The Region of Peel will remain whole for the foreseeable future, bringing a close to a months-long ordeal for the workers in the region. Regional staff were working toward a January 2025 timeline to dissolve the region, but now the transition board assigned to oversee that will look to create efficiencies instead. So, why cancel the deal? Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath discuss the details and the shrewd politics involved.

The sale of alcohol is expanding in the Province of Ontario to include corner stores, big box retailers, and gas stations by 2026. The province has already received a failing grade for its alcohol control measures from organizations like the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, so why not fail even harder? It's a deal four decades in the making, so why did it take this long and what's at stake now that it's almost here?

Steve and JMM answer your burning questions before the end of the year in our annual year-end mailbag. Got a question, send it on through to onpolitics@tvo.org for future episodes.

Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give

The Region of Peel will remain whole for the foreseeable future, bringing a close to a months-long ordeal for the workers in the region. Regional staff were working toward a January 2025 timeline to dissolve the region, but now the transition board assigned to oversee that will look to create efficiencies instead. So, why cancel the deal? Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath discuss the details and the shrewd politics involved. The sale of alcohol is expanding in the Province of Ontario to include corner stores, big box retailers, and gas stations by 2026. The province has already received a failing grade for its alcohol control measures from organizations like the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, so why not fail even harder? It's a deal four decades in the making, so why did it take this long and what's at stake now that it's almost here? Steve and JMM answer your burning questions before the end of the year in our annual year-end mailbag. Got a question, send it on through to onpolitics@tvo.org for future episodes.
Donate to TVO: <a href="http://tvo.org/give">http://tvo.org/give</a>

#onpoli, a TVO podcast, is all about Ontario politics. Join hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath for candid interviews and a deeper understanding of how politics touches our day-to-day lives. When it comes to #onpoli, we're here to give you the bigger picture.

#onpoli, a TVO podcast, is all about Ontario politics. Join hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath for candid interviews and a deeper understanding of how politics touches our day-to-day lives. When it comes to #onpoli, we're here to give you the big

#onpoli, a TVO podcast

Rounding out 2023: Peel Region, beer sales, and a mail call

Queen's Park announces that ,back to basics, in Ontario schools means a cellphone and vape ban. Meanwhile, debates ensue over whether the Ford government's new Core Education Funding is a meaningful increase for our public schools.

 Ottawa gets their own regional office and the most vocal critic is from Doug Ford's own backbench, Nepean MPP Lisa Macleod.

 But first, a look into the byelections Thursday night, where Progressive Conservatives have kept their grip on Milton and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex seats.

You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.

Queen's Park announces that ,back to basics, in Ontario schools means a cellphone and vape ban. Meanwhile, debates ensue over whether the Ford government's new Core Education Funding is a meaningful increase for our public schools. Ottawa gets their own regional office and the most vocal critic is from Doug Ford's own backbench, Nepean MPP Lisa Macleod. But first, a look into the byelections Thursday night, where Progressive Conservatives have kept their grip on Milton and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex seats. You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.

Progressive Conservatives win byelection

Earlier this week, a second unanimous consent vote to reverse a ban on wearing keffiyehs at Queen's Park failed to pass. Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath follow up on the ban at Queen's Park and ramifications of it.

The Province of Ontario is investing billions into electric vehicle plants from car manufacturing giant Honda. The new plants announced this week are part of a larger plan to make the province into an EV powerhouse, but there have been a few stumbles along the way.

The Ontario Basic Income pilot was abruptly cancelled in 2019 when Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party formed government. Many years later, a class action lawsuit certified by the Ontario Superior Court has the government paying for legal fees and the plaintiffs seeking millions more in damages. Steve and John Michael discuss what the program did and what the cancellation meant to participants.

UDPATE: On Thursday after this week's episode finished recording, Independent MPP Sarah Jama was asked by Speaker Ted Arnott to remove her keffiyeh while in the chamber at Queen's Park, and when she refused she was asked to leave the chamber, which she declined to do. That came after the events on Tuesday that we discuss in this week's episode. We'll have an update on all of this in next week's episode.

John Michael’s column: Former basic-income recipients are taking Ontario to court. Do they have a shot? | TVO Today

You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda

Earlier this week, a second unanimous consent vote to reverse a ban on wearing keffiyehs at Queen's Park failed to pass. Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath follow up on the ban at Queen's Park and ramifications of it. The Province of Ontario is investing billions into electric vehicle plants from car manufacturing giant Honda. The new plants announced this week are part of a larger plan to make the province into an EV powerhouse, but there have been a few stumbles along the way. The Ontario Basic Income pilot was abruptly cancelled in 2019 when Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party formed government. Many years later, a class action lawsuit certified by the Ontario Superior Court has the government paying for legal fees and the plaintiffs seeking millions more in damages. Steve and John Michael discuss what the program did and what the cancellation meant to participants. UDPATE: On Thursday after this week's episode finished recording, Independent MPP Sarah Jama was asked by Speaker Ted Arnott to remove her keffiyeh while in the chamber at Queen's Park, and when she refused she was asked to leave the chamber, which she declined to do. That came after the events on Tuesday that we discuss in this week's episode. We'll have an update on all of this in next week's episode.
John Michael’s column: <a href="https://www.tvo.org/article/former-basic-income-recipients-are-taking-ontario-to-court-do-they-have-a-shot">Former basic-income recipients are taking Ontario to court. Do they have a shot? | TVO Today</a> 
You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda

A lightning rod issue at Queen's Park

The federal government has tabled its budget, which includes money for municipalities on housing and a tax on the rich. Details have been released piecemeal over the last several weeks, but now Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath will finally be able to digest the whole thing.

 Highway 413 has cleared a major hurdle with the federal government removing the need for an environmental assessment. So, will shovels finally get into the ground for this new project? Not so fast, because there are several other issues that could get in the way.

 Several MPPs at Queen's Park were quietly removed from their committee assignments last week. Steve and John Michael discuss these unusual removals and what they might mean.

 Steve's column:

 John Michael's column:

 You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.

The federal government has tabled its budget, which includes money for municipalities on housing and a tax on the rich. Details have been released piecemeal over the last several weeks, but now Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath will finally be able to digest the whole thing.    Highway 413 has cleared a major hurdle with the federal government removing the need for an environmental assessment. So, will shovels finally get into the ground for this new project? Not so fast, because there are several other issues that could get in the way.    Several MPPs at Queen's Park were quietly removed from their committee assignments last week. Steve and John Michael discuss these unusual removals and what they might mean.    Steve's column:    John Michael's column:    You can also see the podcast on the TVO Today YouTube channel and every Friday night at 8 and 11 pm ET as the first half of The Agenda.

Rounding out 2023: Peel Region, beer sales, and a mail call

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