Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Last updated
Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Assemblée législative de l'Ontario
42nd Parliament of Ontario
Shield of arms - Ontario Leg.jpg
Type
Type
History
FoundedJuly 1, 1867 (1867-07-01)
Preceded by Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Leadership
Elizabeth Dowdeswell
since September 23, 2014
Ted Arnott, PC
since July 11, 2018
Doug Ford, PC
since June 29, 2018
Andrea Horwath, NDP
since June 7, 2018
Paul Calandra, PC
since June 20, 2019
Peggy Sattler, NDP
since February 3, 2021
Structure
Seats124
Legislative Assembly of Ontario 2021-3-13.svg
Political groups
 Her Majesty's Government
  •   Progressive Conservative (71)

Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition

Other parties

Elections
Last election
 June 7, 2018
Next election
 On or before June 2, 2022
Meeting place
Legislative Assembly - panoramio.jpg
Ontario Legislative Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Website
www.ola.org

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (French : Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the unicameral legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Along with the sovereign (represented by the lieutenant governor), who grants royal assent to bills passed by its members—known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs)—the body comprises the Legislature of Ontario or Parliament of Ontario. [1] [2] [3] The assembly meets at the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Park in the provincial capital of Toronto.

Contents

Ontario uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government in which members are elected to the Legislative Assembly through general elections using a "first-past-the-post" system. The premier of Ontario (the province's head of government) holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the Legislative Assembly, typically sitting as an MPP themselves and lead the largest party or a coalition in the Legislative Assembly. The largest party not forming the government is known as the Official Opposition, its leader being recognized as leader of the Opposition.

The Ontario Legislature is sometimes referred to as the "Ontario Provincial Parliament". Members of the assembly refer to themselves as "Members of the Provincial Parliament" MPPs as opposed to "Members of the Legislative Assembly" (MLAs) as in many other provinces. Ontario is the only province to do so, in accordance with a resolution passed in the Assembly on April 7, 1938. However, the Legislative Assembly Act refers only to "members of the Assembly". The Legislative Assembly is the second largest Canadian provincial deliberative assembly by number of members after the National Assembly of Quebec.

The current assembly was elected on June 7, 2018, as part of the 42nd Parliament of Ontario.

Owing to the location of the Legislative Building on the grounds of Queen's Park, the metonym "Queen's Park" is often used to refer to both the provincial government and the Legislative Assembly. [4]

Lawmaking

In accordance with the traditions of the Westminster system, most laws originate in the provincial cabinet (government bills) and are passed by the legislature after multiple rounds of debate and decision-making. Backbench legislators may introduce private legislation (private-member bills) or amend bills presented to the legislature by cabinet, playing an integral role in scrutinizing bills both at the debate as well as committee stages.

The southern facade of the Ontario Legislative Building, the meeting place for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ontario Legislative Building, Toronto, South view 20170417 1.jpg
The southern facade of the Ontario Legislative Building, the meeting place for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

In the Ontario legislature, this confrontation provides much of the material for Oral Questions and Members' Statements. Legislative scrutiny of the executive is also at the heart of much of the work carried out by the Legislature's Standing Committees, which are made up of ordinary backbenchers.

A member's day will typically be divided among participating in the business of the House, attending caucus and committee meetings, speaking in various debates, or returning to his or her constituency to address the concerns, problems and grievances of constituents. Depending on personal inclination and political circumstances, some Members concentrate most of their attention on House matters while others focus on constituency problems, taking on something of an ombudsman's role in the process.

Finally, it is the task of the legislature to provide the personnel of the executive. As already noted, under responsible government, ministers of the Crown are expected to be Members of the Assembly. When a political party comes to power it will usually place its more experienced parliamentarians into the key cabinet positions, where their parliamentary experience may be the best preparation for the rough and tumble of political life in government.[ citation needed ]

History

Members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario convene in 1871. Parliament of Ontario 1871.jpg
Members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario convene in 1871.

