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March 6, 2018

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2018-Mar-06 (PDF)

L146 - Tue 6 Mar 2018 / Mar 6 mar 2018

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Tuesday 6 March 2018 Mardi 6 mars 2018

Orders of the Day

Supply Act, 2018 / Loi de crédits de 2018

Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 / Loi Rowan de 2018 sur la sécurité en matière de commotions cérébrales

Climate change

Introduction of Visitors

Report, Financial Accountability Officer

Oral Questions

Mental health services

Mental health services

Hospital services

Hospital services

Mental health services

Healthy eating

Climate change

Mental health services

Child protection

Economic development

Mental health services

Mental health services

Notices of dissatisfaction

Deferred Votes

Fairness in Procurement Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur l’équité en matière de marchés publics

Time allocation

Supply Act, 2018 / Loi de crédits de 2018

Supply Act, 2018 / Loi de crédits de 2018

Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 / Loi Rowan de 2018 sur la sécurité en matière de commotions cérébrales

Notices of dissatisfaction

Members’ Statements

Mental health services in Parry Sound

Violence Prevention Coordinating Council of Durham

Chinese New Year

Goderich and Clinton Kinsmen and Kinette TV auction

Tenant protection

International Women’s Day

County Road 43

Lymphedema

Noble Villeneuve

Introduction of Bills

Pay Transparency Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur la transparence salariale

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Special Purpose Account Transparency Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur la transparence du compte à des fins particulières du ministère des Richesses naturelles et des Forêts

Combatting Eating Disorders in Ontario Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur la lutte contre les troubles alimentaires en Ontario

Motions

Private members’ public business

Adjournment debate

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Employment standards

Climate change

Climate change

Employment standards

Employment standards

Climate change

Petitions

Alzheimer’s disease

Poet laureate

Child protection

Hospital funding

Injured workers

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Long-term care

Acquired brain injuries

Pharmacare

Wasaga Beach

Gasoline prices

Hydro rates

Injured workers

Opposition Day

Mental health services / Services de santé mentale

Adjournment Debate

Horse racing industry

Diagnostic services

Mental health services

The House met at 0900.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Good morning. Please join me in prayer.

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Supply Act, 2018 / Loi de crédits de 2018

Resuming the debate adjourned on March 5, 2018, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 196,

An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018 / Projet de loi 196, Loi autorisant l’utilisation de certaines sommes pour l’exercice se terminant le 31 mars 2018.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Pursuant to standing order 64, I am now required to put the question. Mr. Ballard has moved second reading of Bill 196,

An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour, please say “aye.”

All those opposed, please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Call in the members, this will be a—sorry. Oh, I see. A recorded vote will be required and will be deferred until after question period today.

Second reading vote deferred.

Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 / Loi Rowan de 2018 sur la sécurité en matière de commotions cérébrales

Ms. Vernile moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 193,

An Act to enact Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 and to amend the Education Act / Projet de loi 193, Loi édictant la Loi Rowan de 2018 sur la sécurité en matière de commotions cérébrales et modifiant la

Loi sur l’éducation.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Ms. Vernile has moved third reading of Bill 193.

Ms. Vernile.

Hon. Daiene Vernile: Speaker, I rise in the House today to continue debate on a bill that will, if passed, affirm Ontario’s place as a national leader in concussion management in amateur competitive sport. I’m truly honoured to speak further to our proposed new legislation, Bill 193, Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2017.

First off, I would like to thank everyone who has provided support and input in developing this draft legislation. I’d like to thank Gordon and Kathleen Stringer, the parents of Rowan Stringer, in whose name this legislation has been introduced. I’d like to point out that Gord and Kathleen are here with us today. We just had breakfast downstairs. If you wouldn’t mind standing for us, Gordon and Kathleen.

Speaker, before I continue, I should also mention to you that I’m going to be sharing my time with the member for Ottawa South.

I also want to thank the members of our Rowan’s Law advisory panel for their important work on this initiative as we fulfill our government’s commitment to protect amateur competitive athletes by improving concussion safety on the field and at school.

As members of the House know, it was on May 12, 2013, that 17-year-old Rowan Stringer died as a result of multiple concussions that she sustained while playing rugby with her high school team. Rowan was playing a game that she loved. Not only was she captain of her team, but she also played rugby during the summer break.

A coroner’s inquest was convened in 2015 to look into the circumstances of her death. During eight days of testimony, several witnesses, including Rowan’s friends, coaches and her mother, testified on the events related to her death. The coroner’s jury made 49 recommendations on how government ministries, school boards and school organizations should improve the manner in which concussions are managed in this province. Since the coroner’s inquest, Ontario has already implemented several of the recommendations. I want to express our appreciation for the work of the coroner’s jury inquest and for the presentation of their findings.

In the summer of 2016, following the jury’s recommendations, the Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee Act, 2016, was passed, establishing an expert committee to review the coroner’s recommendations and to make recommendations to the government. The Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee Act, 2016, was passed with all-party support. I’d like to thank MPP Fraser as well as MPP Fife and MPP MacLeod for their work in getting this act passed.

The advisory committee, chaired by Dr. Dan Cass, who is here with us today—I’m going to ask that he stand and give us a wave; he was very instrumental in this—reviewed the coroner’s jury’s recommendations and developed a report, including 21 recommendations for government. We wanted recommendations that would lead to real change across the amateur sports sector and in schools, and provide momentum for changing the culture and to help build a foundation for world-class concussion prevention and management here in the province.

One important element of this culture shift is to ensure that there is no fear or stigma attached to disclosing a concussion or any symptom of concussion. We have this attitude that if somebody gets hurt while they are playing a sport, you might hear from teammates or from your coach to “walk it off” or to “get back in the game.” This is what we need to look at: We need to have a culture change in this attitude.

Every single one of the jury recommendations was addressed in the advisory committee report and laid the foundations for Bill 193 and for the amendments to the Education Act. The proposed legislation, Speaker, includes four mandatory elements, and I want to share them with you:

—an annual review of concussion awareness resources that help prevent, identify and manage concussions, which athletes, including students, coaches, educators, and parents/guardians of athletes under the age of 18, would be required to review before registering in a sport. They’ll do this for free with an online tool;

—removal-from-sport and return-to-sport protocols, to ensure that an athlete is immediately removed from sport if they are suspected of having sustained a concussion; and

—an established concussion code of conduct that will set out rules of behaviour to minimize concussions while playing sports.

In addition, the proposed legislation would proclaim an annual Rowan’s Law Day to raise awareness regarding the issue of concussions. This would be looked at every fall and help us to remind ourselves of what Rowan sustained and how we can all be part of ensuring better safety in sport in Ontario.

Speaker, this legislation, if it’s passed, would affirm our groundbreaking role as a national leader in concussion prevention and management by establishing minimum standards in amateur competitive sport in elementary schools and high schools in Ontario.

The proposed bill is supported by my ministry, as well as the Ministries of Education, Advanced Education and Skills Development, Children and Youth Services, Municipal Affairs, and Health and Long-Term Care. If this legislation is passed today, our government will continue our cross-ministry work to increase awareness, prevention, identification and concussion management in schools and in the broader community.

Ontario is taking a lead role in Canada on moving forward with a harmonized provincial approach on this serious health issue, and we believe that our approach is one that should be followed right across the country.

If passed, this legislation would be a catalyst for longer term culture change for concussion management and injury prevention in amateur sport and beyond. Through increasing awareness and changing conversations on the field of play, at school and in our homes, we can create a world-class amateur competitive sports system by empowering athletes and Ontario residents to participate safely.

If passed, the proposed legislation will respond to the expectations of every Ontario family that their children and youth are protected by a safe sports system where everyone understands concussions, actively minimizes the risks and knows what to do immediately if someone is suspected of having been concussed.

If passed, the proposed legislation would empower athletes to let someone know if they think they or their teammate might have sustained a concussion. When a parent signs up their daughter or son for a sport, Speaker, in school or outside of school, they want to know that all steps are being taken to ensure their child’s safety. They want to know that they are going to come home for dinner that night.

When a child or teenager steps out onto a playing field, they should know that they will be supported if they are injured or have to be removed from a game. Coaches and officials should have all the information that they need to recognize the symptoms of a concussion and immediately remove an athlete from sport if a concussion is suspected.

Rowan’s Law and related amendments to the Education Act would change the culture of amateur competitive sport in our province, because Ontarians need to know that athletes are protected by a safe amateur sports system where everyone understands concussions, actively minimizes the risks and knows what to do immediately if someone is suspected of having been concussed.

We owe this to Rowan Stringer. We owe it to Rowan’s parents, Gordon and Kathleen, who over the past five years have been the strongest advocates for change in the way that we seek to prevent concussions and in helping to educate others on concussion safety. I thank them very much for their courage and their leadership throughout this process.

We owe this to future generations so that people of all ages and abilities have the safe sports system that they want and deserve in the province of Ontario.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know that there are many people who have done the heavy lifting on Rowan’s Law. It is my honour, as the new Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport, to step in for third reading. I’m looking forward to working to my colleagues as we get this through third and final reading, as we vote on this and as this bill advances into regulations and we sort out many of the details. Thank you all very much.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I’ll now recognize the member from Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: Mr. Speaker, it’s a pleasure to rise today and participate in third reading debate of Bill 193, Rowan’s Law.

In the summer of 2015, I was pleased to be asked by the member for Nepean–Carleton to co-sponsor her private member’s bill, the first Rowan’s Law. We were joined by the member from Kitchener–Waterloo. It was a partnership that led to meeting Rowan’s parents, Gordon and Kathleen Stringer, and hearing at first hand their story.

Their daughter Rowan’s death was preventable. The Stringers have pushed through pain and anguish that most of us will never really know to ensure that young athletes are protected from concussions. They are very courageous and committed people. Although I never met their daughter, Rowan, I am sure she had the same courage and commitment. As my father used to say, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

I know that they are with us in the gallery today. On behalf of my family, and indeed all Ontario families, we thank you for your courage in sharing Rowan’s story and advocating for what we needed to do to protect young athletes. We know that it has been a journey for you, and we’re all proud to have joined you on that journey. Without you, we would not be standing here today on the cusp of Rowan’s Law becoming law in Ontario.

I want to say a few thanks. I will say a few thanks to the committee, but I also want to thank, right now—I was talking to Steve Harlow, who is your ADM in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. I want to say thank you to all the people inside government, Steve Harlow and all the team, who worked—we were talking about it this morning—at what I would describe as lightning speed in government-speak, in government terms, to move this bill forward. It has taken a lot of work, a lot of collaboration, and we’re very pleased that you made it a priority.

The proposed Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2017, is important for the safety of every person participating in competitive amateur sport in Ontario. It is a priority to make the sports system safer for everyone. Ontario confirmed its commitment when we became the first jurisdiction in Canada to task a committee with making recommendations to government about the topic of concussions in amateur sport.

