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March 8, 2018

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2018-Mar-08 (PDF)

L148 - Thu 8 Mar 2018 / Jeu 8 mar 2018

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Thursday 8 March 2018 Jeudi 8 mars 2018

Orders of the Day

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

Climate change

Introduction of Visitors

Oral Questions

Ontario budget

Long-term care

Hospital services

Hospital services

Automobile insurance

Water quality

Ontario budget

Fish and wildlife management

Violence against women

Hospital funding

Equal opportunity

International trade

Visitor

Legislative pages

Visitors

Deferred Votes

Safer Ontario Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 pour plus de sécurité en Ontario

Members’ Statements

Business community

Police services

Bangladeshi community

Events in Parry Sound–Muskoka

Resort development

Investments in Etobicoke North

Marcel Brunelle

Fire in Streetsville

International trade

Introduction of Bills

Home Air Support Inc. Act, 2018

Motions

Private members’ public business

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

International Women’s Day

Social workers

International Women’s Day

Social workers

International Women’s Day

Social workers

Petitions

Child protection

Hunting and fishing revenues

Injured workers

Anti-smoking initiatives for youth

Provincial debt

Employment standards

Respite care

Town of Pelham

Alzheimer’s disease

Child protection

Private Members’ Public Business

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

Student Absenteeism and Protection Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur l’absentéisme et la protection des élèves

Poet Laureate of Ontario Act (In Memory of Gord Downie), 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur le poète officiel de l’Ontario (à la mémoire de Gord Downie)

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

Student Absenteeism and Protection Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur l’absentéisme et la protection des élèves

Poet Laureate of Ontario Act (In Memory of Gord Downie), 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur le poète officiel de l’Ontario (à la mémoire de Gord Downie)

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

Visitor

Royal assent / Sanction royale

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

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

Mr. Ballard, on behalf of Ms. McMahon, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 194,

An Act respecting fairness in procurement / Projet de loi 194, Loi concernant l’équité en matière de marchés publics.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The minister has moved third reading of Bill 194.

Minister.

Hon. Chris Ballard: Speaker, I believe the minister will be here shortly to make her remarks.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate? I recognize the member from Sault Ste. Marie.

Mr. Ross Romano: Good morning, Madame Speaker, and thank you for the opportunity to rise and speak with respect to Bill 194. Last week, I spoke with respect to this matter and I had some harsh words with respect to Bill 194. I think they were entirely fair. The concern I had and have with Bill 194 is this: At the time that it was being enacted, we knew that the US DOC had recommendations to President Trump with respect to Bill 232.

That particular bill was considering three options with respect to trade tariffs which Canada could be subject to. The concern I raised with the government was that Bill 194 was an antagonistic measure in response to something happening in New York.

While there may be some merit to that as an option of last resort, as a starting point it is imperative that we try a diplomatic approach to deal with our friends in the US, to try to encourage President Trump to consider other alternatives, specifically with reference to Bill 232. The reason why I said that was in Bill 232, there are three options that were presented to President Trump. Now, it’s really interesting to note the dates. As of last Wednesday, the recommendations to President Trump were to be considered on April 11 or thereafter.

We stood in this House and debated at length about the effect of poking the President in the eye when something as detrimental to Canadian steel—and let’s just digress here for a moment.

We have three integrated steel producers in our country, all of which are located in Ontario and one of which is located in my community of Sault Ste. Marie. The Sault Ste. Marie steel market cannot survive two of the three options presented by Ross in Bill 232. My suggestion, my strong encouragement to the government last Wednesday, was, “Let us not poke the President of the United States in the eye. Let us have meaningful and diplomatic negotiations with him to demonstrate to the President that the US economy requires ours as much as we need them.”

At that time, I had already reached out to State Senator Schmidt in Michigan. He shared my concerns. Thereafter, I spoke with the senator, and he is very worried that Michigan, his home state, will immediately proceed into a recession if Algoma in Sault Ste. Marie closes. The Upper Peninsula in Michigan relies heavily on the tourism industry which comes from our community in Sault Ste. Marie. They rely heavily on providing Sault Ste. Marie’s Algoma mill with the raw materials to produce steel. Many communities in Michigan will fold if my community of Sault Ste. Marie folds.

The auto sector, Detroit, will be hit incredibly hard. Minnesota will be hit hard. Wisconsin will be hit hard. The Virginias will be hit hard. There are a number of states in the US that will suffer dramatically if Canada suffers as a result of these trade tariffs.

My strong encouragement to the government last Wednesday was that this is not the time for poking the President of the US in the eye. It is the time to be diplomatic and reach out to our friends. On Thursday, I stood up and made a member’s statement and said, “Let us all make one phone call. If we split up a list of names and we all make one phone call and demonstrate to a person south of the border in power what this tariff will do to their country, to their economy, to the people they represent, that is the way we will resolve this issue with the US over trade, and steel in particular.”

I find it very interesting, and a little too coincidental, that we sat here on Wednesday—a full month and a half before President Trump was supposed to make a decision on Bill 232—and on Thursday, the very next day, a full month and a half before he was supposed to make his decision, President Trump announced that he was not even going to proceed with any of the recommendations that the DOC presented to him. In fact, he took it a step further. Option 1 under Bill 232 suggested a 24% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum. President Trump decided to go with a 25% tariff on steel, and it’s expected that that decision will be announced later today and made official.

My community cannot sustain that tariff. My community will not be able to survive. There will be 2,800-plus people in Sault Ste. Marie who will be unemployed. There will be 6,000-plus people on pension in Sault Ste. Marie who will not be able to find work and will not receive their pensions. The indirect spinoff: There are another 6,500 people in Sault Ste. Marie that have indirect employment within our steel plant. They will lose their work.

In a community of 72,000-plus people, imagine the effect of 6,000-plus pensioners no longer having income and no longer being able to find employment, and 3,000 people, almost, losing full-time employment with a median wage of $80,000-plus a year. Imagine another 6,500 people that will lose their employment as a result of the indirect employment they obtain out of the steel plant.

The effects are highly detrimental to my community, but it will flow. Other communities in the north will not be able to survive. A number of our employees at Algoma Steel work in the surrounding areas outside of Sault Ste. Marie; a number of the pensioners reside outside of Sault Ste. Marie. I said last week that mills like Domtar in Espanola and EACOM in Nairn Centre will not be able to survive, because there will no longer be train access, because Huron Central Railway will shut down. This has such a serious effect.

I appreciate the government’s efforts with respect to Bill 194; I appreciate the process that was considered. I’m curious if the Premier attempted, and I hope she did, to reach out to the state officials in New York before resorting to Bill 194. I would be encouraged to know whether or not those attempts were made, and I would like to know what the fruits of those discussions were, because I’m sure our Premier would have sought to speak with those state officials in New York before resorting to Bill 194. I would like to know what stemmed from those discussions, but notwithstanding, it was premature.

We had a month and a half to address Bill 232, because that is the bigger risk. And you know what? That risk is now in front of us. That risk is real, and it has my community shaking. It has many communities shaking within this country and the other steel markets within Ontario. And it has people in the US shaking.

There is room for Bill 194 as an option of last resort, but I still beg all of my friends—

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: That’s what it is.

Mr. Ross Romano: I am not playing games.

Interjection.

Mr. Ross Romano: If you, Minister, picked up the phone and called a member in the United States and said, “This will hurt your economy,” if we all work together and stop with these games—stop with the games. If you think that the right approach to negotiations is to punch the President of the United States in the mouth, you are so sadly wrong, but—

Interjection.

Mr. Ross Romano: If you’ll notice, I don’t read notes. I would like to see you do the same.

But at this time, Speaker, I am content to end my comments on the matter. I think I’ve said enough. It’s just a matter of whether they will listen.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate.

Mr. John Vanthof: It’s always an honour to rise in this House and speak on behalf of my constituents in Timiskaming–Cochrane and my NDP colleagues and their constituents across the province, particularly on this bill, Bill 194, the Fairness in Procurement Act.

We understand the need for legislation to protect workers. We have some serious concerns with some of the context around this bill. The principle of the bill, we could support, but there are several issues with this legislation, particularly when you look at the greater context. When I made the opening statement, the response to the minister—perhaps my most quoted statement in the House since I’ve been here—it’s: This is not the time to poke the President in the eye. Really, this isn’t the time to do that. This isn’t the time to do that. The government has chosen to do that—as a legislator, something that’s perhaps even more telling and egregious.

So today we’ve got the francophone youth Parliament here. Often I go to schools and I explain how the legislative process works: The government introduces a bill, first reading, second reading, it goes to committee, where experts and lay people and people impacted, like people from the steel industry across this province, like workers across this province, auto workers across this province, people in the forestry sector, people in supply management—they could all be impacted, indirectly and directly, by this legislation. The government says this legislation is to protect workers.

We say we have to be cognizant and recognize its impact on all workers. The way that is supposed to happen in our system is: After second reading, a bill goes to committee, which hears the opinions of the people of the province who are impacted by the legislation. Amendments are put forward. Then, it goes to third reading, where it is again fully debated, and obviously, with a government majority, it will pass.

If used or interpreted incorrectly, the impact of this legislation could be international—obviously, its impact will be international. But some of the impact, the collateral damage of this legislation—I don’t think any of us can really gauge what that’s going to be. The best way to gauge that is to ask experts to come to committee and comment on the legislation. That’s how our parliamentary system is built—but not with this legislation. This legislation is having first, second and third reading with absolutely no input from anyone other than the governing party, which is now in the dying days of its term.

Now is especially the time to make sure that its legislation is transparent and that all impacts are evaluated. In the last three months of their term, as a totally lame-duck government, they now have decided to put forward legislation without any input from the public, from impacted workers and, quite frankly, from this House.

There has been no opportunity to put forward amendments. It’s one thing if we—the opposition parties and the government—can put forward amendments and they are debated and rejected, which happens here all the time. It always frustrates us, because we don’t have the mandate. In a majority government, the governing party has a mandate; they put forward legislation. It’s our role to criticize. It’s also our role to put forward amendments to make the legislation better on behalf of the people of Ontario and on behalf of the people we represent.

So we’re often frustrated that we put forward amendments and the government routinely doesn’t accept any. That’s frustrating. But in this case, the government has put forward a time allocation motion that strips the whole process altogether. This legislation came from the Premier’s office. The rest of the whole process on this piece of legislation is, quite frankly, a sham. No changes are going to be made, no matter what anyone says in this House, because there was no committee process.

Often, when time allocation motions are put forward, we raise the issue that committees should travel across the province so that people across the province will have a chance to have input on proposed legislation. That’s almost always not the case. The committee hearings are held in Toronto. We often criticize the government for seeming to be more cognizant of the wishes of the folks who live close to Queen’s Park than the outsides of the province. That’s also the case with this. The folks who work in steel in Sault Ste. Marie—they obviously don’t have a care in the world about them.

