NDP fights Ford's attempt to give himself the power to pass bills even faster

QUEEN’S PARK — The NDP will oppose a package of changes the Doug Ford government is planning to push through — changes that would allow Ford to introduce and pass a bill even faster, with even less public input.

“As it is, Doug Ford has done his best to prevent the people of Ontario from having any opportunity to weigh in on changes that impact them,” said NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson. “With Doug Ford, we see a lot of backroom deals cooked up with insiders, and very little consultation with everyday Ontarians.

“Now, the system that prevents much consultation is about to go from bad to worse.”

The suite of changes includes a new rule that allows the government to call the same bill to be debated, and pass through multiple stages in one day — which is currently prohibited. The Ford government is also introducing a new rule that allows the government to have the legislature sit at night any time it chooses, giving the government another tool to ram a bill through even faster.

Those two changes combined mean that the Ford government could introduce a scheme Monday, and have it passed into law by Wednesday.

Other changes include a new rule that helps Doug Ford dodge questions in question period more gracefully by allowing any minister to respond to any question from the opposition parties without referral. Currently, Doug Ford has to stand and refer the question to another minister, if he can’t or won't answer it himself.

These changes — all amending the Standing Orders — will be voted on in the legislature in the form of a motion.