My question is to the Premier. We understand the urgency of getting affordable housing built in Ontario. Families are struggling to pay their rent and find an affordable home. However, folks in Niagara and across this province are perplexed by this government’s move to address this crisis by allowing the Premier to hand-pick and install regional chairs, whenever he pleases, to do his bidding.

In Niagara, Regional Councillor Wayne Redekop recently said, “This is the second election in a row that this government interfered with the election of the chair.... In 2018,” they “revoked the right of the residents of Niagara to elect the chair directly. Now in 2022,” they are “revoking the right of the elected representatives of the residents to select the chair.”

Why won’t this government work collaboratively to address the affordable housing crisis and stop this ham-fisted and insulting power grab?

Churchill once said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all others. Why do the Premier and John Tory prefer the other ones?