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April 30, 2025

44th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2025-Apr-30 (PDF)

L006 - Wed 30 Apr 2025 / Mer 30 avr 2025

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 30 April 2025 Mercredi 30 avril 2025

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en favorisant le libre-échange au Canada

Report, Financial Accountability Officer

Members’ Statements

Automotive industry

Gilbertson’s Maple Products

Cost of living

Riding of Mississauga–Erin Mills

Climate change

Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team

Hamilton Homeless Mortality Data Project

Member for Scarborough Centre

Nova Music Festival Exhibition

Canada’s Kindest Community Contest

Introduction of Visitors

Member’s birthday

Question Period

Ontario economy

Government accountability

Government accountability

Public health

Indigenous mental health and addiction services

Flood prevention

Nuclear energy / Mining industry

Manufacturing jobs

Public health

Land use planning

Housing

Home care

Transportation infrastructure

Assistance to farmers

Introduction of Government Bills

Safer Municipalities Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour des municipalités plus sûres

Introduction of Bills

Health Care is Not for Sale Act (Addressing Unfair Fees Charged to Patients), 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur les soins de santé qui ne sont pas à vendre (lutte contre la facturation d’honoraires injustes aux patients)

WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur la protection à accorder aux travailleurs dans les établissements de soins en résidence et les foyers de groupe par la Commission de la sécurité professionnelle et de l’assurance contre les accidents du travail

Petitions

Health care

Taxation

Anti-vaping initiatives for youth

Land use planning

Anti-racism activities

Education funding

Taxation

Social assistance

Ontario Science Centre

Highway safety

Health care

Northern Health Travel Grant

Land use planning

Labour legislation

Opposition Day

Consumer protection / Protection du consommateur

Committee membership

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en favorisant le libre-échange au Canada

The House met at 0900.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Good morning, everyone.

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en favorisant le libre-échange au Canada

Resuming the debate adjourned on April 17, 2025, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 2,

An Act to enact the Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day Act, 2025 and the Ontario Free Trade and Mobility Act, 2025 and to amend various other Acts / Projet de loi 2, Loi édictant la Loi de 2025 sur le Jour « Achetons ontarien, achetons canadien » et la Loi ontarienne de 2025 sur le libre-échange et la mobilité et modifiant diverses autres lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Further debate? I recognize the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s.

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am very honoured to be doing my inaugural address this morning.

I would like to begin by congratulating Madam Speaker on not only being elected Speaker of this Legislature but also making history as the first woman to hold this prestigious position. I am very much enjoying watching you deliver on your goal, your promise to bring the temperature down at times and to keep the chaos south of the border, as you had mentioned. You’re right; we don’t need that here. Hopefully, I can play a

part in helping to make that happen.

I’d like to say a warm hello to everyone in the Legislature this morning. Many of your faces I know, and many of you who are in some of these seats, or might be at other times, I interviewed here and there over the years as a journalist. Now that I have the privilege to work with you all, I know that we can come together to deliver more for the people of Ontario and for the people who are the reason why we’re all here today.

I’d like to acknowledge the service of our previous MPP for Toronto–St. Paul’s, Jill Andrew. I know Jill and I share concerns about our public health care system, about tenants’ rights, transit, education. Thank you, Jill, for your dedication to the riding surrounding these matters.

I rise in this chamber today with humility, gratitude and a profound sense of responsibility. It is an honour to stand here as the newly elected member for Toronto–St. Paul’s, a riding that stands out in our city and our province for its diversity and its beauty.

I’m looking around here right now thinking, “How did this happen? How did I end up here?” I’m now looking at my fellow MPP Stephanie Bowman. Stephanie and I had several conversations over a long period of time about the possibility of politics being in my future, but it was that one conversation on a cold Friday night back in January that pushed me to finally take the leap. So, thank you, Stephanie, for your encouragement and for your support, and now we get to sit beside each other.

If I can turn back time for a moment, I remember my dream as a kid was to be the Bionic Woman—if you know, you know. After that, as I was growing older, I wanted to be a police officer. There were many other dreams along the way, but safe to say that I wasn’t exactly thinking of politics all the time. Another career did eventually come calling: journalism. If I think about it, right from the Bionic Woman to where I stand today, everything does align under public service.

For more than three decades, I sat on the other side of this process. I asked the questions, I held politicians to account, and I never imagined I would one day be standing on the floor of this Legislature, not behind an anchor desk but as an elected voice for the people. In other words, I am now one of the politicians to be held accountable.

Just two and a half years ago, in fact, I anchored our province-wide election coverage on CTV, not knowing I’d be a candidate in the next election that would follow it. So here I am, no teleprompter, no newsroom, no earpiece, no trusted producer, but I do have a deeper understanding and respect for our government and a greater respect for all of you before me who have committed your lives to public service.

I know that I am exactly where I was meant to be at this point in my life. I was born and raised in Toronto—in Don Valley West, to be exact—and this is where my dear mother still lives today. My three siblings and I went to public schools in north Toronto. We grew up in the 1970s, and it was a time of playing outside until the lights went on, it was a time when we got the chicken pox, not the measles, and it was also a time when there was a confidence and expectation about the next steps in life.

Post-secondary education took me to London, Ontario; first, Western University, and then Fanshawe College for broadcast journalism. London is also where I started my career as a local radio reporter. After about eight years in London, I moved back home to Toronto, working at an all-news station; first, in radio at 680 News, and then in television at CP24. A job like this was a dream for someone who wanted to tell stories, who loved telling stories reflecting the community and the concerns, and covering breaking news as it happened.

I was taught by, mentored by, worked with and for some of the best, most ethical people in the business—people who taught me about truth, accuracy and objectivity, and people who taught me the importance of giving voice to those who can’t speak loud enough to be heard.

In recent years, the stories slowly started to turn on the people covering the news, eroding the faith in the fifth estate. We can thank a certain someone for popularizing the term “fake news” and for changing how some people think of those charged with reporting the truth. This has caused me great disappointment as someone who has spent more than 30 years in this industry. The accusations thrown around that Canadian journalists are editorially influenced by the federal government with subsidies is not only nasty but just not true.

We have to preserve and respect journalism and accredited journalists who are working to tell the stories that impact all of us, and treat them with respect and stability, not with the blatant disdain and disrespect we’ve seen from some leaders.

COVID: It all had an immeasurable impact on so many of us, as you all well know, including journalists, and the weight of the responsibility to report during the pandemic was exceptional. It was a public duty and it was, in many ways, an honour. It was an honour to be one of the handful in a studio downtown when the streets looked abandoned, an honour to be broadcasting from home when sick with COVID or when a family member was ill. But it took its toll: stress, anxiety, burnout. It was time to move on.

Over the years, I’d had the chance to leave journalism and enter politics, but it never felt like the right moment—until now. Something shifted. I began to see the world differently. I saw the people in this province, what they had endured and how they were struggling to rebuild their lives after COVID, including our own children. I couldn’t just stand by anymore. I knew it wasn’t enough to hold leaders accountable from the sidelines; maybe it was time to become one myself. I felt called to step in and to be a part of the change from the inside, so here I am.

The truth is, politics and journalism aren’t so different. Both are about listening to voices that often go unheard, pushing for meaningful change. So when a chance came to represent the community of Toronto–St. Paul’s, I knew I couldn’t let it pass me by. The good news is I intend to bring the skills that I’ve developed as a lifelong journalist into my work for the people of Toronto–St. Paul’s and we are creating the St. Paul’s News Network. That means continuing to share stories from the community highlighting the issues that matter and pushing for real, lasting change. This is going to be an ongoing conversation with the people of St. Paul’s.

During the campaign, I had hundreds of conversations—or interviews, as I like to think of them—at the door, and heard stories that need to be told, voices that need to be amplified. And just because the campaign is over, it doesn’t mean those conversations are. In fact, they’re only just beginning. I have a feeling they will inspire a whole lot of statements, petitions and private members’ bills, so get ready.

Speaking of the stories of the riding, bordered by Eglinton to the west, Broadway to the north, Mount Pleasant to the east, the train tracks to the south and Dufferin to the west, St. Paul’s is made up of contrasting communities. Someone said, “a tale of two ridings.” I say, “a tale of several ridings.” There are about 120,000 constituents, with some residents enjoying significant wealth and prosperity, while others are barely scraping by, with 65% of people in the riding actually renters. Issues of affordability, health care, lack of family doctors and the rising presence of anti-Semitism plague St. Paul’s.

If you look at St. Paul’s, you will see beautiful green spaces, the meticulously maintained lawns of Forest Hill and Cedarvale, and vibrant parks like Wychwood, where the farmer’s market thrives. Streets like St. Clair West are lined with bustling restaurants, and the art scene is alive and well. There is also what’s often called “young and eligible.”

But take a moment and look a little closer, and you’re going to notice that many businesses have closed along Eglinton West in Little Jamaica, casualties of the ongoing delays of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. You’ll see two food banks, five Out of the Cold programs, five meal programs serving those in need, and you’ll witness a growing sea of high-rises along Davisville, Lascelles, Yonge, Roehampton, Holly and Dunfield. This is where the stories of struggle lurk.

I’ll forever be haunted by one conversation at an apartment building on Lascelles during the campaign. My light rap on the door was answered by a beleaguered-looking woman. I introduced myself and she was ready to talk. She was a Ukrainian mom who had come here over 30 years ago with nothing but the promise of opportunity in a new world with her husband. She and her husband had their daughter here.

Then, the woman’s husband died, the money dried up and she explained she could barely make her rent and had nothing left—no hope of getting out of her financial situation; no ability to move from an apartment she called horrible. She was trapped, and she told me, with tears in her eyes, that were it not for her granddaughter, she would leave this world.

I was actually so stunned by what I heard, I was speechless, but also blinking and thinking, what could I possibly say or do to promise to help this woman? I cobbled together something. I’m sure it didn’t match nearly the gravity of what she just told me. I had to move on. But this conversation will forever haunt me, and it will forever be my guide and my driver.

Health care is another story. Like so many ridings across Ontario, the search for a family doctor continues in Toronto–St. Paul’s. The Ford government recently did announce new measures to connect 300,000 people with 80 new primary care teams, but there’s only 2.1 million more to go. In the meantime, we’re left waiting for hours in overcrowded ERs. We’re looked after by exhausted doctors and nurses. When will this finally become a priority? As our health critic, Dr. Adil Shamji, puts it, “Any time now.”

And speaking of breaking news, Ontario is now reporting more measles cases than the entire United States. If there was ever a time to step up, promote vaccinations and fight disinformation, it is now.

Toronto–St. Paul’s faces many challenges, and one of the most alarming is the rising tide of anti-Semitism. I stand in this Legislature today in part because the Jewish community has placed its trust in me to be their voice, to speak out when silence is not an option and to call out the growing hate they’re being forced to endure in our riding, in our city, in our province and across Canada.

Toronto–St. Paul’s is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the country, and yet, in today’s Canada, being Jewish means living with fear: fear of threats, fear of intimidation, fear of violence. And far to often, that fear is met with silence. Far too often, public officials look the other way. The reality is this: In our community of St. Paul’s, Jewish families rely on special security measures just to attend synagogue or send their kids to school. That should never be normal. But right now, it is.

