Ford's claim of parliamentary privilege slammed as 'baloney' amid fight against Emergency Act summons
CBC
Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended his decision against testifying at the public inquiry into the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act in the provincial legislature Tuesday, saying the inquiry is not a provincial issue.
Opposition members grilled Ford repeatedly in question period about his refusal to testify — their first chance to do so, after he did not show up on Monday.
"This is a federal inquiry into the federal government's decision to use the federal Emergencies Act," Ford said in response to a question from New Democrat leadership hopeful Marit Stiles. "For Ontario, this was a policing matter, it was not a political matter."
Ford's comments came as he fights a summons to testify at the inquiry, which is examining the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to end the so-called Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa and Windsor, Ont., last winter.
The Public Order Emergency Commission summoned Ford and then-solicitor general Sylvia Jones on Monday to testify.
Lawyers for Ford and Jones filed an application for judicial review in Federal Court Tuesday that seeks to quash the summons, citing parliamentary privilege.
In its application, Ford's lawyers argue the summons breaches that privilege by attempting to compel Ford and Jones to testify. Ford said the province has provided two top bureaucrats to participate in the inquiry and has provided 800 p ages of cabinet documents about the issue.
The premier answered only one question in the legislature before deferring numerous follow-ups to one of his top ministers, Government House Leader Paul Calandra. Calandra answered Stiles's second question about Ford's refusal to testify, repeating much of what Ford said — which echoed what he said himself the day before when the premier did not attend question period.
"Parliamentary privilege? That's baloney and everybody in this room knows it," Stiles said. "He failed Ontarians."
The commission wants Ford and Jones to testify on Nov. 10, court documents show. Provincial lawyers have sought to have its application heard on Nov. 1.
Last week, Ford told reporters he was not asked to testify at the inquiry.
The commission has sought to interview Ford dating back to mid-September. The requests were repeatedly declined by provincial lawyers, emails filed as part of the province's case show.
Outside the legislature Tuesday, opposition members kept up the pressure on Ford.
"Not showing up and not giving your reasons or explanations or being accountable for your decisions, or the decisions that you didn't make, is not what we expect from leaders or any member of this legislature," interim Liberal Leader John Fraser told reporters.
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