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May 27, 2013

40th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2013-May-27 (PDF)

L044 - Mon 27 May 2013 / Lun 27 mai 2013

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 27 May 2013 Lundi 27 mai 2013

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

ORAL QUESTIONS

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

TAXATION

TAXATION

POWER PLANTS

POWER PLANTS

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

POWER PLANTS

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING

HEALTH CARE

HORSE RACING INDUSTRY

CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

EMPLOYEES

BICYCLE SAFETY

SKILLED TRADES

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

CATTLE FARMERS

BEAR CONTROL

MING PAO DAILY NEWS

GREENHOUSE INDUSTRY

EDUCATION

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

RING OF FIRE

HELEN LU

CASINO THOUSAND ISLANDS

RENÉ BRUNELLE

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

JUSTICE POLICY

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

EMERGENCY SERVICES

PETITIONS

SERVICES FOR THE

DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES

LONG-TERM CARE

FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

GOVERNMENT SERVICES

PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES

TAXATION

PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES

PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKERS

ORDERS OF THE DAY

2013 ONTARIO BUDGET /

BUDGET DE L’ONTARIO

The House met at 1030.

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

Prayers.

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I’m pleased to rise and welcome the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance to Queen’s Park. In the members’ gallery are Don Taylor, Bryan Van Geest and Jordan Kniaziew; as well as Rej Picard, the outgoing chair, who has done an outstanding job for the sector; and Jan VanderHout, the new chair, who we look forward to working with. I hope all members will join them after question period in room 228 for a great greenhouse-grown vegetable.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know everyone will want to join in welcoming the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association to Queen’s Park today: Dan Darling, the president; Dave Stewart, executive director; and Joe Hill, one of the directors. I know that we’ll be joining them on the lawn at Queen’s Park for the barbecue.

Mr. Garfield Dunlop: I’d like everyone to welcome a young lady who’s shadowing me today, Burgundy Weber, from the Orillia area. She’s in the audience here in the members’ gallery.

Mr. Steven Del Duca: I’m happy to rise in my place today and recognize that in the east public gallery there are, I believe, four classes of grade 10 civics students from St. Joan of Arc high school in Maple in my riding. I’m happy that they’re here today and happy I had the chance to meet them one the main staircase just a few minutes ago. I hope they thoroughly enjoy question period.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: It’s a pleasure today to welcome Steve Eby to Queen’s Park. Steve is a wonderful ambassador for the cattlemen’s association and he’s a proud cattleman from Bruce county.

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s my pleasure to introduce Jessica del Rosso, who’s shadowing me today. Jessica is a strong mentor for youth in care in Kitchener–Waterloo at our Family and Children’s Services. This is her first time to Queen’s Park, today.

Hon. Reza Moridi: It’s my pleasure to welcome Mrs. Sakineh and Mr. Ali Reza Mobasser, sitting in the east gallery.

Mr. Bill Walker: It’s my pleasure to introduce Bill Herron, also from the Beef Farmers of Ontario, a long-time advocate for the beef industry.

Mr. John Vanthof: On behalf of my New Democratic colleagues, I’d also like to welcome the cattlemen, soon to be the Beef Farmers of Ontario. I’d especially like to welcome Matt Bowman; I’m sure he’d rather be seeding today.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Please welcome to the Legislative Assembly Louis and Teresa Marie Sapi, the managing partner at HS & Partners chartered accountants. They’re here, having support of Windfall Basics, a fantastic charity. Thank you for being here as part of your foundation, the Charger Foundation.

Mr. Jeff Yurek: I’m proud to introduce a few guests today, Kim Nesbitt and Adam Nesbitt from Burlington; and also from my riding, Pauline Jell and her husband, Geoffrey Jell, who is a World War II veteran and celebrating his 91st birthday today. Welcome.

Mrs. Jane McKenna: I’d like to welcome the mother of my page from Burlington, Eric Orosz: Heather Weaver-Orosz. She’s here this morning in the public gallery.

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I’m pleased to rise to also welcome the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association to Queen’s Park and to recognize all those who are in the gallery, including President Dan Darling, Dave Stewart, the executive director, and Joe Hill. We were pleased to meet with them this morning, and I hope members will take time to speak to them at lunchtime and enjoy great Ontario corn-fed beef.

Mr. Robert Bailey: It’s my pleasure today to introduce the mother of our page Hannah Lacey from Sarnia–Lambton. Her mother, Birgit Lacey, is in the gallery with her grandparents John and Diane Lacey from Ajax, Ontario. We welcome them this morning.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further introductions? The first one is Dundas—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Yes, thank you.

Mr. Jim McDonell: Thank you, Speaker. I have the pleasure to introduce Arden Schneckenburger from Morrisburg, a director of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I apologize to the member from Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh.

The member from Wellington–Halton Hills for an introduction.

Mr. Ted Arnott: I’d like to introduce representatives from the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association who are here today: Dave Stewart, Joe Hill and Dan Darling.

Mr. Robert Bailey: I’d like to welcome one of the directors of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association to Queen’s Park today, Mr. Tom Wilson, from the riding of Sarnia–Lambton.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): On behalf of the member from York South–Weston: Page Jessica Pontarollo’s mother, Julie, is here. She will be here this morning and this afternoon, and we welcome her on behalf of the member.

Also, on behalf of the member from Oak Ridges–Markham: Page Alex Hu’s mother, Feng Shao, will be here this morning, and we welcome her on behalf of the member.

We have in the Speaker’s gallery today, a delegation of Japanese educators from northern Japan, led by Mr. Shizuhiro Shibata. We welcome you and thank you for being here today.

ORAL QUESTIONS

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Mr. Peter Shurman: Good morning, everyone. My question is for the Premier. You’re not an elected Premier. You hold office because about 1,000 Liberal partisans voted for you. But you use that office to hold Ontarians hostage by buying union peace with one-off deals. Now—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order, please. Order. I actually hear it coming from both sides, so we could bring it down, please, so the question can be put.

Member?

Mr. Peter Shurman: Recently the LCBO and OPSEU’s liquor board employee division reached an accord averting a strike right before the May long weekend. The LCBO had empty shelves and lineups out the door while racking up sales that topped $28 million that day. The whole thing was a scare tactic used to boost revenues and manipulate your government because OPSEU knows your track record.

OPSEU’s ratification vote is set for June 3, but a copy of the collective agreement’s highlights is posted on their website. It says the four-year deal includes a so-called wage freeze. But Premier, it’s smoke and mirrors because there are signing bonuses of $9 million. Now, Premier, how can you call it a wage freeze while handing out $9 million in signing bonuses?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: First of all, I would just say that in terms of my status as an elected member and as the Premier, the people of Don Valley West certainly did elect me and it seems to me that there was a convention and that the party elected me, so I hold this position with pride and I’m doing everything in my power to work for the people of Ontario.

On the issues of the agreement with the employees at the LCBO, I’m not going to speak to the specifics; I understand that the ratification vote is going to happen. But we have worked very hard to make sure that all of the settlements fall within the parameters that we outlined, and that is wage constraint. My understanding is that the agreement fell within those parameters.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Shurman: You refuse to admit, Premier, that you’re in over your head and that you’ve lost control while Ontarians continue to pay for this nonsense.

The one thing I believe you are consistent about is deflection, so I say enough is enough. You and your government have been caving to union demands on the backs of Ontario taxpayers for the last nine and a half years. Here’s what you said in this House on March 4: “We’ve been very clear that constraining public sector wages is part of what we are doing and will continue to do. That’s why we’re on target. The Drummond report said that if we didn’t take those measures, if we didn’t work to constrain costs, then we would not be able to balance the budget.” Accurate quote, Premier, and accurate answer.

Premier, you are neither constraining costs nor on target to balance the budget. We both know that. Why don’t taxpayers know about the full cost of your backroom union deals? Will the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals make these deals public today?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I just have to counter what the member opposite said, in terms of our being on track to balance the budget. We’ve overachieved on our deficit reduction targets every single year, so we are on track to eliminate the deficit by 2017-18.

We are constraining wages, Mr. Speaker. That’s why we’re on track—

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

Mr. Peter Shurman: Premier, how can you stand here in the people’s House and disregard facts and even your own words? You’ve always put union bosses and partisan interests ahead of taxpayers. With over 50% of the Ontario budget going to government worker salaries, you cannot achieve restraint without an across-the-board wage freeze, as I proposed in Bill 5, which has passed second reading.

According to OPSEU’s website, your most recent deal also includes general wage increases for 2015 and 2016 at roughly 2% per year, and in case of privatization or closure of an establishment, part-time employees would now receive $2,000 for employee transition, which is up from $1,000 under the previous agreement.

Who but you could call this a wage freeze? The unions know what’s in the agreements. The Liberals know what’s in the agreements. Why don’t the people of Ontario?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I’m going to speak to the nub of this question, which I think is really, “Do you want to work with organized labour or not? Do you believe that working with people who are collectively bargaining is a good idea or not?” We think it’s a good idea. We think it’s a good idea to honour the collective bargaining process, to work with employees of government, to make sure that we set very clear parameters and that we work within those parameters, but that we do work in that collective bargaining process in good faith, Mr. Speaker.

The reality is that the member opposite does not agree with that position. The member opposite would undermine labour in the province. The member opposite does not believe—if I can say, from their behaviour, they do not believe in working with employees who are in collective bargaining situations. We do, and that’s the work that we’ve been doing.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Mr. Peter Shurman: “Working with” doesn’t mean caving in.

Back to the Premier: Ontarians are left shaking their heads. Ontarians expect transparency and accountability from elected officials. They aren’t getting that from you or from your cronies. You put union bosses and Liberal Party interests ahead of taxpayers—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order. Member from Timmins–James Bay, come to order.

Mr. Peter Shurman: —and because you cannot control any of this, an arbitrator has raised hospital costs by awarding SEIU a 4% increase over two years, while you stand here and say that you’re reining in spending. Your Liberal government has created a new elite workforce in the public sector, complete with gold-plated pensions, greater job security and higher wages than the rest of Ontarians—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Minister of Rural Affairs, come to order.

Mr. Peter Shurman: —who work to pay for those salaries and will never, never receive such luxurious benefits. Your only balancing act is to say one thing and do another, Premier.

How are you going to balance the budget when you keep spending beyond our means?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I find it very curious that the member opposite is talking about wage restraint, and yet when we were there to try to resolve issues with the doctors, to resolve issues with teachers, to resolve issues with regard to generic drugs, you stood idle. We had to take some tough decisions. We moved forward on moving that bar to control our spending. As a result, our spending is below 1% year-over-year growth.

When it comes to these wages and the dealings that we had with the LCBO, I’m very proud of the negotiations that our teams did to create a wage freeze over the next two years. What matters here are results, and the results are that we are having a zero-zero wage freeze over the next two years, and we’re creating co-operation and collaboration with all stakeholders because a collective agreement, a negotiated agreement, is the right way to go.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Shurman: If you guys take a tough decision, I’ll eat my hat.