If they actually had allowed a committee to sit and talk about it, they should have gone to the Soo, to Hamilton, to places like that, that are going to be impacted, perhaps, by the collateral damage of this bill. They should have toured the forestry sector in northern Ontario. They are very worried about the trade negotiations that are happening right now and about the collateral damage that this bill can have.

But in this case, we don’t even have to mention that they didn’t travel to other parts of the province. With this piece of legislation, it’s obvious that the Liberal government of the day doesn’t care about anyone, or anyone’s opinion, whether it be lay or expert, other than their own opinion. It’s very obvious, Speaker. With this piece of legislation, the only people that the Liberals truly care about are themselves and their own interests.

If that wasn’t the case, they would be happy to have committee hearings and hear from trade experts, from experts in various industries and from procurement experts; to talk about the best way to implement this type of legislation and how it could best be done. They would be more than happy to do that. But, Speaker, they’re not. They have truncated, they have kiboshed the whole process. There are no committee hearings—none. Not even an attempt to talk to the public—none.

This open and transparent government—that was the last campaign; now they’re the fairness government. Where is the openness and transparency when you take out the committee process? You just take it out. They’re not only poking the President in the eye, they’re poking everybody in the eye because, quite frankly, they don’t seem to care. They care about themselves. This bill may very well not be about the next election, but it certainly appears to be so because they’ve made absolutely no attempt to make sure that it’s done correctly. They’ve made no attempt.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Zero.

Mr. John Vanthof: Zero. Again, we support the principle of making sure that all sectors are treated equally, and we support the principle of this bill. But the problem is the way this government is forcing this legislation through, and we have known, as we’ve got examples from the past, that the collateral damage from this government’s decisions, sometimes, is just unfathomable.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: On a point of order, Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Point of order.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Speaker, I’m really sorry to do this. I have two guests in the gallery right now who may not be here for question period, so I just want to quickly introduce them. Aftab and Faiz Qureshi are visiting from Markham. I welcome them to Queen’s Park.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate?

Mrs. Liz Sandals: I rise in the House today to join in third reading debate for the proposed Fairness in Procurement Act, 2018. Unfortunately, Speaker, I’m delayed in giving this speech because the official opposition, while it struggles with their own internal affairs, have chosen to delay the important work of this House with procedural tricks and obstructionist delays. However, we are here to talk about something important: our work to protect Ontario businesses and made-in-Ontario jobs.

Recently a tide of protectionism and protectionist sentiments has risen across America. Whether it’s the unfair NAFTA negotiations, discriminatory Buy American legislation or the new proposed steel tariffs that would severely tax any imports to the US, one thing remains clear: Our partners south of the border have no intention of exempting Canadian workers and businesses from the impacts of their economic nationalism. That’s why we have to be prepared to respond to these unfair policies. We have to stand up for our workers and our businesses. This bill does exactly that.

It would irresponsible of the government to allow US states—and I want to emphasize here, we’re talking about states; this is a province-to-state interaction, not a national trade interaction, which of course we have no jurisdiction over.

But it would be irresponsible of our government to allow US states to continue winning public procurement contracts in Ontario while our own businesses are shut out by state laws from similar opportunities in those American states. This is why we need to pass the Fairness in Procurement Act, because, as the government of Ontario, we do control public procurement in Ontario. That’s the thing that this bill addresses: public procurement in Ontario. When Ontario taxpayers spend money, we should have a fair playing field vis-à-vis the US states across the border. It will act as a powerful deterrent and, as a last resort, would allow us to level the playing field.

I want to share with the House the relationship that we have with our partners in the US. Hopefully, this will provide more insight into why we are proposing this piece of legislation. Speaker, in 2015-16, the Ontario government awarded more than 500 US-based businesses with contracts worth approximately $460 million. A third of this, approximately $160 million, went to 77 New York-based corporations.

Ontario’s economic success is linked to our strong business relationship with the US, but this isn’t just a competitive advantage for our province; our partnership underpins the competitiveness of this entire region. Both Ontario and New York state benefit enormously from a strong and integrated partnership that supports good jobs on both sides of the border.

Yet, as we know, New York state and Texas state have passed Buy American legislation, which undermines the spirit of our partnership and gives their businesses and workers an unfair edge. We are concerned that other states are considering similar proposals. In the face of these developments, our government cannot and will not stand idly by and have Ontario businesses discriminated against. While we do not think it is optimal, we want the US to know that we are ready and willing to respond if necessary.

We are fully committed to standing up for Ontario businesses, and I encourage the opposition and the third party to get some backbone and join us in doing so too. This is not something to make political, and, frankly speaking, I do not think it is fair when the parties opposite spend debate time finding that it is. This is about hard-working Ontarians and protecting the jobs of hard-working Ontarians. Our government will continue to advocate for open, transparent and competitive procurement and to stand up for the well-being of Ontario workers.

That’s why our Premier has met or spoken with nearly 40 US governors to talk about the benefits of our partnership. Think about that: Almost 40 of the US governors have spoken with Premier Kathleen Wynne. I am proud to stand beside a Premier who continues to lead advocacy efforts when it comes to protecting Ontarians. It ultimately resulted in New York state scaling back its Buy American legislation to be less harmful than earlier versions of their proposed Buy American legislation.

But, Speaker, it’s not enough from our partners south of the border. Our government will stand up for Ontario workers and businesses, especially in the face of US protectionism. We’re sending a clear message. Our US partners need to know that if they choose protectionism, we will respond. Our government has fought hard to protect the values we all hold dear and to protect the jobs that help sustain those values and our way of life. Our government has never been afraid to do whatever is necessary to stand up for the workers of Ontario.

Buy American protectionist policies at the state level can have an impact on vital economic sectors like construction, sectors that provide good-paying jobs to our highly skilled workers and businesses that provide affordable goods and services to our citizens.

Our government believes in a level playing field for Ontario businesses and workers. We must protect Ontario businesses and Ontario jobs in the face of these harmful Buy American policies. We have been clear that if any state takes action to harm Ontario workers and businesses, we would respond in kind. That is why our government introduced the Fairness in Procurement Act, 2018, the bill that we are debating in third reading here today.

This legislation, if passed, would provide Ontario with an important tool to ensure our industries, our businesses and our workers are fairly treated. It would provide Ontario with the ability to quickly and decisively respond to US subnational jurisdictions—that is, states and municipalities—that uphold their own Buy American policies. I think it’s important to note that first of all, the American subnational, the American state or municipality, would already have enacted their own Buy American legislation.

The proposed Fairness in Procurement Act is also meant to discourage other US subnational jurisdictions, both at the state and the local level, from considering similar Buy American provisions.

The people of Ontario and New York state have benefited enormously from our close and integrated relationship. Our government would like to keep it that way. But now, our businesses are being blocked from bidding on US public procurement contracts, even though US businesses from New York state can bid on Ontario public procurement policies—public procurement paid for by Ontario taxpayers.

Our close relationship with many US states is measured beyond the value of goods and services that flow between our borders. It is a relationship that relies on its deeply interconnected economies, and we believe strongly in keeping it that way. Ontario and New York state have both benefited from this deep integration, from good jobs on both sides of the border to competitive growth and access to government procurement opportunities.

Beyond economic integration, we also share similar values—

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Thank you.

Further debate? I recognize the member from Thornhill.

Mrs. Gila Martow: Madam Speaker, I move adjournment of the debate.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Ms. Martow has moved adjournment of the debate. 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.”

I believe the nays have it.

This will be a 30-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 0933 to 1003.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Mrs. Martow has moved adjournment of the debate.

All those in favour, please rise and remain standing until counted by the Clerk.

All those opposed, please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 6; the nays are 24.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): I declare the motion lost.

Pursuant to the order of the House dated March 5, 2018, I’m now required to put the question.

Mr. Ballard has moved third reading of Bill 194,

An Act respecting fairness in procurement. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Third reading agreed to.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: A point of order: I heard a nay.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): I recognize the Attorney General.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: There was a nay, Speaker.

Climate change

Resuming the debate adjourned on March 7, 2018, on the motion regarding climate change.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate?

Mr. Ross Romano: With respect to this particular motion, the concern I have—that we have, and we should all have—is that there are a number of important matters that we need to address, and we’re here speaking about this motion on climate change, which doesn’t actually propose any kind of solution or plan—nothing. We’re just identifying a problem that we already know exists. So I am curious: What is the solution that is being brought forward? We are not hearing it.

There are a number of initiatives that we can be undertaking to more appropriately utilize our time, but we’re spending our time doing other things that, quite frankly, aren’t helpful. But I’m happy to recognize the importance of climate change as an issue. I believe that the government’s efforts through the cap-and-trade program are sorely lacking in that area. I do not believe that there is any sense in sending money from our province to foreign jurisdictions when we could use that money here in Ontario. We can use that money to assist businesses here in Ontario that are struggling.

Yesterday when I rose, I spoke about the climate change motion. I referenced some initiatives going on within my community that would make a significant impact on environment-related issues. I spoke about the Ellsin tire plant in Sault Ste. Marie, which is being held up because of red tape. The Minister of the Environment refuses to grant an extension to a five-year permit to allow this plant to be viewed by investors.

Madam Speaker, this is an amazing opportunity in Sault Ste. Marie. We actually have the technology available where we could take tires, recycle them, break them down right to carbon black. We could produce new tires. It’s not the recycling that exists to date. This is a great environmental initiative. Think of the amount of landfill space occupied by tires. Think about the disaster that presents when fires occur. The environmental footprint is enormous. We have a solution, but because of government red tape my community cannot further that investment opportunity that would create jobs in my community and resolve a major environmental issue. It’s proven.

We can’t get an extension of a five-year permit so that these people, who have invested millions of dollars within my community—we can’t get a permit so that they can just simply show this plant to potential investors. They need to be able to run it for 12 hours a month. Nobody is going to spend millions of dollars to purchase this technology and then operate a plant like this if they can’t see it happen. They want to be able to watch a tire move across that belt, go through the ovens, get reduced, and they want to see that carbon black at the end. They’re not going to be able to do that if we can’t get a permit to operate for 12 hours.

The Minister of the Environment has said, “No, you can’t get that permit unless you apply for a permanent permit.” It doesn’t make any sense. These are the types of things that are stifling our ability to grow jobs. It is stifling our opportunity to improve the environment—red tape. It would be nice if we were in this House speaking about actual initiatives that advance reducing our carbon footprint, actual initiatives that will make a difference, not just simply speaking about identifying a problem that we already know exists.

I spoke yesterday about the ferrochrome processing plant that Noront Resources wants to build in northern Ontario. This plant will create, just to build it, about 400 jobs; to operate it, about another 400 jobs; and an indirect spinoff of approximately 3 to 1, so potentially another 1,000 to 1,200 jobs within a community in northern Ontario. Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Timmins have been asked to put proposals in.

