Trillium Talk - A weekly briefing from the Ontario Legislature from the team at The Trillium – Details, episodes & analysis

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In a special edition of Trillium Talk, two of our Queen's Park journalists join the hosts of TVO's #onpoli podcast for a deep-dive discussion about the Ontario election campaign.

Welcome to a very special edition of Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Now that the provincial election campaign is in full swing, we decided to team up for a wide-ranging discussion with our colleagues at TVO’s #onpoli podcast, co-hosted by Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath.

Joining the panel today from The Trillium are Editor-in-Chief Jessica Smith Cross and reporter Charlie Pinkerton.

Although our Trillium Talk segment usually runs on Sunday mornings, we’ve ramped things up now that the election is set for Feb. 27. Look for episodes here every weekday throughout the campaign.

Want to watch previous episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find them all HERE.

And be sure to check out our site's 'Ontario Votes' page for everything you need to make an informed decision at the ballot box, including local campaign headlines, candidate profiles, party promise trackers — and in-depth daily coverage from The Trillium.

Operated by Village Media, a leader in local journalism, The Trillium is a comprehensive news and information source devoted exclusively to insider coverage of Ontario politics.

Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian. Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates, question period, public appointments, lobbying activity and regulatory proposals.

The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders, such as public servants, political staffers, business leaders, lobbyists and strategists. But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites.

Click HERE to sign up for the site's free afternoon email newsletter, The Trillium Wrap. Subscription information can be found HERE.

Send us a text

Welcome to a special edition of Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Although this segment usually runs on Sunday mornings, we're ramping things up now that a provincial election has been set for Feb. 27.

Every weekday during the campaign, Village Media's Scott Sexsmith will sit down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the big developments of the day. 

On the show today is deputy editor Sneh Duggal, who covered Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie's campaign stop in Scarborough Thursday morning.

Health care was at the top of the agenda — more specifically, the Liberals' plan to ensure everyone in the province has a family doctor. 

Crombie laid out a lot of promises, including opening up two more medical schools in Ontario and improving health team networks across the province. She also made a point of saying it's time for doctors to scrap their fax machines in the name of efficiency.

At one point, Duggal asked Crombie about one of the slogans plastered on her campaign bus: "11,000 PEOPLE DIED WAITING FOR SURGERY LAST YEAR." Data obtained by The Trillium suggests that figure is actually a lot lower.

Stay tuned for more on that story.

Looking for previous episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find them all HERE.

And be sure to check out our site's 'Ontario Votes' page for everything you need to make an informed decision at the ballot box, including local campaign headlines, candidate profiles, party promise trackers — and in-depth daily coverage from The Trillium.

Operated by Village Media, a leader in local journalism, The Trillium is a comprehensive news and information source devoted exclusively to insider coverage of Ontario politics.

Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian. Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates, question period, public appointments, lobbying activity and regulatory proposals.

The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders, such as public servants, political staffers, business leaders, lobbyists and strategists. But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites.

Click HERE to sign up for the site's free afternoon email newsletter, The Trillium Wrap. Subscription information can be found HERE.

Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead

On the show today is deputy editor Sneh Duggal, who breaks down yet another busy week in the world of Ontario politics.

Opposition parties are urging Doug Ford to scrap any suggestion of an early election and work together to combat Donald Trump's looming tariffs, but Ford continues to hint that Ontarians could be heading to the polls sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, Ford is sporting a new hat. 

Looking for previous episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find all of them HERE.

Owned by Village Media, which operates this community website, The Trillium is a comprehensive news and information source devoted exclusively to insider coverage of Ontario politics.

Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian. Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates, question period, public appointments, lobbying activity and regulatory proposals.

The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders, such as public servants, political staffers, business leaders, lobbyists and strategists. But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites.

Click HERE to sign up for the site's free afternoon email newsletter, The Trillium Wrap. Subscription information can be found HERE.

Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead.

On the show today is Editor-in-Chief Jessica Smith Cross, who breaks down a wild few days in the world of Canadian politics — including Justin Trudeau's resignation, Donald Trump's tariffs threats, and Doug Ford's emergence as Captain Canada.

Could all this lead to an early election in Ontario? Ford certainly hinted at that possibility.

Also on the show this week: A new report reveals the total number of people facing homelessness across the province — and that figure will only get worse without billions in government dollars.

Looking for previous episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find all of them HERE.

Operated by Village Media, the company behind this community website, The Trillium is a comprehensive news and information source devoted exclusively to insider coverage of Ontario politics.

Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian. Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates, question period, public appointments, lobbying activity and regulatory proposals.

The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders, such as public servants, political staffers, business leaders, lobbyists and strategists. But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites.

Click HERE to sign up for the site's free afternoon email newsletter, The Trillium Wrap. Subscription information can be found HERE.

Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead.

