The Ford government is moving to limit debate and public hearings on several pieces of legislation, including a bill which will make it easier for Queen’s Park to sideline trustees and take control of school boards.
A motion from House Leader Steve Clark on Wednesday looks to speed Bill 33, Bill 40 and Bill 60 through the legislative process after the government shortened the fall sitting by more than a month.
Bill 33 was tabled in the spring and makes it easier for the minister of education to take over school boards as the government moves forward with a major overhaul of the system.
The legislation would expand the reasons for initiating an investigation or putting a board under supervision beyond just financial ones, to include matters of public interest and allow Ministry of Education staff to conduct school board audits.
The bill would also give the minister power to direct school boards to publicly post expenses of trustees, the director of education and others, and would give the minister power over school names when boards open new schools or want to change an existing name.
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As well, Ontario would require school boards to implement a school resource officer program if the local police service offers one.
The changes have been controversial with parents, trustees and opposition politicians, who have labelled them as a “power grab” that could hurt students.
“Bill 33 sets a dangerous precedent,” said Kate Dudley Logue of the Ontario Autism Coalition in a statement.
“It tells families that their voices don’t matter and concentrates power in the hands of the Minister, and that they have no input into the legislative process for the bill, since the government will not hold public hearings.
Clark’s motion will bypass committee hearings for Bill 33, also limiting the amount of time it is debated in the chamber.
Bill 60, which deals with changes for tenants and landlords, will follow the same path, bypassing its committee hearings entirely. It has already seen a reversal from the government, which backed away from a plan to potentially end evergreen leases.
Bill 40, dealing with energy policy, will enjoy a brief, time-limited committee hearing.
“They will do anything to get what they want at the expense of democracy, at the expense of Ontarians who won’t have a chance to have their voices heard,” NDP Leader Marit Stiles said.
“Most of what was discussed in this legislation was not part of the election conversation that happened. The government knows that perfectly well; they were elected to provide economic security to the people of Ontario, and none of that legislation goes anywhere toward doing that.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
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