Earlier this month, the Ombudsman released a report on the Landlord and Tenant Board. In response to questions, the Attorney General stated that Ontario’s tribunals were in shambles when this government took over in 2018; however, the chapter entitled “Issues Contributing to Delay” notes that the problems started in 2019, Mr. Speaker. Delays were specifically attributed to the Conservatives’ decision to leave positions unfilled, presumably waiting for preferred candidates, while experienced applicants were available or could have been renewed.

Mr. Speaker, under this government’s watch, Ontario’s tribunals have fallen into a shambles. Will this government commit to putting aside what the Ombudsman called the “political nature of elections,” especially when tribunals have many unfilled positions, so that people can have timely access to justice?

Mr. Speaker, the Attorney General knows well that the timeline for the problems at the Landlord and Tenant Board, as identified by the Ombudsman, started in 2019 and made no mention of the Liberal government.

Tribunal Watch Ontario, in response to the report, said, “Experienced and proven leaders were replaced, in some cases, by people for whom political affiliation seemed to be the main qualification.” This seems to be a common theme with this Conservative government. It’s okay to ignore what’s broken in Ontario so long as their friends are taken care of.

Mr. Speaker, let me be constructive. Will the government commit to creating a non-partisan oversight body that protects the independence of Ontario’s adjudicative tribunals?

Interjections.