ORNGE Refuses To Reveal Executive's Salary Tue Dec 11 ) "Apparently little has changed at ORNGE " said PC MPP Frank Klees who was the Opposition lead on the Committee investigating the ORNGE scandal. His comment came in response to the announcement that the embattled air ambulance service ha... more
KLEES : A NEW DEAL FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR Mon Dec 10 Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees today discussed A New Deal for the Public Sector, designed to guide and motivate Ontario's civil service in refocusing government on the core services that matter most, while delivering more value for taxpayers for le... more
Prorogued : Behind the Scenes Tue Nov 6 When Dalton McGuinty prorogued the legislature on October 15th, the business of the legislature came to an abrupt end. So what have MPPs been doing with their time since, and what will they be doing in the weeks and months ahead until the Liberal Par... more
The Troubling Legacy of Dalton McGuinty Wed Oct 24 Why will Dalton McGuinty not be a candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada ?
The answer to that question is buried deep in the layers of sanctimonious explanation about why he is resigning as Premier, and his even more p... more
First Responders Day Act a Casualty of Prorogation Mon Oct 15 Dalton McGuinty's decision to prorogue parliament has wiped out 39 Bills that were at various stages of the legislative process. Among them was the First Responders Day Act which received all-party support at Second Reading on October 4th and was exp... more
First Responders Will be Honoured With a Day of Recognition Tue Oct 2 A Private Members' Bill that will designate May 1st of each year as First Responders Day in Ontario, received all-party support in the legislature today.
The legislation was introduced by Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees, who told the legi... more
Teachers' Actions Confuse Students, Parents and Me..... Wed Sep 26 Since when is refusing to coach sports teams and shutting down extra-curricular programs in the best interest of students ?
Remember the radio and TV ads in the days leading up to the vote on Bill 115, the legislation that would freeze tea... more
First Responders Should be Honoured With A Day of Recognition Tue Sep 11 A Private Members' Bill has been introduced in the Ontario Legislature, that if passed will designate May 1st of each year as First Responders Day inOntario.
The legislation is being proposed by Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees, who introduced... more
What ORNGE involvement is McGuinty hiding? Thu Aug 30 (Queen’s Park) – Today, members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts were expecting to question Premier Dalton McGuinty regarding his involvement in the ongoing Ornge air ambulance scandal. However, the Premier, similar to the dis... more
Teachers Fall Out With Their Best Friend Tue Aug 28 On my desk in my constituency office is a very large pile of post cards. On the front is emblazoned the following call to action.....RESPECT TEACHERS.....RESPECT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. The following pre-printed note is on the reverse.....
"Dear MPP,... more
Missing ! Animal Welfare Task Force Wed Aug 8 On June 3, 2011 Dalton McGuinty's Minister of Community and Correctional Services announced the creation of an Animal Welfare Task Force in response to the Meek-LeSage Review. Fourteen months later, Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees still can't find a... more
Liberals Attempt to Shut Down Ornge Hearings, Silence Critics Wed Aug 1 Government Motion an Assault on Accountability
The McGuinty Liberal government has moved to shut down legislative hearings into the ongoing Ornge air ambulance scandal.
Liberal committee member and MPP for Guelph, Liz Sandals, introduce... more
Think Your Medical Records Are Safe ? Tue Jul 31 A letter arrives in the mail. It's from your doctor. While opening the envelope, you wonder what this could be about. It's not often that you get a letter from him. A phone call maybe, to remind you of an appointment but you can't remember ever getti... more
Klees: Health Minister Deb Matthews Must Resign Tue Jul 31 Matthews Directly Responsible for Ornge Scandal
With ongoing revelations into Minister of Health Deb Matthews’ repeated failure to fulfill the obligations of her office, it is incumbent upon her to resign her position immediately said PC... more
Mazza Testimony Further Evidence of Liberal Mismanagement of Ornge Fri Jul 20 Dr. Christopher Mazza, former CEO of the scandal-plagued air ambulance service, Ornge, testified today that senior Liberal cabinet ministers "fully and regularly" briefed by officials at Ornge.
"Dr. Mazza confirmed today that this scan... more
Diamond Jubilee Medals Awarded Tue Jul 17 This year marks the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. This makes her the second longest reigning British monarch after Queen Victoria, whose diamond jubilee was celebrated in 1897.
In a world fraught... more
Dalton McGuinty's "Major Minority" Mon Jul 2 While the fall of dictatorships around the world makes headlines and pundits report that the new democracies will empower millions through their new-found right to vote, what goes unnoticed is the erosion of democracy in our own legislature.
