WINDSOR, Ont. - Its formal title is the “Ministers’ Forum” – but its informal and much more fun name is the “bear pit.”

And that’s where Ontario government ministers had their feet put to the fire on Tuesday, as mayors and other municipal officials asked questions that ranged from the status of the government's guaranteed income pilot project to winter disconnections of electricity customers in the north to, ~~"Why are you letting me die?"~~ "Are you really just going to let me die?"* — which was asked by an official upset at the province's cancer care.

The session was held at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s annual conference in Windsor, bringing out legions of councillors and reeves to pepper the provincial ministers, who were seated at a long table onstage. Premier Kathleen Wynne was not present.

Attorney General Yasir Naqvi, for example, fielded a question about the burden municipalities will bear as a result of the legalization of marijuana.

“I’m going to stay high level,” quipped Naqvi, to audible groans.

“I thought you guys needed a little of levity in the room,” added Naqvi, before saying an interministerial task force had been struck to handle the issue.

Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault, meanwhile, said that, no, the province will not put a moratorium in place on large renewable energy procurements, because it would curtail Ontario's electricity capacity when nuclear reactors go offline later this year.

Community Services Minister Helena Jaczek told the crowd that there was plenty of municipal interest in the government's basic income pilot project, and that a report from former senator Hugh Segal would be delivered to her at the end of August.

*This quote appears to have been misheard. This story has been corrected as a result.

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AMO 2016: Ministers thrown into the ‘bear pit’ over marijuana, hydro, basic income

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