If you to watch a live stream of this morning’s Question Period at Queen’s Park, here you go: ola.org/en/legislative…
Given that Doug Ford continues to insist his move to cut council is supported by the public, it’s worth reiterating most recent polling by Forum Research shows that Toronto is majority opposed. Just 36% support. poll.forumresearch.com/data/aaad557e-… (PDF) 
The speaker has booted the public out of the gallery. Government “for the people” going well.
Speaker declares a recess for ten minutes. Maybe this government would run more efficiently with fewer politicians.
More on polling. Forum’s Aug 28 poll found even less support for the province having the power to unilaterally redraw ward boundaries. And that people in Toronto generally want their city to have more power to make decisions independently.
Even among PC voters in Toronto, weak support for giving less power to cities. This squares with all other polling I’ve seen on issues like this: people like local democracy. They like the idea of decisions that affect them being made close to home.
One of my frustrations with first few months of Premier Ford coverage is he often gets covered as if he and his ideas are popular, but I haven’t seen any data to suggest that’s true. Most data we have suggests the opposite, e.g.
There’s of course a chance he can turn that around and build more popularity, but overwhelming focus on Toronto, using the notwithstanding clause and people getting handcuffed in the legislature are not likely to help.