I’m sure the member from Thunder Bay–Superior North, the minister, would be very happy to see 400 jobs in his community, and another 1,200 potential, indirect jobs. I know my community would be very, very happy to have those. I know Sudbury would be very happy, and I know Timmins would be very happy to see those jobs, but we’re not going to be able to do it if we can’t get the Ring of Fire development done. They can operate in an environmentally safe and responsible way. Those opportunities exist right within the north, to be able to grow jobs and still have it done in a safe and responsible way.

Let’s imagine that Noront cannot develop the proper infrastructure. Well, they will still mine the resources, and those resources will be shipped off to China or other locations, like in South Africa, where there’s a significant ferrochrome market. Those plants will turn that ore into ferrochrome and produce stainless steel. We will not see the benefits that those plants would provide to the environment if they operated within Ontario, within our environmental restrictions here in our province.

If they are operating in some of these foreign markets where those restrictions do not apply, that carbon footprint is felt by the world. Whether you produce ferrochrome in Ontario or whether you make ferrochrome in India or China or South Africa, the carbon footprint is felt around the world. If we really want to do something to help the environment, let’s make sure that business is here in Ontario, so that at least we can control the carbon that is emitted from these places.

What do they need? They need a road. They also need some help on energy rates. Let’s promise them that we’ll give them six cents a kilowatt hour. Let’s do something to incentivize these businesses to operate in Ontario, if we want to reduce their carbon footprint around the world. These are the types of the initiatives we can take.

It’s unfortunate that we’re here spending valuable time discussing a motion with no teeth, no solutions, no plan, while we have important things to address, very important matters that matter to our economy and matter to the environment—

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Don’t be so hard on the PC platform.

Mr. Ross Romano: I always appreciate comments that I hear from the other side, especially from the member from Etobicoke North. Last week, we were in here and he was talking about Belgium. He was talking about being happy to poke the President of the United States in the eye when we’re talking about steel. Now he’s talking here about the PC platform.

Interjections.

Mr. Ross Romano: It’s unfortunate that the gamesmanship that is being played from that side of the floor is being played in the face of an election when there are important matters that matter—

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Thank you.

Debate deemed adjourned.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Seeing as it’s 10:15, I’ll be recessing the House until 1030.

The House recessed from 1014 to 1030.

Introduction of Visitors

L’hon. Nathalie Des Rosiers: Je veux reconnaître, dans la galerie, les participants au Parlement des jeunes francophones. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park. C’est très agréable de vous avoir ici.

Mr. Bill Walker: In our guest gallery today, we have Don and Beth Fountain from Meaford, from the great riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound. They are hosting—and I’m proud to introduce—exchange students Kanako Miro from Japan and Linn Poggensee from Germany. Thank you very much, and welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Daiene Vernile: I’m delighted to welcome to Queen’s Park some members from Wilfrid Laurier University whom I had the pleasure of meeting with this morning. They are Dr. Deborah MacLatchy, who is the president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier, and Maria Papadopoulos, who is director of government relations.

I’d also like to welcome the father of page Abigail Eys. Mark Eys is in the gallery with us today.

Mr. Ross Romano: I rise today on behalf of my colleague who unfortunately couldn’t be here today, the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, Jim McDonell. I want to introduce a page from his community, Harrison Rozon, and his mother, Wendy Rozon, who is in the public gallery today. Thank you very much and welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: I’d like to introduce two people in this particular one:

Premièrement, à nos amis du Parlement des jeunes qui sont ici aujourd’hui, on vous dit bienvenue à l’Assemblée.

But I have a very, very special friend who’s here all the way, originally, from Fort Albany, but who now lives in Timmins, a very good friend of mine, Mike Metatawabin, who is here with other First Nations leaders and people in regard to the bill we’re going to be voting on today.

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: Today, I would like to welcome, from my riding of Barrie, Sonya Jain and the president of the Simcoe County Elementary Teachers’ Federation, Janet Bigham. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I’ve got a bit of a lengthy one here, and I do apologize in advance.

First I would like to introduce my page’s mother, Fauzia Syed, who has joined me today. She will be joining me at lunch with the Prime Minister later, along with Aashaz.

I also have three female members of my staff here on International Women’s Day: Valerie Cickello, Rebecca Hubble and Kayla Fernet.

But, Speaker, it’s also very important for me to also have my family here. My mother has joined us from Nova Scotia; my husband, Joe, is here from Ottawa; and my little daughter, Victoria, who first sat in the Speaker’s gallery when she had just turned one year old, is turning 13 on Monday.

Victoria, why don’t you stand up? I want to wish you a happy birthday.

On this International Women’s Day, I’ll just remind the House that when she arrived here, we used to sit at 1 o’clock in the afternoon until midnight, we didn’t have high chairs in the dining room, and we didn’t have change tables. She was an inspiration to make this place family-friendly. On International Women’s Day, I just wanted to recognize my sweet daughter. I love you.

M me France Gélinas: Bien entendu, moi aussi, je veux souhaiter la bienvenue à tous les participants et participantes du Parlement jeunesse francophone. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park. Je vais en nommer quelques-uns. Je commence avec Brook Morneau, du Collège Notre-Dame, et, bien entendu, Danielle LaBrun et Emily Ramsay, de Macdonald-Cartier. Je veux dire bonjour également à Liam Roche, que j’ai rencontré hier pour la première fois. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park, tout le monde.

L’hon. Marie-France Lalonde: J’aimerais vraiment souhaiter la bienvenue encore une fois au Parlement jeunesse, la 12 e édition. Au nom du caucus d’Ottawa, nous vous souhaitons la bienvenue ici, et particulièrement à certains jeunes qui viennent d’Orléans. J’aimerais reconnaître Clody Desjardins, Jasmine Desjardins, Olivier Tremblay-Venneri et M. Chris Simba, qui est le premier ministre. Je vous souhaite de belles sessions et de beaux débats. Bienvenue, et merci d’être ici avec nous pour la démocratie.

M me Gila Martow: Je veux donner un très grand accueil du caucus PC à tous les jeunes parlementaires francophones qui sont ici. Merci beaucoup d’avoir chanté « Notre Place » hier soir.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Today is International Women’s Day. I’d like to welcome the Hillcrest Elementary School grades 7 and 8 Girls Government program from my riding of Hamilton. They’re going to be touring the Legislature and holding a press conference on pay equity later today. Their names are: Linda Turner, teacher and program coordinator; Laura Laverty, public health nurse and program coordinator; Danielle Harcourt, student; Shannon Duquette, student; Isabel Badeau, student; Anahy Manzanares, student: Morgan Virta, student; and Jackie Oakes, student. Welcome, women and young women. Thank you for being here.

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I’m delighted to welcome to the gallery a student from the University of Toronto: Yasas Perera. I want to thank him for being here today.

I know that Minister Vernile already did this, but my very good friend and a constituent of mine is also with us today: Maria Papadopoulos. Great to see her here as well.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Before she leaves the building to go and receive her award, I wanted to introduce Lisa MacLeod, winner of the 2018 national EVE Award from Equal Voice.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: I have two students from my area here today with the francophone parliamentarian group: Steve Fotso and Felicia Owen. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I’d like to welcome to the House Deborah MacLatchy. Deborah is president of Wilfrid Laurier University. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d also like to say a quick hello to Mary Papadopoulos.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from—it’s blank again—Hastings.

Mr. Todd Smith: Thank you, Speaker, for recognizing me this morning.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Prince Edward–Hastings.

Mr. Todd Smith: Thank you; there we go. I would like to welcome the president of PEGO, which is Professional Engineers Government of Ontario: Ben Hendry, who joins us today. Welcome, Ben.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: I’d like to welcome, from Water Wells First, Kevin Jakubec and Bill Clarke; Mark Calzavara from the Council of Canadians; and Marc St. Pierre and Jessica Brooks. All are here to fight for safe and clean drinking water for their communities.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I have a few introductions to make. Speaker, as you know, Margot West is the very hard-working page from the great riding of Ottawa Centre. I want to welcome her mother, Sara Ryan, and her twin sister, Bridget West, to Queen’s Park.

Also joining us today is a young grade 11 student from the riding of Markham–Unionville who is doing a civics class project on how our Legislature works: Faiz Qureshi. He’s here with his father, Aftab Qureshi.

Lastly, Speaker, I want to welcome Valarie Steele and Hewitt Loague from the Black Action Defence Committee, who are here to witness the vote on Bill 175.

M. Sam Oosterhoff: Je me lève pour mon cher collègue le député de Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, John Yakabuski, et je souhaite la bienvenue aux étudiants du Parlement jeunesse francophone : Anne Steepe et Clara Demers. Bienvenue.

M. Grant Crack: Il me fait un grand plaisir de souhaiter la bienvenue ce matin à deux étudiants de Glengarry–Prescott–Russell qui participent dans le Parlement jeunesse. On a Angelique van den Oetelaar, who is here aussi, and Max Langevin. Bienvenue aussi à Trevor Stewart. Bonne journée.

Mr. Jeff Yurek: I too introduce the Professional Engineers Government of Ontario: vice-president Martin Haalstra from my riding, and Darsha Jethava are here. Also here, and he has already been introduced earlier as the new president, is Ben Hendry. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Kathryn McGarry: I’d like to welcome guests in the east members’ gallery: from 407 ETR, CEO Andres Sacristan, and the VP of marketing and communications, Kevin Sack. We had a very productive meeting this morning. Thanks for joining us today.

Mr. Ted Arnott: I would like to welcome Sabina Halappanavar, who is the mother of page Manas Gupta, from the riding of Carleton–Mississippi Mills.

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I would like to extend a warm welcome to Terry Armstrong, the chief of police for the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, from Thunder Bay, and Fabian Batise, the board liaison for Nishawbe Aski Nation. He is also the brother of our ADM in the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Shawn Batise.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome—I know you’ve already been introduced—to Mike Metatawabin from Fort Albany.

And I would like to extend a warm welcome to two students qui viennent de Kingston et les Îles: Mathieu Symons et Simon Denford, qui sont ici pour l’assemblée parlementaire jeunesse de la francophonie. Bienvenue.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: It gives me great pleasure to introduce four people from the great riding of Northumberland–Quinte West who are here at Queen’s Park today: my good friend Lynn Hardy, Don Conway, Jessie Forbes and Tim Linehan. Welcome.

Mr. Arthur Potts: It’s my pleasure to introduce two constituents from Beaches–East York, Claire Stabins and Anne McEwen. They are here visiting their nephew and, I presume, cousin, Sullivan Pearson, who is a page here today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Harinder Malhi: I just want to take this opportunity to wish everybody a very happy International Women’s Day.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We have with us today in the Speaker’s gallery a very important delegation: the Minister of Diaspora for Albania, Mr. Pandeli Majko, and the Minister of Diaspora for Kosovo, Mr. Dardan Gashi. They are accompanied by His Excellency Ermal Muça, the Ambassador of Albania to Canada, and His Excellency Lulzim Hiseni, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo. Welcome and thank you for joining us. We appreciate your being here.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Point of order, Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Point of order, the government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Given that the Conservatives have no interest in debating the motion on climate change, I’m seeking unanimous consent that a recorded division be immediately taken on government order number 42 concerning climate change, one of the greatest threats of our generation.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The minister is seeking unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice. Do we agree? I heard a no.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’m going to use this exchange as my first step towards warnings. If we’re going to set the table, I’m going to unset it.

