Queen’s Park back in session
Posted September 9, 2013 6:00 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The fall session of the Ontario legislature began Monday with MPPs returning to Queen’s Park after the summer break and it didn’t take long for hot button issues to be brought back on the table.
Soon after the session started the Tories filed another contempt motion against the Liberals, which had the Premier threatening a fall election.
“The practical reality is that if the house cannot fnuction and if we can’t see a way forward the opposition will have to explain to the people of Ontario why they thnik a general election is the better option,” explained Kathleen Wynne.
Tim Hudak’s Progressive Conservatives, who are in the wake of their own scandal after finance critic Peter Shurman was removed from his position due to an accommodation expense scandal, were quick to bring up the contentious gas plant scandal which has plagued the Liberals. The two cancelled GTA plants cost taxpayers at least $585 million.
In order to bring more transparency to the government Wynne’s Liberals announced the introduction of a new Financial Accountability Officer – an idea originally proposed by Andrea Horwath’s NDPs during the budget negotiations earlier this year, propping up the minority Liberal government and avoiding a spring election.
The Liberals also agreed to a 15-per-cent reduction in auto insurance premiums, though it would be phased in over two years.
The Liberals were also expected to push for legislation that would make tanning beds off limits to minors, and they’ve also promised lower insurance rates and a new spending watchdog.
The Ontario government said last week it plans to fast track its tanning bed legislation for minors and will move to pass Bill 30 on Wednesday.
The legislation would ban the sale of tanning services to people under the age of 18 and require operators to request ID from anyone who appears to be under 25, among other requirements.
Also on Monday, five newly-elected members — all of whom took office in August byelections — saw their first-ever question period.
Ontario PC and former Toronto councillor Doug Holyday is the MPP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, while Liberals Mitzie Hunter and John Fraser took the oath for Scarborough-Guildwood and Ottawa South, respectively.
New Democrats Peggy Sattler and Percy Hatfield now represent London West and Windsor-Tecumseh.
When asked about speculation that he could be next in line to replace Shurman as finance critic, Holyday only said “I don’t know anything about that.”
