Queen's Park Highlights - December 2, 2011
1. Government and Official Opposition introduce Anti-Bullying Bills
On November 30, Education Minister Laurel Broten and PC MPP Elizabeth Witmer each introduced legislation to address student bullying. The bills share some proposals; each has strengths lacking in the other. The minority government situation provides the opportunity for the Legislature to work with both bills to adopt a positive legislative initiative to build on current safe school legislation and to more effectively address student bullying in the province.
Both bills provide definitions for bullying that includes cyberbulling. The government's bill puts a particular focus on bullying related to race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The PC bill responds more directly to concerns from teachers and other school staff about the need for more consistent and timely responses to reports of student bullying and for more effective reporting and follow up.
In speaking to Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, 2011, Education Minister Laurel Broten outlined key aspects of the legislation, for example:
"If passed, the Accepting Schools Act will create legal obligations for boards to address bullying prevention and early intervention, progressive discipline, and equity and inclusive education. The proposed legislation will provide clear expectations and increase accountability for school boards and bullies, including making expulsion a possible consequence for bullying.
We will give teachers and staff the resources and training they need to intervene early and make those teachable moments matter. We’re going to work very closely with experts and with our partners in education to make sure we get it right."
Responding on behalf of the Official Opposition, PC Education Critic Lisa MacLeod called on all three parties to put aside partisan politics and work collaboratively with both bills to make sure the response to bullying is "something we can get right."
NDP Education Critic Peter Tabuns spoke about the importance of directly supporting students who wish to establish gay-straight alliances in their school. Bill 113 requires school boards to support requests for students to establish such organizations, but opens the door to the use of names other than gay-straight alliance. Mr. Tabuns said: "Minister, there is no question that words matter. "Gay-straight alliance" is a very powerful term, a very positive term. We in this House need to know that those words and their power will be accessible to students in schools across this province."
There has been some concern about the proposal to add "bullying" to the list of student behaviours that can lead to expulsion. Premier McGuinty has indicated through the media that expulsion would be used only as a last resort. The progressive discipline provisions introduced by Bill 157 a couple of years ago would remain in effect with the passage of Bill 13.
For more information about Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, 
click here.
For more information about Bill 14, PC MPP Elizabeth Witmer’s private member's bill – the Anti-Bullying Act, 2011, click here.
2. PC Leader Tim Hudak continues to press for Public Sector Wage Freeze
PC Leader Tim Hudak raised the issue of a public sector wage freeze during each Question Period session this week. On November 28, he asked Finance Minister Dwight Duncan:
"Don't you think it reasonable—I'll ask you again—to extend your public sector wage freeze from simply putting it on non-union employees and, making it fair for everyone, make sure we spread it out to all public sector employees? If we want to preserve public services for generations to come, isn’t this an important and fair step to take today?"
Minister Duncan replied:
"First, I would characterize the fact that we have managed to keep the deficit coming down in each of the last two years as an important achievement, Mr. Speaker. Last year the deficit figure came in, as a result of some one-time transfers, better than had been anticipated, but we are still right on target with what we laid out two years ago in the 2010 budget. Compare that, for instance, with the federal government, who announced last week that they are now extending their date to balance…"
"..we are going to work with the public and broader public sectors, with management, with unions and, most importantly, with the people of Ontario as we move back to budget."
"What I can say to the Leader of the Opposition is that we will reject the types of practices that he had when he was part of a government that slashed and burned and undermined confidence—"
3. NDP Leader calls for end to Corporate Tax Cuts
On December 1, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath pointed to the challenging times faced by Ontario in terms of making life affordable, responding to job loss, and improving health care. She asked Premier McGuinty: "Why does he believe, though, that we can afford massive tax cuts to corporations?" The Premier answered by listing the various tax initiatives that provide financial assistance to low-income earners, including students and seniors.
In a supplementary question, Ms. Horwath pointed to recent statistics regarding bank profits:
"Premier says we can't afford relief for families to take the HST off of home heating but he insists that the biggest banks do need a break in this province. Quarterly profits at CIBC soared 59% today, to $800 million. You know, that’s over $6,000 a minute in profits. That’s good news for the bank, Speaker, but does the Premier really think that they’re the ones that need a tax break?"
Premier McGuinty replied: "…the banks are always a fun target, but they do employ over 400,000 people in the GTA. They’re the only sector that continued to grow throughout the recession…"
4. PC Bill aims to Prevent MPPs from Crossing the Floor
On November 30, PC MPP Sylvia Jones (Dufferin-Caledon) introduced Bill 18, the Respect for Voters Act, 2011. This private member's bill proposes to require that a by-election be held in the event that an MPP decides to cross the floor to join a different political party. The bill is in response to speculation that the Liberals are working to entice at least one Opposition MPP to cross the floor of the Legislature to give the Liberals the additional seat they need for a majority.
To read the bill, click here.
5. MPPs present Increasing Number of Petitions against Wind Turbines
During the first two weeks of the session, the most common petitions presented in the legislature were those calling on a moratorium on wind turbines. One such petition from constituents of Kitchener-Conestoga pointed to reports of negative health effects linked to the turbines and the loss of municipal decision-making regarding their installation.
Opposition to the turbines in rural communities is considered to have contributed to the defeat of four Liberal cabinet ministers in the October provincial election.
For more information, check the website of the Ontario Legislature: www.ontla.on.ca