras Natyshak said in an email that Ford was "going to (the) mats to keep his schemes hidden away in back rooms."
"If there was nothing wrong with the plans he ordered his cabinet ministers to execute, he wouldn’t be fighting with the Information and Privacy Commissioner to keep them secret," Natyshak wrote. "Mandate letters should be made public because they lay out the priorities of a government. But Doug Ford doesn’t want you to know what his priorities and plans are, because you won’t like them."
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/0 ... et-letters
DrCaleb @ Thu Aug 22, 2019 7:08 am
BeaverFever BeaverFever:
Today in Doug Ford’s Ontario:
-In order to keep his agenda secret and reduce transparency, Doug Ford’ is suing the Ontario Privacy Commissioner in order to keep the mandate letters he issued to his Cabinet members secret. Mandate letters are letters written by the Premier to each Cabinet minister, outlining the values, guiding principles and policy objectives to applied to the Minister’s portfolio specifically and those the broader government in general, with which the Minister should aligned. As previously reported, Ford broke with the precedent set by Wynne, and also practiced federally, of making these letters public. The Privacy Commissioner agreed with an access to information request for the letters that was denied by Ford the regime, so “The People’s Premier” is suing the Privacy Commissioner in order to keep his agenda secret from the people.
-In order to keep his agenda secret and reduce transparency, Doug Ford’ is suing the Ontario Privacy Commissioner in order to keep the mandate letters he issued to his Cabinet members secret. Mandate letters are letters written by the Premier to each Cabinet minister, outlining the values, guiding principles and policy objectives to applied to the Minister’s portfolio specifically and those the broader government in general, with which the Minister should aligned. As previously reported, Ford broke with the precedent set by Wynne, and also practiced federally, of making these letters public. The Privacy Commissioner agreed with an access to information request for the letters that was denied by Ford the regime, so “The People’s Premier” is suing the Privacy Commissioner in order to keep his agenda secret from the people.
What did people expect? That's he'd be open and up-front with the citizens of Ontario, like was in his party platform? Oh . . wait . .
BeaverFever @ Wed Aug 28, 2019 9:06 pm
This week in Doug Ford’s Ontario, Doug the thug doubles down on his threat to prosecute private businesses that don’t comply with his command for compelled political speech.
You see, Thug Ford has created a misleading PR campaign to attack the federal carbon tax, but that’s not the controversial part
He used taxpayer dollars for an overt partisan political campaign against another level if government but with the total lack of morals and ethics we’ve seen from the Right lately EVEN THAT isn’t the controversial part anymore (shows how low they’ve dragged society)
The controversial part is that Thug Ford actually passed a law FORCING gas stations to display his misleading taxpayer-funded partisan propaganda, as a sticker that must be mounted on all gas pumps. Gas stations that don’t have the propaganda sticker on their pumps will be fined up to $10,000 per day. PER DAY. Forcing people to express political views under threat of law, whether they agree with the propaganda or not, is COMPELLED POLITICAL SPEECH and is clearly unconstitutional but as usual the right doesn’t care about shit like rights or the rule of law, they just want their way by any means possible. A court challenge has obviously been filed but the case has not yet been heard. The deadline for gas stations to comply with the compelled political speech order is Friday, chosen so that motorists see the propaganda while filling up for the long weekend.
Oh and don’t worry gas station owners, Doug promises not to go for the full $10k per day on your first offence, he had a real soft spot for business owners,see. It’ll only be $500 per day so long as you learn your lesson, fall in line and do as you’re told from then on.
Story:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ ... -1.5257747
Tricks @ Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:03 am
Starting to see reports of students showing up to school yesterday, getting their timetables, and finding some of their classes have been cancelled for the school year. Some Grade 12 students don't have enough credits to graduate with their timetables as they are.
xerxes @ Fri Nov 22, 2019 5:33 pm
Doug Ford Says He's 'So Proud' Of Green Energy Cancellations That Cost $231M
$1:
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says $231 million to cancel green energy contracts is not a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“I am so proud of that,” Ford told reporters outside his Queen’s Park office Thursday.
“They went into communities without their approval and just rammed them down their throats,” he said, referring to the previous Liberal government.
His government announced they would rip up 758 contracts for renewable energy two weeks after taking office in 2018.
One of the projects, the White Pines Wind Turbines Project in Prince Edward County, had been in development for ten years when it was cancelled. Nine wind turbines are now being dismantled.
Energy Minister Greg Rickford originally said there would be no cost associated with cancelling the contracts and the move would actually save ratepayers $790 million, a figure industry experts have disputed.
Ford repeated the claim Thursday.
