RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: MAYOR TORY’S RESIGNATION & THE CITY BUDGET

12-12:25 PM

Libby Znaimer is joined by George Smitherman, former Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre who also served as a health minister and deputy Premier, Janet Ecker, former Ontario PC MPP who served as a senior cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves and Peggy Nash, who is a former NDP MP for Parkdale-High Park.

Today: we get reaction from our panel about Toronto Mayor John Tory announcing that he will resign after admitting to an affair with a 31-year-old staffer. This week he will preside over the City budget. Here's the thing: there is still a $933 million hole in the budget which the city wants other levels of government to help out with. Tory has a reputation of working well with the other governments and getting the City needed cash. So, how will things change now? And, if he's gone, will the next Mayor be able to get the job done?

THE CITY BUDGET MEETING WILL GO ON AS PLANNED

12:25-12:40 PM

Libby Znaimer is joined by Toronto City Councillor Gary Crawford (Scarborough Southwest) and Chair of the budget committee.

Crawford tells Libby that Toronto Mayor John Tory, who announced late last week that he will resign from office after admitting to an affair, will indeed be presiding over the budget meeting taking place this Wednesday. Tory played a big role in the current budget proposal. Crawford also weighs in on what comes next at City Hall when Tory leaves his post and comments on the strong mayoral powers not being transferable to the future mayor.

SOME TEMP STAFFING AGENCIES ARE GOUGING LTC HOMES: REPORT

12:40-1 PM

Libby Znaimer is now joined by Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario.

According to a survey by AdvantAge Ontario, which involved 100 Ontario non-profit long-term care homes, a big chunk of the budget from these homes are being spent on temp. staffing agencies. Lisa says tens of millions of dollars are going towards these companies rather than towards hiring permanent care. she goes on to say, "“This is a problem and it’s getting worse. We need the government to push out the bad operators who are preying on homes in the midst of a staffing crisis.”