Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The committee met at 1554 in committee room 1.

Organization

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Good afternoon, everyone. We’re now in a session of the estimates committee. I’ll read out my notes and then we’ll proceed to the business of the day.

As you know, the Lieutenant Governor has transmitted the estimates of certain sums required for the services of the province for the year ending March 31, 2020, to the Legislative Assembly. Pursuant to standing order 59, these printed estimates, upon tabling, are deemed to be referred to the Standing Committee on Estimates. All committee members should have received a copy of the 2019-20 estimates from the Clerk.

The objectives of today’s meeting are: (1) to select the estimates of certain ministries or offices for review by the committee; and (2) to determine the date on which the committee will begin the consideration of the selected estimates.

Standing order 60 sets out the process by which the committee makes its selections. Essentially, each of the recognized parties on the committee shall select the estimates of either one or two ministries or offices in each of two rounds of selection. The official opposition selects first, followed by the government.

In making its selection, each party also determines how much time is to be allocated to the consideration of each ministry or office selected. A maximum of 15 hours is permitted per selection. For example, if only one selection is made in a round, that single selection could be reviewed for a maximum of 15 hours. If two selections are made in a round, both of them could be reviewed for a combined maximum of 15 hours. How the division of those 15 hours takes place is up to the party making the selection.

Pursuant to standing order 60(c), these selections are to be reviewed in the order in which they were chosen, and this can only be changed by an order of the House.

The estimates of those ministries or offices not selected for consideration will be deemed to have been passed by the committee. As Chair, I will report those estimates back to the House, and they will be deemed to be adopted and concurred in by the House.

Any supplementary estimates of selected ministries and offices shall be considered by the committee within the time allocated during the selection process.

In accordance with standing order 63(a), the committee must present a report to the House with respect to the estimates it selected and considered by the third Thursday of November of this year: November 21, 2019. If the committee fails to report by the third Thursday in November, the estimates and supplementary estimates before the committee will be deemed to be passed by the committee and deemed to be reported to and received by the House.

I’d also like to add a note that if members could please look at the list of ministries and offices in the estimates book and give the correct names of the ministries when they select them.

Do members have any questions before we begin? No? Thanks.

I’ll start with the official opposition for their first-round selections. Mr. Gates.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Thank you, Chair. Health and long-term care, 7.5 hours, and education, 7.5 hours.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Thank you, Mr. Gates. Government? Mr. Pettapiece.

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: Thank you, Chair. I choose Ministry of Transportation, 7.5, and Ministry of Infrastructure, 7.5.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Transport, 7.5, and infrastructure, 7.5. Thank you.

I’ll turn back to the official opposition to make their second-round selections. Mr. Gates.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Thanks again, Chair. Second round of 15 hours: children, community and social services, 7.5 hours; and the second selection is environment, conservation and parks, 7.5 hours.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Okay. Thank you very much.

I’ll turn now to government for their second-round selections. Mr. Pettapiece.

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: Thank you, sir. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 15 hours.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Fifteen hours?

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: Yes.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Okay. Everyone has made their selection.

The second matter to be determined is the date on which the committee will begin its consideration of selected estimates. In order to provide ministries and offices sufficient time to prepare, and considering the Victoria Day constituency week, I propose we start on Tuesday, May 28, at 9 a.m.

Is there agreement to commence hearings on Tuesday, May 28, at 9 a.m.? Agreed? Great.

There being no further business, I declare this meeting adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 1559.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES

Chair / Président

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto–Danforth ND)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls ND)

Mr. Stan Cho (Willowdale PC)

Ms. Jill Dunlop (Simcoe North / Simcoe-Nord PC)

Mr. Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls ND)

Mr. Randy Hillier (Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston IND)

Mr. Stephen Lecce (King–Vaughan PC)

Mrs. Gila Martow (Thornhill PC)

Ms. Jane McKenna (Burlington PC)

Ms. Judith Monteith-Farrell (Thunder Bay–Atikokan ND)

Ms. Lindsey Park (Durham PC)

Mr. Randy Pettapiece (Perth–Wellington PC)

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto–Danforth ND)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Timothy Bryan

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Laura Anthony, research officer,
Research Services