In recent years, the wave of anti-Semitism we’ve witnessed here in Toronto and far beyond is horrifying. It’s not just unacceptable; it’s dangerous, and it threatens not only the Jewish community but the fabric of our entire society. That’s why I’m committed to taking action to protect Jewish communities from unlawful protests, to ensure hate crimes are prosecuted and support education that dismantles dangerous myths and hateful ideologies.

I’ll fight for Jewish students to feel safe on campuses and for every Jewish family to feel secure in their neighbourhood, because no one should hesitate to enter a place of worship, no member of our multicultural society should ever be made to feel unwelcome or unsafe and no Jewish person in Ontario should ever have to ask themselves, “Who will hide me?”

To the team that got me here: The Toronto–St. Paul’s provincial Liberal riding association, was ready to hit the ground running, thanks to the leadership of President Brandon Pratt and the dedicated volunteers who were ready to go.

Brandon, your commitment and hard work were truly game-changing for me, and I am deeply grateful for the time, energy and heart you poured into this campaign.

To our incredible campaign chair, Craig Ruttan, and co-managers Dominic Stewart and Brandon: I was in awe watching you work. You took a rookie and without missing a beat transformed her into a candidate in campaign mode. You always knew how to steady me. You calmed my anxieties while still pushing me to dig deep, buck up and keep moving forward, so thank you. Thank you for your patience, your guidance, your protection and for helping me grow.

I spoke earlier about the volunteers, and truly, it was a village that lifted me up. You met me with smiles every day we headed out—often into snowstorms, as we all know—ready to do the work it took to get me elected. Every single one of you made a meaningful contribution, but I have to give a special mention to my brother, Burke, and his wife, Elisabeth, who, incredibly, were responsible for 20% of the door-knocking in the riding. They were machines, and they were on a mission. Well, mission accomplished, and I am eternally grateful to all of you.

To our leader, Bonnie Crombie: Thank you for believing in me, for giving the opportunity to run in one of the most prominent ridings in the city and to take on a two-term incumbent. I am honoured by the trust you’ve placed in me, and I’m committed to living up to the great responsibility for you and for the party. Because of your leadership, we regained official party status, and with 30% of the popular vote, we proudly became the people’s opposition.

To my caucus colleagues, the original nine: You already had a strong, united bond before the five of us newbies joined, but from day one you welcomed us with open arms and with wisdom and encouragement. I am excited for the next four years and everything we’re going to accomplish together as a team.

To my staff here at Queen’s Park: Emma Fortunato, my executive and legislative assistant—the keeper of all things Steph, as she calls it—she’s my right hand, sometimes my left, juggling it all, keeping me organized, grounded, caffeinated.

Will Reid, our special assistant for communications, the guy behind the magic of making our riding stand out, its being seen and heard across Ontario; that’s at St. Paul’s News Network. Thank you for your creativity, clarity and often perfectly timed idiom. You’re a comms wizard, and I’m lucky to have you.

Dalton Sanderson, our manager at the constituency office: Since the campaign, you’ve been there for me, building bridges, showing up for our neighbours, making sure the office is a true part of the community.

Sebastian Hickmott, our constituency assistant: Your kindness, patience and sharp eye for detail make a world of difference every single day.

You’ve each brought your energy, your talent, your full selves to this work, and I couldn’t ask for a better team. Thank you for standing by me and for believing in the work and making it so much fun along the way.

To my family: My children motivate me to do the best I can for this province. Spencer, Honor, Harrison and Reed, you’ve taught me everything I know about strength, patience, unconditional love. Most importantly, you keep our blended family laughing and keep us learning every day, and you make us so very proud.

Spencer, for your service to our country as a paramedic in the Canadian Armed Forces, with two terms of duty, the first in Poland, to help the refugees pouring in from Ukraine after Russia invaded, and the second in the UK, training Ukrainian conscripts in combat first aid.

Honor, for your devotion to children and our future as an early childhood educator. I know your impact on these sweet little souls make the world a better place.

Reed, for your empathy and financial acumen. You’re witnessing first-hand the affordability crisis and the housing shortage as you help new homebuyers navigate around the markets and financial uncertainty.

And Harrison: Despite our warnings, you chose a family business. Getting your master’s in media and journalism communications from Western helped you find employment in this competitive Toronto market. Won’t it be awkward if I see you in the media studio?

You’re beautiful, kind, loving humans, and you have all found such wonderful partners in Joelle, Jaegar, Dorothy and Naomi, who have so enriched our lives.

I want to thank my mother, Sally, who has 11 grandchildren. A former teacher, Mom has been my biggest inspiration, fan, and source of constant support and encouragement. With Sally, love multiplies and she’s always enveloping all of us with her love. We are so lucky.

I want to thank my dear siblings, my best friends: the twins, Burke and Kim, and my younger sister, Andrea, as well as their partners, Elisabeth, Charles and David. Your support during this process was and continues to be remarkable.

I’ve also been blessed with loving in-laws: Tom and Jean, who live in North Bay, and Linda in Kingston, as well as brothers-in-law Richard in Toronto and Ted in Calgary. You’re always there for me as well as your partners, Diana and Val.

If I feel any sadness today, it’s because my dear father, Bill, a big advocate of community service, is not here to witness this special day. We lost dad in 2016 to Alzheimer’s. Dad, I so wish you were here, but I do feel your strength in this moment, and I hope I make you proud.

Interjections.

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Thank you. I’ll drink to that.

To my husband, Paul Cook, a remarkable Toronto journalist I deeply respect: While I was out climbing snowbanks and maybe swearing under my breath about a certain Premier’s premature election call, you were looking after all our family matters, and you were giving me the reassurance, strength and confidence to go on. You’ve been a pillar of support, patience, kindness and love, and I’m so very grateful for you and your love. Thank you.

To the people of Toronto–St. Paul’s: I’ll never lose sight of the fact that I’m here because of you. For those of you who did not vote for me, I want you to know I respect your decision, and I will continue to fight for you every day. I’ll work to win you over one at a time. We have four years to get to know each other, and hopefully more, so be prepared for the story of Toronto–St. Paul’s—for your story—to be featured prominently. I promise to be your advocate, elevating your issues, your concerns and your voice.

To the people in the Legislature: I come to Queen’s Park not as a career politician but as someone who has spent a lifetime watching this place from the outside, and I now want to help effect change from within. I bring with me love of this province, not just for the downtown streets in my riding but for the rocky shores and quiet lakes of northern Ontario, a place for which I hold deep affection.

We’re facing a profound affordability crisis, a health care crisis and a crisis of public trust, but I know Queen’s Park is a place where we can find real solutions together. More than that, I believe we can be a beacon of civility in a time where political discourse in our world has lost its way.

The people of Ontario deserve a Legislature that reflects their hopes, not just their headlines. I will do my very best to uphold that goal, leading with kindness, a welcoming smile and an open mind. That can go a long way.

I’m ready to serve, ready to listen and ready to do the work. Ontario strong.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

Ms. Laura Smith: Thank you the member from Toronto–St. Paul’s for giving us insight into her life. I’m always interested in hearing about their journey. I’m grateful we have somebody with so much experience in this House because we all come here with different experiences.

You talked about your pivot from journalism into politics, and I’m just wondering what the biggest obstacle was that the member faced in this journey.

MPP Stephanie Smyth: I was asked about the biggest obstacle. I think it was the pivot from what I did before as a journalist into something that is very advocacy-driven. In journalism, you try to have that objectivity, so you tell the stories, you observe, you watch, and you tell everything as factually correctly as you can. When you go and step into politics, it’s like, “Now I’m advocating. I am part of this process.

I’m not just watching, but I am as responsible as everybody else.” So it’s just that transition to, yes, you can talk and you can criticize and you can chirp and you can hold everybody to account, but now that you’re here you have to remember, you are to be held to account. You’ve got to walk away from that 35-year career. I think it helps me, keeps me grounded and always keeps me on my toes.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

MPP Catherine McKenney: Thank you to the member from Toronto–St. Paul’s. It was really lovely to listen to you and to get to know you, so thank you for that.

Again, you did mention that you’re a retired broadcaster. You were an on-air anchor. Can you give us an example of one of the most interesting stories, whether it’s the most amusing or most difficult, that you can remember reporting on?

MPP Stephanie Smyth: In 35 years, there are so many stories.

Can I start with something kind of funny? I got an opportunity to interview Felipe Calderón, the former Mexican President, and the producer said, “You have two and a half minutes.” “Wow. Okay.” Nine minutes later, they were saying, “Cut. What are you doing? It’s not that interesting to everybody now.” I got so involved with Felipe Calderón. It was just a very funny moment from a broadcasting perspective.

I think 9/11 was devastating. The world experienced that.

The next world event that came was COVID, and there is no doubt that COVID took its toll. The stories that were told from COVID were immeasurable, and to this day we are still living with the fallout of COVID. Everybody, I’m sure, has a family member who was impacted, either physically, mentally, financially. The health perspective still lives to this day. The stories, as I said, are endless and are continuing. I think that probably is the one that had the most impact. It was also a time when I remember watching from this Legislature—or, actually, not from this Legislature, but when we heard from a certain Premier every day at 1 o’clock. That was pivotal.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: I want to congratulate the member from Toronto–St. Paul’s on a wonderful inaugural speech and on her election. I also want to thank her for deciding to run and step up and serve her community. I know she’s going to be a great addition and a great public servant for Toronto–St. Paul’s.

The member talked about the media and the shifting landscape that we face in terms of seeking out the truth and having objectivity in our news.

I wonder if you could talk for a moment about what role politicians both here at Queen’s Park and across the country need to play in making sure that we have a sound, reliable fifth estate to portray the true stories of our nation.

MPP Stephanie Smyth: It is absolutely essential that all politicians respect the fifth estate. I think it’s something that we cannot take for granted. It is a pillar of our society, so we have to respect that on a daily basis. You can’t undercut, question, call out, as we’re seeing south of the border—“Oh, that’s fake news.”

I think what is vitally important is that we always tell the truth, as politicians, as people in government being held to account—we give accurate information so they give accurate information, but we don’t bypass; we try to always go through the traditional, trusted, accredited media organizations. Online, we know, there is all kinds of misinformation out there. We’ve got to be very careful about the organizations that we speak to and ensure that we’re getting the story out there through proper channels.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: Thank you very much for that inspiring personal statement giving us a good overview of the past years of your career.

How do you feel now, as a politician who is going to be challenged by journalists? You were on the other side of the fence. You were the journalist who was trying to corner the politicians and hold them accountable. How do you feel now you are on the other side, dealing with your colleague journalists?

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Thank you for that question. It did cross my mind, and I see many of them here every day. I know all of them and respect all of them for the work that they have done, and I have watched throughout my career and theirs. I think it is scary to be on the other side and know that that’s coming, and I think that motivates me to work in truth, honesty and to always work with the best interests of the people of Toronto–St. Paul’s. In that way, I can’t go wrong.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Congratulations to the member from Toronto–St. Paul’s on her inaugural address. I want to say how much we appreciated her acknowledgement of her predecessor, Jill Andrew, as the former MPP.

