Ontario Premier Doug Ford, centre, during the last sitting day in the legislature before summer break at Queen's Park in Toronto on Tuesday.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
The Ontario government has shut down the legislature until Oct. 27 after sitting for just 30 days so far this year, taking an extended summer break that opposition leaders charge is meant to shelter Premier Doug Ford from a series of recent controversies.
The Progressive Conservative Premier, who won his third straight majority last year, has lost some public support, according to recently published opinion polls. In particular, he has faced a storm of criticism over his April purchase of a $28.9-million private jet, which he then sold within days after a public outcry.
He has also faced flak for exempting himself, his ministers and most of his MPPs from freedom of information legislation. The FOI changes, forced through without the typical scrutiny of a legislative committee, appeared set to wipe out a court order requiring him to hand over his cellphone logs to the province’s information watchdog.
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The move to shut the legislature’s doors Tuesday, which came two days ahead of schedule, means MPPs will be back in their ridings, instead of heckling in Question Period each morning or debating government proposals. Legislative committees will still meet over the summer.
Opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the Premier had failed to pass measures in the short session to make life more affordable for Ontarians and chose instead to focus on what she called vanity projects.
In recent months, Mr. Ford has pushed for a large expansion at Toronto’s waterfront Billy Bishop Airport to allow jets, over the city’s objections, and mused about building a two-million-square-foot convention centre on a yet-to-be-created artificial island in Lake Ontario. His government also made cuts to aid for postsecondary students, requiring them to take on more debt.
“The only ideas this government seems to have are ones that benefit the Premier and his buddies,” Ms. Stiles said.
Mr. Ford, left, walks to his caucus meeting on Tuesday.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Interim Liberal leader John Fraser said the legislature should be summoned back by the week after Labour Day in September, so it could address issues as health care and schools.
“The only reason we’re not here is Doug Ford can’t take the heat,” Mr. Fraser said, adding that the Premier gave him a “colourful” response when he presented him with a pin depicting pilot’s wings, which the Liberal Party had made up to lampoon his private jet fiasco.
The governing PCs’ House Leader, Steve Clark, defended the decision to extend the summer break, saying the government doesn’t want to interfere with Ontario’s municipal elections, which are scheduled for Oct. 26.
MPPs did take a similar extended break four years ago, returning right after the last municipal voting day in 2022.
But on Tuesday, opposition critics suggested this excuse was disingenuous, pointing to the government’s record of interfering in municipal matters, dating back to the surprise 2018 changes that cut the number of Toronto city councillors nearly in half mid-election.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr. Ford scoffed at suggestions he was taking the summer off, saying, “No one could question my work ethic.”
He said he is “jammed” from 6 a.m. until midnight every day, and will be travelling all summer – including to Washington next week, followed by meetings with business leaders in South Carolina and with U.S. state governors in Utah. He will also head to Alberta and to the Council of the Federation meeting with his fellow premiers in Prince Edward Island in July.
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“We’re going full steam rather than sitting here and arguing with each other, we’re actually going to get out there and talk to the people and start bringing more jobs to Ontario,” Mr. Ford said.
On Tuesday, opposition leaders also seized on a report that Mr. Ford is dealing with an apparent rift in his caucus over the jet purchase.
Global News reported that PC MPP Will Bouma was removed from his position as caucus chair, after an alleged confrontation that erupted when Mr. Ford told MPPs that in the wake of the jet controversy, he was holding off on a plan to top up members’ pensions.
“The Premier’s own caucus can’t stomach that he bought a private luxury jet and that he chose that as his priority. It shows you once again that this is a Premier who is listening to nobody,” the NDP’s Ms. Stiles told reporters.
Mr. Ford did not directly address the incident on Tuesday, but defended Mr. Bouma when questioned by reporters.
“Will is a great member. He served four years,” Mr. Ford said. “We have a tight team. And what we discuss in cabinet and caucus stays there.”
Mr. Bouma, who attended Tuesday’s caucus meeting at Queen’s Park, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.