It is now time for question period.

Oral Questions

Ontario budget

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance.

On February 21, 2017, the Minister of Finance said, “We’re looking at a balanced budget in this coming budget ... next year as well, and the year after that.” Wrong.

“The province’s books will be balanced this spring, and for the foreseeable future, insists Finance Minister Charles Sousa.” Wrong.

The Minister of Finance again said, “I will confirm that we are on track to deliver balanced budgets for the next two years as well.” Wrong.

This government can’t be trusted.

After two years of promising a balanced budget, how does the finance minister think he has any credibility left with the people of Ontario?

Hon. Charles Sousa: We have worked hard and long to slay the deficit throughout the past five years. Because of the hard work of the people of this province, we also have a surplus right here and now.

Over the last 40 years, the Conservatives have balanced the budget only three times. During their federal government, they’ve recorded the largest deficits in history and the largest debt accumulation anywhere in Canada’s history.

We’re balanced, we’re in surplus, and we’re going to continue to work for the people of Ontario.

Interjections.

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

I’m now going to use this round to tell us that we’re in warnings. While the minister was answering, even his own side was making heckling noises that made it difficult for me to hear. Both sides need to bring it down a tone, and if you don’t, I will.

Supplementary.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Back to the minister: Again, the Minister of Finance said, “We have outperformed and as a result we’re coming to balance next year and the year after that.”

His fall economic statement said, “The government is continuing to project a balanced budget in 2017-18 and ongoing balance in 2018-19 and 2019-20....”

News reports announced, “Sousa confirmed last fall that Ontario’s 2018 budget will be balanced—as will budgets over the next two years.”

None of that was correct. This is the opposite of the truth, spread by a government willing to say anything to cling to power—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): You’re getting very close to saying something that you know would be unparliamentary. Don’t do that tiptoe for me, please. If you do, I’ll ask you to withdraw the next time.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Mr. Speaker, how can the Minister of Finance tell us one thing when he knows the complete opposite to be true?

Hon. Charles Sousa: We’ve taken a hard stand, a disciplined and determined approach to balance the budget this year and to have a surplus now. Now we have a choice.

The Conservatives have made their choice. They have already said they are going into deficit. Further, they say that they’re going to make cuts through a lot of revenue generation, including carbon pricing. They have a $16-billion hole in their plan. What are they going to cut? What are they going to do?

We’ve made our choice here. We’ve chosen to support mental health. We’ve chosen to support social services. We’ve chosen to support students and elder care. We could choose not to do those things in these uncertain times. We choose to support them, recognizing that there’s some turbulence in the market. We are not going to leave anybody behind.

Interjections.

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

Be seated, please. Be seated, please. Thank you.

Final supplementary.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Back to the minister: Let me read more quotes.

“Finance Minister Charles Sousa announced that not only will the province’s budget be balanced this year, it will continue to not slip into deficit for 2018 and 2019 as well.” We know that’s not accurate.

The 2017 budget read: “Not only are we presenting a balanced budget this year; we are on track for balanced budgets in 2018-19 and 2019-20.” We know that’s not accurate.

After two years of promising a balanced budget, I guess we can’t be surprised that the minister decided to support Liberal insiders instead.

Mr. Speaker, we need to know: Was it the Premier who made the Minister of Finance run an $8-billion deficit?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, we are tracking to remain fiscally responsible for the province of Ontario. The people of Ontario have—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): So we are. The member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound is warned.

Hon. Charles Sousa: They’ve asked us to manage government finances effectively. They’ve also asked us to help them manage their finances. We could choose not to do that. We could choose not to support mental health. We could choose not to support hospitals. We could choose not to support students and more education. We could choose not to support seniors’ care. We could choose not to do those things just to stay in balance, but we chose our values, and our values are shared by the people of Ontario. They value us to help them, and we’re not going to cut them as they—

Interjections.

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

Be seated, please. Thank you.

New question?

Long-term care

Mr. Victor Fedeli: My question is for the Minister of Health. I want to start by running through the facts. There are currently more than 32,000 seniors on the waiting list for a long-term-care bed in Ontario—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. The President of the Treasury Board is warned.

Please finish.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Without increased capacity, the wait-list is expected to reach almost 50,000 in the next three years. That is no way to treat society’s most vulnerable. Ontario can and must do much better. The Liberals’ band-aid solutions simply are not enough.

Will the Liberal government commit to building 15,000 new long-term-care beds over five years and 30,000 beds over the next 10 years?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: As we’ve said so many times in this House, every Ontarian deserves to grow old with dignity in a safe, secure and compassionate environment. In fact, as I believe the members opposite have heard from our Minister of Finance, very much the theme of our budget this year will be about caring for those individuals in society who, of course, deserve the very best health care possible.

We’ve been clear since last year’s budget, and, in fact, throughout our term, that support for the long-term-care sector is very important. This is why we continue to make critical investments in this sector.

Our funding for long-term-care homes has increased by some $348 million just since 2013. Our investment in long-term-care homes increased by $80.5 million this year alone. I’ll continue to explain our commitments in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Back to the minister: In northern Ontario, seniors make up the greatest percentage of the population, larger than any region in the province. In Nipissing, the North Bay Regional Health Centre has experienced overcrowding due to the lack of long-term-care beds available.

The closing of Lady Isabelle has pushed more and more patients to the North Bay Regional Health Centre, leading to the overcrowding and hallway medicine at that hospital. It is imperative the Lady Isabelle long-term-care facility is replaced—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services is warned.

Carry on.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: It is imperative that Lady Isabelle is replaced by another long-term-care home in Trout Creek. No senior should have to wait five years for a nursing bed.

Why does this government believe having seniors wait five years for a long-term bed is acceptable?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Of course, through the last number of years, since we took office, we have opened over 10,000 new long-term-care beds and redeveloped 13,500 long-term-care beds. Specifically in the north, I have a very long list of homes that have been redeveloped in that time. We will continue to look at the—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Excuse me. Don’t give me that much choice. It’s like a candy store. That will do. You got the message: quiet.

Carry on.

Hon. Helena Jaczek: We will continue to work with our LHIN partners to establish where the need is greatest and where we need to establish more long-term-care facilities.

Just in the last few years—I’d like to draw the member’s attention to St. Joseph in Sudbury that was opened in March 2011; Extendicare in Sault Ste. Marie in April 2013; and Extendicare in Timmins, October 2013.

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

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Back to the minister: In my own riding in Nipissing, there’s a desperate need for more long-term-care beds. Cassellholme in North Bay is seeking redevelopment, something the government first announced in 2010. Back then, it was a $40-million project. Today, for the exact same project, it is now a $60-million project. While nothing has happened for almost a decade, our needs have become even greater.

A local councillor has said, “Sixteen additional beds will be applied for, which would be the most efficient use of additional space to the current building design.”

Mr. Speaker, will the government support the redevelopment and additional beds for Cassellholme?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: As we’ve made very clear, we will be investing in 5,000 new long-term-care beds over the next four years, as well as providing 15 million more hours of nursing, personal support and therapeutic care annually for residents in long-term-care homes. There was a call for applications that closed just last Friday. We are reviewing those very closely, as we speak, and there’s no doubt that announcements will be made in the near future.

But what I don’t understand is that the opposition party has, in their People’s Guarantee—we don’t know if that’s going to be their platform. But in that document, there was no money for hospitals or for long-term care.

Hospital services

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I want to start by wishing everyone around the Legislature and women across the province a happy International Women’s Day.

My question is to the Acting Premier. Joe Glowacki is a Londoner. He reached out to the MPP from London West this week because he was angry about the Premier’s response to her question about Stuart Cline. Mr. Glowacki said that it was inexcusable for the Premier to deflect blame to the insurance company for Mr. Cline’s heartbreaking story and refuse to take responsibility for what happened. He said that he knows that Mr. Cline’s family was telling the truth, because the same thing happened to him in December.

Why won’t the Premier and this Liberal government take responsibility for what has been happening to families like the Clines?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Of course, we do acknowledge the tragedy that occurred in this particular case for this family. Both the Premier and I have expressed our deep condolences to the family.

We know that our health care professionals on the ground are always ready to assist in situations like this. We know that there are beds available for critical care patients in Ontario, and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that the communication between the insurance companies and our health professionals is improved and looked at very, very carefully.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: On December 1, Joe Glowacki suffered a heart attack while he was in Arizona with his wife. He was rushed to the hospital and was stabilized, and ready to be transported the very next day. But Joe’s insurance company told him that there were no beds available at home. The insurance company had even lined up a cardiologist at London Health Sciences to take care of him. But Joe spent three more days in that Arizona hospital before his insurance company sent him home on a commercial flight with orders to see his doctor immediately.

Can the Acting Premier tell Joe and his wife, Beverley, why he never did get a hospital bed in Ontario?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: As we’ve said, there are beds available in these situations. What appears to be happening is that there’s a breakdown in communication between potentially—and I’m just speculating—the many, many steps involved in situations like this. There are physicians involved in the country where the resident is travelling. There are physicians here ready to discuss the individual case. There are LHIN staff responsible for the coordination regionally. Certainly, my ministry officials are always ready to go the extra mile to ensure the highest quality of care for Ontarians.

We are going to do everything in our power to ensure that families have confidence that their loved ones returning from abroad will be able to receive the care that they need here in Ontario.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I can assure the minister that nobody has any confidence that the people who are travelling are going to get the care that they need, if they have to come home in an emergency situation. It is failing over and over and over in our province. The breakdown is not in communications; the breakdown is in our hospital system, and it’s a breakdown that this Liberal government has caused because of cuts and underfunding. That’s the breakdown, Speaker.

Joe Glowacki, Stuart Cline, David Ronald, Danny Marchand, Larry Dann: All of these people were told that they couldn’t go home because there were no beds available when they faced a health care emergency.

Can the Acting Premier tell us right now how many more Ontarians waiting in pain will have to take time to convince somebody that the overcrowding crisis in this system is a real thing and not just a communications problem with insurance companies?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Apparently the leader of the third party didn’t understand that there were beds available in these cases. We are asking questions about how this disconnect is occurring, and we will work to ensure all Ontarians benefit from our health care system, whether at home or abroad. I will be inviting members of the insurance associations to directly meet with officials from the Ministry of Health and myself.

What is clear is that there are beds available in Ontario for patients travelling from abroad. I look forward to discussing ways in which we can facilitate communication from the insurance companies to the hospitals and make sure all Ontarians are able to get home in a safe and timely manner.

