#onpoli, a TVO podcast

Another lump of coal for Doug Ford

The OPP is launching a criminal investigation into a company that received money from both the ministry of colleges and universities and the Ontario Skills Development Fund. Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath discuss this latest development in the saga - and the headache it's becoming for the premier. Ontario's big city mayors have called on the province to declare a state of emergency around homelessness and drug use. Steve and John Michael discuss what might change. The Finch West LRT opened last week and already people are complaining about it. Steve and JMM talk about what Metrolinx, the TTC, and the City of Toronto can do to speed things up. And Nam Kiwanuka, host and producer of (MIS)Treated, and Molly Thomas, host of Big [If True], join Steve and JMM for an #onpoli podcast quiz to round out the year. Steve's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/how-this-organization-in-hamilton-helps-men-get-clean-and-turn-their-li... [https://www.tvo.org/article/how-this-organization-in-hamilton-helps-men-get-clean-and-turn-their-lives-around] JMM's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-i-love-my-e-bike-but-ontario-needs-new-rules [https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-i-love-my-e-bike-but-ontario-needs-new-rules] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Ontario's auditor general takes aim at health-care spending

Shelley Spence, Ontario's auditor general, published a narrowly tailored report on health-care spending in the province. Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath discuss why OHIP overbilling, COVID personal protective equipment, and primary care connections are highlighted.  Ontario has introduced a number of proposed legislative changes aimed at justice and crime. Steve and John Michael discuss how change to the bail system might be unconstitutional, and how dogs and cats fit into story. Education minister Paul Calandra has finally released the province's EQAO scores, and he's not happy with the results. He's creating a two-person team to investigate the test. Steve and JMM discuss how much that will cost to do and how there might be some pitfalls in store for the minister. Steve's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/the-many-ways-to-honour-ken-dryden [https://www.tvo.org/article/the-many-ways-to-honour-ken-dryden] JMM's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-does-the-new-empties-scheme-sell-out-northern-ontario [https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-does-the-new-empties-scheme-sell-out-northern-ontario] IJB story: https://ijb.utoronto.ca/news/ontario-unveils-legislation-to-restrict-invasive-medical-research-on-dogs-and-cats/ [https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fijb.utoronto.ca%2Fnews%2Fontario-unveils-legislation-to-restrict-invasive-medical-research-on-dogs-and-cats%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cmomara%40tvo.org%7Cbfc00e4c17f94f3cbb0208de34179b5c%7C2eadfde0e18641eb8f621e033d56dcbe%7C0%7C0%7C639005473174290540%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZqbLgoJfo3iikVBJw6dyfTzqsi5%2B90%2FXXpUorhs4ks0%3D&reserved=0] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Ontario's Skill Trades Fund investigation

Ontario New Democratic Party leader Marit Stiles has called on the Integrity Commissioner to investigate Labour Minister David Piccini as the skills development fund controversy deepens. But will it amount to anything? John Michael McGrath and Jessica Smith Cross discuss the importance of the information that will come out as a result. Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act passed its third reading at the legislature, and some are sounding the alarm around water safety in the province. John Michael and Jessica discuss what effect the legislation will have on water infrastructure in Peel Region. If Ontario Place wasn't enough, now we need to ask if the Ford government is eyeing Exhibition Place as well. JMM and Jess discuss the text of Bill 68 and how a confluence of confusing legislation and distrust in government lead to a controversy. JMM's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-ford-threatened-to-audit-his-critics-can-he-do-that [https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-ford-threatened-to-audit-his-critics-can-he-do-that] How a political disaster brewed in Brighton: https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/politics/how-a-political-disaster-brewed-in-brighton-9095416 [https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/politics/how-a-political-disaster-brewed-in-brighton-9095416] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Pressure mounts on Doug Ford's labour minister

Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini is at the centre of a growing hubbub over the Ontario's Skills Development Fund. Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath discuss the latest developments, and why Ontario New Democratic party leader Marit Stiles got herself thrown out of Queen's Park over the controversy. Doug Ford and Peter Bethlenfalvy are usually in agreement on financial matters, at least until a proposed cut to the harmonized sales tax for first-time home buyers. Ford believes the criteria is too narrow, Bethlenfalvy says he and the premier work together on these matters. Steve and John Michael discuss where this conflict will go and what's happened in the past when a premier and minister of finance disagreed over policy. Bills 33 and 60 are making their way into law this week, and, as you might expect, there was major disagreement over the lack of committee time to debate these bills. Steve and JMM discuss how a short legislative calendar and procedural moves pushed these through. Steve's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-will-anyone-miss-fixed-election-dates [https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-will-anyone-miss-fixed-election-dates] JMM's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-one-small-trick-to-build-new-affordable-housing [https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-one-small-trick-to-build-new-affordable-housing] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Better call Paul Calandra?

Why are advocates for children with autism comparing Ontario education minister Paul Calandra to Breaking Bad character Saul Goodman? Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath discuss the implications of the comparison. Last year, Lieutenant-General Richard Rohmer issued a challenge to Ontario premier Doug Ford to have the north side of the Ontario Veterans' Memorial engraved. Steve and John Michael discuss how the premier rose to the challenge and what that means for veterans. Brian Lewis, Ontario's former chief economist from 2015 to 2021, joins Steve and JMM to dig further into the province's fall economic statement and discuss the province's fiscal future. Steve's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/i-sat-down-with-ontarios-living-former-premiers-heres-what-i-learned [https://www.tvo.org/article/i-sat-down-with-ontarios-living-former-premiers-heres-what-i-learned] JMM's column: https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-a-pro-cyclist-court-decision-could-create-headaches-for-rural-ontario [https://www.tvo.org/article/analysis-a-pro-cyclist-court-decision-could-create-headaches-for-rural-ontario] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.