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The official opposition is accusing the Ontario government of shutting down debate on a private member's bill called Lydia's Law. The bill deals with sexual assault and was set to be debated this week before Progressive Conservatives sent it to committee. The PCs say they are trying to speed up the legislative process, but the NDP are crying foul.Minister of Health Sylvia Jones said this week that Ontario does not have a doctor shortage, a statement that raised a lot of eyebrows. Steve and John Michael dig into the story behind the comments.And, this week brought some significant new penalties for car theft. John Michael explains why this law could lead to a challenge under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new bill could impose major changes to the province's universities, raising concerns about the independence of the institutions.A town in northern Ontario will hold an unexpected election, after the Ontario government has dissolved Black River-Matheson's local council. But first, co-hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath examine how the Ontario NDP is coalescing around the issue of the keffiyeh ban at Queen's Park.You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queen's Park announces that ,back to basics, in Ontario schools means a cellphone and vape ban. Meanwhile, debates ensue over whether the Ford government's new Core Education Funding is a meaningful increase for our public schools. Ottawa gets their own regional office and the most vocal critic is from Doug Ford's own backbench, Nepean MPP Lisa Macleod. But first, a look into the byelections Thursday night, where Progressive Conservatives have kept their grip on Milton and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex seats.You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this week, a second unanimous consent vote to reverse a ban on wearing keffiyehs at Queen's Park failed to pass. Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath follow up on the ban at Queen's Park and ramifications of it.The Province of Ontario is investing billions into electric vehicle plants from car manufacturing giant Honda. The new plants announced this week are part of a larger plan to make the province into an EV powerhouse, but there have been a few stumbles along the way.The Ontario Basic Income pilot was abruptly cancelled in 2019 when Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party formed government. Many years later, a class action lawsuit certified by the Ontario Superior Court has the government paying for legal fees and the plaintiffs seeking millions more in damages. Steve and John Michael discuss what the program did and what the cancellation meant to participants.UDPATE: On Thursday after this week's episode finished recording, Independent MPP Sarah Jama was asked by Speaker Ted Arnott to remove her keffiyeh while in the chamber at Queen's Park, and when she refused she was asked to leave the chamber, which she declined to do. That came after the events on Tuesday that we discuss in this week's episode. We'll have an update on all of this in next week's episode.

John Michael’s column: Former basic-income recipients are taking Ontario to court. Do they have a shot? | TVO Today 

You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government has tabled its budget, which includes money for municipalities on housing and a tax on the rich. Details have been released piecemeal over the last several weeks, but now Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath will finally be able to digest the whole thing.  Highway 413 has cleared a major hurdle with the federal government removing the need for an environmental assessment. So, will shovels finally get into the ground for this new project? Not so fast, because there are several other issues that could get in the way.  Several MPPs at Queen's Park were quietly removed from their committee assignments last week. Steve and John Michael discuss these unusual removals and what they might mean.  Steve's column:  John Michael's column:  You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Paul Calandra unveiled The Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, a new piece of housing legislation designed to get more housing built. Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath break down the omnibus bill and look at the housing policy blitz we've seen from both the federal and provincial government.The Office of the Premier has 48 staff members on the Sunshine List, which makes it one of the most expensive incarnations of this office ever. How does this expense square with Doug Ford's brand of fiscal responsibility?The Ontario New Democrat Party recently hit a record for donations, leader Marit Stiles is travelling the province, and the party has been putting forward strong legislation. So, why isn't Doug Ford taking notice? Steve and John Michael discuss the premier's choice of opponents.

Steve’s column: https://www.tvo.org/article/do-doug-ford-and-pierre-poilievre-get-along

John Michael’s column: https://www.tvo.org/article/the-ford-government-needs-to-get-real-about-its-own-housing-statistics

You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.