Look, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. This morning alone, you’ve attempted to pull the wool over Ontarians’ eyes twice. You cannot sugar-coat the facts. With over 50% of the budget going to government workers’ salaries, this is a serious issue that your government has demonstrated it does not know how to handle. Instead, Ontarians keep learning about wasted tax dollars through the lack of transparency and accountability evident in eHealth, Ornge and, more recently, diluted cancer treatments.

Premier, Finance Minister, how many times do we have to ask? How are you going to balance the budget when you keep spending like drunken sailors just to keep up with your unions?

Hon. Charles Sousa: The Tea Party thrives over there. They’re looking to bust unions at all costs.

What we need is a collaborative effort. We need to work closely for the benefit of taxpayers. That’s what’s resulting in our budget, and that is what has occurred over the last couple of years. Even arbitrated deals are coming in at zero-zero. We will continue to work with all partners, we will continue to respect the collective agreements, and we will continue to work towards the benefit of the province in the end, because ultimately that’s what we want.

Respectfully, we don’t need to have continuing fights on constitutional debates and issues that will polarize us even further. We need to co-operate. We need to work for the benefit of all of Ontario, and we’ll work with you for that matter.

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

Mr. Peter Shurman: If the Tea Party’s thriving over here, I’m going to say that socialism is thriving over there. You constantly kowtow to the unions. You just caved in to multiple NDP demands that will cost $1 billion-plus annually. Finance Minister, your track record speaks for itself. You only know how to put party politics ahead of taxpayers’ interests, and you’re wrapped around far too many fingers. It’s that simple.

The cost of doing business in backroom deals with the Liberal Party at the expense of taxpayers has been detrimental to Ontario’s economy. With all of these backroom deals, now Ontario is facing the highest debt in history, and the finance minister knows it. Ontario taxpayers cannot continue to foot the bill for your party’s political games and for your pandering. When will you and your party finally admit that you’re in over your heads and you don’t actually have a way out?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to say that our track record does speak for itself. That is why we have a deficit that’s $5 billion lower than originally projected. That’s why, next year, our projected deficit is another billion dollars down, and we will continue—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

Minister.

Hon. Charles Sousa: We will continue to be disciplined. We will continue to constrain our spending as necessary. We have made every effort to maintain it below 1% year over year, and that has been proven by our track record. In fact, even our negotiated settlements within the envelope that we’ve identified have also been met.

It would be nice if the official opposition would also work in a minority government as does the third party for the benefit of the people of Ontario. This budget reflects the entire scope of Ontario’s issues. It’s for the people of Ontario.

TAXATION

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is to the Premier. The Premier has now received the report from Metrolinx calling for higher taxes and an increase in the gasoline tax. Is the Liberal government planning to proceed with these plans?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: We all knew that the Metrolinx report was going to be coming out. I want to thank the Metrolinx folks, the board, for their work in putting together this report. We are committed to finding real solutions. I know that the congestion situation in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area cannot be allowed to continue, and so it is absolutely critical that we have a dedicated revenue stream. The Metrolinx investment strategy is one part of that conversation that is happening.

There are other possibilities, but we will be taking the Metrolinx report under advisement and we’ll be engaging with the people of the province about how we make sure that we have a dedicated revenue stream, particularly in the greater Toronto and Hamilton region.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The Premier has argued that in difficult times people have to make sacrifices and may have to pay more to get Ontario moving. Can the Premier tell us how much the Liberal government has spent cutting taxes for the corporate sector over the last five years or so?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Let me just stay on the transit issue for a moment because I know that the leader of the third party is concerned about how this process will roll out.

She knows that we have been clear that the Legislature will have a say as we make a final decision on those revenue tools because it is extremely important that we have a debate outside of this House and within this House about the future of infrastructure, particularly transit infrastructure, in the next 20 years in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area, because the state of transit and the reduction of congestion in this region are paramount in terms of the possibilities for economic growth for the region and for the province. It’s paramount in terms of improving people’s quality of life.

That’s why it’s so important that we get this right, and there will be an opportunity for the Legislature to have a say on this.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: One calculation—in fact, several calculations—put the amount of money that this government has given to corporations in cuts into the billions since they became government, and the government insists that as soon as the books are balanced they plan to cut corporate taxes even more here in the province of Ontario.

The Liberals used the word “fair” in the budget. Does the Premier think it’s fair to ask people to pay more out of household budgets while the Liberal government tells Ontario’s largest corporations that they’re due for yet another break?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Here’s what I think is fair: I think what is fair is to be honest with the people of Ontario about the complexity of our situation, to recognize that government has to do more than one thing at a time, that government has to create the conditions for businesses to be able to thrive so that those businesses can create jobs.

At the same time, government has to understand that people are spending too much time on the road trying to get to work, trying to get to their kids and bringing them home from school or taking them to day care, and that those—

Interjections.

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

Carry on. Finish.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Those issues and challenges coexist, and so we have to deal with all of that at the same time. We have worked to try to put conditions in place so that business can thrive, and at the same time we need to deal with congestion in the GTHA.

TAXATION

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is to the Premier. The day before the budget, the government wrote to Ottawa asking them to delay a plan to open new corporate tax loopholes. This new loophole will allow Ontario’s largest corporations to get the HST off of their expenses—expenses like gasoline. Has the Premier received a response yet?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: As the member opposite knows, I presume, it’s not a tax loophole. It’s not something new. It’s not a tax break. It is part of a negotiated agreement that we made when we did the HST and we made the transformation. It applies not only to entertainment and meals; it applies to equipment purchases, automobiles and a number of other equipment—telecommunications and so forth—and it expires over a period of time.

We’ve now asked the federal government to allow that expiration to continue so that we also benefit from those revenues, but it is something that we have to do in co-operation with the federal government, as do other provinces that have negotiated the same thing.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s usually a duck. It’s a tax loophole and it’s a tax break; that’s exactly what it is.

The government signed an agreement. The minister’s right; he signed an agreement that said that Ontario’s largest corporations don’t have to pay HST on expenses like gasoline, and that new tax loophole is going to open very shortly. Jim Flaherty is making it clear that he’s going to hold the government to their agreement that they signed. The government’s public estimates—the government’s public estimates—peg this new loophole at a cost of $1.3 billion a year.

Does the Premier think it’s fair to ask families who are already paying the new HST on gasoline to now pay an additional fee every time they have to fill up, while Ontario’s largest corporations get a tax break when they roll up to the pumps?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Minister of Finance.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Minister—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Excuse me. Minister of Finance has to pass it back, if that’s going to happen.

Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, over to the Premier.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I thought it was a new question. Sorry.

Hon. Charles Sousa: So we agree. I’ve made it clear that we are bringing it forward to the federal minister. We’ve asked for this to be reviewed. We recognize the concerns raised by the third party. We’ve had this discussion, and we’re continuing to do so.

I should clarify, though, that the number brought forward is not to that extent, because if you’re dealing with just meals and entertainment, it’s much less. It’s around two to three or—it doesn’t matter what it is; what matters is that we want to consider doing the extension. But it’s not $1.3 billion, as is being brought forward by the member opposite.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, it matters to Ontarians. It matters to Ontarians, I have to say.

New Democrats have been very clear: Ontarians deserve transportation infrastructure and transit that is accessible and gets people where they need to go, when they need to be there. But we’ve also been clear that we will need a fair and balanced way to pay for it.

This Premier put the word “fair” in the name of her budget. Talk is easy; action is tougher, Speaker. The Liberal government is handing tax breaks worth billions of dollars to Ontario’s wealthiest corporations, while families who have already been whacked with an unfair HST are being told that they have to pony up yet again. Does the Premier really think that that’s fair?

Hon. Charles Sousa: The exemption continues. That hasn’t expired as yet. We’re trying to negotiate and work with the federal government to extend it. Those are the discussions that we’re having.

But we have taken other measures in order to be balanced and fair. We’ve taken a number of measures to invest in our young people, to invest in health care and education, and we’re continuing to do what’s necessary to support those most vulnerable by not penalizing them when they go to work.

What we want to do is be fair to all Ontarians. We also want to stimulate growth. We want to ensure businesses are investing in Ontario, and we will continue to do that as well.

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Victor Fedeli: My question is for the Premier. Last week at the justice committee, we saw more damning documents, as your hand-picked finance minister testified.

Finance ministry estimates from last February show the Liberals were setting aside $900 million for the Mississauga and Oakville power plant cancellations. The documents prove it was well known within the Liberal government that the cancellation costs would be higher than the $40 million and $190 million that you claim.

Premier, you were at the cabinet table when cancellations were discussed, and you knew the costs would be higher. Will you admit today the exact date when you knew the Oakville cancellation was higher than the $40 million you continue to claim?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I have answered these questions at committee. The OPA provided varying costs. The costs changed. The complexity and changing OPA estimates, I think, justify my asking the Auditor General to look at both situations.

I’ve been very clear that we wanted to open up this process and make it possible for all of these questions to be asked, but the reality is, there was no firm number. No one had access to a specific number. The numbers changed, the estimates changed, and I answered that at committee.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Yes, the questions are being asked, but we’re still not getting the answers.

At committee, we saw that the Liberal strategy of ditching, diverting and destroying documents continues; it’s alive and well, Speaker. The same $900-million document had a key piece of information missing: It was missing the critical footnote that explained the $900-million risk. We found it in another document. We found it in another version; that’s how we knew it existed. Obviously, somebody forgot to white out all of the documents. It’s the same old tricks from the same old Liberal government.

Then again, every other Liberal who has come before the justice committee has failed to be forthright. I’ll ask you again, Premier: Will you pledge today to return to the justice committee and tell us when you knew the Oakville cancellation cost was more than $40 million?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: This is absolutely outrageous. The honourable member is standing up and saying that we redacted a document that he had. The fact of the matter is, the footnote—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Prince Edward–Hastings will come to order. I may just jump right to a warning if he wants to continue.

Carry on.

Hon. John Milloy: The committee requested all drafts of a document. They received various drafts of the document. He had many copies of the same document. The footnote he’s referring to was in the document that we gave to him, and the fact of the matter is that what it was was a cost estimate, a worst-case scenario from a finance official months and months before negotiations were wrapped up.

The real question is, why would the Leader of the Opposition not tell us his estimates when he made the exact same commitment?

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Gilles Bisson: My question is to the Premier. At committee last week, we had a document that indicated that, in fact, when it came to the Oakville gas plant, the TransCanada credit—the TransCanada pipeline, I should say—was in force majeure, which meant to say that you could have cancelled that gas plant without costing a nickel to the taxpayers of Ontario if you would have only taken your time and done what your ministry officials were encouraging you to do. Why didn’t you do that, and why instead did you choose to do something that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: I think it’s important that we go through the situation here. The city of Oakville had been trying to block the creation of this gas plant, but we knew that TransCanada was going to fight any attempts to block it and that it was much better for us to sit down and negotiate.