The 1st Parliament of Ontario was in session from September 3, 1867, until February 25, 1871, just prior to the 1871 general election. This was the first session of the Legislature after Confederation succeeding the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada (last session was the 8th Parliament of the Province of Canada). The 1867 general election produced a tie between the Conservative Party led by John Sandfield Macdonald and the Liberal Party led by Archibald McKellar. Macdonald led a coalition government with the support of moderate Liberals. The Legislative Assembly was established by the British North America Act, 1867 (later re-titled Constitution Act, 1867), which dissolved the Province of Canada into two new provinces, with the portion then called Canada West becoming Ontario. The Legislature has been unicameral since its inception, with the Assembly currently having 124 seats (increased from 107 as of the 42nd Ontario general election) representing electoral districts ("ridings") elected through a first-past-the-post electoral system across the province.

John Stevenson served as speaker for the assembly. [5] In 1938, the title of Member of the Legislative Assembly was officially changed to Member of Provincial Parliament. Previously, multiple terms were unofficially used in the media and in the Legislature. [6]

Ontario uses the same boundaries as those at the federal level for its Legislative Assembly in Southern Ontario, while seats in Northern Ontario correspond to the federal districts that were in place before the 2004 adjustment. Ontario had separate provincial electoral districts prior to 1999.

Timeline of the 42nd Parliament of Ontario

The following notable events occurred during the 2018–present period:

Summary of seat changes

Changes in seats held (2018–present)
SeatDateMemberReasonPrevious PartyParty After
Simcoe—Grey November 2, 2018 [9] Jim Wilson Resigned from cabinet and caucus due to allegations of sexual misconduct.█  PC █  Independent
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell November 29, 2018 [10] Amanda Simard Resigned from caucus after opposing the government's cuts to francophone services.█  PC █  Independent
Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston February 20, 2019 [11] Randy Hillier Suspended from caucus after autism comments.█  PC █  Independent
Ottawa—Vanier July 31, 2019 [15] Nathalie Des Rosiers Resigned to accept position at Massey College of the University of Toronto.█  Liberal Vacant
Orléans September 20, 2019 [16] Marie-France Lalonde Resigned to run in the federal election for its equivalent seat.█  Liberal Vacant
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell January 16, 2020 [17] Amanda Simard Joined Liberal Party.█  Independent █  Liberal
Ottawa—Vanier February 27, 2020 [18] Lucille Collard Won By-Election.Vacant█  Liberal
Orléans February 27, 2020 [18] Stephen Blais Won By-Election.Vacant█  Liberal
Cambridge July 21, 2020 [19] Belinda Karahalios Removed from caucus after voting against Bill 195.█  PC █  Independent
York Centre January 15, 2021 [20] Roman Baber Removed from caucus after speaking out against lockdown.█  PC █  Independent
Cambridge January 18, 2021 Belinda Karahalios Co-created (alongside with her husband) the New Blue Party, and officially joined soon right after.█  Independent █  New Blue

Media

Regular Legislative Assembly proceedings are broadcast to subscribers of the Ontario Parliament Network in Ontario. A late-night rebroadcast of Question Period is also occasionally aired on TVO, the provincial public broadcaster.

Officers

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario, like the federal House of Commons, also includes procedural officers who administer the business of the legislature and impartially assist the Speaker and MPPs with their duties. These officers collectively make up the Office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. [21] [22] The Office of the Assembly consists of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker as well as the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Sergeant-at-Arms, Executive Director of Administrative Services, and Executive Director of Legislative Library, Research and Information Services. The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is the chief permanent officer of the Legislative Assembly, with the rank and status of a Deputy Minister, responsible for administering the legislature and advising MPPs on questions of procedure or interpretation of the rules and practices of the House. The Sergeant-at-Arms keeps order during meetings in the legislature, is charged with control of the ceremonial mace in the legislature, and is responsible for security in the House and the Legislative Precinct.

Independent offices protecting certain public interests

Additional officers of the Legislative Assembly were created to protect certain public interests, these officers are appointed by unanimous votes of the legislature and report to the legislature through the Speaker rather than to the provincial government. [22] These officers include the Auditor General, Information and Privacy Commissioner, Integrity Commissioner, Chief Electoral Officer, Ontario Ombudsman, and Poet Laureate of Ontario. [23]

Symbols

Coat of arms

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario is the first and the only legislature in Canada to have a Coat of Arms separate from the provincial coat of arms.

