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November 7, 2024

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2024-Nov-07 (PDF)

L180 - Thu 7 Nov 2024 / Jeu 7 nov 2024

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Thursday 7 November 2024 Jeudi 7 novembre 2024

Royal assent / Sanction royale

Time allocation

Orders of the Day

Election Finances Amendment Act (Quarterly Allowances), 2024 / Loi de 2024 modifiant la

Loi sur le financement des élections (allocations trimestrielles)

Election Finances Amendment Act (Quarterly Allowances), 2024 / Loi de 2024 modifiant la

Loi sur le financement des élections (allocations trimestrielles)

Members’ Statements

Dr. Asha Seth

Domestic violence

Rexall pharmacist care clinic

Indigenous Veterans Day

Pat Foran

Homelessness

Veterans

Marie Trainer

Personnes âgées

Gayle Christie

Introduction of Visitors

Remembrance Day

Transit relief program

Workplace fatalities

Question Period

Highway tolls

Government accountability

Government accountability

Energy policies

Addiction services

International trade

Workplace safety

Health care

Veterans

Air quality

Health care / Soins de santé

Hate crimes

Public transit

Business of the House

No. 2 Construction Battalion

Visitors

Deferred Votes

Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 sur le désengorgement du réseau routier et le gain de temps

Legislative pages

Introduction of Bills

Heat Stress Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 sur le stress dû à la chaleur

Petitions

Health care

Health care

Tenant protection

Taxation

Ontario Science Centre

Affordable housing

Economic development

Social assistance

Public safety

Tuition

Affordable housing

Private Members’ Public Business

Cutting Taxes on Small Businesses Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 pour réduire les impôts des petites entreprises

Correction of record

The House met at 0900.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Good morning. Let us pray.

Prières / Prayers.

Royal assent / Sanction royale

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I beg to inform the House that in name of His Majesty the King, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to assent to a certain bill in her office.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Julia Douglas): The following is the title of the bill to which Her Honour did assent:

An Act to implement Budget measures and to enact and amend various statutes / Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre les mesures budgétaires et à édicter et à modifier diverses lois.

Time allocation

Mr. Anthony Leardi: Point of order, Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Point of order, the member for Essex.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: I seek unanimous consent that, notwithstanding any standing order or special order of the House, the order for second reading of Bill 220,

An Act to amend the Election Finances Act be immediately called and that 30 minutes be allotted to debate with 10 minutes for members of His Majesty’s government, 10 minutes for members of His Majesty’s loyal opposition and 10 minutes for the independent members as a group; and

That, at the end of this time, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings and shall put every question necessary to dispose of the second reading stage of Bill 220 without further debate or amendment; and

That, upon receiving second reading, the bill shall be ordered for third reading, which order shall immediately be called; and

That the Speaker shall immediately put the question on the motion for third reading without debate or amendment; and

That the votes on second and third reading of the bill shall not be deferred; and

That, if a recorded division is requested on the second or third reading vote on the bill, the division bells shall be limited to five minutes.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Leardi is seeking the unanimous consent of the House that, notwithstanding any standing order or special order of the House, the order for second reading of Bill 220,

An Act to amend the Election Finances Act be immediately called and that 30 minutes be allotted to debate with 10 minutes for members of His Majesty’s government, 10 minutes for members of His Majesty’s loyal opposition and 10 minutes for the independent members as a group; and

That, at the end of this time, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings and shall put every question necessary to dispose of the second reading stage of Bill 220 without further debate or amendment; and

That, upon receiving second reading, the bill shall be ordered for third reading, which order shall immediately be called; and

That the Speaker shall immediately put the question on the motion for third reading without debate or amendment; and

That the votes on second and third reading of the bill shall not be deferred; and

That, if a recorded division is requested on the second or third reading vote on the bill, the division bells shall be limited to five minutes.

Agreed? Agreed.

Orders of the Day

Election Finances Amendment Act (Quarterly Allowances), 2024 / Loi de 2024 modifiant la

Loi sur le financement des élections (allocations trimestrielles)

Mr. Downey moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 220,

An Act to amend the Election Finances Act / Projet de loi 220, Loi modifiant la

Loi sur le financement des élections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the minister care to lead off the debate.

Hon. Doug Downey: I want to start by saying I’ve had the absolute privilege over the last several decades to knock on doors, not just in Ontario and all corners of Ontario—rural and urban and otherwise—but also across the country, whether it be Nova Scotia or New Brunswick or Newfoundland—Mount Pearl, to be exact—and other places across the country as far west as BC.

There is a theme when you knock on doors. People are generally receptive. You expect that there might be hostility at the doors during elections; that is not actually the truth. People are receptive and they do want to hear from you. They want to hear what you have to offer as a party for your candidate. I find that when people come door-knocking for the first time, volunteers come and they’re nervous. What’s going to happen? Well, what’s going to happen is you’re going to talk to your neighbours. You’re going to talk to your neighbours and your friends and other people that you know.

I’ll tell you, Mr. Speaker, I love door-knocking, but there’s one than stands out in my mind, in 2018. It was up Highway 11, a fairly busy space, so you have to drive door-to-door. I went up to this house, and I can visualize it even now: A young mom came to the door and she had four kids. There was one standing beside her, one on the hip, one on the leg and one behind the gate at the top of the stairs. The lady said to me, “I don’t vote.” I said, “Why don’t you vote?” She said, “Because my vote doesn’t matter.

Nobody wants to hear what I have to say.” I said, “I’m standing in your doorway because I want to hear what you have to say.” I won’t drag you through the whole conversation, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know how she voted. But I do know this: She had an impact in two ways.

I ran into her later at a shopping mall. She saw me; I wouldn’t have recognized her, to be honest. She came up to me and she said, “I voted.” I went, “That made my day.” So not only did she have an impact by voting—and I don’t know for who; I didn’t ask her. I probably should have. I’m a bad politician that way sometimes. But she also had an impact because her vote went to support whoever she voted for, with a small subsidy, with a small additional level of support that would play out over the next four years. That’s not to be underestimated.

I ran into another fellow, also in 2018. He said, “I’ve never voted in my life.” I said, “Well, how old are you?” He was 38. I said, “Why don’t you vote?” He said, “I just never have. I just never got around to it.” You can tell the punch line: I ran into him later—I did recognize him; he was about 6 foot 4 and a little more distinct. Well, he did vote for me, because he told me that, so that subsidy, of course, played out as well. It’s a way for some people to make their vote matter, even if they don’t know that it matters, and every vote does matter.

That’s another thing, “My vote doesn’t matter.” It does matter. I can tell you, if you ask former Premier Ernie Eves, in the race where he won by six votes, he’ll tell you every vote matters. And I can tell you, everybody who ran in a close election knows every single vote matters—not just in the ballot box in this case, but to help support a healthy democracy, to help support exactly what we’re doing here.

I’ll tell you, Mr. Speaker, I don’t have an issue with having my ideas debated. I have confidence in my issues. I have confidence in my positions. I know the other parties do too, and the stronger the opposition is—the stronger all the oppositions are—the stronger we will be, because we need to have a good strong democratic debate, not just here, but at the doors and in our communities. If we’re not doing that, we’re not at our best.

I can tell you, from my practice when I was doing corporate work and real estate work, if I had a sloppy lawyer on the other side, it would often make a mess of the file. But if I had a strong lawyer, somebody who was experienced and knew what they were doing, we could get down to business and find out the two things that actually need to be negotiated sorted out pretty quickly, and it was better for everybody.

Similarly, when we have a strong opposition, when we have strong people testing our ideas, if we don’t have confidence in our ideas, then that’s a challenge. But I do have confidence in the things that we do, and I’m happy to stand up and have that debate. But we need a strong institution, and I think this small amendment of time will contribute to that in some small way.

The other piece about “My vote doesn’t matter:” When I run into somebody in a riding, if I’m helping somebody—we all know the ridings that are likely to go one way or likely to go another. They have been that way forever. Now, it is not a total lock. MPP Dowie proved that point—that, after 95 years, you can make change, absolutely. The bad news for the opposition here today is that there’s more of that to come.

However, there are perceptions in the ridings that a certain race will go a certain way, so the other parties that would receive support from constituents say, “What’s the point in voting? It’s going go that way.” Well, I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, I had an experience—again, I’m speaking from my own experience in the riding. It happened to be a supporter of the Green Party, who said, “Look, I don’t know if I’m going to vote. If I voted, I’d vote for the Green Party.” They don’t feel like it matters. But if they vote for the Green Party, that has an impact in building up the opposition. It helps Mr.

Schreiner and others because it contributes to the democracy, and it helps with our development of ideas, the testing of ideas, the exchange of ideas. So that’s very much what this is about, making sure that we’re making every vote matter in one way or another.

We want people to vote. We want voter turnout to move up. We always want more voter turnout. We could do what other jurisdictions do; we could say, “You have to vote, or you will be penalized.” That actually happens in some jurisdictions. That’s not the route that we’ve taken, but we’ve said we will recognize your vote regardless of who you vote for, for participating in this democratic system that none of us here take for granted.

There are occasions where somebody comes to me and they’ve got the silver-bullet idea, and it’s going to fix everything and they’re going to do everything. I say to them, “Then get involved with whoever it is that you think is going to advance that interest and let’s have that debate.” But most people won’t do that. Most people are busy taking their kids to hockey and dance and any number of things, and they don’t have time or they don’t have the resources to get involved. Well, this is an expression of that interest. This is an expression of their support and their interest in democracy and making things happen.

We watch elections. We’re watching Nova Scotia right now to see how that goes. I wish my friend, the leader, good luck in that. I think Tim will do well, but it’s elections and you just never know.

Here’s the thing: Regardless of where elections go, it needs to be a debate amongst the parties, it needs to be a debate among the people actually knocking on the doors putting their name on a ballot and making things happen, and not properly resourced—whether it be private companies, special interest groups, whatever it is. We can’t allow them to drown out the real ideas of the real people knocking on real doors talking to their neighbours and friends. That is core to what we’re doing. We have to continue to support our system, to have this robust debate.

I have to say: Who knows when elections are going to come? Nobody here knows.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Probably you do.

Hon. Doug Downey: Somebody’s pointing and saying, “Probably you do.” Every time I think I know what’s going to happen in politics, something else happens. That was my operating assumption when I woke up this morning, and it will continue until the end of the day.

We’re doing great things in this Legislature. We’re building, we’re attracting talent, we’re attracting investment, we’re growing the economy, we’re supporting the most vulnerable in our community. We all agree on those things; we just disagree on how you do it.

I want to continue to have that vigorous dialogue to make sure that we’re having vigorous debate and exchange of ideas. There are occasions where ideas come out of a place you never knew that they might, but they need to be debated in here and they need to be debated at the doors. All of that business takes resources. The small extension of time to continue the status quo is something that I think is healthy for our debate and for our system.

I look forward to continuing to work with the other members in the Legislature to have that vigorous debate and to get our collective voices out and let the best ideas win. Let’s do it at the doors, but that takes resources and I look forward to hearing from the other parties on their perspective. Thank you. Merci. Meegwetch.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): Further debate?