I’d remind, Mr. Speaker, of the testimony of Chris Breen of TransCanada Energy, who had this to say to the committee: “We were already before two different courts with what looks like about four actions, and we were before the OMB, the Ontario Municipal Board, with two appeals. We had a contractual obligation. It was very cleanly spelled out in black and white that that was our responsibility: ‘You have to go through every possible channel to deliver on your obligations in this contract.’ And we would have done that.”

We took the prudent course in negotiating with TCE in order to find an agreement on this issue.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Gilles Bisson: You’re right; the municipality of Oakville was not giving the permits necessary to allow that project to go forward, and they were in force majeure. All you had to do to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars was to in fact not do what you ended up doing in regard to this negotiation. It seems to me and it seems to most people that what you did is what Liberals are really good at: You took the interests of the Liberal Party first instead of taking the interests of the people of Ontario.

I ask you again: Why would you choose an option that cost us hundreds of millions of dollars when you could have gotten out of this a heck of a lot cheaper, if not having to spend anything at all?

Hon. John Milloy: I know that the honourable member would never want to leave the impression with this House that if those bylaws had been overturned—and I just produced a quote of the number of legal cases that were going—construction of the plant would have been undertaken and the government at that point would have been in negotiations that would have cost a lot more than sitting down at the beginning of the process.

The fact of the matter was that TCE was going to pursue every avenue in order to start construction on that plant, and the prudent course, which has been confirmed by numerous witnesses in front of the committee, was for us to sit down and negotiate. We took the prudent course. We looked at what was going to be happening with the bylaws in Oakville, and as I say, had they been overturned, construction would have begun.

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

Mr. Bas Balkissoon: My question is for the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

Speaker, May is Asian Heritage Month. This month, we acknowledge the long and rich history of Asian Canadians and their contributions to Canada. It also provides an opportunity for Canadians across the country to reflect on and celebrate the contributions of Canadians of Asian heritage to the growth and prosperity of Canada.

This month is important because Canada’s cultural diversity strengthens the country socially, politically and economically in innumerable ways.

My riding of Scarborough–Rouge River is the home of many Asians, coming from all across the continent for numerous reasons. I’m proud to represent each and every one of them.

During this month, there are many local events to mark Asian Heritage Month. Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister: Can he please update us on the ways our government is highlighting Asian Heritage Month here in Ontario?

Hon. Michael Chan: I want to thank the member from Scarborough–Rouge River for asking.

Last week, I had the pleasure to meet the vice-governor of Jiangsu province from China and discussed with him the screening of a Chinese film showcase at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. It will feature 80 films tracing the connections between the cinemas of mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

It also speaks to the significant investment our government has made for the film industry, which contributes $2.5 billion annually to our economy. Since 2003, we’ve invested over $81 million to support screen-based industries, including more than $58 million in funding to TIFF.

Our government is proud of these investments and the cultural films that celebrate Asian heritage and support Ontario’s screen-based industry.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Bas Balkissoon: It is interesting to hear of these initiatives from the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport regarding the ways our government is highlighting Asian Heritage Month.

It is important to recognize that our connection to Asia should not be limited to the events during this special month only. Asia is quickly becoming the world’s economic engine, and more and more of our province’s trade and immigration come from countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines and China.

Ontario’s relationship with China is of particular interest to my constituents. Many of them enjoy hearing about our government’s partnership with China on new economic ties. Speaker, could the minister please update the House on the status of Ontario’s relationship with China?

Hon. Michael Chan: Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Hon. Laurel C. Broten: Ontario and China have for many years enjoyed a close friendship and growing economic relationship. China is our second-largest trading partner in the world, and two-way trade between Ontario and China stands at nearly $30 billion a year. Our exports to China have increased by 233% since 2003. We’ve also had significant cultural connection, with nearly 650,000 Chinese Canadians calling Ontario home.

To build on these ties, just as one example, Ontario has been working very closely with the Chinese province of Jiangsu, our sister province in China. Last week, I too had the privilege of meeting a delegation from Jiangsu province that included the vice-governor, Mr. Fan Jinlong.

This visit and the Ontario visit to China earlier this year have strengthened our friendship and improved business collaboration in key sectors such as clean technology, agriculture and scientific research. We look forward to that continued friendship and more trade.

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Rob Leone: My question is for the finance minister. The cost of your gas plant cancellations was listed in public accounts at close to $200 million, yet the very real possibility of a $900-million price tag—passed on to all Ontarians—was nowhere to be found in the estimates.

Someone in the government, God love them, had the foresight to realize that this could cost $900 million. Leading energy experts testifying before the justice committee under oath, along with the documents reluctantly handed over, confirm that number too—which raises a very important but simple question for the finance minister: Is there a public budget and a secret budget? If so, was the secret budget deal made available to the leader of the third party when she decided to prop up your scandal-plagued government?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, the answer is no. To the member opposite, you’ve just clarified your answer by saying that it was a provision; it was an estimate; it was appropriate to look at the worst-case scenario. Negotiations were had, resolutions were made, and public accounts were accounted for.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Rob Leone: Actually, Minister, it wasn’t in the estimates—that’s what I said—and you haven’t clarified a thing, actually.

On Thursday, in justice committee, I asked the finance minister where the money came from with respect to the cancellations of the Oakville and Mississauga gas plants. His response: “Oh, it probably came through our contingency funds.”

The Premier of the province called this gas plant scandal a political decision. I don’t think the people of Ontario had a seat-saver program in mind when the contingency fund was implemented. What the minister is telling us is that he has no problem pulling money from a contingency fund that exists in cases of unforeseen emergencies and natural disasters and using it to hide line items for his own sordid political scandals. He has no problem using that fund, even if it means hiding $900 million from the people of Ontario for as long as possible in order to save his own seat.

Your government talks a good game about being open and transparent. Can you tell us why you hid this scandal in your contingency fund?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, the PCs have presented—they’re deliberately misleading documents from the Ministry of Finance—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’d ask the minister to withdraw.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I withdraw.

They’ve presented information that inappropriately reflects what’s going on. Projected costs from the Ministry of Finance are part of a due diligence process in which officials plan for a worst-case scenario. The figures discussed by the opposition are several years old and are related to an assessment of potential liabilities, not projected costs.

A complete cancellation of the plant, as promised by the Conservatives and their candidates in Mississauga, may have also resulted in these liabilities becoming a reality. Successful negotiations by the government to relocate these plants ensured that these potential liabilities did not come to fruition.

Citing these figures from the Ministry of Finance of a risk assessment of several years past is unconstructive.

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: My question is to the Premier. Just a few weeks ago, this government finally committed to our NDP proposal to reduce auto insurance rates by 15%. But recently I’ve heard from a number of people that they’re seeing their insurance premiums increase by 15% to 20% upon renewal. These are people with absolutely clean records and no claims whatsoever. Why would this government, through FSCO, allow insurance companies to increase premiums for people across Ontario when we know that a 15% reduction should be implemented?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: First of all, let me say that I’m very pleased that we were able to work with the NDP on this proposal. We were committed to reducing premiums for auto insurance, Mr. Speaker. It’s something that, over a year ago, I talked about in my own riding. It’s something that we are working on, and we’re doing it in a way that I think will be prudent.

The member opposite has highlighted why it’s so important that we get the budget passed: because, in order to be able to implement the budget, it needs to pass through the process in this Legislature. I appreciate the concern from the member opposite, but we really do need to get on with getting the budget passed so we can implement it.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: Again to the Premier: People in my community and across Ontario are paying some of the highest premiums in Canada. These are tough times. Families are struggling to make ends meet.

This government said that they will take our NDP proposal to reduce auto insurance rates by 15% to make life more affordable. How many times will this government allow insurance companies to increase premiums before they actually implement that 15% reduction?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I appreciate the work being done by the member opposite in facilitating us to get this passed so that we can work towards reducing auto insurance rates for the benefit of all Ontarians. It should be noted that in the recent year, actually, auto insurance has been reduced by 0.3% as a result of the efforts we’ve done with the task force, and we’ll continue to do so.

It’s important that we have FSCO, which is reviewing all of the submissions that are being made to date, avoid the variation that the member opposite has cited. We will work together. Let’s get this budget passed. Let’s move on this quickly.

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Mr. Steven Del Duca: Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Research and Innovation. Our government recognizes that Ontario’s capacity to compete in the global economy depends on how well we can harness our research strengths, our ability to encourage innovation and the support we provide our entrepreneurs. Our government’s budget reiterates our commitment to research, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Our commitments are strong. We have invested $50 million in the Ontario Venture Capital Fund to help support start-up companies. We have committed $100 million to the Ontario Brain Institute, which will help make discoveries that tackle brain disease possible. And we will invest $295 million in the youth jobs strategy to encourage entrepreneurship amongst our youth.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister of Research and Innovation: What other programs has the government invested in to support entrepreneurship and innovation in our province?

Hon. Reza Moridi: I would like to thank the member from Vaughan for that question. Mr. Speaker, our government has a strong track record of supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in this province. We have invested in three networks that have served entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises. These networks include the Ontario Network of Excellence, which supports the success of entrepreneurs; the Ontario network of Small Business Enterprise Centres, which works with municipal governments to accelerate the start-up and growth of local economies; and Business Advisory Services, which help entrepreneurs’ businesses to grow both at home and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I’m proud of the investments our government has made to support entrepreneurship and innovation in order to grow our economy and create jobs.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Steven Del Duca: I thank the Minister of Research and Innovation for the outstanding job that he’s doing on behalf of all Ontarians.

Speaker, I am glad to hear that our government is investing in services and programs to assist our entrepreneurs. As you know, Speaker, entrepreneurs have the potential to bring Ontario’s most promising ideas and research to the market. Through research, innovation and entrepreneurship, we can find the answers to our questions, generate economic growth and create jobs. Given the challenges in the global economy, it is more important than ever that we take action that helps turn great ideas into thriving companies and new jobs.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister: What is the government doing to ensure that entrepreneurs are getting the support they need and that the programs are easily accessible?

Hon. Reza Moridi: I would again like to thank the member from Vaughan for that question. Entrepreneurship and innovation are at the heart of our efforts to create jobs and grow our economy. We want to help more Ontarians start up businesses and help their businesses prosper.

In order to ensure that entrepreneurs are able to access resources quickly, we have unified these three networks into the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs. Through the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs, we will be able to provide better services to Ontarians by an interactive portal, onebusiness.ca. Mr. Speaker, through this initiative, Ontario entrepreneurs will be able to find the most appropriate sources of support to help them grow their businesses and also help our economy.

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING

Mr. Monte McNaughton: My question this morning is for the Premier. Premier, for the past 10 years, your Liberal government has failed northern Ontario. With an 11.3% unemployment rate, North Bay, like much of northern Ontario, is in crisis.

One industry that is managing to succeed is contact call centres. On page 262 of the recent McGuinty-Wynne-Horwath budget, you announce the elimination of the apprenticeship training tax credit for only contact centres.

How can northern Ontario residents have any confidence in your government when you are planning to kill up to 8,000 important jobs in northern Ontario with this single decision?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I appreciate the question, and I appreciate the concerns. I know in the budget of 2012, we announced the effectiveness of the apprenticeship training tax credits, promoting them to provide for those apprentices to have full completion when they’re working and to provide for full-time employment. The intent, of course, is to help people have jobs and maintain those jobs.