W... more
Another Senior Bureaucrat Responsible for Ornge Oversight Suffers Memory Lapse Wed Jun 27 Yet another senior Ministry of Health official responsible for overseeing Ontario's air ambulance service has pointed the finger elsewhere, claiming she doesn't remember concerns being raised and asserting that ministry officials are not to blame for... more
Frankly Speaking, A Provincial Election on July 19th ? Mon Jun 18
Two tightrope acts were played out over this past weekend. One was high above the treacherous waters and rocks of the Niagara Falls Gorge and the other was orchestrated in the media studio at Queen's Park.
Nik Wallenda's historic w... more
LIBERALS TRY TO INTIMIDATE KEY ORNGE WITNESS: KLEES Thu Jun 7 The Liberal government attacked a key witness this morning during Legislative hearings into the ongoing Ornge air ambulance scandal, Ontario PC Transportation Critic Frank Klees reported today.
Trevor Kidd, a former frontline flight paramedic who re... more
The Government, Your Doctors and You : Part Two Tue Jun 5 "We are at risk of losing all we've achieved in the last 20 years in reducing wait lists and improving outcomes for patients with heart disease."
Two weeks ago in this column, I committed to host a Public Information Meeting for the purpose o... more
SECRET DOCS SHOW CABINET KNEW ORNGE PUT LIVES AT RISK Fri Jun 1 Newly leaked secret cabinet documents confirm the Health Minister's gross negligence over the Ornge air ambulance service. The confidential documents prepared for the McGuinty cabinet show that mismanagement in the Ministry of Health and Ornge have j... more
Klees: Liberal Government Silenced Top Civil Servants on Ornge Mon May 28 The Liberal government knew about concerns expressed by senior bureaucrats at the Ministry of Health in the early days of the creation of what we now know as Ornge. Leaked documents obtained and released by MPP Frank Klees clearly show that the gover... more
Healthcare Bureaucracy Fails Newmarket Family Sat May 26 After months of effort to secure appropriate care for a 30 year-old constituent who is stricken with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy, Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees had enough of what he called “the bureaucratic incompetency" of the Central Loc... more
THE GOVERNMENT, YOUR DOCTOR AND YOU ........... Tue May 22 "Sadly, I believe we are witnessing the darkest days for healthcare in Ontario. Thousands of patients in Newmarket and Aurora need your help now."
This quote is from a letter received in my office on May 8, 2012 from Dr. Asif Salyani. I read many em... more
Why You Couldn't Vote for the Most Powerful Politician in York Region Tue May 8 So why couldn't you vote for the most powerful politician in York Region ?
Is it because you don't live within the boundaries of the electoral district he represents ?
No. In fact, if you live anywhere within York Region, this pol... more
ONLY A SELECT COMMITTEE CAN PEEL BACK THE TRUTH Thu Apr 26 Following weeks of testimony at the Public Accounts Committee into the scandal-tainted agency, Ornge, only a Select Committee will empower all MPPs to get to the bottom of the mess, MPP Frank Klees said today.
Ontario PC House Leader Jim Wilson agre... more
Klees: Ongoing Testimony Exposes Health Minister's Excuses Wed Apr 25 Investigation into Ornge Scandal Reaches a Turning Point
Today during the Public Accounts Committee’s investigation into the ongoing scandal at Ornge, it was confirmed that Health Minister Deb Matthews misled the Legislative Assembly and... more
A Room Full Miracles Tue Apr 24 Do miracles still happen ?
I remember those words as if it was yesterday. They came from the back seat in that quizzical tone that a parent can't ignore. The Sunday School lesson earlier that morning had my five year old son's mind working in... more
Ornge Scandal Reaches Highest Levels of McGuinty Government Thu Apr 19 Alfred Apps, former President of the Liberal Party of Canada and legal counsel to Ornge, testified today at the ongoing legislative hearings into the Ornge Scandal that the Liberal government was kept fully briefed by Ornge on its evolving corporate... more
Minister Ignored Patient Deaths Reported by Auditor General Tue Apr 17 The questioning of the Health Minister's competence in handling the scandal at the province's air ambulance service continued today.
The focus in the Official Opposition's questioning shifted to the Minister's response to revelations by the A... more
MCGUINTY LIBERALS OBSTRUCTING ORNGE INVESTIGATION: KLEES Thu Apr 12 QUEEN’S PARK – In a blatant attempt to derail the ORNGE investigation, the McGuinty Liberals ignored calls by the Ontario PCs to hold Committee hearings during the Legislature’s break week, Ontario PC MPP Frank Klees said today.
