Government memo says Ontario Legislature will sit for rare weekend session

A memo obtained by Global News and sent to Ontario MPP’s reveals the Legislature will sit for a rare weekend session this Saturday.

The move comes amid controversy over the introduction of Bill 31, Efficient Local Government Act 2018 which invokes the notwithstanding clause to slash the size of Toronto city council.

Coverage of Toronto city council and the notwithstanding clause on Globalnews.ca:

2:25 Day of protests at Queen’s Park after bill reintroduced to slash Toronto council size

• Day of protests at Queen’s Park after bill reintroduced to slash Toronto council size
• Premier Ford to invoke notwithstanding clause to override Toronto council cut ruling
• Doug Ford moves to invoke notwithstanding clause regarding Toronto council cuts
• Tory questions using notwithstanding clause on Toronto council issue
• Doug Ford calls Toronto council the ‘wild west’

Previous Video

Next Video

The memo, marked “strictly confidential,” states, “The House will be returning on Saturday, September 15th starting at 1:00pm and will sit for part of the afternoon. The House may also have to sit on subsequent days prior to the Plowing Match.”

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The decision to have MPP’s return on a weekend comes on the same day that Toronto City Council voted to challenge the newly-amended bill in court.

READ MORE: 25 Toronto MPs slam Ford for using notwithstanding clause, urge MPPs to defeat bill

The memo also states that “members will need to adjust their schedules in order to be at the Legislature this weekend and for Monday.

Additional communications from the Whips office will be forthcoming.”

Here’s the memo:

View image in full screen