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October 27, 2021

42nd Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2021-Oct-27 vol. A (PDF)

L011A - Wed 27 Oct 2021 / Mer 27 oct 2021

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 27 October 2021 Mercredi 27 octobre 2021

Orders of the Day

Throne speech debate / Débat sur le discours du trône

Request to the Integrity Commissioner

Members’ Statements

Events in London–Fanshawe / Bill Paul

Remembrance Day

Volunteers

Long-term care

Blaine Cameron

Amélioration des routes

Anti-racism activities

Affordable housing

Health care funding

Visitors

Question Period

Long-term care

Long-term care

COVID-19 immunization

Flu immunization

Child care

Highway improvement / Amélioration des routes

Child abuse prevention

Government investments

COVID-19 immunization

COVID-19 immunization

Affordable housing

Progrès du gouvernement / Government’s record

Protection for people with disabilities

Climate change

Electric vehicles

Correction of record

Notice of dissatisfaction

Introduction of Bills

New Edinburgh Property Management Service Ltd. Act, 2021

Anti-Asian Racism Education Month Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur le mois de sensibilisation au racisme anti-asiatique

Equity Education for Young Ontarians Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur l’éducation en équité pour les jeunes de l’Ontario

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Dress Purple Day / Journée Passez au mauve

Petitions

Addiction services

Addiction services

Optometry services

Autism treatment

Optometry services

Addiction services

Optometry services

Orders of the Day

Supporting People and Businesses Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 visant à soutenir la population et les entreprises

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Throne speech debate / Débat sur le discours du trône

Resuming the debate adjourned on October 20, 2021, on the motion for an address in reply to the speech of Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor at the opening of the session.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): When we last debated government order number 1, the member for Kitchener–Conestoga had the floor, with time on the clock. I recognize him again to resume his speech.

Mr. Mike Harris: It’s good to be back talking about the throne speech. I think when we left off, we were giving some glowing reviews to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade for the fantastic job that he’s done—and, quite frankly, everybody in this House—to kick-start the economy, get things back and moving.

There are a few more points I wanted to highlight about Unleashing Ontario, Mr. Speaker, and that just so happens to be the name of the new tool that has been launched to spread the word about the benefits of doing business here in Ontario. Because unlike the province that was bogged down by failed Liberal policies and a government unwilling to change, we are now moving towards an Ontario of innovation and growth. We are bringing back industries that had left our province and opening doors to new sectors like fintech, artificial intelligence and research.

Mr. Speaker, Unleashing Ontario also lists out the 10 reasons why businesses should consider our province—the 10 reasons to think Ontario. Up first is that Ontario is that the second-largest automotive manufacturer in North America. I know we have heard disappointing news from Stellantis over the last few weeks, but I’ll repeat again what our Premier and government have said for the last few days: We will stand with the workers in Windsor who are impacted by this shift cut and do everything we can to support them and their families, Mr. Speaker, which we’ve been doing.

That starts with plans like Unleashing Ontario and Driving Prosperity, which will enable a strong recovery and more jobs in the auto sector.

The second reason to think Ontario is that it is the second-largest IT cluster in North America. It also comes in second in financial services and food processing. I don’t need to look any further than my own backyard in Kitchener–Conestoga, where IT and food processing are major economic drivers, to see the jobs and prosperity that these can sectors bring.

Ontario also has free trade agreements with 51 countries—51 countries, Mr. Speaker. That gives us access to over 1.5 billion consumers.

Some 70% of adults in our province have a post-secondary education, and every year we turn out more than 55,000 STEM grads who are job-market ready.

Employer health care contributions are a third of what they are in the US. And with our government’s expansion of employer health tax exemptions, we’ve also saved businesses $360 million that can be reinvested into the economy.

Our cities consistently rank among the best places to live and work in North America.

These are all reasons why Ontario should be a top choice for investment. But those 10 reasons don’t really tell the entire story. There are seven billion reasons why now is the time to invest in Ontario, and that is the $7 billion—billion—that our government has saved businesses annually across this province. I’ll repeat that for any of my friends on the other side of the House who maybe didn’t hear me: $7 billion this government has saved businesses annually here in the province.

Some $2.2 billion has been saved by lowering Workplace Safety and Insurance Board premiums; $1 billion from the capital cost allowance; regulatory reductions are saving businesses over $300 million a year; and with the biannual red tape packages, more work is being done to make the province work better for people and smarter for businesses. While the previous government increased hydro rates, we are reducing the commercial and industrial rates by 14% and 16%.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the measure saving businesses just in my riding alone $37 million a year, and that is the standardization of the business education tax, which across the province will save nearly $450 million. Along with the other tax reductions, the math adds up to $7 billion.

We’ve launched a new era in our province driven by economic growth, investment and prosperity.