Mr. John Vanthof: It’s always an honour to be able to stand in the House, and today, on behalf of the official opposition, give our remarks on Bill 220—the amendment to the Election Finances Act.

First off, I would like to thank the government House leader and House leader’s office and the other House leaders of the other parties. I think this bill and the speed at which it’s going shows that when there is an issue that we can all work together on on behalf of the people of Ontario, we can. There are issues in this House that we philosophically completely disagree on and we’ll fight, in my language, till the cows come home. But on things that are good—that we all agree are good for the people of Ontario, we can work together. This bill, this amendment is an example of that. I listened very intently to the Attorney General and agreed with almost everything he said.

What’s really important about our democratic system is that everyone can have a voice in that system. We have always, in the NDP, been in favour of public financing of the election process, as the Chief Electoral Officer initially suggested when the first version of this bill was brought in because the other side is—let’s be frank, there are people in society, and they should have a voice, who have the financial wherewithal to donate, to help finance political activities. I’m not opposed to that, but there are large sectors of society who don’t have that wherewithal, and everyone’s voice should be heard.

We don’t all agree in this chamber, often we don’t, but everyone’s voice is worthy to be heard. There isn’t a day in this chamber that I don’t learn something and that makes us all valuable. But the people we represent also need to be able to have that voice. Public financing gives everyone who votes a voice because your vote is attached to a small sum of money that goes to the party for which you share a belief. As a result, that party can share that belief during the election campaign and share that belief in this House, whether it’s as a government or opposition or independent or third party. That is incredibly important.

Make no mistake, in our modern world, elections—for a party to tell people what they believe could be done to improve the province or change things in the province, it costs money. Let’s make no mistake about it. I agree with the Attorney General that there’s nothing like knocking on a door, but even knocking on doors takes finances to get to that door, to get the signs in front of those doors, to put ads. It takes money. If that money only comes from those who can afford to donate to the political system, then perhaps—and I’m not saying it always happens—those views are amplified and the whole democratic system loses as a result.

This was an easy subject for us to agree to. We have always been in favour of public financing for the electoral system—will always be in favour. Quite frankly, we were a bit surprised that this issue came up, because, at points, the government has actively campaigned against it, so it’s also an example that people can change their minds, and that’s not a bad thing. That’s actually one of the things that this House is about too. We don’t often change each other’s minds, let’s admit it. But in this case, someone has, for the better.

I agreed wholeheartedly with what the Attorney General said—just the one point about how they’re going to form the next government, I might not agree with that. But we all do knock on doors, we talk to people, we put forward our views and we believe in our views. If I didn’t believe in what the New Democratic Party stands for, I wouldn’t be standing here, because the people wouldn’t have voted for me based on those views. Because I think one thing that people can tell pretty quickly is who believes what they’re saying and who doesn’t.

Despite the fact that I disagree with many of the things the government believes, a lot of people voted for the government in the last election, and might not in the next election—

Interjections.

Mr. John Vanthof: See, obviously the government doesn’t agree with me on that, and that’s fine.

Interjection: You know they’re listening.

Mr. John Vanthof: They are listening.

That’s also the great thing about being able to stand in this House and express the views of the people of Timiskaming–Cochrane, but, in this case, the views of the official opposition and most of the people of the province who elected the official opposition. Often, the NDP pushes issues—I’ll give an example: doubling ODSP, because people now are in legislated poverty. When your only income is ODSP, you know what? You don’t have any money left over to donate to the political process. You don’t.

Regardless if we have differing views about whether it’s enough or not, there is not enough to donate to a political party because you’re worried about your rent, whether you’ll have enough to eat. But those people also have as much right to a voice in this House as someone who has a big business, and I don’t begrudge either. Public financing goes part of the way to giving everyone who votes a voice, and everyone who votes—the more people we can get to vote, the bigger the voice and the stronger democracy.

I hope everyone shares this with me: One of the things I love to do the most, probably more than door-knocking, is going to schools and talking to students about democracy, and that question always comes up, “Well, does it matter if I vote?” My take is a bit different. I say, “Well, it matters if you don’t,” because—this might not be popular, what I’m about to say, but political parties don’t know how you vote, and that’s a great thing, but they can keep track of what demographics vote, and, quite frankly, if a demographic tends not to vote, sometimes policy isn’t aimed at that demographic. So the more people we can get to vote, the better it is.

Single moms aren’t the highest voters, because they’ve got a lot going on. But if that single mom knows that if she votes, her voice adds to whichever political persuasion she is, that’s a step forward in democracy. This is an extension of a bill that provided that step. This bill was about to end, and together we have agreed to continue this practice. For that, we are very supportive and I’m very thankful that I’ve had this opportunity to express our views.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): Further debate.

Mr. John Fraser: I’ll be sharing my time, in the spirit of this morning, equally with my colleague from Guelph. I just want to say we’ll be supporting this measure. The per-vote subsidy, we believe, is a very democratic way of ensuring that we can fund elections. There should be a balance between that and the limits that we put on giving to our particular parties, to try to get that right. It’s a very democratic way of doing things. Everybody gets shares equally, depending how many votes that they have.

There are some inequalities in this system. That’s the way it is; I’m not saying that has to change. You know, we got more votes than the NDP in the last election, but we’re smaller over here. But with this, here’s what will happen: We’re actually going to get a little bit more money than them, because more people voted for us—not a lot—and that’s a good thing. That means those votes—

Mr. John Vanthof: We’re going to try to change that.

Mr. John Fraser: You’re going to try to change that? Have at ’er, buddy. We’re going to try to change that as well.

I like to say this, and this is a good morning because we’re all agreeing on this: I share more in common with all of you than the differences that we have. The differences that we have are bigger, but they’re not deal-breakers, folks. We’re all in this thing together and doing this subsidy the way we’re doing it this morning is equal and fair, and so we’ll be supporting it.

I’m very happy to have had the patience of my colleagues to my right—or to my left, or somewhere in between—for the little poke that I took at them. Hopefully, we can take a bigger poke at you next time.

Look, this is all fuelling speculation about an early election. I think when you call an election early, you have to have a reason and there has to be a ballot question. The question on everyone’s minds is, what’s the ballot question going to be? The ballot question will be: Is your life any better now than it was six years ago? Is your health care system any better than it was six years ago? Do more people or less people have a family doctor? Are wait times shorter for surgeries and diagnostics? Are we funding take-home cancer drugs? Is your health care system better?

I think that that’s going to be the ballot question in the next election, whenever that’s called. That’s what I hear at the door. That’s what I see in terms of the government records. Do you think your health care system is any better six years later, objectively? That’s going to be the ballot question.

When 2.5 million Ontarians don’t have a family doctor, and that number is going to grow to 4.4 million in 2026, that’s a serious issue. That issue is important, primary care, because you need to stay healthy and it’s pretty hard to without access to primary care. When you’re not healthy, you need to know that you’re not healthy. That’s hard when you don’t have primary care. You have to go somewhere else, like a walk-in clinic or an emergency room. We’ve heard the Premier talk about emergency rooms and how not to take little Johnny if he’s got a cut, but if he needs stitches, you better take him.

That’s the question of the day. Since we’re talking about elections, I don’t know when it’s going to be. People on the other side probably know when it’s going to be. But when we have an election, in which the per-vote subsidy will be in effect, the ballot question in that election is, is your health care system better than it was six years ago? Is it working for you better than it did six years ago? Is your family getting what they need? That will be the ballot question. That will be the question that people ask us at the doors, because they already are.

I don’t want to give my colleague from Guelph too much time, so I’m going to count it down right to five, because we’re talking about being equal and sharing here, and if I give him extra, it might be like it’s a bias of some sort. So it’s coming up, Mike. I’m going to give you six seconds. There we go.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): The member from Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I’m honoured to speak in favour of Bill 220. I appreciate the extra five seconds that the member from Ottawa South provided.

Speaker, one of the main reasons I got involved in politics was to improve and strengthen our democracy. And one of the reasons I chose to get involved with the Ontario Green Party is that it was a party that talked about getting big money out of politics and talked about reforming our democracy by bringing in proportional representation so the composition of the Legislature would reflect the democratic will of the people.

One of the reasons I’ve always supported public-based per-vote funding is because it shifts the funding and power from large donors and special interest groups to voters and the people. I think that is more democratic, and I think we only have to look south of the border to see the corrosive effects that big money has in politics. I am so grateful in Canada that we don’t have elections dominated by billionaires and millionaires because we have spending limits and campaign donation limit systems in place, unlike what the US has.

But I also want to say that I listened to the radio this morning, on one of the radio shows where I’m on one of the panels, and the panellists were speaking negatively about this particular bill. And I want to remind those folks, I want to remind the public listening today that prior to per-vote funding in Ontario, we had a pay-to-play system that essentially meant that the party of the day was assigning funding targets to their ministers in particular. You had big-ticket events where people were forced to pay large sums of money to be able to have access to people in government.

I remember being the leader of a non-profit organization, and one of the things we struggled with was, should we attend these fundraisers? Was it even the right thing to spend money on? But how else were we going to get access to government unless we did that?

So I just want to say I’m grateful—I’ll be critical, but I’m also grateful—that the Premier of the day, Kathleen Wynne, recognized that that system was wrong. I want to give her credit for actually calling me into her office and helping rewrite our fundraising laws in Ontario.

When I went into her office, I said that there are three principles that should apply. First of all, we should eliminate corporate and union donations to political parties in this province because people should donate to politics, and politicians serve people, not special interests or corporate interests. The second thing I said is we have to dramatically lower donation limits to create an even playing field for voters across the province. The third thing I suggested is that we have public per-vote funding so that everybody in this province who votes has an opportunity to direct their donation to the party they choose.

Like the Attorney General, I’ve knocked on many doors over the years and had many people tell me, “My vote doesn’t count.” I think if we change our electoral system, we can help solve that problem. But at the very least, having public funding provides an answer to say, yes, your vote does count; at the very least, you’re able to direct a donation to the political party you support.

To Premier Wynne’s credit, she brought in those changes. I want to say that it heartens me to hear all parties saying they’re going to support this legislation. I want to thank the government for bringing it forward, but I also want to say there needs to be a balance. I believe that political parties should fundraise. I think fundraising should be a part of our democratic system. It’s an opportunity for people to make a contribution to the party they support.

But I also want to say, when this government first took office, donation limits were $1,200. You could give $1,200 to a candidate, $1,200 to a riding association and $1,200 to a political party, for a total of $3,600. They changed that and raised it to $1,650, which, if you do across all three, is a total of $4,960.

Today they’ve raised it to $3,375, meaning that a single individual can donate over $10,000 to a political party, directing it to a candidate, a riding association and the central party. I think that balance is off. I think that balance is allowing big money to have a disproportionate impact in our politics. I think that’s bad for democracy, and I would encourage the government to rebalance the way donation limits are set.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): Pursuant to the order of the House passed earlier today, I’m now required to put the question.

