Richard Southern
@RichardCityNews
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Award-winning Journalist. Queen’s Park reporter for CityNews. Tips confidential at richard.southern @rci .rogers.com and in open DM's.
Toronto
Joined March 2009
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#BREAKING
Toys R Us to file for bankruptcy according to Bloomberg. Amazon competition & kids wanting tablets not toys has hurt the company.
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U.S president Trump isn’t staying in any old hospital room. Walter Reed Hospital has a six-room presidential suite just for the commander in chief that includes an intensive care unit, a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, & a dining room with a crystal chandelier.
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Nike’s online sales jumped 31% after company unveiled Kaepernick campaign. Nike stock has also held up, it’s trading above $80 and is up 29% this year.
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#BREAKING
- An Ontario court has struck down a bill that limited wages for public sector workers. The Ford governments bill 124 capped public sector wage increases to 1% per year. The court decision opens the door for unions to take the government to court for backpay.
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Trump's admission to Walter Reed on Friday is first time in 39 years that a sitting U.S. president has been hospitalized. Ronald Reagan was the last sitting president to be hospitalized as an inpatient on March 30, 1981 following an assassination attempt.
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Minister Lecce dodges my question as to why reporters are not allowed in today’s news conference held in a classroom yet 35 students will be allowed to spend six hours a day in that very classroom come September.
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#BREAKING
- Wonderland is getting a new coaster. The Yukon striker will be the longest, fastest and tallest dive coaster in the world. 3,625 feet long & 223 feet high. it drops riders into an underwater tunnel. Will open in 2019. Wonderland also planning to open though X-Mas.
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Canadian Civil Liberties Association:
"The notwithstanding clause was never meant to be used in contract negotiations, or as a casual tool to disrupt basic human rights safeguarded in our Charter. This misuse, and the flagrant disregard for individual rights is wrong"
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#BREAKING
- “We’re not willing to withdraw strike action unless they are willing to repeal the bill they passed yesterday” says CUPE’s Fred Hann
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A New York Times article on daily life at the White House reveals Trump drinks roughy 12 cans of Diet Coke & watches as much as 8 hours of cable news per day.
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#BREAKING
- NDP leader Peter Tabuns gets kicked out of the legislature for calling the Premier a liar
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In a rare move, opposition leaders Horwath, Del Duca, & Schreiner are planning a joint news conference Thursday to call on Ford to "Recall the legislature for an emergency session to confront the harsh reality of the province's health staffing crisis" Union leaders to also attend
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Reports say NBC is going to bring back 'The Office' for the 2018 season featuring a mix of new and old charters. No Steve Carell.
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#BREAKING
- Extremely damning report by the military regarding several long-term care homes in Ontario.
- Cockroach infestations
- Patients cry for help, staff don’t respond
- Residents not bathed for weeks
- Residents forcefully fed
- Covid patients allowed to wander
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There is a huge sinkhole with a glowing green liquid on Hastings Ave off of Gerrard. While it would be on brand for 2020 to have the Ninja Turtles appear in Toronto, the city tells me it’s a non-toxic dye added to see if the sinkhole is connected to a sewer. (📷
@citygiancarlo
)
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#BREAKING
- Walt Disney World in Orlando will close for at least 2 days due to Hurricane Irma. Only the 5th time the park has shut down.
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#BREAKING
- “There will be a strike tomorrow for as long as it takes” says CUPE’s Laura Walton “The fines can come and we will look after it”
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A pimple popping toy is hitting the market for those that love to watch popping videos. 'Pop it Pal' comes with fake flesh, a bottle of fake yellow pus and a filling tool – for $19.99.
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#BREAKING
- Green Party leader Mike Schreiner has submitted a letter to the Auditor General requesting a value for money audit of the Ford government's decision to close the 11 ServiceOntario locations and give sole-sourced, taxpayer funded deals to Staples & Walmart.
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NEW - OPP tell CityNews that its anti-rackets branch has received requests to conduct an investigation into the Ford government’s decision to open up parts of the Greenbelt for development & is currently reviewing those requests to see if there are grounds for an investigation.
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#BREAKING
- The Bay has quietly stopped carrying products from Ivanka Trump online. Canada’s oldest retailer had been stocking a fashion and accessories line from the daughter of US president for years but has faced mounting backlash from those angry over the President’s policies
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NEW - PM Trudeau: “Now this is a nice irony, Ontario actually started a cap and trade program. It was scrapped by Doug Ford when he first got elected which means the federal price on pollution that he is now complaining about is in because he got rid of the cap and trade program”
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“Hope you’re feeling safe without journalists in the room” says
@ColinDMello
to Premier Ford.
