Ontario Hansard — 10 December 2025 (44th Parliament, 1st Session)
2025-12-10
Ontario — Debates (Hansard)
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December 10, 2025
44th Parliament, 1st Session
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Hansard Transcripts
vol. A
Hansard Transcripts
vol. B
Votes and Proceedings
Orders and Notices
Hansard Transcript 2025-Dec-10 vol. A (PDF)
L050A - Wed 10 Dec 2025 / Mer 10 déc 2025
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO
Wednesday 10 December 2025 Mercredi 10 décembre 2025
Estimates
Report, Financial Accountability Officer
Orders of the Day
Gilda Investments Limited Act, 2025
Gilda Investments Limited Act, 2025
Marbro Holdings Ltd. Act, 2025
Marbro Holdings Ltd. Act, 2025
Social Asset Measurements Inc. Act, 2025
Social Asset Measurements Inc. Act, 2025
Andrew Zawadowski Medicine Professional Corporation Act, 2025
Andrew Zawadowski Medicine Professional Corporation Act, 2025
2512681 Ontario Inc. Act, 2025
2512681 Ontario Inc. Act, 2025
Thistletown Lions Club Act, 2025
Thistletown Lions Club Act, 2025
Five Senses Productions Inc. Act, 2025
Five Senses Productions Inc. Act, 2025
2708634 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
2708634 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
1581766 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
1581766 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Ludger Michel Estates Limited Act, 2025
Ludger Michel Estates Limited Act, 2025
2163694 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
2163694 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
730159 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
730159 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Sur-Leen Farms Limited Act, 2025
Sur-Leen Farms Limited Act, 2025
Groves Memorial Community Hospital Act, 2025
Groves Memorial Community Hospital Act, 2025
Honey Harbour Community Church Inc. Act, 2025
Honey Harbour Community Church Inc. Act, 2025
Members’ Statements
Holiday events in Thornhill
Professors of Funk Friends and Family Christmas Special
Public safety
Peter Marsh
Services de santé dans le Nord
Government investments
NYAD Corvette
Public safety / Christmas concert
Holiday messages
Introduction of Visitors
Question Period
Government accountability
Government accountability
Government accountability
Food banks
Government advertising
Government accountability
Ontario economy
Northern health services / Services de santé dans le Nord
Subventions destinées à l’éducation / Education funding
Domestic violence
Health care funding
Ferry service
Red tape reduction
Municipal development
Annual report, Auditor General
Deferred Votes
Development charges
Member’s birthday
Notice of dissatisfaction
House sittings
Introduction of Visitors
Reports by Committees
Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs / Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy / Standing Committee on the Interior / Standing Committee on Social Policy
Introduction of Bills
Textile Waste Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur les déchets textiles
Right to Repair Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur le droit de réparer
Ontario Consumer Watchdog Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur l’organisme ontarien de défense du consommateur
Petitions
Transportation infrastructure
Homelessness
Camping fees
Road safety
Social assistance
Energy policies
School governance
Social assistance
Environmental protection
Public transit
Health professions
University funding
Tenant protection
Health care services
Services for the developmentally disabled
School governance
Orders of the Day
Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en réduisant les formalités administratives
The House met at 0900.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Good morning, everyone. Let us pray.
Prayers.
Estimates
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 62(c), the 2025-26 estimates of the Office of the Assembly; the Office of the Auditor General; the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer; and Ombudsman Ontario, having been approved by the Board of Internal Economy and tabled on December 9, 2025, are deemed to be concurred in.
Report, Financial Accountability Officer
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I beg to inform the House that the following document was tabled: a report entitled Expenditure Monitor 2025-26: Q2, from the Office of the Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario.
Orders of the Day
Hon. Steve Clark: I seek unanimous consent that the member for Essex be allowed to move second and third reading of Bill Pr8,
An Act to revive Thistletown Lions Club, on behalf of the member for Whitby.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The government House leader is seeking unanimous consent for the member for Essex to be allowed to move second and third reading of Bill Pr8,
An Act to revive Thistletown Lions Club, on behalf of the member for Whitby. Agreed? Agreed.
I recognize the member for Timiskaming–Cochrane.
Mr. John Vanthof: I seek unanimous consent that the member for London West be permitted to move second and third reading of Bill Pr17,
An Act to revive Ludger Michel Estates Limited, in place of the member for Sudbury.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Mr. Vanthof is seeking unanimous consent that the member for London West be permitted to move second and third reading of Bill Pr17,
An Act to revive Ludger Michel Estates Limited, in place of the member for Sudbury. Agreed? Agreed.
I recognize the member for Don Valley West.
Ms. Stephanie Bowman: I seek the unanimous consent of the House that the member for Don Valley West be permitted to move second and third reading of Bill Pr18,
An Act to revive 2163694 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The member for Don Valley West is seeking unanimous consent to be permitted to move second and third reading of Bill Pr18,
An Act to revive 2163694 Ontario Ltd. Agreed? Agreed.
I recognize the member for Kitchener Centre.
Ms. Aislinn Clancy: I seek unanimous consent to move second and third reading of Bill Pr16,
An Act to revive 1581766 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Unanimous consent is not required.
Gilda Investments Limited Act, 2025
Mrs. Cooper moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr3,
An Act to revive Gilda Investments Limited.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Gilda Investments Limited Act, 2025
Mrs. Cooper moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr3,
An Act to revive Gilda Investments Limited.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Marbro Holdings Ltd. Act, 2025
Mr. Mamakwa moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr4,
An Act to revive Marbro Holdings Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): It is the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Marbro Holdings Ltd. Act, 2025
Mr. Mamakwa moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr4,
An Act to revive Marbro Holdings Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be is resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Social Asset Measurements Inc. Act, 2025
Ms. Bell moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr5,
An Act to revive Social Asset Measurements Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Social Asset Measurements Inc. Act, 2025
Ms. Bell moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr5,
An Act to revive Social Asset Measurements Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Andrew Zawadowski Medicine Professional Corporation Act, 2025
Ms. Pierre moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr6,
An Act to revive Andrew Zawadowski Medicine Professional Corporation.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Andrew Zawadowski Medicine Professional Corporation Act, 2025
Ms. Pierre moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr6,
An Act to revive Andrew Zawadowski Medicine Professional Corporation.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
2512681 Ontario Inc. Act, 2025
Mr. Sabawy moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr7,
An Act to revive 2512681 Ontario Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
2512681 Ontario Inc. Act, 2025
Mr. Sabawy moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr7,
An Act to revive 2512681 Ontario Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Thistletown Lions Club Act, 2025
Mr. Leardi, on behalf of Mr. Coe, moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr8,
An Act to revive Thistletown Lions Club.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Thistletown Lions Club Act, 2025
Mr. Leardi, on behalf of Mr. Coe, moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr8,
An Act to revive Thistletown Lions Club.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Five Senses Productions Inc. Act, 2025
Ms. Bell moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr10,
An Act to revive Five Senses Productions Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Five Senses Productions Inc. Act, 2025
Ms. Bell moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr10,
An Act to revive Five Senses Productions Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
2708634 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Ms. Bowman moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr15,
An Act to revive 2708634 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
2708634 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Ms. Bowman moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr15,
An Act to revive 2708634 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
1581766 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Ms. Clancy moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr16,
An Act to revive 1581766 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
1581766 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Ms. Clancy moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr16,
An Act to revive 1581766 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Ludger Michel Estates Limited Act, 2025
Ms. Sattler, on behalf of MPP West, moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr17,
An Act to revive Ludger Michel Estates Limited.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Ludger Michel Estates Limited Act, 2025
Ms. Sattler, on behalf of MPP West, moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr17,
An Act to revive Ludger Michel Estates Limited.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
2163694 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Ms. Bowman, on behalf of Mr. Blais, moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr18,
An Act to revive 2163694 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
2163694 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Ms. Bowman, on behalf of Mr. Blais, moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr18,
An Act to revive 2163694 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
730159 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Mr. Saunderson moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr20,
An Act to revive 730159 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
730159 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2025
Mr. Saunderson moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr20,
An Act to revive 730159 Ontario Ltd.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Sur-Leen Farms Limited Act, 2025
Mr. Pinsonneault moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr23,
An Act to revive Sur-Leen Farms Limited.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Sur-Leen Farms Limited Act, 2025
Mr. Pinsonneault moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr23,
An Act to revive Sur-Leen Farms Limited.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Groves Memorial Community Hospital Act, 2025
Mr. Racinsky moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr32,
An Act respecting Groves Memorial Community Hospital.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Groves Memorial Community Hospital Act, 2025
Mr. Racinsky moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr32,
An Act respecting Groves Memorial Community Hospital.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
Honey Harbour Community Church Inc. Act, 2025
Mr. Saunderson moved second reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr33,
An Act to revive Honey Harbour Community Church Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Second reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 89(b), the bill is ordered for third reading.
Honey Harbour Community Church Inc. Act, 2025
Mr. Saunderson moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill Pr33,
An Act to revive Honey Harbour Community Church Inc.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
Third reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Orders of the day.
Mr. Anthony Leardi: No further business.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 10:15.
The House recessed from 0924 to 1015.
Members’ Statements
Holiday events in Thornhill
Ms. Laura Smith: Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the absolute privilege of celebrating the holiday season in my riding of Thornhill, marking such a special time, embracing generosity, kindness, gratitude and supporting our neighbours. I’ve seen these values literally come alive in Thornhill.
Holy Trinity hosted their annual Old-Fashioned Festival of Christmas, which featured beautifully handmade gifts. My favourite: their homemade fudge; I ate all of it.
The Garnet A. Williams Seniors Club hosted their first Christmas celebration. It was absolutely fantastic. Smiles filled the room. We danced with Zumba. It was pretty incredible.
I also spent a lovely evening listening to Christmas carols at Thornhill United Church, where we watched performances from local Presbyterian, Baptist, United, Anglican and Roman Catholic choirs, all coming together—one night, local unity—all in support of the Christmas assistance program.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the great time I had at the BAYT latke bingo night last Saturday. The children were so excited. Fun literally filled the room.
Through all of these celebrations, I’ve seen volunteers giving their time, families supporting local traditions, and neighbours offering kindness to those around them.
One thing is very, very clear: Our community shines the brightest when we all come together.
I want to wish everyone in Thornhill and across Ontario and in this House very happy holidays.
Professors of Funk Friends and Family Christmas Special
Ms. Jennifer K. French: Since 2014, the Professors of Funk Friends and Family Christmas Special, a fundraiser concert for the Back Door Mission, has been held at the historic Simcoe Street United Church, an iconic landmark built in 1867 in downtown Oshawa. This one-of-a-kind festive holiday concert melds together music styles, both traditional and modern, with guest performers from across Durham region. Since its inception, over 100 performers have stepped on that stage to help raise over $100,000 for the Back Door Mission, lifting up the most marginalized members of the community and bringing thousands of people together for this cause every December.
