Ford gives himself the power to ram bills through overnight

QUEEN’S PARK — The Ford government has tabled a motion to change the rules of the legislature again. Among the changes, the government is moving to eliminate all reasoned amendments. NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson released the following statement in response:

“Doug Ford has made another move to grab power under the cover of the global pandemic. Ford and his government are eliminating reasoned amendments, giving themselves the power to ram through their bills practically overnight, with no consultation, no public input, no time for media or the public to read them, and no notice given to the people those bills could hurt.

With this move, Doug Ford has given himself unprecedented, unnecessary and unchecked power to use his majority to make whatever laws he wants without any opportunity for the people of Ontario to object. We don’t know what he’s cooking up behind closed doors, but this change warrants serious worry for people who can’t take any more of Ford’s cuts or backroom deals at their expense.”