Like I said earlier, 300,000 new jobs were created between June 2018 and February 2020, and we’ve reached that threshold again, just 18 months after the world did a complete 180. But this government never quit. The Premier never stopped. And I’ll commend every member of this House for working through one of the longest sessions in this Parliament’s history. While other Parliaments were shut down, we were here.

What this government has been able to accomplish is truly remarkable. We’ve passed 94 bills, including nearly 30 private members’ bills. I think that’s unprecedented. Included in that number is my bill, the Safer School Buses Act, and I can’t stress enough how grateful I am to all members of this House for supporting it.

The speech delivered by Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor outlines what the priorities of Ontario will be heading into the spring, when we return to our ridings to seek the will of our constituents again.

When I’m out there on the doorsteps in Kitchener–Conestoga, I’ll be proud to tell my constituents about all the great things our government has accomplished to build the best province in Canada to live, work and play; about how, in the face of a global pandemic, we still created new jobs, we still made the education of children a priority, with new record spending and updated curriculums that reflect the 21st century; and about how Waterloo region is receiving nearly 600 new and upgraded long-term-care beds, almost as many as the previous government built in an entire decade.

But importantly, I’ll be able to tell them about how we never wavered from our promise to stop at nothing to protect the health and safety of their families while also pulling out all the stops to protect the livelihoods that they depend on.

As we head into the thick of the second session of this Parliament, I want to close off by emphasizing what a distinct honour it is to be a member in this House. Very few people get the privilege to serve here, and it is never lost on me that my ability to do so comes directly from the people of Kitchener–Conestoga. I ended my address on the first throne speech by thanking them, and I want to reiterate that again today—a humble thank you to everyone back home who continues to have me here. I’m here for all of you, and I will never forget that.

A personal thing here, Mr. Speaker: When you walk down the hallway towards the Premier’s office and you see my father’s portrait hanging on the wall, it really brings things home. I know that he served the people of Nipissing from 1981 to 2002 with distinction. Those are big shoes to fill, and I work every day to be able to do that.

I know we’ve only got a couple of minutes left on the clock, but I’ll get off script for the rest of it. I know the member from Algoma–Manitoulin is looking forward to hearing me free-wheel it here for the next couple of minutes.

It’s really neat, this place. You build a lot of relationships, and I know we talk a lot about how there’s so much partisanness that comes across on debate days, but you really do make lasting friendships here, not only with people from your own party or your own government, but also with people sitting in the opposition benches as well. It really, truly has been an honour to be here for the last three-plus years now.

We’re coming into an election, obviously, in June, and I’m really looking forward to getting back into the riding over the next little while, knocking on more doors, just seeing what the priorities of people are in Kitchener–Conestoga and reiterating to them that I am here for them and I’m here to do the good work of the people.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I think we’ll wrap it up and we’ll move into questions and comments. Thank you so much.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Time for questions and responses.

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: My regards to the member opposite. Certainly, his father must be very proud of him.

I’d like to change the channel and talk about something I’ve mentioned many times and asked a question about, which is insurance in Ontario. Since we are talking about the response to the throne speech and all of their priorities, why isn’t insurance a priority for this government? We’ve seen commercial business rates doubling and tripling when businesses were closed. We’ve seen auto insurance going up across the province when cars were parked. I’ve said it many times: On the Allen Expressway in Toronto, you could play street hockey in the middle of the street during this pandemic, at times.

I know that driving is coming back up again, but these insurance companies are reaping in tons and tons of profits on the back of Ontarians. Why is it not a priority for this government in this pandemic and recovery response?

Mr. Mike Harris: Thank you to the member from Humber River–Black Creek. I think it’s an important question to ask. We’ve seen this government, in my estimation, do quite a bit to try and lower insurance rates. We’ve brought forward a bill that intends to do that and make things more fair for people across the province. I know, personally, my insurance rates did go down during the pandemic, so great to see that.

But there’s more work to do. I’ve talked to a lot of businesses, especially restaurants, over the last little while, that are having trouble getting commercial insurance now, and those rates have gone up by 100%, 200%, sometimes 300%. Is that necessarily fair to the consumer? Obviously not, and I think that’s something that we need to look forward to and address a little bit more fulsomely as we move forward into the second session.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): The member from Ottawa Centre.

Mr. Joel Harden: I always enjoy hearing the member hold forth and talk about—

Interjection.

Mr. Joel Harden: Pardon me.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): My apologies. I’m out of order. The member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Eglinton–Lawrence.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Eglinton–Lawrence. My apologies.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you, Speaker. It’s okay, they both begin with E and L. It’s very confusing. I always confuse them.

I wanted to ask my friend, the member from Kitchener–Conestoga—he mentioned the $7 billion that we’ve managed to take off expenses for businesses in this province. It’s an annual $7 billion on what they would have otherwise had to pay. Because the pandemic has been so hard on small businesses and we’re all very concerned about how small businesses are managing, I wanted to ask the member how that $7 billion has made a difference for businesses in his riding, and if he wanted to also talk more about what the $7-billion savings are.