This year’s concert will be another opportunity for our community to come together to appreciate holiday favourites and our neighbours.
I have been proud to support the work of Mission United at the Back Door Mission and its partners that serve our neighbours in need.
The Back Door Mission stepped up during COVID to provide necessary services to unsheltered community members, coordinating emergency care, food, acute medical care and community resources, all while building relationships and hope.
I was proud to work with community advocates and this government to secure necessary funding for medical needs to continue to be met at the mission. The work of the mission is important and complicated, but helping others and meeting them where they are is a goal worth supporting.
I want to appreciate Derek Giberson for organizing this special concert from the beginning and applaud the Professors of Funk and all their talented musical friends, who will be raising money this holiday season to support the mission and all of our neighbours in need.
Merry Christmas.
Public safety
Mr. Adil Shamji: This past Saturday, our nation reflected on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Against this solemn backdrop, I couldn’t help but reflect on the difficult months that Don Valley East has experienced. Just this Monday, for example, a stabbing in Flemingdon Park took our community by surprise. There have recently been two hate-motivated Islamophobic attacks affecting my constituents. And there has been no shortage of auto thefts, armed break-ins, and even carjackings.
At a time when families are hoping for peace over the holidays, many are instead wondering if their homes and loved ones will be safe. And sadly, they have received far too little help from this government. The Premier’s only solutions have been to point fingers at other levels of government, eliminate speed cameras, and leave our jails at record levels of overcrowding.
This fall, I held a community town hall on safety, and I conducted a survey. Nearly half of my constituents reported feeling unsafe. Traffic safety and property crime topped the list of their concerns, followed by violent crime. When asked about solutions, my community called for balance—fair and strong enforcement, yes, but also mental health supports, community programs, and stronger neighbourhood connections. This is the Canadian way—justice paired with compassion, enforcement along with prevention. These values bind us together.
As the MPP for Don Valley East, I will demand better in this Legislature and work with Toronto police and community partners to make our riding safe, supported and connected through incredible initiatives like community safety hubs.
Finally, thank you to all first responders who keep us safe on the front lines.
Peter Marsh
Mr. David Smith: I rise today to recognize Peter Marsh, president of Gallery X Scarborough and a brilliant artist. Last week, I had the honour of welcoming Mr. Marsh to my office to discuss the future of art and culture in Scarborough.
Since arriving in Scarborough in 1965, Mr. Marsh has been a tireless champion of art education.
As Wexford Collegiate’s first art director, he helped transform the school into a leading institution for the arts. His vision endures well beyond retirement, with the music theatre program flourishing and Wexford renamed Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. In 2015, the school honoured him with the Peter Marsh Art Gallery, a lasting tribute to his decades of dedication.
Even during the pandemic, his One Painting a Day project inspired neighbours and reminded us of the power of art.
Speaker, Peter Marsh’s legacy is rooted in Scarborough’s identity, and his leadership continues to inspire new generations. I am proud to honour him today.
Services de santé dans le Nord
M. Guy Bourgouin: L’accès aux soins de santé dans le Nord est en crise. Dans nos communautés, nous n’avons pas de spécialistes locaux, soit nous attendons des mois—parfois des années—qu’un spécialiste passe dans la région, soit nos médecins doivent nous référer à l’extérieur. Mais même ces options s’effondrent. Dernièrement, des patients du Nord se voient refuser leurs demandes parce que les grands centres, déjà débordés, n’acceptent plus de patients de l’extérieur.
Cela signifie une chose très simple : les gens du Nord n’ont pas un accès équitable aux soins auxquels ils ont droit. Pendant que les besoins augmentent, les iniquités se creusent. La province sous-investit dans tout notre système. L’impact est encore plus sévère chez nous. Les délais explosent :
—six mois d’attente pour une biopsie de la glande thyroïde;
—plus de deux ans en gynécologie;
—jusqu’à trois ans en neurologie; et
—des années pour obtenir un médecin de famille.
Pendant ce temps, nos médecins doivent faire tout : l’urgence, l’hôpital, les cliniques, la médecine familiale, avec un modèle de financement qui pénalise les petites communautés et un accès très limité aux soins à domicile.
Le système doit changer. Nous avons besoin d’un système provincial centralisé de références pour réduire les délais et garantir que les patients du Nord ne soient plus laissés de côté. Les gens du Nord méritent un accès équitable aux soins, comme le reste de la province. Nous ne sommes pas des citoyens de deuxième classe.
Government investments
Mr. Dave Smith: Speaker, we’ll rise for Christmas in just one more sessional day after today, and I thought I’d look back at some of the progress that we’ve made this year in my riding.
Let’s start with long-term care—it has been very productive for us. AON opened a 128-bed facility in Havelock this past September. A 256-bed facility will be opened by Extendicare in Peterborough, just off of Fairbairn Street, in the new year. And we had groundbreakings and construction has started on two more facilities of 256 beds and 224 beds—one at Trent University, by peopleCare, and another on Langton Street, by Omni. That’s 864 new or refurbished long-term-care beds for our area in a year.
Peterborough also saw a community health centre open at the old Toronto-Dominion Bank location. Up to 5,500 people will be getting primary care who did not have primary care before. This is a game-changer for many in our community.
We have also opened a new 12-bed detox and rehab facility at 24 Paddock Wood in Peterborough.
We’re ending 2025 on a very positive note, and 2026 is looking like it will be an even better year for us.
NYAD Corvette
Ms. Doly Begum: I rise to share the message brought forward by the wonderful children and educators from NYAD Corvette, who are here in the gallery this morning. Recently, I received a heartfelt letter from Gitanjali, one of the students here today. She wrote to us about art. Whether it’s in the form of drawing, singing or performing, it makes them feel happy, confident and connected. However, they’re unable to find affordable after-school activities or arts programming in our community that are accessible to them.
In fact, educators at NYAD have shared how extracurricular activities like art strengthen children’s learning by building problem-solving skills, boosting confidence, reducing stress, and helping them appreciate others. Art helps them prepare for their future.
So NYAD stepped up and invested in an arts program themselves, filling a gap that our government should have addressed. Their message is clear: Not only kids at NYAD, but all children across our province, should have this opportunity.
I urge this government to step up and not leave our children behind. We must invest in meaningful extracurricular spaces so that children can explore their talents and grow into confident young people across our province.
Thank you so much for your message. We stand with you, and we’re going to fight hard to make sure that you have accessible space, to make sure that you can draw, perform, sing and dance, and be the wonderful human beings that you want to be.
Public safety / Christmas concert
Mr. Sheref Sabawy: Mississauga residents deserve a safe community, free from crime.
I am proud of security and police at Erin Mills Town Centre and Peel Regional Police for their instant response and for apprehending four robbery suspects after an alleged jewellery store theft attempt in the mall.
This week, we also learned about Project Wrangler, which arrested 13 people and dismantled crime groups. This operation required co-operation with many different police agencies in both Ontario and Quebec. This shows that when all hands are on deck and supported by the provincial government, together we can get stuff done.
Thank you very much to the police forces who are constantly working hard to keep our community safe.
Speaker, I want to acknowledge a very talented performer who I had the pleasure of watching this weekend. Zlata Barchuk is 10 years old and a very impressive performer. Her Christmas fairy tale concert in support of Ukrainian children was one of a kind.
Whether you are celebrating Christmas or you are enjoying the holiday season, this is a time to celebrate with loved ones, reflect on the blessings of the year, and look forward to the new opportunities ahead.
Best wishes to everyone for a merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy new year.
Holiday messages
MPP Bill Rosenberg: As the weeks and months fly by in our busy lives, we once again find ourselves in the middle of December. This time of year often feels even busier as we prepare to gather with friends and family to celebrate and to make lasting memories. It is a season to appreciate what we have and the people we are blessed to share it with. But not everyone is as fortunate, and this is something we should keep in mind.
For many of us, this time of year can be especially challenging. Everyone carries their own story and their own reasons why the holidays may feel difficult.
Volunteering in the community is something my wife, Jeannine, and I have always cherished. Bringing smiles and warm conversation to those who may not have someone to spend time with means a great deal to us. These moments are deeply rewarding, and they are experiences we truly treasure.
Festive holiday displays are also something I’m quite familiar with. My own home has become a bit reminiscent of the Griswolds’ Christmas Vacation movie. It’s a project that takes weeks to complete, but it’s one that brings us great joy. My Christmas card captures a piece of this display, and I can say our road is well travelled each year by people of all ages coming to visit the winter wonderland of lights.
As we head home for the holidays, I hope each of us takes a moment to look around our neighbourhoods and notice those who may benefit from companionship, friendship, and even just a simple chat. This is a time for all of us to think of others, to open our hearts, and to teach our children the values and traditions our parents instilled in us.
Merry Christmas.
Introduction of Visitors
M. Guy Bourgouin: Je veux souhaiter la bienvenue à mes amis Diane Potvin Carrière puis Jacques Carrière. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park.
Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I’d like to introduce two amazing Great Lakes champions: Gregory Ford, who is a Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and vice-president of Swim Drink Fish; and Dr. Eden Hataley, a U of T researcher doing phenomenal work with diverting plastics from our Great Lakes with U of T Trash Team.
Welcome to your House.
Ms. Doly Begum: I’m so excited to welcome the educators and students from NYAD daycare on Corvette: Sandra Holvor-Calhoun, Teneke Shabazz, Alicia Chase, Danielle Wittick, Gitanjali Adhikari, Hendrick Catling, Yannick Ferryman, Izabelle Huggins, Alyanna Cole, Marianna Cole, Milania Brown, Jeremiah Simon, Suleiman Ibrahim, and Mayaye Henok. Welcome to your House.
Mr. John Jordan: I want to introduce my executive assistant, Joseph Ward, and his girlfriend, Sara Benoire.
Welcome to Queen’s Park, Sara.
Mr. David Smith: I’m pleased today to welcome three guests to the Legislature: Neel Joshi, impact director for Scarborough at the Northpine Foundation; Sam Ibrahim, president and CEO of the Arrow Group of Companies in Scarborough; and Gabriel Fanous, vice-president of Arrow Workforce Solutions. Thank you all for being here today. Welcome to your House.
Mr. Joseph Racinsky: I’m happy to welcome my friend Ian Wylie to the Legislature. He’s a strong advocate for seniors and vulnerable people in his community.
Hon. Stephen Crawford: Zohaib Malhi and Sheheryar Mian, welcome to Queen’s Park.
Question Period
Government accountability
Ms. Marit Stiles: My question is for the Premier.
Yesterday, the Premier said he doesn’t like answering questions in question period because there are too many lies and he can’t call them out, apparently.
What I have been raising is that the minister hand-picked low-scoring applicants to receive skills development grants, despite warnings from ministry experts. The minister even admitted to this on live radio.