Kl... more
How Long Can They Hide the Truth ? Tue Apr 10 "Speaker, it's clear that the wagons are being circled. The member for Willowdale was dispatched yesterday to obstruct the hearings to protect the Premier. The Government House Leader is scripted with embarrassing speaking notes to protect the Minist... more
Frankly Speaking Auditor General on ORNGE: Didn't Pass the Smell Test Tue Mar 27 In my last column, www.auroraclicks.com/articles.php?id=8414 , I told you that I met with the Auditor General last summer to discuss my concerns about what was going on at ORNGE,Ontario's air ambulance service.
I also explained... more
BUDGET SPENDING UNRESTRAINED, NO JOBS PLAN: KLEES Tue Mar 27 Tuesday’s surprisingly weak budget fails to make the structural changes necessary in the way government operates and spends to avoid a $30 billion deficit, and throws up barriers to private sector job creation – so it cannot be supported,... more
KLEES: MATTHEWS MUST RESIGN OVER AG REPORT Wed Mar 21 Health Minister Deb Matthews must resign following revelations of lack of oversight, excessive waste and mismanagement at the disgraced agency ORNGE,OntarioPC MPP Klees said today.
Klees made his comments after the release of a scathing report from... more
Behind the Scenes: The Ornge Scandal Mon Mar 12 Criminal investigations, kick-backs, forensic audits, falsified credentials, back room deals and missing millions.....
These are themes we would expect to be headlining the latest movie offerings, but for the past three weeks, they were the th... more
PCs, NDP CALL FOR ALL-PARTY COMMITTEE ON ORNGE Thu Mar 1 In a demonstration of bi-partisanship, the Progressive Conservative and New Democratic Parties of Ontario today jointly called on the government to appoint an All-Party Select Committee of the Legislature to investigate the ORNGE air ambulance debacl... more
Frankly Speaking Wed Feb 29
Hear Drummond, Think McGuinty
" If it wasn't for the McGuinty government's reckless and irresponsible spending over the past 8 years, we wouldn't need a Drummond Report"
That was my response when first asked about... more
KLEES: GET ON WITH THE JOB, PREMIER Wed Feb 15 “Don Drummond’s report has exposed a Liberal spending crisis more severe than anything previously disclosed, requiring immediate action to start reversing the damage – and straight talk from political leaders,” said Newmarket-... more
KLEES REFUSES TO STEER AWAY FROM QUESTIONABLE PRESTO PROCUREMENT PROCESS Wed Feb 15 Another Scandal Brewing...
When I raised questions in the legislature concerning the questionable business practices and waste of health care dollars at Ornge, the province's now infamous air ambulance service, the Minister of Health brushed those w... more
Klees: Make Diplomats Pay Mon Feb 6 Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees is asking why the LCBO is giving huge discounts to diplomats on the cost of their alcohol.
Klees first became aware of the booze perk for diplomats through reports about a York Region woman's alleged role in a $1.6 m... more
DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT WHAT LIBERALS KNEW AND WHEN ABOUT ORNGE (VIDEO HERE) Mon Jan 23 It has always been the practice of Ornge to keep its principal stakeholder, the Government of Ontario, fully informed about developments in its operations.”
- Letter from ORNGE Chair Rainer Beltzner to Health Minister Deb Matthews, dated Jan... more
ORNGE: Greed, Deceit and Gov't Mismanagement Tue Jan 17 ORNGE ....... You may have seen the word emblazoned on an orange-coloured helicopter, and wondered why the letter "A" had been left out of the word ORANGE. That was my reaction when I got my first glimpse of Ontario's newly-branded air ambulance heli... more
McGuinty Gov't Ignored Warnings of Turbulence in Air Ambulance Organization Thu Jan 12 The efforts of Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees to expose questionable business practices at Ornge, the organization responsible for the province's air ambulance services have resulted in the firing of the CEO and the entire Board of Directors.
Mini... more
MPP Frank Klees Calls on McGuinty and Mathews to Come Clean on ORNGE Mon Jan 9 Today in a press release and at a press conference, Newmarket Aurora MPP Frank Klees, called for an All Party Select Committee on the conduct of “out of control government agency ORNGE” and possible breach of their agreement with the prov... more
MPP Klees Proven Correct About ORNGE Lack of Over Sight Tue Dec 27 ORNGE president was paid $1.4 million per year
Toronto Star Article Dec 22 , 2011 by Kevin Donovan seefull article below
In the words of provincial conservative critic Frank Klees, Mazza was an “empire builder.” Klees raised the issues... more
Auditor General's Report 90 Days Too Late Tue Dec 13 Frankly SpeakingDecember 13, 2011
It's Monday, December 5th, 2011 and the legislature is bustling with activity. It's the last week of sitting before the Christmas break. The lobby and grand staircase leading up to the Chamber has not one, but six C... more
MPP Fank Klees Hosts Open House Sends Christmas Greetings Mon Dec 12 MPP Frank Klees and his staff hosted A Christmas Open House at their constituency office on Saturday December 10th. Many exchanged season’s greetings and enjoyed sandwiches, baked goodies and refreshments. Included in the steady flow of well wi... more
Frankly Speaking - YRT Strike In 5th Week: Who's To Blame ? Tue Nov 29 YRT Strike In 5th Week: Who’s To Blame ?
