Doug Ford's Mandate Letters...

1. The contents of Ontario Premier Doug Ford's 2018 mandate letters have been revealed by Global News and indicate strict marching orders for the government's first term in office. Ford's government has been fighting to keep these letters a secret and has accrued over 1,600 hours of legal work to argue against their release 1.
2. The mandate letters lay out the priorities intended to be pursued by the government during the party's first term in office, aligning with the Premier's wishes for Ontario and the 2018 election platform 1.
3. Premier Doug Ford has emphasized the importance of building effective working relationships with various sectors and delivering results, promising to hold ministers accountable for their actions 1.
4. The mandate letters outline policy priorities and objectives for different ministries, including achieving fiscal goals, reducing regulatory burden on businesses and families, and getting the province back on track economically 1.
5. They also outline specific directives for each ministry, such as supporting Ontario's tourism industry, reviewing media tax credits, and attracting sporting competitions to Ontario to increase economic activity in sports 1.
6. The letters require ministers to work on policy initiatives, cost-effective strategies, and efficient policy options within their respective areas 1.
7. Premier Doug Ford promises to work in partnership with ministers to deliver the government's commitment to the people of Ontario and make the province the economic engine of Canada once again 1.
8. The Supreme Court has ruled that the mandate letters would reveal the "substance of cabinet deliberations," which is "protected as a matter of constitutional convention" and thereby does not have to be released by the Ford government 2.
9. This decision has far-reaching implications for cabinet secrecy and may affect police investigations into government matters, including the RCMP investigation into the Greenbelt scandal 2.
10. The decision could allow the government to withhold documents protected by cabinet confidentiality from the police, affecting transparency and accountability 2.
11. The opposition parties have criticized the ruling, emphasizing the public's right to know what the premier instructs his ministers to do 2.
12. The Ontario New Democratic Party and the Ontario Liberal Party expressed their disappointment with the ruling and argued that the public deserves to know the premier's instructions to his ministers 3.
13. The ruling highlights the importance of cabinet confidentiality in promoting collective ministerial accountability to the legislature and affording the executive the operational space it needs to function effectively 3.
14. The Ford government has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and hours fighting to keep these letters a secret, raising questions about the need for transparency 3.
15. The media outlet CBC made a freedom of information request for the mandate letters, which was initially denied by the government, leading to a series of appeals and legal battles 3.
16. Justice Andromache Karakatsanis, in the ruling, emphasized the government's prerogative to determine when and how to announce its decisions and the necessity of cabinet confidentiality for effective government functioning 3.
17. The Supreme Court of Canada's decision to side with the Ford government and allow their appeal of the commissioner’s decision to stand has been deemed "unreasonable" by Karakatsanis, highlighting the significance of cabinet confidentiality in ensuring an effective government 3.
18. Premier Doug Ford's decision to keep the mandate letters secret has drawn criticism from political commentators and opposition parties, who argue that the public deserves transparency and accountability 3.
19. The decision to keep the mandate letters private is seen as a political one, with implications for the government's transparency and public trust 3.
20. The ruling has implications for the government's ability to withhold documents protected by cabinet confidentiality from the police, affecting future investigations and transparency efforts 2.
21. Premier Doug Ford has promised the RCMP full access to documents in the Greenbelt investigation, including his personal phone records, despite the ruling protecting the mandate letters from public release 2.
22. The opposition parties, including the Ontario New Democratic Party, argue that the public deserves to know the premier's instructions to his ministers and criticize the government's efforts to keep these letters a secret 3.
23. The ruling highlights the importance of cabinet confidentiality in promoting collective ministerial accountability to the legislature and affording the executive the operational space it needs to function effectively 3.
24. The decision to keep the mandate letters secret has been seen as a blow to transparency and democracy in Ontario, drawing criticism from political commentators and opposition parties 3.
25. The ruling has far-reaching implications for cabinet secrecy, transparency, and accountability in the Ontario government, with potential effects on future investigations and public access to government information 23.

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