The Ontario NDP and Liberal parties are speaking out after the Ford government moved to host a late-night session on Wednesday, which they both say is being done to push through changes to Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation, effectively blocking access to the premier’s cellphone records.
Cabinet ministers and their staff would also be exempt from FOI requests under this new law.
“Just when you thought this government couldn’t get any worse, they’re now scheduling late-night sittings to quietly change the rules, hoping to keep Ontarians in the dark,” Marit Stiles, the Leader of the Official Opposition, said in a written statement.
“These changes are about one thing: giving Doug Ford more power to hide their shady dealings from the public, the media and from anyone trying to get answers.”
The Liberals are also saying that the uncommon late-night session was called so Ontario Premier Doug Ford can “ram through the end of Freedom of Information while Ontarians sleep.”
“Buried in the budget are the most sweeping FOI changes in a generation — a direct hit to transparency and accountability,” the party wrote in a post on X.
“FOI is how we exposed the Greenbelt, the Skills Development Fund, the 150 criminals this government let out by mistake, the Ontario Place spa, the Science Centre closure, and $100M+ in government ad spending. It’s how we’d find out more about the private jet.”
The party noted that Bill 97, the provincial government’s omnibus budget bill, was supposed to go to committee for public hearings, detailed review and amendments.
“At the last second, (the Ford government) ripped it out and are now pushing it through under the cover of darkness. If you need to ram through a bill like this, you know you’re doing something you’re not proud of,” the Ontario Liberals said.
“Something you want to hide. And like the decision to buy a private jet, his entire cabinet — 28 ministers — is backing it. That’s it. Enough is enough. Doug Ford is undoing democracy, and we can’t let him.”
Thursday is the last day before legislature is scheduled to take a constituency week, where MPPs return to their riding to work in their communities between sitting periods.
Wednesday night’s debate is set to run until midnight.