I will ask the Premier: Is that a lie?
Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, without question, we’ve seen selective information and efforts, for partisanship purposes, to smear a fund that’s training men and women in the construction sector; that’s helping support almost 110,000 people to find employment within 60 days or less.
We’ve worked through this program, through each successive round, to implement improvements—something the Leader of the Opposition hasn’t acknowledged or recognized; these are answers that have been provided in this place—to improve the program that is changing lives.
Again, 100,000-plus people, employment within 60 days or less—it’s supporting incredible increases in young people registering for apprenticeships. You need apprentices if you’re going to build the hospitals and the schools we say we want to build, and we fully intend to do it.
That’s why we’re supporting men and women in the trades, getting young people—we’ve seen a historic increase in the number of women registering for apprenticeships, and it’s only going to continue—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary.
Ms. Marit Stiles: [ Inaudible ] any apprenticeships out there.
Back to the Premier: I don’t take being called a liar very lightly. So I do expect some answers here.
This week, I’ve been talking about Connex technologies’ CEO, Sayan Navaratnam, who was hit with a three-year ban by the Ontario Securities Commission for his role in the Facedrive scandal—we all remember that; who could forget? This guy was charged with misleading the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a certain kind of low. The government still gave him not one, but two skills development grants.
Back to the Premier: Is that a lie too?
Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, again, organizations are assessed as an organization. They’re assessed with a variety of metrics. A risk assessment process is run. We’ve implemented financial audits for organizations. And that’s what we’re going to do. These are assessing the merits of the programs; not those individuals.
We’re going to make sure that we work hard to support people in the AI sector. This is disrupting workers of this province, and workers want to know that they have a government that’s going to help them with respect to AI disruption.
President Trump’s tariffs—we’re supporting Unifor and other automotive, key unions in the response; in the skilled trades, to actually build the Ring of Fire, something we’ve said we’re going to do; partnering with the federal government and others on major national projects like new nuclear, small modular reactors.
We’re supporting young folks in entering meaningful careers, in apprenticeships.
That’s what we’re doing. That’s what this fund is doing. It’s changing lives. And we’re proud to support the people of Ontario.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Final supplementary.
Ms. Marit Stiles: Tell that to the people in Brampton—the 3,000 Unifor workers who are losing their jobs.
I have asked the Minister of Labour to resign. I have asked for him to be fired.
Is the Premier refusing to fire his Minister of Labour just to protect himself?
Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, we take our orders from the people who elect us—not from the leader opposite—the people we serve in the province of Ontario.
Let’s talk about Unifor. That member said she was going to be there, in the rain, for the Unifor workers, and she never showed up. We were there, speaking to the leaders of that union, talking with them about ways we can support them. We’ve invested through SDF. We value what they do. They challenge us for better public policy. They actually bring things for sound public policy—something we never get from those members opposite. That’s why we’ve made incredible investments that have attracted billions in the automotive sector.
The Premier knows and the leaders of that union know that you can’t negotiate from your knees—and they know that the Premier will never turn his back on those workers, ever.
Government accountability
Ms. Marit Stiles: The Premier has already turned his back on all those workers.
This morning, Trillium reported that another company that’s owned by Sayan Navaratnam, Knowledgehook, received a skills development grant. Mr. Navaratnam was fined by the Ontario Securities Commission for misleading the public—with taxpayer dollars—during the COVID-19 pandemic. None of this was a secret—we all knew—but the minister gave Mr. Navaratnam money anyway.
Whenever this government has the choice between corporate insiders and the public, they always choose insiders, every single time.
Back to the Premier: Why did your Minister of Labour insist on giving millions of taxpayer dollars to someone who has been sanctioned by the Ontario Securities Commission?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Minister of Labour.
Hon. David Piccini: Here we go again. Look at the publicly available guidelines for SDF. Dollars don’t go to individuals; they go to organizations.
By the way, that’s not the CEO of the organization, Knowledgehook.
Let’s look at what that group does. They’ve partnered with Toronto District School Board, Peel District School Board. That member herself said that we have to bolster teacher training, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’ve brought in math proficiency tests for teachers. We’re strengthening math training for students. They’re doing incredible work. They’ve got a former Mexican President on their board—leaders in the industry—and were even awarded an award from the former Premier, Kathleen Wynne, and Ontario Centre of Innovation. This is a group that’s helping train teachers.
I expected her to oppose building trades and unions like LIUNA, operating engineers, carpenters, UA. I didn’t expect her to oppose training for teachers.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the Leader of the Opposition.
Ms. Marit Stiles: Well, that’s some wild behaviour over there when Santa Claus is coming to town. Let me tell you, there’s going to be some coal in those stockings over there.
We are seeing the same pattern that we always do with this government. Navaratnam donated thousands of dollars to Conservative Party members. His company hired a former Ford government staffer as their lobbyist. And then, guess what? He got $2.5 million—not from Santa Claus, but from the Skills Development Fund and that Minister of Labour.
This has become the standard for this government, because everybody is told very clearly that they have to pay to play; we know it because they tell us.
Is the Premier rewarding disgraced CEOs because they are his party’s donors?
Hon. David Piccini: They can mock and make Christmas references all they want, but on this side of the House, when 100,000-plus people go from underemployment to employment—that’s something to be proud of.
What else are we doing? They wanted to give pink slips to men and women who work in our nuclear sector. What are we doing? We’re refurbishing Pickering. We are then building small modular reactors. We’re exporting that technology to the world. We’re building new nuclear—for 90% of which the supply chain is here in Ontario.
We have a fund that’s going to support workers in training. They’ve opposed those folks. That is why unions have abandoned them.
The Leader of the Opposition spoke—and after her disgrace review by members, she spoke about restoring confidence with labour.
Well, news flash: If you oppose every project that puts those people to work, you’re not supporting labour; you’re against them. They see it exactly for what it is.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Final supplementary.
Ms. Marit Stiles: Well, dance, dance, dance faster there, Minister.
I’ve got to tell you: I’m old enough to remember when these very members were calling out the Liberal government, before them, for their pay-to-play schemes—they were in power then. They were calling them out, in opposition. And now they are following the same playbook.
The 3,000 workers in Brampton, 1,000 in Sault Ste. Marie, 1,000 workers in Ingersoll—they have lost their jobs, under your government’s watch.
Families across this province are trying to stretch a dollar. They are struggling to make ends meet at this very moment, and this Premier doesn’t seem to care. That is the message that they are getting every single day from this government.
So I want to know from the Premier: Why did the Premier let donors and insiders cut the line for the Skills Development Fund, to keep the gravy train flowing?
Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, let’s talk about affordability in this country—something, from coast to coast to coast, that concerns Canadians.
What does the Leader of the Opposition do? She opposes every measure for energy independence and energy security—something that is driving down energy prices and providing stability in the energy sector. She opposed it.
When we talked about removing the tolls on the 413, she opposed removing tolls.
She opposed licence fees.
She even opposed hunting and angling and waiving fees there. This is just absolutely crazy for folks in rural Ontario.
They’ve opposed every measure we’ve put in place to put more money back in people’s pockets.
And then, when we want to create the opportunity for economic investment—we’ve significantly improved revenue for foreign direct investment in this province. They opposed every measure.
They opposed building new schools, new hospitals, Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass, and the Ring of Fire.
These are all tangible things that are putting people to work and providing better opportunities—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?
Government accountability
Mr. John Fraser: Yesterday, the Premier vigorously defended giving tens of millions of dollars to people we can’t trust.
We have the ongoing investigation by the OPP into Keel Digital Solutions.
And then we have Mr. Sayan Navaratnam, whose company received a skills development grant despite him being sanctioned seriously by the Ontario Securities Commission—and then he also took all of us on a ride, in the pandemic, for $2 million. They still gave him money. We learned today that another of his companies, Knowledgehook, received $1.5 million from the Ontario government.
So the question is simple: Why does the Premier continue to give millions of dollars to people who we know are bad actors?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Minister of Labour.
Hon. David Piccini: Again, this is an organization that was praised by the former Liberal leader, Premier Kathleen Wynne. This is an organization that has partnered with school boards all over Ontario; that has attracted leaders on their board, who include the former President of Mexico. This is an organization that is helping empower a next generation of teachers with proficiency in math.
The Skills Development Fund is supporting—from manufacturing halls to long-term-care facilities to union training halls to teachers.
We know we need more teachers. This government and this minister have done an incredible job of building new schools—a new school in my own community. You’re going to need teachers to staff that school, and we have a plan that’s supporting a next generation of teachers. We’re going to keep doing that to build a stronger Ontario.
Again, they’ve got no idea, no plan for jobs—just partisanship.
We’re focused on meaningful training opportunities—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?
Mr. John Fraser: My dad used to say, “Be careful who you hang out with because you’ll be judged by the company that you keep.”
As it turns out, the lobbyist for Knowledgehook is no other than David DiPaul, who was the director of stakeholder relations in the Premier’s office. Before that, he was actually Michael Ford’s chief of staff. So, I guess the Premier likes to keep it all in the family—keep it tight.
You have to wonder: Do you have to get a former Premier’s office staffer, or maybe a current one, to make securities violations go away, taking the government for a ride go away, so you can get a skills development grant?
Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, again—selective.
We talked about the hospitality workers’ union, whose head of GR is a former staff member of Kathleen Wynne. But none of that matters. I see a remarkable young man in him—a remarkable young man who wants to stand up for hospitality workers, who met me in my first week on the job. I didn’t give two hoots who he worked for in the past—because it was what he was doing and the impact he had on training. That’s what we’re focused on.
Training a next generation of teachers; training a next generation of young people to enter meaningful careers in apprenticeships; working in construction; building new schools—they closed; building new highways—highways they opposed; unlocking the potential of the Ring of Fire—they oppose; supporting us on the nuclear sector—again, stuff they oppose.
Bring forward a meaningful plan for jobs; put it in this place.
Let’s debate public policy and stop smearing—including staffers of your former government. They’re [inaudible] too.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Leader of the third party.
Mr. John Fraser: Well, just like I’ve said thousands of times before—like the greenbelt, all roads lead to the Premier’s office.
The company Facedrive—the one that took us for a ride for two million bucks—changed its name to Steer, and then it changed its name to Argo, I think just to cover their trail. In September, they got a new head of business operations, Jenna Bendayan, who, until August this year, was the head of priority initiatives in the Premier’s office. That’s a pretty tangled web.
This all stinks, and it lands right at the feet of the Premier.
So when is the Premier going to come clean about the grift that is the Skills Development Fund?
Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, again, it’s about impact—supporting teachers, supporting them in all of the school boards that they’re partnered with: Toronto, Peel, Ottawa, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, and Simcoe.
Let’s look at some of the testimonials here. Ashanty, a grade 6 teacher in Toronto, who uses Knowledgehook to help tailor teaching math skills that match the unique needs and learning styles of her students—and Claudine, a grade 5 teacher, through 20 years, has noticed math anxiety in young students.