I want to once again thank Dr. Cass and the members of the advisory committee, some of whom are here: Dr. Charles Tator and Susan Kitchen. I haven’t got everybody, so I shouldn’t have started in the first place. But thank you very much for all the work that you did. You worked at lightning speed as well; a big group of people that came together, which is a very special thing to see in and of itself but especially so for the subject matter that you handled. I’d like to thank you for your work and for recommending actions that have laid the groundwork for this important piece of legislation.

I had the privilege of participating in public hearings on Rowan’s Law last week and was impressed by the commitment, dedication and knowledge of all the panel members who presented. From those hearings, the committee on social policy put forward one amendment, which was unanimously supported. That amendment was the annual public reporting on the progress of the advisory committee’s recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, this is legislation that, if passed, will be a model for other jurisdictions in Canada and around the world for preventing and managing concussions. We have taken important steps to increase awareness about concussions. These include a government web portal developed by the Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care, Education and Tourism, Culture and Sport as a one-window entry point to resources on concussion prevention and management. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport’s recognition policy has added a requirement that all sports must have protocols inside their policies to be eligible.

Implementing prevention strategies will help in decreasing the number of concussions that occur. Ultimately, understanding factors that increase the risk of concussion and implementing prevention strategies will help in decreasing the number of concussions that occur.

If passed, this legislation would increase awareness about the importance of prevention, identification and concussion management in organized amateur competitive sport. It would promote the adoption of standardized concussion protocols in the organized amateur sport sector and position Ontario as a leader in Canada in concussion safety in amateur competitive sport.

As we work to make it safer for children and youth in schools and amateur athletes to participate in sports, we rely on the broad support of our partners in the health care sector. Professionals working in the field of neurotrauma have long been partners in developing best practices, provincial standards and clinical guidelines as we work to prevent concussions in Ontario.

If the legislation passes, which I’m confident it will, we will continue to work closely with the health care sector to examine the impacts of this legislation. We are committed to exploring ways to support our health care professionals further should reported cases of suspected concussions increase.

If passed, Rowan’s Law would put into place strategies to raise awareness and reduce the risk of concussions for amateur athletes. It would also support concussion management when they do occur. It would give athletes and parents the peace of mind they deserve.

The bill also includes the declaration of a Rowan’s Law Day on the last Wednesday of September every year. This will contribute greatly to awareness at a critical time: when students are returning to school. I would also respectfully suggest that the annual reporting be around that time of year as well to maximize public awareness.

Our government is proud to help ensure the safety of every person in Ontario, and I call on all members to join us in that effort by supporting this bill today. I look forward to the vote this afternoon. Thank you. Merci.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Questions and comments? Questions and comments? Seeing no questions and comments, further debate.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: It’s my pleasure, obviously, to rise today in support of Rowan’s Law and to thank my colleague Mr. Fraser from Ottawa South and my colleague Ms. Fife from Kitchener–Waterloo and, in particular, the minister, Daiene Vernile, but also the previous two ministers; I would be remiss not to point out the dedication of her predecessors, both Minister McMahon and, of course, Ministermy A Coteau.

Obviously, it’s a profound pleasure for me to be able to rise in debate at any point in time when we are discussing concussions and, in particular, Rowan’s Law, first or second iteration. It’s obviously always important to me when my constituents Gord and Kathleen join us in the assembly and I have an opportunity to not only speak about their daughter, Rowan—who I never met, but I feel I know—and their dedication and determination in not only fighting for a coroner’s inquest being part of that, and then being part of this legislative process.

For far too long, I think, in the Legislature, sometimes we act after a tragedy. It takes great courage for, in particular, parents, but anyone to come forward in such tragic circumstances and really advocate for changes. I’ve often said that the biggest child advocates, those whom I respect, I think, the most are those who lose a child, yet, day in and day out, persist in trying to make change not because they can bring back their child, but to prevent something happening to another person’s child.

I always view the Stringers as heroes in that regard because, each and every day, they show up at the Legislature, they show up at public speaking engagements or they show up at meetings so that my child or any other child in the province of Ontario will not fall to a preventable death. I am always humbled by both of them for their courage, their strength and their determination. I am proud, after the last several years, to consider them to be part of my own family. Our friendship is very deep. They always have a home here in the Legislature, but in particular, in my constituency, they are regarded as heroes.

It is interesting, sometimes in life, that we are full circle. I remember I was the education critic when the first piece of concussion legislation was actually introduced. That was when I first became aware of a world-renowned physician who was doing landmark research here in Toronto for our province of Ontario, Dr. Charles Tator. He was here, I believe, that day. I remember Walter Gretzky sitting in the Speaker’s gallery, who was a friend of our permanent Speaker, Dave Levac. I remember that piece of legislation coming forward, and I, as the education critic, stood up. Laurel Broten was the education minister at the time. We were in a minority Parliament.

I remember we were going to support the legislation. I remember thinking I didn’t know much about concussions. I knew we were going to support it, because some of colleagues have had concussions. I know my colleague from Leeds–Grenville, who is a big supporter of Rowan’s Law, at the time was talking about how he had sustained some concussions. We were going to support it. But I didn’t understand. I believe at that point in time, they were creating an advisory committee, if my memory serves correct. I just remember at that point in time thinking we’re starting on a path to take something seriously, but I didn’t know at that point in my life what a public health and safety concern it would be.

But I will never forget that day it was tabled, because there was Walter Gretzky in the Speaker’s gallery, whose son became the greatest Canadian hockey player, or greatest world hockey player. But on that same day—check the history books—Sidney Crosby had just been cleared from a concussion. I remember how interesting that was.

Now, life happens: We are in a minority Parliament at that particular point in time; the government falls. Actually, the government didn’t fall; we prorogued. We ended up with a new session. That bill died on the order paper. Sadly, months later, my constituent tragically died, while playing rugby, from second-impact syndrome.

A lot of that is public. My constituents Gord and Kathleen went through hell. Kathleen had been travelling at the time and had to make her way back home. One of the things we don’t talk about as much when we’re talking about Rowan’s Law but I believe is necessary to mention is that Gordon and Kathleen made the courageous decision for Rowan to be an organ donor. I know that most members—we talk about organ donation a lot.

I want to talk about it right now, Speaker, because what was incredible is, not only were Gordon and Kathleen courageous in the last number of years in promoting this, but they made a very courageous decision at that point in time. Someone in this country is alive because of Rowan.

It’s not just because we’re talking about concussions, and parents now have a better—and there’s more literacy—to take their kid off the field when they are hurt, in particular with a brain injury, but it’s because of the courage of that organ donation. I think that we owe you a debt of gratitude for that. I don’t think we talk about it enough, the other courageous act that you did.

Then it became time for a coroner’s inquest. Gordon and Kathleen—anybody would understand if they had said, “You know, this is too much for me. I don’t want to go through that process.” No one would have blamed you if you had just walked away. But I believe, and if memory serves me correctly, that Dr. Tator reached out to you and encouraged you that this might be part of a good process for you. They decided to take that up and go through the coroner’s inquest. A dear friend of mine, Kay Stanley, was part of that coroner’s inquest. They went through that process.

We’re very proud of the work that they all did with the expert witness, Dr. Tator, and the justice there. That was when the 49 recommendations came forward from the inquest on how we can treat, prevent and research concussions.

The interesting thing—and this is one of the things that we learned early on—is that there’s no easy, neat way to package up recommendations from a coroner’s inquest and then put them into practice. That was the interesting part that we had to grapple with, because after the Stringers went through that process and the coroner’s inquest went through the process—what’s next? A great report, a great set of recommendations, but what do you do? That’s when they joined me in my office one day.

We were talking about this—I think it was last week—Gordon and I. It was an interesting time in my life. Gordon and Kathleen had come into my office, and my walls had all been stripped bare. I think, Kathleen, you and I had this conversation last week, too. I had been going through depression and anxiety. They had come into my office. I remember looking at them and thinking, “I have to help. I don’t know how I’m going to do it,” but they gave me a sense of drive. Since then, they have been back in my office. There are things on the walls again.

They said, “What should we do?” I said, “Well, we’ve got three options. We can get a motion on the floor of the House, which I think I can pass, but there won’t be anything called Rowan’s Law. We can say that we call for a Rowan’s Law, but it won’t be enshrined, because a motion in the Legislature is non-binding. I can put forward a private member’s bill, but it’s very rare that they pass if it’s just by one member.

The third option is something we might like, and that is to take this set of recommendations, these 49 recommendations, and figure out a way, with all-party support, through three private members—one from each party—that we can usher it through the Legislature.” I remember Gordon saying to me at the time, “Rowan liked to bring people together, so she would like the third option: all the parties working together.”

That was in June. We set about to find some suitable co-sponsors. We were very lucky. John Fraser was the first: very willing to call my office as a local Ottawa member who had been touched by concussion before, who had been reading the local news and wanted to act. He was, and probably still is, the parliamentary secretary to health. That was advantageous to us.

Then we called a friend of mine from the NDP, Catherine Fife, and asked her to co-sponsor, as a mother and a former president of the Ontario school boards’ association, which was also fitting, given that health care and education intersected. We knew at that point in time that we had the desire to move forward on these 49 recommendations, but then it became a problem, because not all 49 recommendations actually were part of our level of government. We didn’t have jurisdiction over all of them. Some of them we could deal with, with what is called a PPM, or some policy initiatives; others were directives that we could bring forward at the grassroots level; and some of it needed legislation.

So that became our challenge with these 49 recommendations: How do we make a Rowan’s Law out of these recommendations when some aren’t necessarily related to our level of government and others don’t need to be required in law, but some do? That’s when we settled, as we negotiated, on making this an advisory committee with representation from multiple government agencies, so that it could trickle down into amateur sport and through our education system while supporting our health care system. That’s what we did.

I remember, and I’ll never forget, the day we decided to launch a petition to support this in my constituency. We had several hundred people stand out in the rain for two hours in support of this; I’ll never forget it. They came from all different athletic backgrounds. I was most impressed that it wasn’t just the rugby community, but I would be remiss not to say thank you so much to the Barrhaven Scottish rugby and Rugby Canada. They are incredible and have been part of this from day one.

It’s easy for a major sports organization to sort of bury their head in the sand. We have seen, with some professional leagues, that it is easier for them to bury their head in the sand. But if I could stand here today and tell you one organization that chose instead to be proactive and is a leader among leaders, it is Rugby Canada. They have been there since day one. If I could appeal to the NHL, to the NFL, to the CFL and to every pro sports league out there: If you actually care about player safety and player health, then give Rugby Canada a call. They have been on the forefront of this tragedy, but also the solution that is coming out of the tragedy.

So we stood there, Speaker, in the pouring rain at what will now be, and has always been after that, referred to as Rowan’s Pitch. We had tremendous community support, because people cared about the Stringers and they cared about the story of Rowan. They saw Rowan as Barrhaven’s daughter.

