TORONTO — Christine Elliott says having taxpayer-funded staff applauding at press conferences is fair game, but says it shouldn’t impede journalists’ work.

The deputy premier told reporters Wednesday “there’s a place” for clapping at press conferences when publicly-paid staff “are trying to support what is being said”

Paid staff have repeatedly applauded the premier and his cabinet since he formed government in June. In each case the clapping starts after a Conservative press officer calls last question. The clapping then drowns out any attempts by reporters to get more information.

[READ MORE: You pay, they clap: taxpayer-funded staffers applaud Ford cabinet pressers]

On Tuesday journalists yelled at staff and called them out after their applause cut off the final question from a CTV reporter to Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod.

“It was my first press conference like that, so I just wanted to you know, I want to apologize if that offended anybody,” MacLeod told reporters Wednesday.

Elliott said applause should be used from “time-to-time” and that she would say the same thing if the Liberals were still in government.

“I don’t see anything wrong with that,” but she added it shouldn’t happen to “drown out journalists,” which is how it’s currently being used.

After answering a handful of questions @MacLeodLisa staffers and other PC staff clap on cue to drown out reporters…something we have seen at most @fordnation news conferences. Caught tail end, press gallery colleague @ColinDMello stands up for media & tells them to stop #ONPoli pic.twitter.com/EX5DppxzN6 — Travis Dhanraj (@Travisdhanraj) July 31, 2018

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the government should have the “guts” to call the end of a press conference on its own without “bringing a bunch of lackeys to make a bunch of noise.”

She said press conferences are “supposed to be for the press, not for a group of hangers on to create a ruckus.”

The premier’s office has not replied to repeated requests to clarify whether civil servants are among those applauding or if it’s only political staff. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union said it’s asking whether any of their members have been asked to applaud ministers.

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser said called the practice of applauding press conferences “childish.”

He said the Ford government should “stop campaigning, start governing.”

Elliott said she thought her government should discuss the clapping further because “reporters have a right to ask questions and they should be able to do that uninterrupted.”

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