As MPP for London West, I was really struck by learning that the member had lived in London for eight years before she moved to Toronto. I wondered if she could share with this House what she gained from that experience living in London and how that is informing her new role as MPP.

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Thank you for the question. London has such a dear place in my heart. Those years, I went to Western, as I said in my speech, and then Fanshawe College, and then, in this first job as a radio reporter at CJBK and BX93—that was my first exposure to civic politics, covering city hall. In fact, someone I worked with at CJBK, the radio station, went on to become mayor, Anne Marie DeCicco-Best. I literally learned so much there about the structure of local government, the transit commission, the LTU—all of the things.

London is like a beautiful mini-Toronto, and I mean that in a really great way. You’ve got the Forest City, you have all the greenery, the gorgeousness of the riding. And the educational aspect as well: Health sciences in London are absolutely—

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Response?

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Oh, 10 seconds. So going back to your question, it informs everything I did as a journalist, and now my understanding of politics as well.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

M me Lucille Collard: A very warm welcome to MPP Smyth—she’s already demonstrated her great value among our caucus, and I look forward to working with her.

I’m sure as a reporter you’ve travelled the province, and maybe beyond. You’ve alluded very shortly about your connection with the north, and I would like you to speak a little bit more about that to give us some insight.

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Thanks for that question. Northern Ontario is very dear to me because my in-laws, first of all, live in North Bay, but their roots were in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. My in-laws’ father—my husband’s grandfather—was a heating and cooling engineer with the mining industry, in the booming times of Kirkland Lake, so they lived in Kirkland Lake. But in those days, you’re going to have a camp on a local lake, and in fact that camp is within the family to this day, so we go there every summer. People ask, “Where is this cottage? Muskoka? Is it in the Kawarthas?” No, it’s actually seven hours north, up Yonge Street, turn left. And we love it. It’s a treasured time—

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Further debate?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: As I enter the debate concerning Bill 2, I wish to confirm that I am sharing my time with the member for the Bay of Quinte.

It is a privilege and an honour to participate in the debate this morning on the proposed Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act. For more than 100 years, Ontario has been the beneficiary of one of the most successful and long-standing trade relationships the world has ever seen, that being Canada’s economic partnership with the United States. Together, our two countries have built supply chains, created jobs and raised the standard of living for millions of people. But today, that relationship is under unprecedented strain.

President Trump has imposed unwarranted and unjustified tariffs on Canadian vehicles, steel, aluminum and softwood lumber, and his administration has made it clear that additional tariffs and trade restrictions are under active consideration. How we respond will determine the course of our economy for decades to come.

We cannot wait for change to come from elsewhere; we must lead that change. This is about the ability of families to plan for their futures, of businesses to make investment decisions with confidence, and of workers to know that their jobs are secure. While our government continues to engage with our American partners, advocating for the removal of these unjust tariffs, we must also take meaningful steps to protect ourselves. We will do this by reducing our reliance on any one market, even one as important as the United States, by ensuring that our economy is resilient, diverse and self-sufficient.

That starts with doing something we, as Canadians, should have done a long time ago. That means removing the barriers that prevent us from trading freely with each other.

Speaker, it should not be easier for a business in Ontario to trade with a company in Ohio than with a business in Nova Scotia or Manitoba. And yet, due to outdated protectionist policies, that has too often been the case. That ends now. Ontario is responsible for $326 billion in interprovincial trade—more than any other province. Eliminating these barriers could boost Ontario’s GDP by as much as $23 billion annually according to a study prepared by Deloitte.

Studies show interprovincial trade barriers cost our national economy up to $200 billion each year, adding as much as 14.5% to the costs of goods and services. This is an unnecessary burden on Canadian families, and we are proposing to remove it. At the heart of this legislation is a fundamental reform to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Every single one of Ontario’s trade exceptions is being eliminated: no caveats, no conditions. This is not just symbolic; this is economic leadership.

But we are not stopping at removing exceptions. We are building a modern regulatory framework, one that is based on trust and mutual respect among provinces and territories. Our legislation proposes to enshrine the principle of mutual recognition. If a good or service is legally sold in one Canadian province or territory, it will be recognized as legal for sale in Ontario. Speaker, it really is this simple. If it’s good enough for Saskatchewan, it’s good enough for Ontario. If it’s good enough for Nova Scotia, it’s good enough for Ontario.

We are not compromising on safety or quality. Every province in this country has strong, rigorous standards. But regulatory duplication, where the rules are virtually identical but still require separate certifications, adds cost and complexity without any benefit. Consider just one example, Speaker: high-visibility safety apparel.

Now, a construction crew from New Brunswick may spend thousands of dollars on safety gear that meets their provincial standards, gear that is functionally identical to what we require here in the province of Ontario, and yet, due to minor technical differences, they could be forced to purchase entirely new equipment just to work here. This kind of regulatory redundancy exists in dozens of sectors, from mining and energy to food production and consumer goods. It serves no one, and we are eliminating it.

Speaker, our reforms also address one of the most critical and overlooked sectors of our economy, that being trucking. Canada’s trucking industry generates nearly $40 billion in annual revenue, moving over 63 million shipments each year. It is the backbone of our domestic supply chain. Yet different provinces enforce different rules on weight limits, truck dimensions and operational requirements. These inconsistencies force trucking companies to adjust loads mid-route or switch vehicles at provincial borders. The result: higher freight rates, lower productivity and an estimated half a billion dollars in annual economic losses.

So in partnership with other provinces, Ontario launched a pilot program in February 2025. Through mutual recognition, we will reduce the regulatory friction that holds back our supply chains because, quite frankly, it should never be easier for a truck to cross the border into Michigan than it is to cross the border into Manitoba.

This bill also takes important steps to remove barriers to labour mobility. We know that Ontario is home to a booming economy, with over one million new jobs created since this government was first elected in 2018. That’s thanks to our government’s leadership and initiatives that support investment and growth, creating the conditions for job creation and prosperity. From Honda’s $15-billion EV investment in Alliston to Ferrero’s $445-million expansion in Brantford, the demand for skilled labour has never been greater in the province of Ontario.

But too often, workers who are fully certified in one province then must navigate complex, costly and time-consuming processes just to work in another province within Confederation. This is a disincentive to work and it is a drag on productivity.

Our bill therefore proposes as-of-right registration: Workers already certified in another province will be automatically allowed to work in Ontario for up to six months while completing registration with the relevant regulatory body because, whether someone is an architect certified in Nova Scotia, a nurse trained in Alberta, an electrician registered in Manitoba, if they are good enough to work in their home province, they are good enough and welcome to work in Ontario.

We will also impose reasonable timelines on our regulators, ensuring that applications are processed quickly and fairly.

Finally, Speaker, we are acting on an issue that has long frustrated both producers and consumers, that being the sale of alcoholic beverages across provincial lines.

You may recall the 2012 Supreme Court of Canada case involving Gerard Comeau, a resident of New Brunswick. Mr. Comeau travelled to Quebec and purchased 354 cans of beer and three bottles of liquor to bring home to New Brunswick. He was charged with being in possession of more alcohol purchased out of province than was permitted under the New Brunswick Liquor Control Act.

Mr. Comeau challenged the act as a violation of

section 121 of the Constitution Act, 1867. That provision of our original Constitution states as follows: “All articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture of any one of the provinces shall, from and after the union, be admitted free into each of the other provinces.”

While Mr. Comeau was unsuccessful in his constitutional challenge, it did raise the profile of this fundamental issue with the public, and it led to action. In 2018, many provinces, including Ontario, raised or removed personal exception limits on alcohol. But now, we have an opportunity to go even further.

Our new legislation will lay the groundwork for interprovincial direct-to-consumer alcohol sales, starting with negotiations with other provinces. This will expand consumer choice, lower prices and open new markets for Ontario companies who produce world-class beverages that face costly restrictions selling across the country. It is time to trust Canadians to make their own choices and empower our producers to compete on our national stage.

Speaker, we are at a defining moment in Canadian history. We face growing protectionism from abroad, but the answer is not fear or retreat. The answer is bold action here at home. The answer is to tear down the outdated, unnecessary and costly barriers that divide Canadians economically.

We are making it easier to trade, easier to hire, easier to build, easier to grow. We invite every other province and territory to join us in this collective effort. Let us build a country where free trade actually means free trade, not just with our neighbours to the south but with our fellow Canadians. Let us remove the barriers that hold us back. Let us move forward together.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): I recognize the member for Bay of Quinte.

Mr. Tyler Allsopp: Thank you to all my colleagues who are here this morning. It is an honour to be here today to talk about the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, a critical piece—

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Pursuant to standing order 50(c), I am now required to interrupt the proceedings and announce that there have been six and a half hours of debate on the motion for second reading of this bill. This debate will therefore be deemed adjourned unless the government House leader directs the debate to continue.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Speaker, I move that debate continue.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Continue.

Mr. Tyler Allsopp: Well, thank you, everybody. I was on a bit of a roll there. We’ll continue.

We continue to see the chaos and uncertainty that President Trump’s tariffs have caused across the global economy. Markets have shed off trillions of dollars in value, which encapsulates the stress and challenges that businesses are facing. Businesses are pausing strategic investment decisions because they have no certainty as to what the future holds. As a former business owner myself, I know that they can’t make decisions for five, 10 or 20 years out if they don’t have an idea of what the next 12 months will hold.

No one can get a sense of what will happen with President Trump’s tariffs, possibly not even the President himself. We have seen how fast he can change his mind: One minute, the tariffs are on, and then the next minute, the tariffs are off, or they’re paused, or they’re delayed. There is no coherent strategy. There have been exceptions for certain sectors, but at the same time, we hear talks of the President potentially expanding his tariffs to sectors such as pharmaceuticals.

Make no mistake, our government is going to continue our advocacy in getting the US to lift all of their tariffs on Canadian goods.

Minister Fedeli and our government recently returned from Washington, where they had productive meetings with elected representatives, industry organizations and trade officials. Ultimately, we are going to keep fighting, but we can’t control the President’s actions. That is why, simultaneously, we need to focus on strengthening our province’s economy and doing the things that we can do irrespective of what happens in the United States.

That is why you are seeing such an ambitious legislative agenda from our government, including the legislation that we are discussing here today, the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act. This legislation positions Ontario as a leader within Canada.

We have long heard of the costs of interprovincial trade barriers. Every report and every study draws the same conclusions: Interprovincial trade barriers drive up costs, restrict competition and limit our country’s economic growth. Interprovincial trade barriers can add up to 14.5% to the cost of goods and services that consumers purchase. Those are not costs that Canadians can afford, especially as we face tariffs from the United States. Removing these barriers will see Canada boost its national growth between 4% to 8% annually, which would represent a potential gain of up to $200 billion.

In Ontario, Deloitte reports that we could see up to $23 billion in boosts to our annual GDP. Just think of what that could mean for our economy right here in Ontario. The cost and the benefits could not be clearer.