Mr. Downey has moved second reading of Bill 220,

An Act to amend the Election Finances Act.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): Pursuant to the order of the House passed earlier today, this bill is ordered for third reading.

Election Finances Amendment Act (Quarterly Allowances), 2024 / Loi de 2024 modifiant la

Loi sur le financement des élections (allocations trimestrielles)

Mr. Downey moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 220,

An Act to amend the Election Finances Act / Projet de loi 220, Loi modifiant la

Loi sur le financement des élections.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): Pursuant to the order of the House passed earlier today, I am now required to put the question.

Mr. Downey has moved third reading of Bill 220,

An Act to amend the Election Finances Act.

It is the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): Orders of the day? I recognize the Minister of Red Tape Reduction.

Hon. Mike Harris: No further business this morning.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes): There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 10:15.

The House recessed from 0938 to 1015.

Members’ Statements

Dr. Asha Seth

Mr. Deepak Anand: “Believing in yourself is extremely important ... Life is difficult and comes with its challenges, some small and some very big. But in order to overcome them ... we must believe we can.”

These inspiring words came from the honourable Dr. Asha Seth, Canada’s first South Asian Canadian female senator. Thank you so much.

With over 45 years of experience as a gynecologist, she has served families across Canada, delivering thousands of babies during her career. This past Family Day, Dr. Seth joined the residents of Mississauga–Malton for paint night where a resident recognized her as the doctor who delivered her baby nearly 40 years back. It was very heartwarming to see the deep connections she has created within our community.

Dr. Seth’s passion for eye health has been transformative. Serving as the national fundraising chair and a national board director for CNIB, she has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the critical importance of eye care and launched May as national Vision Health Month.

Dr. Seth is currently working on ensuring every child gets comprehensive eye testing at an early stage. With her loving husband Dr. Arun Seth and two accomplished daughters Angie and Dr. Anila her contributions remind us that people are bigger than their size and can have generational impacts.

Thank you, Dr. Asha Seth, for being an inspiration to the women in Mississauga–Malton and across Ontario. We pray for your health and well-being so that you can keep giving back to the community. Thank you, Dr. Asha Seth.

Domestic violence

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: I rise today to remember the life and light of Breanna Broadfoot. Breanna was a young woman of 17 whose life was cut short by intimate partner violence. Breanna sought help. The accused was ordered by the court not to contact her. The criminal justice system needs to better protect women like Breanna.

Breanna’s family, Jess, Brett and brother Lucas, have turned unthinkable pain and grief into action. Lucas is mature beyond his years and is a strong voice for young women, but it should never be this way.

The city of London declared IPV an epidemic last year, joining AMO and over 100 municipalities across the province.

I also think of Cheryl Sheldon, turned away from one shelter—it was full—and even though she was directed to an open bed at another shelter, she never made it there. Her life was taken, lost to IPV.

Here’s what the government could do right now:

—provide multi-year base funding instead of project-based grants;

—ensure funding meets demand, because no shelter should ever have to turn away women escaping violence, and they also shouldn’t have to fundraise to keep the lights on;

—build affordable, non-market housing so women have a place to rebuild their lives after the shelter;

—make sure brave survivors of sexual assault are not denied justice; don’t set rapists free because of court backlogs.

I want to thank the amazing folks at London Abused Women’s Centre, Anova and Rotholme for the work they do to save and rebuild lives. You do the work of angels, and the government should pay you what you’re worth.

The time is now. The province must declare intimate partner violence an epidemic and break the cycle of men’s violence against women.

Rexall pharmacist care clinic

Ms. Patrice Barnes: I rise today to highlight an exciting addition to the great riding of Ajax that will help address the growing demand for accessible health care in our community.

A long-standing staple in our community, led by pharmacist manager Reza Ghaffari at Rexall, has recently added a new pharmacist-led clinic at the corner of Harwood Avenue South and Westney Road South. It’s a much-needed resource at a time when health care is top of mind for Ajax and beyond, aligning with our vision of providing quality care when you need it, where you need it.

By expanding the role of pharmacists, this clinic offers a variety of services, including treating 14 minor ailments such as sore throat, pink eye, shingles and more; in addition, supporting patients with medication management, health screening and vaccinations. This model supports our health care system by alleviating pressures at our hospitals and emergency rooms, ensuring that patients can access more care quickly and efficiently.

I thank Rexall for their investment in our community and for helping to strengthen Ontario’s health care infrastructure. This initiative is exactly the kind of innovation we need to continue to ensure Ontarians have access to the care they deserve.

Indigenous Veterans Day

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Tomorrow, November 8, is Indigenous Veterans Day. This day was officially recognized for the first time in 1994, 30 years ago, in Manitoba. Over 7,000 First Nations people served in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War, and likely around 12,000 Indigenous people served during the 20th century’s major conflicts. Over 500 of them lost their lives.

For those who returned, Indigenous veterans were not given the same recognition granted to non-Indigenous veterans. After World War II, Indigenous veterans returned home to a country that continued to discriminate against them. Many Indigenous veterans lost their Indian status because they participated in the military, and some saw their lands taken away and given to non-Indigenous veterans.

It is important that Indigenous Veterans Day exists, so that our veterans are honoured for their sacrifices, which came at great cost. I encourage everyone to educate themselves about the history of how Indigenous veterans were treated in Canada.

Kiiwetinoong today is full of many young people serving. We thank you for your service. Meegwetch to all Indigenous veterans for your service in the military and for helping to defend and protect democracy, here and around the world. Meegwetch.

Pat Foran

Mr. Lorne Coe: I’m honoured to rise today to congratulate Whitby resident Pat Foran on his induction into the Order of Ontario. The Order of Ontario is the province’s highest civilian honour. It’s awarded to an Ontarian who has shown the highest levels of excellence and achievement in their field and whose impact has left a legacy in our province, our country and around the world.

As the trusted Consumer Alert reporter with CTV News Toronto, Pat has dedicated three decades to protecting and educating Ontario’s consumers. His persistent and insightful reporting on consumer fraud has helped thousands of Canadians recover millions of dollars, proving his unwavering commitment to public welfare. Today, Pat Foran is one of Ontario’s finest citizens, whose dedication exemplifies excellence in public service.

Congratulations, Pat, to you and your family, on a well-deserved induction into the Order of Ontario.

Homelessness

Mr. Chris Glover: Ontario inherited a homelessness crisis of 21,000 people who were homeless across the province from the previous Liberal government. But since the Conservatives have been elected, that homelessness crisis has now exploded to 234,000 people homeless across Ontario.

There are tent encampments in every community across this province. It’s a humanitarian nightmare for the people in the encampments and for the communities around them. But the Conservatives have consistently voted down every solution the Ontario NDP has brought forward. They voted against building 250,000 non-profit homes, including co-ops and social and supportive housing. They voted against restoring rent control. They supported the renoviction of seniors by the Chartwell corporation in Mississauga. That Chartwell corporation, actually, is taxpayer subsidized.

Now, the Conservatives are proposing to use the “notwithstanding” clause to strip Ontarians of their charter rights. Not many people understand that the “notwithstanding” clause strips us of our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of movement and our legal rights, so that if we are arrested, we must be charged and we must be brought before a judge, and we cannot be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment.

These are the rights that this government wants to strip us of, and they’re using the homelessness crisis as an excuse to use the “notwithstanding” clause. It’s absolutely shameful. The solution to homelessness is to build housing, not to strip us of our human rights.

Veterans

Mrs. Daisy Wai: In my community of Richmond Hill, we are blessed with many local heroes, men and women who answered the call of duty in wars, peacekeeping missions and during critical moments in our history. These veterans embody the true spirit of service, sacrifice, courage and resilience. They have fought, bled and sometimes died to ensure our peace and security so we could live freely and in a prosperous and just society.

We have worked hard to make sure that these brave men and women are never forgotten. We have displayed their banners throughout the town, each one with the name and story of a veteran, reminding everyone who passes by of the debt we owe them.

As a Canadian who immigrated from Hong Kong, I was especially moved by the stories of Canadian soldiers in Hong Kong during World War II. The stories of these men resonate deeply within me. These soldiers fought with dignity and courage, knowing that they might not return home. They sacrificed everything to defend not just their comrades but the values we hold in Canada: democracy, peace and freedom. Their bravery under impossible circumstances is something we must never forget.

Marie Trainer

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: I rise to pay tribute to Marie Trainer, a Haldimand county councillor and former mayor. Marie passed away last Thursday from complications sustained nearly two months ago, after being involved in a serious motor vehicle collision. The self-styled people’s mayor was laid to rest Tuesday in the Hagersville area, where she ran the fields as a little country girl who enjoyed the simple but rich things in life, like being surrounded by family and friends.

I met Marie at the beginning of my political career in 1999. I immediately knew she was a force to be reckoned with. Widowed at a young age and left to raise three boys on her own, Marie stared adversity in the face and found new opportunities for herself. As a result, Haldimand county got the very best in service and in leadership.

Marie began her 40-year political career in 1985 as a councillor and served as mayor from 1991 until 2010. Last year, she returned to office in a ward by-election, and my goodness, it was as though the hands of time had been turned back. She was reinvigorated, determined to fight against the proposed city of 40,000 at the Nanticoke industrial park.

It was just a few weeks ago that Marie insisted she attend a council meeting from her hospital bed. It was this grit and determination I admired so much. I will miss the usual greeting of a hug, a kiss and then in a very calm voice, “Let’s get down to business.”

Rest in peace, sweet Marie.

Personnes âgées

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: Cet été, j’ai eu le plaisir de faire une annonce marquante pour soutenir les aînés francophones de notre région. Je suis ravie de partager que l’Association des francophones de la région de York, AFRY, et la Communauté du Trille blanc, CTB, ont reçu des subventions pour enrichir le bien-être et l’intégration sociale de nos aînés.

AFRY bénéficiera de jusqu’à 25 000 $ pour son programme « Les aînés s’amusent! », permettant aux aînés de la région de York de participer à des activités physiques, culturelles et sociales au cours des sept prochains mois. Ce programme répond à un besoin réel d’activités de loisirs adaptées pour nos aînés francophones.

La CTB recevra jusqu’à 21 800 $ pour son programme « Engagement actif pour les aînés, » qui propose des activités éducatives et intergénérationnelles enrichissantes.

Ces initiatives illustrent l’engagement de notre gouvernement envers la vitalité du bilinguisme en Ontario et offrent des occasions précieuses d’inclusion sociale et de bien-être aux aînés francophones de Newmarket, de la région de York, et dans tout l’Ontario.

Gayle Christie

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto: I rise here this morning to honour Gayle Christie, the former mayor of York, who passed away recently. I would like to welcome her daughter Rebecca Christie and her granddaughters Lauren and Ashleigh to the House today.

