Ontario Premier Doug Ford handed out fresh mandate letters to the executive council as his new election-focused team of ministers met for their first in-person cabinet meeting at Queen’s Park on Thursday.
Weeks after shuffling his front bench, Ford confirmed to Global News that he gave his ministers new instructions on the policy expectations set out by the premier’s office.
“It’s really good mandate letters … to move the province forward on everything from economic development to health care to every ministry going,” Ford said. “It’s going to be a very positive day.”
The content of those mandate letters, however, will remain hidden from the public view as the Ford government upholds a practice of cabinet secrecy, endorsed by Canada’s Supreme Court.
When asked whether the government would release the letters, a spokesperson for the Premier’s Office simply said, “no.”
The response prompted criticism from opposition figures.
Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said letters should be released to ensure that “cabinet is transparent and accountable according to their stated agenda, and that their plans are appropriate and in the best interest of Ontarians.”
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Mandate letters often include direct and indirect instructions from the premier to his or her cabinet ministers and aim to marry political campaign promises with the party’s ideological stance on issues.
Questions have often swirled over Ford’s secret directives to his ministers and the government’s unwillingness to release them publicly.
During the recent Greenbelt scandal, reports by the auditor general and integrity commissioner revealed the premier specifically instructed his then-housing minister Steve Clark to take an expedited look at protected land for development.
“In Fall 2022, complete work to codify processes for swaps, expansions, contractions and policy updates for the Greenbelt. In addition, conduct a comprehensive review of the mandate of the Greenbelt Council and Greenbelt Foundation,” a portion of the mandate letter read. “This should include a comprehensive plan to expand and protect the Greenbelt.”
Ford’s 2018 mandate letters, which were exclusively obtained by Global News, offered a vision statement along with a list of specific instructions on policy implementation along with abstract ideas to pursue.
The letters were also clear about expectations of conduct.
“I also expect you to hold yourself to the highest ethical standard, both on and off the job, and lead by example in fostering a culture of respect within your office and in your ministry,” Ford advised his cabinet ministers in 2018.
“We must show Ontarians why they can believe in government again and why they can trust their publicly elected officials,” the letter stated.
Those letters will officially remain a closely guarded secret, as will their successors under the Progressive Conservatives.
In a 2024 decision, Canada’s Supreme Court agreed with Ford’s assessment that the instructions are part of privileged cabinet discussions and allowed the premier to keep his direction under wraps.
That decision also allows Ford, along with future premiers, to keep any new mandate letters out of public view.
Political rivals are taking a different approach: realigning themselves with former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne who proactively released her cabinet mandate letters.
“As Premier, Bonnie Crombie will run a transparent government focused squarely on helping the people of Ontario—that starts with publicly releasing all ministerial mandate letters,” the Ontario Liberals said in a statement to Global News.
Crombie said public access to cabinet instructions will “restore the trust in government that Doug Ford has broken.”
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