Ontario is Canada’s largest player in interprovincial trade, worth over $326 billion in 2023. That’s the equivalent of 28.5% of our GDP. Interprovincial trade is up more than $75 billion since we took office, and we know that we can grow it even further. That’s why we are leading the country with this ambitious legislation that will tear down interprovincial trade barriers and allow for more free trade between provinces and territories.

This legislation has strong support from stakeholders who represent businesses and workers across the province. Let me take the time to highlight some of the support that this legislation has gotten to date.

The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters said, “This legislation is a historic step towards making the movement of goods and people freer across Canada.... We encourage all provinces to follow Ontario’s lead to build our country’s strength.”

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce said, “By removing these obstacles, Ontario is sending a strong signal that it values economic co-operation and labour mobility. Businesses will benefit from greater certainty, lower costs, and improved access to talent. We commend the Ontario government for its leadership.”

Speaker, this legislation has strong support from across the country. Politicians of all stripes have talked about the importance of removing internal trade barriers for decades. The previous Liberal government talked about it and did absolutely nothing, just like they did with several other key files. Now, our government is proud to lead the way with this decisive action. We hope that the members opposite will join us in supporting this legislation at a critical time for our province and our country’s economic future. These are common sense measures that we can all get behind.

It doesn’t make sense that a construction worker in Nova Scotia would have to buy a new safety vest or coveralls if they wanted to come work in Ontario. Unfortunately, this is often the case. We know that provinces and territories across the country have strong safety rules, and for good reason. But oftentimes, the slightest difference in regulations drives up costs and harms labour mobility. These are the measures that we as a country need to get rid of. We need to cut red tape and unnecessary duplicative regulation.

Think of the cost for a Nova Scotia construction worker who wants to come work in our province. Perhaps they want to come work at one of the many manufacturing plants that are being constructed as a result of the tens of billions of dollars in investment our province has landed over these last few years. This unnecessary duplication in the rules governing safety apparel between Nova Scotia and Ontario drives up costs for our workers.

A pair of coveralls can often cost a worker upwards of $200. That means that if a crew of 20 construction workers from Nova Scotia were needed to come work on a manufacturing plant being set up here in Ontario, they would have to foot a bill of upwards of $4,000, despite them already owning safety apparel that is good for use in Nova Scotia. These are the types of redundancies that Canada needs to prioritize getting rid of. And with our legislation, we are going to ensure that a good or service that is good enough for sale, use or work in one province is good enough for sale, use or work in Ontario.

Interprovincial trade barriers have existed in our country for far too long. They weaken competition, drive up costs and limit our country’s economic growth. As the largest interprovincial trader in Canada, Ontario is proud to lead the way in removing these barriers. We need other provinces to join us and take bold and ambitious action to scrap these unnecessary barriers.

Over the last seven years, our government has focused on creating an environment within Ontario that encourages investment and job creation. We have cut over 550 pieces of red tape and lowered the annual cost of doing business by $8 billion. By creating these conditions for businesses to succeed, we have landed game-changing investments, including $46 billion in new automotive investments, over $6 billion in life science investments and tens of billions of dollars in tech investments. We’ve also seen businesses create one million new jobs since 2018.

Now, as we are faced with an unprecedented threat from the United States, we must do everything we can to protect the progress that we have made. We need to ensure that we have true free trade and labour mobility within our province to reduce our dependence on the United States, who are no longer a reliable partner. We need to tear down the barriers that are costing the Canadian economy up to $200 billion annually and adding up to 14.5% to the cost of Canadian goods and services.

Let’s work together to unlock Canada’s true economic potential so that we can lower costs and create more good-paying jobs for the workers across the country and right here in the province of Ontario.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to your support of this bill.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

MPP Wayne Gates: I want to talk about Niagara a little bit. I’ve been fighting for years to get Ontario wines in the LCBO—VQA wines made with 100% Niagara grapes—and including getting our grapes going across the country.

Since we’ve taken the American booze off the shelves at the LCBO—and this isn’t how much we drink, but I just want to show what’s happened—Niagara wines have exploded. Red wines are up 71%. White wines are up 67%. Sparkling is up 28%. That’s not a fluke. That’s what happens when we finally give people the choice to support their neighbours and buy local and buy right here in the country.

So my question is very clear: Do you support giving more shelf space at the LCBO for VQA wines, spirits, craft beer and continue to not have American products on our shelves forever, and certainly before any American product, even after the tariffs are gone and Trump is no longer the President of the United States?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Well, the member opposite makes an excellent point. As far as the question is concerned, if you look at

part VI,

section 10 of Bill 2: “Except as otherwise provided in this section, this

schedule comes into force on the later of July 1, 2025....” So we’re moving quickly. And the act is to be called the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025. But as you can see, on the front page of the bill on the orders table, it is in fact

An Act to enact the Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day Act, 2025 and the Ontario Free Trade and Mobility Act. So it is about buying Ontario, buying Canadian, and it’s consistent with

section 121 of the original Constitution Act, 1867, originally called the BNA Act. The fundamental bargain, a confederation among the original four provinces, was free trade within Confederation.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

MPP Robin Lennox: The NDP is strongly supportive of creating meaningful employment opportunities and strengthening our economy by diversifying our trade partners. But we must ensure that as we cross provincial trade barriers, we don’t sacrifice the regulations that protect our labour rights and keep our workers safe.

This week, we recognize the Day of Mourning and the far too many workers who have been lost or injured on the job. With this legislation, how will the province plan to prevent a race to the bottom where lower-standard jurisdictions receive preference?

Mr. Tyler Allsopp: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. We understand how important it is that we have strong safety regulations, not just in Ontario but across Canada to ensure that workers are safe on the job and that while they create the productivity that they need, they’re being protected. That’s why we’re doing this mutual recognition: because we know that other provinces have stepped up as well, and that if a good or service or a worker is registered in another province, and it’s deemed to be good enough for Nova Scotia or New Brunswick, that it will also be good enough here in Ontario.

What we’re trying to do is get rid of the duplicative redundancies that often come in these regulations that only drive up costs, that only make it more difficult to do business and that hinder our economic growth, which is so desperately needed at this time as we face this struggle and oncoming challenge from the United States. So we are going to do both things: grow our economy and make sure that we’re keeping workers safe at the same time.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

Mr. Billy Pang: This question is for the minister. For far too long, we have heard about interprovincial trade barriers that make it difficult for provinces to trade between each other. Whether it’s the agricultural sector or the trucking sector, there are too many barriers that stop the free and fair trade of goods within our country. Can the minister share with us: How will the barriers that are being removed in this legislation lower the cost for families and businesses in the province?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Thank you, through you, Speaker, to the member for the question—very appropriate and timely.

It is about protecting Ontario families. It is about standing up for and creating the conditions for growth and prosperity for businesses, particularly our small businesses.

The cost of interprovincial trade barriers is well documented. It’s not just Deloitte’s study, but in study after study, report after report, we continue to see just how costly interprovincial trade barriers are. Sadly, it took the existential threat from the Trump administration and its threats on tariffs and the declaration of a trade war to have us pursue this calling.

Estimates show that interprovincial trade barriers can add up to 14.5% to the cost of goods and services. We cannot afford that anymore in the face of the Trump tariffs, and we will not stand for it anymore. We will stand by the fundamental bargain at Confederation.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Thank you to the government members who spoke on this bill. This bill includes a provision to declare a Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day annually in June. Certainly, that may help encourage consumers to purchase Ontario-made or Canadian-made products. But my question to the government members is, why is the government entering into agreements with US-based companies like Starlink, like Staples, and with international companies like Therme to do government business when there are perfectly appropriate Ontario or Canadian companies who could do that work for the province of Ontario?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Perhaps the member has forgotten, but I’ll remind the member of the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative Act, 2022, and regulations under that act that were filed in April 2024. This is about building Ontario businesses, so whatever the name of the company may be, whatever the origin of the company may be, if they employ Ontarians and they have offices in Ontario, they will be part of the prosperity that will affect positively Ontario workers and Ontario-based businesses. That’s the litmus test.

We are a nation under threat. We are a province under threat. We will not rely on one trading partner. We will diversify, but it begins with this proposed legislation, with tearing down interprovincial trade barriers that are inconsistent with

section 121 of our Constitution Act, 1867—as I said, a fundamental bargain at Confederation. We are moving forward on that basis and what better day to declare it than the 158th anniversary of Confederation, this coming July 1.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Question?

Mr. Anthony Leardi: My question is for the member from the Bay of Quinte. He was talking about the provisions of this particular proposed legislation that would make labour mobility a better thing in our country. I certainly support that because we don’t want a situation where we’re trying to drive up costs for people here in Ontario based on labour mobility laws which make it more expensive to build in Ontario. That’s not something we want. We want to make it less expensive to build in Ontario, and at the same time, preserve all of the protections that are in place for safety in the workplace. I think that’s very important, too.

I want to ask the member from the Bay of Quinte, with respect to the legislation that we’re debating today, what provisions in this legislation assist in those goals?

Mr. Tyler Allsopp: Thank you to the member from Essex for that question. There are a number of provisions in this bill that enhance labour mobility across Canada to be able to make sure that our businesses here in Ontario and right in my home riding of Bay of Quinte have access to the labour force that they so desperately need.

That includes expanding as-of-right rules to more regulated medical professions. I was talking to the owner of Hitchon’s hearing services in Belleville the other day. They can’t get more audiologists, people who study the ability to hear. They need that for their business. They don’t have them locally. That’s a great profession that we would be able to bring in under this new regulation by expanding those as-of-right rules.

Also, the mutual recognition of registered workers, as we talked about, with construction workers, with so many others: Their ability to work here is hampered by unnecessary regulation and often, in cases, too many delays. We’re going to get those people in and we’re going to get them to work and keep building Ontario.

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Further debate?

Ms. Chandra Pasma: It’s always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the residents of Ottawa West–Nepean to speak in this House. Today I am rising to speak about Bill 2, the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act. Of course I need to start by mentioning the context in which we’re debating this bill, which is threats from Donald Trump, and we saw him reiterate those threats on Monday, right in the middle of our federal election. This is a serious and existential threat for our country.

I also want to pause and congratulate our new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, and our newly elected members of Parliament. This is a moment where we all need to come together to protect our country, so I also want to thank the thousands of volunteers across the country who stepped forward and worked hard to defend their vision of our country and the policies and the values that they believe in. We may not always agree, but I think it’s important to have all those voices together at the table working in unity to defend our country and our province—a Team Canada, Team Ontario approach, because make no mistake, we are very different countries.

I want to share a story about the moment this came home for me. It’s a moment I’ve been thinking about a lot over the past few months. I went to graduate school in the US and I served on the grad student senate. We were debating a proposition about providing health care for all of the students at the university. Health care in the US is not publicly funded, publicly delivered. Everybody has their private insurance—I shouldn’t say everybody because there’s actually many people who do not have private insurance and who therefore can’t access health care or who have to go deeply into debt in order to get health care.