Green and gold are the principal colours in the shield of arms of the province. The Mace is the traditional symbol of the authority of the Speaker. Shown on the left is the current Mace. On the right is the original Mace from the time of the first parliament in 1792. The crossed Maces are joined by the shield of arms of Ontario.

The crown on the wreath represents national and provincial loyalties; its rim is studded with the provincial gemstone, the amethyst. The griffin, an ancient symbol of justice and equity, holds a calumet, which symbolizes the meeting of spirit and discussion that Ontario's First Nations believe accompanies the use of the pipe.

The deer represent the natural riches of the province. The Loyalist coronets at their necks honour the original British settlers in Ontario who brought with them the British parliamentary form of government. The Royal Crowns, left 1992, right 1792, recognize the parliamentary bicentennial and represent Ontario's heritage as a constitutional monarchy. They were granted as a special honour by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the recommendation of the Governor General.

In the base, the maple leaves are for Canada, the trilliums for Ontario and the roses for York (now Toronto), the provincial capital.

Mace

The first mace used by the Upper Canadian Legislature. First ceremonial mace of Upper Canada, used at the first meetings of Parliament in Newark, starting in 1792 - Ontario Legislative Building, Toronto, Canada - DSC00288.jpg
The first mace used by the Upper Canadian Legislature.

The ceremonial mace of the Legislature is the fourth mace to be used in Upper Canada or Ontario. The ceremonial mace acts as a symbol, representing the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to oversee the proceedings of the assembly. [24]

The first mace was used by the Chamber of Upper Canada's first Parliament in 1792 at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake) and then moved to York (now Toronto). [25] The primitive wooden mace was painted red and gilt and surmounted by a crown of thin brass strips. It was stolen by American troops as a Prize of War during the Battle of York of the War of 1812 in 1813. The mace was stored at United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and remained in the United States until 1934, when it was returned to Ontario when President Franklin Roosevelt sent an order to Congress to return the mace. [26] It was stored at the Royal Ontario Museum for a time, and is now located in the Main Lobby of the Ontario Legislative Building. [25]

A second mace was introduced in 1813 and used until 1841.

The third mace was not purchased until 1845. In 1849, it was stolen by a riotous mob in Montreal, apparently intent upon destroying it in a public demonstration. However, it was rescued and returned to the Speaker, Sir Allan Macnab, the next day. Later, in 1854, the Mace was twice rescued when the Parliament Buildings in Quebec were ravaged by fire. The Mace continued to be used by the Union Parliament in Toronto and Quebec until Confederation in 1867, when it was taken to the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa, where it remained in the House of Commons until 1916. When the Parliament Buildings were gutted by fire during that year, the Mace could not be saved from Centre Block. All that remained was a tiny ball of silver and gold conglomerate. [25]

The fourth, and current mace used by the Legislature. Ceremonial mace, made in 1867 - Ontario Legislative Building, Toronto, Canada - DSC00276.jpg
The fourth, and current mace used by the Legislature.

The current mace used in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario was acquired in 1867, after Confederation. It was provided by Charles E. Zollikofer of Ottawa for $200. The four-foot mace is made of copper and richly gilded, a flattened ball at the butt end. Initially the head of the mace bore the crown of Queen Victoria and in a cup with her monogram, V.R. When she was succeeded by Edward VII in 1901, her crown and cup were removed and a new one bearing Edward's initials on the cup was installed. Eventually it was replaced with the current cup, which is adorned in gleaming brass leaves. [25]

Through some careful detective work on the part of Legislative Assembly staff, the original cup with Queen Victoria's monogram was recently found in the Royal Ontario Museum’s collection and returned to the Legislature. It is now on display in the Ontario Legislative Building. [25]

In 2009, two diamonds were installed in the Mace. The diamonds were a gift to the people of Ontario from De Beers Canada to mark the opening of the Victor Mine near Attawapiskat in northern Ontario. Three diamonds were selected from the first run of the mine. Two stones, one rough and one polished, were set in platinum in the crown of the Mace while the third stone, also polished, was put on exhibit in the lobby of the Legislative Building as part of a display about the history of the Mace. [25]

Party standings

Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario occurred on June 7, 2018, as a result of which the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, led by Doug Ford, formed Her Majesty's Government of Ontario.