The York Region Transit strike is now in its 5th week. In my last column, I shared with you some of the hardships that people in our community were experiencing as a result of the shutting down of their... more
Transit Strike: Union Bosses, Politicians and 44,000 Victims Tue Nov 15 By the time this column is published, York Region's transit strike will be in its 22nd day and counting.
60 % of our transit system is shut down affecting more than 44,000 passengers.
As is always the case in these public service labour disputes, w... more
Frankly Speaking Frank Speaks on Speaker of The Legislature Tue Nov 1 Frankly Speaking
November 1, 2011
Speaker of the Legislature
By now, anyone who was tuned in to any form of media over the past week will know that I had put my name forward for the position of Speaker of the Legislature. You will also know, that... more
Klees Hosts Renowned Organ Donors at Queens Park Mon Oct 31 Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees hosted two world-renowned organ donor fathers at a Queen's Park press conference today, in an effort to raise awareness of organ donation and a “Torch of Life Alert” system for organ and tissue donation fo... more
Frankly Speaking MPP Frank Klees Thanks Constituents Tue Oct 11 Thank You, Aurora and Newmarket!
When the votes were counted on October 6th, I was once again honoured to represent you as your Member of Provincial Parliament. I thank you for that privilege and for your vote of confidence.
“If you don&rsquo... more
Frank Klees Family Fun Day and BBQ Mon Sep 12 Frank Klees Family Fun Day and BBQ was held at the Town Park in Aurora on Sunday September 11. Families were invited out to meet the Progressive Conservative candidate in the upcoming provincial Election to be held on October 6. Hamburgers, Hot Dog... more
Frankly Speaking Mon Aug 15 YES to Green Energy......
NO to Dalton McGuinty's Expensive Energy Experiments
Cancelling the McGuinty government's expensive Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program doesn't mean that the PC Party is opposed to green energy.
In fact, a PC Government will enc... more
Report Confirms Provincial Oversight Needed for OSPCA Wed Jun 22 Report Confirms Provincial Oversight Needed for OSPCA
On May 31, 2010 I tabled the following Motion in the legislature:
"That, in the opinion of this House, the Ontario Legislature call on the Government of Ontario to review the power... more
Klees Welcomes On-line Registry Thu Jun 16 Klees Welcomes On-line Organ and Tissue Donor Registry
"At long last" said Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees in response to today's announcement that Ontario residents will be able to register as organ and tissue donors on-line.
Klees has been calli... more
Can Working Families Buy Provincial Election Thu Jun 9 If you haven't seen them yet, you will. Political attack ads that paint Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Party as being opposed to all that is good in Ontario.The message of these ads is clear - only Dalton McGuinty will continue to give so-called Workin... more
More Bungling at Scandal-ridden eHealth Agency Fri May 27 Question: What ever happened to that provincial agency that was caught doling out multi-million dollar contracts without bothering to get competitive bids, paid Liberal-friendly consultants nearly $3,000 a day and gave executives hefty bonuses despit... more
Eliminate Waste and Move Health Care Funds Into Frontline Services Wed May 25 Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees today confirmed PC Leader Tim Hudak’s announcement that a PC Government’s top priority will be health care.
Today’s announcement focuses on 5 priorities:
Introducing a rigorous system of patient... more
Health Care Public Forum Thu May 12 Below please find this week’s Frankly Speaking Column
Published in The Auroran on May 10th, 2011
Written by Frank Klees, MPP
Newmarket-Aurora
Health Care Public Forum
"I am worried the health care services I need, will not be ther... more
MPP Renews Call for More Frequent Go Train Service Thu May 12 In a statement to the legislature today, Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees renewed his call for more frequent Go Train service between Union Station and Newmarket and Aurora.
Klees seized the opportunity to draw the government's attention to a motion... more
Frankly Speaking Fri Mar 4 Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, hydro customers get another shock !As if the rate increases, Debt Retirement Charges, Smart Meter fees and HST aren't enough, here's the latest stranger-than-fiction hydro story.Have you heard the on... more
