#onpoli, a TVO podcast

A tribunal found that nothing corrupted the Ontario Liberals' controversial nomination meeting in Scarborough Southwest. Hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath discuss why Nathaniel Erskine-Smith's allegations were rejected, and what comes next. They also look at emerging advocacy to change the party's voting rules, as well as new names that have entered the Ontario Liberal leadership race.

Plus, Ontario finally passes a new law regulating the inappropriate behavior of municipal politicians. Advocates say it's a first step, but the threshold for disciplinary action raises eyebrows. Will the law actually help?

Then, Doug Ford lashed out at another judge's decision this week. A judge decided it was a Charter violation for Waterloo to clear an encampment that allegedly stands in the way of transit development. Were Doug Ford's comments out of line? Some legal academics believe Ford's statements threaten the independence of Canadian Courts.

Finally, in "Your Column, My Column," JMM looks at whether new rules around grocery store leases could bring grocery prices down. And Steve pays tribute to one of Toronto's original political mavericks, Howard Moscoe.

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Newly released TTC documents suggest that Metrolinx is not immune to long delays and cost overruns in building new Toronto transit. The province had taken over planning, saying the city was taking too long to build essential infrastructure. So, why the delays? And what happens now? Hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath break down the findings and explain how confidential documents will still find the light of day, despite recent changes to freedom of information legislation. Then JMM breaks down how the city of Stratford has launched a Charter challenge to the provincial government's so-called strong mayor powers. Does Stratford have a case? And, with Honda announcing that it's bailing on a $15-billion investment for Alliston, the local MP Adam Chambers joins the show to discuss the advisability of continuing public support for the auto sector. In Your Column, My Column, the hosts discuss whether the latest national electricity white paper has any bearing on a provincial file and what, if anything, we can expect to hear about the fallout from the Liberal nomination race in Scarborough Southwest.

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Choosing the new Ontario Liberal candidate in Scarborough Southwest has gone sideways. Ahsanul Hafiz won by 19 votes, but runner-up Nate Erskine-Smith says he has reason to appeal. Is he right? Hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath parse what Steve saw at the Liberal nomination meeting, including some things he found quite unusual. Then, Steve and JMM discuss the Ontario government's takeover of Conestoga College. And finally, the Auditor General issued four special reports, outlining concerns around trucker training, artificial intelligence use in government, special education services, and how the government enforces court orders in spousal and child support.

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Doug Ford accuses the NDP leader of Trump-style rhetoric. With the opposition heating up its criticism against the Ford government, hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath wonder whether Doug Ford is getting a taste of his own medicine. Then, Steve and JMM look at how the Progressive Conservatives voted down a bill that looked to establish guardrails around publishing misinformation and using artificial intelligence in election communications. And finally, the Canadian Civil Liberties Union says the government's latest move to give special constables the power to arrest drug users on Toronto transit is "a deliberate choice to respond to a public health crisis with coercion instead of care." Is that right?

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Is Doug Ford's drop in popularity just a blip, or is there reason for Ontario's Progressive Conservatives to be concerned? Hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath break down the latest poll numbers and how they would translate to seats. Then, the hosts look at how Minister of Education Paul Calandra made a rare appearance at the committee discussing Bill 101, and why his comments to union leaders prompted criticism. Finally, how might Mark Carney's new Canada Strong Fund support Ontario's future goals? Just look at the Ford government's economic priorities: nuclear power and critical minerals. In "Your Column, My Column," JMM discusses how the federal government might consider positioning itself on the Billy Bishop Airport, and Steve wonders why Doug Ford has been so ornery, and discusses his ad hominem attacks against Liberal MPP Stephanie Smyth.

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Premier Doug Ford walks back his jet-plane purchase, and says the media is picking on him for trying to run the province more efficiently. Hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath get into whether that political communication works for Ontarians. Meanwhile, Ontario's NDP leader Marit Stiles is trying to make surveillance pricing a political issue here in Ontario – will her party's new communications strategy bring the official opposition back to the forefront? And a bill is exploring putting a stop to foreign ownership of some Ontario farmland. Why?

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Is the Ford government's latest renewable energy procurement enough? Green Party leader Mike Schreiner weighs in on that, the province's takeover of Billy Bishop airport, and where he thinks the budget missed the mark (see: housing). Then, hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath unpack new changes to Ontario's school system, which includes a new job description for school trustees. Is this a move to consolidate power by the Ford government? Finally, two of Ontario's colleges decided to merge, perhaps a sign of the times during a period of declining enrollment and financial support.

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Do new appointees in Niagara and Simcoe threaten local democracy? Have stronger mayors even helped to build more housing, as promised? Who will foot the bill for proposed changes to the Greater Toronto Area commuter trains? And what does the scheduled transformation of Queen's Park North say about how we imagine urban parks and public spaces in downtown Toronto? Hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath parse out these questions in this week's #onpoli. In "Your Column, My Column," the hosts break down what a Toronto planning dispute says about the housing crisis in Ontario, and discuss how Hamilton will be the best mayor's race in the province.

Link: 

JMM mentioned the Toronto city report about consultations of the green space. Find it here: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.EX29.3

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NDP and Liberal finance critics break down why Ontario's 2026 budget might not 'protect' Ontarians after all. Then, hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath unpack the latest suite of housing announcements that went beyond the HST exemption: an $8.8 billion fund to get municipalities to cut development charges and a new bill that would allow for smaller lots and impact local planning matters and housing development. And of course, Steve and JMM nod to the life and career of Ontario political icon Stephen Lewis and his legacy.

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Ontario's 2026 budget is out. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy joins #onpoli to discuss the Ford government's spending choices, why it has not produced a balanced budget, and when it would ever raise taxes. Then, hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath zoom out and take a broader look at the government's plans: the HST exemption for home purchases, the province's overall fiscal health, electricity subsidies, and how transportation changes might make it harder for northern Ontarians to access Toronto - and why the government is fine with that trade-off.

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