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NEW - Independent MPP Roman Baber says he’s creating a private members bill which “Will prohibit employers from firing or placing an employee on
leave because of the employee’s vaccination status or because an employee refuses to disclose
their vaccination status to the employer”
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NEW - A protester ran on the stage during a Doug Ford rally in London. Local media have identified him as the co-chair of the London health coalition. He appeared to yell “You’re privatizing our health care, and you need to be honest with Ontarians” before he was quickly removed.
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#BREAKING
- CUPE says it’s stands ready to strike again if talks don’t go in the direction the the union wants them to go. “Because that is the right of all workers in free collective bargaining“ says CUPE’s Laura Walton
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Chanting “Ford and Lecce have to go” protesters descend on Queen’s Park.
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#BREAKING
- The auditor general will pursue an audit into the Opening up of the Greenbelt, incoming NDP leader Marit Stiles says
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Dr. Moore at a busy indoor gathering Thursday night for Toronto life, not wearing a mask contrary to his “Strong recommendation” this past Monday.
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NEW - Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca says he would bring back electric vehicle rebates if his party wins in the June election “Up to $8,000 on the purchase or lease of eligible zero emissions vehicles and $1,500 on charging equipment”
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#BREAKING
- The Auditor General found the Ford government paid millions in COVID-19 support payments to ineligible businesses. More than $210 million was paid to ineligible recipients & the province has chosen not to attempt to recover any of that money.
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“You got to give this one up” Premier Ford tells me when I ask him if he was aware of ServiceOntario changes. Last week he says “None of us delt with it” Without answering that question or where the business case is, Ford instead said “Buddy, you got to get a new story”
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#BREAKING
- The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario says its walked away from the bargaining table with the Ford government.
"ETFO could not, in good conscience, sit across the table from the government, and so we ended negotiations for the day."
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NEW - The government releases the partially redacted business case for ServiceOntario to Global News. It shows Staples will get $8.29M over three years to run 9 locations, compared to the $3.66M a year it cost the government to run with independent owners.
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NEW - Premier Ford is asked what he would say to immuno compromised individuals who are concerned about the mask mandate dropping. “Keep your mask on” Ford says
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NEW Liberal Leader Del Duca holds a news conference calling on Premier Ford to declare a provincial state of emergency due to the Ottawa protest. He also says the government should seize property “Leave now or you will lose your truck is the message our Premier should be sending”
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NEW - Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca is in Etobicoke announcing his plan "To cancel the 413 and use that $10 billion to rebuild and repair schools"
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NEW - CUPE says it will "Be limiting our comments to the media while in mediation" “We respectfully call on the Ford government to make the same commitment, refrain from making comments that distract from negotiations, and spend the time working to get a deal done"
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NEW - The Ontario NDP are calling on the government to recall the Legislature "Not packing it in until February while respiratory season rages." “Doug Ford should not be closing down the legislature when critically ill children are being flown all over the province"
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NEW - The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario says its members voted in favour of a call for mandatory vaccination of school staff "It is not unreasonable for the Ford government to implement a mandatory vaccination policy in schools,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond
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#BREAKING
- CUPE’s Laura Walton says “Until further notice we are on strike” signalling a work stoppage could stretch on beyond Friday
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NEW - Asked about our ServiceOntario reporting, Premier Ford said “Im so disappointed with Richard” but then went on to seemingly confirm my reporting that taxpayer dollars are being given to Staples and Walmart for store retrofits “We’re going to help them” says Ford “At the end…
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NEW Cardiologists take issue with Dr. Moore's 1 in 5,000 myocarditis claim. Public Health Ontario says only 204 people have been diagnosed with the heart condition after vaccination in a province with 12.6M vaccinated, 1 in 61,000 Rate higher in male 18-24
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#BREAKING
- The Ford government will direct the LCBO to withdraw all products produced in Russia from store shelves, Sources tell CityNews
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#BREAKING
- Starbucks to close up to 200 of its Canadian locations as part of the fallout from covid-19. It would mean 17% of its total outlets in Canada closing up shop in 18 months. Starbucks is also eyeing 200 store closures in the US as it warns of a 45% sales drop.
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NEW - Laura Walton and fellow CUPE members get kicked out of the public galleries in the legislature as the government passes bill 28, which legislates a contract on the union. It’s the second bill in Ontario history to use the notwithstanding clause to override charter rights.
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NEW - CUPE is scheduled to hold a news conference Monday morning “About the growing fightback against the Ford government’s Bill 28”
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Premier Ford has not held a news conference and taken questions from reporters since July 30, 4 weeks ago.