These are the substantial things we see, and so we’re trying to address that with the educators at the front of the class, providing supports for parents and families.
Again, all of these things—they oppose. I can’t understand why they’re opposing.
When you empower young people with proficiency in math, they see right through the tax schemes of the Liberals, who just want to tax them to death. When we empower them to stand on their own two feet, do you know what? They see right through what the Liberal government did: tax them to death—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?
Food banks
Mr. John Fraser: It’s close to Christmas, and the great thing about Christmas is that there’s always an ability to redeem oneself.
Speaker, we all agreed, when we pulled American liquor off the shelves, it was the right thing to do. We sent a message. It felt good. And do you know what would be even better? To do some good at home with that action and not just let this liquor collect dust in a warehouse.
What I’m calling on the Premier to do today—asking the Premier, all of us—can we sell that American liquor, use the profits, and give it to Ontario’s food banks and have it do some good? There are more people than ever going to visit food banks in Ontario this year. It’s going to be really tough. It would help a lot of people.
So will the Premier instruct the LCBO to sell that surplus liquor we have collecting dust and use that money, the profits, to give to Ontario food banks?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Peterborough–Kawartha.
Mr. Dave Smith: I thank the member opposite for the question.
What we have seen since we took the American liquor off the shelves is a massive increase in sales in Canadian products. Ontario, in particular—a 79% increase in Ontario VQA wine alone.
The member opposite may want to support American companies, but this government, our Premier, has said we need to get behind the people of Ontario. We need to support all of those workers in Ontario. And what are we seeing? Record numbers of people who are employed in this industry as a result of that.
We will continue making sure that we’re doing the things that we need to do to protect the people of Ontario, to increase the opportunities for jobs, and to make sure that Ontario is the best place in the G7 to invest in.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Don Valley West.
Ms. Stephanie Bowman: According to Daily Bread and North York Harvest Food Bank, visits to food banks reached another all-time high this year: 4.1 million visits in Toronto alone. And they’re up in my riding of Don Valley West too, at the TNO food bank. What do we hear from this government on that? Silence.
Speaker, other provinces are stepping up to help their local food banks by selling off the US alcohol on the shelves. We know the PC government is holding $80 million of US alcohol in storage—the finance minister said that about $2 million of that will expire over the next six or seven months. Basically, it will all be poured down the drain.
My question to the Premier: Will he pour all that US booze down the drain or let the LCBO sell it to help food banks feed families?
Mr. Dave Smith: This is a government that has done everything possible to protect the people of Ontario, to protect the industries in Ontario.
When we take a look at the measures of removing the American product off of the shelves, what has this meant? Not just an increase in VQA wine sales—it has also seen an increase in craft beer. We have seen an increase in craft cider—in fact, craft cider is now the fastest-growing industry in the alcohol file in Ontario. And all of this translates to jobs. This is about protecting the people of Ontario. This is about doing things that increase opportunities for employment—and it is the right measure to do this.
To put American alcohol back on the shelves would mean we’re saying to all of those Ontario employees, “You’re not valued. We want the Americans more than we want people in Ontario to work”—and we disagree with that philosophy from the Liberal Party.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Etobicoke–Lakeshore.
Ms. Lee Fairclough: Actually, there are four provinces that are putting that surplus United States liquor to good use. They’re selling it, and they’re donating the profits to support people in need. And the need in Ontario has never been greater.
Here in Toronto, the Daily Bread Food Bank, in my riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore, reports more than 4.1 million food bank visits in the past year. That’s a record 340% increase since 2019.
To the Premier: Will he make this commitment to support struggling Ontarians this Christmas season and donate liquor profits to food banks?
Mr. Dave Smith: Madam Speaker, I am appalled that the member opposite has stood up here and said Canadian people, Ontario jobs should not be protected. I’m appalled that the member opposite is supporting American companies by that kind of a statement. This government will not do that.
We are here protecting the people of Ontario. We’re ensuring that people in Ontario have jobs, that they have the ability to go out and buy the things that they need to buy. We want to make sure that we’re protecting the workers in this province, and we’ll continue to do that.
We’ll take no lessons—from these things coming from that Liberal member.
Government advertising
Mr. Sol Mamakwa: I know everywhere you look, there is an ad for the Ring of Fire. We saw them on TV during the World Series. They are showing up in countless other places—all over downtown Toronto, but far away from Kiiwetinoong.
To the Premier: The public deserves to know how many taxpayer dollars have gone towards this self-serving campaign.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Attorney General.
Hon. Doug Downey: I just want to re-emphasize the importance of the Ring of Fire. The wealth that is in the ground that we can extract with our partners will be transformative for this province. It is billions upon billions of dollars of investment, and we want the people of Ontario to know that the investments will cascade throughout the entire province—to manufacturing and development in southern Ontario, all the way through the north. It’s an opportunity for us to look for and engage with partners—both First Nations and others.
We are getting the word out that when the Americans talk about the critical minerals, they’re talking about our critical minerals. So it’s important that we take a leadership role. We put, literally, a stake in the ground, and we get the job done.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Kiiwetinoong.
Mr. Sol Mamakwa: I was simply asking for an amount. And those aren’t your minerals.
One of the things that this government needs to understand is that your approach to Bill 5, the Ring of Fire, and even these ads I talk about does not trump the inherent rights of the First Nations who live on these homelands.
This government’s approach will not work. Let me very be very clear on that. This government is getting very bad advice on this work. It will not happen.
Speaker, will this government commit to pulling all of the Ring of Fire ads and stop misleading the public?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I’m going to ask the member to withdraw the words “misleading the public.”
Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Withdraw.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Energy and Mines.
Hon. Stephen Lecce: What cannot stand is that it takes 15 years to build a mine in the province.
What is unacceptable is a world where China, the great violator of human rights, a country that has electricity using coal power—that they triumph.
Every day, members opposite work together to land-lock our resources.
We can build in partnership, but stagnation is not an option. Our Premier campaigned on a “one project, one process” vision to cut the permit timelines by 50%. We have made that a reality, in partnership with First Nation communities, because of billions of dollars of investment.
The improvement of quality of life—10,000 jobs are on the line unless we work together as legislators to get minerals out of the ground, the most ethical resources on earth.
We all should be proud of this country, proud of our workers—proud of the ethics that underpin it.
You should stand up for Ontario’s resources. Get them out of the ground.
Government accountability
Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: We’ve asked the President of the Treasury Board several questions about the audit process. Most times, it seems like she has not been permitted to respond. There are serious questions around why the government would continue to give Keel Digital Solutions more money, even after serious irregularities were found. This matter was ultimately referred to the OPP to investigate.
A simple question: Why would the government continue to give a company more money after irregularities had been found and the company was flagged for forensic audit?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Colleges and Universities.
Hon. Nolan Quinn: A simple question deserves a simple answer—and I think I’ve mentioned it a few times in this House: Within 24 hours, we reported it to the OPP, once it was recommended. Maybe the third party is just not listening.
Let me tell you what we are doing for our publicly funded post-secondary system that they continue to vote against.
We’ve invested almost $2.5 billion into the post-secondary system within the last 18 months. Again, the leader of the third party voted against that.
We’ll continue to be there for the post-secondary sector, with strategic investments into the sector—whether it’s STEM, skilled trades, nursing or teaching seats. We’ll continue to be there while the NDP vote against it and the Liberals vote against it as well. We will not rely on them to support the post-secondary sector. We’ll continue to be there for the post-secondary sector.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Kanata–Carleton.
Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: That wasn’t an answer to the question. That was deflection, distraction, misdirection.
We get it. An audit was conducted. Irregularities were found. The police were contacted. We get it. But the government kept giving more money to Keel Digital Solutions, even after they knew all these things had happened.
Back to the President of the Treasury Board: How could she have condoned such actions?
Hon. Nolan Quinn: I guess the member from Kanata–Carleton didn’t hear me.
Within 24 hours, we reported it to the OPP—within 24 hours.
Again, they don’t want to talk about the publicly assisted post-secondary system; I do.
We’ve invested a significant amount of money into the system. Whether it’s the $1.3 billion that we’ve invested in the system to stabilize the sector—because their federal counterparts created chaos right across all of Canada.
But do you know what? They’ll continue to vote against our strategic investments into the post-secondary sector, including the billion dollars they voted against in budget 2025—$750 million for priority STEM programming, 20,000 new funded seats that they voted against.
I don’t know how they stand up and ask these questions when they continue to vote against our post-secondary system.
Ontario economy
Mr. Dave Smith: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
President Trump’s tariffs are changing the investment landscape across the globe. This unprecedented attack on critical sectors is forcing us to build a future that moves away from an overreliance on the US.
Businesses from across the world are also recognizing that the volatile environment in the US does not give them the certainty they need to make long-term investments.
While there are challenges for Ontario, there is also immense opportunity. We are the stable and reliable partner that companies from across the globe are looking for.
Speaker, can the minister highlight how our government has been working to attract more investment and bring more companies to Ontario?
Hon. Victor Fedeli: Madam Speaker, today is the day to say thank you—thank you to the 409 international companies that invested nearly $40 billion in Ontario, creating 24,711 jobs last year. So thank you to them. That is an increase of 400% since 2019.
Despite the unprecedented economic uncertainty driven by Trump’s tariffs, this year, again, looks promising.
Last week, Ontario landed—in five days, in five cities—$1 billion in new investments, creating 770 jobs, last week alone. The week before that, we joined the Premier in St. Thomas, at Vianode, who are investing $3.2 billion, creating 1,000 jobs.
Speaker, we are going to continue to ensure that Ontario remains the best location for worldwide companies to enter.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?
Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you to the minister for that.
Global competition for investment is fierce, and our government continues to ensure Ontario is top of mind for companies across the world. We’re promoting our strengths and building on our successes to date.
After years of Liberal high taxes, we’ve restored Ontario’s ability to compete for job-creating investments. We’ve lowered the annual cost of business by $12 billion annually, making it easier for companies to come and set up and grow.
Speaker, as President Trump’s tariffs continue to reshape global supply chains and push companies to rethink where they operate, can the minister share how we’re ensuring Ontario remains the best place for businesses to invest, expand, and create more good-paying jobs?
Hon. Victor Fedeli: Madam Speaker, we have now secured, in Ontario, $113 billion in investment from companies around the world—and more importantly, they have hired 113,000 people in the province of Ontario.
One million more people are working today in the province than the day we were elected. Speaker, 70,000 new jobs were created in the last three months alone.
Make no mistake: These are challenging times. But Ontario is showing our resilience. We’re taking actions to build on that progress. We’re tearing down international trade barriers. We’re adding $200 billion to our country’s GDP. We’re going to continue to bring investments from around the globe. We will come out of this once-in-a-generation crisis stronger than ever.