What we’re finding, though, is the eligibility requirements through the call centres have not resulted in completion of the apprenticeship program or in full-time employment, as expected. It’s actually averaging only 10%, and frankly, I think we all agree in this House that what we want to do is provide our stimulus and investments to help those individuals have full-time employment for a long period of time.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Back to the Premier: Northern Ontario has a jobs crisis, but so does London and southwestern Ontario. For the second straight month, London has the highest big-city unemployment rate in Canada, and shamefully, Windsor is right there too—11.3% unemployment in North Bay, 10% in London and 9.2% in Windsor.

Premier, Ontario has 600,000 unemployed men and women. Your budget does nothing to help grow our economy and create jobs. In fact, for the 25,000 people province-wide working in the contact calling industry, you have put their jobs at risk.

Premier, the PC Party and our leader, Tim Hudak, have unveiled a firm vision to get Ontario back on track. Which of the items outlined does your coalition government plan to implement?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I’m happy to take the supplementary on this because—it was interesting, just a couple of months ago in Barrie, there was an announcement. I think the Barrie mayor said it was one of the best days that he had had as mayor, where they created 500 new jobs in a call centre that opened up there. I know they’re also looking at Guelph as a possible additional area to expand.

But I want to talk about London—the London area, specifically—because I know that the member opposite is specifically interested in the London area—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex asked the question; I’m sure he wants to hear the answer, and he’ll ask—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex is warned.

Carry on, please.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: As part of the over 400,000 jobs that we’ve created since the—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Dufferin–Caledon is not helping, either.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: —the recession, I was in London and the London area. In fact, I was in the member opposite’s own riding on Thursday, where I was announcing the government’s $300,000-support to our—

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

HEALTH CARE

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Premier. Ontarians recently learned that during the Easter weekend, Mr. Joseph Cummins, an 80-year-old patient at London Health Sciences Centre, was told to clean his own toilet. This government insists that front-line staff cuts and hospital underfunding won’t affect care.

Is letting people fend for themselves what the minister has in mind when she talks about transformation in health care?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Ontarians have the right to expect the highest-quality care no matter where they get care in this province. We are undertaking a tremendous transformation in our health care sector right now, and we are seeing the results of focusing on the community sector.

We’re also really focusing on improving the quality of care in our hospitals. In fact, the unanimous passage of the Excellent Care for All Act celebrates and put us on the right path to continue to get better value by improving the quality of care in our health care sectors. Now, hospitals across the province are publicly reporting on quality indicators, and we are seeing quality improvements. We’re on the right path. We have more to do for sure, but I will never stop to continue to improve quality in our hospitals.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, the minister says that people have the right to expect high quality of care; they’re obviously not getting it. I guess they only have the right to expect it but not to actually get it.

Mr. Cummins happens to be a retired professor of genetics from Western University, but with the real threat of hospital-acquired infections, it doesn’t take an expert to tell us that patients shouldn’t be cleaning their own toilets. London Health Sciences is planning to lay off an additional 60 staff even as this government lets hospital CEO salaries skyrocket.

Can the minister assure the people of London that sick patients won’t be cleaning their own toilets, or worse, as a result of her cuts in the hospital sector?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Just to be clear, as I was saying earlier and I’ve said many times in this House, there is a very important transformation going on in our health care sector. While hospital budgets—the base budgets—are being kept to zero, we are heavily investing in the community sector.

The Premier was in London on Friday. We actually visited a family that exemplified the transformation that is under way. Because of our investment in the community sector, and thanks to the Home First philosophy that was being applied, Peggy and Norm were able to be in their own home, where they want to be, comfortable in their community, instead of in hospital, instead of in long-term care, which is where they would have been had these investments not been made.

That transformation is under way. I acknowledge hospitals are dealing with challenging decisions, but there is no question: The system is stronger.

HORSE RACING INDUSTRY

Mr. Kim Craitor: Mr. Speaker, my question, through you, is to the Premier in her role as the Minister of Agriculture and Food.

Minister, this Sunday was a significant day in my riding of Niagara Falls, in Niagara-on-the-Lake and particularly Fort Erie. The Fort Erie Race Track opened for the 116th time in the season of 2013. I was there. I saw the largest-ever crowd for an opening day of the Fort Erie Race Track. It was an exciting time.

Each year, thousands of families come to the track to enjoy the festivities and the excitement that racing provides. I know first-hand that our government has been working with the horse racing transition panel to build a strong, sustainable horse racing industry.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Hamilton East–Stoney Creek, come to order. Minister of Rural Affairs, come to order.

Mr. Kim Craitor: I, along with my constituents, know the importance of this industry, and we are interested in making sure that it remains healthy and strong for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the Premier in her role as the Minister of Agriculture and Food, could the minister please provide an update on what our government is doing to support the horse racing industry?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I want to thank the member from Niagara Falls—I sincerely want to thank the member from Niagara Falls for his support and advocacy on this file. He has been terrific.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a sustainable and long future for Ontario’s horse racing industry. We know how important the industry is to communities like Niagara Falls, but across Ontario. So I’ve asked the transition panel to develop a long-term plan to implement recommendations from its report, and by that, I mean the integration of horse racing with the OLG strategy and the—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Hamilton East–Stoney Creek will come to order—and while I’m at it, the member from Kawartha Lakes.

Carry on.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: —and by that, Mr. Speaker, I mean that the Ministry of Finance and the OLG will work with stakeholders to work on the integration of horse racing within the modernization strategy.

I heard a voice from the other side saying, “Details,” Mr. Speaker. That’s the point. The point is that that integration strategy needs to be worked out, and that’s what I’ve asked the panel to work on.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Kim Craitor: Thank you for your response, Minister. I’m glad to hear our government is committed to building a strong and sustainable horse racing industry.

I want to share with you that when I met with the transition panel, that was made up of three significant former members of Parliament, from each of the three parties, I sat with them, and they explained to me that the slots at the racetrack—they clearly said it was unaccountable, it was not transparent and it lacked a proper focus on customers. Their long-term plan will be very important, to look to the transition of the industry, to integrate horse racing with the modernization of Ontario’s gaming strategy.

I’m thrilled that racing resumed this week in Fort Erie—so are the workers; so are the fans who came out. I know there are many other tracks in Ontario that have begun racing for 2013.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the Premier in her role as the Minister of Agriculture and Food, could the minister please provide an update on the status of racing across tracks in Ontario?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Rural Affairs.

Hon. Jeff Leal: I want to thank the member from Niagara Falls for his excellent question.

Our government is actively working to ensure horse racing is sustainable and successful. Right now, the most important thing Ontarians could do is support this important industry and come out to the tracks on racing day. This week, there is racing at nine tracks across the province of Ontario.

I was in attendance at Kawartha Downs for the opening of the 2013 season, and it was an excellent evening with a record crowd on Saturday, May 18. I must say, I made an investment; very little return, but that’s okay. I encourage all members to visit their local track and to support this vibrant industry in rural Ontario.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

EMPLOYEES

Mr. Jeff Yurek: My question is for the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Minister, this weekend a guard at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre was sent to the hospital after he was attacked by an inmate. This represents just one more instance of violence that has been all too common at EMDC on your watch.

I met with you last August and you told me that your staff was working on implementing a 12-point action plan intended to mitigate the problems at EMDC. Since that time, overcrowding remains an issue, weekend lockdowns are regular, a fire broke out and a near-riot occurred. Reports indicate that you’ve been slow to implement your promised changes. Minister, will a guard have to die before you take decisive action on EMDC?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: I thank the member from the opposition for his advocacy to improve the situation in the EMDC. It’s unfortunate when an incident like this happens. I’m not going to comment because there is a police investigation going on as we speak. As I told him in the past—and I also invited him to a briefing on what we are doing to improve the situation in the EMDC. Ministry officials continue to work with staff—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I tried one way. The member for Hamilton East–Stoney Creek is warned.

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: As I said, ministry officials continue to work with staff and their union to address their concerns through our action plan. The plan focuses on improving supervision and compliance with policy. These policies have been developed by corrections experts, and we are investing in 350 cameras at EMDC to better supervise and intervene when necessary. With the supplementary, I will continue to say what we are doing to improve the situation there.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jeff Yurek: Back to the minister: A camera cannot intervene when they’re beating up a guard.

Minister, the guards have their backs up against the wall and things continue to devolve. Broken metal from a light fixture that can be sharpened into a shank has not yet been totally recovered since the last near-riot at the jail, and I’ve been informed that the ministry has bought metal detectors, but they sit idle because they haven’t provided any training to the staff on how to use them. This is just one of the many examples that are going on with this gross mismanagement.

Any number of violent occurrences in the past year should have been a wake-up call for you, yet you’re remaining asleep at the switch. Your inaction is putting guards’ safety in jeopardy and lives at risk. Please, let’s work together and stop a death from occurring at this jail.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Huron–Bruce—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. I’ll finish my sentence. The member from Huron–Bruce, the member was asking a question from your own caucus.

Minister?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: The health and safety of the correctional officers in our correctional facilities are of utmost importance, and I’ve been working very hard to make sure that they do improve.

Yes, there are drugs entering these facilities. There are other tools that should not enter facilities. So we are, as we speak, reviewing the process, reviewing who is doing and who is not doing their work there. That’s why these situations occur. We’ll continue to make sure that the 12-point plan is implemented, but the work cannot be done at all times, seven days a week, 24 hours a day—it takes longer, but we are determined that we will move forward. We have changed the direction, the leadership there, and we will implement a board of directors at this facility to make sure that things are improving.

BICYCLE SAFETY

Mr. Jonah Schein: My question is to the Premier. Today is the launch of Bike Month in cities like Toronto, and it’s a good day to remember that 600,000 people in Ontario bike every day.

According to a new survey from Share the Road, the vast majority of people in Ontario think that the provincial government should be investing more in bike lanes and cycling infrastructure. Quebec has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in provincial bike networks, but Ontario’s motto on cycling seems to be, “Go slow.”

Why are Ontarians still waiting for a new provincial bicycling strategy more than three years after you, as Minister of Transportation, promised a new strategy?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I want to thank the member for his very sincere question. These things are tied together. The cycling strategy is in its final stages of development, and we’ll be making announcements very, very shortly. I don’t want it to be lost on people that the Big Move and the investment strategy that Metrolinx released today is one of the funding mechanisms for a cycling strategy. We do not see the issues of transit, automobiles, trucks, bicycles and pedestrians as separate parts; we see it as an integrated approach, and we are setting money aside for integrating that transit.

I was recently at the Mount Joy GO Station, where, as part of GO, we are promoting cycling as the connection between GO trains and residents in those areas. So cycling continues to be an integrated part of our overall transportation strategy.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jonah Schein: I send my message back to the Premier. The Liberal government has had 10 years now to make cycling a priority. In 2010, the government’s draft bike strategy promised funding for municipal bike infrastructure. Now, the government has back-pedaled, and it has removed this from the strategy.