Gayle was a true community champion, representing the people of York in many roles: as a trustee, alderman, mayor and as a member of the Metro Toronto council. She was a trailblazer in the 1970s, as one of the first women to enter politics and the first to serve as mayor of York. Gayle was an incredible advocate—for infrastructure, for economic development, for youth education and employment, for community safety, for the most vulnerable, and, in particular, for the Yorktown Women’s Shelter. She was committed to public service, and she worked together with leaders from all political parties and across the private sector and the public sector to build a better community.

Speaker, everyone in politics on both sides of the aisle knew who Gayle was, and many had stories of her reaching out to them to help her constituents. Her determination and courage helped to pave the way for future generations, and they remain an inspiration to many here in this House today.

We know that Gayle’s legacy will live on and have a positive impact for many years to come.

On behalf of all the members, I want to extend my sincerest condolences to Rebecca and the entire Christie family today.

Introduction of Visitors

Hon. Kevin Holland: It’s a great honour for me to introduce my neighbour and good friend Erin Arps and her colleagues Katherine Tuomi and Hema Merai, all from the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Speaker, I’m very pleased to welcome our guests from the Ontario Federation of Labour this morning: Laura Walton, president; Rob Halpin, general secretary; Crystal Stewart, director of health, safety and environment. They’re all here to press for protection for workers from heat stress.

Welcome to the Legislature.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: It’s a real honour today to welcome members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation. I want to thank you for your powerful words in the media studio this morning and specifically welcome Chief Janelle Nahmabin, Councillor John Adams, Councillor Darren Henry, Councillor Sherri Crowley, environment coordinator Lynn Rosales, consultants Scott and Cathy Grant, consultant Sharilyn Johnston, council clerk Ashley Jackson and Councillor Marina Plain.

Thank you, and welcome to your House.

Hon. Kinga Surma: I would like to thank the member from Mississauga–Lakeshore for the kind words that he has said in this House.

I have three very special guests here today: the daughter of Gayle Christie, Rebecca, and two grandchildren, Ashleigh and Lauren.

Gayle unfortunately passed away in August. She was a remarkable woman. She was the former mayor of York and she was one of the very first people who helped me when I was seeking the nomination so that I could be in this House today to represent Etobicoke Centre. She has been a friend, an example for the community, and it has been a very terrible loss.

So thank you so much to the family members who are here today. She will always be remembered as one of the strongest women that I’ve had the privilege to know.

Mr. Chris Glover: I want to welcome the Ontario Federation of Labour.

I also want to welcome, from Save the Minden ER, Patrick Porzuczek.

I also want to express my condolences to the family of Gayle Christie. She was a good friend and supporter.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Good morning, everyone. I’d like to introduce my brand new constituency assistant, clever Colleen Staples. Please do not scare her off with your behaviour. She’s in the House today for the first time.

I’d also like to acknowledge the representatives from Wasaga Beach, near my old hometown. I’m looking forward to seeing your vintage bus and joining you at lunch today.

Mr. Dave Smith: I have a couple of introductions. First, I’ll start with, on behalf of the member from Simcoe–Grey, the township of Wasaga is here today. They have a reception this morning at 11:45. Please come on down to that, and he’ll have more to say for that.

Secondly, I’d like to introduce the mother of page Ali, Marilyn Buchanan, who is up in the public gallery today.

Ms. Marit Stiles: It’s really a pleasure to introduce and welcome the following visitors who are here at Queen’s Park today with Aamjiwnaang First Nation for a media conference and rally to call on the government to take action on the toxic pollution that’s harming their community’s health. With us today are Chief Janelle Nahmabin, Councillor Marina Plain, Councillor Darren Henry, Councillor Sherri Crowley, Councillor John Adams, Aamjiwnaang environment coordinator Lynn Rosales, Kim Henry, Cathy Grant, Scott Grant, Shawn Crowley, Sharilyn Johnston and Ashley Jackson.

Thank you so much for joining us here today. Welcome.

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: Happy Thursday to you all. It is my pleasure to introduce to the House someone I thoroughly enjoy working with and who is here on her very first visit to Queen’s Park: Haldimand county mayor Shelley Ann Bentley. Welcome to the House, Your Worship.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): If there are no objections, I’d like to continue with introduction of visitors.

Mr. Ric Bresee: It’s my pleasure to introduce a former municipal colleague, a councillor for Loyalist township and good friend, Mike Budarick.

Ms. Jessica Bell: I’d like to introduce the parents of Jakob, who is a page this period: Nada Grasic Finley and Greg Finley. Welcome to your House.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I’d also like to introduce from Ecojustice here to support folks from Aamjiwnaang. From Ecojustice: Muhannad Malas, Elaine MacDonald, Ja’miil Millar and Seán O’Shea.

Welcome to Queen’s Park and thank you for supporting.

M. Stéphane Sarrazin: J’aimerais souhaiter la bienvenue aux élèves de l’École secondaire catholique L’Escale de Rockland. J’ai eu la chance de m’entretenir avec eux ce matin.

Je suis vraiment fier d’avoir eu beaucoup de visites d’école de notre circonscription récemment. Je dois remercier le ministère de l’Éducation pour le financement du programme des voyageurs pour la démocratie.

Donc, bienvenue à Queen’s Park aux élèves de l’école L’Escale de Rockland.

M me France Gélinas: I would like to welcome members of the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences: their president and CEO, Greg Toffner; the chair of the board of directors, Stephanie Shiplo; as well as Erin Arps, François Gallant, Kati Tuomi, Hema Merai, Christina Perris and Corinne Radake. They also invite all of us to a luncheon after question period.

I also want to welcome members of the Alliance for Advancing Recovery. Those are Kathy Armstrong, Manon LaFountaine, Steve Doherty, Dr. Eibisch as well as Veronique Parry.

And, of course, save the Minden hospital representative Patrick Porzuczek.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mrs. Robin Martin: On behalf of Minister Kerzner, MPP Laura Smith as well as myself, I would like to introduce some members of our community who are great supporters: Igor Korenzvit and his wife, Bonnie. Thank you and welcome to the Legislature.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: On behalf of the entire PC caucus, I would like to welcome the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences to Queen’s Park. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I would like to introduce a special guest visiting the Legislature today. It is Kayan Sidhwa who is newlywed to Tanaz Sidhwa. Congratulations and welcome to Queen’s Park. Great to have you here.

Hon. Michael Parsa: I’d like to welcome Sally Freitas and Doug Steele, board chair of Welcoming Arms, a charitable organization in my riding that, through their long-standing efforts, supports families across Aurora and beyond. I’d like to congratulate Sally, who was just appointed as the executive director of the organization. Congratulations, welcome to Queen’s Park and thank you both for everything you do for our community.

Remembrance Day

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): As provided for by the Remembrance Week Act, 2016, the House will now pause and observe two minutes of silence in honour of those who died serving their country in wars and peacekeeping efforts.

This will be followed by an opportunity for members to give remarks, with five minutes allotted to the official opposition, five minutes allotted to the government and five minutes to the independent members as a group.

I will now ask members to please rise.

The House observed two minutes’ silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you. Members will please take their seats.

I recognize the member for St. Catharines.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Speaker, it is both a privilege and honour to stand here before you as we come together to remember and reflect on the sacrifices of our veterans.

Regardless of the differences that may exist between us in this chamber, we are united in wearing our poppies with pride. This is a symbol of respect, a symbol of remembrance and a symbol of our shared identity as proud Canadians leading up to November 11, the most significant day of recognition in our whole country.

As Canadians, from our smallest towns to our largest cities, we pause in silence on Remembrance Day. We gather at cenotaphs, at our local Legions, honouring the names of our heroes: our mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and ancestors, those who gave everything so we can live in peace and harmony and freedom.

This month holds a deeply personal meaning for me. My family has a proud military history. Both my grandfathers served with distinction during the Second World War and my father served in the Royal Canadian Navy. This rich military legacy has been woven into the very fabric of our family story.

Today, my son, Petty Officer First Class Jonathan Lindal, proudly serves with the Canadian navy. The tradition of service continues in our family, and I know many of you here share similar moments of pride.

This year, we reflect on 85 years since the start of World War II in 1939. Canadians played a pivotal role in this conflict. This battle, like many others, showcased the courage and the determination of our troops. These heroes carried Canada’s values across vast oceans, from the beaches of Normandy to the liberation efforts throughout Europe.

Canada’s military history is long and storied, and it is crucial that we acknowledge the roles played by Indigenous peoples here in our military history. The Six Nations Confederacy, along with other Indigenous allies, made crucial contributions during the War of 1812, particularly at the battle of Queenston Heights, which is still commemorated in Niagara every year. Too often, the military service of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada is not fully recognized. Their sacrifices, however, are just as significant, and we must ensure that their contributions are remembered and honoured.

As we commemorate our veterans, we also recognize that the face of military service is evolving. Today, many veterans are younger, having served in more recent conflicts as Afghanistan. We often think of veterans as those who served in mid-century conflicts, but what it means to be a veteran is ever-changing, shaped by the challenges of modern-day service.

The Highway of Heroes, a solemn route that carries home our fallen, serves as a reminder of sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. It stands as a tribute to the courage of those who served in difficult and dangerous conditions in foreign lands.

Warrant Officer Dennis Brown, a friend of mine and a St. Catharines-raised service member, paid the ultimate sacrifice during his time in Afghanistan. While his name and the names of some of our modern-day heroes may not be etched on our local cenotaphs, their legacy still lives on in our hearts and minds.

I am proud to work alongside individuals who have served in our Armed Forces. Their experiences and insights, shaped by the time in uniform, enrich our communities and our country.

I’d like to take moment to acknowledge one of our colleagues, the member from Kanata–Carleton, for her incredible 26-year military career. She made history as the first woman in Canada to qualify as an air navigator, the first woman to command an air force squadron, and served courageously in numerous battle zones. Thank you for your service and for being a trailblazer in your field.

We must also acknowledge the pressing issues faced by veterans today. Access to mental health supports, particularly for PTSD, remains a critical need. There are also ongoing calls for better support for affordable housing, career opportunities post-service and defining care for our aging veterans. These issues must remain a collective priority, transcending political divides. The freedoms we enjoy today came at a steep cost to the others. It is our responsibility to ensure that those who served are supported, now and well into the future.

As we gather across Ontario at cemeteries adorned with medals, each one representing courage, leadership and sacrifice, let us not forget the debt we owe those who served and those who continue to serve. From Legions to veterans’ clubs, there are organizations dedicated to preserving the stories of our veterans. I encourage all of us to take the time to visit our local Legions and to talk to our service members, and to listen to the wisdom and experience they must share.

Finally, let us commit to carrying forward the values that our veterans protected with such courage. When you see a service member, take a moment to say thank you. These two simple words carry great weight, Speaker. To my colleagues here today: Whether your great-grandparents, parents or children have served, let us stand together on November 11 and say thank you. Lest we forget. We will remember them.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the member for Kanata–Carleton.

Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: This Remembrance Week, I’d like to use my time to reflect on service and sacrifice, and to express my thanks to all of the brave Canadians who have served and continue to serve our country. Freedom isn’t free. Its costs are paid by our service members: not only a personal cost to their physical and mental health, but also a cost borne by their families and loved ones who support them and mourn them.

