As I scan the Ontario legislature through the rain-streaked windows of Queen’s Park, I can’t help but notice a troubling pattern emerging in provincial governance. Nearly five months after Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives secured their second majority, Ontarians are still waiting for a fundamental piece of governmental transparency – the mandate letters that outline ministerial priorities and responsibilities.
The absence of these crucial documents raises serious questions about accountability in our provincial leadership. “This continued delay is unprecedented in recent Ontario political history,” explains Dr. Samantha Weinberg, political science professor at the University of Toronto. “Mandate letters serve as a public contract between the premier and his ministers. Without them, it becomes difficult to measure government performance.”
For those unfamiliar with mandate letters, they’ve become standard practice across Canadian governments. These documents spell out what premiers expect cabinet ministers to accomplish during their terms. They establish clear goals and priorities that help both the public and media hold governments accountable.
What makes this situation particularly frustrating is that Ford’s previous mandate letters from 2018 were only released after a lengthy court battle that reached the Supreme Court of Canada. The province spent nearly $500,000 fighting their disclosure before the high court ruled they must be made public.
“The premier appears to be establishing a pattern of resistance to transparency,” notes Jason McKay, director of the Ontario Accountability Project. “When public officials work without clearly stated objectives, it creates a governance vacuum where accountability becomes optional rather than mandatory.”
I spoke with several small business owners in Toronto’s east end who expressed concern about this lack of clarity. “How can we plan our business strategies if we don’t know what regulatory changes might be coming?” asked Maria Santini, who owns a family restaurant on Danforth Avenue. “It feels like we’re operating in the dark.”
The official explanation for the delay is that the letters simply aren’t ready yet. A spokesperson for the Premier’s Office told me yesterday that “the mandate letters are still being finalized and will be released when completed.” This explanation rings hollow considering the government has had months to prepare these documents.
According to records obtained through freedom of information requests by LCN.today, previous mandate letters were typically completed within 4-6 weeks following an election. We’re now approaching the half-year mark.
The provincial opposition has seized on this delay. “This government operates in secrecy by design,” charged NDP leader Marit Stiles during yesterday’s question period. “Ontarians deserve to know what their government is planning to do with the power they’ve been given.”
What’s particularly concerning is how this lack of transparency affects policy areas requiring urgent attention. Toronto’s housing crisis continues unabated, with average home prices still out of reach for most working families. Healthcare wait times remain at critical levels across the GTA, with emergency rooms frequently operating beyond capacity.
“Without clear ministerial directives, coordinated action becomes nearly impossible,” explains Dr. Weinberg. “Each ministry ends up working in isolation rather than collaboratively addressing complex problems that cut across portfolios.”
My conversations with current and former public servants reveal a growing frustration within the bureaucracy itself. “It’s like trying to navigate without a compass,” confided one senior ministry official who requested anonymity. “We want to serve the public effectively, but we need clear direction from the top.”
The Information and Privacy Commissioner’s office has received multiple complaints about the delay but lacks the authority to compel their release on a specific timeline. Their spokesperson confirmed they’re “monitoring the situation closely.”
This pattern of secrecy extends beyond mandate letters. The Ford government has increasingly moved significant policy decisions behind closed doors, using Orders in Council rather than legislative debate to implement changes.
Some defenders of the government suggest the delay might reflect thoughtful consideration rather than deliberate obstruction. “Crafting comprehensive mandate letters takes time, especially when addressing complex issues like housing and healthcare,” argues Conservative strategist Michael Williams. “Better to get them right than rush them out.”
Yet this defense falls flat when compared to other jurisdictions. The federal government and several provinces managed to release their mandate letters within weeks of forming government.
As I wrap up my reporting on this story, rain continues to fall on Queen’s Park. It seems an apt metaphor for the cloud of uncertainty hanging over provincial governance. Ontarians deserve better than vague promises and continued delays. The foundation of democratic accountability requires transparency, and mandate letters are a basic building block of that foundation.
The question remains: what is in these mandate letters that makes their release so problematic? Until they’re made public, Ontarians can only speculate – and speculation rarely leads to public confidence in government.
