{"id":30157,"date":"2025-01-07T17:14:41","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T22:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/?p=30157"},"modified":"2025-01-08T10:39:30","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T15:39:30","slug":"information-public-hearings-on-ontarios-2025-budget-pre-budget-consultations-notice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/information-public-hearings-on-ontarios-2025-budget-pre-budget-consultations-notice\/","title":{"rendered":"INFORMATION:<\/FONT> Public Hearings on Ontario’s 2025 Budget (Pre-budget Consultations) Notice"},"content":{"rendered":"

(January 7, 2025)<\/p>\n

On this page, you can find the following information about the Ontario pre-budget consultations:<\/p>\n

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  1. Information about the pre-budget consultations<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  2. List of hearing dates and deadlines to apply for standing<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Key messages on the Ford government’s handling of the budget<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Facts and figures<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs will meet to conduct Pre-Budget Consultations.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    (For those who know about hearings, scroll down to get to the dates, deadlines and registration link.)<\/p>\n

    A “Standing Committee” of the Legislature is made up of MPPs from the political parties. There are Standing Committees on Justice, and Social Policy, on Infrastructure and Heritage and so on. This one is on Finance and Economic Affairs. When you send in a written submission or make a verbal presentation before the Committee, you are giving your input to the MPPs on that Committee.<\/p>\n

    Here<\/span><\/a> is a link giving the list of MPPs on the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. The number of representatives that each political party has on each committee is determined by the proportion of seats in the Legislature held by each party. Thus, when there is a majority government, as is the case now, the party with the majority has the majority of seats on each Committee. The Committees hold hearings (though, the Ford government is not doing that for major pieces of legislation — they really are shockingly undemocratic) and they vote on amendments to legislation. Often, a government will amend legislation based on what it has heard in consultations. I note that the Ford government has not passed any amendments to any of their major health care legislation since they took office, except amendments they have proposed themselves. This is unprecedented. We have won amendments in the public interest to every single major piece of health care legislation going back for decades… up until the Ford government.<\/p>\n

    In any case, it is important to push them to have to face public input. Media also usually attend the hearings.<\/p>\n

    All Ontario residents can apply to make a verbal submission before the Committee. Local health coalitions usually do so across the province and the Ontario Health Coalition usually does so in Toronto. You can apply to the nearest hearing and go in person or you can appear by Zoom. Again, if you missed the nearest local hearing already, you can apply elsewhere. They will give you a time limit for the length of your presentation and it is strict. They will cut you off at that time limit. After you present, the MPPs will ask you questions about your input. You do not have to have your submission ready when you apply. You only have to get it in before the deadline.<\/p>\n

    You can do a written submission and\/or a verbal presentation. When you do so, it becomes part of the official record of our province. It will be included in Hansard (which is the transcript of the hearings) and researchers can use it when they study what happened in this period. When we have decent governments, public input is also used to shape public policy.<\/p>\n

    Note: the deadlines are strict. If you do not apply for standing – that is to make a verbal presentation – before the deadline for that town, you will not be considered. If you do not get in your written submission by the deadline, it will not go into the record.<\/p>\n

    We will help by providing a sample submission, key messages and facts about health care funding. If you need any help in understanding how the hearings work, we can provide that also, or you can call the Committee Clerk (contact information is below).<\/p>\n

    The Committee intends to hold public hearings in:<\/h4>\n