On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast

This is our 62nd episode of @OnTheLedgePcast and our final show for 2019. Our usual suspects, John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford are here along with special guests John Michael McGrath and Steve Paikin from TVO's @theAgenda. John Michael and Steve also produce and host the #OnPoli podcast. Their show gets down in the weeds - whereas On The Ledge gets down in the mud! We will take a hiatus...

It's becoming clear that #sewergate in the City of Hamilton will not only be a municipal election issue in 2022, it will likely test the Steeltown MPPs running for re-election in two and a half years. Meanwhile, the ongoing standoff between the province and the teachers' unions is a point of aggravation and weariness for students and parents who face one day class disruptions - including one day w...

Best estimates suggest 24 billion litres of raw sewage has been dumped into Chedoke Creek in Hamilton, Ontario. City council knew about the leak prior to the 2018 municipal election but it only came to light through recent reporting by the Hamilton Spectator. Laura Babcock, President of Powergroup Communications joins the On The Ledge panel this week. She says Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger has n...

There were all kinds of predictions that Ontario Premier Doug Ford's meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be more of a stand off than a sit down. But that wasn't the case. All indications are Ford and Trudeau had a productive discussion and left the name calling on the campaign trail. And less than a month before school's out for the Christmas holiday break and, so far, it's been busin...

Organized labour organized a demonstration outside MPP Donna Skelly's Hamilton office this past week - all because of a comment the premier made in response to a question from Skelly. Skelly basically teed up a friendly question and Doug Ford replied with friendly fire. The premier also made news when it was announced that Canada's premiers will be meeting in the GTA on December 2nd. It gives the...

Is there a movement to draft Jane Philpott as a Liberal leadership candidate? Is it time for the New Democrats to replace Andrea Horwath? It’s nearly universally acknowledged that Ford Nation spent its time well during the five-month recess at Queen’s Park if, for no other reason than, it changed its tone and approach, finally shifting from “campaign” to “governing” mode. And the ON THE LEDGE pane...

Ontario’s Finance Minister Rod Phillips delivered the Fall Economic Statement in the legislature this week and it was criticized by the left and the right. The opposition NDP accuse the Ford government of making drastic cuts to programs and services while staunch conservatives shout about Ford spending more than the Kathleen Wynne government. Getting heat from both sides suggests to Phillips they...

The Ontario legislature was back in business this past week after a nearly five month recess. Things kicked off with a "day of action" demonstration by public service unions but it wasn't as spirited as one may have expected. The ON THE LEDGE panel chalks that up to an obvious change of tone from Premier Doug Ford. There was some barbs in house during Question Period but there was a noticeable cha...

The federal election is in the rearview mirror and there have been a few Doug Ford sightings as the Ontario legislation prepares to get back to business. There is a noticeable change in tone from the Ontario premier but it's pretty clear that Ford's office is prepared to continue its war with the media. Keith Leslie says Ford remains in a bubble and is conducting public business behind closed door...

This is a special EXTRA edition of On the Ledge. John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford explore the question of leadership as an underlying ballot question in Canada's federal election. There are several provincial and regional issues that have surfaced during the federal campaign but they have only been "used to divide" Canadians rather than viewed as matters that require federal attention a...

By all accounts, the final results of the federal election will be a muddled minority at best. There are no shortage of scenarios being floated as to who can, should or will be able to command the confidence of the House of Commons. No matter the outcome, it means Canadians are likely to head back to the polls withing the next 24 or 30 months - at best. Whoever forms government will parade their p...

Justin Trudeau barely gets through a stump speech or a Q&A with media without mentioning Doug Ford's name multiple times. He accuses the Ontario premier of taking care of his rich pals and cutting essential services intended to support the most vulnerable. Trudeau says a Scheer government in Ottawa would do the same or worse. The strategy is fairly transparent. The Liberals are not only linking An...

Well that escalated in a hurry. CUPE represents some 55 thousand education workers across the province and has been in contract negotiations with the province over the past few weeks. It appeared they were close to a deal on Sunday, September 29th, but the union walked away from the negotiations saying they would commence a work to rule on September 30. Two days later, union leadership announced p...