Northern health services / Services de santé dans le Nord
Mr. Guy Bourgouin: Access to health care in northern Ontario is in crisis. Patients face years-long waits for specialists, and referrals outside of the region are often rejected due to strict catchment rules, creating a two-tiered system that leaves northerners behind.
To the Premier: Cancer and disease do not discriminate based on where you live, so why does the Ontario health care system?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Minister of Health.
Hon. Sylvia Jones: I’m proud of the work that we’ve been able to do to expand access in northern Ontario. I point to one program, in particular, that is in its second year in Ontario—of course, that’s practice-ready Ontario—giving those opportunities for people who trained in other jurisdictions across the world. And now we have practice-ready Ontario communities such as Bracebridge, Cochrane, Gore Bay, Greater Sudbury, Kenora, Kincardine, Listowel, Little Current—I could go on and on.
The point is, when we make opportunities for people to be able to train and work in northern Ontario, they absolutely embrace it.
When I look at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine doubling the number of learners we’ve been able to get embedded and having opportunities in northern Ontario—and the stats show that when people train and practise in a community, they are far more likely to stay in those communities.
Those are the changes that, frankly, the member opposite continues to vote against.
But we as a government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, will make those investments, because we know northern—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Mushkegowuk–James Bay.
M. Guy Bourgouin: À la ministre : ces belles paroles ne répondent pas aux besoins des gens du Nord. Et voici la vraie réalité du Nord : six mois d’attente pour une biopsie de la glande thyroïde; plus de deux ans en gynécologie; jusqu’à trois ans en neurologie; et des années pour obtenir un médecin de famille. Voilà les réalités. Pourquoi le gouvernement continue-t-il de maintenir un système où les patients du Nord sont laissés pour compte au détriment de leur santé?
Hon. Sylvia Jones: When the Ontario government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, expanded the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, which is now offering an additional 108 seats, nearly doubling their capacity, what did the member opposite do? He voted against it.
When we expanded the Northern Ontario Resident Streamlined Training and Reimbursement program, commonly called NORSTAR—a program which reimburses medical residents for travel and accommodation expenses when completing clinical assignments in northern Ontario health regions—what did the member opposite and his party do? They voted against it. Eighty-eight medical residents have participated in the NORSTAR program, providing over 3,000 days of coverage in 25 northern Ontario communities.
Speaker, I could go on, but the point is, when we make investments, northern Ontario benefits. And if the member opposite really wants to help his communities, he will step up and say, “This is good for my community, this is good for northern Ontario, and I will support it.”
Subventions destinées à l’éducation / Education funding
Aujourd’hui, ils font face à une crise causée par une pénurie chronique d’enseignants, un manque d’infrastructure pour desservir 110 000 élèves qui n’ont pas accès à une école francophone, en plus de devoir mettre en oeuvre des nouvelles obligations provinciales sans financement additionnel.
Hon. Paul Calandra: The member will know—in fact, I was just in Ottawa last Friday to announce significant funding for an expansion of a French school in her riding, actually, I think it was.
There has been a significant increase in funding toward our French education partners—over $2.2 billion in funding. It’s an average of over $19,000 per pupil in that sector.
We know that the Minister of Colleges and Universities put more funding in to have more French teachers.
All in all, it’s a significant amount of investments, because the system is a good system. It is a system that is giving our students the best opportunity to succeed and—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Ottawa–Vanier.
M me Lucille Collard: On reconnaît en effet que le système francophone est un bon système. Et les enjeux auxquels font face les conseils scolaires ne sont pas liés au travail des conseillers scolaires. Il est lié au sous-financement.
Le ministre de l’Éducation répète depuis des mois qu’il ne touchera pas aux conseillers scolaires francophones. Pourtant, il met en place des structures comme les bureaux d’assistance aux élèves et aux familles qui ont, en fait, pour effet de retirer des pouvoirs essentiels aux conseillers scolaires, comme on l’a vu—c’est ce qui est arrivé au Québec et en Nouvelle-Écosse.
Est-ce que le ministre peut garantir clairement aujourd’hui que toute initiative de son gouvernement respectera non seulement l’existence des conseillers scolaires francophones, mais aussi leur pouvoir réel de gestion et de contrôle tels qu’ils sont protégés par la Constitution?
L’hon. Paul Calandra: J’ai déjà dit, ce gouvernement va toujours respecter la Charte et la Constitution. C’est pourquoi nous avons fait beaucoup d’investissements dans l’éducation francophone aussi. Au même temps, c’est vrai que nous voulons faire des changements dans le système d’éducation pour assurer que nos étudiants ont les ressources pour avoir le meilleur succès.
That means that all boards will be challenged—and every trustee—across the province.
I’ve said this on a number of occasions, and I’m not going to back down on it just because the Liberals, an arrogant, outdated party, do not agree—
Interjection.
Hon. Paul Calandra: You’re right; it is. You’re right. It’s Christmas for students, parents and teachers in the province of Ontario because they finally have a government that actually cares about them. That’s why it’s Christmas.
The party opposite is—you see how angry they get when you call them arrogant and outdated—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?
Domestic violence
Mrs. Michelle Cooper: My question is for the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity.
Intimate partner violence has a devastating impact on women, children and families in every part of our province.
Through the Standing Committee on Justice Policy, this House moved to undertake an in-depth study on intimate partner violence two years ago and to hear directly from survivors, front-line organizations and experts about what more needs to be done. The member from Kitchener South–Hespeler has shown tremendous leadership throughout this work. She has been a tireless advocate for this issue, playing a key role in the committee’s work, listening to survivors, championing their voices, and helping to shape the committee’s report.
Speaker, can the associate minister share how the work of this committee, including the leadership of the member from Kitchener South–Hespeler, is helping to continue our government’s efforts to address intimate partner violence?
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams: Thank you to the member for Eglinton–Lawrence for that question.
Madam Speaker, I also want to take a moment to recognize the member from Kitchener South–Hespeler for the incredible work she has done in preparing a report on intimate partner violence. The compassion and diligence she has brought to this study has been incredible.
Through the Standing Committee on Justice Policy, members heard from survivors, families, Indigenous partners, service providers, police, and community organizations from across Ontario, who shared their stories and recommendations. Their testimony makes it clear that intimate partner violence is a serious and persistent problem.
As the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, my focus is on making sure women have the safety, stability and economic independence they need to build a better future for themselves and their families.
The committee’s work and the report that the NDP shamefully called slop will help inform and strengthen our government’s—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Eglinton–Lawrence.
Mrs. Michelle Cooper: Thank you to the associate minister for her response.
Speaker, this report on intimate partner violence is the result of extensive work by this House. Over two years and many months, the committee has heard from survivors, front-line workers and experts. They have held long days of hearings, listened to more than 150 witnesses, and reviewed a substantial record of written submissions. The member from Kitchener South–Hespeler did the hard work of pulling that evidence together into a draft report so that the committee could review and finalize its work.
Instead of staying at the table to work through the report, I saw that the opposition members chose to walk out of the process. That decision spoke louder than a thousand words about how seriously they take this issue.
Can the associate minister tell the House how our government is focused on turning this work into action for women and survivors—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the associate minister.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams: Intimate partner violence is not an issue for slogans or quick clips. It’s a devastating reality for women and families in every part of our province and country.
That is why the committee worked through long hearings, heard from survivors and front-line organizations who gave their time and shared their stories. And it’s why the member from Kitchener South–Hespeler devoted so much of her effort to preparing a draft report that reflects that record. When some members chose to walk out of report-writing instead of staying and doing the detailed work to edit and finalize the report—that act of walking out spoke for itself. Our government members stayed. We stayed because survivors stayed and shared their stories, and we will never walk out on them.
Speaker, I did not come here to play political games. I’m here to stand with women across the province and help survivors build a safer province for them and their families.
We will use this work that the committee has done and the report to drive the action and add to the $1.4 billion—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?
Health care funding
MPP Wayne Gates: My question is to the Premier.
My local hospitals are in crisis. Emergency room wait times are pushing 10 hours, and front-line staff are exhausted, from chronic underfunding and short-staffing.
Last week, Niagara Health announced 100 layoffs, and the workers are on edge, wondering who’s going to lose their job.
The Premier has caused the conditions where the very people who keep our hospitals running will lose their jobs. And now, in the middle of flu season, the government’s underfunding will make wait times worse and put lives at risk.
Why won’t the Premier properly fund hospitals so Niagara Health can cancel all layoffs and ensure patients get the care they need and deserve and save their lives?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Health.
Hon. Sylvia Jones: As we continue to fund our hospital partners almost a billion dollars—4% annually—we see that they have the capacity to be able to look carefully at their individual organizations to make sure that they are providing exceptional care. We are doing that through a three-year process that ensures they can take that look very closely at their individual organizations and make assessments.
Having said that, we have invested and we will continue to invest in our hospitals—as I said, over 5% annually on their base budget. Why do we do that? Because we know that when we have strong hospitals, when we have emergency departments, ORs and ICUs that have the capacity, we are able to look after our most vulnerable.
We’ll continue to do that work, and part of that work is working very closely with our hospital partners to make sure that they are assessing their organizations.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for St. Catharines.
Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Thank you, Speaker. Through you to the minister: You brag about investments. There are 98 health care workers who are losing their job because of your mismanagement of funds. Families with children, young people trying to survive and save up for a home, single people who don’t have a second income to rely on—these are the health care workers who will lose their jobs just before Christmas because of this government’s financial mismanagement.
Through you to the Premier, Speaker: Instead of leaving workers in the dark, will you shed light on any plans to cut additional programs—like senior care, community clinics, or entire hospital departments altogether?
Premier, Ontarians deserve to know: Who are you planning to sacrifice next?
Hon. Sylvia Jones: I hear the member opposite spouting, frankly, fallacies.
We know that the changes that are being made—I withdraw.
I see the work that our hospital partners are doing to make sure that the assessments are ensuring absolutely critical front-line care.
It really speaks to the difference between that party and the party in power, and that is, we’re not willing to just continue status quo.
We want to expand access in our provincial hospital system.
We want to ensure—which is why, on Monday, I was able to announce an expansion of community diagnostic surgical centres—hips and knees—that are going to be able to assist 20,000 people over the next two years to get those critical services.
We are protecting our hospital capacity by actually making more options available, whether it is through expanded—
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?
Ferry service
Mr. Ted Hsu: Wolfe Island is in decline—the medical clinic closed, contractors won’t work there, tourism jobs wiped out, young families are moving away. In September, Marysville Public School had only two students registered. The median age was 50 years old in 2011; in 2021, it was 60. The culprit? Unreliable ferry service.
Wolfe Island needs this Premier to station two paramedics on Wolfe Island, just like Pelee Island, which has less people; or, number two, pay to speed up completion of the Kingston ferry dock, which is four years behind schedule; or three, bring money to the table and talk to people in Kingston who have trained marine officers for years and know how to get more trained.
