I had the great pleasure to visit with Rachael Wilson, CEO of the Ottawa Food Bank, as well as Alex Noreau, who works in comms for the Ottawa Food Bank.

Thank you for coming to your House and for all the good you do.

My question is for the Premier. It begins with some unfortunate news for this House, however: There is something growing faster in Ontario than the number of six-figure staffers in the Premier’s office. It’s the army of vice-presidents that work for CEO of Metrolinx, Phil Verster.

My question to the Premier is very simple: Can he say to this House if he has confidence in Metrolinx right now and its executive leadership?

So, my question again to the honourable gentleman: Please, for the transit users who work in this province, why are you rewarding failure? When will you rein in the gravy train at Metrolinx? It’s time for action.

My question is to the Premier. For weeks on this side of the House, we have demanded that the government fire Mr. Phil Verster, CEO of Metrolinx, because of the many failures under his watch, but this gentleman earns $1 million a year and he’s just had his contract renewed for three years.

But yesterday, we learned that the government has removed Janet Ecker, a former Tory cabinet minister, from the Metrolinx board in the middle of her term. Reports suggest that it was due to a column she wrote that criticized the “chaotic decision-making process” that led to the greenbelt fiasco.

Speaker, to the Premier: What message is he trying to send? Is it that the Premier can excuse gross incompetence with Mr. Verster, but criticism will not be tolerated?

Will this government get serious about the transit system we have—not the systems they want to exist some day; the buses and trains and streetcars we have—and make sure that they get the $500 million that they need, they fire Mr. Verster right now and insist we get our transit system back on track?

Interjections.

My question is to the Premier. Last week, I asked the committee on government agencies to call Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster to answer questions about the failing Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Unfortunately, the government members voted against that motion.

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a billion dollars over budget and three years late. It has at least 260 deficiencies, right down to the rails. Taxpayers have spent over $500 million as the partners building this project have been suing each other under Mr. Verster’s watch, but we found out this morning, through disclosure, that his contract has been renewed for three years. Why?

Wasn’t this the government, Speaker, that said the party with the taxpayers’ dollars is over? If that’s the case, if they believe that, then why are they rewarding Metrolinx executives who are failing the province of Ontario? Why can’t we ask them questions at the committee and why, for heaven’s sake, are they putting up ministers to defend a failing executive? Why is Mr. Verster still employed by the province of Ontario?

Interjections.

My question is to the Premier. Six years ago, the Scottish people found out Phil Verster, then CEO of ScotRail, was receiving a salary of $430,000, a $28,000 rent supplement, a $16,000 car allowance and full private health care for himself and his family. Mr. Verster got these perks, Speaker, despite months of delays, malfunctions and fare hikes in Scotland’s rail system. He resigned in disgrace in 2017, but the Liberals then hired him to run Metrolinx in 2017 and he has failed to deliver transit on-budget and on time ever since. But the government just renewed Mr. Verster’s contract. Reports are suggesting he could earn up to $1 million a year with God knows how many perks.

My question to the Premier: Why are you rewarding failure?

Speaker, a simple question to the government and to the Premier: Will he stand up for transit riders and transit workers, demand accountability at Metrolinx and fire Phil Verster today?

Interjections.