March 10, 2019
Mark MacDonald
President
Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston
Constituency Association
PC Party of Ontario
Via email: mark@macdonaldlaw.ca
Dear Mark:
I am responding to your letter to Premier Ford dated March 4, 2019 and sent by you at 11:00
am on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 regarding the status of Randy Hillier, MPP. As you are aware,
Mr. Hillier currently remains suspended from the PC Caucus.
To address your main concern directly, please know that Mr. Hillier’s conduct in the Legislature
on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 was not the sole reason for his suspension from Caucus. It
was however, to many, including many of his caucus colleagues, the final straw in what has
become a pattern of behaviour exhibited by Mr. Hillier over the course of the past year. For
many of his veteran colleagues, they view this as a pattern that goes back many years.
I have been told that the environment of the House that day (February 20) was one filled with
emotion and tension, as many parents of children with autism were in the gallery to express
concerns on the issue of autism funding. Government members were asked by caucus
leadership during the pre-Question Period caucus briefing (from which Mr. Hillier was absent)
to maintain the most disciplined decorum during Question Period, so as not to inflame tensions
and potentially “set things off.” Everyone in attendance agreed to this course of action.
An analysis of the situation and agreed-upon approach to decorum was also communicated to
Mr. Hillier when he eventually showed-up in the House. However, with just a few seconds
before the end of Question Period that day, Mr. Hillier made flippant comments that indeed
caused a great commotion. Many of the parents in the gallery, as well as opposition MPPs,
were furious, and the media was now fully engaged.
Regardless of his intent, Mr. Hillier had lit a match in what had become a potentially explosive
environment. His comments were viewed as an unnecessary provocation and became the
breaking point for caucus leadership with respect to its patience with the MPP. It was for this
and many more reasons that Mr. Hillier was suspended from caucus for an indefinite period.

 To highlight some examples of his past behaviours that demonstrate an apparent lack of
commitment to his caucus colleagues, and of the government for which he now represents,
please note that Mr. Hillier:
-

Has the lowest meeting attendance of any of the members of the Ontario PC Caucus,
and when he is present, often comes late and leaves early.

-

Chose not to attend the 3-day Ontario PC Convention held in Etobicoke this past
November.

-

Chose not to attend the 3-day Caucus retreat held in Waterloo this past February.

-

Was absent from the Legislature when it was recalled during the Christmas break to
debate and vote on legislation to prevent a strike by the Power Workers’ Union.
Thankfully other members of the government caucus showed-up at Queen’s Park to fight
for the people of Ontario and helped to keep the lights on.

-

Provides comments to members of the media - including the Toronto Star and the Globe
and Mail - to expresses his dissatisfaction with the government on certain issues, rather
than speaking within caucus or directly with the responsible minister.

-

Is often not present for Question Period warm-up meetings where important items are
discussed in advance of MPPs going into the Legislature (including the situation
described above).

-

Rarely highlights the Government’s policies and agenda through social media and other
communication channels, but rather, for the most part, chooses to further his own
personal interests on those platforms.

-

Provided a Liberal independent member (just last week), in his absence, with the ability
to ask a question in the Legislature against our government - demonstrating his lack of
desire to change his behaviour and return to his team.

Despite all of this, Mr. Hillier has had more one-on-one meetings with the Premier and
members of the Premier’s staff than any other member of caucus, in order to discuss issues and
concerns important to him. At the very beginning of this government, when he held no
additional positions in the Legislature following his run for Speaker, Mr. Hillier was put forward

 by the Premier to be the Chair of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills – a
position for which he had requested. Mr. Hillier was given a constructive opportunity to
become a valued member of the team, but instead became very difficult to work with, and put
forward unreasonable demands, that included increasing expenses for members of the
Committee.
In late December Mr. Hillier brought claims that he was being muzzled and not permitted to
speak to bills in the House. However, after reviewing his concerns, it was found that all formal
requests sent by Mr. Hillier’s office were being honoured, and in all cases Mr. Hillier had been
given the opportunity to speak in the Legislature, demonstrating that his claims of being
muzzled were completely without merit or evidence.
If Mr. Hillier wishes to have a place in the Ontario PC Caucus, my advice would be for him to
accept responsibility for his past conduct and begin to demonstrate he is willing to change and
be part of a team, rather than engaging in a public relations exercise as he has done for the past
week in order to attempt to paint himself as some sort of victim. For example, please explain to
me how your letter ended-up first with a Toronto Star reporter and was posted in an online Star
story a day before it was even emailed by you to the Premier. To me, this highlights a lack of
understanding of basic elements of teamwork and respect and displays a clear refusal and
unwillingness for Mr. Hillier to acknowledge his own past transgressions.
Since being elected on June 7, 2018 our government has made a great deal of progress
implementing our agenda for the people of Ontario. This is because of the hard work and
dedication of the members of the Ontario PC team. While our desire would be to have Mr.
Hillier play a role on that team, the process for his possible return can only begin to come about
if there was at minimum an acceptance by Mr. Hillier of responsibility for his past behaviour as
well as a drastic change in his conduct going forward.
The people of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston deserve no less.
Sincerely,

Brian Patterson
President
Progressive Conservative Party
of Ontario