AffiliationParty
leader		StatusSeats
2018 electionCurrent
Progressive Conservative Doug Ford Government7671
New Democratic Andrea Horwath Official Opposition4040
Liberal Steven Del Duca
(from outside the legislature)		No party status78
Green Mike Schreiner No party status11
New Blue Jim KarahaliosNo party status01
Independent N/ANo party status03
Total124
Government Majority2818

Seating plan

The seating chamber for the Legislative Assembly features individual chairs and desks for its members. Interior Ontario Legislative Assembly Toronto 2010.jpg
The seating chamber for the Legislative Assembly features individual chairs and desks for its members.

The seating chamber is similar in layout to that of the British House of Commons and the original St. Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster. [27] The Parliament of Ontario, however, may be easily distinguished from this model by its use of individual chairs and tables for members, absent in the British Commons' design.

The legislature's former host building and site, home to the Upper Canada and Union Houses, once boasted of a similar layout.

Last update: February 16, 2021 [28]

Note: Bold text designates the party leader, John Fraser serves as the Parliamentary leader of the Ontario Liberal Party as their leader does not have a seat in the Legislature.

Membership changes

Number of members per party by date
Party2018201920202021
Jun. 7Nov. 2Nov. 29Feb. 20Jul. 31Sep. 20Jan. 16Feb. 27Jul. 21Jan. 15Jan. 18
Progressive Conservative 767574737271
New Democratic 40
Liberal 76568
Green 1
New Blue –1
Independent –1232343
Total members124123122124
Vacant–12–
Government Majority282624222324222018