Hospital services

Ms. Andrea Horwath: This is also to the Acting Premier. For the Clines, Ronalds and Glowackis, the hospital overcrowding and hallway medicine crisis means watching a loved one stuck in a foreign hospital. For other families, it means watching a loved one spend 24 hours in a chair in a busy ER in pain or a wife watching her husband suffer as his heart surgery gets rescheduled for the fourth time. For families in Kitchener–Waterloo, it means worrying that your local hospital is operating well over what experts consider a safe capacity.

Yesterday I revealed that the pediatric mental health unit at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener–Waterloo reached an astonishing 100% occupancy in November.

Why are the Premier and her Liberal government—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport is warned.

Finish, please.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Why are the Premier and her Liberal government still refusing to admit that hospitals in Ontario are facing consistent overcrowding that is negatively affecting families?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Again, we are turning to the situation where we are absolutely committed to improving the situation in hospitals. This is precisely why last fall we invested in some 1,200 additional hospital beds.

The member opposite perhaps doesn’t recall that in the 2017 budget, we invested over $500 million in funding—over half a billion dollars—in Ontario hospitals. It means that all Ontario hospitals are receiving at a minimum a 2% increase in funding this year. It’s a significant new investment in hospitals. It will mean reduced wait times, better access to more procedures and an improved experience for all Ontarians at their local hospitals.

We know that this has been a difficult winter. We know we’ve had a very bad flu season. This has been adding to the pressures on our hospitals, but we have a plan to address this situation.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: After 15 years they’re trying to improve a system that they created a crisis in in the first place. That’s the problem that we have in Ontario.

Let’s face it: The 2017 budget fell $300 million short of what the hospitals said they needed as a bare minimum to keep a system in crisis moving along in a very bad state.

Freedom of information documents also reveal that the mental health unit at Grand River was operating at or above 100% capacity every single month from September through December. Surgery, stroke and medicine units were over 100% in nearly every month in the same period.

The MPP for Kitchener–Waterloo says that hospital overcrowding stories are now the top issue that she’s getting in her constituency office. This overcrowding crisis is real, it is not going away, and it needs to be fixed now.

When will this Premier and this Liberal government actually take some action?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Of course, that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’ve been planning not only in the hospital sector but in all the other pieces of the health care system. We’ve opened some 503 transitional care spaces out of hospital for up to 1,700 patients who don’t require care in a hospital—those alternative-level-of-care patients.

I’d like to ensure that the member opposite knows that we certainly value the great work that’s being done by our health care partners, all those front-line workers in the Waterloo region as a whole.

Specifically to Grand River Hospital, we added 14 additional beds, and through the 2017 budget, the government increased annual funding to Grand River Hospital by $5.5 million to continue to support them in their delivery of high-quality health care.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Front-line health care workers in our province are stressed to the max. They are run off their feet. They leave work in tears because they’re not able to provide the quality of care that they know they should be providing to the people of the province, and that problem sits on the foot of this government, which has been cutting back hospital budgets for years and years and years. This crisis is absolutely a result of decades of bad decisions and bad choices by this Liberal government and the Conservative government before them. It didn’t happen overnight, but it has been getting worse under this particular Premier’s watch.

What is it going to take for the Premier and her Liberal government to admit that this is not just a flu season surge, but rather the result of decades of cuts to health care services and hospitals that Ontario families rely on?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Mr. Speaker, to set the record straight, since 2003 we’ve increased our investments in health care each and every year, allowing us to treat more patients, provide better care and reduce wait times to some of the shortest in the country—actually validated by the Fraser Institute, you will recall.

In addition to our assistance to Grand River Hospital, we have, in the Waterloo region, construction of the Groves Memorial hospital well under way to expand capacity in the region, and we know that all three Waterloo hospitals are participating in the dedicated off-load nurses program. We do value both our paramedic services and the nurses in the ER, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure that there’s a smooth transition of patients into the hospital. So we are providing some $16 million to municipalities to provide additional resources in this regard.

Lest we forget, what did the NDP do during their time in office? They closed 24% of acute hospital beds, closed 13%—

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

Hon. Helena Jaczek: —of mental health beds in hospital—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I stand; you sit, Minister.

New question.

Automobile insurance

Mr. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: This question is for the Minister of Finance. Before the 2014 election, Premier Kathleen Wynne promised to reduce auto insurance rates by 15%. The Premier later on called the 15% reduction nothing but a “stretch goal.” Today the average auto insurance premium in Ontario is still almost 55% higher than the average of all other Canadian provinces. Can we record this as another broken election promise? Why would Ontarians ever trust what this Liberal government says?

Hon. Charles Sousa: As I believe the member opposite would know, we have just brought forward a whole slew of initiatives to try to reduce the fraud within the system which is causing the premiums to go up. And as the member knows, we put forward—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Whitby–Oshawa is warned.

Carry on.

Hon. Charles Sousa: We’ve worked with David Marshall, who has brought in 35 recommendations, one of which is to provide a standard treatment plan to eliminate some of the nonsense that happens with the most common of injuries.

Another one is to provide an independent examination centre to avoid conflicts of interest, so that people are assessed effectively. The other one is a serious fraud office to go after those who are committing some of the frauds so we can go and attend to that and put some teeth within the commitment with OPP officers. The other one is FSCO, the financial services authority who are going to look at the postal code initiative to try to curb some of the activity and, of course, contingency fees in the legal community and address some of those issues so that consumers and victims are protected.

All in all, we have an expert panel that’s alleviating some of these stresses and we are working. The rates have gone down on average. We need to ensure that they remain even lower.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through you to the Minister of Finance: The riding I represent comprises postal codes M1S, M1V, M1X and M1B. According to Kanetix.ca, the residents of these postal codes pay the highest auto insurance rates in Canada. Why are Scarborough–Rouge River riding residents being gouged by the Kathleen Wynne Liberals? Didn’t you get the message during the 2016 by-election?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member trying to be cute with the question, but the fact of the matter is that those postal codes and those initiatives have severe impacts on the overall—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Niagara West–Glanbrook is warned.

Carry on.

Hon. Charles Sousa: We’re addressing those very initiatives through the Financial Services Regulatory Authority that has a consumer office, and they’re looking at those postal codes. The member may suggest that we reduce them on one hand, but then they’re going to increase it in the northern parts of Ontario. That’s not fair as well, Mr. Speaker.

We need to get after the root causes. That’s what we are doing. We need to initiate and alleviate some of the stresses in those postal codes by implementing these programs. I hope the member opposite will agree with them so that we can foster some reduction in those rates and go after those communities and help those people who are affected in those urban locations.

Water quality

Mr. Taras Natyshak: My question is to the Acting Premier.

Speaker, I want to welcome members from Water Wells First, who are here to fight for safe, clean drinking water for their communities.

Water is life. Without it, nothing survives. But for a long time now, families in Chatham-Kent have been dealing with black water coming from their wells, jeopardizing their lives and their livelihoods. Water on family farms that surround Samsung’s North Kent 1 wind turbine site became black and undrinkable when Samsung began construction on these turbines. That’s no coincidence.

This Liberal government says that the water is safe to drink, nothing to look at, and that these families are overreacting. Well, I’ve seen first-hand what the water looks like and there are scientists that have shown that that sediment is actually black shale, which is known to carry heavy metals like arsenic, lead and uranium.

My question is to the Acting Premier: Why does this Liberal government refuse to do a simple health hazard investigation to provide certainty for these families?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: To the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation acting as the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Hon. David Zimmer: Speaker, I can tell you that the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change takes these matters of groundwater quality very seriously. The ministry has undertaken a review of water quality data to assure residents the water is safe, and thus far—thus far—the analysis has not shown a connection between water quality and the construction activity.

The company has informed the ministry that they are working with homeowners to provide and pay for licensed well contractors to inspect their wells and to answer any questions they may have regarding this issue.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Taras Natyshak: What an unbelievable answer from the acting minister, whatever he is.

These families are not just worried about the quality of the water in their wells for their own sake. Many of them operate commercial farms. They need water to keep their livestock alive. Because scientists have shown how dangerous it is to drink, some of them are watering them with bottled water. They think it’s unethical to give contaminated water to their livestock and to other families to consume.

It’s unacceptable that this Liberal government is taking the word of Samsung, and it’s a sad day in Ontario, where this is the quality of water that the government and the Premier—

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

Mr. Taras Natyshak: I urge the minister to come over and take a drink of this water. Take a drink of that, take a look at that—

Interjection: Sit down.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: —and come over and tell me that this is safe to drink—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member will take his seat.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member is now warned. If such an outburst happens again, the member will be named.

Minister?

Hon. David Zimmer: The ministry had a very—

Mr. Taras Natyshak: Come take a drink, Minister. Come take a drink.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Regretfully, the member is named. The member from Essex.

Mr. Natyshak was escorted from the chamber.

Interruption.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I have always respected the members visiting here. I must remind you that no participation is allowed.

Response?

Hon. David Zimmer: Speaker, in the face of that diatribe, here is a fact: The Chatham-Kent medical officer of health has confirmed that the water particulates do not pose a health risk to residents. In fact—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I wish I knew who it was, but I have a suspicion it’s the person hiding their face, hiding their mouth with their hands. I’m not sure.

You have a wrap-up, please.

Hon. David Zimmer: Two weeks ago, Water Wells First met with the ministry staff and they shared the results of the extensive testing. Again, the Chatham-Kent medical officer of health has confirmed that the water particulates do not pose a health risk.

Speaker, we will continue to monitor the well impacts closely during the construction and operation of the turbines.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Windsor West is warned.

New question.

Ontario budget

Mr. John Fraser: Speaker, I understand that the date has been selected for the 2018 Ontario budget, and I know there’s plenty of speculation on what that budget will include.

Minister, I know that we’ve already made important investments for the people of Ontario, investments that are changing people’s lives, like free pharmacare for everyone under 25, which has already benefited nearly one million people in just two months. We’ve made college and post-secondary education more accessible, and nearly 200,000 students will be leaving university and college with less debt through free tuition. We’ve raised the minimum wage, making workplaces fairer for hard-working people across this province.

I know that the people of Ontario are looking forward to the budget. Mr. Speaker, could the minister please tell us the date of the budget?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Thank you to the member from Ottawa South. I wish to announce officially in this House that the Ontario budget will be delivered on Wednesday, March 28. I’ll have the pleasure and the privilege of delivering my sixth budget.

This budget is about making a choice, a value choice. It’s about values shared by the people of Ontario. We remain committed to what matters most to them: continuing to invest in child care, health care and mental health, care that the people of Ontario depend on, because we know that a healthier Ontario, where no one is left behind, is without doubt a stronger Ontario. We will not stop fighting for the people of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: Again to the Minister of Finance: As the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health, I am proud of the investments that we’ve made in things like palliative care and home care. But we do know that no matter who emerges as the new Conservative leader, they have no plan for climate change, and that leaves a $16-billion black hole in their guarantee. They’ll have to fill that hole with people’s jobs and the services that they need—services like OHIP+, new hospitals and new schools, and we know that they’re going to deny the minimum wage.