Mr. Mike Harris: That’s a really important question and it really impacts my riding very greatly. Waterloo region was disproportionately—we’ll just say—overcharged in the amount of the education tax credit. I think we were on average somewhere between 20% and 30% higher than the rest of the province. So the savings that we see in that $7 billion, if you break it out, part of that specifically for my riding equates to $37 million for businesses, and that’s businesses of all scales, right from mom-and-pop shops up to some of the larger job creators, not only in Kitchener–Conestoga but in Waterloo region. It’s great to see our government realizing that and actually doing something about it.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): And now the member from Ottawa Centre. My apologies.

Mr. Joel Harden: Apologies to the member from Eglinton–Lawrence for jumping too quickly. That’s just how excited I get sometimes when I hear the member holding forth.

I want to follow up on my friend’s question earlier and give you the prime opportunity for yourself to get a fantastic clip to bring back to your community on insurance. The targets that my friend has set—we called for a 50% reduction across the board for commercial insurance and for automobile insurance. I can tell you there’s a business back home that needs that help: just informed, prior to opening up, Red Bird Live, working with public health in Ottawa, that there’s a 200% increase in that business’s insurance rates.

I don’t think it’s fair. There’s a billion-dollar industry here, I think, capitalizing on an opportunity. Public health should be setting the rules. Sound business practices should be setting the rules. Will the member stand up for a 50% reduction in insurance premiums and dictate to this very greedy industry that they’ve got to share the pain?

Mr. Mike Harris: I don’t think we’re going to get into talking about dictating.

We don’t always see eye to eye, the member from Ottawa Centre and I, but he is right in some aspects here. Whether it means 50% or whatever that number would be, I think that is something that needs to be sussed out. The insurance industry is regulated by the government, but we don’t have the day-to-day impact on it. We’ve talked to them and certainly had a lot of conversations about where this could go, and I think it’s something that we’re definitely going to have to explore.

Like I said, there are lots of businesses back home in Waterloo region that are having the same issues. It’s something that’s definitely bubbling up to the surface that we do have to take a very serious look at it.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Further questions and responses?

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: I wanted to ask my great colleague there—he talks to a lot of small businesses, talks to a lot of community members. As much as we’ve been focused on the pandemic and helping people throughout the pandemic, we have to focus on recovery.

As progressives, we think to the future. We always build momentum and don’t really dwell on the past, but look to brighter pastures in the future. As progressives, can you tell us about some of the things that were mentioned in the throne speech in terms of things to look forward to to get the economy roaring again on all cylinders and really reignite this province?

Mr. Mike Harris: Yes, that’s a great question. I highlighted a few of those things during debate last week and then again today. I’ve had a lot of opportunities to work with the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. He’s been down in my riding, making some fantastic announcements, looking at ways that we can partner with the private sector, looking at ways that we can bring more investment into this province.

I know that we lost, under the Liberal government—and listen, if they want to refute anything I say, they’re more than welcome to stand up and ask a question here in questions and comments, but we lost over 12,000 manufacturing jobs in Waterloo region during their tenure. I’m happy to say that those jobs are back. A lot of that has to do with the fact that we’ve been out there, we’ve been getting those businesses back from the US and overseas. It’s fantastic to see those jobs return to Kitchener–Conestoga.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member for Niagara Centre.

Mr. Jeff Burch: Thank you to my friend from Kitchener–Conestoga for his presentation.

Last night, we unanimously supported a private member’s bill from the member from Richmond Hill for a not-for-profit sector appreciation week. I’d like to ask—and it bears repeating: 2.6% of Ontario’s GDP is from this sector, $50 billion in economic impact, one million employees across the province. Does the member feel that this red tape cutting bill does anything for the not-for-profit sector? Even the chamber of commerce says that more needs to be done. Why is more not being done for the not-for-profit sector?

Mr. Mike Harris: I think there is more to be done for all sectors. It’s not just not-for-profits. I know that in previous red tape bills, there have been a lot of things that we’ve done very specifically for the not-for-profit sector in regard to bookkeeping, housekeeping items, different things as far as reporting—kind of cleaning things up for them so they’re not needing to report in to multiple different ministries. There have been some things done for this sector in regard to how they’re able to fundraise, giving them some new tools to be able to do that.

I think that we need to have a very strong and vibrant not-for-profit sector here in Ontario. I know that the member from Richmond Hill’s bill is bringing a little bit more notoriety to that and looking to celebrate them and all the good work that they do in our communities.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Further questions? The member from Whitby.

Mr. Lorne Coe: Thank you, Speaker, and good morning. You’ll know that the government is investing $2.68 billion to build 30,000 new long-term-care beds in a decade. Thousands more are going to be upgraded as well. Could my colleague speak to the effect of that level of investment in his riding and what it means to the hard-working families there?