We struck up a grassroots committee, and we would meet in a little restaurant that has since closed around an old farm table. We cherished those meetings and we became a real family. And then we had our Queen’s Park family, of Catherine and John, and then we added to that family. I see Susan Kitchen is here today; they play a critical role, at coaches Canada.

There’s not a person who is coaching in amateur sports today that doesn’t go through training—I know because every private member’s bill I’ve either passed or supported, I ended up having to take a course in, as a hockey trainer.

They are doing critical work, because today it is up to the coach and the trainer and any adult on that bench to ensure that their players’ well-being is being respected and that that is paramount. The work that those folks have done—Holland Bloorview children’s hospital, CHEO, our physiotherapists—they have come onside, they were early adopters and they all supported us.

We ended up with a wonderful journey, a lot of good feelings and a lot of conversations about how we can best talk about concussion and bring that to the level at our grassroots.

We ended up passing that piece of legislation with all-party support. It was certainly one of the more joyous occasions in my political career—but it came from a tragedy. We were very fortunate in our community in Barrhaven.

I should mention Via Rail was supportive of our first bill. We had a tragedy in Barrhaven with a bus and a train years ago, many members will recall, and they have done a lot of community development. In those early days, when we were first getting Rowan’s Law off the ground, they were always ready to help, to make sure that people from our community could get here to Queen’s Park. I would be remiss not to say thank you to them for their support and for some of the—I’ll be very frank—more enjoyable trips home that we’ve had on Via together.

I recall one particular trip—I had my daughter, Victoria, up here, and she’s quite fond of Kathleen. Poor Kathleen, for the whole four and a half hours, had to entertain Victoria, who was just sticking to every single word that she said.

Gord is going to be very angry with me on this one. Gord’s real name is Ralph. Victoria is the only person who is allowed to call him that. I made the mistake one day of saying it to him, and he gave me the stare. Do you know the stare that moms usually give kids? He gave me that. I said, “Okay. Victoria is the only one allowed to do that.”

Mr. John Fraser: I think you’re getting that now.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Yes, but I’ve got immunity on the floor of the House. I’m allowed to say anything without punishment—or at least I think so.

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: Don’t test the limits.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Yes, don’t test the limits. That’s true.

In any event, we’ve had this amazing group of people. I encourage the minister to be part of this, because some of the most amazing stuff we’ve done hasn’t actually been from legislation or in the House; it’s been working with the Concussion Legacy Foundation and See the Line, which is at Western University, and it’s the symposiums.

One of the most amazing things that we’ve been able to do—and I’m only a very small part of it but very proud to have been part of it—is actually to have young athletes and their coaches and their trainers sit there with professional athletes and coaches and hear about what a concussion has done to certain individuals and how it has either limited their career or changed their health.

One of the wonderful things: I was able to participate two years ago in See the Line with Gordon and Kathleen at Western University. Eric Lindros is the honorary chair. He had invited us down. That’s where we got to meet Tim Fleiszer, who is with Concussion Legacy Foundation. They have a two-day symposium—they have been doing it for years—and we ended up being part of it. They had a thousand people who were coming out to hear about concussions. They were front-line health care workers, and they were also people involved directly, either on the field, on the court, on the pitch or on the ice.

They were learning some high-level research, they were learning about treatment and they were learning about prevention. In all that entire basket, there’s a greater degree of what I like to call “awareness.” It was pretty incredible to be part of that.

We wanted to do something very similar in the city of Ottawa. I’ve talked about this a little bit in the Legislature. Last summer we had a golf tournament and we raised a substantial amount of money so that we could have a Rowan’s Legacy Symposium at Algonquin College in Nepean. It was very well attended. What struck me most—and I think I said this before in the Legislature—is that when we were up sitting on this panel, Gord, Eric Lindros and myself, I looked around: It was a packed house.

We had the person who got the game-winning touchdown in the Grey Cup, and then we had little ringette players and little hockey players in that same room. They were all there to learn about concussion. There were people there from all the different sports leagues in Nepean and, I think, from different parts of Ottawa. We had clinicians. We had researchers. We had a wonderful discussion about the impacts of concussion.

I think it was a greater degree of awareness. I hope we continue that on. If I may, Speaker, I’d suggest to the minister that this would be a great thing for her ministry to adopt province-wide. It would be really good to continue to support an initiative at the grassroots level like that, with our school boards and our local hospitals.

I admit readily that we are very fortunate inside the city of Ottawa, because we have a major teaching hospital, we’ve got two universities, two major community colleges and four very vibrant and very large school boards in addition to professional sports leagues, so it’s a bit easier for us, as it might be also for Toronto and for some other larger centres. But if you look at some of the smaller communities across Ontario, they could definitely benefit from something like that.

That’s why I think it’s important for us to have a dedicated Rowan’s Law Day, particularly in the middle of September, because that’s when kids are going back to school and that is when our school sports programs are starting up, hockey is starting up and many of the fall and winter sports are just beginning. It gives us not only an opportunity to reflect about player safety and health but also a way to encourage the kids to be more preventative.

One of the other initiatives that Gordon, Kathleen and I have been involved in with the Concussion Legacy Foundation is something called #TeamUpSpeakUp. That actually encourages the entire sports community to be part of player safety. It’s not only up to the coach or the trainer; it’s also up to the player and their teammates. We were very much a part of that. I think that it really is going to be up to us, in order to change the culture around brain injury or any kind of trauma to the head, to have that serious discussion. It is part of all of our roles to be part of that.

I think that is going to be a very important piece of this legislation, when it passes after question period today, and I think it can be augmented by some real grassroots initiatives that take hold. I like to say that we can mandate the change in culture, but it’s going to be up to the people at the grassroots to embrace that, much like it was for us many years ago—certainly not me; I was just young at the time—in order to make sure we were all wearing seatbelts. It was met with resistance at the time, but we changed the culture so that now, when we get into our car, we know that we feel safer when we buckle our seatbelt.

We know, for example, that the smoking bylaws and smoking legislation were met with resistance. But now, today, most of us wouldn’t dare go into a building where there was somebody smoking. It’s just not a thing that we would do. I remember, when I was first elected, we had a piece of legislation where you weren’t allowed to smoke in cars with children. That’s a no-brainer today, but sometimes it was met with resistance. Drinking and driving seemed to be okay in the 1970s and early 1980s; now it is forbidden.

So with everything, we have to lead the way, but it is up to our communities and it is up to the people we represent to also be there with us and to drive that change and to make it taboo. Whenever I think about concussion legislation, brain injury and brain trauma, it really is—we have to lead here, but at the same time, we have to have leaders in our community who make sure that change and that cultural shift are happening.

I often remember, when we first brought Eric Lindros here, he was the one saying that it has got to be a cultural shift so that it’s not okay to get your bell rung and then go back out on the ice. I also remember one of the things that he said at the first press conference when he was here. I thought about it this weekend, actually. Gordon and Kathleen were at the rink with me on Saturday when my daughter was playing. I was thinking about it, because Eric said at the time—and this is a Hockey Hall of Famer, one of the greatest hockey players ever to play.

He said at the time that every game, to a 13-year-old girl who is playing ringette, is just as important to her as to an NHLer in the Stanley Cup. I had never thought about that, really. As somebody who played ringette my whole life and who plays hockey, I had never thought about it that way. And then, there we are this weekend: My daughter is in her championship game, and while we were driving to the Minto arena in Barrhaven, she’s like, “Mum, this is like the Stanley Cup of peewee hockey for girls.”

Mr. Todd Smith: And they won.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: And they won. They got a gold medal, basically because they have an awesome trainer, in my opinion.

But then I thought: It’s so true that every game for these kids is the Stanley Cup final, so it’s so hard for them to take themselves out of play.

That’s why it’s important for us, as the adults there, not only to take them out of play, but also to engrain it in their heads and also in their teammates’ heads that if they have a head injury, it is worse than spraining their ankle, and they have to come off and not continue to play until they are medically cleared. Because that game, to them, in their day, in their mind, is the most important game in their life. They don’t see two days from now; they don’t see two years from now.

To them, it’s the instant gratification of being there in that moment, and they don’t understand the consequences that a brain injury or brain trauma could bring to them the next day or two years down the road. That’s why this piece of legislation is important.

One of the other things I like to remind people is that you cannot put a cast on your head and think that your concussion is going to go away. I’ve had casts on my hand. I have had knee braces. I have sprained my ankle multiple times playing soccer, and I can put a wrap on it. I can still sort of walk around. I might need some crutches, but I’m going to mend.

Here is the thing with concussions: They might be mild, and in two weeks’ time you may have no symptoms and you may be fine. You can have a concussion that is mild or severe, and if you don’t take care of yourself, there could be severe consequences. You could end up with depression down the road, maybe CTE or perhaps Alzheimer’s. ALS is something they’re looking at. And then, as in this most tragic case, second-impact syndrome could lead to death. It could be fatal.

Obviously, you don’t really want to scare an 11- or 12-year-old kid at the rink or at the pitch, but the reality has set in that this isn’t just something that we’re talking about and trying to spook people about. This is serious, so we have to have that conversation.

One of the things that occurs to me, as somebody who’s on the bench—and look, there are a lot of parents around here. I know Lisa Thompson’s grandson got a gold medal a couple of weeks ago, so she’s all about the hockey. She’s there and she’s watching Declain play.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: I’ve got the video.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: She’s got video. That’s good.

But I think when we’re there now and we’re having this conversation and we see a kid fall, my first concern has become, “Do you have a concussion?” Then I rattle off the five or six symptoms that we know are quite prevalent. In some cases, I’ve had to take a kid out of play, and in some cases I thought, “Okay, you bumped your head, but I think you’re going to be okay.” We actually have to have that set of symptoms, more so than anything else.

I’ve had a kid break their leg on the ice, and it’s not pleasant, but I’ve also had a kid who had a concussion. When we took her back out to do that tryout—because the doctor had cleared her, and she has to have at least one practice before going into play—I asked her to skate from one end of the ice to the other, and she was nearly about to vomit. So I said, “You can’t play on the weekend.” That’s when you get into the case where some parents are going to say, “I paid the 500 bucks.” Who cares? Honest to God, I think my daughter has probably already forgotten that she won a gold medal on Sunday.

So I think we’re going to be okay if we miss a game or the tournament or the season ender, because what’s more important is your child’s health. That’s one of the things that has struck me in this entire debate, Speaker. It’s one of those things that we have to be very serious about.

Just before I close, today is a special day for a young man in my constituency. He is the page captain today. His name is Aashaz Syed. I don’t know if he’s in the chamber right now. I talked about this coming full circle, with me as the education critic, Walter Gretzky in the stands, and then working here with Catherine and John and having my constituents here. To have this young man here today, who lives in Barrhaven and whose parents, but probably not him, because he’s only about 12 or 13—he probably didn’t hear about Rowan Stringer until he got to the Legislature.