List of members

NamePartyRidingFirst ElectedLeft officeNotes
  Rod Phillips Progressive Conservative Ajax June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Michael Mantha New Democratic Algoma—Manitoulin October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Michael Parsa Progressive Conservative Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Andrea Khanjin Progressive Conservative Barrie—Innisfil June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Doug Downey Progressive Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Todd Smith Progressive Conservative Bay of Quinte October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Rima Berns-McGown New Democratic Beaches—East York June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Sara Singh New Democratic Brampton Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Gurratan Singh New Democratic Brampton East June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Kevin Yarde New Democratic Brampton North June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Prabmeet Sarkaria Progressive Conservative Brampton South June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Amarjot Sandhu Progressive Conservative Brampton West June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Will Bouma Progressive Conservative Brantford—Brant June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Bill Walker Progressive Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Jane McKenna Progressive Conservative Burlington October 6, 2011IncumbentWas defeated in the same riding during the 2014 Ontario general election. Regained her seat in 2018 general election.
  Belinda Karahalios New Blue Cambridge June 7, 2018IncumbentWas Progressive Conservative until July 21, 2020.
Was Independent until officially January 18, 2021.
  Goldie Ghamari Progressive Conservative Carleton June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Rick Nicholls Progressive Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Marit Stiles New Democratic Davenport June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Vincent Ke Progressive Conservative Don Valley North June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Kathleen Wynne Liberal Don Valley West October 2, 2003IncumbentCurrently the longest serving female member. Former Premier of Ontario.
  Sylvia Jones Progressive Conservative Dufferin—Caledon October 10, 2007Incumbent
  Lindsey Park Progressive Conservative Durham June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Robin Martin Progressive Conservative Eglinton—Lawrence June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Jeff Yurek Progressive Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Taras Natyshak New Democratic Essex October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Kinga Surma Progressive Conservative Etobicoke Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Christine Hogarth Progressive Conservative Etobicoke—Lakeshore June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Doug Ford Progressive Conservative Etobicoke North June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Donna Skelly Progressive Conservative Flamborough—Glanbrook June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Amanda Simard Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell June 7, 2018IncumbentProgressive Conservative until November 29, 2018. Independent until January 16, 2020.
  Mike Schreiner Green Guelph June 7, 2018IncumbentFirst Green Party member.
  Toby Barrett Progressive Conservative Haldimand—Norfolk June 8, 1995Incumbent
  Laurie Scott Progressive Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock October 2, 2003IncumbentResigned seat on January 8, 2009 to allow PC leader John Tory to enter legislature. Regained seat in 2011 general election.
  Andrea Horwath New Democratic Hamilton Centre May 13, 2004Incumbent
  Paul Miller New Democratic Hamilton East—Stoney Creek October 10, 2007Incumbent
  Monique Taylor New Democratic Hamilton Mountain October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Sandy Shaw New Democratic Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Daryl Kramp Progressive Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Tom Rakocevic New Democratic Humber River—Black Creek June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Lisa Thompson Progressive Conservative Huron—Bruce October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Merrilee Fullerton Progressive Conservative Kanata—Carleton June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Greg Rickford Progressive Conservative Kenora—Rainy River June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Sol Mamakwa New Democratic Kiiwetinoong June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Stephen Lecce Progressive Conservative King—Vaughan June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Ian Arthur New Democratic Kingston and the Islands June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Laura Mae Lindo New Democratic Kitchener Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Mike Harris Jr. Progressive Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Amy Fee Progressive Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Monte McNaughton Progressive Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Randy Hillier Independent Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston October 10, 2007IncumbentProgressive Conservative until February 20, 2019.
  Steve Clark Progressive Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes March 4, 2010Incumbent
  Teresa Armstrong New Democratic London—Fanshawe October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Terence Kernaghan New Democratic London North Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Peggy Sattler New Democratic London West August 1, 2013Incumbent