The government has rejected calls to invest a mere 1% of its highway budget on bike lanes, and this government has now allowed Toronto to remove bike lanes on Jarvis without the environmental assessment that we asked for. Now this government has opposed simple measures to update the Highway Traffic Act so that streets are safe for all users.

When will this government finally make Ontario a leader rather than a laggard when it comes to cycling?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: We are paving shoulders now on secondary highways. I am a cyclist, as we are a two-bicycle, no-car household. I cycle across Ontario from Toronto to Montreal most summers doing fundraisers.

We are developing, on the provincial portion, a very sophisticated, well-put-together cycling infrastructure. The cycling strategy, along with the Big Move, will address that.

The other issues that the honourable member raised are decisions of a municipal nature. We are not involved in discussions around whether Ottawa, Cornwall or Toronto allocate cycling lanes. Those are municipal. Most municipalities have their own cycling strategies and their own cycling capacities.

SKILLED TRADES

Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn: I’ve got a question this morning for the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. A lot of skilled tradespeople in my riding of Oakville are quite pleased with the way things are going with apprenticeship ratios these days and the progress that is being made. The Ontario College of Trades is a vital tool in promoting the importance of skilled trades.

Our government recognizes that Ontario’s apprenticeship system is a key part of building the well-educated and the highly skilled workforce that this province needs to compete in the current and future economy. At the same time, we all hear about the shortage of skilled workers in our economy, and we believe the skilled trades are a tremendous career opportunity for young people. I still encourage many people in my riding of Oakville to pursue a career in the skilled trades.

As such, Speaker, through you to the minister: I ask if he is aware of actions being taken currently that promote skilled trades opportunities for young people in Ontario?

Hon. Brad Duguid: I’m pleased to respond to that very good question. The College of Trades is mandated to promote the skilled trades to our young people, and I’m looking forward to seeing those efforts as they move forward in that area. A number of government programs and incentives are geared to promoting the skilled trades and apprenticeships as well.

But I’d really like to share with the House an exciting initiative that was recently visited by our Premier, the Ontario Technological Skills Competition, which was held in Kitchener. I want to thank Gail Smyth, executive director of Skills Canada-Ontario, and her team for organizing this annual competition that engaged close to 2,000 young skilled trades competitors, as well as tens of thousands of other young people. This competition provides young people with exposure to the skilled trades.

I want to thank and recognize Gail Smyth and her team for their incredible passion, commitment and contribution to opening up the skilled trades to our young people through this event.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): There are no deferred votes. This House stands recessed until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1140 to 1300.

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

Mr. Steve Clark: I’d like to introduce, in the west members’ gallery, the love of my life, my wife, Deanna Clark.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I don’t know what it would have cost you if you didn’t.

Further introductions? Last call for introductions.

It’s now time for members’ statements.

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

CATTLE FARMERS

Mr. Rob E. Milligan: I’m pleased to rise today on behalf of Tim Hudak and the PC caucus and welcome the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association to Queen’s Park and extend a sincere thank you for the delicious Ontario corn-fed beef barbecue lunch we had this afternoon.

There are over 19,000 beef farmers in Ontario. Ontario cattle farmers are an integral part of our agricultural sector and richly contribute to the provincial economy.

The Ontario Cattlemen identified an industry need for a beef nutritionist at the University of Guelph, a position that existed until 2010. During last summer’s drought, the beef industry was in great need of advice on alternative feeding solutions, as well as guidance on the safe use of drought-stressed corn. I’m proud to say that the Ontario PC caucus was listening and fully supports the return of a beef nutritionist to the University of Guelph. We included the Ontario Cattlemen’s suggestion in our agricultural white paper entitled Respect for Rural Ontario.

The PC caucus looks forward to continuing to work with the Ontario Cattlemen to grow the beef industry. We understand the importance of agriculture in Ontario and the importance of having a government that truly understands and supports the agricultural sector.

Again, I want to thank the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association for visiting Queen’s Park. A friendly reminder to my colleagues that it’s barbecue season and you need to pick up some Ontario corn-fed beef for the grill.

BEAR CONTROL

Mr. John Vanthof: On Saturday, May 12, Joe Azouguar was eating breakfast at his cabin near Cochrane. He had just moved from Toronto to escape the chaos of the city. A black bear approached, killed his dog, broke into his home and attacked him as he tried to escape. Two passersby drove the animal off, called 911 and took Joe to the hospital, saving his life.

While bear attacks are rare, bear encounters in the north are common and increasing. There are those who think that bears are cute and cuddly, but an attack provides a reality check. Parents in some areas drive their children to school because of bears. Children are forced to stay in school because of bears on the playground. Bear sightings are on the increase this spring; because of the unusually long winter, animals are hungry and bolder than usual.

There was a time when the Ministry of Natural Resources took an active role in black bear management, but this role has all but disappeared. Last year, the government gutted the program that trapped and moved problem bears to other areas, and responsibility to control problem bears was downloaded to the police, so now the cost falls to municipalities.

Northerners feel abandoned and are forced to protect themselves, and as a result, many no longer bother reporting the results to the MNR.

Northerners need more than a 1-800 bear advice line. We already know to clean our barbecues. We need the provincial government to take our safety seriously and reimplement measures that actually protect people. Bears deserve respect, and so do northerners.

MING PAO DAILY NEWS

Ms. Soo Wong: It is with great pleasure that I rise in this House to recognize the 20th anniversary of the Toronto edition of Ming Pao. Ming Pao is a daily Chinese newspaper that serves many Chinese Canadians in my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt and throughout the greater Toronto area.

The original Hong Kong version of Ming Pao began print in May 1959 and was started by Louis Cha, and is well known for its social and intellectual contact. In fact, Ming Pao was selected as the most credible local paper in a survey by the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2006.

The Toronto edition was started on May 28, 1993. Admirably, the Toronto Ming Pao was able to break even within the first year of operation and has become widely read by Hong Kong immigrants.

The paper covers local news as well as news stories from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. There is no dispute that Ming Pao has brought brighter and higher standards of journalism to the Chinese community in Toronto, and Ming Pao has also played a significant role in bridging the East and West cultures.

Last, but not least, Ming Pao has helped newcomers integrate into Ontario society. It frequently reports on immigration policies and guidance on job postings, as well as promoting Canadian core values.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Ming Pao for their 20 successful years in Ontario, but more importantly for serving our community the best it can.

GREENHOUSE INDUSTRY

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I’m pleased to rise to recognize the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance, who are here at Queen’s Park today, and to recognize the hard work of all Ontario greenhouse growers.

Those who claim to support local food need to understand it doesn’t start at the farm gate; it starts in the fields, barns and greenhouses across Ontario. It is the hard work of people like those who are here today that provides Ontario greenhouse vegetables and extends our growing season. It is the hard work these greenhouse growers do that makes the sector a significant economic driver in Ontario, with well over $100 million in exports and investment of over $2 billion in our rural economy.

Like many agriculture sectors, many of the challenges they’re facing are created by this government, such as the increasing cost of hydro and red tape. I want to commend the greenhouse growers for coming to talk to the members about these issues and how we can help.

I want to recognize Rej Picard, who has been an outstanding chair. I appreciate that he has always provided us with information and ensured that we were aware of the challenges they are facing. He showed us the cogeneration facilities, where they were having trouble getting contracts. He showed us the innovation that the sector was doing to become more environmental and more competitive.

I’m pleased that the new chair, Jan VanderHout, is someone already known for his innovation, such as using biomass combustion as a heat source and implementing environmental innovations. We look forward to continuing to work with Jan and the greenhouse sector.

EDUCATION

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: This afternoon, I am very happy to talk about the next generation of Ontarians with the Legislature. On Wednesday, May 22, Andrea Horwath and I had the pleasure of touring Clarke Road Secondary School in London, Ontario, and meeting with a number of students in a general question-and-answer session.

After a brief tour of the school with Mr. Panayi, the principal, we were introduced to a number of students who had given up their lunch hour in order to meet with us. We discussed many issues facing students today, including the First Start program, which addresses youth employment, as well as auto insurance rates, economic stimulus and job creation.

I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of knowledge these students demonstrated regarding the current political landscape. They seemed particularly well informed, and I was pleased to see the interest they were taking in important issues.

One student was concerned about pursuing post-secondary education, the high cost of tuition and, more importantly, the job prospects once they graduate. Another wanted to know about the opportunities offered by pursuing education in the skilled trades.

Mr. Speaker, the students at Clarke Road showed us that the young people of Ontario are watching. They see their province is in trouble, they are concerned about where we are going and they wonder if there is more that can be done.

I am so thankful to the students and the staff at Clarke Road Secondary School for taking the time to meet with Andrea and myself, and look forward to having further discussions with them in the future.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Having access to a safe and stable home improves people’s quality of life. Speaking to new residents of the building, I was able to appreciate first-hand the far-reaching impact this will have on their lives and neighbourhood. We’ve been able to provide people in need with affordable and accessible places to live. We’ve provided them with a home and a community where they can live with dignity and be active members of that community.

This investment of more than $10 million in provincial and federal funding for the new residence helped to stimulate the local economy and created approximately 380 local jobs. It is the latest step in our government’s plan to improve access to affordable housing for Ontarians.

Since 2003, nearly $3 billion has been committed by our government to affordable housing. This is more than any government before us has done.

Please join me in recognizing the official opening of Birchmount Woods. It is remarkable that we can accomplish this much when all levels of government, the private sector and not-for-profit sectors work together. Through projects like this, together we can continue to improve access to affordable housing that is safe, sound, suitable and sustainable for households across Ontario.

RING OF FIRE

Mr. Norm Miller: I rise in the House today to speak to a very important issue, one that is of particular concern for northern Ontario.

Late last week, during her trip to Thunder Bay, the Premier made comments about the Ring of Fire, specifically pointing to the complex nature of the project. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is time that this House gets more specific information on this project.

There is a single page in this year’s budget dedicated to the Ring of Fire, but it amounts to little more than lip service. It has been over a year since the former Minister of Northern Development and Mines announced, to great fanfare, that a deal was in place with Cliffs Natural Resources to get development in the Ring of Fire moving. In the time since this announcement, far more information has become available through the media than from the government or the ministry on what is being done to get the Ring of Fire moving.

While it is undoubtedly a complex file, there are many companies who have made significant investments in the region while waiting for the government to move forward on creating a physical link to the area.

Getting industry, First Nations and the federal and provincial governments working together is no easy task.

The current government has bragged about the Ring of Fire for years, dating back to Premier McGuinty’s throne speech of 2007.

Developing the Ring of Fire is simply too important to push to the back burner on the government agenda, and this government needs to show that it is truly committed to making this great opportunity a job-creating reality that will benefit the entire province.

HELEN LU

Mr. Bas Balkissoon: On May 15, Helen Lu, known as the “mother of all charity,” died at the age of 82 after an eight-month battle with cancer. A remarkable woman and a well-known pillar of the Chinese community, she will be sorely missed by many.