So I ask the minister if he remains committed to building new schools, new hospitals and public transit, and if he remains committed to investing in things like support for the most vulnerable and 100,000 new child care spaces?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. The difference between us and the party opposite isn’t just one of dollars and decisions, it’s about values. In the face of some uncertainty, with real economic anxiety I heard throughout my pre-budget consultations across the province, we must continue to invest in our greatest strength: That, of course, is the people of Ontario. It’s these hard-working Ontarians who have created nearly 800,000 net new jobs since the recession.

Ontarians need to know what the Conservatives will cut for their $16-billion fiscal hole. Is it $20 billion from our new and upgraded hospitals? Will they cut the $7-billion booster shot to health care supports? Are they going to cut the $16 billion in infrastructure for schools?

On this side of the House, we remain committed to creating more opportunities for the people of Ontario, and we will not let the Conservatives put these cuts into programs and put Ontario at risk.

Fish and wildlife management

Mr. Jeff Yurek: My question is to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. For seven years I’ve been trying to get a simple answer from the government regarding the fish and wildlife special purpose account, with little or no success. This account pools together all revenues from fishing and hunting licence fees and royalties, and must be reinvested back into wildlife resource management.

Unfortunately, instead of using these funds for their intended purposes, this government continues to use this account as a personal slush fund. They spend it on dinners. They spend it on housekeeping services, psychologists, and buying, selling and renting housing.

Can the new minister explain how any of the above items that I mentioned have anything to do with wildlife conservation in Ontario?

Hon. Nathalie Des Rosiers: I’m happy to answer this question, and I think we will have occasion this afternoon to continue to debate this issue.

I don’t really understand why anyone would object to the fact that this funding has allowed us to stock almost eight million fish in a year in lakes all across Ontario; to have conservation officers to enforce our laws and ensure that there continues to be fish and that we don’t over-hunt or over-fish; to invest in a great public education program, Learn to Fish—4,000 people have learned to fish effectively, safely and sustainably through that program; and to conduct research.

People need to be there to do this work. Does the member object to people being paid or having benefits? I think that’s the problem. We want to ensure that we continue to deliver this program effectively. That requires people, and people should be paid and have access to benefits.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jeff Yurek: No one is objecting to the fund. In fact, the Progressive Conservative Party created the fund. This government has corrupted the fund, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker. Through a lack of transparency, this government continues to disrespect our hunters and anglers throughout this province.

Today, when we debate my private member’s bill to return transparency to the special purpose account and create a system for hunters and anglers to inquire about the expenditures, will the minister do the right thing and support my bill, ensuring all monies collected from these fees go directly to wildlife conservation and not paying for someone’s steak dinner?

Hon. Nathalie Des Rosiers: I think the fund is used appropriately, and it is monitored. It has a lot of people—there’s an advisory panel that does provide advice.

Indeed, I’m not the only one saying this. There’s a quote from Mr. Angelo Lombardo, the executive director of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, who does support this fund. He says, “We need to remember that resource management needs people. We can’t grow and stock fish without people. We can’t do assessments or surveys without people. We can’t do research without people.”

These people, sir, need to be paid. We’ve been spending the entire week talking about mental health, and people having access to benefits such as mental health benefits is important.

I think we stand by this fund. It has done great things for Ontario and will continue to do so.

M me France Gélinas: Ma question est pour la ministre des Affaires francophones.

Est-ce que la gouvernance pour et par les francophones, c’est pour les gens de Toronto et du centre-sud-ouest ou pour tous les francophones de l’Ontario?

L’hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Merci beaucoup pour la question.

Encore une fois, j’aimerais souhaiter la bienvenue à nos jeunes parlementaires ici. C’est un plaisir de vous accueillir année après année.

Donc, c’est avec plaisir pour moi qu’on va continuer de travailler avec le comité technique.

Interjections.

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

M. Gilles Bisson: N’oublie pas l’Université de Hearst.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): That’s called baiting. He gets the warning; you get the boot. Just thought I’d let you know that I’m aware of that game.

Supplementary?

M me France Gélinas: Je vous avais dit qu’on pose des questions, mais on n’a pas toujours des réponses.

Violence against women

Ms. Deborah Matthews: My question is for the Minister of Community and Social Services. Today is International Women’s Day, a day when we celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations and continue the work for a more equitable society.

Appropriately, last week we announced the unprecedented investment of $242 million in Ontario’s new Gender-Based Violence Strategy. This is tremendously exciting. It shows our government’s continued commitment to ending gender-based violence in Ontario.

I’ve seen first-hand the extraordinary work that violence-against-women agencies like Anova, in my community of London, do every day. We know that violence-against-women agencies provide crucial services like emergency shelter, counselling, and transition and housing supports to help women and their children rebuild their lives.

Speaker, can the minister tell the House what this new Gender-Based Violence Strategy will mean for violence-against-women shelters and services across Ontario?

Hon. Michael Coteau: I want to thank the member for her tireless advocacy on this issue. She has been really important in moving this file forward. Thank you so much.

I want to thank all of the VAW agencies across the province and their staff who worked so much to support this initiative. I’m thrilled to share an announcement that we made last week, including $150 million over three years towards increased services and support for women and their children who have experienced domestic violence. That means 1,000 more women and children will have a safe bed when they’re escaping domestic violence. It means 2,000 more women and their children will receive critical counselling services when needed, and this means more inclusive services to better respond to the needs of the LGBTQ+, indigenous, francophone, newcomer and racialized communities.

I’m so proud to be part of a government that takes—

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

Ms. Deborah Matthews: Thank you to the minister for that answer. I have to tell you that I’m very proud to be part of a government that recognizes the need for strong services for women and survivors. Whether it’s women in the workplace or women facing sexual assault or domestic violence, our government has worked hard to make sure that women feel safe.

The investment that the Minister of Community and Social Services outlined will most definitely be a positive step to ensure all women feel protected; however, we recognize that victim supports is only one part of the solution. We know that another

part is ensuring the justice system is more responsive to the needs of survivors. We know that the justice system can be hard, if not truly intimidating. I know that I have heard clearly that the current process needs to be more survivor-centred and trauma-informed.

Can the minister please tell us about the investments we’ve made to help those survivors in the justice system?

Hon. Michael Coteau: Attorney General.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: It’s a great honour to get a question from the great Deb Matthews.

Speaker, as my colleagues have mentioned, It’s Never Okay and #MeToo seized on a conversation, and this conversation has grown. Survivors are coming forward and demanding change and support, and we need to answer. Within the justice system, we are doing this in two ways: by strengthening our support for survivors and those at risk, and by working to ensure that our justice system is responsive to the needs of survivors and their families. This includes a 35% increase to the overall budget for sexual assault centres, and providing free legal advice to survivors province-wide. These investments will have a massive impact on survivors all across Ontario.

Speaker, as I look across the floor to the official opposition, I see an opposition that has a plan that includes billions of dollars in cuts. I would like to tell this House that even $1 billion in cuts at my ministry would completely scrap this new investment, which would not be acceptable.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for this important question.

I had a discussion this morning on this very issue with l’Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques. This is absolutely an issue that many in the French community are raising. I want you to know that we are working diligently and tirelessly to ensure that we’re dealing with the shortage of French teachers in our province.

I also want you to know that this is not an issue that is just specific to our province. I’ve had conversations with Ministers of Education from other provinces who are also trying to make sure that they have the pieces in place to deal with this.

The reality is that we recognize the tremendous advantage students have when they speak more than one language, and we want to make sure that we are supporting French as a second language and the demand for FSL as much as we can.

We are doing a number of things on a number of different levels to deal with this issue, and I’m happy to speak about that in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

M me Gila Martow: Encore une fois à la ministre : C’est la faute de ce gouvernement qu’on a ce problème exactement maintenant.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to take this question.

I just want to point out once again that we are very aware of this challenge and we are working tirelessly to make sure that we’re taking care of this challenge and that we are meeting the demand.

The reality is that the demand for FSL is exceeding the supply of teachers, but we are taking immediate steps to boost the recruitment of new French teachers—an issue that other provinces are dealing with across the country.

Here’s what we’re doing. We’re developing information campaigns that inform internationally educated teachers about the opportunities for teaching in Ontario. We are creating bridging programs to help newcomers adjust, and mentoring opportunities. We’re streamlining evaluation of credentials for internationally educated francophone teachers. We’re working to increase access to the profession and we’re creating a new supply-and-demand forecasting model so we can be more responsive.

The reality is, Mr. Speaker, we are on it. We are doing a number of things. We’re not complaining about the issue. We’re actually having conversations and coming up with solutions and working with our partners to take care of the problem.

Hospital funding

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Acting Premier. For years this Liberal government has starved hospitals of the funding they need and they’re still at it. Instead of funding every hospital properly, we’ve learned that the Premier is actually clawing money back from Kenora’s hospital. At the beginning of February, Lake of the Woods District Hospital was projecting a balanced budget. Now, after clawbacks from this government, they’re facing a huge deficit. Every time this government cuts hospital funding, patients are the ones to pay the price with longer wait times and even more overcrowding. That’s the last thing that northwestern Ontario needs, Speaker.

Why is this government cutting funding for Kenora’s hospital when every hospital in Ontario needs more investment, not less?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Helena Jaczek: I guess I will just repeat the type of plan that we have for Ontario’s hospitals. I know that the member is aware that in the 2017 budget we invested over $500 million in funding in Ontario hospitals. This was a major increase. This is what we’ve been doing each and every year.

The demographics of Ontario are precisely what we’re studying very, very closely. We are looking at individual communities. Our local health integration networks are studying the needs in their particular communities, as I’m sure the member knows. These LHINs are governed by local people. We value their input. We will be looking very closely at individual needs as we move forward with our plan to improve hospital capacity.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I didn’t want the minister to repeat a failed plan. I wanted her to explain why she’s cutting money from the Kenora hospital. The government just doesn’t seem to get it, Speaker. Hospitals have been starved for years by the Liberals and before them by the Conservatives.

We have a dangerous overcrowding crisis. People are being treated in hallways for days on end. Instead of fixing the problem and funding our hospitals properly, we find out that the Liberals are cutting funding for this crucial hospital and making it harder for the people of northwestern Ontario to get the health care that they need.

Why won’t this government stop the hospital cuts once and for all and stop cutting Kenora’s hospital funding?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: I only need to repeat our plan because apparently it isn’t sinking in.

I have to say that we are continuing not only to invest in hospitals but in all aspects of the health care system. Quite seriously, if the leader of the third party continues to fearmonger in this way—I find it really distressing.