“I’m proud we actually saved the taxpayers $790 million when we cancelled those terrible, terrible wind turbines that really for the last 15 years destroyed our energy file.”
The premier referred all questions about the green energy contracts to Associate Minister of Energy Bill Walker after the cost was first revealed by the NDP Tuesday. Ford did not attend question period Wednesday.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath asked the auditor general to investigate the total cancellation costs Wednesday.
Horwath said she worries the costs could mount like they did after the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty cancelled two gas plants.
That government also said the total cost would be $230 million, but a year later, the auditor general said it was actually $1.1 billion.
“I am so proud of that,” Ford told reporters outside his Queen’s Park office Thursday.
“They went into communities without their approval and just rammed them down their throats,” he said, referring to the previous Liberal government.
His government announced they would rip up 758 contracts for renewable energy two weeks after taking office in 2018.
One of the projects, the White Pines Wind Turbines Project in Prince Edward County, had been in development for ten years when it was cancelled. Nine wind turbines are now being dismantled.
Energy Minister Greg Rickford originally said there would be no cost associated with cancelling the contracts and the move would actually save ratepayers $790 million, a figure industry experts have disputed.
Ford repeated the claim Thursday.
“I’m proud we actually saved the taxpayers $790 million when we cancelled those terrible, terrible wind turbines that really for the last 15 years destroyed our energy file.”
The premier referred all questions about the green energy contracts to Associate Minister of Energy Bill Walker after the cost was first revealed by the NDP Tuesday. Ford did not attend question period Wednesday.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath asked the auditor general to investigate the total cancellation costs Wednesday.
Horwath said she worries the costs could mount like they did after the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty cancelled two gas plants.
That government also said the total cost would be $230 million, but a year later, the auditor general said it was actually $1.1 billion.
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/doug-ford-so-proud-green-energy-contracts_ca_5dd6bb50e4b010f3f1d44fa1
Stupid fat asshole.
BeaverFever @ Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:51 pm
xerxes xerxes:
Doug Ford Says He's 'So Proud' Of Green Energy Cancellations That Cost $231M
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/doug-ford-so-proud-green-energy-contracts_ca_5dd6bb50e4b010f3f1d44fa1
Stupid fat asshole.
$1:
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says $231 million to cancel green energy contracts is not a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“I am so proud of that,” Ford told reporters outside his Queen’s Park office Thursday.
“They went into communities without their approval and just rammed them down their throats,” he said, referring to the previous Liberal government.
His government announced they would rip up 758 contracts for renewable energy two weeks after taking office in 2018.
One of the projects, the White Pines Wind Turbines Project in Prince Edward County, had been in development for ten years when it was cancelled. Nine wind turbines are now being dismantled.
Energy Minister Greg Rickford originally said there would be no cost associated with cancelling the contracts and the move would actually save ratepayers $790 million, a figure industry experts have disputed.
Ford repeated the claim Thursday.
“I’m proud we actually saved the taxpayers $790 million when we cancelled those terrible, terrible wind turbines that really for the last 15 years destroyed our energy file.”
The premier referred all questions about the green energy contracts to Associate Minister of Energy Bill Walker after the cost was first revealed by the NDP Tuesday. Ford did not attend question period Wednesday.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath asked the auditor general to investigate the total cancellation costs Wednesday.
Horwath said she worries the costs could mount like they did after the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty cancelled two gas plants.
That government also said the total cost would be $230 million, but a year later, the auditor general said it was actually $1.1 billion.
“I am so proud of that,” Ford told reporters outside his Queen’s Park office Thursday.
“They went into communities without their approval and just rammed them down their throats,” he said, referring to the previous Liberal government.
His government announced they would rip up 758 contracts for renewable energy two weeks after taking office in 2018.
One of the projects, the White Pines Wind Turbines Project in Prince Edward County, had been in development for ten years when it was cancelled. Nine wind turbines are now being dismantled.
Energy Minister Greg Rickford originally said there would be no cost associated with cancelling the contracts and the move would actually save ratepayers $790 million, a figure industry experts have disputed.
Ford repeated the claim Thursday.
“I’m proud we actually saved the taxpayers $790 million when we cancelled those terrible, terrible wind turbines that really for the last 15 years destroyed our energy file.”
The premier referred all questions about the green energy contracts to Associate Minister of Energy Bill Walker after the cost was first revealed by the NDP Tuesday. Ford did not attend question period Wednesday.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath asked the auditor general to investigate the total cancellation costs Wednesday.
Horwath said she worries the costs could mount like they did after the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty cancelled two gas plants.
