Ontario.

• Author: Przezdziecki, Sylwia
• Position: Legislative Reports

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The House returned from its winter adjournment on February 16,2016. The vacancy in the membership of the House--stemming from the resignation of Progressive Conservative MPP Christine Elliott to assume the post of Ontario's first patient ombudsman--had been filled on February 11, when the by-election in the riding of Whitby-Oshawa returned Lome Coe, a Durham Regional Councillor, to the House. Having still to be gazetted and sworn in the day of the House's return, Mr. Coe, a Progressive Conservative, took his seat in the Legislature on February 22.

Parliamentary Officers

On February 16, on the address of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, David Williams was appointed Chief Medical Officer of Health for the province. Dr. Williams, formerly the Medical Officer of Health for the Thunder Bay district Board of Health, had been Ontario's Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health since July 1, 2015; and previously from November 2007 to June 2009.

Also on February 16, the Assembly presented two addresses respecting the Office of the Ombudsman for the Province of Ontario; one address requesting the re-appointment of Deputy Ombudsman Barbara Findlay as the temporary Ombudsman for the period March 16 to March 31; the second address requesting the appointment of Paul Dube as Ombudsman for the Province of Ontario. Mr. Dube, member of the Law Societies of Upper Canada and New Brunswick, and former federal Taxpayers' Ombudsman, was sworn in as Ontario's seventh Ombudsman on April 1, 2016.

Black History Month

On February 16, 2016, Michael Coteau, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, introduced Bill 159, An Act to proclaim the month of February as Black History Month. The bill received all three Readings and Royal Assent that same day.

Ontario Budget

On February 25, Minister of Finance Charles Sousa presented the 2016 Budget. Highlights of his Budget speech included plans for infrastructure investment, for expanding access to post-secondary education--by providing non-repayable grants and assuring students from families with incomes of less than $50,000 of free average tuition--and for developing a low-carbon economy. To this end, the minister announced plans to move forward with a proposed cap-and-trade program.

Condolences

In the current sitting period, the House has been taking time on certain Tuesdays and Wednesdays, before the start of Question Period, to honour former MPPs who have passed away with all-party tributes. The tributes take place in the presence of the Member's family, friends and former parliamentary colleagues. Since February 16, the House expressed condolences in this...