So we were debating this proposition that would provide health insurance for every single student at the university, and it would only cost $20 per semester in order to provide this coverage. I sat and listened in the debate to speaker after speaker who opposed this proposition because they already had health insurance. Their position was, “Why should I pay for other people to have health care when I already have health care?”

I was a pretty poor student at the time; I was carefully managing my budget to make sure that I could pay rent and buy groceries. Despite that, to me it was a no-brainer that we should all contribute $20 a semester to provide health care for everyone, and that it was totally worth that price to see thousands of students at that university access health care and to be sure that that health care would be there for them without going deeply into debt.

I think that’s a key part of what makes us different as Canadians, that we truly believe we need to look after one another and sometimes we need to make sacrifices, sometimes we need to adopt policies that help to ensure that everybody is looked after. That’s a key goal for us, and we’re rightly very proud of our public health care system. Unfortunately, I think this government is chipping away at the edges of that public health care system, and the idea that we should all be able to access health care with our health card and not with our credit card. But, broadly speaking, this is a very important value for Canadians and for residents in Ontario.

We’ve also seen that this is a comparative advantage for our economy. The past few decades have shown there are companies that are willing to locate in Canada and in Ontario because not only do they not need to cover the cost of health insurance for their employees, but they know that they will have access to a healthy, well-educated base of workers. Our publicly funded education system is another foundation of that comparative advantage, particularly compared to the US. It’s another area where, I think, unfortunately this government has been chipping away at this system that looks after one another.

But I think these are important comparative advantages that we should keep in mind. I’m going to come back to this issue of comparative advantages later. For now, I just want to emphasize that we have a distinct identity, and that identity is centred around looking after one another and making sure that everyone can live with dignity and security in our province and in our country.

This threat is so great because our economy is so heavily dependent on our relationships with the United States. Ontario is the most trade-reliant province in Canada, and one in five jobs in Ontario depend directly on trade with the United States. If we lose that trade, we have a significant number of jobs, a significant number of workers who are seriously at risk. If we were a country, we would be the US’s third-largest trading partner. Nearly 85% of our exports go to the US, so we seriously need to find new trading partners, both within Canada and with our domestic allies across the world.

Just to share one example of the impact of some of the trade barriers that are faced within Canada: A few weeks ago, I was at a reception for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa and I was speaking with a board member there who works for a digital data services company in Ottawa. He told me that most of their business is with the US because it’s far easier for them to work in the US than it is in other provinces. This is a great example of one of the kinds of services that we need to ensure has the capacity, has the ability, has the opportunity to work with other provinces in Canada.

We need to harness that economic potential that we have in Ontario to make sure that we are building a strong economy and growing the number of jobs here. Statistics Canada has said that the interprovincial trade barriers are akin to a 7% tariff.

So there is a need to take a look at these interprovincial trade barriers, but we shouldn’t just be talking about dismantling, because this is an opportunity for us to also look at workplace health and safety regulations. Workplace health and safety regulations are frequently cited as an example of an interprovincial trade barrier, that there are different standards for protecting workers in different provinces. This is everything from standards for hearing, head, foot and eye protection at work sites; fall protection training standards; filtering respirator standards; testing for automated vehicles and corporate registry requirements.

This is not just an academic exercise that we are talking about here, Speaker. Earlier this week, we celebrated the Day of Mourning, a day where we remember those who have died on the job as well as those who have been forever changed through a workplace injury or a work-associated disease. In 2023, there were 1,507 workplace fatalities in Canada. That’s 1,507 people who did not come home at the end of a workday. There are an additional 274,022 claims related to lost work time due to injury or illness that is associated to the job.

That’s over 200,000 people who have lost time because of a work-related injury, and that understates it because we don’t actually know how many claims were denied by workplace compensation boards and how many workers never bothered to file a complaint in the first place because they had so little expectation of actually receiving a fair hearing and receiving fair compensation. So we have a lot of work to do in Canada on workplace safety, because every worker should come home at the end of the day. No parent should receive a call that their child is not coming home.

At the Ottawa ceremony to recognize the Day of Mourning, we heard from a parent, Jennifer Chenier, who lost her son Nick in a work-related accident two years ago in Ottawa. It was incredibly moving and heartbreaking to hear Jennifer share her story, and to hear about her fight for justice for Nick over the past two years. We don’t want anybody to receive the call that Jennifer received. We don’t want anybody to have to fight for justice for their child the way Jennifer has had to fight for Nick.

We need to protect our workers. Saving jobs and protecting workers isn’t just about making sure that we have jobs to replace ones that may be lost due to this trade war; it also means making sure that workers have the health and safety protections that they need.

One reason why we have different standards across the country is because the scenario is not always the same. Just to take one example from the trucking industry, you don’t necessarily need the same standards to drive a truck across the straight, flat ground of the prairie as you do to drive a truck through northern Ontario, where it’s hilly and where our roads are unfortunately in a poor state of maintenance because the government leaves it up to municipalities who don’t have the fiscal capacity to look after the Trans-Canada Highway.

We need to make sure that trucks are not only safe enough to drive those flat, straight stretches of the prairies, but that they are safe to drive on our northern Ontario highways so, again, every trucker comes home safely at the end of a shift and every trucker is returned to their family.

This is an opportunity for us to harmonize standards at the highest possible level so that we are protecting workers across the country—

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): It is now time to end the debate.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

Report, Financial Accountability Officer

The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): I beg to inform the House that the following document was tabled: a report entitled the Potential Impacts of US Tariffs on the Ontario Economy, from the Office of the Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario.

It is now time for members’ statements.

Members’ Statements

Automotive industry

MPP Wayne Gates: Auto workers are saying it loud and clear: If you want to sell cars here, you must build here. At a rally in Windsor last weekend, I stood with workers, many of them Unifor members who travelled from Niagara to protect Canadian jobs. These workers have helped build this province, and they’re asking for one thing: Put politics aside; stand up and fight for our jobs.

We’ve built cars in Canada for over a hundred years, and Canadians buy two million vehicles yearly. I’ll say it plainly: This is our industry, these are our jobs, and we’re not backing down. The minister stood up yesterday with partisan political shots and no plan. That wasn’t leadership. I saw leadership at the rally. Workers stood united, driving from one border community to another, from all across Ontario. They put political leanings aside, united in a common front. They don’t care what party you’re from; they’re fighting for their jobs, for their community, for their families.

Trump’s reckless tariffs have already caused thousands of workers in Windsor to be laid off, and tens of thousands more across Ontario are at risk. Workers want to know that governments are going to stand up for them. Our advantage over the US is our publicly funded health care and education, our highly skilled workforce and our world-class manufacturing. We can’t allow any car company to take equipment out of our plants and ship it to the American plants. Once the equipment is removed, it is never coming back and our jobs are gone. We must fight back like hell to protect workers’ jobs in Ontario. Fighting back makes a difference.

Gilbertson’s Maple Products

MPP Bill Rosenberg: In 1936, one of our very own former MPPs, Bernt Gilbertson, founded Gilbertson’s maple syrup. Bernt represented Algoma–Manitoulin—it was just Algoma back then—from 1967 to 1975. One of his many successful endeavours was the tapping of trees to make maple syrup, known as liquid gold. Four generations later, they’re still one of the largest maple syrup producers in Ontario. Bernt’s sons, Don, Rick and Greg, carried on that tradition, and, in 1967, they built a welcoming venue where people could come from all over the area and eat their fluffy pancakes with Gilbertson’s maple syrup.

In 2006 the older pancake house was replaced with a modern timber building, modern kitchen and a gift shop with, of course, maple syrup, tasty maple treats and giftware. The new building was simply called the Pancake House. Today, grandsons Calvin and Brent are in charge. With more modern equipment, they have 40,000 taps, 300 kilometres of tap lines and 500 acres, and produce around 50,000 litres of maple syrup per year.

It’s great to know that there’s another generation waiting in the wings to take over. A couple of weeks ago, Jeannine and I were two of the 15,000 to 16,000 people who travel to Gilbertson’s every spring to have that tasty Gilbertson’s maple syrup. We also had the privilege to chat with Brent, who gave us a tour. It’s a great operation.

Congratulations to the Gilbertson family, another successful Ontario farm-to-table product.

Cost of living

M me Lucille Collard: One in four households in Ottawa is experiencing food insecurity. Since 2019, visits to the Ottawa Food Bank have surged by 90%. Food affordability is out of control, and families are struggling to meet their basic needs. Last week, I visited food banks in my riding and served meals at the Ottawa Mission.

The volunteers are extraordinary, but no amount of community generosity can replace the responsibility of government. Charities are doing their part; now government must do theirs. In a province as wealthy as Ontario, allowing people to go hungry is not just unacceptable; it’s immoral. Hunger is not inevitable. It’s the direct result of policy choices, and right now, those choices are failing people. We need immediate, stable funding for food banks. But even more importantly, we must fix the root causes. That means raising Ontario Works and ODSP to livable levels. Today, someone on OW might receive just $733, and that doesn’t cover rent, let alone food.

Speaker, no one should be pushed into poverty by the very programs designed to support them. This government has a moral and civic obligation to act. Fund food banks, raise income supports and ensure that no Ontarian is left behind.

Riding of Mississauga–Erin Mills

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: It is an honour to return to Queen’s Park for my third term as member of provincial Parliament for Mississauga–Erin Mills. I’m humbled to be trusted once again to serve my community and continue our hard work. To the people of Erin Mills, thank you for your trust.

Speaker, we ran a hard-fought campaign, focusing on issues that are important to our community. We are ready to continue delivering on those promises. Already, our government has made tremendous progress to build Mississauga with new infrastructure and better services. For example, the South Common Community Centre in Erin Mills is being renovated, thanks to our investment of $45 million.

We’re also going constructing a new French Catholic elementary school in Churchill Meadows with a $21.9-million investment.

Additionally, the province has recently announced $19.9 million to build housing-enabling infrastructure along Ninth Line in Mississauga.

Mississauga will soon be home to the largest emergency department in Canadian history, with the new Mississauga hospital.

The Hazel McCallion LRT project is still actively undergoing and nearing completion, and we are working on two-way, all-day GO train service—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Members’ statements?

Climate change

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Even in the midst of Trump’s trade war on Canada and the rest of the world, climate damage continues to drive up our cost of living and take lives. Wildfires like the one that devastated Jasper, Alberta, and floods that are seen around the world continue to cause tragedies. It’s clear that we have to act.

Ontario’s climate plan, which is already profoundly, fatally weak, continues to fail. The most recent national report on Canada’s carbon pollution shows that Ontario continues to have increases in its carbon pollution, not reductions. Things aren’t getting better; they’re getting worse from this province.

Climate action can provide thousands of jobs. It can cut our cost of living. It can actually give us a more healthy environment. The government’s failure to act hurts us all.

Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team

MPP Chris Scott: I rise today to extend heartfelt congratulations to the Sault College Lady Cougars women’s hockey team on their remarkable achievement of securing their third straight remarkable national championship in the American Collegiate Association Division 2.

They did it in a 6-2 win over Assiniboine down in Missouri. I got a chance to meet Emma Lee, who opened up the scoring last week.