Mr. Mike Harris: Yes, that’s a great question. This has been something that I’ve been quite passionate about, really since starting my tenure as the MPP for Kitchener–Conestoga. As I mentioned earlier, there were, I think, 611 net new long-term-care beds that were created in the province over the last—pretty close to a decade—10 years under the Liberal government, which is pretty dismal.

I’m really excited to see over 600 new long-term-care beds and revitalized long-term-care beds coming to Waterloo region alone. It’s fantastic news. We have some of the longest wait-lists in all of Ontario in Waterloo region. I think one of the biggest benefits to this is that we’re actually seeing some beds being built in our rural communities, which is fantastic. It’s a way of life that a lot of people want to celebrate. They don’t necessarily want to have to move into the city to get the care that they need. It’s really great news for the people of Kitchener–Conestoga and Waterloo region that we’re going to see beds being built in our rural centres as well.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Further debate?

Ms. Marit Stiles: It is an honour to rise today to participate in the debate on the government’s throne speech on behalf of the people of my riding of Davenport.

After a very lengthy summer recess, my constituents, I have to say, were surprised by the Premier’s decision to extend that by an additional three weeks by proroguing the Legislature. They were already questioning why we were thrown into an early federal election at a time when the pandemic was still very much, and continues to be, impacting our lives, our work and our economy. So the extended break that the government gave themselves just added to the sense that those in charge were out of touch with the realities facing everyday people.

People like the parents who were worried about a rocky return to school with rising COVID cases, or the small business owners watching emergency supports expire with no replacement in sight, or the workers who have been asked to go back to riskier settings without adequate paid sick days and the families of our seniors who are still facing the cruelty of a broken long-term-care system that puts profit ahead of care—those folks weren’t looking for the government to take an extended break. They wanted their MPPs back in this place, working for them.

Now, I know we are all out there working in our constituencies and in our ridings, but there is business that needs to be dealt with in this Legislature. I think the people of Ontario, seeing the MPPs take that extra time away from the Legislature, were wondering why and who was going to see them through this fragile recovery phase and take real action to deliver help.

People were also really frustrated that the government seemed to be operating without the checks and balances that define our system of government. Too often, governments get comfortable—we’ve seen this again and again—in their own power. They tend to see those checks and balances as a bit of a nuisance. They start to dread answering questions in question period or appearing at committees. It’s just a hassle for them. We saw what happened with the last government that got too comfortable in their own power, surrounded by insiders and losing touch with the people they were meant to be working for.

So with this in mind, I have to say, I was looking forward to hearing the throne speech, expecting that, at the very least, the government would use this important tradition to outline a vision for our province in the months ahead and the next year. And, I have to say, I also hoped that, against all odds, it would mark a change of course for this province, because we desperately need one here in Ontario.

Our health care heroes—the folks that the government members opposite refer to as heroes every day—our front-line health care heroes are burning out. Hospitals and long-term-care homes are understaffed, more than ever. The wait for backlogged surgeries among my constituents and folks all across the province is long and it is painful and it is dangerous. Our kids’ classrooms are jam-packed, leaving kids without the one-on-one attention they need after such a truly difficult year and a half—and COVID cases are indeed rising in schools. Small businesses are trying to rebuild and are taking on new responsibilities but without extra resources, without any support from this government.

Changing course would mean making significant investments in health care, in our schools, instead of making deeper cuts. It would mean standing up for local business over big box stores. And it would mean offering meaningful protection for workers, not simply prioritizing the needs of friends and insiders like this government has done repeatedly.

As we know now, sadly, that throne speech did not outline a bold new direction for this government. It actually contained very little of substance. That was one lightweight throne speech, I’ve got to say, leaving a lot of Ontarians across this province, like us, feeling abandoned and asking themselves what was the point of that.

I’ve got to say, the press was even less enthused, and I do want to share some of the headlines going back a couple weeks now to the throne speech. The Waterloo Record: “Better Luck Next Throne Speech, Ontario.” They went on to say that whoever wrote the speech “took 2,325 words to say almost nothing,” and they mentioned that that the Premier had “squandered that opportunity and in the process let down the people of this province.”

Indeed, the speech was more notable for what it didn’t include. The day of the speech, there were outbreaks declared in three more schools here in Toronto. Cumulatively, there were 17 schools in the city that had outbreaks. Parents, students and education workers had already been back to in-person learning for weeks, and the COVID cases reported in schools were increasing to the point where nearly a third of all new infections in the province were related to schools. How seriously did this government take this threat? Not very seriously, if you consider that the throne speech, which was supposed to be an outline of their agenda and their priorities, didn’t mention schools once.

I want to read an email, a letter that I received from a mom in my riding. Her name is Laura. I’m just going to read this whole thing out, because I thought it was so well put together.

She says: “Despite the availability of tests and vaccines, it seems that nothing has changed for the schools since March 2020.