On behalf of the Legislature of Ontario, I want to offer our condolences to her husband, Yu-Che, her children, Henry and Shirley, and her niece Pey.

Born in Anhui, China, Helen and her family immigrated to Canada in 1969 from Taiwan. Affectionately known as Mama Lu, she worked tirelessly for many charities for over 30 years, including the Canadian Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry, the United Way, the Daily Bread Food Bank, the Hospital for Sick Children, the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, and the Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation, where she also served on the board of directors. She also helped establish the Chinese Canadian Council of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Helen worked on countless fundraising campaigns for natural disaster relief, from the tsunami in south Asia to the earthquake in Haiti and floods in China.

She received numerous awards, including the Order of Ontario in 2004 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, for her tremendous work.

Even while she was ill, Helen continued to advocate for her charities.

We may have lost an exceptional community leader, but I believe her legacy will continue to inspire us for a long time to come.

CASINO THOUSAND ISLANDS

Mr. Steve Clark: I rise on behalf of the people of the town of Gananoque and the township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, and more than 400 people who work at the Thousand Islands casino.

As the government scrambles to control the damage from the latest debacle—the chaos at OLG and the disastrous modernization plan—I have some good news for the Premier.

Amidst all the chaos, Premier, there is one easy decision to make: Leave the Thousand Islands casino right where it is. Any objective look at the situation would reach the same conclusion. There is simply no case to be made for closing the sixth-largest employer in Leeds–Grenville and moving it to Kingston. OLG made the right decision for the right reasons when it opened the casino’s doors more than a decade ago. The numbers prove it. This is the second-highest-grossing charity casino without a racetrack in Ontario.

The Thousand Islands casino worked because it’s located in a community that wanted it and has embraced it ever since. That’s not the case in Kingston, where 60% of residents oppose a casino and more than three quarters don’t want one without a referendum first.

There’s overwhelming evidence that rolling the dice on a Kingston casino is an economic and social disaster waiting to happen. That’s why I’m calling on the Premier to direct whoever she brings in to clean up the mess at OLG to make that one easy decision: Leave the Thousand Islands casino where it is.

RENÉ BRUNELLE

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The government House leader on a point of order.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent to pay tribute to Mr. René Brunelle, a former member of this Legislature from Cochrane North from 1958 to 1981, with a representative from each caucus speaking for up to five minutes.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The government House leader is seeking unanimous consent to have an up-to-five-minute tribute to René. Do we agree? Agreed.

The member from Parry Sound–Muskoka on a point of order.

Mr. Norm Miller: Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent for members to be able to wear the poppy, as Mr. Brunelle was a veteran and served in World War II.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Parry Sound–Muskoka is asking for unanimous consent to wear the poppy as part of the tribute. Do we agree? Agreed.

It is now time for those tributes. The member from—

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Timmins–James Bay.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I just wanted you to say it. The member from Timmins–James Bay.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: We’re gone a week and you forget our ridings. What’s going on?

C’est avec plaisir que j’ai l’occasion de parler de quelqu’un qui était vu, comme on le dit, comme un des rois du Nord quand ça vient à être capable de travailler fort de la part du monde qui reste au nord-est de l’Ontario et au Nord en général.

J’ai eu l’occasion de connaître M. Brunelle—non en politique, parce qu’il est parti d’ici ça fait assez longtemps, avant que, moi, j’aie été élu. Il est parti d’ici en 1981. Mais j’ai eu l’occasion de parler à M. Brunelle à une couple d’occasions comme député provincial de Cochrane South, dans le temps, qui était le comté droit à côté de Cochrane-Nord, et éventuellement comme son député de Timmins–James Bay ou Timmins–Baie James, parce que, comme on le sait, les deux comtés ont été fusionnés.

Je vais vous dire, il n’y a personne que j’ai rencontré, au moins de cette place-ci, qui avait les habiletés de M. Brunelle « to be such a nice guy ». C’était un gars qui, quand tu le rencontrais, était toujours voulant de te parler. Il était toujours une personne qui regardait au positif. C’était toujours une personne qui essayait de trouver des solutions à comment travailler ensemble. Puis, si tu étais néo-démocrate, libéral ou conservateur dans une élection, watch-toi parce qu’il savait comment faire sa politique dans les élections.

Mais quand ça venait à travailler entre les élections, même après qu’il est parti de la politique, pour lui, ce qui était important c’était le monde chez eux. Il comprenait que pour lui, sa job était l’élu de la région, d’être là pour parler de la part du monde de notre région sur les questions qui sont importantes pour nous. M. Brunelle, je peux vous dire, était une personne qui savait comment faire ça.

On a eu l’occasion de travailler ensemble dans notre région, non seulement avec M. Brunelle mais avec d’autres. L’affaire qui venait toujours à travers—quand René était impliqué dans un dossier, on était toujours content parce que c’était un gars qui connaissait bien du monde, qui savait comment rassembler les troupes ensemble, comme on dit, pour être capable d’avancer—qu’on était ensemble capable de trouver des solutions à un problème.

Donc, je peux dire premièrement qu’il n’y a personne à qui je peux penser, qui vient de cette place-ci, qui avait la classe de M. René Brunelle. C’était un homme qui était excellent. C’était un humain qui avait une habileté excellente de travailler avec le monde et d’avoir du respect.

It’s not often they talk nice about us in politics, but how can you say anything wrong about René? As I was just saying: just an amazing human being who understood what life was all about. Life was not just about the politics of what we do in this chamber; life was about how we leave this place a better place when we leave.

René understood that in northern Ontario we had challenges, as there are challenges in other parts of the province. He understood that our job as elected officials and our jobs as citizens is to try to find ways to advance those yardsticks forward so that when we leave this place, as unfortunately René had to do—as all of us will have to do at one time. He left this place a hell of a lot better.

He has a family that was infinitely proud and still is infinitely proud of him—a loving father, a loving husband, a loving uncle, grandfather, neighbour—you name it. Everybody who came in contact with him understood that what René was doing at the end of the day really left us in a better place, and understood that that’s what the call of service was all about. It wasn’t about my ability to get a headline, my ability as a politician to be seen as doing something great, or about the grandeur of the office. It was really about trying to get things done.

It was fitting that when he retired from politics in 1981, then-Premier Bill Davis and then-Minister of Natural Resources Alan Pope named a park after him: René Brunelle park in Moonbeam. I think that was very fitting because, as the Minister of Natural Resources and as the advocate of people of Cochrane North and northeastern and northern Ontario, he was one of those people who was instrumental in the Ministry of Natural Resources to understand that we need to make sure that there are parts of this province that are untouched, that are not developed, that are there and are protected for the generations to come.

When he, as a young man and as a father—and eventually his grandchildren and their grandchildren, who are about to happen; congratulations, by the way—that in fact we’re able to preserve parts of this province so that people can see what the natural environment is all about.

It was unfortunate last year that we were going to see a closure of that park. I know René would have been front and centre in the fight on that, but we had other people who rose to the occasion and understood that we needed to not only save René Brunelle park because it was his namesake but also because it was something that had to be saved. And as a result of people like Al Spacek in Kapuskasing, who is a good friend, as a result of Tom Laughren, as a result of many citizens—Gilbert Peters in Moonbeam and everybody else—we all banded together and we did what?

We did what René taught us to do, and that is to work together and to say, “There has to be a way forward. Let’s accept that the government has a problem here. The problem is, there’s not as much money in the treasury as there used to be because the pressure for that money is much harder today than it was in the past. So let’s accept that they’ve got a problem and let’s all work together in understanding that problem and trying to find a solution.”

In René’s spirit—and it’s kind of funny when you really think about it. In his spirit, the community did what René was doing very naturally all of his life and that is, trying to find ways to bring people together so that we can find solutions to our problems.

I have to say, I truly am saddened that he passed away some time ago. As we know, this tribute is much after the fact, but I’m really heartened in knowing that our region and this province is a better place today because René served in this place and he was able to bring something to this job that a lot of us could take example from, and most of all leaves a family that is so, so proud of what René did for his time here and can look at the future knowing that Ontario is really a better place because their father, their husband, their grandfather or their great-grandfather made it a better place to live.

Ensemble, on dit à la famille de M. Brunelle, merci de nous avoir prêté votre grand-père, votre père et votre arrière-grand-père. Ce sont seulement des mémoires chaleureuses qu’on a de lui. Merci.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank the member from Timmins–James Bay for his eloquent words.

The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

L’hon. Madeleine Meilleur: C’est un honneur de prendre la parole aujourd’hui au nom de mon parti et de notre chef, la première ministre Kathleen Wynne, pour rendre hommage à René Brunelle.

M. Brunelle a été mon prédécesseur de deux façons. Il a été ministre des Services sociaux et communautaires de 1972 à 1975, un poste que j’ai eu l’honneur d’occuper de 2006 à 2011.

M. Brunelle était un fier Franco-Ontarien ici à Queen’s Park, et dans mon rôle de ministre déléguée aux Affaires francophones, je célèbre aussi notre grande culture dans notre Assemblée législative et dans toutes les régions de l’Ontario.

J’aimerais ici rappeler la carrière de M. Brunelle, une carrière qui a débuté en 1958 comme député de Cochrane-Nord. Pendant 23 ans, il a servi les citoyens de sa communauté et de la province avec diligence et loyauté.

Chacun d’entre nous a le privilège de siéger dans cette Chambre; nous connaissons les multiples défis que présente ce travail et nous savons tous que nous ne pouvons pas garder ce poste sans avoir la confiance des gens dans notre communauté. Que M. Brunelle ait pu conserver son siège pendant 23 ans témoigne de son travail acharné et de la confiance que les électeurs de Cochrane-Nord avaient en lui.

Mr. Brunelle also had the trust of his party and his leader. He was the Minister of Lands and Forests, Minister of Social and Family Services, Minister of Community and Social Services and minister without portfolio. He was so well liked that a provincial park was named in his honour two years after he retired. When then-Premier Bill Davis announced that the park would be named after Monsieur Brunelle, Premier Davis said, “René Brunelle is a man who has shown tremendous devotion to the north, his riding and its people. I can think of no one more deserving of this honour.”

Monsieur Brunelle was a remarkable man. He lived for 90 years, and he filled those years with public service. He served overseas in France and Belgium with the Canadian army during World War II. After the war, he served the public in a different way, as a tourist operator. It was 13 years after the end of World War II when Monsieur Brunelle joined the Ontario Legislature, sitting in the chamber from 1958 to 1981.

He was also a family man, married to Andrée, father to Louis, Suzanne, Kelly and Pierre, and grandfather to Chloé, Tessa and Christopher.

I also learned that he graduated from l’Université d’Ottawa Normal School in 1941. As the representative from the riding where l’Université d’Ottawa is, I feel a connection with Monsieur Brunelle and with his family. He also did a year at Khaki University in London, England, and graduated from institutional management at the University of Toronto in 1948. He was a very well-educated man.

I met his daughter Suzanne, who is here with us today. Thank you for being here.

