Premier Doug Ford’s attendance in the legislature has taken a dive since controversy began swirling over the hiring of his friend Ron Taverner as head of the Ontario Provincial Police. Ford, who returned to question period Thursday after the veteran Toronto police superintendent bowed out of the OPP appointment, has missed 11 of 18 question periods since Dec. 1, New Democrat MPP Catherine Fife (Waterloo) said Friday.“Since the OPP meddling scandal began, Doug Ford has been absent for 61 per cent of question periods,” she told a news conference closing out a week where the premier was not in the legislature to answer queries from opposition MPPs from Monday through Wednesday. “He’s ducking questions about his interference in the process to appoint the next OPP commissioner. That’s also why he’s been hiding out so much since the start of the new session” that began Feb. 19 following the Family Day long weekend, added Fife.On Wednesday, New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath also was not in question period.The premier has repeatedly denied having a hand in the appointment of Taverner, announced Nov. 29, saying the process was handled by bureaucrats. Ontario’s integrity commissioner is wrapping up an investigation into any political involvement by Ford with a report expected soon. Ford’s office issued a statement Friday saying an important part of his job is getting out of Queen’s Park to avoid becoming isolated, and noted the premier attended 38 of 60 or 63 per cent of question periods from July through December.That tally includes six “legitimate” absences for the annual premiers’ conference, meetings with other premiers and Toronto Mayor John Tory. When those absences are factored in, his attendance rose to 73 per cent, on par with the level for former premier Kathleen Wynne in the last parliament, spokesman Simon Jefferies said. “Every single day Premier Doug Ford travels acros ...
|