“In 18 months, from the age of 3 to 4.5, our daughter has only spent seven months in child care/school. She has been deprived of contact with kids her age and a proper education. We had to work and care for her at the same time. Toddlers can’t use a computer or be left alone for a minute.

“A lot of families are at the wits’ end and/or dire financial circumstances. The policies to protect children should take into account the essential role in-person schools has in their and their family’s well-being.”

Maddie, a teacher from Davenport, wrote to the education minister and copied me. Here’s something that she said: “My school currently has four primary classes, all above the cap of 20 at 25, 25, 26 and 24”—four primary classes. “We had a primary class cut at the beginning of the week which increased our class totals by about five each. Our rooms are small, our desks are 1.5 feet apart, our windows open about 12 inches from the bottom.

“During a regular year this would be unimaginable, but this year it is enraging and scary.

“Please, come and help us,” She said. “Join us in our packed rooms, join us for maskless lunches, join us for the tears, the confidence crisis, the six-year-old feelings of anxiety, fear and doubt, the upset scared parents. All of it that the Ministry of Education clearly has never experienced or thought about. Please do something. Do better.” Those are the words of Maddie, a teacher, who wrote to me and to the Minister of Education.

Speaker, these are just a few of the—and I mean really, honestly—countless messages that I receive from my community, and from all over the province as the opposition education critic.

I have to say, Speaker, school boards were scrambling to implement new vaccine disclosure rules and keep track of testing requirements, and they continue to. They have been forced to combine and reorganize classes to meet ministry funding requirements, causing more disruption, more risk for students. They need a commitment of more funding to keep class sizes low, and many of our school boards across the province have actually passed motions calling for just that.

As I raised in the House just yesterday, many boards are pleading with the government to take action to keep schools and students safe by making those vaccines mandatory, something the government has steadfastly refused to do, just as they’ve done in health care.

Speaker, no unvaccinated staff should be working with vulnerable people in hospitals, in long-term-care homes or in classrooms. This throne speech could have—should have—outlined a safe schools plan and immediate funding for smaller class sizes and the hiring of more teachers and more education workers for those kids who have been put so far behind, who’ve seen their learning disrupted for more weeks and more months than any other schools in this country and pretty much in North America and the world.

But we didn’t see a penny for that; we saw nothing. We didn’t even see the mention of the word “schools.” The government couldn’t even be bothered to give these issues a passing mention in a speech that is meant to outline their priorities. Well, that’s a real shame and it says a lot to the people of this province.

Speaker, I want to talk about an issue that did garner a few words in the throne speech, and that’s long-term care. I want to say that this government, in the throne speech, reiterated some of the promises that we already heard from the government while steadfastly refusing to take any responsibility for the devastation and the death we witnessed in long-term care during this pandemic. Those horrors aren’t something that happened in the past; it was just months ago. I have to say, it sometimes feels like an eternity, but it was just months ago that those lives were lost, families across this province were devastated, and for some seniors it persists.

The throne speech celebrated a mandatory vaccination requirement in long-term care that I’ve got to say came painfully late. A long-term-care home in Toronto was under lockdown around this same time after an unvaccinated staff member brought COVID back into the home. Vaccination of residents helped a lot, but the impact of isolation and the fear of infection continues to impact residents and separates them from their loved ones.

Government members didn’t need to look to the throne speech for inspiration on long-term care because that very day on the lawn, family members, support workers and advocates were gathering to demand action and justice for our seniors. They were holding placards with images of their loved ones lost far too soon. They were very clear in their demands. They wanted accountability from the private, for-profit care homes whose profits grew while residents suffered. They were calling on the government to act using legislation and powers that already exist to withhold licences, to levy fines against those companies that have acted like the law just doesn’t apply to them.

I want to tell you, Mr. Speaker, it was an honour to join my NDP colleagues outside that day to hear from those folks. Many of them, I want to say, I had not met in person until that day. People who have been in touch with my office—because of the pandemic we couldn’t see each other, and it was very moving to actually meet some of those family members in person. Their tireless advocacy was really a poignant contrast to the uninspired, narrow speech that we heard in the House that morning. I wish that some of the members opposite could have had the courage to join us out there on the front lawn that day.

I really do. I was surprised they didn’t actually, if for nothing else than just to listen to those people and use their power as government members to actually deliver for seniors.

Another key word in the throne speech—or term, I guess—that I was really surprised was completely missing was climate change. I don’t think I need to tell anybody here we’re in a climate crisis. We urgently need the province to step up. This government has repeatedly shown its willingness to prioritize demands of big developers over protecting the environment. We’ve seen it again and again.

I want to say that in my community among the issues that people prioritize over everything else is climate change, and I think that’s true with just about everybody in this province pretty much—every corner. There’s nothing that is a greater threat to humanity right now than climate change. There’s the need for urgent climate action, and to have that missing from the throne speech so completely was baffling actually. I really can’t understand it.