#onpoli
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#BREAKING
- The Ford government has officially repealed Bill 28, which forced a contract on CUPE. Union members erupted in cheers in the public gallery’s at the end of third reading.
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NEW - This is what an already complete ServiceOntario outlet looks like inside an Oakville Staples. It’s located in between a display of printers and office chairs, and at the back of the store meaning you have to pass all the merchandise. Taxpayers funded this.
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Liberal’s John Fraser:
“Public health Ontario said wait a couple weeks, the science table said wait a couple weeks, the children’s health coalition (said) we need to wait, Dr. Moore said we don’t need to wait. What’s the only difference there? Dr. Moore works for the government”
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NEW - Here is the full, unedited scrum my fellow reporters and I had with Minister
@ToddJMcCarthy
today. He was unable to tell taxpayers where purported cost savings are coming from, or why the deal was was sole-sourced.
Watch -
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#BREAKING
- The NDP present new information to the integrity commissioner which it contends is evidence someone may have known about the decision to open up protect in Greenbelt land before the government made the formal announcement on November 4. 1/4
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NEW - Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones claimes putting ServiceOntario outlets in Staples and Walmart will save $1 million dollars, but she won’t answer my repeated questions as to why the deals are sole-sourced and how many taxpayer dollars are going to the retail giants.
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NEW - Incoming NDP leader Marit Stiles gets a standing ovation from the entire legislature.
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#BREAKING
- The Auditor General finds preferential treatment was given to greenbelt developer requests. 67% of land removed from the Greenbelt are on two sites for which information was given by two developers to the Housing Ministers Chief of Staff in September 2022 1/4
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NEW - Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca calls on the government to add the vaccine certificate program to LCBO‘s and cannabis stores (NDP has made same call), he also repeats calls to make the third dose a requirement for vaccine certificates.
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#BREAKING
- Premier Ford is helping dig out stranded motorist across Toronto as seen in this video.
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NEW - A statment form NDP leader Marit Stiles says she's "Written to the Information & Privacy Commissioner, as well as to the Secretary of the Cabinet & head of Ontario’s Public Service asking both offices to recover and retain all records pertaining to the Ford government’s…
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NEW - Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie:
“The Premier needs to come clean and explain to Ontarians why they are footing the bill to retrofit multi-billion-dollar American businesses.”
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#BREAKING
- The Ford government has lost its appeal on Bill 124. In a 2-1 decision, the Ontario court of appeals upheld the Superior Court's November 2022 decision that said the wage restraint law was unconstitutional.
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NEW - A ServiceOntario owner who had their business of 23 years closed by the Ford government speaks to CityNews in a broadcast exclusive. Hear why Claudia Savonia feels she’s been “Left high and dry”
WATCH -
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NEW - Interim liberal leader John Fraser “It’s has been exactly one week since the Auditor General released her scathing report on Doug Ford’s Greenbelt Giveaway, and not one person has lost their job” “There has been no accountability”
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NEW - The FAO finds the Ford government is spending $21.3 billion less than what it needs to over 5 years to deliver healthcare in Ontario. A new report form the watchdog is also projecting a shortfall of 33,000 nurses and PSWs over the next 6 years.
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NEW - What’s it going to take to end the strike? CUPE’s Laura Walton says she wants to see it in writing that the government is going to repeal bill 28.
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#BREAKING
- Dr. Moore tells CityNews that he's considering expanding eligibility for a second booster dose to those 18 to 59 years of age starting this month. He says it's a government decision which will be made next week.
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Recap of my reporting:
- Ford government closing at least 11 ServiceOntario’s, most run as small businesses.
- Government hands sole-sourced deal to Staples.
- Government to give taxpayer $ to Staples for retrofit.
- Staples says it’s looking to “Monetize” the arrangement.
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#BREAKING
- Ontario is ending mandatory mask use in most settings including schools on March 21st, sources tell CityNews.
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Liberal Leader Del Duca says he will make National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a provincial holiday in Ontario if elected.
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NEW - The Financial Accountability Office found the Ford government spent $2.6 billion less than planned in the fiscal first quarter (April 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021).
“In the health sector, the Province did not spend any of the $2.7 billion COVID-19 Response transfer payment.”
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Every day before question period NDP, MPP France Gélinas asks for an “emergency debate on the healthcare crisis” and every day, including today, it gets rejected.
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NEW - Quebec announces that bars, casinos, cinemas, theatres, gyms, and entertainment centres in that province will be closed immediately.
