Democratic accountability of our politicians - elected to represent their constituents - starts with knowing what they stand for and how they vote.

Yesterday, the Ford PCs colluded with NDP, Liberal, and a couple of independent MPPs (including Randy Hillier), to ensure the extension of "lockdown" Bill 195 (Motion 8) passed on a "voice vote" - leaving us without a record of how each MPP voted.

In the Ontario legislature, it takes five MPPs to force a recorded vote on any motion or legislation.

The NDP and Liberals previously opposed Bill 195, but they did not ask for a recorded vote on Motion 8. This let PC MPPs off the hook.

Only three MPPs - Roman Baber, Lindsey Park, and Rick Nicholls - called for a recorded vote on Motion 8.

If Belinda was not barred from entering the Ontario legislature this week (there is no virtual participation for an MPP, as there is federally for MPs) that would have made it four MPPs calling for a recorded vote.

And if Randy Hillier was not skipping work (as a result of his deal with the Ford PCs - click here to read more on that), there might have been five MPPs calling for a recorded vote.

We know Doug Ford is content with this unaccountable result.

Ford's "lockdown" Bill 195 - which he removed Belinda from the PC caucus over - was designed to take away each MPP's right to vote and debate on the unprecedented authoritarian measures put in place by the PC government. These measures were all supposedly done to stop the spread of COVID-19 which, 20 months later, has not ended.

And Randy Hillier continues with his deceptive campaign, pursuant to his deal with the Ford PCs, to control government opposition and divert attention away from the New Blue Party.

Randy continues to claim that he skips work at Queens Park because of masking rules that were put in place in February of 2021. But Randy won't explain how he was able to board a flight to Alberta in September, to campaign during the federal election, when airlines have similar masking rules in place. He also won't disclose that he skipped the vote on the motion putting in place a mask mandate, just like he skipped all but two votes since November of 2020, and most other votes since he was removed from the PC caucus in March of 2019. The only COVID-19 lockdown related vote Randy has participated in, occurred after Belinda publicly requested he vote on. For Randy's only other vote over the last year, he wore a full face shield.

If Randy didn't have a deal with the Ford PCs, he would have offered a rebuttal to each of the points made in this article. Instead of offering any direct rebuttals, Randy has chosen to attack our character - for months in a whisper campaign as I was recovering from my surgeries and osteosarcoma treatments and finally in public - just like the PCs have done to us for years.

In a 90-minute interview, I discussed Randy's attacks and more of our history dealing with his deception. Click here. or on the image above. to watch the interview.

The deceptive culture of the establishment political parties has sabotaged Queens Park.

That is why Belinda and I, with our founding board and thousands of members and donors, are getting the New Blue Party of Ontario ready for the June 2022 election.

We are less than 10 constituencies short of having local associations registered in every riding across Ontario.

Soon, our candidate application will also be available.

It is time to stand on principle.

The best is yet to come!

Jim Karahalios

Leader, New Blue Party of Ontario

P.S. Unlike the establishment political parties, we do not receive the per-vote taxpayer subsidy. Our marketing is entirely funded by voluntary contributions from our supporters.