We’ve seen how this government has used their powers to gut conservation authorities. We’ve seen how they’ve continued to ignore the Environmental Bill of Rights—by the way, the Environmental Bill of Rights introduced by an NDP government, something we continue to be very proud of.

The government’s so-called Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan has promised a $400-million carbon trust which has yet to be delivered or funded. It’s really just making an inadequate plan even more inadequate. It’s just words. It’s just words on paper right now, Mr. Speaker.

We need to recognize that the climate crisis is a threat to our health, our economy and our way of life. We need to bring that same whole-of-government approach, which was justified for COVID-19, to bear on what is an existential threat. This government just doesn’t seem to get that. This throne speech made that very clear. It showed how far behind Ontarians—how far removed this government is from Ontarians.

Whether you’re talking about the folks who are out there on the lawn at Queen’s Park after the throne speech talking about what needs to happen in long-term care, how we get that profit out of long-term care, how we put people before profit—whether you’re talking about that, or you’re talking about the kids, the young people who continue in various ways during the COVID pandemic to try to raise their voices in Fridays for Future across this province and around the world. This government, these members, don’t listen. They don’t even pretend to. They don’t even go out there and just listen to those families.

I’ve only got a few minutes left here, Mr. Speaker, but I just want to say that I’ve been thinking a lot as we head into this last few months, really, of our term—we’re into an election in June 2022—and I’ve been reflecting a little bit on what I’ve learned as an MPP. What were my lessons? Because now I’ve been elected for a little over three years as a member of provincial Parliament. I try to think about what I’ve learned and the positive things I can take from this experience, and I would say one of the things that I have learned is the importance of listening. It’s actually listening.

There’s action; you listen and then you take action. Hopefully you take action. But there’s also a piece of this that’s just actually listening to people, and understanding.

I think it’s been one of the most valuable things, that I’ve actually experienced, of being an elected MPP: that opportunity to hear from people with lots of different experiences, and learn so much. It’s really a privilege, Speaker. It’s an incredible privilege, and it doesn’t mean just listening to the people who you know agree with you. It means listening to the people who don’t agree with you. That’s absolutely crucial, in fact, if we’re going to have a balanced approach to governing. Unfortunately, I feel like that’s been missing.

I want to also mention a few other things where I think this government—the issues that were missing quite considerably from this throne speech, while I have a few more minutes.

I was really astonished not to see talk—real talk—about economic recovery and real action to address, in particular, the loss of women from the workforce through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for what some have called the she-covery; the fact that this government has not grabbed onto that offer by the federal government—something that New Democrats have fought for generations—of $10-a-day child care in this province that would transform life for so many people in our communities, and for so many women in particular.

I meet women all the time on the doorsteps now who gave up, who had to walk away from careers to take care of their children—single parents sometimes, sometimes not—because there just isn’t child care. There wasn’t child care, there wasn’t school, and they had to stay home and take care of them if they were in school. These women—this isn’t just a loss for them personally; it’s a loss for all of us. Our economy will not recover, and so it’s more essential than ever in this moment. It’s just, by the way, the right thing to do.

Other things that were missing: any conversation about Indigenous and treaty relations, truth and reconciliation. The only new point of reference seems to be, “Ontario and Canada observed the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.” Wow. No policy commitments. And, by the way, let’s not forget that this is a government that has not moved on even making that National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a statutory holiday. Not even that. Nothing.

Nothing for rural Ontario, for rural Ontarians who continue to this day to be neglected without proper investments in infrastructure, in agriculture, in schools, in hospitals, housing—housing, Mr. Speaker. The Premier promised that nobody was going to be evicted who couldn’t pay their rent due to the pandemic, but this government has not continued that, and this government’s main idea for housing has been to scrap environmental protections and use MZOs that seem to be more about helping their friends than making homes more affordable.

What was noticeable about this throne speech was what was missing, and there was a lot. I think this government has truly failed in charting a plan and a path forward for recovery for this province, which they’ve had an opportunity to do. And, by gosh, I really hope that over the next few months, they see some sense and they make some change, because the people of this province and in my riding of Davenport sure deserve that.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Time for questions and responses.

Mr. Mike Harris: I find it really concerning when I hear some of the comments from the member across the way. She’s talking about all these people that she hears from, from teachers to parents. I am a parent. I’m a parent of five children, and they’re all in the public education system in Waterloo region. I hear from their teachers and the parents at their school as well, and they’re happy to have their kids back. I know, from a parental standpoint, I’m happy to have my kids back as well.

