Adam Dabrowski

NEW: The Ford government has been promising a balanced budget since 2019 - and has never delivered. Today, the Finance Minister revealed they're pushing their plans for a balanced budget by another year. globalnews.ca/news/11746458/… #onpoli

BREAKING: The Ford government is increasing Ontario's deficit to $13.8 billion -- 77% higher than the last projections. It's an amount even the Finance Minister suggested he was uncomfortable with, and largely due to tax breaks. globalnews.ca/news/11746458/… #onpoli

A majority of Ontarians oppose the Ford government’s freedom of information crackdown, according to a new poll, as the province prepares to shield political leaders and their staff from scrutiny. #onpoli

A new poll by Abacus Data found 63% want Progressive Conservative MPPs to vote against their own government and defeat the province's planned changes to the FOI laws. Why? Because the poll found a majority believe the changes are "primarily intended to reduce government accountability." #onpoli

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy is promising no new tax increases in tomorrow’s provincial budget. But, he warns, the province has to prepare for tough economic times ahead. Bethlenfalvy has indicated deficit spending will continue. #onpoli

Peter Bethlenfalvy jokes that Doug Ford is the “300 pound gorilla” before quickly correcting and calling him the “800 pound gorilla.” “That’s going to cost me,” the finance minister says. #onpoli

“This is going to make a massive massive difference,” Ford says. Ford calls on municipalities to reduce development charges to spur even more development. #onpoli

NEW: Premier Doug Ford confirms what we reported this morning. All home buyers will get a hefty tax break on new build housing, for a one-year term. The federal government is mirroring the policy meaning the full 13% HST will be waived. This is a $1.4B provincial spend. #onpoli

NEW: Ontario’s transparency watchdog is urging the province to reconsider its freedom of information clampdown, saying she was not consulted before the sweeping changes were announced. globalnews.ca/news/11742747/… #onpoli

NEW: Premier Doug Ford is accusing the province’s transparency watchdog of “politicizing” his government’s crackdown on freedom of information laws, claiming he has “nothing to hide” but that he doesn’t want to risk publishing personal records. #OnPoli globalnews.ca/news/11744088/…

Hopefully she'll come out to speak to us tomorrow. #Onpoli

The (bizarre) stalemate continued from the end of question period around 11:40 a.m. until caucus wrapped at 2 p.m., with Jones still nowhere to be seen in the building. We asked her office if she had skipped caucus to avoid answering questions. They didn't respond.

To be clear, we don't know why she didn't come out or why she didn't attend caucus. Perhaps there was an emergency her staff chose not to tell us about. But her office was aware we had questions, and we weren't given any explanation - or the offer of an interview tomorrow instead

Staff for the Minister of Health were aware we were looking to ask her questions about nurse practitioners. But it seems Jones remained inside the lobby, choosing not to come out and either answer questions or walk past us. She then appeared not to attend a caucus meeting.

Ministers can either choose to come out of the main doors of the chamber or head the longer, less accessible route through the premier's office. Today, Sylvia Jones appeared to do neither.

But the minister of health didn't appear.

Some reporters (including myself) were waiting to ask the health minister more about nurse practitioners. How did the province miss a deadline for a policy it had essentially asked the federal government for? When will it comply? globalnews.ca/news/11739684/…

When the legislature is sitting, journalists get a chance to speak to (some) ministers once question period ends. That's because they have to head out into the hallways of Queen's Park, where members of the gallery can ask questions - although the ministers don't have to stop.

Jones responded to the question, in part, saying: "Back to nurse practitioners: There is no doubt that Ontario has been a leader in engaging and embracing nurse practitioners in our world-class health care system."

During question period, @ShamjiAdil asked about the deadline. He said: "...the feds mandated a deadline to fully fund all medically necessary services provided by NPs and to stop private billing? The deadline for that mandate: April 1, 2026. That’s next week."