When faced with such high costs, we must all ask ourselves: Why? Why sacrifice so much? They believed in something bigger than themselves. They believed in the freedom that a functioning democracy can bring for all of its people. This freedom must be protected today. It falls on all of us, the inheritors of this freedom, to defend the gifts that we have been given.

There are always those who admire authoritarian leaders, those who want to emulate them using authoritarian tactics and strategies to abuse the power with which they have been entrusted. They must be challenged. We need strong democratic processes and institutions, an empowered and independent press that serves the truth and that serves the people, not just corporate interests and the wealthiest among us. All must be defended, fought for and protected over and over again.

Remembering the sacrifice of those before us teaches us our duty to those still to come. Lest we forget.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I’m honoured to rise today to pay tribute to veterans and first responders who have sacrificed so much to defend our democracy and keep us safe. It’s difficult to fathom the courage it takes for those young Canadians who served in the World Wars, Korea, Afghanistan, on peacekeeping missions and so many other conflicts. They deserve our gratitude and support each and every day.

I try to live by the words of Guelph’s most famous veteran, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who reminds that us we must not break faith with those who fought and died for our freedoms. All of us in this House and across our province and indeed our country have a duty and a responsibility to not break faith with those veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedoms and our democracy.

As conflict is on the rise around the world and democracy is being questioned, may we honour the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country by continuing to remind us of the stark reality of what it takes to defend democracy and freedom at home and abroad. On this day and every day, we must honour them. We must thank them. Lest we forget.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Haldimand–Norfolk.

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: In the coming days, we will all witness the spectacular colours, sounds and traditions of our regiments, veteran and military service organizations and squadrons like the sight and sound of a lone bugler playing the Last Post. The ceremonies and events afford us an opportunity to show deep appreciation for the priceless gift of freedom.

Haldimand–Norfolk has a distinguished military history whereby citizens have continually stood up to answer the call. They have all done us proud. We see them, we support them and we stand with them.

One of those people is my childhood friend Brigadier General Ryan Deming. He has been serving in the military since 1993. In a recent speech, he conveyed he has experienced humanity at its best and, unfortunately, at its worst. He’s endured the complexity and managed chaos in theatres of war.

In closing, he said, “I wanted to serve, to do my part, however small, to make the world a better place so that my son, my nieces and their generation can be proud of the country we call home.”

While it is difficult to find the words to truly convey the sincerest of appreciation, may we all go reminding ourselves that freedom comes at a cost, and we must never forget those that have fought and fallen to preserve the freedoms of our great nation. Tell your kids and grandkids of such men and women. And as we embark upon Remembrance Day, take the time to partake in events that point to the bravery of past warriors and tell their stories of their deeds.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform.

Hon. Graham McGregor: Good morning. It’s an honour and a privilege to rise in the House today on behalf of the government of Ontario and our PC caucus as we recognize and pay tribute to Remembrance Day. Recognized annually November 11, we commemorate the end of hostilities during the First World War and remember the courage and sacrifice shown by all those who have fought to secure our freedoms, whether on the slopes of Vimy Ridge, the beaches of Normandy, in Korea, the Middle East or anywhere in-between.

Remembrance Day, originally referred to as Armistice Day, commemorates that first armistice agreement that ended the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918. More than 650,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in that war. Over 66,000 perished, while more than 172,000 were wounded. Lest we forget.

Prior to the First World War, we lost over 7,000 brave Canadians who volunteered for service, alongside the British forces in the South African War, which took place from 1899 to 1902. Lest we forget.

From 1939 to 1945, during the Second World War, over one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in uniform, both here at home and around the world and, for over six years at war, more than 45,000 brave individuals in that Canadian uniform gave their lives for us while another 55,000 were wounded. Lest we forget.

During the Korean War, from 1950 to 1953, after North Korean troops invaded South Korea, over 26,000 Canadians served on land, at sea and in the air during this conflict. Unfortunately, 516 Canadians lost their lives. Lest we forget.

More than 4,000 Canadians served during the Gulf War of the early 1990s in the Persian Gulf region as part of the coalition of countries to remove the invading forces of Iraq from neighbouring Kuwait. Lest we forget.

In Afghanistan, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, the US formed an international coalition to use force against the Taliban. Not only was this the largest deployment of our Canadian troops since the Second World War, and the longest conflict in Canada’s history, lasting more than 12 years, but over 40,000 Canadians served our country during this time. Lest we forget.

And to all those who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces, who have made significant contributions in dozens of peacekeeping missions around the world—lest we forget.

Now, every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Canadians pause in a moment of silence to honour and remember the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace. It’s up to us as Canadians to share that responsibility of keeping their stories and experiences alive and to remind the next generations of their sacrifices.

As a government, we remain committed to educating the next generation on the sacrifices and all that our Canadian Armed Forces do. We must empower and support those who have served courageously so that they, too, may find success and opportunity upon returning to civilian life.

Earlier this week, I had the immense honour and privilege of tabling the Honouring Veterans Act, 2024. I’m very proud that we got through third reading last night with the support of members of all political parties, of all political stripes—getting together to do the right thing. I’m reminded of the Christmas truce in World War I, where members of both sides put aside their differences because they remembered our common humanity and what’s important.

I think, although much lesser than that incident, our parties getting together, putting partisan politics aside to do what is right by our veterans, is something that every member of this House should be proud of, and I’m very grateful to the members of the NDP, the Liberals and the Greens for their support to make that happen.

We all have the privilege to serve our province and country, and why we have that privilege is because of the sacrifices paid by brave men and women who have defended this country at home and abroad. We can never properly thank them enough, but we can sure as heck try. It’s incumbent on all of us, not just with the bill that we put forward, but to continue to work to make sure we’re supporting, remembering and commemorating those who paid the ultimate sacrifices and also the almost 150,000 Ontarians who are veterans living in our province today—and growing.

On Remembrance Day, I encourage Ontarians to take the opportunity to honour and remember the 2.3 million Canadians who have served throughout our nation’s history and the 118,000 who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Lest we forget.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I want to thank the members for their eloquence.

We will remember them.

Transit relief program

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the member for Kanata–Carleton on a point of order.

Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: Yesterday, I tabled a motion calling for Canadian Armed Forces reservists to not be excluded from Metrolinx’s free transit program. I seek the unanimous consent of the House for leave to move private member’s notice of motion number 144 and that the question be put without debate or amendment. Thank you.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Kanata–Carleton is seeking the unanimous consent of the House for leave to move private member’s notice of motion number 144 and that question be put without debate or amendment. Agreed? Agreed.

I recognize again the member for Kanata–Carleton.

Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: Thank you, everyone.

I move that, in the opinion of this House, Metrolinx must ensure that active members of the Canadian Armed Forces reserve are not excluded from the program for veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces to receive free fares on GO Transit and the UP Express.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mrs. McCrimmon has moved that, in the opinion of this House, Metrolinx must ensure that active members of the Canadian Armed Forces reserve are not excluded from the program for veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces to receive free fares on GO Transit and the UP Express.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the government House leader on a point of order.

Mr. Steve Clark: Point of order, Speaker: Our government has the deepest respect and gratitude for all members of our armed forces. The Minister of Transportation has directed Metrolinx to ensure that all past and present members of the Canadian Armed Forces can travel free on GO Transit. Reservists play a very important

part in that.

I want to thank the member for Kanata–Carleton for bringing this motion forward today, and on behalf of our government, I want to thank her for her service.

Workplace fatalities

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll recognize next the member for Ajax on a new point of order.

Ms. Patrice Barnes: We were saddened last night that one worker was killed and two were injured in an accident in North York during a sewer pipe repair. I ask the House to recognize a moment of silence in honour.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ajax is seeking the unanimous consent of the House for a moment’s silence in memory of the worker who lost his life in North York. Agreed? Agreed.

Members will please rise.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members may please take their seats.

Question Period

Highway tolls

Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Premier. Last month, the Premier told AM 640 that his government considered buying back Highway 407. I’ve got to tell you, this was surprising, Speaker, because this same government—his government, the Premier—voted against our motion to remove tolls for truckers on the 407.

So we wanted to find out a little bit more about that, and we filed a freedom-of-information request for the government’s studies and their assessments of this Highway 407 buyback idea. It turns out, there aren’t any—no studies, no assessments, nothing.

The Ministry of Transportation was unable to find a single record showing that the government had ever considered buying back Highway 407. So why did the Premier make this claim?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Our government has a plan to build. It has a plan to build highways across this province, whether that’s Highway 413, whether that’s the Bradford Bypass, Highway 7. And we have a plan: We’ve removed tolls off the 412 and 418 that, unfortunately, the Liberals put in place and the NDP supported to keep in place until this Premier and our government removed those tolls.

We need to continue to expand our capacity across this province, and that is why this government continues to put forward these plans. It’s unfortunate that the NDP don’t want to support building more highways across this province. There hasn’t been a single project that they haven’t voted against.

We need to get people moving across this province, and we’ll continue to come in with a plan that supports the entire province and builds for the future.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I’m not sure that was an answer at all to my question, actually, Speaker.

But look, taking tolls off of trucks on the 407 is a simple measure that makes a lot of sense and would relieve congestion right away. But with this government, what’s good for people always seems to take a back seat to the interests of insiders and lobbyists, no matter the cost. We have no costing on Highway 413, no opening date on three major LRT projects and a $100-billion estimate for a back-of-a-napkin tunnel scheme.

Whenever the Premier comes up with some on-the-fly idea, no matter how much it costs, it becomes these ministers’ and this government’s, I guess, responsibility to defend that. So why won’t the Premier show people the evidence and costing for his transportation decisions before he spends the people’s money?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Speaker, here we have the NDP once again—that was the same party that opposed the transit plan that this Premier put to the people of this province six years ago. They call that “back-of-the-napkin.” Guess what? We’ve got shovels in the ground on the Ontario Line. We’ve got shovels in the ground on the Scarborough subway extension. We’re building LRTs across this province.

The NDP lacks the vision for this province. They’re no different than the Liberals who for 15 years did absolutely nothing, built absolutely nothing in the province. It’s a shame, Mr. Speaker. They will find every excuse in the book to get in the way of building progress for this province.

The voters spoke loud and clear when we took these questions to them on June 2, 2022. Those members over there know they lost members in key ridings like Brampton and Peel region. We swept those ridings. Why? Because they believed in our vision to build highways, to build transit.

The NDP is too focused on appeasing special interest groups who want us to stop building. We won’t take any of that. We won’t listen to them. We’re going to continue to get shovels in the ground and build our transportation projects.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The final supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Here’s the thing, Speaker: Life in Ontario under this government has never been more expensive or exhausting in our history.

Removing truck tolls was just one simple way to save some people time and money, but they voted against it—they voted against it. It was only when the Premier got any kind of pushback that he said, “Oh, I’ll look into buying back the 407.”

But our research, our freedom-of-information request, shows that never happened—that never happened.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Government House leader, come to order.