The NDP voted against a budget that provided an additional $5.8 million for Health Sciences North this year alone and more than $30 million in investments for northern hospitals. Lest we forget, the NDP also voted against our OHIP+ plan that would have seen nearly 25,000 children and youth in the Sudbury area have free access to over 4,400 eligible prescription medications.

If NDP leader Andrea Horwath is serious about investing in health care, then she should have supported the 2017 budget where we increased health care funding—

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

Equal opportunity

Mrs. Cristina Martins: Speaker, as you know, today is International Women’s Day. I want to take this opportunity to wish all the women here today, all the women in my riding of Davenport and my mother, Arminda Bento, a happy International Women’s Day.

Today is a day to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of women past and present. It is also a day to recognize the work we still need to do to create a fair and equal society.

My question is for the Minister of the Status of Women. We know that this last year has been remarkable for women. Women and girls across the world have come forward demanding change. The #MeToo and Time’s Up movements have signalled a call to action. Can the Minister of the Status of Women tell us what the government is doing to respond to these important calls for change?

Hon. Harinder Malhi: Thank you to my colleague for this very important question on this very important day.

This week, our government introduced two groundbreaking strategies:

Then Now Next: Ontario’s Strategy for Women’s Economic Empowerment; and It’s Never Okay: Ontario’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy. These strategies build on our government’s commitment to a fair and equal society for everyone, regardless of your gender, gender identity or expression.

It’s Never Okay: Ontario’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, with an investment of up to $242 million, responds to that call to action and the social change that we are in.

It’s been 43 years since the United Nations officially recognized International Women’s Day. We have accomplished so much in that time, but we still have far to go. This is why our government is fully committed to gender equality and to improving economic achievements of women. That is why we’re building a fairer and more equal Ontario that includes historic new investments for women and girls in this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mrs. Cristina Martins: Thank you to the minister. It is clear that the future is changing for generations of women and girls in Ontario. I am pleased to see our government building on our commitment to create a province free from domestic and sexual violence.

Gender-based violence can happen to anyone, but women and children are most at risk. The risk is even greater for women who are racialized, indigenous, newcomers, LGBTQ2 or living with disabilities. We know that women often face other barriers that get in the way of their opportunity to fully participate in our society.

The minister mentioned Then Now Next: Ontario’s Strategy for Women’s Economic Empowerment. Can the minister outline how this strategy will benefit women and girls in this province?

Hon. Harinder Malhi: Thank you again for the question. It is time for all women’s economic empowerment. I say this not only because it is fair, but it is right, and because a stronger, more inclusive economy is good for everyone.

Then Now Next: Ontario’s Strategy for Women’s Economic Empowerment is historic because it invests in women and their future. It is historic because empowerment includes new legislation to help break down wage barriers that women face in the workplace.

Speaker, we are also taking steps to promote women’s corporate leadership. We’re working to ensure that women make up at least 40% of appointments to each provincial board and agency by December 2019. We are also encouraging TSX-listed issuers to set and achieve a target of 30% women on their boards.

And we are taking the lead on this. We’ve already taken that lead on—

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

International trade

Mr. Ross Romano: My question is for the Deputy Premier. The steel mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma, will not be able to survive a 25% tariff on steel.

Since the three US tariff recommendations were first released just a few weeks ago, I’ve been trying to develop relationships with friends south of the border; specifically, I developed a great relationship with Michigan state Senator Wayne Schmidt. Senator Schmidt is equally concerned about the effect that these tariffs, specifically a closure of Algoma’s mill, will have on his economy in Michigan. In fact, he stated to me just this past Tuesday that if Algoma closes, Michigan will immediately be forced into a recession. I’m working with the senator and other political representatives to convince the President that the US economy needs us as much as we need them.

My question for the deputy is, will you join me in my diplomatic efforts to obtain an exclusion to the 25% tariff in order to save thousands of jobs in my community and in our province?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Minister of Economic Development and Growth.

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I thank the member from Sault Ste. Marie for the question. Of course, on this side of the House, the Premier, various ministers in our cabinet, backbenchers—everyone, collectively—have said repeatedly that we are determined as a government to do what is at our core our responsibility to the people we are proud to represent, and that is to stand up at every turn for our workers and for our businesses.

We very clearly understand that in communities like Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton and others that if the Americans go forward with the tariffs on steel and aluminum that President Trump has referenced over the last number of days, there would be very serious ramifications. That’s exactly why we have said repeatedly we’ve been working closely with our federal partners to make sure that Canada and Ontario can gain the exemption. My understanding is that there will be an update provided perhaps even later today.

We’ll continue to press hard and push hard, and that member’s community can fully understand and appreciate that our Premier and our government are standing right beside them and right with them to make sure we continue to provide support.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary, the member from Niagara West–Glanbrook.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: Thank you, Speaker. My question is also to the Deputy Premier. Hamilton’s steel industry and business community are also deeply concerned after the United States pledged to impose a 25% tariff on steel.

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce president Keanin Loomis said, “This is the worst-case scenario for Hamilton.” Loomis continued, saying, “Ultimately there are up to about I think 40,000 jobs or so that could be impacted in Hamilton by this announcement.” That’s 40,000 good, stable, well-paying jobs that are at risk because of the rise of protectionism.

This dangerous wave can be rolled back through diplomacy and negotiation so that the prosperity of Ontarians is safeguarded. My question is non-partisan: Will the government join members on this side of the House on our mission to ensure Canada is exempt from these exorbitant tariffs?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: Just because a member inserts the notion that this is not partisan into their question, it doesn’t actually make all of us on this side forget where they were last week on these issues, on Bill 194, the legislation that our government introduced a number of days ago and have passed, the fairness in procurement legislation.

When members, including the member from Sault Ste. Marie and others on that side, had the opportunity to stand with us, but most importantly, not just to stand with us but to stand with the people whom they are supposed to be representing and fighting for, they missed that opportunity. They didn’t just miss the opportunity; they repeatedly attacked our Premier and our government for doing what is at our core—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All sides come to order. And a reminder that some people are on warnings.

Mr. Ross Romano: A point of order, Mr. Speaker—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): There is no point of order. Sit down.

Finish, please.

Hon. Steven Del Duca: As I was saying, on this side of the Legislature, whether it’s Bill 194, whether it’s the tariffs for steel and aluminum, we will never apologize for standing up for the people, the workers and the businesses of this province. I would expect those members—

Interjections.

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

Visitor

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Before we do the vote, I want to do two things. First of all, I want to introduce a former member from Brampton North in the 36th and Brampton Centre in the 37th, in the west members’ gallery, Mr. Joe Spina. Welcome, Joe.

Also, I do recognize that there are a few points of order. If they’re not points of order, I’ll sit you down real quick.

Legislative pages

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Hang on. I’m not done, because I have a sad announcement to make.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): It happens; it happens.

I do want to point out to the members that we’ve had a very strong, hard-working set of pages, and it’s their last day. We want to thank them for the work that they’ve done. Well done.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): They took a vote and said they’re coming back next week.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I did see some people standing for points of order. The Minister of Northern Development and Mines.

Hon. Michael Gravelle: I just wanted to recognize, once again, Terry Armstrong, chief of police of Nishnawbe Aski Nation for Thunder Bay—thank you very much for being here—Fabian Batise, the board liaison from Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and my good friend Mike Metatawabin as well. Thank you very much for being here. It’s fantastic to have you here today.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Hon. Jeff Leal: In the west public gallery I have some guests from Peterborough: Sandra Condon; Jim Dufresne; Marion Burton, who is the president of the Peterborough and District Labour Council; and Heather Brooks-Hill.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Sault Ste. Marie.

Mr. Ross Romano: Just to the member from Vaughan’s comments: Perhaps he wasn’t paying attention—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member will be seated.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order. Even after telling the member and being poked by somebody else to do it, I’m disappointed.

Deferred Votes

Safer Ontario Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 pour plus de sécurité en Ontario

Deferred vote on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 175,

An Act to implement measures with respect to policing, coroners and forensic laboratories and to enact, amend or repeal certain other statutes and revoke a regulation / Projet de loi 175, Loi mettant en oeuvre des mesures concernant les services policiers, les coroners et les laboratoires médico-légaux et édictant, modifiant ou abrogeant certaines autres lois et abrogeant un règlement.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1149 to 1154.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All members, please take your seats.

On March 7, 2018, Madame Lalonde moved third reading of Bill 175,

An Act to implement measures with respect to policing, coroners and forensic laboratories and to enact, amend or repeal certain other statutes and revoke a regulation.

All those in favour, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Baker, Yvan

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bisson, Gilles

Bradley, James J.

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gravelle, Michael

Hatfield, Percy

Hoggarth, Ann

Horwath, Andrea

Hunter, Mitzie

Jaczek, Helena

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Mantha, Michael

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Moridi, Reza

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sattler, Peggy

Sousa, Charles

Tabuns, Peter

Takhar, Harinder S.

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

Vernile, Daiene

Wong, Soo

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Arnott, Ted

Barrett, Toby

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Coe, Lorne

Fedeli, Victor

Hardeman, Ernie

Martow, Gila

Miller, Norm

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Romano, Ross

Scott, Laurie

Smith, Todd

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Yurek, Jeff

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 59; the nays are 16.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Third reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac):

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

There being no further deferred votes, this House stands recessed until 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1157 to 1300.

Members’ Statements

Business community

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I’m pleased to rise today to report the results of my annual survey of Oxford businesses. I thank everyone who participated in the survey and shared their concerns. We recognize that businesses are facing growing challenges. In fact, this year, I received a record number of responses—double from last year.

The cost of doing business in Oxford tops the list of concerns once again. From the increasing cost of hydro and small business taxes to the rising costs due to Bill 148, Oxford businesses are feeling squeezed by the government as they try to operate with rising costs on all fronts.

Because of these increased costs, local businesses report having to reduce staff hours or, in some cases, lay off staff. Fifty-eight per cent of the respondents shared that they were forced to raise prices and increase their hours as the owner or operator simply to make ends meet.

In response to local job losses, last year, I launched the Shop Local, Buy Local campaign. This builds on existing efforts to support small businesses and create jobs by encouraging the residents of Oxford county to shop local. I want to encourage everyone to support our local businesses whenever they can.

Again, I want to thank all of the business operators who took time to tell me about their business and share the challenges that they are facing. We recognize how hard they work, and I hope that the government hears their concerns so we can work to create a successful business climate and keep jobs in Ontario.

Police services

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Earlier today, the government forced a vote on a bill that had a poison pill in it. New Democrats voted in favour of it because, obviously, we’re in favour of police oversight. We need to make sure that police services are in such a way that people can have confidence and, of course, we agree with the First Nations component of the bill. But there are segments in that bill in regard to privatization that, quite frankly, are a step in a completely wrong direction.

