Ford government to skip committee hearings for budget, bill to arm special constables
As the Ford government rushes to wrap up its legislative agenda before the summer — and controversy swirls around some of its proposed bills — it is moving to skip debate and fast-track a number of plans.
The government plans to skip debate and committee hearings on a total of four proposed laws, including the budget and an omnibus justice law that could give more guns to special constables.
House Leader Steve Clark tabled a motion to fast-track the legislation with only a few days of sittings left and the government on the defensive over its mining legislation, which is currently facing a wave of criticism during its committee hearings.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles suggested the decision to fast-track some legislation is to avoid similar pushback during other committee hearings.
'After a massive public backlash to his power-grabbing Bill 5, Doug Ford is canceling public hearings altogether on four more government bills,' she said in a statement.
Story continues below advertisement
'His controversial bill to bring in US-style politicized courts and his massive new budget bill will not see the committee floor, and debate will be cut back to no more than an hour. What is he trying to hide?'
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 bills that will skip committee hearings are two health-care plans, the budget and an omnibus justice bill.
The latter piece of legislation included a section buried in the middle of the bill that will allow solicitor general Michael Kerzner to select more groups of special constables who can carry guns.
Right now, only a select few special constables — mainly working for the Niagara Parks Commission — have the right to carry guns. Others carry pepper spray and batons.
Despite the new power, Kerzner has refused to say which special constables could be given guns. The premier's office recently told Global News it was considering giving 'long guns' to special constables with Niagara Parks.
While the solicitor general refused to say which special constables would get guns, he promised lengthy consultations.
'We're going to continue to engage our stakeholders, we're going to continue to study the matter further,' Kerzner told Global News on Monday.
The next day, the government confirmed its plan to skip committee hearings for the proposed.
Story continues below advertisement
3:13
Ford government faces accountability questions over hasty fall sitting
A spokesperson for the premier's office said bypassing the committee and debate is not unusual.
'This is a standard process of parliamentary procedure — it is also important to note that further changes to Bills come from regulations that will occur at a later date,' they said in a statement.
Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said the move lacked transparency.
'This is another hallmark of this government wanting to skip consultation,' she said. 'This is a government that doesn't like to be held accountable. They're not transparent. They don't want to be held accountable.'
Crombie said the Liberals would sit through the summer if necessary to improve legislation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
20 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
President Trump's Plan to End Taxes on Overtime Pay Could Become Reality Sooner Than You Think
President Trump made a lot of attention-grabbing promises during his campaign for a second term, and in his five months since retaking office, he's met with varying degrees of success in enacting them. Ending taxes on Social Security benefits, for example, appears no nearer than it was on Trump's first day in office. But he's made considerable headway with some of his other agenda items, including ending taxes on overtime pay. We could see this enacted yet this year, but there are still some important details to be ironed out. The "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" could end taxes on overtime as soon as this year House Republicans recently drafted the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" that incorporates several of President Trump's key campaign promises, like an end to taxes on tips and overtime pay. It would create an above-the-line deduction for these items, so you wouldn't owe any income taxes on them. The House version of the bill clarifies that the tax deduction for overtime pay would apply only to overtime compensation that is paid to an individual in excess of the regular rate they receive for their work. This deduction wouldn't be available to highly compensated employees (HCEs) and those without a work-eligible Social Security number. The bill narrowly passed the House, and lawmakers initially hoped it would make it to the president's desk by July 4, 2025. But the Senate is determined to make its mark on the legislation as well, and at least some senators, like Ron Johnson (R-WI), feel the July 4 deadline isn't realistic. The Senate is already making changes The Senate's version of the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" isn't finalized yet, but we've already had a peek at some of the changes it hopes to make. While the general idea of no taxes on overtime pay remains in the latest version of the bill, the Senate has added one important restriction. The tax deduction for overtime pay would be limited to $12,500 per person or $25,000 for married couples filing a joint return. While this should be adequate for most people, it may be disappointing if you earn a lot of money from overtime. The House version of the bill didn't have any restrictions on the overtime tax deduction. There are also income phaseouts that reduce the deduction by $100 for every $1,000 your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $150,000 for a single adult or $300,000 for a married couple. Individuals with MAGIs of $275,000 or more and married couples with MAGIs of $550,000 or more wouldn't be eligible to claim the deduction. It's not a done deal yet Senate Republicans can only afford to lose three Republican votes if they want the bill to pass, and right now, there are several who are voicing concerns about the bill in its current state. This means that it likely won't be passed in the next couple of weeks at least. There isn't a vote scheduled currently. If it does pass, the overtime tax deduction will take effect for the 2025 tax year, according to the current bill. However, it would only remain in place through the 2028 tax year. After that, it would be up to lawmakers to decide whether to continue the deduction or not. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these strategies.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Rejecting Trump's rhetoric, Maine's governor heads to Maritimes to build ties