Again, I want to say, that’s not one, that’s not back-to-back; that’s a three-peat for our girls, and I couldn’t be more proud. There are two Canadian teams that get to be in this league of 52, and they’ve made us all so proud. This victory is a testament to the team’s unwavering dedication, skill and teamwork.

Leading the charge was our very own Halle MacLachlan, and she concluded her collegiate hockey career with this triumphant win. She was our team captain for this season, and her leadership both on and off the ice has been nothing short of inspirational.

I ask all members of this House to join me in celebrating Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team and wishing them continued success in their future endeavours. Thank you very much.

Hamilton Homeless Mortality Data Project

MPP Robin Lennox: Today I would like to highlight an important community project that is ongoing in Hamilton Centre, the Hamilton Homelessness Mortality Data Project. For far too long in Hamilton, deaths of our unhoused neighbours went untracked and largely unrecognized. In 2021, a group of health care providers, social workers and researchers at McMaster collaborated to begin tracking how many deaths of our unhoused community members were occurring, whether they were outdoors or in shelter, and what caused their deaths. Over the first three years of data collection, they recorded 116 deaths, which is one death every 10 days.

In the most recent data, more than half of those who died were living outdoors. We should all be outraged that the average age of death was 42 years old. That’s half the life expectancy in Hamilton. If we discovered a medication that could improve life expectancy by 40 years, we would all be hailing it as a miracle, clamouring to mass-produce it and making it affordable and accessible to all. But that miracle prescription isn’t a pill; it’s housing, and similarly, we should be doing everything we can to ensure that every Ontarian has access to it, starting with immediately funding more supportive housing.

I would like to thank Dr. Inna Berditchevskaia, Gessie Stearns, Dr. Claire Bodkin, Suraj Bansal, Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk, Dr. Nicole Chang and Dr. Sarah Ge for this important work and advocacy. Thank you.

Member for Scarborough Centre

Mr. David Smith: Madam Speaker, let me begin by offering my heartfelt congratulations to you on your historic election as the first female Speaker of this House. It was truly an auspicious occasion, a proud moment for this Legislature and for the people of Ontario.

I also wish to extend my congratulations to all returning and newly elected members. It is an honour to stand among you as we begin this 44th Parliament.

Today I rise with a deep sense of gratitude to mark the beginning of my second term as member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre. Representing such a vibrant, diverse and resilient community continues to be the greatest privilege of my public life. In the over 30 years of my political life, I have seen many campaigns, but this winter election was certainly the first. It reminds us all that democracy remains strong even when the sidewalk is full of snow.

Allow me to also acknowledge the many volunteers who supported me throughout this journey. This commitment, energy, and unwavering belief in our shared vision were truly inspiring. This renewed mandate is one we shared together. I also—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Members’ statements?

Nova Music Festival Exhibition

Mrs. Michelle Cooper: I am honoured to rise in the House today for my first member’s statement, and to speak about an extraordinary and deeply solemn event that I attended last week in my riding of Eglinton–Lawrence, the Nova Music Festival Exhibition. This is a powerful and moving exhibition commemorating the tragic events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack on Israel. Over 1,200 innocent people were murdered; 251 women, children and men were taken hostage; and 59 hostages still remain in captivity in Gaza. Many of these people included the attendees of the Nova Music Festival, a celebration that was meant to bring people together in music, peace and joy.

The Nova Music Festival Exhibition does more than simply recall that tragedy. It provides a space for reflection, for mourning and for healing. First-hand testimonies and artifacts tell the stories of those who were lost, those who survived and those who were taken hostage. It invites all of us to listen, learn and to remember. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a powerful reminder of our shared responsibilities to stand united against hatred in all its forms—against terrorism, anti-Semitism and violence.

I strongly encourage all members of this House and all Ontarians to visit this exhibition. Let us honour the memory of those who were lost, support those who continue to carry the scars and recommit ourselves to the values of peace, compassion and common humanity.

Canada’s Kindest Community Contest

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: Speaker, I have the honour of being the only member able to stand in this House and declare I represent Canada’s kindest community. After a coast-to-coast search, 2,300 entries and thousands of inspiring stories, Coca-Cola Canada named Jarvis in Haldimand county the inaugural winner of its Kindest Community Contest. Some Six hundred communities were nominated as the company’s Holiday Caravan tour travelled Canada, but the little town of Jarvis, at the crossroads of Highways 3 and 6, stood out amongst the others. Grounded in the belief the world needs more kindness, Coca-Cola set out to find, celebrate and then reward the community that shared the most acts of kindness.

While I’m sure there were many great nominees, I can attest Jarvis is indeed a special place where people just come together, they set aside their differences and they host events like JarvisFest in August and the Jarvis Light-Up during the Christmas season. The Jarvis Light-Up is one of the most spectacular Christmas events; think Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation on steroids. The Light-Up has the entire town participating and literally each and every home is decked right out. There’s really no way of describing it other than magical.

When the caravan makes its way back this Christmas season, it will bring with it $50,000 to support the needs of the Jarvis community. Coca-Cola Canada did well. Jarvis is a very small town with a very large heart, and locally we all knew it, but now all of Canada does too. Congratulations to the entire town of Jarvis. I can’t think of anything better to be known for than kindness.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): We have with us in the west Speaker’s gallery today a delegation from the Senate of the Republic of Kenya. Please join me in warmly welcoming our guests to the Legislature.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Also in the Speaker’s gallery: the Honourable Pat Finnigan, Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries for the province of New Brunswick. Welcome.

Hon. Nolan Quinn: I would like to welcome a good friend from my previous world running a Dairy Queen. He owns one in Sherwood Park. No worries to all of my colleagues: He’s not a Senators fan; he’s an Oilers fan.

Interjection: Boo!

Mrs. Michelle Cooper: I have visitors here from the riding of Eglinton–Lawrence. I have Michal Ohana, who is a Nova Music Festival survivor up, in the gallery; Shani Ivgi, who is a survivor of the Nova Music Festival attack; Ofir Amir, who is also a survivor of the Nova Music Festival attack; and Jesse Brown, who is the lead Canadian representative from the Nova exhibit. Can you stand up, please?

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: Madam Speaker, it’s my great honour to introduce to the House Selvarajah Muraledaran, a distinguished community leader and passionate advocate for social justice. In recognition of his unwavering dedication to public service, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, a testament to his profound commitment to humanity. Through his leadership with Aiyamiddun—that means “share the food with others”—Muraledaran has the simple goal of ending the cycle of poverty, hunger, and empowering education for marginalized children. The Aiyamiddun food program represents a sustainable solution to hunger, child labour, and educational inequality in Sri Lanka.

Hon. Michael Parsa: Good morning, Madam Speaker. I’m thrilled to introduce today’s page captain from the great riding of Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill, Serena Lu. She is joined by her proud parents here, Catherine Liu and Louie Lu. Welcome to Queen’s Park. I’m super proud of your daughter and looking forward to meeting you after question period.

Mr. Andrew Dowie: Likewise, I wanted to wish a warm welcome to Parker Grisch, a page from my great riding of Windsor–Tecumseh, who’s also a page captain today, and his father, Michael Grisch, who’s here in the gallery. I’m looking forward to welcoming them for lunch after question period.

Mr. John Jordan: I’m pleased to introduce Michael Bell, a friend and colleague from my community health centre days, and now president and CEO of the Lennox and Addington County General Hospital, a great advocate for health care. Welcome to Queen’s Park, Michael.

M. Stephen Blais: Trois classes de la 10 e année du cours de citoyenneté et d’éducation civique de l’École secondaire publique Louis-Riel ont visité l’Assemblée législative hier soir. Il est toujours formidable de voir les étudiants participer directement au processus démocratique. Merci à tous d’être venus et merci beaucoup aussi aux enseignants qui ont rendu cette visite possible.

Hon. Graham McGregor: I want to welcome the Ghai family today. We have Brampton North’s own Hasrat Ghai serving as page captain and we also have a former page from last year, Hasrat’s older brother, Guransh Ghai, as well as family members Manpreet, Shaminder and Manjit Ghai. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Stephen Crawford: Good morning. I would like to introduce Cheng Jia, who is the mother of page Eric, who is page captain today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: I want to welcome the marine council of Ontario to Queen’s Park. We have Steve Salmons, Dave Shorey, Claudine Couture-Trudel, Hannah Bowlby, Mike Riehl, Maguessa Morel, Rym Cheriet, Sam Pane, Mandy Sharma as well. I want everyone to join us from 5 to 7 for the reception. Thank you.

Hon. Nolan Quinn: I recognize I said the Senators and got booed—I forgot to mention the name also of my guest here today, Michael Liber, coming from Edmonton. Welcome, Michael.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Unfortunately, we’re out of time.

Member’s birthday

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Point of order: I recognize the member for Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I would like to wish a very happy birthday to my friend and colleague the member for Kitchener Centre.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Remember, we will be recognizing genuine points of order. Birthdays may be mentioned during the introduction of guests.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is this a genuine point of order? Okay. We’re now going on to questions.

Question Period

Ontario economy

Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Premier. Ontarians are thinking hard right now about how they’re going to spend their hard-earned money in the face of these massive economic threats from the United States. Some 85% of Canadians have already replaced, or plan to replace, US products with Canadian alternatives. People want to make informed choices. They want to keep more money in their pocket, while they also fight back against Donald Trump’s tariffs by choosing Ontario-made and Canadian-made products at the grocery store.

My question to the Premier is, will you support Ontarians and make it easier for people to shop locally?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.

Hon. Stephen Crawford: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. On February 27, the people of Ontario went to the polls. They gave the Progressive Conservative government, under Premier Ford, a third consecutive majority government with a larger percentage of the vote than in the previous two elections. The reason they did that is because they believe this government, under Premier Doug Ford, has a plan in place to protect the people of Ontario.

Let me start out by saying I do agree with the member opposite on one thing: Ontarians do deserve to make informed choices. That’s why our government is taking a real, measured approach to protect consumers and businesses right here in the province of Ontario.

Let’s be very clear: We do not want to burden both the people and the small businesses in this province with overregulation, which will complicate their lives and make life more difficult. Instead, we’re engaging with stakeholders, consumers and industry leaders to build real, lasting solutions that work for the people of Ontario. That includes transparency and clear labelling, without punishing the people of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back the leader of the official opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, Ontarians don’t need a lecture, they need a plan.

During the pandemic, those same big-box retailers that I’m talking about—companies like Loblaws and Sobeys and Walmart—they raised their prices by about 11% and they brought in record-high profits while Ontarians paid the price. These same big-box retailers are making more than twice as much profit right now as they did before the pandemic.

Our motion today is going to prevent those big-box, grocery retailers from taking advantage of periods of what I would call economic shock—and, boy, are we about to face that—by requiring them to clearly label when they also raise prices by more than 2% within a one-week period.

Will the government make sure that we are not being gouged at the grocery store during this period of great economic uncertainty?

