Ontario legislature re-elects Ted Arnott as Speaker
Provincial politicians returned to Ontario’s legislature Monday and re-elected Ted Arnott as Speaker, ahead of the government presenting a throne speech and reintroduced budget on Tuesday.
Arnott, a Progressive Conservative who represents Wellington-Halton Hills, served as Speaker for the previous four years.
He thanked members for electing him, and thanked the hundreds of staff at the legislature — from the cleaners to the clerks — and said the assembly couldn’t function without them.
Arnott was up for the role this time against Nina Tangri, who served as associate minister of small business and red tape reduction.
On Tuesday, there will be a throne speech, which will outline the re-elected Progressive Conservative government’s agenda, followed by the budget, which is expected to be largely unchanged from when it was introduced but not passed in the spring before the election.
The only new item that Premier Doug Ford has signalled will be in the budget is a five per cent increase to Ontario Disability Support Program rates, which have been frozen since 2018 at up to $1,169 a month for a single person for basic needs and shelter.
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