We’re here to say that, forming the next government, we will remove all sections of Bill 175 that have to do with privatization that have been enacted in this particular bill. We, as New Democrats, stand firmly on the side of making sure that public services are delivered by public agencies, that never should police services be contracted out to private contractors, and that policing be done by those men and women who are trained, who put their lives on the line and who are there for people when it comes to the emergencies that they face.

But, of course, as New Democrats, we understand that we need to move on the issues that allow us to be able to provide more oversight to our racialized communities when it comes to policing. Of course, we support that. When it comes to what we need to do and should have done years ago on the First Nations file when it comes to policing, it’s something we can support.

But again, rest assured, we will repeal every

section of Bill 175 that does anything to privatize police services in this province.

Bangladeshi community

Mr. Arthur Potts: As the proud representative of many Bangladeshis and Bangladeshi Canadians, I want to take this opportunity to recognize Bangladeshi Heritage Month in the province of Ontario. This was a bill that was brought by my colleague the member from Scarborough Southwest last year, and we adopted it. This is the first month that we are able to officially celebrate it.

Ontario is home to a large and vibrant Bangladeshi community, many of whom have made significant contributions to the province’s scientific, cultural and political development. In my community, the Bangladeshi organizations offer programs on elder abuse prevention, social integration for new immigrants and computer skills for seniors, and Bangladeshi youth lead an initiative that reduces smoking in the community and host a two-day soccer tournament.

Bangladeshis forms a large part of the fabric of Beaches–East York, and the month of March is important for the community, with March 26 being recognized as their independence day. The day memorializes the deaths of thousands of innocents who died in the liberation war that resulted in their independence in 1971. We’ll be raising the Bangladesh flag here at Queen’s Park on March 26.

Shortly after independence day, on April 14, is the Bengali New Year, when a number of events and parades take place in my riding.

In recognizing Bangladeshi Heritage Month, we honour the many significant contributions of the community. Canada was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh after it declared independence and, from that day on, our relationship with Bangladesh has been founded upon shared values of democracy and freedom.

On their new year, Speaker, I wish you and all members a Shubho Noboborsho. Happy New Year.

Events in Parry Sound–Muskoka

Mr. Norm Miller: I rise today to remind residents of Parry Sound–Muskoka and all Ontarians of some of the great activities available in Parry Sound–Muskoka this March break.

We have alpine skiing at Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area. As of today, Hidden Valley has 12 of their 14 runs open. Of course, Hidden Valley is also where Dara Howell, Olympic gold medalist, learned to ski.

Arrowhead Provincial Park, north of Huntsville, has cross-country ski trails, snowshoe trails and a 1.3-kilometre ice skating trail. Many of the ski trails and the skating trail are still open.

Georgian Nordic Ski Club on Highway 124, north of Parry Sound, also offers cross-country skiing, and many of their trails are still open.

If you love maple syrup, Mr. Speaker, why not go see how it is made by visiting the Muskoka Maple Trail. Visit muskokamaple.ca to learn about the more than 30 maple experiences, from sugar bush tours to pancake breakfasts.

Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh, near Bala, also has a skating trail and pond hockey rinks, as well as wagon rides. Every Friday night, they offer night skating on a trail lit with tiki torches, followed by mulled wine by the campfire.

Of course, if you’re a hockey fan, you shouldn’t miss the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame in Parry Sound.

For those looking for more indoor activities, we have great shopping and wonderful restaurants in our communities. So remember to shop local, buy local.

I wish everyone a safe March break.

Resort development

Mr. Wayne Gates: I’d like to talk about something that’s happening in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Earlier this week, the council held another meeting where hundreds of residents came to voice their opposition to the Randwood resort development as it stands today. The residents are opposed to this because they don’t want to see their historic properties compromised to make way for a six-storey building that’s going to change the landscape of the Commons, and I stand with them.

Mr. Speaker, this isn’t the first meeting. At the last meeting about this development, which I personally attended, 700 residents came out in opposition to the Randwood resort development plans as they stand today.

Anytime we look at development, we need to be consulting the residents. They must be listened to. When you build a community, you build a special bond between neighbours and community that requires working together, ensuring that the community that their children and grandchildren inherit is just as special a place as the one that we’re living in. We have something special in Niagara-on-the-Lake, something that has required hard work and dedication. We simply cannot afford to lose that.

Too much damage has already been done. The chainsaws have already come out and we’ve lost far too many of our trees that are on this property. Everything here needs to be put on hold until a new plan, which includes the residents’ vision for their town, is created.

We can do better, and we must do better. That’s the only way we can keep Niagara-on-the-Lake beautiful and preserve it for generations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the time.

Investments in Etobicoke North

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Etobicoke North: First of all, happy 40th anniversary to the Rexdale Women’s Centre. And I congratulate the community on the brand-spanking-new $15-million public library on Albion Road.

I want to let my colleagues know that almost 10,000 children have benefited in my riding from OHIP+, the new pharmacare program in which we have free medications for folks under 25 years old.

We have a $2-billion Finch LRT light-rail transit development underway with eight stops—count ’em, Speaker, eight stops—custom designed for Etobicoke North, from Humber College, Highway 27, Westmore, Martin Grove, Albion, Stevenson, Kipling, and Islington.

We have now, as well, a $400-million expansion—more than doubling the footprint—of Etobicoke General Hospital, part of the William Osler Health System, which will have a new emergency department, newer diagnostics, respirology, cardiology and a whole host of other developments.

I want to let you know, Speaker, that thousands of students as well have benefited from the free two- and four-year college tuition at Humber College. They’re also enjoying their new $90-million student centre. I want to say that this is just part of the development going on in Etobicoke North.

I also want to take a moment to congratulate the front-line health care workers in the province of Ontario, who were able to take system-wide rot and render a clean bill of health within a matter of weeks. So I want to congratulate the health care system of Ontario.

Marcel Brunelle

Mr. Lorne Coe: Sadly, Marcel Brunelle, the former mayor of Whitby, recently passed away. Marcel was a true community champion who served the town of Whitby as an elected official for 24 years, including nine as mayor.

Marcel was a friend, colleague and mentor to me when I joined town council in 2003. He lived large, Speaker, and always made the tough decisions, of which there were many in his tenure as mayor.

During his time, Marcel was instrumental in the development of the Landmark Cinemas entertainment complex, the renovation and expansion of the Centennial Building, the development of the McKinney recreational centre, and the creation of the award-winning Whitby Central Library, which opened in 2005.

Marcel Brunelle need not be enlarged in death beyond what he was in life: to be remembered as a good and decent man who cared deeply for the town of Whitby and its residents and who worked hard every day to improve their lives. That, Speaker, is Marcel Brunelle’s well-deserved legacy.

Fire in Streetsville

Mr. Bob Delaney: On the evening of Friday, March 2, a major fire started in a nearly completed condo building still under construction on Rutledge Road in Streetsville near Tannery Street. The fire raged all evening long and into Saturday morning before being brought under control and put out by the Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services. The new building was completely destroyed. There were, however, no lives lost and no injuries due to the fire. The seniors’ residence across the street was safely evacuated, with its residents being looked after within the community during the evening and into the next day. No nearby homes were damaged by the fire.

Our first responders—Mississauga firefighters and the Peel Regional Police—managed the situation with care and with compassion. I saw Mississauga Fire Chief Tim Beckett on the scene the morning after the fire. He’d been there all night long, and he made sure everybody knew what was happening and why.

Power was restored to affected nearby homes by early afternoon the day after the fire. Most of the nearby residents evacuated had returned to their homes within 15 to 18 hours. The fire marshal continues to investigate the cause of the blaze. Many thanks to our Mississauga firefighters and to the Peel Regional Police for their handling of the incident.

International trade

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: When driving down the QEW, the iconic towers of the steel mills in Hamilton have defined that community for decades and decades. Earlier today, we heard the member from Sault Ste. Marie speak about concerns that he brought forward with regard to this government’s approach to protecting our steel industry here in the province of Ontario.

We heard earlier this week as well that the type of tariffs that the United States is looking at imposing on imports of steel, including Canadian steel, will have an enormously detrimental impact on our communities, families and workers in Hamilton and in Ontario, as well as elsewhere across the province.

Hamilton’s steel industry and business community are concerned with the 25% tariff on steel exported to the United States. In fact, chamber of commerce president Keanin Loomis said, “This is the worst-case scenario for Hamilton. We didn’t expect this.

“Ultimately there are up to about I think 40,000 jobs or so that could be impacted in Hamilton by this announcement,” said Loomis.

I stand today on behalf of the many workers and families in Niagara West–Glanbrook who depend on our steel industry for good, stable, well-paying jobs, and ask that this Liberal government take substantial action to defend and protect our steel industry here in the province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank all members for their comments and their statements.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): It’s never too late for warnings.

Introduction of Bills

Home Air Support Inc. Act, 2018

Mrs. Martow moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr81,

An Act to revive Home Air Support Inc.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Pursuant to standing order 86, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

Motions

Private members’ public business

Hon. Laura Albanese: I believe we have unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice regarding private members’ public business.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The minister is seeking unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice. Do we agree? Agreed.

Minister.

Hon. Laura Albanese: I move that, notwithstanding standing order 98(g), notice for ballot item 38 be waived.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Madame Albanese moves that, notwithstanding standing order 98(g), ballot item number 38 notice be waived. Do we agree? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

International Women’s Day

Hon. Harinder Malhi: I’m pleased to rise today as the Minister of the Status of Women in recognition of International Women’s Day. This is a day in which the world stands together in support of a woman’s right to live free from violence. International Women’s Day is an important time to recognize the achievements and contributions of women. It is also a time to reflect on the work that still must be done.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “Press for Progress.” This is a call to action for all of us to press forward and continue to lead change. Our government continues to press for progress. Our government is committed to ending gender violence and to improving gender equality. We want all women, and everyone who identifies as a woman, to benefit from a more fair and equal society.

Over the past few weeks, our government pressed for progress by launching two major new strategies: It’s Never Okay: Ontario’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy; and Then Now Next: Ontario’s Strategy for Women’s Economic Empowerment. These investments will have a significant impact going forward on the lives of women and girls across the province. They are a response to the voices of the many women and girls who have come forward to press for progress in Ontario and around the world this past year.

Speaker, we are in a moment. Our government has seen women marching in the streets for change. We have heard survivors of violence say #MeToo over and over again. We have travelled throughout Ontario and spoken with agencies and people with lived experience of violence. We have been so grateful for their guidance. We have heard the stories of women who continue to live in dangerous situations because they can’t find safety. We know that women are waiting to receive counselling services or struggling to get through the legal system. We have been listening, and we have taken action.

We have announced It’s Never Okay: Ontario’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy. It’s an up-to-$242-million commitment to ending all forms of violence against anyone based on their gender, gender expression or gender identity. As a result, there will be more services and better supports for survivors. For example, up to 1,000 more women and children will have a safe bed when escaping violence. As well, the sexual assault centre system will receive up to a 35% overall base-funding increase. This will add