Ontario politicians return to Queen’s Park for short, intense legislative session

Ontario’s politicians are back at Queen’s Park today for what is expected to be a short but intense legislative session.

The House is expected to sit for 23 days after a 147-day break, which is one of several reasons why the Ford government is facing so much criticism.

Premier Doug Ford’s handling of the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) dominated question period today — and the Opposition also criticized Ford for promoting the MPP who resigned from cabinet over hotel expenses.

As for the OSAP issue, Ford says he feels badly for the students “trapped” in the career college system where financial aid is now unavailable. OSAP payments have been paused at all private post-secondary institutions after preliminary findings of an audit turned up serious concerns.

Opposition parties spent much of question period calling for Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn to be fired for his handling of the issue. But Ford says Quinn is doing “an incredible job.”

“Only in the Ford government can you blow $1 billion, turn thousands and thousands of people’s lives upside down and still keep your job,” said John Fraser, interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.

“Speaker, if this isn’t gross incompetence, it’s something worse and all the details will soon be coming out. Will the Premier take responsibility for the OSAP fiasco and fire his Minister of Colleges and Universities?” said Peggy Sattler, Ontario NDP shadow minister for colleges and universities.

“The minister’s doing an incredible job supporting students, increasing … let’s really talk of what we did compared to what you did when you were in a government,” Ford replied.

It is gearing up to be a busy week, with the provincial government set to table its fall economic statement on Thursday. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will provide an update on the province’s finances and outline the next phase of his plan.

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