Hon. Stephen Crawford: Thank you again for the question. I would suggest to the Leader of the Opposition that perhaps you should talk to businesses—small businesses, medium-sized businesses, large businesses—because clearly you haven’t. What you’re suggesting is going to complicate the way business is being done in the province of Ontario.

Ontarians are already making and choosing to support local business. They’re proud to buy made-in-Ontario products. That’s why we introduced Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day, to build on that momentum celebrating the great Ontario products we have right here in Ontario. We’re enforcing fair pricing through the Consumer Protection Act, which safeguards against misleading claims and price gouging. These protections are already on the books and we’re using them.

Our government will continue to protect consumers, and will also defend the jobs, businesses and communities that keep this province strong.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the leader of the official opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Look, Ontarians need you to stand up for them, not just your big corporate friends, okay? That includes small businesses.

One day a year? People need this kind of thing every single day, 365 days a year. People all over the province of Ontario are re-evaluating how we spend our hard-earned tax dollars. We want to choose Ontario-made products. We want to choose Canadian-made products. They want their money going to their communities, not to American companies. That’s why I’ve proposed a motion to support people to choose Ontario and strengthen Ontario next time they’re at the grocery store.

Will you support our opposition day motion this afternoon, or are you going to just keep supporting Galen Weston?

Hon. Stephen Crawford: There’s a reason why that party is in opposition once again: Because they would drive all business and investment outside of the province. We are a province—guess what—when you drive into Ontario, when you cross the border from Quebec or Manitoba or New York, there’s a sign there. You know what that sign says? “Open for business.” We’re open for business in this province under Premier Ford.

Let me make it clear: We will stand up to foreign threats, including the reckless tariffs and economic bullying, but we’re not going to turn inward and hurt the businesses and the small businesses right here in Ontario. As always, we’re going to focus on what we need to do to reduce red tape regulation, strengthen local supply chains, build consumer confidence and grow jobs right here in Ontario.

Government accountability

Ms. Marit Stiles: I’ll just say this: What small businesses want right now is a level playing field. They don’t want a government in the pocket of Galen Weston.

Speaker, two weeks ago, the Premier and his ministers said that Bill 5 was about mining, but hidden in the fine print, it quietly rolls back protections that this government actually promised. I want to give you an example of that. I want to take the Dresden landfill as an example, because during the election the community was promised a full environmental assessment. That’s in writing. Now that’s being cancelled, using a mining bill as an excuse. That’s not cutting red tape; that is breaking trust.

To the Premier: Why is the Premier backing out of this promise the moment the election is over?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Madam Speaker, through you to the leader of His Majesty’s loyal opposition: We are facing an existential threat, as the members opposite know and the members on this side well know—unprecedented. So whether it’s Bill 2, our need to end interprovincial trade barriers, or Bill 5—and I’m responsible for five schedules to Bill 5. One of them does address the Dresden landfill site. We have a serious challenge when it comes to landfill capacity. We are exporting 40% of our waste to Michigan and New York. We will not have the capacity if we do not act now urgently to make sure we have the capacity to divert our waste and to have the landfill capacity expanded.

So yes, we made a decision. We pivoted in the face of a crisis to build our landfill capacity and make sure that we can meet the challenges of addressing that.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the Leader of the Opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I’m sure the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex would love to hear from their member of provincial Parliament on this, but I’ll go back to the Premier: We support mining, we support development on this side of the House and we support streamlining permits. But on this side of the House, we believe that the fastest way forward is doing it right the first time.

Speaker, this government’s bulldozer-first approach is going to slow things down, it’s going to tie projects up and it is going to set us back again. It opens the door to the same kind of backroom deals and preferential treatment that has become a habit of this government. It’s a habit we cannot afford.

Why should this Premier, with his pattern of broken promises and preferential treatment, be trusted with such extraordinary power?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Madam Speaker, to the Leader of the Opposition, through you: This bill, these bills, this initiative on all fronts, are about balance. It’s why I’m proud to be a Progressive Conservative. It’s why I’m proud to be part of a Progressive Conservative government led by Premier Ford, elected for a third historic majority government with a clear mandate from the people. We put it out there, what we needed, by way of a mandate, and we put it out there because it’s about balance.

When it comes to environmental protections, we have the strongest environmental protections, quite frankly, in the world.

We welcome businesses from all over the world to consider investing in Ontario, but they won’t be able to do it if we don’t get out of our own way. As the editorial in the Globe and Mail said during the election campaign, how does Canada win the race for capital? “Get out of our own way.” We don’t trample on Indigenous rights, we don’t undermine environmental protections, but we do build the Ontario of tomorrow by saying we’re open for business.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I’ll be very clear with the member opposite: They did not put this out there. They made a promise, and they are breaking that promise to those people and to Ontarians.

Back to the Premier of this province: Protecting Ontario actually starts with trust. I want to be very clear. This bill is not about strengthening and speeding up mining. Let’s just do away with that notion. Bill 5 hands sweeping power to override any provincial law for any infrastructure project, whether it’s a landfill or a luxury spa. Overriding property rights, workplace safety—no criteria, no transparency and no trust.

Back to the Premier: Does the Premier really believe we are protecting Ontario by handing any government the power to override our laws with no checks, no limits and no public accountability?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: It has never been more important for Ontario to ensure it remains competitive to attract job-creating investments. We are facing a once-in-a-generation crisis with President Trump’s tariffs. He has been clear: He is coming after our industries and after our jobs. Just today on CNBC, Howard Lutnick, their commerce secretary, said, “We are accelerating permits to build US factories faster.”

Speaker, we are in a war. We are in an economic war. If we sit around and do nothing like the opposition wants us to do, we’ll be handing our jobs to the US on a silver platter. We are going to do everything in our power to ensure Ontario remains the best destination for those jobs.

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Premier, but I do have to say: Hey, great game last night, eh? Go Sens!

Interjections: Boo!

Mr. John Fraser: Oh, come on.

Interjections: Boo!

Mr. John Fraser: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Yesterday in my question regarding Therme, I referenced the Auditor General’s report into Ontario Place, and I’d like to remind the Premier of this quote from page 1: “We found that the” call-for-development “process and realty decisions were not fair, transparent or accountable to all participants.” And when you consider this in the context of a $2.2-billion deal and a 95-year lease, I think any reasonable person would be concerned. It kind of looks like people have something to hide. Everybody seems to have something to hide.

I guess my question to the Premier is, why will the Premier not be accountable and transparent to Ontarians about this $2.2-billion backroom deal?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the Minister of Infrastructure.

Hon. Kinga Surma: We have been transparent and accountable. We’ve updated the public the whole way. We’ve been elected three times, and Ontario Place redevelopment was part of that mandate to bring it back to life. And when the Leader of the Opposition filed a complaint with the Integrity Commissioner questioning the competitiveness of the procurement, the Integrity Commissioner found that there were “insufficient grounds for me to conduct an inquiry.”

Madam Speaker, we know what the people of Ontario want. They want a site that they can enjoy. They don’t want a site that the Liberals left abandoned for years, flooded, falling into disrepair. What they want is a wonderful place that they can go and enjoy with their families, and we will get that done for the people of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: What I read is right on page 1 of the report. You have to read the whole thing. You can’t just read what you like to read in all these reports.

This $2.2-billion backroom deal is part of a pattern with this government. We saw it with the $8.2-billion backroom deal for the greenbelt, MZOs, urban boundaries: The minister’s office and Premier’s office staff are using their personal emails and cellphones to do government business. They’re trying to get around the record-keeping process. We know this.

The privacy and information commissioner is currently engaged with the Premier’s office on this, and they’re asking for something. So what I want to know from the Premier is, can he assure everyone in this Legislature today that no one in his office or any minister’s office is using their personal emails or cellphones to do government business on the spa?

Hon. Kinga Surma: This is really rich coming from someone that will not even recognize the facts. The fact is that the AG clearly stated in her public announcement that there was no interference from the Premier’s office. The Integrity Commissioner wouldn’t even investigate the Leader of the Opposition’s inquiry.

Madam Speaker, the truth of the matter is the Liberals failed. They failed Ontarians when they failed Ontario Place. They left it in disrepair. It was starting to flood. Budweiser Stage had to cancel their concerts. We are fixing that.

Finally, after 35 years, we have a plan forward. The site is under construction today, and in a number of years, families will be able to go there and enjoy the site and enjoy the spa and enjoy the lake of Ontario, no thanks to them.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: If the Premier is satisfied with “not fair, transparent or accountable,” we’ve got some serious problems in this province.

The question here is that there’s a pattern with the government. Both the Premier’s office and the minister’s office are using their personal emails and cellphones to do government business. Again, the privacy and information commissioner has raised this; it’s a serious concern. They shouldn’t be doing this.

Just like in the greenbelt, just like in ministerial zoning orders, just like in urban boundaries—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Government side will come to order.

Mr. John Fraser: We all know it over there; I can see it on your faces—staff are using their personal emails and personal cellphones. And why wouldn’t they? There’s somebody else at the head that uses their personal cellphone that’s not interested in turning it over to the Ontario people to do government business.

So, my question again: Can the Premier assure this House that no minister’s office staff or Premier’s office staff are using their personal email—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the minister for a response.

Hon. Kinga Surma: While that member will focus his energies on slanderous behaviour and attacking members in this House, we will not. What we will do, though, is exactly what the people of Ontario want us to do, and that is focus on the economy, focus on protecting Ontario, focus on protecting this country.

We will continue to attract investment into Ontario to the tune of $70 billion—$46 billion worth of EV manufacturing. We will continue to spend $200 billion on building the infrastructure that the people so desperately need and desire in this province.

Madam Speaker, a clear mandate was before the people on February 28 and the Premier is back in his chair.

Public health

Mr. Adil Shamji: For the Premier, Madam Speaker: 10 years ago, the vaccination rate for measles in Ontario was 94%. Then, in 2018, that happened, and the Premier went on a rampage. He slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in public health funding, forced chaotic amalgamations of public health units, eviscerated vital public programs like waste water testing, and silenced public health officials.

Now, the vaccination rate for measles in Ontario is only 70%, and he has single-handedly managed to undo a century of public health progress. He’s made us a leader, not of anything we want to be proud of, but in cases of measles across the continent. We now have more cases of measles in Ontario than all 50 US states combined.

Madam Speaker, why won’t the Premier say anything about measles or take any action?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Speaker, where do I start? First of all, they were absolutely amalgamations of public health units that were welcomed and asked for. We made it available. The public boards brought forward their recommendations. We accepted. We actually invested to ensure that they could do those amalgamations.

Specifically regarding measles, absolutely, it is disturbing to hear that a preventable illness is not being—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I apologize to the minister.

I don’t want to start naming, especially ministers. Please, would the government side come to order?

I apologize. The minister can continue.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: We have been very clear that there is a measles vaccination available—it’s been available for over 50 years—that we need to ensure people have access to. We directed public health units over a year ago to refocus their efforts to ensure that they were doing childhood vaccinations, getting that catch-up.

We have ensured that there are sufficient measles vaccinations available to all public health units, and we have assured local communities that have a higher rate of influxation that they are getting the support they need.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary.