On the show today is reporter Alan S. Hale, who breaks down the latest back-and-forth between Premier Doug Ford and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

Ford has been engaging in a charm offensive in the United States in recent days, lobbying hard against Trump's threat to levy 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports.

On Friday, Trump suggested to a CNBC reporter that he wants to work out a deal with Canada — which Ford promptly welcomed as "good news." 

Looking for previous episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find all of them HERE.

Operated by Village Media, which owns this community website, The Trillium is a comprehensive news and information source devoted exclusively to insider coverage of Ontario politics.

Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian. Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates, question period, public appointments, lobbying activity and regulatory proposals.

The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders, such as public servants, political staffers, business leaders, lobbyists and strategists. But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites.

Click HERE to sign up for the site's free afternoon email newsletter, The Trillium Wrap. Subscription information can be found HERE.

Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead.

On the show today is Editor-in-Chief Jessica Smith Cross, who breaks down the key findings of the auditor general's latest annual report — including blunt criticisms of the Ontario Place redevelopment, the province's outdated opioid strategy, and the prevalence of minister's zoning orders (MZOs).

In non-AG news, Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie delivered some strong words of her own, telling the audience at a major fundraising dinner that the path to beating Doug Ford is down the middle.

"If we are going to win, we have to stop practicing the kind of politics that makes regular people hate us," Crombie told the crowd. "If the results of the U.S. election teach us anything, it's this: Identity politics is dead and buried. We've got to talk about and focus on the things that are really holding everyone down."

Let the election speculation continue.

Operated by Village Media, which publishes this community website, The Trillium is a comprehensive news and information source devoted exclusively to insider coverage of Ontario politics.

Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian. Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates, question period, public appointments, lobbying activity and regulatory proposals.

The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders, such as public servants, political staffers, business leaders, lobbyists and strategists. But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites.

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Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead.

On the show today is reporter Jack Hauen, who has been pounding the pavement lately on the bike lane beat.

He brings us up to speed on a briefing document written for Doug Ford's cabinet, which points out that, according to research, prohibiting bike lanes doesn’t actually solve traffic congestion.

Hauen also explains how the Ford government amended its bike lane bill to seemingly block potential lawsuits that might arise if cyclists are injured or killed after protected lanes are removed. Advocates and opposition MPPs say the amendment proves their argument: that ripping up bike lanes will have dire consequences for cyclists.

"This is a political decision and people are going to be killed," said NDP MPP Jennifer French.

Looking for previous episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find all of them HERE.

Launched last year by Village Media, which operates this community website, The Trillium is a comprehensive news and information source devoted exclusively to insider coverage of Ontario politics.

Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian. Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates, question period, public appointments, lobbying activity and regulatory proposals.

The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders, such as public servants, political staffers, business leaders, lobbyists and strategists. But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites.

Click HERE to sign up for the site's free afternoon email newsletter, The Trillium Wrap. Subscription information can be found HERE.

Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead.

On the show today is Editor-in-Chief Jessica Smith Cross, who breaks down the latest on the Ford government's signature promise to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031. 

Fresh off a disastrous housing projection in its latest fiscal statement, the province got more bad news this week from the Financial Accountability Office: when it comes to detached homes, Ontario "is on track for the lowest level of annual starts on record back to 1955."

On this episode, we also talk bike lanes — more specifically, who wants them ripped out and how much it will cost taxpayers to do that. Spoiler alert: the price tag is pretty steep.

Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead.

On the show today is reporter/editor Katherine DeClerq , who joined our team of political journalists last month when Village Media acquired Queen's Park Today.

The big news of the week, of course: Donald Trump's landslide win in the U.S. presidential election — and what it means for Canada.

As DeClerq explains, Canadian politicians, including the Ford government, say they're prepared to deal with Trump's potentially protectionist administration.

"I'm very confident we'll have a very rewarding relationship with the new administration," Doug Ford told reporters. Time will tell.

Send us a text

Welcome back to Trillium Talk, your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature. 

Every Sunday, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead.

On the show today is reporter Alan S. Hale, who joined our team of political journalists last month when Village Media acquired Queen's Park Today.

Hale breaks down some of the specifics of the Ford government's fall economic statement — including the $200 rebate cheques that every Ontarian is about to receive.

He also explains why the premier had some choice words for Ontario's big city mayors, who aren't on the same page when it comes to dealing with homeless encampments in their communities. Some — but not all — want the province to use the notwithstanding clause to allow individuals living in encampments with severe mental illnesses or addiction to be forced into treatment.  

"You can't put your butt on both sides of the fence — you'll get a lot of slivers," Ford told reporters, when asked about the mayors. "You don't sit there and say: 'Well, let's see if the province is going to do it.' Guys, you are either going one side or the other."

Looking for other episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find all of them HERE.