Ms. Marit Stiles: We need the Premier to set the record straight and make his choice. Will he stand up for truckers and commuters and remove those costly tolls, or is he going to keep protecting the interests of the private company that runs the 407?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Mr. Speaker, we are standing up for drivers and truckers every single day of the year. Let’s look at the record of the NDP—voted against removing taxes off of gas. We just, last week, extended that through the fall economic statement. The NDP has an option to support that measure that has been put into the fall economic statement for an extension. Will they do that? I don’t think so, because they’ve voted against it every single time.

When we took off the $125 sticker fee on our vehicles, what did the NDP do? They laughed. They didn’t support it. They’ve never had a tax that they haven’t supported.

Our fight against the carbon tax that punishes hard-working families every single day when they’re taking their kids to hockey practice, basketball practice and when they’re taking their kids to school—those members over there have stood—in fact, they have stood to ask us to increase the carbon tax to the highest we’ve ever seen it. That’s a shame, Mr. Speaker.

The NDP don’t stand for drivers. The NDP don’t stand for building progress in this province. They’ve voted against every single one of those measures. They continue to oppose everything this government does when it comes to building infrastructure, to building transportation. But guess what? We’re going to get shovels in the ground. We’re going to keep putting more money back in the pockets of hard-working families. And we will build this province for the next 10, 20 and 50 years so people can enjoy the infrastructure that we are putting forward.

Government accountability

Ms. Marit Stiles: The hard-working families that this government likes to talk about have never had to struggle more than they do right now under any previous government. It is unbelievable.

I’m going to go back to the Premier, because the evidence that insiders and lobbyists are calling the shots with this government keeps piling up. Yesterday, we learned that key emails and records related to the rerouting of the Bradford Bypass and all of the associated costs around that are missing—disappeared.

The senior Conservative staffer in question in the Minister of Transportation’s office was none other than Ryan Amato. People will remember that name because he’s the same former staffer who is currently refusing to hand in his emails from the whole greenbelt affair.

I want to ask the Premier: Did staff in the Minister of Transportation’s office delete emails?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: The Bradford Bypass, Highway 413, Highway 7—our $28-billion plan to build highways was put to the people of this province in the most transparent manner. In fact, those members right there know that very well because they’ve lost three members of their caucus in Brampton in their opposition to Highway 413. And guess what? They’ve lost the last three by-elections and they still haven’t learned.

Every single time they stand up and oppose progress in this province, it’s a shame. We have a plan to build. We have a plan to invest $70 billion over the next 10 years to build public transit. The Ontario Line will take and move 400,000 people every single day—a line that the people of Toronto have been asking for for decades, and guess what? Those members over there have voted against it every single time. They want us to go back to the 15 years of the previous Liberal government where they built absolutely nothing in the province. They gave us the worst gridlock. They left us a bankrupt province.

But our government is committed to building. We’re committed to building for the next generation, the next 50 years. We have a vision to support jobs. We have a vision to continue building. We’ll build Highway 413, we’re going to build the Bradford Bypass and we’re going to ensure we continue moving Ontario forward.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, this is a really important issue, and I’ll tell you why: It’s because the rerouting of the Bradford Bypass wasn’t based on any evidence that anybody can find. But thanks to this government’s decision, the value of certain parcels of land associated with that rerouting suddenly skyrocketed—land that happened to be owned by some of the same Conservative insiders that were involved in benefiting from the greenbelt scheme. In the few records that do exist out there, staff in the Minister of Transportation’s office said this request to look into changing the route came directly from the Premier.

Can the Premier clarify what direction he gave to the Minister of Transportation’s office?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Let me clarify the direction the people of this province gave this government on June 2, 2022: Build Highway 413 and build the Bradford Bypass. This is exactly what we will do. It doesn’t matter what the NDP or Liberals try to do to oppose that. Every piece of legislation that we bring forward in this House is to move those projects faster because we know people are stuck in gridlock. We know, because of the inaction of the previous Liberal government building nothing in this province for 15 years—no transit, no highways, no roads—it’s our government that’s moving forward on this ambitious plan: $100 billion between highways and public transit to build.

The NDP and Liberals will oppose it every step of the way, but we’re going to continue to get shovels in the ground and we’re going to continue to build because Ontario asked us to do that. The people of this province asked us to build, and that’s exactly what we’ll continue to deliver on.

Whether it’s the Ontario Line, the Scarborough subway extension, whether it’s Highway 413 or the Bradford Bypass, all of those projects are getting built and we’re going to get shovels in the ground.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The final supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: On this side of the House, we think that transportation decisions should serve the interests of the people, not the interests of the Premier’s friends and donors. That’s the thing.

It looks like these changes to the Bradford Bypass route were a test drive for the tactics they used to try to carve out the greenbelt. High-ranking staff taking very specific instructions from the Premier directly, major changes in government policy, directed again by insiders—and all the evidence scrubbed from the record.

This is the kind of shady business that undermines Ontario’s credibility—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

I’d ask the member to withdraw the unparliamentary remark.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Withdrawn.

This is the kind of questionable business that undermines Ontario’s accountability, undermines the public trust, and it isn’t going to get a single person home faster.

I’d like to ask the Premier: When is he going to clear the air? Or is this just going to be another one of those cases where the Premier cuts deals, insiders cash in and it’s the people of Ontario stuck carrying the bag?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Minister of Transportation to reply.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition can try to spin it whatever way she wants, but guess what? We’re building Highway 413 and we’re building the Bradford Bypass. These are critical projects in this province. They’ve been on the books for 20 years. The Liberals did absolutely nothing. They didn’t want to build in this province.

We are in record gridlock today, Mr. Speaker. The city of Toronto ranks as the highest gridlock almost in the entire world. In North America, we are the worst—the top three in the world. And guess what? It’s because of the inaction of the Liberal government, supported by the NDP. Now what do we have the Leader of the Opposition trying to do? Trying to get in the way of public transit, trying to get in the way of highways.

That’s a shame, but I’m not surprised. They’re beholden to special interests that don’t want anything built in this province, whether that’s housing, whether that’s transportation, whether that’s the hospital projects that we are building across this province—over 54 projects that they have opposed in their own ridings in their own communities—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. It’s getting a little noisy in here, and I’ll remind the members that if they ignore the request of the Speaker to come to order, the next stage is, of course, warnings, and if they continue to ignore the Speaker, they will be named.

Start the clock. The next question.

Government accountability

Ms. Sandy Shaw: My question is to the President of the Treasury Board. Reporting reveals that the Premier personally asked the Ministry of Transportation to look at changing the route of the Bradford Bypass through the greenbelt. This request was conveyed to Ryan Amato, who was, at that time, this minister’s director of stakeholder relations. It’s highly unusual that the Premier would ask a staffer to make such a significant change to the route of a major highway without consulting the minister herself.

We know that the route was changed. So my question, through you, Mr. Speaker, is: What did the President of the Treasury Board know about this request when she was the Minister of Transportation and when did she know it?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply for the government, the Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Mr. Speaker, the Bradford Bypass will save commuters 35 minutes each way. That is the progress that those members are trying to oppose. What a shame. They lack a vision for this province. They lack a vision to build Ontario. That’s why they will remain on that side of the House, Mr. Speaker.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we are going to build Ontario for the next 50 to 100 years. We’re building important infrastructure projects. Unfortunately, the Liberals did absolutely nothing in their 15 years to do anything to support the growth of this province.

We’re investing in critical infrastructure, like the 413, like the Bradford Bypass. That project alone will support over 2,000 jobs during construction. That is the type of progress they want to eliminate in this province. They are losing construction workers every single day in their opposition to these projects. Whether we’re talking about tunnelling, whether we’re talking about the Bradford Bypass, Highway 413, these are good-paying jobs that those members over there oppose. But this government will continue to build for the future.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question?

Ms. Sandy Shaw: Many important questions remain unanswered, and I’m sure that the President of the Treasury Board has those answers, if she would stand up. Freedom-of-information requests turned up almost no records on major highway decisions that will cost taxpayers billions and billions of dollars. This paints a picture of a Minister of Transportation who was intentionally looking away.

Again, I ask the President of the Treasury Board, through you, Mr. Speaker: Why is a staffer whom the Integrity Commissioner described as “untrained and unsupervised” making decisions about changing the route of the Bradford Bypass instead of this minister herself?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: The decision was made by the people of this province when they elected us on a historic majority mandate for our second term. That was a mandate to build the Bradford Bypass. That was a mandate to build Highway 413, Mr. Speaker. Those members over there should look at their caucus. It’s shrinking. They have lost three by-elections because they continue to oppose projects that will support everyday Ontarians.

We’re going to be creating thousands of jobs, good-paying jobs, whether it be through building Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass or $100 billion invested in both public transit and highways across this province. They are opposing good-paying jobs. They are opposing progress in this province. But that doesn’t shock me; they’re beholden to special interests that don’t want anything built. Whether it’s a hospital, whether it’s a highway, whether it’s public transit, they will always oppose progress in the province of Ontario. But we will continue to get—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Leader of the Opposition will come to order.

The next question.

Energy policies

Mr. Dave Smith: My question is for the Minister of Energy and Electrification. The Trudeau-Crombie carbon tax is making life more expensive for families and businesses all across Ontario. People in my riding of Peterborough–Kawartha are burdened with higher costs for everything from groceries to home heating and vehicle gas. I have people in North Kawartha who have to travel at times 40 or 50 kilometres just to get their groceries and they pay more because of the carbon tax.

Speaker, the independent Liberals and the opposition NDP may be happy with the status quo, but our government knows that Ontarians have had enough. They want solutions, not tax hike after tax hike after tax hike, and they definitely don’t want an additional tax for municipalities.

Can the minister please explain how the Trudeau-Crombie carbon tax is impacting Ontario families and what our government is doing to protect these families from the escalating costs?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I want to thank the member from Peterborough for standing up for common sense in this House. We believe that the Liberal carbon tax is making life unaffordable for the people of Ontario. In fact, 25% of energy bills in this province now are being driven up as a result of the carbon tax. Some $25 billion is taken out of our economy because of the Liberal carbon tax. And because of the former Liberal policies, people in this province—working families and seniors—pay $1,000 more each and every year.

We know that we must prioritize affordable energy. It’s why we introduced the Affordable Energy Act, which codifies in law that this government will use competitive procurements, not ideology, to ensure we have the lowest rates available to incent investment and keep rates down for our families. The Affordable Energy Act is an enabler of conservation initiatives. It expands nuclear energy and it ensures that we keep the lights on and the rates low for the people of this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you to the minister for that response. Manufacturers, farmers and small businesses are being forced to deal with rising operating costs driven by higher Liberal taxes. The Liberal members in this House and their federal colleagues don’t seem to understand that higher taxes are hurting working-class people. In fact, they’ve even suggested another 1% retail sales tax.

All of this sets people back. That’s why Ontario families and businesses are looking to our government for an affordable energy future, with nuclear energy playing a critical role. They want government to prioritize affordability first and foremost.

