The criminal case against former Lanark Frontenac Kingston MPP Randy Hillier over his role in the Freedom Convoy protests has been reinstated. The charges had been stayed after exceeding the 30-month time limit, but an appeal court ruled additional delays should be excluded. The Ontario Court of Appeal found some delays were unavoidable and within exceptional circumstances, bringing the case back within legal limits. The case will return to Superior Court. Hillier served in the provincial legislature for 15 years, the last three as an independent. He was charged in March 2022 with nine offences connected to his alleged role in the Freedom Convoy demonstrations in Ottawa’s downtown core.
After an extended 102-day winter break, Premier Doug Ford brings MPPs back to Queen’s Park today, but it won’t be for long. The shortened spring session, which includes Thursday’s budget from the Finance Minister, will see MPPs sit just 32 days before the summer recess begins June 4th. The winter break that began Dec. 11 was five weeks longer than the traditional pause that usually ends with Family Day in mid-February. That’s on top of last summer’s extended 137-day recess; MPPs did not return to the legislature until October 20th, a month later than usual. The NDP, Liberals and Greens plan to attack Ford during the legislature’s daily question period in hopes of reversing the OSAP changes and fixing other issues, including provincial takeovers of seven school boards, class sizes, the Ontario Place redevelopment, affordability concerns, slow housing starts, lost jobs at auto and steel plants amid the Trump trade war, and an ethics investigation into Labour Minister David Piccini over the controversial $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund.
Turning to the US and Israel war on Iran, the Iranians have responded to US President Donald Trump’s weekend threat to destroy the country’s energy infrastructure at some point today if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened, with their own threat to attack the energy and water infrastructure of US allies across the region. It’s unclear what the exact expiration time is of Trump’s 48-hour deadline, but Iran has made it clear that they are willing to expand the war if necessary. Criticism of Trump’s incursion increased over the weekend as pundits are pointing out that Trump had to have known that the Strait of Hormuz would be a strategic advantage for Iran and not one they would easily give up.
Starting today at the Supreme Court of Canada is one of the biggest court hearings in the history of the country since the enactment of the Charter of Rights. At issue is Quebec’s Bill 21, which prohibits workers from wearing religious symbols on the job. Quebec shielded the law with the notwithstanding clause from court challenges for infringements on freedom of religion and the right to equality. Lawyers, governments and judges face complicated legal and constitutional arguments of how Canada functions as a federation and at the heart of the case is the question of what limits, if any, there are on governments’ powers to quash the rights and freedoms of Canadians. The past and present of the notwithstanding clause is set to shape Canada’s future. Opponents of Bill 21 see minority rights at stake, while the Provinces see a threat to their political power. It’s a complicated issue and it’s difficult to see it becoming less so after four days of hearings this week.
Finally, if you’re in Belleville and looking to try a new dinner option, Quintelicious kicks off today at a number of area restaurants. Like our own upcoming Countylicious, participating restaurants are offering up a limited-time menu that allows diners a more affordable experience. The event runs until April 19th and more information can be found at quintelicious.ca.
SPORTS
We’ll start with women’s curling action – Kerri Einarson’s team took the silver medal at the world women’s championship with a 7-5 loss to Switzerland in yesterday’s final. Einarson’s foursome out of Manitoba was trying for its first world title. But Xenia Schwaller’s team from Zurich prevailed for gold in the championship game in Calgary’s WinSport Event Centre.
Turning to the NHL, The Washington Capitals veteran superstar Alex Ovechkin has made more goal-scoring history, becoming the second player in NHL history to record 1,000 career goals in the regular season and playoffs combined. The Great Eight netted his 26th of the season on the power play against the visiting Colorado Avalanche yesterday, and now has 923 goals in 1,562 regular season games and 77 postseason tallies across 161 games. Ovechkin joins all-time great Wayne Gretzky, who scored a total of 1,016 goals, including 894 goals across 1,487 regular season games and 122 goals in 208 postseason games.
In tennis action at the Miami Open, world number 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz was eliminated in the third round by 32nd seed Sebastian Korda, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. On the women’s side, Quebec’s Laylah Fernandez lost to Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-2.
Finally, the hockey world is mourning the loss of Minnesota Wild reporter Jessi Pierce. The reporter and her three children were found dead in a house fire on Saturday, in the city of White Bear Lake, Minnesota. NHL.com and the league expressed their sympathies in statements and no other details were released.