Will this Premier protect this corner of rural Ontario and do these things?
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Minister of Transportation.
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: We continue to make investments into our ferry system across the province.
That member knows we’ve worked with him and many of the residents in that area to continue improving access not only from our ferries, but also in general—on the program.
Madam Speaker, our government has invested over $70 billion into public transit. A key part of that continues to be ensuring that all ferry operations across the province continue to operate.
We’ll continue to work with the member on his concerns around paramedics and ultimately see how we can support him in that as well.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Kingston and the Islands.
Mr. Ted Hsu: Speaker, the Premier should know that people on Wolfe Island are talking lawsuits now because of unpredictable and unending ferry disruptions. Here are the top three causes:
(1) Paramedic calls. Will he permanently station paramedics on the island? Pelee Island has some, and less people live there.
(2) Backup generators break down because until the Kingston ferry dock’s charging station is completed, backup power is used more than it was designed for. The dock is four years behind schedule. Get it done.
(3) Shortages of captains and mates. Like he has done for other skilled workers, he can incentivize people to enter that career. Come to Kingston, where we know how to train them.
Will the Premier protect this corner of rural Ontario and do these things?
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: I urge that member to also speak with the municipality with respect to the paramedics and the funding for that as well. We are always happy to support initiatives that are brought forward, but ultimately, that responsibility stands with the municipal government as well.
That being said, we have to work to tackle the challenge of labour shortages across all sectors, as the Minister of Labour has stated many times. The programs that he has put forward many times—the purpose of those is to ensure that we have a skilled workforce all across the province.
That is exactly what we are committed to doing—delivering a world-class transportation system, which includes the ferries on Wolfe Island. It also includes the investments that we have made to date on developing those ferries and developing new and improved electric ferries that are now in operation as well.
We’ll continue to work with the community in question and continue to improve upon those services.
Red tape reduction
Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: My question is to the Minister of Red Tape Reduction.
At a time of global uncertainty—with rising costs, supply chain pressures, and economic instability putting added strain on families and job creators—people are feeling the squeeze. This is especially true during the time of year when budgets are tightest and household expenses are stretched to their limit.
Speaker, families deserve real relief; not more paperwork and red tape slowing them down.
Through cutting unnecessary and outdated regulations, our government has been focused on putting time and money back where it belongs—into the pockets of the people who earn it.
Can the minister please explain how our government’s red tape reduction efforts are delivering real, practical savings for Ontario families and businesses when they’re needed most?
Hon. Andrea Khanjin: That member knows very well from his own community—he hears it first-hand from them: Every time that we can save those small businesses money, those manufacturers time and money, it’s more money that they can invest in their community, especially this time of year.
That member knows we inherited a deplorable record. Ontario was the regulatory capital of Canada. That was deplorable.
Instead, we’ve turned it around. We are now the best place to do business. In fact, thanks to the work our government has done through the Minister of Economic Development, we’ve attracted more jobs here. We’re reshoring investments into Ontario. We’re allowing businesses to know that we’re there to help them move forward, not get in their way.
We’re reducing the red tape, not just for businesses to grow and employ people, but for everyday Ontarians.
Whether it’s helping them with their disability payments, whether it’s helping them strengthen the justice system, we’ll always put people above paperwork.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Brampton West.
Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: I thank the minister for that strong response.
The numbers speak for themselves, but what really matters to families and job creators is how those savings are being delivered on the ground.
People in my community of Brampton West want to know where the paperwork is being cut, how approvals are being sped up, and how government is getting out of the way so they can get on with their lives.
Speaker, through Bill 46 and our broader red tape reduction work, our government has taken targeted, practical steps to modernize outdated processes, digitize services, and eliminate duplicative rules across ministries.
Can the minister share some specific examples of how we are cutting red tape in real, tangible ways and how these changes are making a direct difference for workers, families and businesses right across Ontario?
Hon. Andrea Khanjin: All our measures combined have really made a huge impact on Ontario. Whether it’s the nearly $1.2 billion we’ve saved people of Ontario and companies, whether it’s the 1.8 million hours we’ve saved them—that’s time and money they can invest back into the economy, back into their families.
Speaker, frankly, it’s our government’s real approach—to put people at the centre of everything we do.
We are laser-focused on unlocking every part of our economy, continuing to grow our economy, continuing to shore those investments, continuing to grow those jobs.
Whether it’s the forestry sector in Thunder Bay; whether it’s our health care sector, through Minister Jones; whether it’s our mining resources; whether it’s building more homes—every step of the way, this government has been able to reduce red tape.
We’re bringing more rental units on board. We’re unlocking jobs up north. We’re creating roads to places where folks want to actually get to see their families—to save time to actually see their loved ones. And we’re doing it all while continuing to protect Ontarians and standing up for them every step of the way.
Municipal development
Ms. Catherine Fife: My question is to the Premier.
The region of Waterloo is in an unprecedented position. They announced last week that all housing development is paused because of an inappropriate and inadequate level of water infrastructure. They look to this government, because you have changed the planning rules so many times that you have created chaos for municipalities across this province.
And we all know that the construction sector, right now, is hurting desperately. This will only lead to a drop in construction jobs, that is obviously connected to infrastructure—which is caused by your downloading to municipalities.
My question to the Premier: When are you going to do your job and support municipalities? They draw jobs in the province of Ontario. And we will never achieve our potential as a province without housing and infrastructure.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I rise to answer, as the Acting Minister of Infrastructure.
To the member’s question: This is the result of years of Liberal government inaction on infrastructure investments—quite frankly, aided and abetted by the NDP for three of 15 years.
That has changed, under the leadership of Premier Ford. It is our Ontario Progressive Conservative government that has put in a record $4 billion in investments to support local water and critical infrastructure, through our Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program. This program has seen great success thus far, and it has allowed local infrastructure projects to advance, helping to support the current housing supply, and making new homes possible across our growing communities, both in Waterloo and across Ontario.
Annual report, Auditor General
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I beg to inform the House that the following document was tabled: a report entitled 2025 Annual Follow-Up on Performance Audits, from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario.
Deferred Votes
Development charges
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): We have a deferred vote on private members’ notice of motion number 43.
Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell.
The division bells rang from 1133 to 1138.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Members, please take your seats.
On December 9, 2025, Ms. Pierre moved private members’ notice of motion number 43.
All those in favour, please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.
Ayes
Allsopp, Tyler
Anand, Deepak
Armstrong, Teresa J.
Bailey, Robert
Begum, Doly
Bell, Jessica
Bourgouin, Guy
Bresee, Ric
Calandra, Paul
Cho, Raymond Sung Joon
Clancy, Aislinn
Clark, Steve
Collard, Lucille
Cooper, Michelle
Crawford, Stephen
Darouze, George
Denault, Billy
Dixon, Jess
Dowie, Andrew
Downey, Doug
Dunlop, Jill
Fairclough, Lee
Fedeli, Victor
Fife, Catherine
Firin, Mohamed
Ford, Doug
Fraser, John
French, Jennifer K.
Gates, Wayne
Gélinas, France
Gilmour, Alexa
Glover, Chris
Gretzky, Lisa
Grewal, Hardeep Singh
Gualtieri, Silvia
Hamid, Zee
Harris, Mike
Hazell, Andrea
Holland, Kevin
Hsu, Ted
Jones, Sylvia
Jones, Trevor
Jordan, John
Kanapathi, Logan
Kernaghan, Terence
Khanjin, Andrea
Leardi, Anthony
Lecce, Stephen
Lumsden, Neil
Mamakwa, Sol
McCarthy, Todd J.
McCrimmon, Karen
McGregor, Graham
McKenney, Catherine
McMahon, Mary-Margaret
Mulroney, Caroline
Oosterhoff, Sam
Pang, Billy
Parsa, Michael
Pasma, Chandra
Piccini, David
Pierre, Natalie
Pinsonneault, Steve
Pirie, George
Quinn, Nolan
Racinsky, Joseph
Rae, Matthew
Rakocevic, Tom
Riddell, Brian
Rosenberg, Bill
Sabawy, Sheref
Sandhu, Amarjot
Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh
Sarrazin, Stéphane
Sattler, Peggy
Saunderson, Brian
Schreiner, Mike
Shamji, Adil
Smith, Dave
Smith, David
Smith, Graydon
Smith, Laura
Smyth, Stephanie
Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)
Tabuns, Peter
Tangri, Nina
Thompson, Lisa M.
Tibollo, Michael A.
Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.
Vanthof, John
Vaugeois, Lise
Vickers, Paul
Wai, Daisy
Watt, Tyler
Williams, Charmaine A.
Wong-Tam, Kristyn
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): All those opposed to the motion will please rise one at a time and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.
The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Trevor Day): The ayes are 96; the nays are 0.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I declare the motion carried.
Motion agreed to.
Member’s birthday
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Point of order?
Hon. Sam Oosterhoff: I want to acknowledge that it is the birthday of the wonderful member for Huron–Bruce today.
Happy birthday.
Applause.
Notice of dissatisfaction
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Pursuant to standing order 36(a), the member for Ottawa South has given notice of dissatisfaction with the answer to the question given by the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development regarding skills development. This matter will be debated on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, following private members’ public business.
There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 3 o’clock.
The House recessed from 1142 to 1500.
House sittings
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the government House leader on a point of order.
Hon. Steve Clark: Thanks, Speaker. Point of order: I’d just like to advise the House that the night sitting scheduled for this evening has been cancelled.
Introduction of Visitors
Ms. Laura Smith: It is my very great honour to introduce and welcome my OLIP intern, Ms. Geneva Fuina, and my executive assistant, Micah Dodo, into the House. Welcome.
Reports by Committees
Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs / Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy / Standing Committee on the Interior / Standing Committee on Social Policy
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 66(c), the 2025-26 supplementary estimates of the Treasury Board Secretariat, before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs; of the Ministry of Transportation, before the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy; of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, before the Standing Committee on the Interior; and of the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, before the Standing Committee on Social Policy, are deemed to be passed by the committees and are deemed to be reported to and received by the House.
Reports deemed received.
Introduction of Bills
Textile Waste Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur les déchets textiles
Ms. McMahon moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 90,
An Act to amend the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 with respect to textile waste / Projet de loi 90, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2016 sur la récupération des ressources et l’économie circulaire en ce qui concerne les déchets textiles.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
First reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Does the member wish to explain the bill?
Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Indeed, I do. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
The bill amends the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016. A new
section 75.1 provides that no more than three months after the day the
section comes into force, the minister shall commence a review to determine the manner in which to include textiles as a designated class of material in respect of which brand holders or others are required to carry out the responsibilities set out in subsection 61(1) in determining how best to include textiles as a class of materials.
The minister shall consult with the listed persons and entities and have regard for the desirability of responsibility being assigned, where practicable, in accordance with the listed rules.