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Liberal Leader Del Duca:
"Today Doug Ford brags about a financial agreement he could and should have gotten 6 months ago. His failure has cost families thousands."
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Latest:
- Strike over, kids back to class Tomorrow
- Government to entirely repeal bill 28 which imposed a contract on CUPE
- Both sides back to the bargaining table
- CUPE says it will strike again if it’s not happy with talks.
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NEW - “No one had preferential treatment“ said Premier Ford in response to a question from
@CityCynthia
. However The auditor General in her report indicated that developers handed the Housing Minister‘s Chief of Staff a package with a request to remove specific land from the…
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NEW - Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie has written Premier Ford a letter this morning.
“I am urging you and your Minister to end the ServiceOntario coverup and come clean about this sole-sourced deal. Release the business case and let Ontario taxpayers decide for themselves”
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NEW - I asked Premier Ford why he now supports sole-sourced government deals, he does not give an answer but says for the first time the ServiceOntario deal was brought forward by (ministry) officials. When asked to release the business case he simply thanks me for my “passion”
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NEW - The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board sends a letter to Education Minister Lecce expressing “Grave concern” about the new school protocols. Says there was no consultation, calls for medical grade masks for students, & says some classes have no HEPA filters.
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NEW - Ontario Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman writes the independent Financial Accountability Office to “Request that your office provide analysis of the government's recent decision to award contracts without a competitive bidding process to Staples and Walmart”
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Ontario Liberal Party Leader Steven Del Duca is calling on Premier Ford to vaccinate all education workers starting during the April 12 school break.
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“You don’t attack me, I don’t attack you“ says Ford when
@siomoCTV
pointed out that Ontarians may not love the idea of him attacking reporters for where they live. Indeed
@ColinDMello
was asking legitimate important, questions.
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NEW - Federal rules say vaccinated travellers returning from an international trip must wear a mask in public settings for 14 days. Dr. Moore, having returned from the Caribbean Saturday, took his off during yesterdays news conference at Queen’s Park. 1/2
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#BREAKING
- Marit Stiles will be the new leader of the Ontario NDP after no one else put their name forward.
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NEW - Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca uses a news conference to call on Premier Ford to recall the Ontario legislature “So that we can make sure all the decision making coming from Doug Ford and his team is done in an open and transparent way”
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NEW - PwC was given a sole-sourced contract by the Ford government to create a digital tribunal system, CityNews has learned, with a price tag that has grown to more than $26 million. PwC is an accounting firm with little history of software development.
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“I was at the cottage, I was on the snowmobile” Ford days when confronted by
@ColinDMello
who claims CTV obtained pictures of Ford at his cottage last weekend. Ford says he was working around the clock and on the phone regularly.
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NEW - Staples Canada laid off head office staff this week, CityNews has learned. It comes as the U.S.-owned chain takes $1.75M Ontario taxpayer dollars for store retrofits to install ServiceOntario outlets, some of which opened inside Staples stores today.
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NEW - Ontario’s top doctor was on vacation in the Caribbean last week, as there were growing calls for him to address surging case counts, CityNews has learned. Asked last Wednesday about Moore’s whereabouts, Premier Ford said, “He never rests"
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#BREAKING
- All regions of the province will enter the lockdown stage at 12:01 am on December 24th, sources indicate to 680NEWS. The length of the lockdown will vary depending on region. It will mean nonessential retail & indoor dining will be prohibited right across Ontario.
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NEW - Paul Calandra holds his second news conference in as many days as Housing Minister. He faces tough questions about why the government is building on the greenbelt when several reports have found there is room elsewhere to meet housing targets. He says it’s need to meet…
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Dr. Moore did interviews today with CP24 & the Canadian Press but not with CityNews. His office again told me that he's "Not available for the interview" despite him appearing on the other outlets. It remains unclear why a public health official needs to take this approach.
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NEW - The Ontario Liberals say they are requesting “The Auditor General undertake a value-for-money audit into Doug Ford’s privatization of healthcare through the use of temporary nursing agencies.”
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Scathing Ford op-ed in the conservative-leaning National Post
"It’s tough for any political leader to realize when he has become a liability to his party" "It will be difficult for Ford, whose strengths are optimism and confidence, to admit that he has reached his Dalton…
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“Is it even feasible to believe that Doug Ford did not know that his former chief of staff was on the ground in Ottawa” says Liberal leader Del Duca “Now we see why Doug Ford is so conflicted”
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In another ServiceOntario twist, the Premier now contends he had nothing to do with the move to hand sole-sourced, taxpayer funded deals to Staples and Walmart. My full story form CityNews at 5 & 6.
Watch -
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