Can the minister please outline how the government will advance non-emitting nuclear energy to keep energy affordable and reliable for Ontario families and businesses?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Nuclear energy was the pivotal enabler of what allowed our province to displace coal energy a decade ago. We need non-emitting nuclear energy to ensure we deliver an affordable energy future for the people of Ontario.

But let’s reflect on what transpired over the past years in this province. It was the Liberals and the NDP who started and stopped the Darlington nuclear station. It was the Liberals who tried to put an end to the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station that produces 2,000 megawatts of non-emitting, clean power for the people of Ontario, for the two million families who depend on it—4,500 jobs depend on Pickering alone.

We know that we are leading the largest nuclear energy expansion on the continent because it is affordable and because it is clean and because it produces reliable, 24/7, enduring power that our economy requires. We are going to continue to invest in non-emitting sources of energy so we can deliver affordability for the people of this province.

Addiction services

M me France Gélinas: Ma question est pour le premier ministre.

Algoma Public Health reported that the opioid death rate in Sault Ste. Marie is the highest in all of Ontario: over 64 deaths per 100,000.

Mayor Shoemaker had this to say: “Timmins was perennially higher than us and when they got a supervised consumption site, things seemed to stabilize and improve for them. We were in the process of preparing a supervised consumption site, we didn’t ever get one—that’s in my view why our stats didn’t improve.”

What is the Premier doing to keep the people of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma alive right now?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Essex and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: Speaker, the member makes reference to drug injection sites. Let me tell you, we have heard the message loud and clear from the mothers and fathers of the province of Ontario. They are tired of stepping over needles when they walk their children to school. They are tired of seeing their children exposed to drug activity. They are tired of the violence that the drug injection sites attract. They are tired of the drug activity and trafficking that the drug injection sites attract.

That is why this government is imposing a 200-metre protection zone around every school and every child care facility in the province of Ontario, because we don’t want drugs and we don’t want used needles anywhere near the children of the province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

M me France Gélinas: Speaker, throughout northern Ontario, opioid deaths are sky-high. Thunder Bay and Timmins will lose their consumption and treatment sites. In Sudbury, where this government refused to fund the consumption and treatment site, overdose deaths continue to rise non-stop.

I will be attending a funeral on Saturday; one more of my friends died of an overdose. Every single day, seven people in Ontario die from this opioid overdose epidemic. So I ask the Premier, what is the Premier going to do now to keep northerners alive?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

The Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: The government has and continues to make investments in ensuring that we build a system of treatment and recovery, not just in southern Ontario but in northern Ontario as well. In fact, the Addictions Recovery Fund opened—54% of the funding went to northern Ontario. It went to cities like Thunder Bay, like Sudbury, like Timmins, like Sioux Lookout. Those investments so far have opened up 280 beds through the Addictions Recovery Fund. It has created 10,000 treatment spots for individuals that didn’t exist before. And our government is continuing to make those investments with the HART hubs that will be opening, hopefully, very soon as well.

The continuum of care belongs in the community. Everyone wants treatment and recovery, not to be kept on a substance and continuing to use. They want to be treated, and that’s what we’re doing.

International trade

Mr. Andrew Dowie: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. My home of Windsor–Tecumseh is the place that drives Ontario’s economy. It’s home to hard-working families and a thriving auto sector because of our government’s leadership and investments. But the success we see in Windsor–Tecumseh isn’t just built here at home, it’s also deeply tied to trade with the United States. This trade supports good-paying jobs in Windsor’s factories, warehouses and small businesses. It fuels our local economy and keeps our workers employed.

Given how interlinked Ontario’s economy is with the United States, the people of my riding have watched the US election with uncertainty about what this will mean for the future. Can the minister please explain what our government is doing to ensure that Ontario-US relations continue to thrive with a new administration south of the border?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Well, we can start by following the Premier’s foot forward on offering congratulations to President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance.

We have a long, enduring and very important relationship with the United States. It’s built on our strong economic ties. It’s built on our shared values and our integrated supply chains, which are most important to the member from Windsor. There are millions of people on both sides of the border who are counting on us here in Ontario to build on these opportunities: our manufacturing, our critical minerals and our energy. These are the issues that will be most prominent to the Americans.

We’ll be back in Washington in December. We’ll be back in Washington in January. And if you listen to Premier Ford, he will tell you: bet big on Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question?

Mr. Andrew Dowie: Our government has shown that we will work with elected officials of all political stripes. Since we took office, we’ve seen a Republican President and a Democrat President. Now, the political makeup of the Senate and the House of Representatives has changed numerous times. Governors and Legislatures of states that are key trading partners to Ontario have also changed. But one thing that hasn’t changed is our government’s ability to work with everyone we need to, to ensure Ontario’s economy continues to thrive.

Can the minister please expand on the importance of the Ontario-US economic relationship and highlight what else we are doing to ensure this relationship continues to remain strong?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: We have, as I mentioned earlier, such a long and storied history with the United States. It is now built to the point where we do $500 billion a year in two-way trade.

The interesting point of that is not only are we the Americans’ third-largest trading partner—Mexico, China and us—the fact is, it’s almost two-way. It’s almost fifty-fifty, compared to one-way in Mexico and one-way in China. It is a two-way trade here. But not only is it $500 billion a year in two-way trade, we are the number one trading partner to 17 US states. We’re the number two trading partner to 11 more US states.

The Premier talks about adopting a Can-Am, Canadian-American, approach. Speaker, again: continue to bet big on Ontario.

Workplace safety

Mr. Peter Tabuns: To the Premier: Every year, workers in Ontario are hospitalized because of heat stress. Some of them may die. They deserve protection from injury and death. Today, our party will be introducing a bill to provide workers with on-the-job protection from heat stress and stroke.

The Premier could increase protections for workers right now. The OFL supports this bill. Will he vote for it?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Labour and member for Ajax.

Ms. Patrice Barnes: Worker safety is a top priority for our ministry. Every worker in Ontario deserves to be safe and protected from workplace hazards, including heat stress. Under OHSA, employers and supervisors have a duty to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker, including the protection in hot environments.

The employer should establish a heat-stress control plan for the summer to manage job risk associated with high temperatures and humidity. Our ministry provided $250,000 in funding to the occupational health clinics for Ontario workers to develop a stress-test tool kit to support workers to address the heat conditions in their workplaces, asses the risk for heat stress and be proactive to take steps to protect workers.

Every worker in Ontario has the right to refuse work they believe to be unsafe and are encouraged to report their conditions to health and safety.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary? The member for Thunder Bay–Superior North.

MPP Lise Vaugeois: The member knows full well that precariously employed workers, and even workers with relatively secure jobs, are not going to risk their livelihood by refusing to work when it is too hot to work safely. Worker protection must be proactive and be the responsibility of the employer, who has the ability to provide these protections and safeguards.

Will the government support our legislation to protect the lives of workers today?

Ms. Patrice Barnes: Ontario continues to have a strong health and safety record, and our ministry is committed to maintaining these standards for all workers in our province. We have a preventative, proactive approach to prevent workplace hazards and enforce OHSA for the protection of safety of all. Our strategy for occupational health and safety programs, Prevention Works, aims to continue to support Ontario, and we remain a leader in occupational health and safety.

We will continue to protect workers and make sure our province remains the best place to work, live and raise a family.

Health care

Mr. Stephen Blais: Mr. Speaker, here in Ontario, the most prosperous province in the country, there are 2.5 million of our neighbours without a family doctor, and that number is only getting bigger. This Conservative government has increased the provincial debt by over $100 billion, so we have to wonder where all that money is going.

In Ottawa, there are at least 160,000 residents without a family doctor. Residents like Theresa, who spent years on wait-lists for a doctor to help manage her yet-undiagnosed medical issue. She finally got rostered; three months later, the doctor promptly left Ontario for greener pastures somewhere else in Canada. Theresa is now spending her time bouncing between walk-in clinics and putting her employment in jeopardy while she awaits yet another family doctor. There are millions of stories like Theresa’s.

In the most prosperous province in the country, with a government that spends billions like it’s Monopoly money, why are so many Ontarians like Theresa stuck without a family doctor?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Essex and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: Of course, people like Theresa need primary care and deserve primary care. We want to provide that to everybody in Ontario. In fact, approximately 90% of the residents in Ontario have access to primary care and are connected with primary care. Some of that is provided by the fantastic nurse practitioners in the province of Ontario.

I note, once again, a Liberal member has stood up and refused to acknowledge that nurse practitioners actually deliver primary care. I don’t know why the Liberals don’t have any recognition of nurse practitioners, but let’s talk a little bit more about that. There are 296 interprofessional primary care teams in Ontario with nurse practitioners, serving four million clients. Why won’t the Liberals recognize that? What have they got against nurse practitioners? Nurse practitioners are delivering great care, patient-focused care, team-based care. We believe in that. Why don’t the Liberals?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ottawa South will come to order. The Minister of Transportation will come to order.

Supplementary question?

Mr. Stephen Blais: Mr. Speaker, do you know what? This government will blame whomever they want. They might even go back and blame Tommy Douglas for creating medicare, Mr. Speaker. But they’ve had six years to get it done, and the problem is worse now than when they started: 2,000 people getting health care every day in the hallway; 200,000 people waiting for surgery or a diagnostic procedure; 11,000 of those people dying while they wait.

In the Premier’s own backyard, in the great state of Etobicoke, there are 93,000 people without a family doctor. That’s one in four residents of the Premier’s riding without a doctor, Mr. Speaker. By the time the next election is scheduled, those 93,000 people will join over four million Ontarians without a family doctor.

The government has had six years to get it done and make things better, but it’s only gotten worse. Can the Premier tell us, and all residents of Ontario, why he thinks we should give him even more time to make it worse?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Transportation will come to order. The Minister of Red Tape Reduction will come to order. The Minister of Long-Term Care will come to order.

The Premier may reply.

Hon. Doug Ford: Mr. Speaker, maybe the member from Orléans could answer the question: Why did their party, when they were in power—they cut residency spots, as we’ve increased them by 40%. You never built any medical schools, and we have TMU, we have York, we have U of T. We’ve added seats in a northern university and in Ottawa, right in your own backyard.

Why didn’t the previous Liberal government build a new hospital in your area? Because you never did. We are building the second-largest hospital in Canada in their area.

I want to know, through the member: Why did you fire nurses? Why did you fire nurses under the Liberal government? As we brought on 80,000 new nurses, 30,000 more nurses in colleges and—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

Stop the clock. The Premier will take his seat. And I’ll remind the Premier to make his comments through the Chair when he’s answering questions. Thank you very much.

Start the clock. The next question.

Veterans

Mr. Tyler Allsopp: My question is for the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Our government has deep respect and gratitude for the extraordinary courage and tremendous sacrifices our veterans have made in service to our country. But, Speaker, we also recognize the complex challenges veterans often face when transitioning back into civilian life. Many of them continue to face significant hurdles finding stable, meaningful employment, including in my riding of Bay of Quinte, as we’re host to CFB Trenton and all the great men and women who serve there. Today and every day, thank you for your service.