Climate change was the front and centre subject of discussion this week. It was punctuated by the Climate Strike marches in cities around the world - a movement led by Greta Thunberg. In the throes of a federal election campaign, the climate agenda was commandeered by citizens who don't have a vote. Education is also the focus of attention On The Ledge with news that CUPE representing some 55,000...

The federal election campaign has consumed all of the political oxygen since the Governor General officially dissolved parliament on September 11. The Liberal strategy out of the gate was to equate Conservative Leader to Doug Ford - characterized as the service-slashing Premier of Ontario who cares little about the little guy. A vote for Scheer is a vote that threatens everything from healthcare t...

If the medium is the message, then Premier Doug Ford's anti-carbon tax message isn't sticking. The government mandated anti-federal carbon tax labels that adorn gas pumps across the province are peeling off; reporting in the Toronto Star suggests they've got the wrong adhesive. First problem is, the glue is intended for indoor use; the second issue is the glue was meant to adhere to metal (the gas...

Students got back to class this week in Ontario with little or no drama on the labour front. But it was clear, before the week was over, that the Doug Ford Tories will be facing push back from unions representing workers in the education sector. CUPE is the first to light a slow burn fuse, putting the province on notice. The union represents some 55 thousand education workers across the province a...

Here we are making the turn into the autumn. The kids are heading back to class this week without much of the drama that had been anticipated. There have been dire prognostications of an all out war between the teachers' unions and the Doug Ford government. Any hints of labour unrest remain in the background - for now. So, it's business as usual, extra-curriculars and athletics move forward as pla...

Dean French left the Premier's Office at Queen's Park about two months ago and, by accident or design, the tone and approach of the Doug Ford government has shifted significantly. That tone was front and centre this past week at the annual AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) meeting in Ottawa. It wasn't a love-in by any stretch of the imagination. Local governments are still struggling...

This week ON THE LEDGE welcomes Melissa Lantsman as a guest contributor. Melissa’s a VP at Hill and Knowlton and was also a war room strategist for the Ontario PC party during the 2018 provincial campaign. All the talk in Toronto was about the spike in gun violence this week. The region averaged more than 2 shootings a day in a 7 day stretch. That has prompted Ontario Premier Doug Ford to reiterat...

Premier Doug Ford took to Ontario News Now, (the PC party’s social media “news” channel), to endorse Pelee Island wines. The move sparked an immediate, if not kneejerk, response from critics who called for a boycott of the Niagara region winery. While the boycott may have been overboard, the premier faces legitimate complaints that he and his ministers give preferred treatment to those who cut big...

This is a special edition of On The Ledge – the Ontario Politics Podcast. In this episode, we highlight the latest developments in the Ontario Autism Plan.  For those of you who’ve been listening to the podcast for a while you will know that the autism file has been one of the most difficult for both the previous Liberal government and the current Progressive Conservatives. Candidate Doug Ford mad...

In this episode, co-hosts John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford remember former Ontario cabinet minister David Caplan. Caplan died following a fire in his North York home on July 24th, 2019. Caplan had served in a number of portfolios, including Minister of Health, in Premier Dalton McGuinty's government at Queen's Park. Otherwise, it was a fairly quiet week for the Doug Ford government. Nor...

It was a pretty good week for the Ford Folks at Queen's Park. The Ontario Progressive Conservatives have had a hard time avoiding bad news headlines, particularly since the legislature rose for a five month break. But this past week resembled something close to normal. Premier Ford took some criticism for failing to attend meetings with Canada's indigenous leaders at the First Ministers' gathering...

Another off week for the Ontario legislature and another off the rails week for the Ford government. Newly appointed Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Lisa MacLeod made headlines this week after an encounter with Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk. Melnyk tells the Ottawa SUN that MacLeod accosted him at the June 29th Rolling Stones concert in Burls Creek, just north of Barrie. He claims th...