They talk about standing up for jobs and all this stuff, and then they want to fire 50,000 teachers when they’re talking about mandatory vaccinations at schools. I don’t understand, Mr. Speaker. Maybe she can try and help clear it up.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I would be very pleased to do that. I have to say, when I asked the Minister of Education that question yesterday about why they weren’t bringing in mandatory vaccination, and he threw this 50,000 number out—I’ve got to tell you, I was speaking to reporters all day in the media who were just like, “Where does this come from?” It’s complete fiction. That’s the answer, Mr. Speaker. For one thing, it presumes that everybody who hasn’t even just shared their status yet—which, by the way, has been a challenge—that all of those people would just never get vaccinated.

The point of mandatory vaccination, I want to point out, is that it’s a tool in the tool box that we have. It’s one of the most effective tools we have in encouraging people to get vaccinated. You’re not going to lose 50,000 workers. That’s baloney. That’s complete hogwash. We are actually talking about—let’s keep those kids safe in our schools, let’s keep those education workers safe in our schools. What this government is doing is pandering to those folks who are anti-vaccine, and they should be upfront and honest about what they’re trying to do.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member for Toronto Centre.

Ms. Suze Morrison: I specifically want to comment on the member from Davenport’s remarks on long-term care. As she was speaking about the devastation in our long-term-care homes this past year, I was reminded when the member opposite, just half an hour ago, was up on his feet and talking about the legacy of his father. Of course, he was talking about former Premier Mike Harris.

Interjections.

Ms. Suze Morrison: No, excuse me, the former Premier’s legacy in this House is the devastating privatization of our long-term-care sector. And where was former Premier Mike Harris during COVID-19, while more than 4,000 seniors and people with disabilities died in our long-term-care homes? He was sitting as the chair of Chartwell, raking in record profits this year.

My question to the member is: Can you share your concerns with why this PC government has consistently ignored calls from the NDP to end the privatization of long-term care in this province that was spearheaded by former Premier Mike Harris?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I want to thank the member from Toronto Centre for that question and the passion as well around this issue.

I’ve got to say, yes, absolutely, I remember in the days of that Conservative government being out there myself, protesting the move to privatization of long-term care.

Mr. Mike Harris: Were you at my house? I remember seeing you there.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I bet you did see me there.

I was going to say, at the time, I was actually doing research. I was working on policy, particularly around health care and long-term care, and it was immediately clear what was going to happen and what would continue to happen under government after government, which is that funds that should be going to patient care would be diverted into profit. It’s a fundamental principle. It makes complete sense to just about everybody except the people who want to profit from it and their friends and donors, and that’s this government across the way.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Further questions and responses?

Mr. John Fraser: We heard the member opposite give a number of 50,000 education workers lost because of mandatory vaccinations. I don’t know where the minister pulled that out of, but to be polite I’ll say he probably pulled it out of his hat.

It’s perfectly reasonable for parents to expect that the person who is helping their child at school or in child care has been vaccinated. I’m sure the members across agree as well. School boards in Ottawa—93% and 94% mandatory vaccinations. They did the work. Obviously, the Minister of Education doesn’t want to do the work.

Can the member please further discuss the importance of mandatory vaccinations in our schools and our child care centres?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I would thank the member for that question. As I mentioned earlier, mandatory vaccination is a tool that we have. It’s one of the most effective tools we have, I would argue, in encouraging people to get vaccinated. We’ve seen this happen. We’ve seen vaccination rates increase as we put in place more restrictions and more requirements that people have vaccinations. It’s obvious. Because sometimes, let’s be honest, some of this is just a little hesitancy; some of it is that people just need that extra push. This is a tool that will help us to ensure more people are vaccinated.

But at the end of the day the most important thing is that we will have that comfort, and parents will have the comfort—and I am a parent, too, by the way—of knowing that their child will be in a classroom with somebody who has been vaccinated. And the teachers who work there and the other education workers will also have the comfort of knowing that they are working alongside people who are vaccinated. That is absolutely critical, and this government is avoiding it because they’re pandering to their base and to those who are anti-vax.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Kitchener–Conestoga.

Mr. Mike Harris: I’d just like to point out I am vaccinated. The members here are vaccinated. My children are vaccinated. My wife is vaccinated. Are we pandering to the anti-vax movement? Absolutely not.

Let’s talk a little bit more about this. Whether the number is 50,000, whether it’s 30,000, whether it’s 4,000 or 5,000, she stands up here and talks about class sizes being too big, but then she says she’s in favour of teachers losing their jobs. How are we going to have lower class sizes if we’re losing even as many as only a few thousand teachers here in the province? She wants them to be vaccinated. That means they’re going to lose their jobs if they don’t want to have that choice.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Do you know how we are going to get smaller class sizes? Do you know how we are going to get mandatory vaccination? We’re going to change government. That’s what we’re going to do in this province. Because you know what? At the end of the day, the member opposite needs to acknowledge that numbers do matter. Facts matter. Throwing numbers like 50,000 out there yesterday was absolutely outrageous and irresponsible, I would argue.

