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A World-Class Education System
The Peterson Liberals entered office with an ambitious agenda to prepare the province and its people for the 21st century. At the heart of that agenda was setting up young people for…
May 20, 2026 -
Paving the Road to Long-Term Care Reform in Ontario: A Retrospective (Part 1)
A Canadian first: the appointment of a minister for seniors Premier David Peterson’s inaugural cabinet marked a watershed moment in Canadian social policy. By appointing the Honourable Ron Van Horne (MPP, London…
May 20, 2026 -
Paving the Road to Long-Term Care Reform in Ontario: A Retrospective (Part 2)
The Broader Policy Context In the first year of their second mandate, the Ontario Liberal government received three pivotal healthcare reports from the Ontario Health Review Panel (Chaired by Dr. John Evans),…
May 20, 2026 -
Expanding Child Care for Families
The needs of families changed significantly by the 1980s. Rising divorce rates, more women entering the workforce, and many families relying on two incomes all put pressure on existing child care options.…
May 6, 2026 -
The business of government is the public’s business
The Ford government’s announcement on the Friday afternoon before the March Break that it intends to introduce legislation which will exclude the records of the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and their…
May 5, 2026 -
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Reshaping the Government of Ontario’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples
When the Peterson Liberals formed government in 1985, they inherited a changing Crown-Indigenous relationship. The repatriation of Canada’s constitution in 1982 included new language recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples, and with…
March 20, 2026 -
Reflection on David Peterson’s leadership
“Surprise happens so often,” Paul Wolfowitz, former US Deputy Secretary of Defense once said, “that it’s surprising we’re still surprised by it.” The unexpected is the nature of the political beast.…
March 20, 2026 -
Part One: 1988 Report of the Task Force on Illegal Drug Use in Ontario
In May, 1988, 15-year-old Benji Hayward attended a rock concert in downtown Toronto. While there, he took two LSD “blotters” and a cannabis joint. Throughout the concert, Benji reportedly became hyper and…
February 25, 2026 -
Part Two: From Task Force to Action: Executing Ontario’s Anti‑Drug Strategy
Ontario’s anti‑drug strategy emerged during a moment of intense public concern and political pressure. In the late 1980s, as noted in the previous article by Peggy Sweeney, the province was shaken by…
February 23, 2026