Ontario Legislature heads into 148-day recess after just 30 days sitting
MPPs won't return to Queen's Park until October 27. Opposition leaders slam extended break as avoidance of accountability.
Ontario MPPs are heading into a 148-day recess after spending just over seven weeks in the legislature—a break so long it prompted sharp criticism from the NDP and Liberals on Tuesday.
Government House Leader Steven Clark confirmed that MPPs will not return to Queen's Park until October 27, citing the need to avoid interfering with municipal elections scheduled for October 26. The break follows a 14-week winter recess, meaning the legislature has been largely inactive since the spring sitting began.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles accused Premier Doug Ford of using the break to avoid scrutiny while pursuing personal interests. "Doug Ford spent that time buying himself a private jet and changing the law to hide his phone records," Stiles said. "While we were fighting to make life affordable for Ontario families, Doug Ford gutted OSAP, voted against banning surveillance pricing, and opposed scrapping the HST on food."
Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser echoed the criticism, calling the recess "arrogant" and "entitled." He said the government appears intent on avoiding accountability. "The people who elected us sent us here to work for them, not to disappear for nearly half a year," Fraser said.
Ford defended the extended break, arguing that government continues to function through committee meetings, ministerial orders, and his travel to promote Ontario and attract investment. "My schedule is constantly jammed," he told reporters. The opposition remains unconvinced.