But his mom, who is in the gallery today, would have, because this story impacted our community. For him to be the page captain today, when this legislation will pass and become law, is, in my opinion, very historic for the people of Nepean–Carleton. It’s one that I’m very proud to be able to share on the floor of this assembly with not just one person, because he will be on the floor with me, from Nepean–Carleton.

That, to me, is historic, because he will represent the next generation that we are trying to get to in our school system—not only in Barrhaven, in our public school system in our community, but across Ontario.

We are also very fortunate to have so many pages here today who can take on this message, go back to their schools after the March break and talk about something that is real and important in their own communities. Sometimes the brilliance of this Legislature is that we talk about high-level policy, but each one of us has a role to play when we go back into our communities and become those leaders that we need to be on very important public policy issues but, in particular, very important public health issues.

Today, we have that opportunity as MPPs, but I look to my future here as our pages—and certainly to Aashaz—and really encourage you all to go back and carry this message on to your classmates and teammates. I know we have a fellow Nepean Wildcats who’s also a page here today, and that’s where this full circle comes to be complete.

It started with a young girl in Barrhaven who wanted to be a nurse. She loved to play ringette and rugby. Here we are, today, and we’re going to pass this law in her name, so that Rowan Stringer will forever be remembered for the athlete that she was, the compassionate young woman she was and the person who will save future lives.

To you, Gordon and Kathleen, thank you for your determination, your compassion, and your belief in this process.

To my colleagues who have been part of this journey, John Fraser and Catherine Fife, and the three ministers who have helped carry this, thank you all very much. Today will be a victory for all amateur athletes in the province of Ontario.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Questions and comments?

Seeing there are no questions and comments, I return to the member from Kitchener–Waterloo for further debate.

Ms. Catherine Fife: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is indeed a privilege to join the debate. I would also like to echo the thanks to the three ministers, including my colleague from Kitchener Centre, who is the new Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, for navigating this piece of legislation through this House so that we will actually pass a law today. It doesn’t happen that often.

Obviously for some of us, it’s a very emotional process. We’ve been invested in this journey for quite some time. We formed relationships and have new friendships that we didn’t have prior. This is as good as it gets, I think, with legislation and establishing legislation, especially that it has been through all parties, with all-party support.

Today is day six of Brain Injury Awareness Month, and so it’s a very fitting month for us to pass this piece of legislation. I truly believe that because all parties were invested in the process, and every member who had been part of this journey has this emotional connection and this commitment to seeing this legislation be successful, it will truly honour the life of Rowan Stringer.

There are a lot of people who need to be thanked. Many of those people showed up to appear before the committee as delegations because they’re invested in the process of ensuring that the coroner’s inquest recommendations and now the recommendations from the Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee will be actionable. That was the whole goal, as stated by the member from Nepean–Carleton and echoed by the member from Ottawa South.

We had the shortest clause-by-clause meeting we’ve ever had in the history of this Legislature, I’m fairly certain, with only one amendment to the legislation, which received all-party support. I think that’s a testament to the work of the committee. To that end, I want to acknowledge the Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee, which was headed up by Dr.

Dan Cass, who has already been introduced; the director of education from the District School Board of Niagara, Warren Hoshizaki; Paul Hunter; Susan Kitchen; Louise Logan; of course, Gordon Stringer, who played a major role and is thanked by the committee extensively in this document; Kent Bassett-Spiers, who is the CEO of the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation; Elisabeth White, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the breakfast that the minister hosted this morning. We have something in common: Both of our sons, at the age of 11, suffered their first concussion.

I think that that’s one of the important parts, that it is the stories that we share that will inform the public awareness piece.

I was going back and thinking about all of the concussion advocacy that has happened for a number of years. I come to the issue of concussion strategy management through the education system. A long time ago, I was working with Keith Primeau and Kerry Goulet. There is an inspirational quote in the book that they published, which is called Concussed! One of the quotes reads, “Our Inspiration.” It reads:

“We believe that educating the public of the dangers of concussions will not come from lectures or public service announcements alone; rather, the stories of those affected by concussions will be the best ambassadors to raise awareness of this issue.”

For me, it has been a full-circle journey to come back to be able to share Rowan’s story and employ that new knowledge, transfer that knowledge in a very actionable way.

When I was speaking with Elisabeth, who is a nurse practitioner at neurosurgical outreach at SickKids—the culture of sports and the physicality of those sports are the reality that we’re dealing with right now. It certainly changed the trajectory of my son’s very short-lived hockey career. But it’s that knowledge that needs to be passed forward and transferred into action, as I have said.

Of course, Dr. Charles Tator, who sat on the committee; Chris Markham, who is the executive director and CEO of Ophea—and Ophea came to the committee as well; Eric Lindros, who did appear before the committee—and I asked Eric at the committee level because there’s this concern that, if you go too far with concussion management and prevention, you will change the nature of sports. This theory—this myth really—has been employed to tamp down some safety measures that should be employed, I think, in the CFL and NHL. He countered that.

To his credit, he said that the nature of sport is the athleticism; it shouldn’t be the violence in the sport. This is coming from someone whose career has ultimately been changed. As he said to the committee, it was concussions that ended his career. So I’ll touch back on the value of athletes who have had the courage to come forward in a moment.

The other committee members are Dr. Rosana Salvaterra—she also appeared before the committee; Jennifer Knox of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations; Rosie MacLennan, the Olympic gold medalist from Team Canada. There were also acknowledgments to Duane Jacobs, who was a special adviser on First Nations issues—I think that it was very important to have that voice and that knowledge on the committee—as well as Colin Gray.

Now, the athletes who have had the courage to come forward and talk about their journey: They really do need to be thanked because, as I mentioned, I think that that’s the culture shift that the advisory committee is working toward. We have, in Kitchener–Waterloo, Ben Fanelli, who played with the Kitchener Rangers. His concussion story is very dramatic. But he has transferred that knowledge into the HEAD STRONG program and is promoting brain injury awareness.

When our private member’s bill first came to the Legislature, I had Fitz “the Whip,” a boxer who came to Queen’s Park and told his story. He has been involved in inspiring youth and also raising awareness around brain wellness. Ironically, he was so inspired by his trip here to Queen’s Park that he’s going to be running in Kitchener–South Hespeler as a candidate. You never know where these journeys are going to take you as you move through this place.

Keith Primeau and Kerry Goulet, who worked with Stan Kutcher of Dalhousie University back in 2012 to really raise awareness for the You Are Not Alone program, were inspirational to me.

Keith Primeau—of course, an NHL player, well known for the concussions that he suffered—was the first athlete I met who talked openly about the impact of concussion and brain injury on mental health. It’s an important connecting piece; it came up during committee.

I think it’s important that the committee will come back and there will be an annual review because I don’t think that we fully explored the impact of concussions and brain injuries on mental health. That may be the next level that we take the advocacy to.

Andrew Lue, who came to the committee—I mentioned him at breakfast. This is a football player who is an advocate for concussion prevention and awareness. He suffered a concussion, and he told the committee that he was injured in the middle of the game—this is someone who is completely informed—and he couldn’t take himself out because he had a brain injury. This is the importance of the culture shift and the shared responsibility and where we need to take concussion management. It was his coach and a fellow player who recognized he had been injured and he needed to leave the field. That was one of the more powerful delegations that I saw at committee.

Now, in the education system we’ve had a policy program memorandum in place for almost six years. The PPMs are effective when they are applied. I think Rowan’s Law is going to raise the bar on the awareness of the shared responsibility of everyone who has contact with athletes or students who suffer from concussions.

The first phone call that I received as a trustee back in 2010 was from a parent who said the school was not treating her daughter’s concussion as a serious issue and was not willing to make the accommodations to ensure that she could rest and still receive some homework but not to a strenuous level. That culture shift needs to come up from the bottom and it needs to come up from the top. I see Rowan’s Law as really the catch-all for both of those venues: the education system and community sports.

I’m a big fan of evidence-based research in forming policy and legislation. I think that the advisory committee has done a true public service for this province in establishing the guidelines around returning to learn and returning to play, and then navigating the medical system.

There are some things that we haven’t fully explored with this and that will be the financial commitments that will need to be made to ensure that the recommendations can be implemented with some integrity. There are some questions of people having access to medical resources; there are some equity issues that we see across the province.

I’m happy that the amendment was brought forward that we review this on an annual basis, because there will be gaps. I think if we are truly all committed to ensuring that concussion management is really on the cutting edge and the leading edge in the province of Ontario so that we can shift the culture in the country, then we’re going to have to make sure that the goals and the intentions, which are very positive, actually can be met. I, for one, am obviously committed to that, but I really do believe that the ministry and—I had the opportunity to meet with the assistant deputy minister in getting a review of the legislation, which I was very thankful for.

I do believe we have momentum but I feel better that we’re going to review the legislation and the implementation of that legislation on an annual basis.

My final words are just a sincere thank you to the Stringers. Thank you to the members from Nepean–Carleton and Ottawa South.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Questions and comments?

Seeing no further questions and comments, further debate?

Ms. Vernile has moved third reading of Bill 193,

An Act to enact Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 and to amend the Education Act. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour of the motion will please say “aye.”

All those opposed to the motion will please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

A recorded vote being required, it will be deferred until after question period today.

Third reading vote deferred.

Climate change

Resuming the debate adjourned on March 1, 2018, on the motion regarding climate change.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: I’m pleased to rise today and join the debate with regard to the motion in front of us regarding climate change.

I want to start off by saying that the PC Party of Ontario is absolutely steadfast in its commitment to the environment. I’d like to go back and revisit the fact that it was actually the PC Party of Ontario, under Premier Bill Davis, that created the Ministry of the Environment. We have a strong history of standing up for what’s right.

Over and above that, I have to share with you that I have the absolute honour of representing the amazing riding of Huron–Bruce, and I am so proud of the stewards that we have in that riding. We have farmers who lead by example when it comes to stewardship of the land.

Ontario has benchmark after benchmark in terms of what we’re doing, in terms of good stewardship for our land. We’ve got the Nutrient Management Act. We’ve got the environmental farm act. Jurisdictions around the world look to Ontario farmers to see what they’re doing.

But do you know what’s sad? Everybody around the world looks to Ontario farmers to see what they’re doing in terms of best practices, but it’s the government of the day, the Liberal government under Premier Wynne, who herself was a Minister of Agriculture, that turns a blind eye to Ontario farmers. Ontario farmers have been kept away from the table when it comes to speaking about climate change and the manner in which they mitigate carbon, and that—

Interjections.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: It’s true. You talk to them. You talk to Ontario farmers. When it comes to the climate scheme, the cap-and-trade scheme, that this government has enacted, they have left farmers off the map, away from the table. The people who are actually doing the best job of sequestering carbon in this province don’t even have a voice at the table—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): You know, this Legislature does run very smoothly when we have quiet. I was finding it difficult to hear the member from Huron–Bruce in her debate. I would ask that we continue—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Order, please. I will return back to the member from Huron–Bruce, recognizing and giving everyone a fine reputation to live up to that we will have order in this House. Back to the member.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to revisit the fact that it’s Ontario farmers who, day after day, are out there sequestering carbon in so many different ways. There’s no-tillage, where they do not plow the conventional way. No-tillage has been employed across the province as best practice, actually, for decades, when I think about it.