That government also said the total cost would be $230 million, but a year later, the auditor general said it was actually $1.1 billion.
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/doug-ford-so-proud-green-energy-contracts_ca_5dd6bb50e4b010f3f1d44fa1
Stupid fat asshole.
As per standard conservative playbook, it’s only wrong when liberals do ir.
DrCaleb @ Sat Nov 23, 2019 1:16 pm
BeaverFever BeaverFever:
As per standard conservative playbook, it’s only wrong when liberals do ir.
When do Liberals do it though? Military Helicopters, Softwood lumber, Oil By Rail . . . seems to be a trend.
BeaverFever @ Sun Nov 24, 2019 7:40 pm
DrCaleb DrCaleb:
BeaverFever BeaverFever:
As per standard conservative playbook, it’s only wrong when liberals do ir.
When do Liberals do it though? Military Helicopters, Softwood lumber, Oil By Rail . . . seems to be a trend.
McGuinty spent $1B to cancel a controversial gas plant under construction to please NIMBYs.
BeaverFever @ Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:53 pm
Well it’s been a while since I’ve posted an update, mostly because Doug the Thug has been lying low since the federal election, trying to repair his abysmal popularity ratings by being seen and heard as little as possible. Here are some of the goings on:
Due to Doug’s bad faith bargaining and proposed massive clawbacks on education, for the past month or 2 every teacher’s union in the province as well a the unions for most of the educational support staff have been staging intermittent one- day strikes and are under work-to-rule. This is not about wages, Doug has proposed canceling all- day kindergarten, programming for kids with special needs, increased class sizes. You know all the bad things that bloodthirsty conservatives usually go for. Dougs mismanagement has been so unpopular that the province has resorted to trying to buy parents’ support by paying parents for any day where a strike occurs. Yes you heard that right. So if you have a child under 12 you will receive a cheque in the mail for each day your school is closed due to strike, up to $60 per day per child. So if your school is closed for a week, $300 smackers of taxpayer money mailed to your house (you can also sign up for direct deposit).
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.maclean ... fairs/amp/
On a related note, mysterious anti-teacher union ads in Canada’s largest papers from a previously unknown group called “Vaughan Working Families” have been traced back to the Conservative party. VWFs director and apparently only member is a lawyer and Conservative party insider whom doug recently rewarded with a patronage appointment to the board of the LCBO.
Under the Election Finances Act, third-party political advertisers are not allowed to “act in co-ordination” with political parties or candidates.
The NDP had called for an investigation into the full-page ads as a violation of the province’s election spending rules given that by elections are currently underway in several ridings. The NDP announced they will be asking Elections Ontario to “investigate possible collusion” between Vaughan Working Families and Doug Ford’s PCs. “We have a shadowy organization spending big money with people involved who seem to be very, very close to this party – a long history.” “There’s enough here to justify an investigation.”
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/02/07/ ... nnections/
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.theglob ... nment-ads/
Oh those conservatives and their illegal campaign financing! They love it!
Meanwhile Doug is back on his “ pave over every blade of grass” jihad too. It’s long been reported here on MiDFO that Doug is especially in the pocket of land developers. In the past couple of months he’s named a former chief lobbyist for Toronto’s real estate development industry to the province’s powerful land-use tribunal, while stripping it of four adjudicators with environmental backgrounds.
The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal hears appeals over local development decisions across the province, deciding, for example, how tall condominium towers can be and whether farmland can be turned into subdivisions. In December, the government appointed to the Tribunal the former president and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), whose members include the largest home builders and developers in the Greater Toronto Area. Earlier last year Doug also appointed 2 failed PC party candidates with thin qualifications but strong anti-planning ideology.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.theglob ... rios-land/
Also on the developer lobby file, Doug is moving to allow developers to hire their own building inspectors instead of having inspections performed by government inspectors, which many say would be clear conflict of interest for the nee private inspectors eager to attract and retain their developer clients.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5439247
And lastly on the Ford-Trump file, Ford goes to Washington to address a us business lobby group. Beforehand, he reveals where his true loyalties are when he tells the public he’s “a businessman first and an elected official second”. On his trip he then violated taboos on meddling in another county’s domestic politics by praising and congratulating Trump for surviving impeachment and then he goes on to denounce Pelosi, Sanders and “socialism”.
https://www.thestar.com/politics/provin ... icies.html
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/mobile/doug- ... -1.4802326
Doug Ford and the PC party continue to be deeply unpopular, polling behind the currently leaderless Liberal party. Doug Ford’s approval rating came in last place among all premiers, both across the country (-45 rating) and within his own province (-43 rating).
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.maclean ... -ford/amp/
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