Mr. Adil Shamji: Madam Speaker, the results speak for themselves. There are children in Ontario who are hospitalized with measles. There are parents with sick children searching online to figure out if their kids might have measles.

Last year, I revealed that the Premier has over 32,000 people in his riding without a family doctor. Amazingly, he has managed to outdo himself. He now has constituents in his own urban riding being notified that they were exposed to measles just recently at the Woodbine Mall and Fantasy Fair.

I actually have to give it to the Premier because he has done something that is really quite extraordinary. He has done to measles what he was supposed to do housing and done to housing what he was supposed to do to measles. Measles was supposed to go to zero and housing was supposed to spread like wildfire.

Madam Speaker, to the Premier: When will the Premier finally get serious and take meaningful action about our worst outbreak in three decades?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: You know, it’s actually quite sad that the member opposite is trying to politicize what is a deeply concerning outbreak in the province of Ontario.

We have a measles outbreak in communities that is spreading, and we have ensured, through public awareness campaigns—almost a 20% increase in public health unit budget spending to ensure that people understand the value and the importance of getting their children vaccinated. We will continue to do that because, unlike the member opposite, I do not want to politicize this; I want to make sure people have the support they need and get the vaccine when it’s appropriate.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary.

Mr. Adil Shamji: Madam Speaker, if this government purports to take health care so seriously, why are the results so poor? It is because this government is more concerned with politicking and grandstanding with goons, rather than addressing the health of children.

Example: Last week, the Minister of Education wrote a letter to all parents at daycare, warning them about possible changes to federal child care funding that might happen in March 2026. The Minister of Education had two options: write a letter to fearmonger about hypothetical child care changes one year from now or write a letter to inform parents about measles and educate them about immunization. Of course, he ignored measles.

This government always chooses its own interests over Ontario’s interests, and its half-hearted measures to address measles have failed. When will the Premier take real action?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Perhaps it’s an appropriate time to recap what we’ve already discussed: first of all, almost a 20% increase in budgets for public health units because we know the important work that they do in our communities; a medical officer of health that, over a year ago, reinforced and directed to public health units that they must refocus their efforts on childhood vaccinations; a public awareness campaign to ensure that every parent and caregiver understands that measles is, with two doses, almost 100% preventable.

I will do the action; our government will do the action. You can politicize this all you want, but what I want is to ensure that parents and caregivers understand the value and importance of a vaccine that has been in the province of Ontario for almost 50 years.

Indigenous mental health and addiction services

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Meegwetch. This government talks about accessing our resources and our homelands. At the same time, the First Nations and the north continue to deal with a mental health and addiction crisis.

I ask the Premier: Your government’s mental health plan isn’t working. Children as young as 10 years old continue to die by suicide. When will Ontario—this government—step up and improve access to better mental health and addiction services in the north?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam: Indigenous mental health has been ignored by the previous government for far too long, but this government, under the leadership of this Premier, is taking action. We have increased the annual funding for Indigenous care organizations by over $40 million through the Roadmap to Wellness program. Additionally, we are investing over $60 million in annual funding to support Indigenous-led mental health, addictions and well-being supports. This helps individuals, families and communities to heal from the impacts of intergenerational trauma, through a culturally safe and responsive program. Our government is making historic investments, and we are already seeing results.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member.

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: The millions this government member talks about, we do not see it in the First Nations that I come from. But the first step is to make sure everyone can access mental health services.

Every day, the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre has multiple patients with mental health emergencies who wait up to a week to access form 1 beds in Kenora and in Thunder Bay. To the Premier: Will this government commit to a 20-bed

schedule 1 facility in Sioux Lookout?

Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam: Our government is open to working with the member opposite. As I mentioned in my previous answer, Indigenous communities from across the province have told us time and time again that reconnecting with the land and engaging with it as a partner in the recovery processes is crucial for healing.

In addition, on the mental health and addiction portion, over 50% of Addictions Recovery Fund treatment beds are going to northern and Indigenous communities. I just want to break down a few things. The investment of $7 million to support the land- and water-based healing projects in the Indigenous communities, such as Batchewana Nation, Kettle and Stony Point Nations—Madam Speaker, I can go on. For the time being, I want to make sure that I’m open to—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Before we move on to the next question, just a reminder to remove your phones from the desk if you’re going to be responding or asking a question.

Further questions?

Flood prevention

Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: Across the province, after yesterday’s severe storms, tens of thousands have been left without power. From Timiskaming to Ottawa, they are approaching flood stages along the Ottawa River. As the river level rises, those without power are terrified for their homes because they cannot rely upon their sump pumps to protect them. Residents of rural Ottawa fear that water management efforts are focused on profits rather than on flood prevention.

I reached out to the minister’s office this morning for an update. Could the Minister of Energy please share with us this update about the urgent situation and how soon those in need will have the power restored?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Over the past weeks, Ontario faced one of the largest and most significant storms, really, since the 1990s. I know the member is speaking about the most recent challenge facing the grid today. There is incredible work being done by the utilities of Ontario and Hydro One, where they leverage thousands of workers from across Canada to get power restored. I think we owe it to them to say thank you for working around the clock to make sure power is restored and people’s lives can carry on.

The Minister of Emergency Preparedness has been leading the way in ensuring that the province has the resources pre-deployed ahead of these extreme weather events. We’ve been working with local communities, first responders and, of course, utilities. In fact, we’ve leveraged resources from as far away as New Brunswick to Saskatchewan to make sure power gets restored.

I will do everything possible, working with the local communities of Ottawa and the rest of Ontario, to make sure we can get back to normal in the province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The member for Kanata–Carleton.

Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: But that answer isn’t good enough, especially when I gave the minister time and let him know that I would be asking him that question this morning. I’d like to know how many people are without power and when that power will be restored. It is hurting people’s futures, and they want to protect their homes. This isn’t the first time that communities have been put in danger because of ineffective planning and prevention.

This government and power generation companies have a moral responsibility to improve river water level management. Not emptying reservoirs when there is river capacity means that there will be no safety buffer when the river basins are impacted by increasingly serious precipitation events. This has happened three times since 2017. The last flood, the Premier came to my community and others and promised to take the necessary action to prioritize—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? Back to the minister for a response.

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I am slightly confounded; I have no recollection of the member opposite telling me about this issue. However, I look forward to hearing more about it, and obviously we can work together to advance the public good of your community.

At the end of the day, we have asked the Independent Electricity System Operator and the Ontario Energy Board to enhance resources on the ground when it comes to grid resilience. We have one of the cleanest grids in the country. We’re proud of that.

We’re making investments to secure it from these extreme weather events. We have leveraged resources, technology and infrastructure to ensure we buttress this against these weather events that are happening throughout the year. We’re working with the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Emergency Preparedness. We have done amazing work working with conservation officers to get ahead of the problem and to prevent these very issues before they happen. We’ll continue to work with all members, including you, to resolve the issues in your community.

Nuclear energy / Mining industry

MPP Monica Ciriello: My question is for the Minister of Energy and Mines. As our population grows, people and businesses need more energy. Ontario is already a leader in clean and reliable energy. We must keep building on that. That means building more nuclear power. It also means cutting red tape and speeding up approvals for energy projects. When we move faster, we help our economy grow, we support our workers and we attract new businesses. Big projects like the Darlington small modular reactor show what we can do. This work creates jobs and helps families across our province.

Can the minister please explain how our plan to grow nuclear power, cut red tape and build faster will help meet Ontario’s energy needs and support our economy?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member from Mississauga–Lakeshore.

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto: I’d like to thank the member from Hamilton Mountain for that question, as well as on your great victory a month ago.

Ontario’s need for power will grow by 75% by 2050. More people are moving here, more homes are being built, and more cars and factories are using clean electricity. Our government is taking action. We’re building more energy projects, with a focus on nuclear power. We’re cutting red tape and speeding up approvals. This helps build faster, create jobs and bring in new investment.

One key project is the Darlington small modular reactor. It will create 17,000 jobs during the construction. It will keep 2,000 jobs for 65 years, and it will add $500 million to our economy each year.

We are also signing over $1 billion in deals to sell Ontario’s nuclear technology to other countries. Ontario is leading the world in clean energy, and the world is watching Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

MPP Monica Ciriello: I want to thank the parliamentary assistant for his answer. Across the world, countries are moving fast to lock down minerals and energy that they need. The United States is threatening new tariffs that put our workers and businesses at risk. But Ontario is showing leadership. We know that mining and a strong energy system are key to protecting our economy and growing good jobs. We can’t afford long delays that drive away new projects. We must speed up approvals for new mines and build more clean power to meet our growing needs.

Can the parliamentary assistant please explain how our government’s new plan will help build mines faster, power industries and make sure Ontario stays strong in the face of global economic threats?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Scarborough Centre.

Mr. David Smith: I thank the member from Hamilton Mountain. Last week we introduced major legislation. It will speed up critical mineral development. The “one project, one process” system will cut approval time by at least half. It should not take 15 years to open a mine. Other places, like Australia and the European Union, do it in under 10 years.

In the past decade Ontario’s mining output grew by 50%, but there is still more to be done. Ontario holds one of the world’s largest untapped mineral reserves. These minerals can create many good-paying jobs for years to come. Ontario will lead the way in securing the resources we need for the future.

Manufacturing jobs

Ms. Jessica Bell: My question is to the Premier. This morning’s FAO report paints an alarming picture for Ontario’s economy. US tariffs will send our province into a recession, lower employment and raise consumer prices. Workers are worried about their jobs and Ontarians are worried about paying the bills.

Can the Premier tell the people of this province the action he has taken to protect consumers and save Ontario jobs from Trump’s tariffs?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Finance.

Interjection.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Thank you, Minister, for that singular applause.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It sounds great to say, “Madam Speaker.” Again, congratulations to you. It’s the first time I rise in the House to say that to you. And to my critic in your new role as my critic, thank you for that question.

First off, I’d like to just congratulate Prime Minister Carney on his election and all those—Pierre Poilievre, Jagmeet Singh and others, all the candidates—who put their name on the ballot to fight for Canada.

That’s what we are going to do together. We’re going to fight for Canada. A good place to start is with interprovincial trade. This government, this Premier, this caucus is leading the charge in Canada to bring down trade barriers in this country, which could, some say, increase GDP by some $250 billion. That’s one way that we will work together to make sure that we protect Ontarians and we protect this economy.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Ms. Jessica Bell: A core challenge is how reliant Ontario is on the United States. We saw in the report today that over 900,000 Ontario jobs are US-export-related and most of them are concentrated in manufacturing. The FAO is reporting nearly 60,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in 2026—next year. We have auto workers in Windsor who are putting themselves between company trucks and the border to stop them from shipping equipment south. They want the government to have their back.

My question is to the Premier. What steps is the Premier going to take to ensure that Ontario jobs stay in Ontario?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Breaking news from the FAO, Madam Speaker: Tariffs have an impact on the Canadian economy. Well, thank you to the FAO. Of course we’re not going to speculate on what impact that may have on trade and on jobs. But I will tell you this: The status quo is no longer acceptable for the Canadian economy. We will do