When I worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs back in the 1990s, the soil and crop advisers of the day were doing their best to introduce the new best management practices. The industry, in terms of equipment, quickly evolved to enable these farmers not only to employ best practices in the field, but across the province we have farmers absolutely dedicated to preserving wetlands, to making sure that run-offs are inhibited. But again, as I said, this government, time and time again, slaps farmers in Ontario across the face.

Just recently I attended the Huron County Federation of Agriculture MP, MPP and local municipality day. Again, that message was loud and clear. This government, under a former Minister of Agriculture, under Premier Wynne’s watch, continued to ignore Ontario farmers. That’s a travesty.

Do you know who else they’re ignoring? They’re ignoring industries that are out there leading the way with sequestering and innovation. Nova Chemicals comes to mind. Over the last number of years, they are very proud of the manner in which they’ve been able to sequester carbon and bring down the emissions. Yet, do you know what? They worry time and again about the path that this government has chosen to throw Ontarians onto with their cap-and-trade scheme.

Do you know what’s worst about their environmental scheme, the cap-and-trade scheme? Hard-earned Ontarian dollars are going to California—

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: Wrong.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: Okay. I can’t believe that members across the floor can’t even get it right. They need to take a step back and see what their cap-and-trade scheme is actually doing. Not only are hard-earned Ontarian dollars flowing to California, but very much a problem throughout rural Ontario and urban Ontario is the flood of jobs going across the border as well. This is a precarious situation, and I can’t even believe that I’m hearing from across the floor that—what I’m hearing is proof that they don’t even know what their cap-and-trade scheme is doing. Again, it’s a travesty.

When we meet with stakeholders, they’re concerned that time and again, this government doesn’t consult. They went out in the winter of 2016 and—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Order, please. Well, I tried to give you a fine reputation to live up to, and apparently that’s not working.

Debate deemed adjourned.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): However, it is now 10:15 and this House stands recessed until 10:30.

The House recessed from 1014 to 1030.

Introduction of Visitors

Hon. Jeff Leal: They’ll be arriving here shortly; we have distinguished members of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture here today. President Keith Currie and directors Drew Spoelstra, Peter Lambrick, Larry Davis and Crispin Colvin are with us today. Let’s welcome them to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Daiene Vernile: I’d like to welcome to the House today—either here or arriving very soon for the third reading vote on Rowan’s Law—Gord and Kathleen Stringer, Rowan’s parents; Dr. Charles Tator, who is here; Susan Kitchen; Elisabeth White with SickKids hospital; Dr. Cass, who is the VP of Sunnybrook and chair of the committee; Kent Bassett-Spiers, Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation; and Steve Podborski.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I was able to announce him earlier today, but today is a very important day for Nepean–Carleton as our page captain today is Aashaz Syed. His mother Fauzia Syed is also here in the gallery. It’s wonderful, and I want to wish him the greatest luck today in his important role.

Hon. Reza Moridi: Please join me, Mr. Speaker, in welcoming Ms. Eun Hee Kim, mother of page Olivia Kim of Richmond Hill, joining us in the members’ gallery.

Mr. Harinder S. Takhar: I would like to extend a warm greeting to the staff and grade 12 students of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School, who are here today from my riding of Mississauga–Erindale. I would also like to welcome their teacher, Maria Kreatsoulas, and I want to extend them a very warm welcome to the Legislature.

Mr. Bill Walker: Not an introduction, but I would like to congratulate my colleague Steve Clark from Leeds–Grenville. On Sunday he celebrated his eighth anniversary as an elected MPP.

Mr. John Fraser: I would like to welcome the following representatives from the Ontario Community Support Association, who will be joining us this morning: Deborah Simon, Laura Visser, Jason Lye, Carole Beauvais and David Brazeau. I look forward to a productive meeting with them this afternoon. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I also must personally welcome Professor Charles Tator—thank you for the scholarship in clinical neurosurgery, as well as writing my internship recommendations—as well as welcoming Dr. Dan Cass, a fellow classmate of University of Toronto medical school; 1988 was a good year.

Hon. Michael Coteau: I would like to welcome Razia and Michael Ali, who are in the east members’ gallery. They are parents to Alicia Ali, who is my press secretary. Like I said to them earlier today, they should be very proud of their daughter for the work that she does here at the Legislature.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further introductions? I’m not—I’m going to hold off for a second. Okay.

We have with us today in the Speaker’s gallery several groups that I would like to introduce. I beg your indulgence. Today we have the newly appointed consul general of the Republic of Korea in Toronto, Mr. Tae-In Chung. Welcome. Thank you for joining us. We had a very fascinating conversation, and he credits Ontario and Canada for its success in the Olympics and their success in the Olympics and also the geopolitical success because of the Olympics, and thanks Canada for that. So thank you.

We also have in the Speaker’s gallery a delegation of consuls general representing 16 European Union countries who are here to discuss initiatives to increase the relationship between the Legislature and the EU. They represent the countries of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Malta, Greece, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Please welcome our guests.

I’ve just been informed that some of the members have indicated that a junket is in order. I’m not sure what that means—

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: No, no, Speaker. It was a study trip.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): A study trip, sorry.

Also in the Speaker’s gallery, we have a contingent of MPs from Argentina. Welcome.

Finally, a couple of individuals, friends of mine, and an individual who is a dear friend of mine from years ago: Larry Davis from the OFA and Drew Spoelstra. Welcome and thank you for joining us. Thank you, Larry.

Mr. Peter Tabuns: I’d like to welcome students from Diefenbaker Elementary School in my riding to the Legislature. I hope you enjoy your time.

Mrs. Liz Sandals: I notice that we’ve just been joined by members from the OFA, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. This includes their president, Keith Currie, and Crispin Colvin. I’m sorry, I’ve lost one name. But anyway, we have lots of people from the OFA here today. Welcome.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I’d like to welcome Peter Lambrick, who serves on the Ontario Federation of Agriculture board of directors as director at large. He is from my riding and a good friend. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: I would like to introduce Sue Christianson, who is here today at Queen’s Park. She lives in my riding of Perth–Wellington.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Report, Financial Accountability Officer

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that the following document was tabled: report on Ontario service fees 2017-18 from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario.

Oral Questions

Mental health services

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question is to the new Minister of Health. Congratulations, Minister.

Forty per cent of all children who try to access mental health treatment can’t get the treatment that they need. There has been a 67% increase in hospitalizations for children with mental health disorders over the last decade. The majority of people being treated in Ontario today in emergency rooms after a suicide attempt are not seen by a psychiatrist within the first six months. That’s six months without treatment, Minister. Other wait times are upwards of 18 months for people who are suffering from depression or anxiety. Yet this Liberal government and the NDP refuse to match the $1.9-billion federal transfer for mental health services.

Why does this government refuse to make the necessary investments into our mental health care system?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: On this very important topic of mental health, I think we really should have some kind of dialogue on the subject, because all parties are absolutely, I think, in the same place on this particular extremely important aspect of our health. My predecessor often said there’s no health without mental health. I actually feel that mental health is the most important part of our own well-being as individuals.

Our government has put into place a very comprehensive plan across all aspects of mental health, even starting with research so that we understand the human brain better—significant investments in the brain institute and in CAMH. Of course, we’re looking at intervention. We’re looking at early identification and treatment. The whole spectrum is being looked at, and we are committed to doing even more than—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you.

Supplementary? The member from Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington.

Mr. Randy Hillier: To the Minister of Health: Mikeal was a young man in my riding and, like many of our youth, he found life was a constant struggle. His parents knew this and they tried to get him whatever help they could. Mikeal met with social workers and doctors many, many times. He confessed to having suicidal thoughts but was told it was “just hormones.”

Mikeal would go on to attempt suicide three times over one year. After each attempt, his parents would plead to keep him under supervision. Instead, he would be sent home and they were told to “keep an eye on him” and that he “really didn’t have a plan to kill himself.”

Soon after, on his fourth attempt, Mikeal did take his own life.

Speaker, the minister must answer as to why a youth who makes multiple suicide attempts and whose family tries and tries to find help are met with indifference—indifference that begins and ends with this ministry and the members opposite.

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Hon. Michael Coteau: I thank the member for the question. There’s no question, on this side, that a lot has changed in Ontario over the last decade with regard to mental health. There is a lot more demand in the system for help. We know that there are regions where there is a longer wait-list, and that’s why we’ve moved forward with a new strategy for mental health in Ontario.

The Conservatives say that they would invest $1.9 million over a decade—

Mr. John Yakabuski: Billion.

Hon. Michael Coteau: Billion; sorry. It is simply not enough. It is not enough of an investment. In fact, Mr. Speaker, over the last—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): As sensitive as this is, we will still maintain decorum in this House. Please refrain.

Hon. Michael Coteau: The $1.9 billion is simply not enough money. Over the last decade, this government has increased funding to mental health by $10 billion. I think that the demonstration of that $1.9 billion simply shows how the Conservatives are not prepared to govern this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Final supplementary? The member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry.

Mr. Jim McDonell: Back to the minister: Our new mental health facility in Cornwall brings together many organizations under one roof, as it seeks to be a one-stop shop for residents needing mental health services.

Last year, at the celebration opening, we were reminded how facilities alone aren’t enough. A parent rose to ask the following question, and I paraphrase: “Do you mean to tell me that if my child is diagnosed with a mental health issue requiring a psychologist, one will be assigned?” The chief of staff rose and very soberly said, “No, we don’t have any to assign.”

Speaker, when will this government listen to Ontarians and provide the right mental health services that our residents deserve and need?

Hon. Michael Coteau: Again, I think it’s really important for Ontarians to understand what the Conservatives have proposed in their platform. They’ve proposed a $1.9-billion investment over a 10-year period.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve committed over $10 billion in the last decade, and we’ve made a commitment—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): To the Chair, please.

Hon. Michael Coteau: The former Minister of Health has made a commitment and myself and the new Minister of Health: We need to invest more than $1.9 billion over the next decade.

It’s simply not enough to commit money. It’s more about how the system is organized to meet the new demands on the system. That’s why we’ve moved forward on Moving on Mental Health. We have lead agencies in every single part of Ontario. That’s why we’ve built specialized—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Two quick items: When you refer your answer to the Chair, it helps; and the heckling is going to have to stop.

Carry on.

