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The Ford government is taking the bold step of invoking the notwithstanding clause of the constitution to overturn a court decision issued just this week.
The court decision deemed certain parts of the Elections Finances Act unconstitutional for limiting third party advertising but rather than comply with the ruling, the government is set to override the court.
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Government House Leader Paul Calandra has informed Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Ted Arnott of their intention to recall the House to pass the sections of Bill 254 again with the notwithstanding clause added in.
Photo from The Canadian Press
The Ontario government will invoke the notwithstanding clause to restore changes to election finance law that a judge declared unconstitutional this week.
Government House Leader Paul Calandra says legislators are being recalled from their summer break tomorrow so the government can introduce legislation on the matter.
A spokesman for Calandra confirmed the government would use the notwithstanding clause to enact the provisions that were struck down by the court this week.
The clause gives provincial legislatures or Parliament the ability to override certain portions of the charter for a five-year term.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan ruled on Tuesday that it was unnecessary to amend the Election Finances Act to extend the restricted pre-election spending period to 12 months.
iPolitics By Iain Sherriff-Scott. Published on May 19, 2021 11:27am Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, pictured in November 2020, urged the government on Wednesday to hold a public inquiry into the province s pandemic response. (Barry Gray/The Hamilton Spectator.)
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath on Wednesday urged Premier Doug Ford’s government to call an independent public inquiry into the province’s overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to reporters in front of Queen’s Park, Horwath said the inquiry should begin in September, and continue without a time limit, unlike the government’s commission into long-term care, which began investigating last September and concluded its mandate in April.
The OPP is reviewing a request from the Ontario NDP to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted into alleged deaths by neglect in long-term care…