No more than six months after the day the review has been commenced, the minister shall report their findings to the Legislative Assembly, including an estimated timeline for when it may be possible to designate textiles. Three months later, the minister shall provide an update to the Legislative Assembly on what progress has been made. If textiles have not been designated six months after the initial report, the minister shall provide reports every two months until textiles have been designated.
Right to Repair Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur le droit de réparer
Mr. Rakocevic moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 91,
An Act to amend the Consumer Protection Act, 2023 with respect to consumers’ right to repair certain consumer products / Projet de loi 91, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2023 sur la protection du consommateur à l’égard du droit des consommateurs de réparer certains produits de consommation.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
First reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Does the member wish to explain the bill?
Mr. Tom Rakocevic: Yes, Speaker. This right-to-repair bill will ensure that consumers will have the power to fix the products they own, such as electronics, household appliances, farm equipment, vehicles or mobility aids. It will also ensure that suppliers must provide the tools, parts and documentation needed for repairs to support both individuals and repair businesses.
It will also ensure that if a supplier refuses or cannot comply, they must replace the product or refund the consumer. For seriously defective motor vehicles, like a lemon, it will also establish clear rules to protect buyers. Ultimately, this bill is about fairness, choice and putting control back into the hands of consumers.
Ontario Consumer Watchdog Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur l’organisme ontarien de défense du consommateur
Mr. Rakocevic moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 92,
An Act to provide for the development and implementation of a plan to establish a consumer watchdog organization / Projet de loi 92, Loi prévoyant l’élaboration et la mise en oeuvre d’un plan visant à créer un organisme de défense du consommateur.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
First reading agreed to.
The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Does the member wish to explain the bill?
Mr. Tom Rakocevic: Yes, Speaker. Today, once again, I am introducing the Ontario Consumer Watchdog Act, 2025. This bill is a new and improved bill that directs the minister to work with stakeholders and the public to create an independent consumer watchdog to protect people from bad actors in the marketplace, including online.
An Ontario consumer watchdog would be able to investigate complaints and lay charges and ensure fairness in the marketplace against bad practices like dynamic spy pricing, online scams and much, much more. This is a bill about giving people confidence that their rights as consumers are protected.
Petitions
Transportation infrastructure
Hon. Steve Clark: This is a document petitioning the government of Ontario to call on the federal government to restore full navigation to the Rideau Canal by installing a structure to enable all marine traffic to pass through the LaSalle Causeway in time for the 2026 boating season, which marks 200 years since the start of construction on the canal.
Speaker, the petition really is—the impetus of it is because Public Services and Procurement Canada has not established a clear timeline or plan or demonstrated that they understand the urgency of replacing the temporary structure with a permanent bridge that restores full navigation. We’re talking about the LaSalle Causeway in Kingston. They have installed a temporary-fix bridge that restricts marine traffic for an indefinite period of time. The structure doesn’t allow for full navigation of the Rideau Canal, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s a significant economic driver between Kingston and Ottawa.
Just for members to note, the Rideau Canal contributes $309 million annually to the economy of eastern Ontario, supporting marinas, shops, restaurants and seasonal employment along the 202-kilometre historic waterway.
I’m pleased to affix my signature to this petition and I’ll send it to the table. Just give me a minute for my pens.
Homelessness
MPP Catherine McKenney: We know that research is consistently showing that each person experiencing homelessness costs $50,000 to $60,000 annually in emergency shelters, hospital visits and interactions with the justice system, and that the cost of providing permanent supportive housing is $14,000 to $26,000 per person per year. This is according to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, who also noted that we have over 80,000 people homeless in this region.
The undersigned are asking the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to recognize that homelessness is not an option and to implement effective measures with adequate funding to end its burden on our institutions, the economy and the homeless.
I will affix my signature to this and send it down with page Olivia. Thank you.
Camping fees
Mr. Ted Hsu: This petition is entitled, “Make Accessible Camping Affordable.”
There are disability discounts for campsites in Ontario parks, but there aren’t any disability discounts for roofed accommodation such as yurts or cabins.
So the signers of this petition are asking the Legislative Assembly to extend existing discounts for those with disabilities to any accommodation booked in an Ontario park and to review fees for roofed accommodation in Ontario parks.
Road safety
MPP Lise Vaugeois: This petition is entitled “Safe Roads for All.” It’s got signatures from all over Thunder Bay–Superior North: Terrace Bay, Schreiber, Marathon, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Geraldton.
It’s really calling on the government to crack down on unsafe carriers, trucking businesses that put their drivers out on the road without adequate training, put them in trucks that are not adequately safetied. There’s simply no enforcement of these companies, and so that’s what this petition asks for.
I fully support this petition and will give it to page Andrew to deliver. Thank you very much.
Social assistance
Mr. Adil Shamji: I have before me a petition that is calling for an increase in social assistance rates. It does so against the backdrop of an affordability crisis that has made it difficult for people to put food on the table and for them to be able to pay their rent, and it reflects on the fact that social assistance rates have fallen well behind the pace of inflation.
As a result, it is calling for substantial increases to ODSP and to Ontario Works. Specifically, it is calling for those to be doubled and to do so as soon as possible.
It’s been signed by many, many constituents. I’m happy to sign this petition and hand it to page Emery.
Energy policies
Ms. Aislinn Clancy: This is a petition to call on the Electrical Safety Authority to approve balcony solar. All across Europe, people can go to IKEA and they can buy solar panels to put on their balcony. It reduces energy costs for low and middle-income people and tenants, and it shouldn’t be illegal here in Ontario. It’s completely widely used in Europe.
I’m calling for a fast track for the legalization of balcony solar to make sure we can reduce emissions, increase the access to clean energy and reduce energy costs for renters and people in apartment buildings.
I approve of this petition. I will sign it and give it to page Maggie.
School governance
Mr. Terence Kernaghan: The following petition I have to read is entitled “Withdraw Bill 33: Listen to Parent and Student Voices.”
This government has made trustees the scapegoat for their own failures. Instead of admitting to the punishing cuts, including $6.4 billion cut from education, they are claiming trustees are the culprits. People know this is categorically untrue. They know that the trustees did not go to a Blue Jays game despite claims from the Premier and minister. It was the higher-ups; trustees never even had a chance to vote on it.
This petition calls upon the government to stop the power grab, stop the centralization of power, stop this excuse to grab school board lands and to reward party loyalists. This is a bill that will not address the broken funding formula, and it does not address class sizes.
I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and deliver it with page Anna to the Clerks.
Social assistance
Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: I have a petition today to raise social assistance rates.
This petition is part of the effort coordinated by Sally Palmer of McMaster University regarding the tragically low social assistance rates for both Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program. In coordination with a letter signed by 230 organizations and sent to the Premier and cabinet ministers, this petition calls for social assistance rates for these two programs to be doubled.
I’m happy to sign this petition and give it to page Manélie to bring the document forward.
Environmental protection
Mr. Mike Schreiner: I have a petition from a number of my constituents to protect Ontario’s future.
They are raising significant concerns about Bill 5 and the extraordinary powers it gives the Premier and cabinet to create special economic zones, which undermine Indigenous rights, environmental protections, labour laws and just basic democratic oversight. These petitioners are calling on the Ontario Legislature to repeal Bill 5.
I fully support this petition. I’ll sign it and ask page Raj to bring it to the table.
Public transit
Mr. Adil Shamji: I have before me a petition demanding action and accountability in regard to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.
It comes as no surprise to the members in this House that the Eglinton Crosstown is 15 years old and yet has not opened yet and is billions of dollars over budget, with no accountability or transparency. This has caused profound disruption, with devastating impacts for businesses and congestion in the local economy, and has provided inadequate opportunities for quality jobs or community benefits.
It recognizes that urgent action is necessary. It enumerates what action items need to be taken, including the introduction of a public inquiry and establishing a mechanism for communities and businesses negatively impacted to seek compensation or alternative remedies.
It calls for a responsive provincial mechanism to rapidly fix new problems that are identified with the Eglinton Crosstown once it opens.
Finally, it asks the government to commit to ongoing, meaningful and binding community consultation in the remaining phases of construction, especially with the view towards informing any further construction on the Ontario Line, so that we can make sure this disaster never happens again.
I fully support this petition, have affixed my signature to it and am pleased to hand it to page Maggie.
Health professions
Ms. Peggy Sattler: I have a petition concerning changes to entry-to-practice requirements that were recently approved by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario.
Like many MPPs, I have received emails and phone calls about these changes. There are concerns about a drastic cut to minimum training. The doctoral degree requirements are proposed to be removed, as well as the four years of supervised training for master’s candidates. Critical licensing exams will be removed. Practice areas will be collapsed and national accreditation for program approval will no longer take place.
There are, as I said, concerns about what this means for the safety and quality of psychological care and also the fact that it will put Ontario at the bottom of all Canadian provinces in terms of entry-to-practice requirements.
The petitioners are calling for a transparent and comprehensive consultation process to be undertaken with the CPBAO membership and stakeholders to make sure that training requirements are aligned with evidence-based standards and that the public is protected.
I fully support this petition, affix my signature and will send it to the table with page Emelin.
University funding
Mr. Ted Hsu: This petition is from my constituents, who are saying that universities are integral to our society because they create resilient, affordable communities and they stimulate local, regional and provincial economies.
These signers, many of them are associated with Queen’s University in my riding, and they’re calling on the government of Ontario to invest in Ontario’s future by boosting Ontario university space operating funds by 11.75% annually for a five-year period, just to bring Ontario close to the Canadian average.
Tenant protection
Ms. Aislinn Clancy: This petition is calling on the government to improve tenant protections. In my riding, for every affordable house that we build, we lose 39 in the private sector. That’s why we see homelessness doubling since 2022. It’s calling on the government to create protections to stop renovictions, illegal AGIs etc.
I fully support this petition. I know that this will do a lot to prevent more people from being homeless or having to rely on food banks because of increased rental costs. I will sign my name and pass it to page Manélie.
Health care services
M me France Gélinas: The petition is quite simple. It’s called “Remove the HST from Massage Therapy Services.” Massage therapy is a regulated health profession in Ontario. They help to manage pain and injury. They improve mental health and physical well-being. But services provided by regulated massage therapy in Ontario—all the services are taxed.
I agree with this petition, will affix my name to it, and ask Andrew to bring it to the Clerk.
Services for the developmentally disabled
Mr. Mike Schreiner: This is a petition from a number of constituent families from Community Living Guelph Wellington. They have pointed out that funding for people with developmental disabilities has not been keeping up with the cost of living. As a result, Community Living agencies are having to cut back services, sell off group homes which are critically important for housing, and other service cuts.
They’re calling on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to take immediate action to increase funding to Community Living agencies in line with both the cost of living and the needs of developmentally delayed adults.
