Ontario’s legislature is set to resume this week for the first time since the re-election of Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives, with politicians returning amid a health care staffing crisis and soaring inflation.
Members will return on Monday to vote for a Speaker, followed by the throne speech, which outlines the government’s new agenda and the budget, which is expected to remain largely unchanged since it was introduced but not approved last spring. the elections.
The prime minister is expected to acknowledge health and economic pressures, but it is unclear whether new measures will be added to the budget or throne speech to address them.
“The main thrusts of the agenda are the same as before and during the election campaign, including rebuilding Ontario’s economy, getting more people into the professions and putting shovels in the ground to build more homes, roads, highways , transportation and other basic infrastructure,” said a senior government source.
“The government will also reiterate how it supports the health care system particularly in light of current pressures. In doing so, we are signaling that the context and climate in which this agenda is being implemented is changing based on global economic trends.”
Since the June election, nursing staff shortages have led hospitals to close emergency departments in communities across the province for hours or even days at a time.
Nursing groups, hospital executives, other health professionals and advocates have said burnout after being on the front lines of COVID-19 for more than two years and inadequate compensation has caused people to leave the profession in droves.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones sent a directive Thursday to the College of Nurses of Ontario, asking it to make every effort to register internationally educated nurses “as soon as possible” so they can practice in the province.
Opposition critics and nursing groups say the nursing college directive does not mean the province is doing everything it can to address the situation, as Ford recently promised.
A key demand they have is the repeal of House Bill 124, legislation from 2019 that capped wage increases for public sector workers — including nurses — at one percent a year for three years.  Nursing groups say some nurses could be forced out of retirement if the bill were to go away.
When question period resumes on Wednesday, opposition parties are expected to press the government for solutions to health staff shortages, including the repeal of Bill 124, which they have long urged.
Interim NDP Leader Peter Tambuns said Bill 124 is a symbol of the Ford government’s attitude toward health care workers.
“I think that’s part of the problem we have with retention right now, as well as recruiting,” Tabuns said at a news conference Friday.
“(It’s) a very clear message from the provincial government that we’ll say all kinds of nice things for you, but ultimately, we’re not willing to put dollars on the table to make life better for you.”
The Liberals will technically sit as independents again, having failed to win back enough seats for official party status in the legislature, but interim leader John Fraser said their priorities would be the health system as well as affordability, including benefit rates disability.
“People can’t survive on what they get,” Fraser said in an interview.
Ford promised during the election campaign that he would increase these disability support payments by 5%, which is the only new measure he has indicated will be in the reintroduced budget.
Rates have been frozen since 2018, with a person on ODSP able to receive up to $1,169 a month for basic needs and shelter.  Supporters say that is too low and payments should be doubled, especially given that inflation is hovering around 8%.
The first order of business for the legislature is to elect a speaker, and two Progressive Conservatives are expected to vie for the role.  Ted Arnott, who has served as Speaker for the past four years, is set to face off against Nina Tangri, who served as Undersecretary for Small Business and Red Tape Reduction.
The vote is by secret ballot, but the opposition NDP has indicated its members will vote for Arnott.
“He has shown himself to be fair and impartial in his dealings,” Tabuns said.
If Tangri is elected, she will be the first woman in the role, which Tabuns acknowledged would be a major milestone, but won’t change his vote.
“We think it would be good to have a woman as speaker, but maybe another woman at another time,” he said.
The Tories – who are the deciding factor, with their large majority – have not said which members of their caucus will support.