WHAT AWAITS WYNNE IN 2016
Key byelection and fallout from the gas plant scandal among string of challenges
As Premier Kathleen Wynne begins her fourth year in office, 2016 is shaping up as one full of political challenges.
Here are some of the big issues facing Wynne’s Liberal government over the next 12 months.
Cap and trade
Early this year, Ontario will finally put a price on carbon to curb the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. That’s through a cap-and-trade system, which creates an economic incentive to pollute less by imposing carbon caps. Companies coming in under their caps can sell or trade credits.
In time, an industry’s overall cap will be lowered to reduce pollution. But the system, which will generate $1.3 billion in new revenue for the government, could lead to higher fossil fuel prices.
Activist’s case
The ongoing criminal case involving Sudbury Liberal activist Gerry Lougheed will continue to be a political headache for Wynne this year. Lougheed is charged with one count of counselling an offence not committed and one count of unlawfully influencing or negotiating appointments. He faces up to seven years in prison.
The charges came after Lougheed became involved in securing the Liberal nomination for defecting New Democrat MP Glenn Thibeault in a byelection called for last Feb. 5 — a nomination that former Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier had hoped to secure. Lougheed has denied any wrongdoing, but the controversy has dogged Wynne.
Durham byelection
A winter byelection looms for the vacant riding of Whitby-Oshawa, which had been held by former Progressive Conservative MPP Christine Elliott (and before that her late husband, Jim Flaherty).
Elliott resigned in August, less than three months after losing to Patrick Brown in a bitterly fought PC leadership. Wynne recently appointed her as Ontario’s first patient ombudsman.
The Liberals believe they can humiliate Brown by winning a highprofile Tory seat and nominated regional councillor Elizabeth Roy. The Conservatives, mindful of the pressure on their rookie leader, countered by running regional councillor Lorne Coe. Niki Lindquist is the NDP candidate.
Gas plants scandal
Ontario Provincial Police finally concluded their long-running probe into deleted computer hard drives related to the gas-fired power plants in Mississauga and Oakville cancelled by former premier Dalton McGuinty.
While McGuinty was not under investigation, his former chief of staff David Livingston, pictured above, and deputy chief of staff Laura Miller have been charged with three criminal counts each after the alleged wiping of the premier’s office hard drives in 2013.
Livingston and Miller, who deny any wrongdoing, will appear in a Toronto court on Jan. 27.
Although the incidents happened just before Wynne took power, the debacle still haunts the Liberals.
Cabinet shuffle
Wynne’s current executive council was only sworn in on June 24, 2014 — weeks after the Liberals’ majority election win — but some Grits worry her cabinet is already a little long in the tooth.
The premier is expected to shuffle her ministers sometime in 2016 — elevating rookie Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault, pictured above, to cabinet and promoting up-andcomers such as Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Michael Coteau, who was widely praised for ensuring the Pan Am Games came in on time and on budget.
Wynne’s advisers are currently weighing whether to dump underperforming ministers or increase the size of the 26-member cabinet.