Hon. Michael Coteau: That’s why, Mr. Speaker, we’ve made an investment into new youth hubs that are built more around the lives of young people and to meet their demands: a 24-hour access drop-in system. This is the way we have to re-approach mental health here in the—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. New question.

Mental health services

Mr. John Yakabuski: My question is to the Minister of Health. Speaker, my grandmother spent the last 32 years of her life in an institution because of mental illness, from 1929 to 1961, when she passed away. We don’t lock them away anymore, and that’s a good thing. But we do abandon them just the same.

We allow them to languish in misery and suffer just to survive without offering them the treatments they need so that they can get through life on a daily basis. We have many agencies, agencies in my riding like the Robbie Dean centre and the Phoenix Centre for Children and Families, but the reality is that this mental health crisis—I agree with and I support the Bell Let’s Talk initiative, but it is time to do more than talk. It is time to pay attention to a serious crisis in our society and to ensure that the necessary resources are dedicated to helping these people who suffer from mental illness and end this crisis once and for all.

Hon. Helena Jaczek: I would say that we agree. I think all three parties in this House are on the same page. That’s precisely what we’ve been doing since 2003. We have continued investment ever since we took office. It’s grown exponentially in terms of our type of investment.

There have been a lot of questions about children; we have provided more than 50,000 additional children and youth access to mental health and addiction services.

In terms of adults, we are providing supportive housing. There is certainly a huge development that is currently being undertaken, in terms of 1,150 additional supportive housing units, on top of the 1,000 new units that were added over the last three years. This is going to reduce some of the homelessness that we see around, and it will improve the supports for people with mental illness.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member from Elgin–Middlesex–London.

Mr. Jeff Yurek: Back to the Minister of Health: Over the past 11 years, children and youth services in London and southwestern Ontario have become increasingly difficult to access. Demand for these services is on the rise, while funding has remained stagnant. The Auditor General herself expressed grave concerns with the wait times for children and youth to access the services they need for mental health.

Instead, this government invested in bureaucracy and administration, walked away from the community support agencies and froze their funding for over 10 years. In London alone, children can be expected to wait 224 days for counselling and therapy services, and 226 days for intensive treatment services.

My question is to the minister: Does she agree that these wait times are unacceptable and, if so, will she address the issues by committing to add and match our $1.9 billion in new funding on top of the old funding, to make mental health services better for Ontarians?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: I want to be very clear: Our government will spend more than the proposal that we saw recently by the Progressive Conservatives. We are exactly committed to that and, in our case, we know where we’re going to get the funds to do so; which I think is somewhat lacking from the party opposite.

Just to reiterate some of the investments that we’ve made: We’re making additional investments of $140 million over three years, with an increase of more than $50 million every year after that, to expand access to mental health services and to reduce wait times. I think one of the very important programs is our province-wide, publicly funded, structured psychotherapy program that will help people with mood disorders like anxiety and depression with the supports and strategies to manage their conditions.

We’re going to do more than the official opposition.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Final supplementary? The member from Dufferin–Caledon.

Ms. Sylvia Jones: To the Minister of Health: According to Children’s Mental Health Ontario, over the last decade there’s been a 67% increase in hospitalization for kids with mental health disorders. Meanwhile, over the last 25 years, there’s been a 60% reduction in the capacity of children’s mental health services.

When the minister and I sat on the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions, all three parties made 23 recommendations to improve Ontario’s mental health system. In the report, the minister, myself and all committee members said: “Regardless of our political convictions, we recognized that we must do better.”

Does the minister still endorse the 23 recommendations from the select committee?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Hon. Michael Coteau: I just want to say that we’ve been on a journey here in Ontario to transform mental health services for young people, the way they access those services, and to meet the growing demand that is out there.

We put forward lead agencies right across the province to create a single point of entry for young people who want to access those services. That was backed up through Bill 89. We put a whole new accountability process in place. That transformation piece in Bill 89 that speaks to mental health was voted against by the Conservatives here in Ontario.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, I want to add this one case: The Conservatives proposed a $1.9-billion increase, but a $16-billion decrease in funding and cuts. What’s going to happen to children and youth services here in the province of Ontario? The proposed cuts they’re making through the People’s Guarantee—if it’s still your guarantee; I’m not sure if it’s still the guarantee. But if it is still the guarantee, those proposed cuts alone would wipe out my entire ministry.

We need to know: Is it an increase, or is it cuts?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. Order, please.

New question.

Hospital services

Ms. Cindy Forster: My question is to the health minister. Nancy Dmytrow Bilboe is a 68-year-old retired registered nurse from my riding. This past Sunday, Nancy was taken to the Welland hospital by ambulance and spent almost 24 hours in a chair in the emergency department.

Upon arrival by stretcher, she was put in a wheelchair in the waiting room for over four hours. She was in excruciating abdominal pain. She was moaning, vomiting, dry-heaving—all without yet being admitted or given anything for her pain. She ultimately spent hours in the waiting room and then hours in an uncomfortable, hard chair in the hallway of the emergency department with a pain level—on a scale of 0 to 10—of 12, in her words, before she received anything for pain.

Can the health minister explain to Nancy and her family why she received medical care in a chair in a busy ER and not in a room where her privacy and dignity could be protected and her pain management could be controlled?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Certainly, when we hear very sad stories, as we’ve just heard, we need to ask about the circumstances. Obviously, this is a particular situation, and I certainly hope that the member opposite is liaising with my ministry, with the MPP liaison, to delve into this particular case.

Certainly we are addressing, in the broader sense, hospital overcrowding. We have made major investments in our hospitals. Just last year, we invested nearly half a billion dollars in Ontario hospitals. In the 2017 budget, we invested over $500 million, representing a 3.1% overall increase to the hospital sector. These are significant new investments. We are increasing capacity in our hospitals, and we certainly intend to continue to do so.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Cindy Forster: Not only did Nancy receive her medical care in a chair in the ER instead of a bed, she was told by the physician that while her condition warranted her admission and she needed fluid monitoring and pain management, there were no beds.

Nancy had two options: One was she could wait over two days for a bed, along with the 12 other people who were waiting for a bed; or she could go home. She chose to go home because she said she simply couldn’t take any more.

Does the health minister think it’s okay that the Liberal cuts to our health system have made our hospitals so overcrowded that patients like Nancy go home before they’re actually medically ready to do so?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: First of all, I do want to commend all our excellent front-line health care workers. Just last week I was at the Brantford General hospital in the emergency room, where we were actually increasing capacity to improve the services specifically in that hospital. We are doing this type of work incrementally. We know that not only can overcrowding be, obviously, a very difficult situation for patients, but it is also very difficult for the health care staff working in these situations.

I would like to remind the member that we added some 26 beds to the Niagara Health System just last fall. We’re working on this issue. We will continue to do so.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Final supplementary?

Ms. Cindy Forster: The 26 beds is not enough, because all sites were actually overcrowded and overflowing. This is not about the Welland hospital administrators or the front-line health care professionals, who are doing their absolute best job with the underfunded resources that they are given. They’ve had way too many years of Conservative-style budget cuts and freezes, and they just can’t keep up any longer.

Why won’t the health minister stop talking about temporary funding, stop letting Ontario families down and do something about the consistent overcrowding problem so that people like Nancy don’t have to face this in our hospitals every day?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: We know that our hospitals are facing increasing demands as a result of our growing and aging population. We do commend the front-line medical and nursing staff in all our facilities for the excellent work that they’re doing. This year, we also battled one of the worst flu seasons in years.

In response, we have increased capacity across the continuum of care by adding 1,200 hospital beds. That’s equivalent to six new medium-sized hospitals. In particular, we have added transitional care spaces outside of hospital for up to 1,700 patients who don’t require care in a hospital, some 150 new transitional care beds at the Reactivation Care Centre and acute care beds at Mackenzie Health.

We are working on this issue. We’re making incremental improvements as are required. We will continue to build our excellent health care system.

Hospital services

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Minister of Health. By now, this Liberal government is quite familiar with the case of Stuart Cline, a London man who passed away on Saturday.

Yesterday, Stuart’s son David went on the radio and asked for an apology from the Minister of Health. David had listened to her response to my question last week and was offended to hear her say that her ministry was “fully engaged in helping to coordinate this individual’s return home....” In fact, David says that the minister “did not make one phone call to our family the entire time, neither her nor anyone who worked for her.... I took that as an insult.”

Speaker, will the Minister of Health apologize to the Cline family for this insult?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Of course, the death of a loved one is an extremely difficult and painful experience, and I do send my deepest condolences to the Cline family for their tragic loss. I know that the Premier also expressed her condolences yesterday.

Ontario’s health care system does stand ready to support any patient returning home with an illness or injury experienced while travelling. We know that there are beds available for critical care patients in Ontario, and so we would continue to urge travel insurance to work with our LHIN staff and with ministry staff on the ground to offer protection and coordination of medical services for their clients.

I know that this is a really horrible tragedy for the family. Something quite unimaginable happened while their father was out of the country, so I want to again express my deepest condolences.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: David Cline said on the radio that it was “inexcusable” for the minister to try to avoid accountability for her government’s role in this heartbreaking situation, which is what we just heard again. David Cline stated, “What compounded the problem is [that] the health minister, by not taking responsibility for the problem, made it much worse. She blamed the insurance company,” but “the insurance company made multiple phone calls in different cities.”

Yesterday in this House, the Premier again pointed the finger at everyone but herself. Why is this Liberal government blaming others instead of taking responsibility for their own failings?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Mr. Speaker, we need to say again that when you go out of the country and you purchase travel insurance, you are relying on that travel insurer to work with our health care system. We rely on travel insurers to do their due diligence, to engage our network of hospitals here at home. Beds were available, health care professionals were on the ground and there were LHIN staff responsible for regional care coordination. Our staff at the ministry are willing to go the extra mile to ensure the highest quality of care for Ontarians.

I certainly am very committed to ensuring that that communication coordination mechanism is strengthened. We will probably have more to say on that topic in the future.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Final supplementary.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Speaker, for decades Ontario’s hospitals have been operating with year-over-year cuts. This has led to hallway medicine and a chronic overcrowding crisis that is hurting families like the Clines. Both Conservative and Liberal governments have made it a habit to cut and freeze hospital budgets.

Front-line health care professionals deserve the resources necessary to treat their patients. And when an emergency happens, whether a person is in Ontario or out of the country, they should be secure in the knowledge that our health care system will be there for them.

David Cline and his family are no longer secure in that knowledge. How does this Liberal government plan to change that?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Mr. Speaker, I’m going to have to reiterate that there were beds available. At the level 2 and 3 type bed in ICU—on February 26 Toronto had 31 beds, the South West LHIN had 16 beds, the Erie St. Clair LHIN had seven beds, and Hamilton had 34.

We need to coordinate information between travel insurers and the ministry, and we will be working on ensuring that that communication is occurring as well as is possible.