  Paul Calandra Progressive Conservative Markham—Stouffville June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Logan Kanapathi Progressive Conservative Markham—Thornhill June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Billy Pang Progressive Conservative Markham—Unionville June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Parm Gill Progressive Conservative Milton June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Natalia Kusendova Progressive Conservative Mississauga Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Kaleed Rasheed Progressive Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Sheref Sabawy Progressive Conservative Mississauga—Erin Mills June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Rudy Cuzzetto Progressive Conservative Mississauga—Lakeshore June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Deepak Anand Progressive Conservative Mississauga—Malton June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Nina Tangri Progressive Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Guy Bourgouin New Democratic Mushkegowuk—James Bay June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Lisa MacLeod Progressive Conservative Nepean March 30, 2006Incumbent
  Christine Elliott Progressive Conservative Newmarket—Aurora March 30, 2006IncumbentPreviously represented Whitby—Ajax and Whitby—Oshawa. Resigned seat on August 28, 2015. Regained a seat in 2018 general election.
  Jeff Burch New Democratic Niagara Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Wayne Gates New Democratic Niagara Falls February 13, 2014Incumbent
  Sam Oosterhoff Progressive Conservative Niagara West November 17, 2016Incumbent
  France Gélinas New Democratic Nickel Belt October 10, 2007Incumbent
  Vic Fedeli Progressive Conservative Nipissing October 6, 2011Incumbent
  David Piccini Progressive Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Stephen Crawford Progressive Conservative Oakville June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Effie Triantafilopoulos Progressive Conservative Oakville North—Burlington June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans June 12, 2014September 20, 2019
  Stephen Blais Liberal Orléans February 27, 2020Incumbent
  Jennifer French New Democratic Oshawa June 12, 2014Incumbent
  Joel Harden New Democratic Ottawa Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  John Fraser Liberal Ottawa South August 1, 2013Incumbent
  Nathalie Des Rosiers Liberal Ottawa—Vanier November 17, 2016July 31, 2019 [15]
  Lucille Collard Liberal Ottawa—Vanier February 27, 2020Incumbent
  Jeremy Roberts Progressive Conservative Ottawa West—Nepean June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Ernie Hardeman Progressive Conservative Oxford June 8, 1995Incumbent
  Bhutila Karpoche New Democratic Parkdale—High Park June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Norm Miller Progressive Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka March 22, 2001Incumbent
  Randy Pettapiece Progressive Conservative Perth—Wellington October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Dave Smith Progressive Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Peter Bethlenfalvy Progressive Conservative Pickering—Uxbridge June 7, 2018Incumbent
  John Yakabuski Progressive Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke October 2, 2003Incumbent
  Daisy Wai Progressive Conservative Richmond Hill June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Jennie Stevens New Democratic St. Catharines June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Bob Bailey Progressive Conservative Sarnia—Lambton October 10, 2007Incumbent
  Ross Romano Progressive Conservative Sault Ste. Marie June 1, 2017Incumbent
  Aris Babikian Progressive Conservative Scarborough—Agincourt June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Christina Mitas Progressive Conservative Scarborough Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Mitzie Hunter Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood August 1, 2013Incumbent
  Raymond Cho Progressive Conservative Scarborough North September 1, 2016Incumbent
  Vijay Thanigasalam Progressive Conservative Scarborough—Rouge Park June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Doly Begum New Democratic Scarborough Southwest June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Jim Wilson Independent Simcoe—Grey September 6, 1990IncumbentCurrently the longest serving member, alongside Ted Arnott and Gilles Bisson. Was Progressive Conservative until November 2, 2018
  Jill Dunlop Progressive Conservative Simcoe North June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Chris Glover New Democratic Spadina—Fort York June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Jim McDonell Progressive Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Jamie West New Democratic Sudbury June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Gila Martow Progressive Conservative Thornhill February 13, 2014Incumbent
  Judith Monteith-Farrell New Democratic Thunder Bay—Atikokan June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Michael Gravelle Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North June 8, 1995IncumbentCurrently the longest serving Liberal member.
  John Vanthof New Democratic Timiskaming—Cochrane October 6, 2011Incumbent
  Gilles Bisson New Democratic Timmins September 6, 1990IncumbentCurrently the longest serving member, alongside Ted Arnott and Jim Wilson, and the longest serving NDP member.
  Suze Morrison New Democratic Toronto Centre June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Peter Tabuns New Democratic Toronto—Danforth March 30, 2006Incumbent
  Jill Andrew New Democratic Toronto—St. Paul's June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Jessica Bell New Democratic University—Rosedale June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Michael Tibollo Progressive Conservative Vaughan—Woodbridge June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Catherine Fife New Democratic Waterloo September 6, 2012Incumbent
  Ted Arnott Progressive Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills September 6, 1990IncumbentCurrently the longest serving member, alongside Gilles Bisson and Jim Wilson, and the longest serving PC member.
  Lorne Coe Progressive Conservative Whitby February 11, 2016Incumbent
  Stan Cho Progressive Conservative Willowdale June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Percy Hatfield New Democratic Windsor—Tecumseh August 1, 2013Incumbent
  Lisa Gretzky New Democratic Windsor West June 12, 2014Incumbent
  Roman Baber Independent York Centre June 7, 2018IncumbentProgressive Conservative until January 15, 2021.
  Caroline Mulroney Progressive Conservative York—Simcoe June 7, 2018Incumbent
  Faisal Hassan New Democratic York South—Weston June 7, 2018Incumbent

