Ontario Premier Doug Ford spent a significant amount of time Wednesday trying to close the door on Bill 124, arguing it “doesn’t exist” as his government continues to appeal a court decision that struck down the legislation.
“Let me be very clear to the folks out there. You can hear whatever it is, Bill 124 is lapsed,” Ford told reporters at his first news conference of 2023.
Two weeks earlier the Ontario government formally filed an appeal of a court decision that found Bill 123—legislation that capped pay increases for most public sector workers at one per cent for three years—to be unconstitutional. A Nov. 29 decision found the bill infringed on the applicants’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
They also argued the judge mischaracterized the reason why Bill 124 was put in place to begin with, which they say was to manage the province’s finances.“I always have to be a prudent fiscal manager with the taxpayers money,” Ford said. “We just can't be out there spending willy nilly as people are working their backs off. They are taxed to the brink right now. They can’t just keep dishing it out, so we have to take everything into consideration.
Ford was questioned about Bill 124 amid media reports that found the government was aware the legislation could negatively contribute to the health-care staffing crisis. He argued the claim was “not accurate” because more than 60,000 nurses have been hired since 2018.
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