By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady
The spring session of the Ontario Legislature feels very short – likely because it is. But it is also short on substance, unless you believe democracy works best when voices are quieter, scrutiny is limited, and debate is rushed.
On May 7, Bill 101, the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, received Royal Assent. The legislation ushers in sweeping changes to Ontario’s education system, concentrating more power at the provincial level, reducing the role of locally elected school board trustees, and expanding standardized student assessments.
What is perhaps most remarkable is not only the scope of the changes, but the speed at which they were made. Legislation that fundamentally reshapes public education moved from introduction to Royal Assent in less than a month.
As a member of the government’s Finance and Economic Affairs Committee I was called to an in-camera meeting Tuesday morning. The meeting was to set dates and times for public consultations on Bill 105 – Protecting Ontario’s Workers and Economic Resilience Act, 2026. This is normal procedure, but what was particularly alarming was the government’s decision to give the public just a six-hour window to contact the Clerk’s Office and register to appear before committee. Consultations scheduled a week away were effectively closed off in a matter of hours. That does not signal a government eager to hear from Ontarians. It suggests the presenters were already lined up and that broader public input was viewed as an inconvenience rather than an essential part of the democratic process.
The legislative sessions at Queen’s Park are becoming shorter and shorter, allowing the Ford government to ram through large volumes of legislation in compressed periods of time, limiting consultation and minimizing meaningful pushback from the opposition benches. That should concern every Ontarian, regardless of political stripe.
It also steadily chips away at the ability of individual MPPs to do the job they were elected to do. Fewer sitting days mean fewer opportunities for members to ask questions, raise concerns on behalf of their communities, and place issues on the public record through statements and debate. Democracy is not strengthened when scrutiny is reduced.
Quite frankly, I find this as troubling as the Ford government’s well-documented spending problem, despite this is the guy who built a brand on being the one who was going to stop reckless spending and corrupt politics.
Premier Ford talked a great game when he was working to win the 2018 election and his platform looked like a return to common sense and fiscal conservatism. Here’s a quote: “When I am elected premier, I will stand up for all Ontario taxpayers and eliminate the per-vote subsidy given to political parties in Ontario. This will save taxpayers millions of dollars each year.” That gravy train has not been parked.
Ontarians are scrimping and saving while navigating the affordability crisis. The gravy train became the gravy plane. Your pilot Doug Ford went ahead with the flip-flop purchase/sale of a $28.9 million jet, coming on the heels of announcing the expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.
We are all tightening our belts and grappling with an affordability crisis while Ford burns through money quickly. Billions of dollars for controversial projects and political priorities. Take the billions tied to Ontario Place and the Therme spa. Plus, billions more for Highway 413 amidst environmental and fiscal worries. The hundreds of millions to accelerate alcohol sales in convenience stores while emergency rooms close across rural Ontario. And epic announcements about tunnels under the 401 before Ontarians even know the true cost.
I believe the Ford government has become disconnected from you. It is time to implement practical policy that puts more money back in your pockets, while also getting our critical public services back on track through reimagining and reform.
Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk