Spin doctors

Turns out it might not be just what the doctor ordered.

Our FOI guru — reporter Jack Hauen — got quite the scoop earlier this week showing Ontario's top doctor doesn't always have the final say on his statements.

Internal emails from early June show back-and-forth between staff at various health-related departments and the premier's office on ending mask mandates.

The final statement, on June 8, was drafted by Ministry of Health staff, reviewed by some in Dr. Kieran Moore's office, and sent up the chain to the premier's office.

Most mandatory masking ended on June 11, and the emails show Moore supported that decision.

One of the top communications staff members in the Health Ministry asked if Moore could review the statement after the premier's office made its changes.

One of Moore's top staff said she'd appreciate the opportunity to see it after, but "I just know that is not always possible."

Unfortunately, the documents don't show whether or not Moore got the chance to review that specific statement.

Naturally, Jack followed up with everyone. Naturally, no one answered his questions.

Those involved in the email chain and their bosses weren't the only ones not keen on answering questions.

The emails also show Moore really didn't want to do a press conference on the end of masking.

"I know a presser was floated around at one point, and Dr. Moore has indicated that he would strongly prefer not to do a presser, although is amenable to media interviews if necessary," Moore's communications manager wrote.

There's a lot more where that came from, and you can read it all here. If you want to know what other leading lights in the medical field think about the situation, you can read it here, too.

Private parts

On Wednesday, Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones were in Etobicoke to drop some hints that a major revamp of Ontario's health-care system was coming.

"If we can take the burden and the backlog off the hospitals and have independent health centres with the same standards, the same actual docs being able to go in there on their spare time," it would be good for the whole system, Ford said.

Ford specifically mentioned knee replacements, hip replacements and cataracts as procedures that, in his view, could and should be done outside hospitals to free up space.

On Thursday, the Toronto Sun revealed that Monday is the big day.

Whatever comes then will be building on the government's last health-care rejig from August.

Its previous plan included "working with hospital partners to identify innovative solutions to reduce wait times for surgeries and procedures, including considering options for further increasing surgical capacity by increasing the number of OHIP-covered surgical procedures performed at independent health facilities," according to the document.

When the plan was announced on Aug. 18, neither the document nor the ministers (Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Long-Term Care Minister Paul Calandra) provided further detail on the plan, such as what surgeries and clinics may be involved.

Jones didn't answer a question on whether she'd allow more private clinics in Ontario.

The August plan had a lot of support from pretty big health-care organizations, which was lined up in advance, so expect the same thing on Monday.

Fearless and leaderless

The Ontario Liberals are in no rush to find a new leader, according to their latest campaign debrief.

A few party stalwarts, like interim leader John Fraser, are talking with folks about changing the leadership process.

One aspect (of many) that's yet to be determined is whether all members will finally get to vote on who becomes the Ontario Liberals' next leader, or if the party will keep the power in the hands of delegates. For what it's worth, there's been lots of buzz around the former.

Whether the party moves to a one-member-one-vote leadership election will be decided at the party's annual general meeting in Hamilton in March. After that, the other rules for the race will be hashed out, along with its date and timeline.

The recommendations will be heard at the party's annual general meeting in March. Once the rules for the race are set, then they'll move to set dates and other contest rules.

Fraser doesn't think taking time is a bad thing.

"It's about selecting new leader, but it's also really about building up your party again, it's doing work in those regions where you need to do work and get stronger," he told the Canadian Press.

"That's the best thing we can do for the new leader and for our party. So I think the way to do that is to take your time, to make sure that you set up a way of the race working that's going to do that."

MPs Yasir Naqvi and Nate Erskine-Smith, as well as MPP Ted Hsu, a former MP, are the three possible candidates farthest along in putting together campaigns, three party sources told QP Briefing's Charlie Pinkerton.

QP Briefing's Charlie Pinkerton spoke to Natalie Hart — currently the party's VP For the central west region —about her candidacy.

The new party executive will also be chosen at the March AGM. Their hands will be full just about immediately.

In case you missed it

Tory praises province, chides feds, teeing up funding battle in city budget preview

Ontario is aging fast and long-term care staffing isn’t keeping up: OLTCA

Ontario farm group vows to fight for farmland protection, challenge Ford’s housing bill

Feds, provinces getting closer to health-care funding deal

Looking ahead

That big health-care announcement is expected on Monday. We haven't got any heads-up on when or where, yet.

The Mississauga Board of Trade is hosting Ford on Jan. 18 for a breakfast chat.

Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk will let us know whether she's going to investigate the Greenbelt land swap next week, according to CTV.

Stay classy,
Aidan Chamandy, QP Briefing reporter

QP Briefing Recap: What’s up doc?

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