Ontario.

• Author: Khan, Tanzima
• Position: Legislative Reports

The First Session of the 42nd Parliament saw a busy spring sitting before the House adjourned on June 3, 2021, and then briefly being reconvened for four days between June 10 and 14,2021. During this time, the House passed eight Government Bills, 16 Private Members' Public Bills, and 13 Private Bills. In addition, the House appointed Ontario's first Poet Laureate and recommended the appointment of a new Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Appointments

Chief Medical Officer of Health

On June 1, 2021, the Minister of Health, Christine Elliott moved that an Address be presented to the Lieutenant Governor in Council which requested that Dr. Kieran Moore be appointed as the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Province of Ontario. Dr. Moore's appointment came into effect following the retirement of his predecessor, Dr. David Williams, on June 25, 2021. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Moore held the role of Medical Officer of Health for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health since July 1, 2017. During debate, members of all parties welcomed Dr. Moore into the role and thanked Dr. Williams for his service to Ontarians.

Poet Laureate of Ontario

On December 12, 2019, Bill 6, An Act to establish the Poet Laureate of Ontario in Memory of Gord Downie, introduced by the Member for Windsor-Tecumseh, Percy Hatfield, passed third reading and received Royal Assent. The legislation established an Office of the Poet Laureate of Ontario and outlined the qualifications, selection process, responsibilities and term of office for the Poet Laureate.

On April 28, 2021, the House passed a motion to appoint Randell Adjei as Poet Laureate of Ontario. The House permitted Mr. Hatfield to move the motion as a gesture of thanks for his work on the enabling legislation.

Mr. Adjei is Ontario's first Poet Laureate; he is a spoken word artist, public speaker and a member of the League of Canadian Poets. Mr. Adjei is from Scarborough, Ontario and is the Founder of R.I.S.E (Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere) an initiative to foster youth expression in the performing arts within a safe and inclusive space. In his new role, he will report to the Speaker and will be responsible for writing poetry, promoting art and literacy in the province and raising the profile of Ontario poets.

Summer Sitting

After the House adjourned for the summer on June 3, 2021, the Speaker was notified by an Order in Council that the House was required to reconvene on June 10, 2021...