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The Ford government’s omnibus budget bill, along with changes to freedom of information laws, passed its final vote at Queen’s Park on Thursday.
Amidst chants of “FOI” by opposition party members, the bill passed with 57 votes in support and 33 votes against.
Bill 97 skipped committee sessions and instead was discussed in a heated question period Thursday and debates in a rare late-night sitting Wednesday.
The usual legislative process sees bills go to committees, where affected groups and members of the public have a chance to weigh in, and committee members from the government and opposition can propose and debate amendments.
House Leader Steve Clark proposed last week to bypass committee sessions and public hearings in order to pass the budget.
Changes that are coming with the newly-passed bill, include:
The retroactive FOI law would shield Ford and cabinet members — along with their offices — from public access to documents, with Ford admitting that part of the rationale is to kill a request from Global News to obtain his cellphone records.
Ontario’s legislature is back in session after a 14-week break. CBC’s Shawn Jeffords breaks down exchange between Doug Ford and Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles over proposed changes to freedom-of-information rules.
Opposition grilled Ford, Progressive Conservatives
Ford and other MPPs of the Progressive Conservative party faced constant questions by opposition members Thursday regarding the changes to FOI laws and the means the province took to pass the budget without expert and public consultations.
Wednesday’s sitting took place “under the cover of darkness to cover a cover-up” by the province, Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser said at Thursday’s question period.
He said FOI laws keep people in check and cited several scandals under the Ford government’s rule that were discovered through FOI requests, such as the Greenbelt scandal and the improper release of 157 inmates.
“There must be something really, really, really bad on your cellphone. So what is it?” Fraser asked Ford, adding that the premier must have proof “of his backdoor deals” on his personal device.
“By lunchtime today the premier will think he got away scot-free.”
The province called a late-night debate “to ram the bill through while nobody was watching” after receiving weeks of backlash for “shady FOI changes,” said Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner in a news release.
“Doug Ford thinks he’s above the law — and he clearly has something to hide,” said Schreiner. “It’s time to remind this government who they work for and take the power back.”
Ford defended the use of his personal cellphone, saying that he gives it out “to everyone.” He said he didn’t want private conversations on his phone to be publicized.
“FOI everything, I don’t care,” said Ford, noting his opponents had a double-standard against his government.
Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy said at Queen’s Park the province had carried out 35 public consultations with Ontarians that “debated the budget for months.”
“We are using every tool we have to streamline processes and cut the unnecessary red tape that has held our economy back, while putting forward bold ideas,” he said in a news release.
Want to know how Ontario’s 2026 budget will affect you? CBC’s Julia Knope breaks down all the highlights in one minute.
Province ‘wasting billions’ through budget: Liberals
NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the premier is changing laws to hide his involvement with scandals and that the budget will leave “the next generation with endless debt.”
Ontario’s debt levels are at $485 billion for 2026-2027, up from $337 billion when Ford was elected premier. Debt servicing costs alone for Ontario were listed at $17.2 billion in this year’s budget, which is more than the province is spending on post-secondary education.
If elected as premier, Stiles promised on social media to roll back changes and restore transparency in the province.
“Democracy dies in darkness,” she said. “Honest governments don’t change the law to protect them from the truth.”
While the majority of the bill funds infrastructure, about “30 or 40 per cent” of the budget is from operating deficits, said Ontario Liberal finance critic Stephanie Bowman during Wednesday’s evening debate.
“We’ve got a government that’s spending billions, wasting billions,” said Bowman.
The province’s budget spends on items that will be “an asset on the balance sheet,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, in response to Bowman’s remarks Wednesday.
The investments aim to “leave a legacy” of infrastructure for future generations, he said.