Mental health services

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: My question is for the Minister of Health.

Midwestern Ontario has a

schedule 1 facility which serves mental health patients in Goderich at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. I visited that hospital just before Christmas, but when I got to the third floor, I was very saddened by what I saw. The hospital team were hustling and bustling, and it wasn’t because of the Christmas season. They were hustling because they had people waiting in their hallways to be admitted.

That’s the reality that Alexandra Marine and General Hospital faces every day. This facility consistently runs at more than 90% capacity year over year, and cases are becoming more complex. The workload for staff has also continued to increase, and in the last two years specifically, it has increased 20% year over year.

Speaker, I have to ask the minister: Why is her government ignoring the growing mental health needs in rural Ontario?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: I would certainly like to reassure the member opposite that we are doing nothing of the kind. We are working extremely hard on improving our services, not only for mental health, but also for acute care in general. We are investing consistently for our hospital sector.

I’m going to have to repeat that in the last budget, the 2017 budget, we invested over $500 million in funding, representing a significant increase over the previous years.

We are looking at the demographics of individual areas—this is exactly the type of planning that our LHINs are engaged in—and getting the best advice as to where we need to concentrate our additional efforts.

I would like to mention, of course, that as far as I could see, there was no money for hospitals in the PC platform.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary, the member for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound.

Mr. Bill Walker: Back to the Minister of Health—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock.

We’re inching towards warnings.

Mr. Bill Walker: Back to the Minister of Health: Your Liberal government recently borrowed $25 billion for short-term hydro relief, an election ploy. However, your government refused to match the $1.9-billion federal transfer for mental health services. As such, your government should have responsibility for the consequences.

Wait for therapy takes too long, and as a result, sadly, suicides are on the rise. Parents like Angela Loughnan, who lost her son Andrew to suicide, want the next person to have a better chance than their child did, because no should feel they are alone. Nobody should be burying their child, Minister, when it could be prevented.

Suicides don’t disappear because you refuse to adequately fund children’s mental health.

So I say to the minister and her government, you can’t afford not to make the needed investment. But since you believe otherwise, can you tell us what could be a bigger priority than saving a young life?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Certainly, no family should have to endure the pain and heartache of suicide. I think in all of our families or amongst our friends, we have seen very tragic situations. This is precisely why our government, in 2015, asked the Ontario Hospital Association if there was more that we could do, particularly to work on the situation of suicide prevention. So we did establish a suicide prevention task force.

We recently received the report of recommendations from that task force, and we’re working with our health system partners to address the recommendations made in the report as part of our ongoing work to enhance suicide prevention in Ontario. I think it speaks to the fact that we really need to come together to talk openly about mental health challenges, not only to destigmatize them but also to provide the supports where and when they’re needed.

Healthy eating

M me France Gélinas: Ma question est pour la ministre de la Santé.

On March 31, this Liberal government is cutting all funding to EatRight Ontario, the program that offers free nutritional advice to families across Ontario. My constituents and families across northern Ontario use EatRight extensively, in part because we don’t have access to dietitians, but also because we want to make sure that our families are eating healthy foods and getting the nutrition they need. With EatRight, people in Ontario could just pick up the phone, send an email and get instant and reliable information from a registered dietitian about healthy eating, and in many different languages. But on March 31, this program will disappear.

Why is the minister cutting funding to EatRight Ontario and making it harder for Ontarians to eat well and stay healthy?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: While I’m not familiar with the particular service that the member opposite is speaking about, I certainly concur that healthy eating is fundamental to our health. As a former medical officer of health—public health units are very involved in this particular area. We know that we encourage healthy eating across the spectrum, starting of course with our kids. We know that the healthier our kids are, the less chronic disease they will have later on in life.

And so, certainly, with the encouragement of the member opposite—I believe she actually had a private member’s bill—we’ve done things like our menu labelling legislation that came into effect January 1, 2017. This was named the Healthy Menu Choices Act. We’re already posting calories on menus to help people make the healthy choices that they should. We are working in this regard across the province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

M me France Gélinas: The Dietitians of Canada, who have run EatRight Ontario for the last 10 years, say they are “extremely disappointed” with the government’s decision, and so are the families in my riding, who count on EatRight Ontario to help them stay healthy.

Like the minister just said, healthy eating is a primary factor in maintaining wellness, healthy growth and development, as well as prevention and management of major chronic diseases. You have diabetes, celiac disease, bowel obstruction? You don’t know what food is safe for you? You call EatRight Ontario and they help you. You need to lose weight? You need to prevent heart disease? You want to eat healthy? Call EatRight Ontario. It is there to help—or was there to help.

This is an incredibly important service for the people of Ontario and especially the people I represent in northern Ontario. Why is this minister cutting funding to EatRight Ontario?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Mr. Speaker, I certainly will investigate this particular situation with—I’m not familiar with precisely this particular agency, but I can say that across this province we do have a number of services to ensure that our population gets healthy food: the student nutrition programs in so many schools that are available, as well as public health units. It’s one of the standards under the Health Protection and Promotion Act that we ensure that our population has access to information related to healthy eating.

While we are very conscious that we do have issues, certainly in relation to childhood obesity, we have many programs that are looking to reversing this trend, and we will continue to do so.

Climate change

M. Shafiq Qaadri: Ma question est pour le ministre de l’Environnement et de l’Action en matière de changement climatique, the Honorable Chris Ballard.

Speaker, the question concerns our remarkable sale of the cap-and-trade auction. Speaker, climate change is real. Extreme weather events, fluctuating temperatures—they all have real effects, including on human health. Our auction was recently a sellout, raising almost half a billion dollars.

But Speaker, a responsible government has to have a credible, costed plan. I’ve actually been reviewing the People’s Guarantee, Speaker, and all I can see from it is a kind of ostrich-like running away from climate change. From what I can see, Speaker, all it does is guarantee—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. First, you’re going to have to put that one piece down. I can see that it is a prop, so I’m going to ask the member to put that down. Second of all, as I said yesterday, let’s relate it to the government. You can make that short introduction, but talk about policy, please. Carry on.

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Thank you, Speaker. I accept your advice and get rid of it right now.

Every cent of those proceeds is required by law to be invested in programs that reduce pollution, and these programs, such as the GreenON climate change program, are improving cycling infrastructure, retrofits for hospitals, schools and transit.

My question to the government minister is this: Can he please explain to the House how our successful plan is reducing pollution in Ontario?

Hon. Chris Ballard: Thank you to the member from Etobicoke North for his passion and that important question. I know that as a medical doctor the member is well aware of the threat that climate change poses to our health.

As the member mentioned, Ontario generated $471 million in proceeds from our first joint cap-and-invest auction with California and Quebec, Speaker. This goes to show that businesses are confident in our carbon market and that the market is functioning as planned.

We’ve seen that businesses, as well as independent experts, agree that our cap on pollution is the best way to put a price on carbon. Our program not only reduces pollution from businesses, it does so at the lowest price possible.

In January, the independent Environmental Commissioner of Ontario said, Ontario’s linked cap-and-invest program “will save almost all of us money.” We’re proud to stand on this, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Speaker, I find the minister’s answer particularly reliable, credible and intelligent, far more sensible—

Interjections.

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Speaker, as I was saying, I find the minister’s response far more reliable, credible and intelligent than the previous money-back guarantee, which I dare not name any further.

Just yesterday the minister announced the GreenON Challenge, which will award $300 million to businesses, non-profits and other organizations for projects that will reduce pollution in the province of Ontario. It’s about investing in Ontario’s future and creating a fairer society, not the ostrich-like approach of others.

Speaker, my question is this: Can the minister please tell the House how our plan is investing in green solutions for the benefit of all Ontarians?

Hon. Chris Ballard: Thank you to the member for Etobicoke North. I agree with everything he said.

Speaker, our plan is helping Ontarians fight climate change and save money. Meanwhile, we are so disappointed to see the PCs refuse to take climate change seriously. The environment is too important to be ignored. Climate change is too important to be ignored. A plan that turns its back on climate change and leaves a $9.6-billion hole, in addition to $16 billion, is not one that is acceptable to this government or the people of Ontario.

We are investing in this province through our proceeds from cap-and-invest. We are making social housing better and schools better—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. New question.

Mental health services

Mr. Lorne Coe: My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. A 2017 survey conducted by the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association found that one in three students concluded that their school mental health resources and supports were grossly inadequate. More recently, the association’s 2018 election platform calls on the government to fund suicide intervention and mental health training programs to deal with this mental health crisis.

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party has already responded by matching the federal government’s commitment of $1.9 billion for mental health resources, particularly topping up elementary and secondary school mental health supports.

When will the Liberal government finally address the growing mental health crisis in Ontario schools?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Minister of Education.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I want to thank the member opposite for his question. I also want to thank the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association for their advocacy. We will absolutely continue to meet with them regularly to look at various ways that we can support our school system, our school community and certainly our students.

Mental health and the challenges our young people are facing today is something that I absolutely take as a priority in our government and in our school system. That’s because we know that children are facing more and more challenges when it comes to some of the things and the issues that they’re facing today. Schools are dealing with panic attacks. They’re dealing with children having anxiety issues. They’re dealing with children suffering from depression.

I want you to know that we care deeply and that I care deeply about this. I am absolutely proud to work for a government that has stepped up and is addressing some of these challenges by providing an additional $49 million over the next three years. I’m happy to talk—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Supplementary? The member from Thornhill.

Mrs. Gila Martow: To the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care: The College Student Alliance, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities prepared a report entitled, In It Together: Taking Action on Student Mental Health. In the report, the four partners explained that providing effective support for student mental health is one of the most pressing issues on college and university campuses today, and that post-secondary institutions have made addressing it a priority but can’t meet the challenge alone.

Mr. Speaker, representatives of the organizations visited Queen’s Park last fall and shared their difficult stories, including students who volunteered to intervene in crisis situations on our campuses. Will the minister tell our students and educators why they have underfunded campus mental health support, forcing vulnerable students to take care of each other?

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.

Hon. Mitzie Hunter: Thank you for the opportunity to rise in the House and to talk about this very important issue. We know that when students go off to a post-secondary institution, a college or a university, that can be a very stressful and difficult time for them. Oftentimes it’s the first time that they’re away from home, and they need the supports to be in place as they’re away from their families and their friends.

Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of this issue. In fact, our government has taken significant action. That is why, beginning in this school year, we are investing an additional $6 million annually in mental health supports over the next three years. This brings our total investment to $15 million annually so that our campuses can be places where students are feeling that they have the supports that they need. They have a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week help line. We know students need supports around the clock, and those supports are in place.