Our government must continue to support Ontario’s veterans and ensure they have access to the resources they need to build rewarding, long-term careers after their service. In light of these challenges, Speaker, could the minister tell the House what our government is doing to support our veterans and to facilitate their successful integration into Ontario’s civilian economy?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ajax and parliamentary assistant.

Ms. Patrice Barnes: Thank you to the men and women that serve our country. Ontario’s veterans have a wealth of skills that can directly be translated into so many sectors within our economy. Part of this is our skilled trades. Our ministry is committed to creating clear pathways for veterans into these roles.

We’re investing millions in creating opportunities and pathways for our veterans, our heroes. For example, our government is investing $3 million over three years in Helmets to Hardhats Canada, a registered non-profit organization that provides second career opportunities in the construction industry to those in military—safety and training. They provide peer counselling for serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans and military families.

This investment will help hundreds of Canadian Armed Forces members transition into civilian life and prepare for rewarding and new careers in the construction sector. Services will help fill a gap in Ontario’s employment and training resources while addressing the unique needs and experiences of veterans—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much.

And the supplementary?

Mr. Tyler Allsopp: I want to thank the parliamentary assistant for highlighting these crucial supports for our veterans and for all the great work that she does.

While job training is invaluable, we recognize that veterans often need more personalized assistance to navigate the intricacies of Ontario’s job market. Adjusting to civilian life can present unique challenges, and it’s essential that our government provides resources that are relevant, effective and directly informed by the veterans’ own experiences and insights. By involving veterans in these discussions, we can ensure that Ontario is delivering meaningful support that will allow our veterans to not only secure employment but also grow, thrive and advance in their chosen careers over the long term.

Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant please elaborate on our government’s efforts to engage directly with veterans to help us identify which career development resources are most beneficial to them?

Ms. Patrice Barnes: Thank you to the member again for that question. It gives me the opportunity to highlight our government’s unwavering support for veterans and their families.

We know that, for veterans, transitioning into civilian life—and, for their families, relocating in Ontario—can bring unique challenges, particularly when it comes to employment. Our government has taken real, decisive action to address these challenges through comprehensive consultations. We have listened directly to the veterans and military spouses about the employment barriers that they face.

We have implemented the Soldiers’ Aid Commission, which is also essential in our strategy for providing critical financial support to veterans and their families who need it the most. Whether it’s housing, specialized equipment, mental health resources or employment support, we’re making sure veterans have access to the resources necessary for a stable, successful transition to civilian life.

Air quality

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Meegwetch, Speaker.

Remarks in Anishininiimowin.

The chief and leadership from Aamjiwnaang First Nation are here today. Aamjiwnaang has endured more than a century of environmental racism, as industrial pollution has turned their land into one of Canada’s most polluted areas.

Speaker, Aamjiwnaang has asked the Lambton industry meteorological alert air quality regulation to be updated for years now. Can the minister explain why these regulations have not been updated?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I’m pleased to answer the question as Acting Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks this morning.

Our government’s dedication to protecting human health and the environment is clear, particularly when it comes to First Nations and our shared goals. I can tell the member, through you, Speaker, that Ministers Khanjin and Rickford spoke with Chief Plain in April of this year, have addressed the concerns of Aamjiwnaang and will continue to do so, and welcome further consultation and participation and exchanges.

In fact, we introduced a new regulation to set out strict benzene emissions limits for INEOS and introduced the ability for the province to levy fines for exceedances. We took immediate action last spring to hold the company responsible by issuing four provincial officers’ orders requiring them to address benzene exceedances. In early May 2024, we issued a notice of suspension and amended the facility’s environmental compliance authorization. They are out of business, and they will remain out of business.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: The regulations have not been updated. That’s the issue today.

Speaker, for decades, both Ontario and Canada have ignored the severe impact of pollution on the health of Aamjiwnaang. What they do is, they sidestep their responsibility by claiming the issue falls outside of their jurisdictions.

Again, Aamjiwnaang are here because this government needs to take the real steps to address the industrial harms threatening the ways of life of their people. Will this request be honoured or ignored?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Again, through you, Mr. Speaker: As the Acting Minister of the Environment, I can say clearly that we recognize Aamjiwnaang First Nation’s long-standing concerns about the impacts of air pollution in their community, and we share the same goal—the common cause—of a clean environment. That’s why our ministry continues to meet with that community on a regular basis to discuss these concerns and ensure they are addressed appropriately.

In April 2024, we added two additional real-time benzene monitors at priority locations in that community to ensure 24/7 air monitoring to support the community. We are fully committed to working with that First Nations community and all First Nations communities, local health agencies and industries, on timely resolutions to air quality concerns. This is a common cause for all. We are all in this together. Count on us to continue to dialogue and work toward solutions.

Health care / Soins de santé

M me Lucille Collard: When I was first elected, back in 2020, the very first person to walk through my office door in Ottawa was someone looking for a family doctor. Four years later, my office is only getting more of those calls every day.

Just recently, I had an elderly couple contact me, obviously very distressed, because their doctor was leaving the profession due to burnout. This couple requires regular care and medication renewals to help manage the serious health conditions they’re dealing with. Now they’re worried they won’t be able to get those medication renewals and the care that they need on time. This situation is only one example of a long list of people who struggle, who worry and who are asking me to try to convince the government to do whatever is necessary to ensure access to timely care.

It’s been six years since the government was elected. Will the Premier please tell the 22,000 people in my riding of Ottawa–Vanier and the 2.5 million people across Ontario who do not have a family doctor when they will finally be able to get the primary health care service they need—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Essex and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: When the Liberals ran the government, they reduced the number of doctors being trained in the province of Ontario. We’re not going to repeat that mistake. They also caused nurses to get laid off and fired. We’re not going to repeat that mistake, either. Rather, what we’re going to do is continue connecting people to primary care.

Approximately 90% of everybody in Ontario has a connection to a primary care provider. That is according to CIHI, which is the statistics agency that records those facts. CIHI also says that Ontario is doing better than any other province in the country. We’re doing better than Alberta, better than Manitoba, better than Saskatchewan and better than all of the other provinces.

But Mr. Speaker, we’re not going to stop there. We’ve hired Jane Philpott, a recognized expert in the field, to continue this progress in connecting people in the province of Ontario to primary care.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ottawa South will come to order. The Minister of Colleges and Universities will come to order.

Supplementary question?

M me Lucille Collard: Monsieur le Président, pouvoir communiquer clairement avec son médecin est tellement important pour des raisons qui sont très évidentes. Malheureusement, pour les francophones en Ontario, trouver un médecin capable de leur fournir des soins dans leur langue est vraiment rendu difficile.

M. Anthony Leardi: Monsieur le Président, comme j’ai dit, nous n’allons pas répéter les fautes et les erreurs du Parti libéral. Nous n’allons pas répéter ces fautes et ces erreurs. Nous allons continuer à entraîner des docteurs dans la province de l’Ontario, y inclus des nouveaux docteurs dans les universités comme le « Northern Ontario School of Medicine », où les docteurs vont aider les personnes du Nord à accéder aux soins primaires.

J’aimerais ajouter que, dans la ville d’Ottawa, nous allons ajouter 6 400 personnes qui peuvent trouver des soins primaires dans la ville d’Ottawa, ce qui est très important, parce que ce sont des personnes qui ont besoin de soins primaires, qui peuvent accéder aux soins primaires dans la clinique qui s’appelle « Ottawa Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic ».

Hate crimes

Ms. Laura Smith: My question is to the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. Hate has no place in our province, but sadly, it continues to rear its ugly head time and time again. Whether it’s anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism or any form of hatred, it leaves deep scars on our communities.

Ontario is home to so many people of so many backgrounds and beliefs. These differences make us stronger, not weaker.

But when people feel unsafe in their place of worship, cultural centre, or college or university, it shakes the very foundation of our society. Ontarians deserve better. They deserve to practise their faith and live their culture without fear. That’s why it’s so important for our government to act.

Speaker, can the minister please tell the House how our government is taking action to protect faith-based and cultural communities from hate?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant and the member from Mississauga–Erin Mills.

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: My colleague is right. Hate has no place in Ontario, and our government will not tolerate any form of hate in our province—very simply, no tolerance for intolerance. Everyone—regardless of their faith, how they worship God or where they came from—deserves to feel safe and secure at our province’s places of worship and cultural organizations.

For example, after the tragedy of October 7, we began to see the concerning rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Working with our local Jewish and Muslim communities, our government acted swiftly, investing an additional $20 million in the anti-hate security and prevention grant program in 2023 and 2024 to ensure Ontarians can practise their faith safely, securely and free from intimidation, harassment or hate.

Speaker, these are more than just dollar amounts. We continue to see the real impacts of this grant in local communities across Ontario: 1,682 unique faith-based and cultural organizations have been funded through this grant, with the majority of them reported that the grant helped provide an increased sense of safety for their places of worship and reduced incidents of hate—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much.

And the supplementary question?

Ms. Laura Smith: People should not have to look over their shoulder when they’re praying or celebrating their culture. Far too many people still face these threats, harassment and violence simply because of who they are, where they come from or how they worship. Places of worship, cultural centres and colleges and universities should be sanctuaries where people feel safe and welcome.

Sadly, certain individuals attempt to disrupt this sense of safety, and we need to ensure that every Ontarian, no matter their faith or background, can live without fear. Our communities have called for more supports to protect these spaces.

Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant please tell us how this grant will continue to support our communities and help them stay safe?

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: I appreciate my colleague’s concerns. Our government remains committed to working with our local communities to ensure places of worship are protected and that those who are attending feel safe and secure.

That’s why I’m glad to share that on October 31, applications opened for this year’s Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant and will be open until December 2.

Speaker, this grant has served diverse communities across our province, including Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Indigenous, Sikh and LGBTQ organizations. Funding from this grant has been used on a variety of safety initiatives, including installing security cameras, better locks and doors, reinforcing windows, undertaking security assessments and more. There is a clear need to continue providing the resources to safeguard these institutions, and our government remains committed to doing just that. We will not stop working to build a stronger, safer and more thriving province where everyone is able to freely and securely worship and express their faith.

Public transit

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: My question is for the Premier. Speaker, construction of the Finch West LRT has not been easy for my community. Over the many years, there have been delays; lane closures within active construction; never-ending traffic disruption, both vehicle and pedestrian accidents, including a tragic fatality; a collapsed underground parking garage; a daycare flooded with sewage; and more. As you can imagine, the news that construction of the Finch West LRT has finally ended was greeted with exhausted relief by my community. But there’s still no opening date.

When will the Finch West LRT be open so we can get Finch moving?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Hastings–Lennox and Addington and parliamentary assistant.

Mr. Ric Bresee: It’s incredibly obvious that when the Liberals and the NDP were in power, they built absolutely nothing. They had a chance to build rapid transit. They had a chance to build our highways, and they simply failed to do so. Our transit riders got stuck on a regular basis. The Finch LRT will be giv