Raw emotions in Ontario

SHOUTING MATCH DERAILS DEBATE OVER ONT. GOV’T PROPOSAL TO SLASH TORONTO COUNCIL

Doug Ford is bringing the same kind of chaos that defined his tenure at Toronto city hall to the Ontario legislature, the province’s opposition parties suggested Tuesday as flaring tensions derailed debate over a controversial government proposal.

Discussions over a government bill that would slash Toronto city council by 22 seats just over two months before a municipal election came to a halt when a shouting match erupted between the recently elected premier and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, prompting the Speaker to recess the legislature.

Ford and his caucus alleged NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson mocked the accent of Progressive Conservative legislator Kaleed Rasheed as he was speaking in the house, an accusation Bisson and Horwath vehemently denied.

The Speaker said he did not hear the alleged comments but the Tories vowed not to answer any questions from the Opposition until Bisson apologized.

The New Democrats, meanwhile, said the move was simply an attempt to change the conversation from the controversial proposed legislation, which the City of Toronto has formally denounced.

The incident led all parties to condemn what they called the toxic tone of the legislature while blaming their opponents for the lapse in decorum.

“It’s a very toxic environment in there,” said Tory House Leader Todd Smith. “I understand that some things are contentious that we’re debating. However, there has to be that respect for the members of the legislature, and mocking somebody for their accent or where they came from is completely unacceptable for any member of the legislature.”

The NDP and Liberals suggested Ford — a former Toronto city councillor whose single term in office was marked by controversy — was largely responsible for the shift.