Canada Day celebrations at Queen’s Park cancelled, free admission to be offered at 10 attractions

Thestar.com
June 25, 2019
Rob Ferguson

Party poopers.

That’s what critics are calling Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives after news leaked out late last week-- spoiling official announcements that were to be made by his MPPs this week -- that Canada Day celebrations on the front lawn of the Ontario legislature have been scrapped to cut costs.

“You don’t cancel a Canada Day celebration that has been held for 50 years in the people’s place and give one week’s notice,” interim Liberal leader John Fraser said Monday as the beleaguered government scrambled to contain the public relations damage.

He joined the NDP in surmising the decision was made to protect Ford from being jeered as he was during the Raptors’ championship rally at Toronto city hall, an artificial intelligence conference and the youth Special Olympics games in May.

“Frankly, I think he’s just worried about holding any event at which he’s likely to get booed again,” said New Democrat MPP Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines).

“While Doug Ford sees the value of celebrating himself at Ford Fest, it’s a shame he doesn’t see the value in celebrating our nation, and Canada’s veterans, at Canada Day celebrations. Every Canadian legislature should celebrate Canada Day. Ford’s priorities are obviously backward.”

But a government source told the Star the decision was made “months ago” because of dwindling crowds and high costs in recent years, and that Ford was never scheduled to appear at the event that typically features musical acts on stage, craft booths and a 21-gun salute.

The strategy was to announce a new Canada Day plan with fanfare this week -- free admission to the first 500 people at the Ontario Science Centre, the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Falls and eight other attractions throughout the province, including Science North in Sudbury.

That will cost an estimated $80,000 instead of the $300,000 to $400,000 or more to host the legislature’s Canada Day party, said Laryssa Waler Hetmanczuk, the premier’s executive director of communications.

“Instead of hosting a single event at Queen’s Park, we are providing free admission for thousands of people to Canada Day events across the province,” she added in a statement. “Ontario families should have the ability to celebrate Canada Day with us, regardless of where in the province they live.”

Crowds at the Queen’s Park party have fallen to about 5,000 last year from 25,000 in 2009.

The decision to cancel the celebration was made when Michael Tibollo headed the ministry of tourism, culture and sport. He was demoted to associate minister of mental health and addictions in a cabinet shuffle last Thursday as Ford attempted to put a fresh face on a government struggling in the polls.

Tibollo was replaced in tourism by Lisa MacLeod, who had been minister of children, community and social services in charge of the politically sensitive autism file.

“This last-minute news once again shows that the Ford Conservatives are in complete chaos,” Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter (Scarborough-Guildwood) said of the cancelled celebration that provided a day of free entertainment and a focal point for national pride.

The other attractions with free admission for the first 500 visitors on Canada Day are Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay, Huronia Historical Parks in Midland and Penetanguishene, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Vaughan, the Cinesphere at Ontario Place in Toronto, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the St. Lawrence Parks Commission.