Category: Provincial Politics

Ontario’s 2021 Budget Focuses on Pandemic, Pandemic Relief and Vaccines

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

“Protecting People’s Health and the Economy” is the title on the 2021 -2022 Ontario Budget. Billed as “the second Budget the government has delivered during the pandemic,” and the first Budget for current Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy, the Government of Ontario aimed to address ongoing issues with the pandemic and province-wide vaccination program. The tally for the next fiscal year: $186 billion. Continue reading “Ontario’s 2021 Budget Focuses on Pandemic, Pandemic Relief and Vaccines” →

Schreiner Lays Out Wish List for Provincial Budget This Week

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

Although the current Provincial government is unlikely to take any of his suggestions, Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner laid out a five-point list of priorities that should be on the government to do list when they announce the budget this week. On Wednesday, the Government of Ontario will announce the 2021-2022 fiscal plan, and Schreiner thinks that the priority should be pandemic recovery and support. Continue reading “Schreiner Lays Out Wish List for Provincial Budget This Week” →

Despite the Pandemic, Guelph and Area Adds 500 More to “Sunshine List”

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

Despite the economic issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, local Guelph and area governments and agencies added more than 500 more names to the so-called “Sunshine List” in 2020. The yearly disclosure of the government workers in the province making 100,000 or more was boosted largely by medical fields, but the number of employees on the list in almost all agencies went up. Continue reading “Despite the Pandemic, Guelph and Area Adds 500 More to “Sunshine List”” →

Ontario Government Announces More Money for Municipalities

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

Municipal governments, including the City of Guelph, have been keeping up the pressure against the upper levels of government, and have been demanding more fiscal assistance to combat the negative effects of COVID-19 on the local bottom line. On Thursday, the Government of Ontario opened their own pockets to offer assistance, and they challenged the Federal government to be equally generous. Continue reading “Ontario Government Announces More Money for Municipalities” →

Ontario Government Announces Election Changes (Not the Ones You Want)

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

Election reform advocates have been trying to get some serious changes made to the ways we vote and run political campaigns for years, but chances are that they were not the audience the Government of Ontario was thinking about today with changes to the Elections Act. The Attorney General announced the Protecting Ontario Elections Act on Thursday, and he says it’s meant to protect elections from outside interference. Continue reading “Ontario Government Announces Election Changes (Not the Ones You Want)” →

RECAP: COVID, Housing, and Environment Are Major Concerns from Schreiner Town Hall

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

The above picture is from the good old days when Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner could have a town hall with people in person. On Wednesday evening, Schreiner took part in a wide-ranging town hall discussion by phone, and his office pegs the number of participants at around 4,400 people, which would be hard to do in-person under “normal” circumstances.   Continue reading “RECAP: COVID, Housing, and Environment Are Major Concerns from Schreiner Town Hall” →

Schreiner Introduces Work Safe Plan Just in Time for Provincial Re-opening

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

Ontario was getting back to work on Tuesday. From regions of the province approved for re-opening, to the first day of the new session of the Legislature, returning to some degree of normalcy was the order of the day. At Queen’s Park, Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner got back to work with a media availability, and the announcement of a safe back-to-work plan for everyone. Continue reading “Schreiner Introduces Work Safe Plan Just in Time for Provincial Re-opening” →

Saxe Says We Don’t Have to Choose Between COVID and Climate

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

Once she was the highly respected Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, an independent officer meant to review and critique the Provincial government’s work on all matters concerning energy, the environment, and climate change. Less than a year into their mandate, the Ford government got rid of Dianne Saxe and her former position, but now as the Deputy Leader of the Green Party Saxe is ready put climate action front and centre. Continue reading “Saxe Says We Don’t Have to Choose Between COVID and Climate” →

Opposition Rallies for Paid Sick Days, Quicker Vaccine Distribution

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

There are some good signs that the case count of COVID-19 infections is going down, but we are still far from the end of the line. Perhaps that’s why Ontario Liberal leader sent an open letter to his fellow opposition leaders this Monday to ask for their support in getting paid sick days back on the agenda, which is only the latest proposed measure to get such a vital protection for Ontario’s workers. Continue reading “Opposition Rallies for Paid Sick Days, Quicker Vaccine Distribution” →

Ford Warns of “Unthinkable Consequences” as Ontario Declares New State of Emergency

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

Premier Doug Ford has raised the alarm in the last few days that the new modelling of COVID-19 cases was going to make people “fall out of their chair” when they saw it. Tuesday was the day that Ford not only released the new modelling, but the new provincial restrictions based on that modelling, and the Premier said that there are “unthinkable consequences” coming if we don’t change course. Continue reading “Ford Warns of “Unthinkable Consequences” as Ontario Declares New State of Emergency” →