Provincial News

• Provincial News
• November 17, 2017

---

Legislative Week in Review: November 14th-17th 2017

In the House

This week we debated:

• Bill 166, Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017
• Bill 175, Safer Ontario Act, 2017
• Bill 174, Cannabis, Smoke-Free Ontario and Road Safety Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017

It’s been a busy legislative week and it’s not over.

On Thursday, the government requested unanimous consent to introduce legislation that would, if passed put an end to the ongoing college labour dispute. The NDP refused to allow the motion thus forcing the government to recall the House on Friday to introduce the legislation.

Today, the Minister of Labour introduced Bill 178, Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Labour Dispute Resolution Act. Although the Bill has been introduced, the NDP refused a required motion to allow the Bill to be debated today. The House will sit on Saturday and Sunday to debate and hopefully pass Bill 178.   

On Tuesday, the Minister of Finance introduced Bill 177, Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017. The Bill would, if passed, reduce the small business corporate income tax rate by 22% and create 30,000 new long term care beds over the next decade, among other measures. Unfortunately, the NDP used a procedural delay tactic to prevent the Bill from being debated this week.

Also, on Tuesday, the House voted in favour of an NDP Opposition Day motion to provide investments to the Brampton Civic Hospital. The government is already providing the hospital with 41 million new dollars and announced the creation 37 new hospital beds at Brampton Civic Hospital last week.

In Private Members’ Business:

Motion #67, Sponsored by PC MPP Jim Wilson to increase the number of long-term-care beds in the Counties of Simcoe and Grey passed unanimously in the House.

Bill 120, An Act to amend the Courts of Justice Act and the Justices of the Peace Act, 2017, sponsored by PC MPP Laurie Scott passed second reading unanimously in the House. The Bill would, if passed, mandate all provincial judges and justices of the peace receive training on sexual assault.

Motion #70 sponsored by Liberal MPP Harinder Malhi to provide increased investment in the Brampton Civic Hospital also passed unanimously in the House.

In Committee

Public Hearings:

• The Standing Committee on General Government on: Bill 160, Strengthening Quality and Accountability for Patients Act, 2017
• The Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly on: Bill 142, Construction Lien Amendment Act, 2017

Clause by Clause Consideration:

• The Standing Committee on Social Policy on: Bill 139, Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017
• The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on: Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017