I want to say to them that their father and grandfather deserves their pride and their admiration. We are grateful that you shared him with us. He dedicated his life to public service, and 23 of those years he dedicated to the Ontario government serving the province, the people of Cochrane North and Franco-Ontarians. We have a better province and a better country because of him.

Monsieur Brunelle passed away in Magog, Quebec, with his wife—because his wife, Andrée, was from Magog, Quebec.

Thank you very much for sharing your father and your grandfather with us. We will remember him because he was here for all these years and because of this event today. Thank you for being here.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further tributes? The member from Parry Sound–Muskoka.

Mr. Norm Miller: I’m honoured to represent the PC Party today and have the opportunity to pay tribute to René Brunelle, a former MPP, veteran and a proud northerner. It’s my pleasure to welcome members of René’s family here to Queen’s Park: René’s daughter Suzanne Drover and granddaughter Tessa Brunelle, who are here in the members’ west gallery. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

René had a colourful background, and his story is an exciting one. It goes without saying that he had a great deal of experience before he chose to enter politics.

Born in 1920 in Penetanguishene but spending much of his life in Moonbeam, Ontario, René pursued his education at the University of Ottawa before returning to Ansonville, which is now part of Iroquois Falls, where he worked as a teacher.

René volunteered for service with the Canadian military in 1942 and was a Canadian officer on loan to the British army; he was a second lieutenant. I’m very pleased that we got unanimous consent to wear poppies today, and to thank him for his time serving his country. He was wounded by shrapnel while in the infantry and he finished off his wartime service as a supply officer in Belgium and France until the end of the war. He left the military in 1946.

Upon returning to northern Ontario, René bought a property on Remi Lake, near Kapuskasing, and went into the resort business. He had a vision for the business that would be known as Chalet Brunelle. He built cottages and a motel unit, and continually improved it to attract American clientele. This would be René’s primary focus before making the call to enter politics in a by-election held in the spring of 1958.

But just before that important decision, he made probably a more important decision. He was in Toronto when he met the love of his life, Andrée, at a French social club and brought her home to Moonbeam where they worked in the resort business together and raised their family. They were married in 1956, so René was 36 years old at that time.

I must say, I see an awful lot of similarities, both for the kids growing up in this resort and for René; many similarities in that René married and he raised four kids—two boys, two girls—which is exactly what I did; he ran in a by-election, which is what I did; and I was in the resort business prior to getting in here. Also, of course, René was serving at the same time as my father, Frank Miller, in the Davis cabinet, so I have similar memories to Suzanne and her siblings about what it was like growing up in the days prior to a constituency office.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: You could tell stories about that.

Mr. Norm Miller: Yes.

During his long career as a parliamentarian, René had an impressive list of accomplishments. Serving on countless committees and working hard for his constituents, René was asked to join cabinet in 1966 by then-Premier John Robarts to serve as Minister of Lands and Forests. He would go on to serve in the cabinet of Premier Bill Davis as Minister of Mines, Minister of Community and Social Services, and finally as provincial secretary for resource development. René was also appointed commissioner of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission in June 1962.

As I mentioned, he served with my father, Frank; they overlapped from 1971 to 1981. In fact, I note from looking at press clippings that my father attended René’s nomination meeting which was held in Hearst in 1975. This is one of many nomination meetings. Looking at the local newspaper, the Northern Times, they note: “Frank Miller, Minister of Health, was also on hand for the nomination and spoke highly of his cabinet partner....

“‘Do you know that in the last two provincial elections this riding of Cochrane North, one of 15 in northern Ontario, gave the highest percentage of Conservative votes in the north? In 1971 Cochrane North led all northern ridings with 64% of the votes.’” Well, all I can say is we’re a little envious of that now, on this side.

This obviously shows that René had tremendous respect, because this was after he’d served for a number of years, from the people he represented, and it was a pretty clear choice that he was their member.

I recently spoke with Claude Bennett, who served in the Davis cabinet with René. Claude was enthusiastic when he talked about René. He said many times what a great guy he was, but he described René as being reasonable, down-to-earth, sincere about the way he handled things and, as I say, generally a great fellow, was his language. Claude said that René particularly excelled as Minister of Community and Social Services. He knew his responsibilities and he was committed to getting the job done.

He said that the world could be coming apart, but even in tense situations René’s even temper, balance, his “way about him” would calm the situation down and get people to be realistic. Claude talked about going into meetings where they were quite anxious at the beginning of the meeting and René had this way about him of calming things down. He said he was genuine and believable.

I note he was also a pioneer. When I looked through various clippings, he came up in June 1972, with the Globe and Mail reporting that he had a $3,000 income target supplement for the working poor that was a first of its kind. So it’s obvious that the Ministry of Community and Social Services was very close and near and dear to his heart.

I had the pleasure of speaking with his son Pierre, to learn more about René, and as a side note, Pierre actually served as a page here at Queen’s Park in 1972-73—he was a little unsure as to which year it was, but around 1972 or 1973.

He and others described how René would take the Ontario Northland train home on Friday nights—the overnight train—and I guess it went right to Moonbeam. Then, when he arrived in Moonbeam, he’d either be met by constituents at the train station or they would follow him home. He would spend most of Saturday holding constituency meetings at his home in Moonbeam. Then, on Sunday, he’d go to church and then have more meetings and then board the train to make the trip back. Obviously the family was giving up a lot because their dad would be so busy doing his job so well.

Pierre talked about how, to this day, he keeps bumping into people who want to give him memorabilia from his dad’s time in office. In fact he said that just last week somebody dropped off a couple of cases of beer mugs with René’s picture on them—probably from one election. That must have been an earlier election; I don’t think we do too many beer mugs anymore.

René was famous for taking notes on envelopes. I can see him meeting people on the street. They’d have an issue, so then it would be, “Okay, where am I going to take this note?” He was also, as has been mentioned by other speakers, very approachable: at ease and not pompous. I think anyone felt they could just approach him.

There are many stories of René helping his constituents. For example, there was a welder who lived in Hearst, which I believe is about 120 kilometres away from Moonbeam, and he was having WSIB problems. The welder hitchhiked to Moonbeam for a constituency meeting with René. René helped him with his problem and then he personally drove him back to the bus station and paid for his fare to get home. When René was a cabinet minister—back in those days, you had a dedicated car and driver—he would use his car and driver to help take constituents to medical appointments.

René chose to leave politics in 1981 after 23 years of service. He made a graceful exit, declining to contest the PC nomination for the spring election. Following his retirement from politics, René returned to northern Ontario.

As has been mentioned, a provincial park near Kapuskasing was renamed in his honour shortly after his leaving public life. It was dedicated in 1983. I certainly feel that this is an important gesture that highlights René’s lifetime commitment to the north and lifetime passion for the outdoors. In the local newspaper—when that was going on, of course, Premier William Davis made the announcement. “‘René Brunelle is a man who has shown tremendous devotion to the north, this riding and its people,” the Premier said. ‘I can think of no one more deserving of this honour.’”

Alan Pope, who was the Minister of Natural Resources at the time, said, “I must say that it is a difficult task to walk in the footsteps of someone who has earned such respect in the north over so many years. I’m proud that my ministry can take

part in honouring René Brunelle.”

I’d like to thank the family members for loaning us your husband, your dad and your granddad for his many years of service to Queen’s Park. He absolutely made a difference in this province and was a member, I think, that we can all look up to and try to emulate as someone who truly served the people he represented. He really made a difference. I know that his wife and the love of his life, Andrée, was not able to join us today—she’s in Magog, Quebec—but to his wife, Andrée; to his kids, Louis, Suzanne, Kelly and Pierre; and grandkids, Chloé, Tessa and Christopher, we thank you for René.

We just want to say what a great job he did around here at Queen’s Park and what a difference he made in the province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I would like to thank all members for their tribute—very moving and heartwarming. I’d also echo the thank you to the family members for the gift of René. To them, we will provide you with a CD of today’s tributes, along with copies of Hansard so that the family members can have them for their keepsakes.

Mr. Norm Miller: I should just mention that anyone who wishes to meet the family: There’s tea and coffee in the PC caucus room—room 348, I believe it is—and all members are welcome if they’d like to come.

Mr. Bill Walker: Room 351.

Mr. Norm Miller: Room 351. You’d think I’d know what room number it is.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank the member for that clarification. All members are invited to PC caucus room 351 for tea with the family members, should they wish to talk to them.

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

JUSTICE POLICY

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Pursuant to the order of the House of Wednesday, February 20, 2013, I beg leave to present an interim report on the Speaker’s finding of a prima facie case of privilege with respect to the production of documents and review of the matters relating to the Mississauga and Oakville gas plants from the Standing Committee on Justice Policy.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Mr. Qaadri presents the committee’s report.

Report presented.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Does the member wish to make a brief statement?

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I would simply like to acknowledge the work of all members of this chamber to bring more transparency, accountability and light on this very important matter as we build and go forward with the energy infrastructure of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Timmins–James Bay on a point of order.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: I just want to be clear: This is an interim report that has come back to the House.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The clarification is correct. It is an interim report.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Speaker, this week is Emergency Medical Services Week in Canada, a time when we have the opportunity to recognize and thank our dedicated paramedics and dispatch personnel across this province.

This year’s theme is Health Care in Motion, and I think that is certainly a fitting description of our passionate EMS professionals in Ontario. No matter the setting in which they work—be it rural or urban, land or air—emergency medical professionals across the province stand ready to respond to emergencies every single day.

To all of Ontario’s dedicated emergency medical personnel, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your enormous contributions to this province’s health care system. Ontarians count on you to be there in our time of greatest need, and we’re very grateful for your dedication to those whom you serve.

A paramedic’s work isn’t just important; often, it’s a matter of life and death. Whether it’s responding to a horrific car crash or attending at the scene of a crime, paramedics are required to maintain their composure under significant pressure. Knowing at times that lives hang in the balance, they remain professional and focused on the well-being of those they serve.

Paramedics are increasingly playing an important role in prevention and wellness. Speaker, you know that an important focus of my ministry’s Action Plan for Health Care is keeping Ontario healthy by promoting healthy habits and behaviours and better management of chronic diseases. Through their first-hand interactions with Ontario patients, paramedics do a great deal to educate and inform patients about how to take critical preventive measures and avoid future complications.

While some health care professionals care for their patients in an office or a hospital setting, paramedics often assess patients in their own homes. This means that paramedics could determine how living arrangements potentially affect patients’ overall wellness and how their arrangements may affect their eventual plan of care. Speaker, as you know, my ministry’s transformation agenda is driven by the goal to provide better care to more people in the most appropriate setting at the best cost, and there’s an exciting new opportunity to deliver better individualized care through community paramedicine.

The goal of community paramedicine is to support the highest users of emergency medical services—often seniors—by helping them manage their chronic conditions, attending to their unaddressed health care needs and helping them connect to other services as necessary. For example, paramedics may proactively check in on those high users. This helps patients to avoid future emergency department visits, hospitalizations or admission to long-term-care homes.

I’m pleased to share that paramedics in some communities are already involved in community paramedicine programs. For example, here in Toronto, the Community Referrals by EMS program enables paramedics to connect patients with appropriate services and in-home supports by making referrals to the CCAC.