Officeholders

Speaker

Leaders

Floor leaders

Whips

Front benches

Committees

There are two forms that committees can take. The first, standing committees, are struck for the duration of the Parliament pursuant to Standing Orders. The second, select committees, are struck usually by a Motion or an Order of the House to consider a specific bill or issue which would otherwise monopolize the time of the standing committees.

Standing committees

A committee which exists for the duration of a parliamentary session. This committee examines and reports on the general conduct of activities by government departments and agencies and reports on matters referred to it by the house, including proposed legislation. [29]

Standing Committees in the current Parliament:

Select committees

Select committees are set up specifically to study certain bills or issues and according to the Standing Orders, consists of not more than 11 members from all parties with representation reflecting the current standing in the house. In some cases, the committee must examine material by a specific date and then report its conclusion to the legislature. After its final report, the committee is dissolved. [29]

Select Committees in the 39th Parliament:

  • The Select Committee on Elections completed its work on June 30, 2009.
  • The Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions completed its work on August 26, 2010.
  • The Select Committee on the proposed transaction of the TMX Group and the London Stock Exchange Group completed its work on April 19, 2011.

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Belinda Carmen Karahalios, is a Canadian politician currently serving as Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Cambridge in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Karahalios was originally elected in the 2018 provincial election as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. She was ejected from the PC caucus in July 2020 for voting against Bill 195, which would allow the provincial government to extend emergency powers for up to two years without consulting the legislature, and now sits as a member of the New Blue Party of Ontario.

43rd Ontario general election Future election in Ontario

The 43rd Ontario general election will be held on or before June 2, 2022. As of December 2016, Ontario elections are held on the first Thursday in June in the fourth calendar year following the previous general election. The Legislative Assembly of Ontario can be dissolved earlier by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario due to a motion of no confidence or if the Premier triggers a snap election. Since the current government has a majority, it is a near-certainty that any non-confidence vote would not pass. In terms of an unexpected snap election, on October 5, 2020, Ontario MPPs voted unanimously in favour of a motion stating that the government will not call an election prior to the fixed election date in 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Government of Canada, Department of Justice (1999-11-03). "British North America Act, 1867, para 69". www.justice.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  2. ↑ "Origins of "MPP"". The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  3. ↑ Constitution Act, 1867 , 30 & 31 Victoria 1867, c. 3 (U.K.), s. 69 ( Constitution Act, 1867 at Department of Justice Canada) .
  4. ↑ "Legacy of a People's Park". Education Portal. Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  6. ↑ "Origins of "MPP"". The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Ted Arnott, Wellington-Halton Hills MPP, elected Speaker at Queen's Park". CBC News. The Canadian Press. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  8. ↑ "Doug Ford's government lays out agenda in Ontario throne speech". CBC News. July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  9. 1 2 Goodfield, Kayla (November 7, 2018). "Ford confirms PC MPP Jim Wilson resigned over sexual misconduct allegation". CP24. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  10. 1 2 "MPP Amanda Simard leaving PCs, will sit as an independent". CBC News . November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "MPP Randy Hillier suspended from Ontario PC caucus after autism debate". CBC News. February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Liberal MPP Nathalie Des Rosiers officially resigns". Ottawa Citizen. July 31, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Ex-PC MPP Amanda Simard joins Ontario Liberals". CBC News. January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Ontario Liberals win provincial byelections in Ottawa-Vanier, Orléans". Global News. February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  15. 1 2 "Liberal MPP Nathalie Des Rosiers officially resigns". Ottawa Citizen . July 31, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  16. ↑ Pfeffer, Amanda. "Lalonde wins Orléans nomination as voters say they were turned away" . Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  17. ↑ "Ex-PC MPP Amanda Simard joins Ontario Liberals". CBC News. January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  18. 1 2 "Ontario Liberals win provincial byelections in Ottawa-Vanier, Orléans". Global News . February 28, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  19. ↑ Sharkie, Jackey (21 July 2020). "Cambridge MPP Belinda Karahalios booted from PC caucus after voting against COVID-19 emergency bill". CBC News. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  20. ↑ "Premier Ford ejects MPP Roman Baber after speaking out against lockdown". torontosun. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  21. ↑ Legislative Assembly Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.10; Ontario, Legislature, Legislative Assembly, Standing Orders (Toronto: Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, 2020), ISSN 1183-9376.
  22. 1 2 McNaught, Andrew (2000). "The Offices and Commissions of the Legislative Assembly". Ontario Legislative Library. Office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on February 22, 2001. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  23. ↑ S.O. 2019, c. 16.
  24. ↑ "The Mace". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 23 June 2019.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Mace". speaker.ontla.on.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-06-13. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  26. ↑ "Franklin D. Roosevelt: Message to Congress Requesting Authority to Return a Mace to Canada". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  27. ↑ "The Commons Chamber in the 16th Century". UK Parliament. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  28. ↑ "Legislative Assembly of Ontario Seating Plan" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  29. 1 2 Legislative Assembly of Ontario: Glossary retrieved 10 February 2010
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