HALIFAX – Maine's governor is heading to the Maritimes next week with hopes a charm offensive will slow the rapid drop in Canadian tourist visits to her state. In a release issued Friday, Janet Mills says she's aware the historically close relationship between New England and its northern neighbours has been challenged by U.S. president Donald Trump's tariffs and his rhetoric about Canada becoming the 51st state. According to U.S. federal border crossing data released Friday, 85,000 fewer Canadians entered Maine in May than in the same month a year ago, a drop of about 27 per cent. The governor says she will spend three days meeting with premiers, appearing in local media and visiting businesses in hope of sending a message that Maritimers remain 'welcome in Maine' despite Trump's trade policies. On Monday, the governor will stop in Saint John, N.B., where she intends to visit businesses with links to Maine and she then will travel to Fredericton to hold talks with New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt. On Wednesday, Mills will meet with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston in Halifax and tour a marine technology centre. Last month, the governor unveiled new, bilingual signs welcoming Canadian visitors, which are being placed in windows around the state. On June 13, in her weekly radio address, Mills said she wants to ensure the 'historic friendship and deeply intertwined economies last for generations to come.' 'It's not just our economies – we are connected so deeply by mutual economic advantages and on centuries-old familial, cuisine, language, and cultural bonds that far supersede politics,' she told her listeners, reminding them that Canada is the United States' closest and most important trading partner. The Democratic Party member said Trump's 'roller coaster tariffs' are unsettling business in her state and 'making our Canadian neighbors feel unwelcome in the United States.' In 2024, nearly 800,000 Canadian visitors spent approximately US$498 million in Maine, according to the state's Office of Tourism. Overall, the data showed Maine welcomed 14.8 million visitors, who spent more than US$9.2 billion, supporting 115,900 jobs and generating US$5.4 billion in wages. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
GOP's food stamp plan is found to violate Senate rules. It's the latest setback for Trump's big bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — In another blow to the Republicans' tax and spending cut bill, the Senate parliamentarian has advised that a proposal to shift some food stamps costs from the federal government to states — a centerpiece of GOP savings efforts — would violate the chamber's rules. While the parliamentarian's rulings are advisory, they are rarely, if ever, ignored. The Republican leadership was scrambling on Saturday, days before voting is expected to begin on President Donald Trump's package that he wants to be passed into law by the Fourth of July. The loss is expected to be costly to Republicans. They have been counting on some tens of billions of potential savings from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, to help offset the costs of the $4.5 trillion tax breaks plan. The parliamentarian let stand for now a provision that would impose new work requirements for older Americans, up to age 65, to receive food stamp aid. 'We will keep fighting to protect families in need,' said Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which handles the SNAP program. 'The Parliamentarian has made clear that Senate Republicans cannot use their partisan budget to shift major nutrition assistance costs to the states that would have inevitably led to major cuts,' she said. The parliamentarian's ruling is the latest in a series of setbacks as staff works through the weekend, often toward midnight, to assess the 1,000-page proposal. It all points to serious trouble ahead for the bill, which was approved by the House on a party-line vote last month over unified opposition from Democrats and is now undergoing revisions in the Senate. At its core, the goal of the multitrillion-dollar package is to extend tax cuts from Trump's first term that would otherwise expire if Congress fails to act. It also adds new ones, including no taxes on tips and or overtime pay. To help offset the costs of lost tax revenue, the Republicans are proposing cutbacks to federal Medicaid, health care and food programs — some $1 trillion. Additionally, the package boosts national security spending by about $350 billion, including to pay for Trump's mass deportations, which are running into protests nationwide. Trump has implored Republicans, who have the majority in Congress, to deliver on his top domestic priority, but the details of the package, with its hodge-podge of priorities, is drawing deeper scrutiny. All told, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the package, as approved by the House, would add at least $2.4 trillion to the nation's red ink over the decade and leave 10.9 million more people without health care coverage. Additionally, it would reduce or eliminate food stamps for more than 3 million people. The parliamentarian's office is tasked with scrutinizing the bill to ensure it complies with the so-called Byrd Rule, which is named after the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, and bars many policy matters in the budget reconciliation process now being used. Late Friday, the parliamentarian issued its latest findings. It determined that Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee's proposal to have the states pick up more of the tab for covering food stamps — what Republicans call a new cost-sharing arrangement — would be in violation of the Byrd Rule. Many lawmakers said the states would not be able to absorb the new requirement on food aid, which has long been provided by the federal government. They warned many would lose access to SNAP benefits used by more than 40 million people. Initially, the CBO had estimated about $128 billion in savings under the House's proposal to shift SNAP food aid costs to the states. Cost estimates for the Senate's version, which made changes to the House approach, have not yet been made publicly available. The parliamentarian's office rulings leave GOP leaders with several options. They can revise the proposals to try to comply with Senate rules or strip them from the package altogether. They can also risk a challenge during floor voting, which would require the 60-vote threshold to overcome. That would be unlikely in the split chamber with Democrats opposing the overall package. The parliamentarian's latest advice also said the committee's provision to make certain immigrants ineligible for food stamps would violate the rule. It found several provisions from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which is led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to be in violation. They include one to provide $250 million to Coast Guard stations damaged by fire in 2025, namely one on South Padre Island in Texas. Still to come are some of the most important rulings from the parliamentarian. One will assess the GOP's approach that relies on 'current policy' rather than 'current law' as the baseline for determining whether the bill will add to the nation's deficits. Already, the parliamentarian delivered a serious setback Thursday, finding that the GOP plan to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was a core proposal coming from the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, would be in violation of the Byrd Rule. The parliamentarian has also advised of violations over provisions from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that would rollback Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards on certain vehicles and from the Senate Armed Services Committee to require the defense secretary to provide a plan on how the Pentagon intends to spend the tens of billions of new funds. The new work requirements in the package would require many of those receiving SNAP or Medicaid benefits to work 80 hours a month or engage in other community or educational services.
