The Ontario Government plans to rush the Omnibus Bill through Legislature

BY PAUL JUNOR

On Wednesday, July 8^th, the PC-led Ontario government announced an omnibus bill called the COVID-19 Recovery Bill.

The 188-page Omnibus Bill is intended to alter twenty pieces of present legislations that involve schools, municipalities, and the justice system in Ontario. This widespread new legislation will fundamentally change many of the existing laws in Ontario.

In the press release on July 8^th, the COVID-19 Recovery Act was introduced as a, “Proposed legislation that lays the foundation to restart jobs and development, strengthen communities and create opportunity for people in every region and place.” Premier Doug Ford states, “The COVID-19 pandemic has touched all Ontarians and created significant hardships for individuals, families and business. People are relying on our government to help rebuild the province and get people back to work and that’s exactly what we’re doing starting with this legislation.”

Solicitor General, Sylvia Jones, introduced the Omnibus Bill on Tuesday, July 7^th. She stated that the province will need to act soon as the provincial state of emergency expired on July 15^th. Ontario has been in a state of emergency since March 17^th, 2020, under the Emergency Management and Civil Liberties Act, which has been extended to the middle of July. The provincial government hopes that once the motion is passed, it will be extended to July 24^th.

Many of the changes included in the Omnibus Bill deals with changes to environmental protection laws that have been in place for decades. Premier Doug Ford defends his decisions. “We aren’t going to dodge (environmental assessments) or anything. We’re going to make sure we strengthen them.”

The Omnibus Bill includes changes to the Education Act, which was announced by the Education Minister Stephen Leece on Monday, July 6^th with respect to eliminations of suspensions for students in junior kindergarten to Grade 3.

There has been criticism from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) in terms of the lack of consultation, which has been involved, in the proposed bill. In a statement that was released on Friday “This week’s announcement demonstrates, yet, again, that the Ford government understands neither the needs of Ontario’s most marginalized students, nor the education system upon which those students rely. Minister Leece’s habitual failure to consult front-line educators suggests that the government is simply not interested in gaining that understanding.”

The union furthers notes that it has, “Learned that the government plans to rush the Omnibus Bill through the legislature and finalize these important decisions in a matter of a couple of weeks. We have serious concerns about the lack of consultation and transparency in the process for making these changes. To package all of these important changes into one bill and to circumvent meaningful public consultations is deeply troubling.” There is much that is at stake if these changes are made in a rushed manner and it must be done carefully, slowly and critically.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Doug Ford government instituted a wave of cuts across the province in social services, health care, and education, It: cancelled the $15 minimum wage, eliminated more than 700 green energy projects, removed rent controls, and cut Toronto city council in half. Many Ontarians were personally affected by these actions. It is because of the pandemic that Premier Ford had to provide  $17 billion in additional support as part of Ontario’s Action Plan to support and improve: health care, electricity cost relief, deferral of municipal education property and business taxes and for people who are unemployed.

Let us not forget that it was because of the labour unrest in the education sector that forced the government to settle with the four unions at the height of the pandemic after there were increase in class sizes, elimination of teaching jobs and cutbacks in services.

Although the PC-government has 73 out of 124 seats in the Ontario Legislature it still needs the support of the other parties. Many feel the government has forgotten: the homeless, those living in poverty, those on social assistance, and those without a living wage. There are many reasons why this bill should not be rushed into law.