Fired minister gets revenge

Toronto – Premier Dalton McGuinty fired a minister last fall and he must be wondering if he did the right thing.

The minister, Steve Peters, has come back to haunt him. Peters had been minister of agriculture, and later labor, and McGuinty dropped him and some others, not because they had done anything spectacularly wrong, but because he was anxious to bring in some new blood.

Peters promptly ran for Speaker of the Legislature - whose main role is to referee the legistlature’s debates. He won because some fellow-Liberal MPPs voted for him, recognizing he has abilities and is likable, and were supported by Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats, who had the added incentive he might want to get his own back on the premier.

Peters is now doing just that. While the legislature has been adjourned for the summer, one of its committees has begun looking at new rules McGuinty imposed on it in the spring, which he claimed would help it run better, but clearly benefit his Liberals.

Peters has now spoken up strongly against them and, as the impartial Speaker, he carries some weight. The most troubling has been the Liberals’ move of the question period, in which ministers have to defend themselves, from 1:30 p.m. to 10:45 a.m., on the claim this corresponds to most others’ working hours and would enable MPPs to get home more with their families.

But it gives the Liberals a big advantage, because the opposition parties base most of their questions on events late the previous day and reports in morning newspapers and the earlier start allows them little time to digest, research and prepare questions.

The Liberals have had fun, jeering the opposition parties are not willing to get up in the morning and work.

Peters told the committee he will do as the legislature directs him, but read a letter from the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario, whose members help write, edit and co-ordinate briefing notes and other material used by ministers in question period, saying they have had to change their lifestyles to accommodate the earlier start.

They said they have been able and willing to do this for what essentially has been a two months’ trial period, but could not provide this on a continuing, permanent basis particularly over a long session that could produce more contentious issues and more legislation.

Peters recalled when he was a minister his personal staff first talked over issues he might be questioned on, then met the association’s bureaucrats to discuss them further, and some days it was a problem to have well-researched answers ready for even the 1.30 p.m. question period.

Peters urged the committee to consider the concerns of the public employees and said, it would be unfortunate if changes the government said were aimed to make the legislature more family-friendly for MPPs, ended up impairing the personal and family lives of public servants.

The Speaker added fewer people have been watching from the public galleries since the time for question period has changed, which should concern government, because all parties have said, over many years, they would like to see more residents taking an interest in the legislature.

Peters, from a western Ontario riding, joined other opposition MPPs who complain the earlier starts mean they can no longer drive to Toronto early Monday morning, for instance, to start their week at the legislature. Instead, they have to leave home the night before and miss events in their home areas that they and their constituents would like them to attend.

Peters also said organizations that come to Queen’s Park to talk to MPPs, typically by holding early-evening receptions, have told him fewer MPPs attend them since the legislature stopped sitting at night and they feel they are losing contact with the politicians.

Peters’s criticisms of the Liberal rule changes are justified and he is not merely taking revenge on McGuinty for firing him - but it must be sweet.