Community paramedicine is a great example of the type of preventive approach that will help us to improve health care in Ontario, but also to improve our collective wellness, because taking preventive measures now will lead to better health outcomes in the future.

I know that community paramedicine is something that paramedics across the province are excited about.

Today also gives me an opportunity to reflect on some of the work our government has done to improve emergency medical services across Ontario. The province now shares land ambulance costs on a 50-50 basis with municipalities. We’re also committed to fully funding costs for ambulance services to all First Nations communities in Ontario.

We now provide 100% funding for nurses dedicated to providing care to patients arriving by ambulance to hospital emergency departments. These nurses help paramedics off-load their patients more quickly, so that paramedics can get back on the road to respond to more emergency calls.

Over the past year, we’ve put our critical land and air ambulance service, Ornge, on the right track, strengthening it to provide the best possible services to the people of Ontario. Although it’s been a difficult time, I’d like to say a special thank you to the hard-working front-line professionals at Ornge, who never lost sight of their number one goal: to provide the highest quality care to Ontario patients.

As we transform health care in Ontario and maintain our focus on prevention and wellness, I know that paramedics will continue to play an important role in improving health outcomes for more Ontarians.

Once again, I’d like to reiterate my heartfelt thanks to all EMS workers right across Ontario who work day in and day out to make sure that patients in our province receive the highest quality emergency services, and that they are connected with the supports they need. Thank you for your passion and dedication to make Ontario the healthiest place to grow up and grow old.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Statements by ministries? Last call for statements by ministries.

It’s time for responses.

Mr. Bill Walker: I’m pleased to rise today and recognize Emergency Medical Services Week, on behalf of our leader, Tim Hudak, and my PC caucus colleagues.

Every day, Ontario’s 7,000 paramedics respond to emergency calls in each of our communities. It is because of the dedication and heroic actions of our local paramedics that thousands of citizens receive emergency medical treatment each and every year.

In addition to the life-saving skills paramedics are delivering, there is a growing number of jurisdictions involving paramedics in tactical teams, special rescue teams and disaster preparedness teams. Paramedics are equally involved in our remote and after-hours health centres, industrial sites and air medical teams. Paramedics can also be found in the field of injury prevention. Paramedics have a unique ability to share their experiences through their first aid and CPR classes, ACLS—advanced cardiac life support—PALS—pediatric advanced life support—and other training programs.

Paramedics in some jurisdictions are involved in other injury prevention programs such as car seat safety, fall prevention, public access to defibrillation programs and more. Such program partnerships show the leadership of paramedics but, more important, the care paramedics bring to our communities.

This year, the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada chose the theme Health Care in Motion. This couldn’t be more fitting, as our paramedics are our first responders and provide critical medical services on the go. In light of this year’s theme, paramedics are fostering new partnerships between first responders, emergency service groups and telecommunications experts to build on emergency health service delivery.

I hope all of my colleagues will take time to learn more about their local EMS and the important work they’re engaging in. More importantly, please say thank you for their day-to-day efforts and dedication, and also to their spouses and families.

I want to extend a special thank you to the dedicated EMS staff who keep the communities within Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound healthy and safe. Thank you for your continued dedication, and happy EMS Week.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: I’m pleased to rise today on behalf of the Ontario New Democratic Party to acknowledge EMS Week. It’s a national day of acknowledgement to pay tribute to our men and women who serve us in our emergency medical services field. What would we do without them, such a vital part of our overall health care system? So, obviously, it is an opportunity for us in this chamber to give our thanks and to give our acknowledgement of the vital work they do keeping us safe and keeping us healthy, and ensuring that they are there when we need them.

In Ontario, each municipality is required to maintain ambulance services that remain accessible, integrated, seamless, accountable and responsive. That provision of land ambulance services is a joint municipal-provincial responsibility, and currently 72 certified land ambulance services respond to over one million calls annually in this province. What a remarkable level of service. Those who are in emergent need, dire need of first responders to get to the scene of a tragedy, sometimes horrific scenes that we in this House couldn’t imagine—we ask those men and women to see things we certainly wouldn’t want to.

All the more reason that we should ensure, when it comes to providing the resources they need to do their job, and also compensating them—our emergency services are governed under special legislation that makes them an essential service, meaning we couldn’t do anything without them in this province. We could not operate in a civil and cohesive way.

Through our labour negotiations, they are not given the same rights as other workers have. They have to go to binding interest arbitration when it comes to their collective agreements. It’s a process that works. It’s a process that’s fair. It’s a process that acknowledges that they are obviously essential, something we could not do without; all the more reason we need to acknowledge that vital component of their work and protect it, so that we obviously don’t ever risk losing such an integral component of our overall safety in this province.

There isn’t a day in this province when someone doesn’t go without needing essential emergency services. Thankfully, they are there. They are responsive, they are professionals, they’re trained, and they take pride in their work. Obviously, today is a day when we should take pride in them and commit ourselves—commit this body—to the resources they need and that our communities need to ensure that that service goes seamlessly throughout the province.

Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to rise on this occasion to pay tribute to the men and women who provide that essential service and, obviously, to thank them every day for their professionalism and their level of commitment, and for keeping our communities safe.

PETITIONS

SERVICES FOR THE

DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

Mr. Ted Arnott: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and it reads as follows:

“Whereas agencies that support individuals with a developmental disability and their families have for several years (beginning in 2010) faced a decline in provincial funding for programs that support people with developmental and other related disabilities; and

“Whereas because this level of provincial funding is far less than the rate of inflation and operational costs, and does not account for providing services to a growing and aging number of individuals with complex needs, developmental service agencies are being forced into deficit; and

“Whereas today over 30% of developmental service agencies are in deficit; and

“Whereas lowered provincial funding has resulted in agencies being forced to cut programs and services that enable people with a developmental disability to participate in their community and enjoy the best quality of life possible; and

“Whereas in some cases services once focused on community inclusion and quality of life for individuals have been reduced to a ‘custodial’ care arrangement; and

“Whereas lower provincial funding means a poorer quality of life for people with a developmental disability and their families and increasingly difficult working conditions for the direct care staff who support them; and

“Whereas there are thousands of people waiting for residential supports, day program supports and other programs province-wide;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“

(1) To eliminate the deficits of developmental service agencies and provide adequate new funding to restore services and programs that have in effect been cut;

“

(2) To protect existing services and supports by providing an overall increase in funding for agencies that is at least equal to inflationary costs that include among other operational costs, utilities, food and compensation increases to ensure staff retention;

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(3) To fund pay equity obligations for a predominantly female workforce;

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(4) To provide adequate new funding to agencies to ensure that the growing number of families on wait-lists have access to accommodation supports and day supports and services.”

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

Mr. Michael Prue: I have a petition that reads as follows:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas servers and bartenders in Ontario earn $8.90 an hour, far less than the minimum wage; and

“Whereas tips are given to servers and bartenders for good service and to supplement the lower wages they receive; and

“Whereas Ontario law allows for owners and managers to pocket a portion of servers’ and bartenders’ earned tips or total sales; and

“Whereas thousands of servers across the province have asked for this practice to stop;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“Support the swift passage of Bill 49,

An Act to amend the Employment Standards Act with respect to tips and other gratuities and thereby end the practice of ‘tip-outs’ to management and owners.”

It is signed by many people of the Windsor area. I am in agreement and will affix my signature thereto and send it with page Alex.

PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES

Mr. John O’Toole: I have the pleasure to present these petitions on behalf of the Port Perry Villa, West Shore Village and Community Nursing Home Port Perry, where I was last week. It reads as follows:

“Whereas the Ministry of Health”—and she’s here—“is planning on eliminating OHIP-funded physiotherapy services currently provided to seniors in retirement homes—and changing the current provider of the service as of August 1st, 2013; and

“Whereas the Minister of Health has announced a total of $33 million in physiotherapy funding, or $550 per senior for 60,000 seniors, including those in retirement homes; and

“Whereas instead of the 100 to 150 visits per year a senior may receive now from their dedicated on-site ... physiotherapy staff, the change would mean a CCAC therapist would provide 5 to 10 visits on-site only to seniors who are bedridden or have an acute injury. All other ambulatory seniors would have to attend other community locations/clinics for physiotherapy and exercise off-site; and

“Whereas this change not only reduces the amount of money available, but also moves funds from the lowest-cost provider (OHIP physiotherapy providers—$12.20 per treatment) to the highest-cost provider (CCAC—$120 per treatment); and

“Whereas current OHIP physiotherapy providers, who have been providing seniors with individualized treatments for over 48 years, will be delisted from OHIP by the government;”—shameful—“and

“Whereas these services have been proven to help seniors improve in their activities of daily living, mobility, pain and fall risks;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows”—

Interjections.

Mr. John O’Toole: Just a moment, please.

“To review and reverse the decision to eliminate OHIP physiotherapy services to seniors in retirement homes, our most vulnerable population and most at risk for falls; and continue with the provision of at least 100 treatments per year with a mechanism to access an additional 50 treatments, if medically necessary, with the current low-cost OHIP ... providers.”

I’m pleased to sign this in support of my constituents in the riding of Durham, in the plight of the Ministry of Health.

LONG-TERM CARE

Mr. Michael Mantha: I was quite proud to receive these hundreds of petitions from people on Manitoulin Island, particularly in Gore Bay over at the Manitoulin Lodge, who have a grave concern and have voiced it through signing these petitions.

“Whereas Ontario ranks ninth of 10 provinces in terms of the total per capita funding allocated to long-term care; and

“Whereas the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care data shows that there are more than 30,000 people in Ontario waiting for long-term-care placements and wait-times have tripled since 2005; and

“Whereas there is a perpetual shortage of staff in long-term-care facilities and residents often wait an unreasonable length of time to receive care—e.g. to be attended to for toileting needs; to be fed; to receive a bath; for pain medication. Since 2008, funding for 2.8 paid hours of care per resident per day has been provided. In that budget year, a promise was made to increase this funding to 4.0 hours per resident per day by 2012. This has not been done; and

“Whereas the personal support worker program has no provincial governing body that would provide provincial standards and regulation to ensure the best care for residents who are being admitted with higher physical, psychological and emotional needs. Currently, training across the province is varied, inconsistent and insufficient;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:

“(1) immediately increase the number of paid hours of nursing and personal care per resident per day to 4.0 hours (as promised in 2008);

“(2) develop a plan to phase in future increases so that the number of paid hours per resident per day of nursing and personal care is 5.0 hours by January 2015;

“(3) establish a licensing body, such as a college, that will provide registration, accreditation and certification for all personal support workers in the province.”

I fully support this petition and sign it on behalf of the residents of Algoma–Manitoulin.

FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Mr. Bill Walker: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas beginning April 26, 2013, the new five-year commercial fishing agreement that the Saugeen Ojibway Nation and Ontario government have signed allowing commercial fishing to resume in Owen Sound and Colpoys Bay year-round over the term of the agreement; and

“Whereas the