Child protection

Miss Monique Taylor: My question is for the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Yesterday I raised a question about Kanina Sue Turtle, who filmed her own suicide while she was left alone for 45 minutes in a foster home in Sioux Lookout. Her family wants to know what happened. In response, the minister said that he is always available to any family that wants to connect. This is simply unacceptable. The onus should not be put on a grieving family to reach out to the minister. It doesn’t help this family, and it certainly doesn’t help the thousands of First Nation and Métis families with loved ones in care.

I ask again, will the minister tell this family what happened to Kanina?

Hon. Michael Coteau: Since becoming the minister responsible for children and youth services in this province, I’ve found that these types of issues are often the most complex and most challenging.

On the very surface, it is also quite heartbreaking to hear these stories that come from many places across this province. I often think about the family and the pain that they are going through, so my heart goes out to the family. I’ll say it again that I’ve always been willing to meet with any family.

But to have this type of conversation across a Legislature about a personal story that’s taking place, this challenge that this one family is going through—this is not the appropriate place to have this conversation. I will meet with the family.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve met with many families across this province. I’ve been throughout all of northern Ontario talking to families about the challenges that they’re going through.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Miss Monique Taylor: Now that was an inappropriate response. This is the place where we raise the issues of the people of this province.

Last May, in this place, I raised Kanina’s death along with those of other indigenous children who died in group homes. At that time I called on the minister to institute mandatory inquests into the deaths of all children in care. Instead, I understand the coroner is doing a review of 11 deaths, and we’re not sure if Kanina’s death is one of them. We must know what has happened so that we can stop the deaths of young people in care.

Will the minister find it appropriate to inquire and have a full inquest that is open and transparent so that lives can be saved?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Minister.

Hon. Michael Coteau: I think that all young people in this province deserve to feel safe. If they need help or if a family needs help, there need to be places for them to go. That’s why we’ve updated our legislation in the province of Ontario to make sure that there is more accountability and more transparency in the system. We’ve updated our blueprint that changes the very way in which the whole sector is regulated.

This is a family that has gone through a lot of pain. There are a lot of privacy issues in regard to this particular case. I think it’s completely inappropriate for the member to politicize this issue. If she really wants to help the family, then come and talk to me and let’s see a way we can do it. If she wants to talk about the policies and regulations that govern the way in which young people are treated in this province, then that’s a completely different thing. But stop politicizing this important issue.

Economic development

Mrs. Liz Sandals: My question is for the minister responsible for small business. Speaker, we keep hearing from the opposition—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): You’ll join them.

Mrs. Liz Sandals: We keep hearing from the opposition parties that our economy is struggling and that we’re neglecting our business community, but in fact we know that this just simply isn’t the case. We know that Ontario continues to drive national economic growth. We’ve created nearly 800,000 net new jobs since the recession. Our unemployment rate is the lowest in 17 years and has been under the national average for 33 straight months.

It’s important that we ensure our businesses and communities are thriving and continue to create good local jobs. Just yesterday the minister was in my riding of Guelph to announce our partnership with Sleeman Breweries.

Speaker, through you, can the minister please tell us how this government is supporting regional economic growth?

Hon. Jeff Leal: I want to thank the member from Guelph for that question. Mr. Speaker, last month the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s contributing BMO economist said that Ontario’s underlying macroeconomics are the best they’ve been in decades.

Investing in regional economic development is the smart thing to do. Through our Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, we’ve committed $163 million of funding support, leveraging over $1.9 billion in investments. We’re helping to support over 40,000 local, good-paying jobs.

Just yesterday, I had the privilege, in partnership with Sleeman Breweries, to support over 425 local, highly skilled jobs in Guelph, Ontario. Our support will help Sleeman bring back production to Guelph from the United States of 100,000 hectolitres of beer and grow good jobs while investing in advanced manufacturing technology. This is part of our plan to create opportunities for highly skilled workers and to ensure Ontario’s food and beverage processors remain the best in the world.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member from Barrie.

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: Thank you, Minister, for your answer. It’s clear to me that this government is working diligently to make sure that we’re supporting our communities and our businesses.

The opposition parties would like the people of Ontario to believe that we’re not doing anything to help businesses invest and grow in this province. This simply isn’t true. Unlike their plan that guarantees nothing but cuts, cuts and more cuts, we are investing in jobs right here, right now, at home. Their fearmongering that increasing the minimum wage will force employers to reduce staff by bringing in automation is also false.

Just last week, I was joined by the Minister of Economic Development and Growth to announce funding for Innovative Automation in my own riding of Barrie. This is another great example of how our government continues to support economic growth in local communities.

Will the minister please tell us more about the importance of our regional economic development program?

Hon. Jeff Leal: I want to thank the member from Barrie for that supplementary question. We’re working hard to make sure our plan moves everyone forward. We’re making sure families can take advantage of our economic benefits. We’re also ensuring that businesses keep investing in Ontario.

As the member from Barrie said, last week we announced our partnership with Barrie’s Innovative Automation. In this great case, where robots are actually creating jobs, this will create 29 new jobs and keep 102 existing positions. We’re helping this facility expand in Barrie and make sure that over 130 people have good-paying jobs in that wonderful community. What’s even greater is that Innovative Automation will employ a lot of local talent. About one quarter of the facility staff are Georgian College graduates. The facility also does a large portion of its business within two kilometres of the new location.

This is how our plan is working to help support our local economy and keep Ontario competitive.

Mental health services

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. I recently had the opportunity to go on a ride-along with officers from the Niagara Regional Police Service. I had the chance on this ride-along to learn more about the cost and impact of inadequate mental health funding in my community.

While I was with these officers, we received an MHA call, a mental-health-apprehension call. These front-line officers shared many real-life stories with me about the harm caused by this government’s failure to invest in preventative mental health services. Most calls that these officers receive are to deal with people who are having a mental health crisis, people who could have been helped by earlier intervention.

Will the minister commit today to matching the federal transfer for mental health to help my constituents and to enable the officers of my community to focus on policing?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: The member’s question raises an important point. That point is that so many of our individual government ministries are involved in looking at and tackling the issues around mental health.

That’s precisely why we’ve established a mental health wellness table amongst our ministries where, in collaboration, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Children and Youth Services and the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services are sitting and talking about the issues and how the aspects of mental health do impact so many different government services. This is a very important initiative.

We, of course, have increased our community supports through the years. I’m sure your police force is well aware of that as well. We have had the increase in terms of supportive housing and the integrated youth hubs that my colleague the Minister of Children and Youth Services has announced. So, yes, it’s a complex problem, and we’re working on it.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member for Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock.

Ms. Laurie Scott: My question is to the Minister of Health. The Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions reviewed front-line services that included 24/7 mobile crisis intervention teams for adults and children, as well as crisis centres. They were interested by the possibility, the services offered were very impressive, and some of the innovative initiatives already in place around the province could help—initiatives like the Crisis Outreach and Support Team, or COAST, which partners health and social service personnel with police officers. In fact, the select committee recommended supporting these models.

Why is the government failing to offer these much-needed mental health support services to our front-line workers?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Thank you very much for the question, because it gives me a chance to acknowledge what we are hearing all throughout our province, that there is a need to transform our system. Mental health is definitely a key part.

One thing that I’m very proud to share today is that for the first time in our Police Services Act, we’re introducing a community safety and well-being plan. This will be something where each municipality looks together with their organizations, with their policing partners and with their mental health organizations, at finding ways and solutions to address what the member opposite is sharing.

I did some ride-alongs myself, Mr. Speaker. To be very frank, the police are asking for us to give tools, to give extra availability, to look at this gap. I’m very proud that our government is taking action.

Mental health services

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: My question is to the Minister of Health. Decades of cuts and stagnant funding by this Liberal government have pushed our mental health system into crisis. Windsor seniors are waiting months for mental health services, and many with specialized mental health needs like dementia are being placed in acute care because there is nowhere else for them to go.

But there’s an easy way to help alleviate this crisis. Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in Windsor has available beds. The units are built and ready to go—brand new units. All they need is the financial support of this government so that the beds can be fully operational and seniors can be placed appropriately. Ministry staff have toured the units and acknowledged the need to get them open. The minister herself said this morning that mental health is the most important part of our well-being.

Will the Minister of Health commit today to provide the funds needed for Hôtel-Dieu Grace so that seniors with complex needs can get the help that they need without delay?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: To the member opposite, my former critic and obviously in action here today, I would say that this is a very important question. I know that this is precisely what we are looking at across the province: Where do we have gaps in service, and how can we address them?

She mentioned specifically seniors with complex needs, including dementia. Of course, we’ve had a very robust dementia strategy in this province, and we have committed to ensuring that people living with dementia and their families feel supported and they continue to be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.

Within the 2017 budget, our government announced an additional investment of $101 million over three years for Ontario’s Dementia Strategy. This will improve coordination of care, strong partnerships between primary care and specialist physicians and community care providers.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: Back to the Minister of Health: Perhaps she didn’t hear me. It’s a fully ready-to-go turnkey wing, just waiting for the hospital to receive operational funding so they can bring seniors out of acute care into the care they need to actually provide them the dignity you claim that they deserve.

Seniors who have worked their entire lives to better this province should get mental health services when they need them, and they should expect the same for their children and grandchildren. But we need to do more than just tinker with the same broken system, the same underfunded system. It’s time for something completely different. That’s why New Democrats have promised an overhaul and, for the first time, a comprehensive ministry of mental health and addictions services.

Will the Minister of Health admit that Windsor families deserve better, give Hôtel-Dieu Grace the financial resources that they need now and commit to our plan to deliver a ministry of mental health and addictions services so we fix this crisis once and for all?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Our government has made these commitments. We will be looking at all potential applicants for funding over the next short while.

Particularly to the member from Windsor West, I would say that it’s absolutely clear that somehow she missed our 2017 budget. We have invested over $500 million in funding to Ontario hospitals for expansion of services. This is precisely what we’re doing. Our transitional care beds, our supportive housing initiatives: This is all part of the puzzle.

We’re working hard. We will continue to do so. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that all Ontarians live in the kind of dignity and respect that they deserve.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: I want to thank the member for Scarborough–Agincourt for this important question and her local work in her community to identify and remove barriers for all people in Ontario.

Speaker, it’s Tuesday morning, and I’m asking you and everyone to imagine Ontario’s classrooms. Images that are brought to my mind range from kindergarten students creating finger-painting works of art to high school students doing some last-minute studying before their big math test.

As I reflect on that, I have to reflect on what this looks like for students with disabilities. Are they getting everything they deserve from the education system? Will they have the resources that they need? Are there barriers that they face in being the best students that they can possibly be?

That’s why I’m so pleased to confirm that we have established two new standards development committees in the education sector: one for K-to-12 and one for post-secondary. I’ll be pleased to speak more about that in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

In my diverse riding of Scarborough–Agincourt, I know my residents, especially young people, are keen to learn more about the new standards as well as the two committees.

Speaker, through you to the minister, can she please inform the House as to the composition of this committee and the work they plan to do in accomplishing