I fully support this petition, will ask page Murphy—
The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): I recognize the member from Waterloo.
School governance
Ms. Catherine Fife: I want to thank Wilfrid Laurier University students and University of Waterloo students for collecting signatures for this “Stop Bill 33” petition. This is a petition that calls on the government to pull Bill 33 entirely from the House. It is undemocratic in the views of students. It shuts down the voices of students on campus.
Madam Speaker, universities were traditionally ground zero for democracy. What this government is very actively doing is undermining democracy on our campuses and taking away student democracy choices around where their tuition goes.
Why is this important? Because these tuition and ancillary fees fund food banks; they fund mental health supports; they fund over 250 student clubs. Bill 33 puts services at risk of being shut down.
Students in the province of Ontario are not going to take this, Madam Speaker. They are fighting back and they’re asking us as MPPs to be in their corner so that their voices matter on campuses.
There is a saying that a confused and uneducated electorate is easily manipulated. Well, the students on university campuses in the province of Ontario are not going to take that. They’re fighting back, and the official opposition is right there in their corner.
Orders of the Day
Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en réduisant les formalités administratives
Ms. Khanjin moved third reading of the following bill:
Bill 46,
An Act to amend various Acts / Projet de loi 46, Loi modifiant diverses lois.
The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): The Minister of Red Tape Reduction.
Interjections.
Hon. Andrea Khanjin: Thank you, colleagues. I’m thrilled to be able to speak today for what is the third reading of the Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, 2025, also known as Bill 46. This is a really pivotal and important piece of legislation that complements everything our government has done since day one, and that is really stand up for Ontarians, protect our economy, create the right conditions for growth and break the status quo.
Speaker, we knew from day one that the status quo wasn’t working. People didn’t have access to health care. There was too much bureaucracy. There was too much red tape. We inherited a government that decided they would tax everything that moved, regulate everything that didn’t, and they left us with skyrocketing hydro bills, crumbling infrastructure and a stagnant economy.
But Premier Ford brought hope to this province. We turned things around. We were able to invest in all the sectors that keep our economy going and also keep our people healthy. Whether it’s our manufacturing sector, our forestry sector, whether it’s our health care to keep people healthy, every step of the way, the Premier has been there to make those investments and back those individuals who work in those industries. It’s no wonder that we’ve attracted more jobs than all the 50 states combined. It is part of that team effort approach that our government has done, and it starts with reducing the red tape.
In this bill, we have very pragmatic and practical measures of how we’re going to reduce red tape, again bringing common sense back to Ontario. It starts with things like recognizing health professions from any other province so that they can actually practise here. It starts with things like making life a little easier for radiologists. It starts with things like—even if you see a podiatrist, reducing the red tape for them and the health care hurdles that they’ve had to go on. Recognizing international standards, for instance: If something is really good in the EU, why don’t we recognize it right away here in Ontario if it passes all the safety standards?
There’s nothing more frustrating than having to fill out the same form over and over again and having to repeat the same story to multiple ministries over and over again if you’re a business and if you’re a person. You just want to get on with your day, and you expect a lot from the taxes you pay. This is something our government has really led by example, and that is we brought a lot of respect to taxpayer dollars—respect in the sense of making the right investments, respect of returning those hard-earned dollars to the pockets of hard-working Ontarians.
It means real impact, Speaker. For example, you look at the changes we’ve made in terms of red tape reduction for Ontario’s forestry sector by streamlining development approvals to get projects off the ground faster, exempting Canadian Disability Benefit payments from ODSP so that people don’t get their federal benefit clawed back. Again, that was a team approach, and our Minister of Children, Community and Social Services worked very hard on that change with sector stakeholders, so I commend him for that incredible work.
Think of the propane workers: Some people heat their home with propane; others simply use it during barbecue season. But I bet you didn’t know that we have a shortage of these propane workers. And frankly, there was a regulation getting in their way when it came to propane purging. Something we heard from the sector—not something we hear about day to day, but it actually does impact us every single day when we do turn on anything that requires propane.
As a result of these changes, we’re able to increase the safety compliance by increasing the people that actually are trained to do the propane purging, and this alone is going to save $4.6 million annually to the sector—real impacts for real people that impact all of us here in Ontario.
But that’s not just it. This bill is filled with a lot of different measures, including removing barriers so that more teachers can actually become principals and vice-principals in our publicly funded schools. I want to thank our Minister of Education, who worked on those measures.
And again, for people who are passionate about the education system, instead of putting barriers in front of them, we’re saying, “You’re passionate about teaching. How can we help you excel your career?” We show that same level of respect not only to our educators but to our health care professionals, to personal support workers, to our skilled trades workers, where, again, we don’t want government in their way. They’re doing really hard work. They’re going day to day trying to do the best they can to raise up our economy, to raise a next generation of leaders. Again, there was government getting in their way, and this government, under Premier Ford, has removed those roadblocks.
But it does not just stop there; it’s also our infrastructure. For us to get to our jobs, for us to get to our schools, to get to our hospitals, we need core infrastructure. But again, there was a lot of red tape in the way there. That is where we saw the impact that strong-mayor powers had in terms of red tape reduction. I saw it first-hand in my own community—an incredible story called Canadian Crane. It was a family that immigrated to Canada from Iran, and their dream was to own a business. So they started a business called Canadian Crane.
Many of you who have manufacturing plants in your community may have seen their bright-yellow-with-red-writing crane on a lot of those shop floors. They started with a very small footprint, and they have been able to expand. But they’re so successful, they need more space, and that’s where the red tape came in.
They had a perfectly situated space in the city of Barrie, but they weren’t able to break ground. The space was very close to the current footprint they already had. Thanks to the strong-mayor powers, they were able to actually expand their operations and, right now, they’re going to be celebrating in a few weeks of getting the drawings done up and hopefully getting that project off the ground in the new year.
Speaker, again, this is a good example of real reforms that our government is championing to bring change not only to our communities but to employers, because we know they’re all across the province in every corner of this province. From main streets to industrial parks, from farms to innovation hubs, the spirit of hard work and resilience defines who we are and defines Ontario. Our government will not stop defining that Ontario is a place to invest, a place that is open for business and a place to grow.
A good example as a huge sector that not only helps our economy, but our tourism sector as well, is the snowmobile industry. In the same bill, when we’re talking about reducing red tape, we worked with the Ministry of Transportation and the Ontario federation of snowmobile associations to be able to reduce the red tape when it comes to snowmobile groomers—that they’re able to groom all our different trails using different types of technology. There was a regulation that was totally out of date that was made for a different time when we only had one type of trail groomer, and so now, we’ve expanded that.
This is going to make a significant improvement to not only our communities but to those trails.
Also, it really highlights the impact that snowmobile clubs contribute to our economy. They contribute $60 million annually to our economy through labour and resource costs, not to mention the ripple effects on tourism. Over the past three seasons alone, the snowmobile federation clubs invested $61.6 million to reinforce their commitment to grow sustainably. That’s in partnership with our government, which is why just last week, Speaker, you saw us provide another $3.9 million in additional funding to protect Ontario’s snowmobile trails this season, bringing the total support to $4.9 million in 2025-26.
We understand for every kilometre of trail, for every snowmobile we have out on the trail, there are ripple effects to our communities, to our rural communities and all across the north, connecting people.
That was all done under the leadership of Premier Ford and his government and our government. We’re showing that we’re not only protecting Ontario’s snowmobile network and our communities that rely on them and the $6-billion impact that the overall sector has on our local economy, but it really proves to you that every measure we do is grounded in common sense and it’s dedicated to saving people time, money and effort.
This bill, if passed, will not only deliver immediate benefits but will also lay the foundation for continued progress. Please join me to support this bill and to support Premier Ford. Let’s unlock our economy. Let’s continue to grow our economy, grow our communities, cut the red tape, bring common sense to this province and have a sense of urgency for what’s happening south of the border. Our economy depends on it.
The Acting Speaker (MPP Andrea Hazell): Further debate?
Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s always a pleasure to represent the people of Waterloo in this House. It’s a huge responsibility that we take very seriously.
Bill 46, Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, is an interesting piece of legislation for this government to introduce at this time in the history of this province. I say that because there are about 200 workers out on the front lawn of Queen’s Park right now from the Ontario new immigrant program. They were accepted into this program. They were acknowledged as needed professionals with skills that the province of Ontario needs. They paid their $1,500 fee to apply. Due diligence was done, and they were accepted here. Many of them have been here for two, sometimes three, years.
I met many of them over the last year and I know my colleague from Parkdale–High Park and my other colleague, Lise Vaugeois—we have been meeting with them and listening to them. They are caught in a blue-tape conundrum. I don’t know if I can say “red tape,” because this is purely about politics.
The Ministry of Labour, which we all know is embattled in scandal right now, and is losing credibility with every minute that passes in this House—there are 44 open cases in my office right now of people who are contributing to the local economy, who have brought their families here, and then were told two weeks ago now, I think, that all of their applications will no longer be reviewed. Administratively, the burden apparently is too high; the red tape that was created by the Ministry of Labour was too onerous, too heavy.
I call it “blue tape” because under the surface, there is a gaslighting of new immigrants in the province of Ontario which I find disgusting, Madam Speaker. Remember that we were all new immigrants in Ontario and in Canada—except for the First Peoples—and yet it seems that this government has found a politically expedient way to dismiss and discard the people who have come to this province at our request: mechanics, engineers. There was a line worker from the Toyota plant in Cambridge.
What the government has said is that these applications are fraudulent—“they are not legal and we are doing a full review now”—after three full years. What I know for sure is that people who are breaking the law—people who are fraudulent, people who have figured out the loopholes with the Ministry of Labour—don’t show up day after day in the rain, in the sleet, in the snow. They have come to us and said, “Please, give us some accountability. Please give us some transparency.
Please, we are victims of your red tape,” or your blue tape—because now, for some reason, it has become politically popular to scapegoat and gaslight new immigrants in the province of Ontario. It’s a dark day for us, I would say.
When you talk to some of these folks who are, right now, on the front lawn of Queen’s Park, all they want to do is go back to their jobs. They don’t want to be on OW. They don’t want to be viewed by this government as someone who is taking advantage of the system. They came to Ontario to be part of the solution, and to be honest, we need them, Madam Speaker.
The administrative burden that the Minister of Labour, this particular minister, has created is a point of shame for us in the official opposition. To treat fellow human beings so poorly and to gaslight the new immigrants that are coming to this province, I find it to be a red-tape storm that a real leader—if we did have a real leader in the province of Ontario, they would acknowledge that these are good people fighting just to be part of our economic ecosystem—including doctors, I just want to say.
I wrote a letter to the Minister of Health and, of course, the Minister of Labour—I’m pretty sure they go right into the bin—but there are doctors who are fleeing MAGA and Donald Trump. These are professionals. Can we at least agree on the fact that 2.5 million Ontarians who