Just like this government floats all these timelines and everything, giving people a sense of “You know what? You’ve only got a few more weeks left; you don’t have to really go and get vaccinated now.” This government is doing that. They’re playing games with the lives of people in this province. Numbers matter. That 50,000 is not a real number. It’s a made-up number that came out of somebody’s hat, as the member said.

This government wonders how we make classrooms smaller? I’ll tell you how we make classrooms smaller: We invest in education. We don’t cut $800 million from it. We invest in education.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Thunder Bay–Atikokan.

Ms. Judith Monteith-Farrell: Thank you, Speaker, and good morning. I really want to say to my colleague, the member for Davenport, thank you for her impassioned and excellent analysis of the throne speech.

I too was struck by the lack of depth in the commitment to long-term care, announcing billions of dollars for beds and for a privatized system, with none of the listening that we did and hearing seniors wanting home care, that they want to stay in their homes longer. We want regulations that will ensure safety and care for our seniors.

I ask the member, what would she want to see in a full home care and long-term-care and senior care and disability care plan?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I want to thank the member for that very thoughtful comment. I think in many respects we’ve already started to chart out, we’ve laid out the plan for what needs to happen, in a lot of bills and a lot of motions that we’ve brought forward in this Legislature.

I think, ultimately, there are a few really clear things that have been missing in what this government has done, but, at the end of the day, one of the things that I think is the most egregious is the lack of accountability and consequences for what were really horrible conditions and neglect in long-term care, and not just during the pandemic. I think the pandemic shone a light in a really horrible way, and, of course, we lost 4,000 people, so that was not a small matter. But we have seen, I think, what many in long-term care have been saying now for decades, which is that this neglect existed and that these conditions would result in more deaths—and it just shone a light on that.

The fact that after all of that we haven’t seen this government truly address that and address the issue of profit in care is really unfortunate, and I hope that the government will listen and change tack.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Further debate?

M me Lucille Collard: Just at the outset, I’ll indicate that I’ll be sharing my time with the member for Scarborough–Guildwood and the member for Ottawa South.

I’m pleased to rise today on behalf of the residents of Ottawa–Vanier, who I’ve been representing for more than a year and a half now, and talk about the throne speech. The content was a surprise to a lot of people. Throne speeches traditionally are always moments of expectation for people, for the public who are anxious to find out what the government’s plan is to solve the challenges of the moment. I think that they were disappointing on that front.

I want to talk about the positive news that the government said that they didn’t have the intention of pursuing further cuts to public services and spending. That’s good news, because, over the last three years, we’ve seen the devastating effect that cuts to services can have for families in Ontario. Bold actions are still necessary to recover from the negative impacts that have made the lives of so many vulnerable people so much more challenging with the pandemic as well.

Many also appreciated the fact that the throne speech made a recognition that Ontario is located on the traditional lands of various Indigenous nations, but I think that much more needs to be done on that front as well.

Unfortunately, not everything about the throne speech was praiseworthy. Important issues Ontarians were awaiting to hear from were not even mentioned in the throne speech, such as education. Ontario’s public school system is facing an urgent lack of investment. Many schools are overcrowded, with classrooms having 40 students or more. Too many portables are taking the space in the schoolyard. Students are having to eat their lunch sitting in the corridors of their school because all the space has been taken up for classrooms, because the investment has not been made.

These conditions are not only a sanitary risk, but they are also the reflection of the weak priority that we attribute to our education system.

There was also no mention of the greatest challenge facing humanity. The scientific community is saying that we must act aggressively and immediately to curb greenhouse gas emissions. It is disappointing that the government’s position on the climate crisis is that it does not even merit a mention in the throne speech. The millions spent fighting the federal government’s climate measures in court would have been better invested in green energy and the transformation of our transportation systems.

People in Ottawa–Vanier were also disappointed that child care and paid sick days are not prioritized to send the economy on the recovery path by enabling women and families to integrate or reintegrate into the workforce and to be protected if they get sick.

The housing crisis is making life unaffordable for working-class people in Ottawa–Vanier, and too many homeless people on the wait-list are desperate for a place to call home. Despite this crisis, there was no mention of housing in the speech from the throne. It really feels like we are not putting up a fight against homelessness, and the negative impacts on our society will be lasting and expensive. Action is needed and it is needed now.

The pandemic shed light on our collective moral failing on long-term-care-home conditions. While the speech did mention long-term care and promises the admirable actions of spending more on long-term-care homes, increasing surveillance and mandating vaccines for employees, it could have gone further. It could have committed to implementing stricter and more consistent regulations on long-term care and put forward a plan to give more seniors the choice to receive care in their own home, which is what most people want.

There is a lot missing from the throne speech, and it left people wondering about the intentions of the government towards their well-being. While I’m thankful that the government intends to take the pandemic seriously, there are other crises going on that should receive more of the government’s attention. I hope the government won’t let Ontarians down on these priorities.

I look forward to working productively with all members of this House to make Ontario better for everyone.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: The throne speech fell flat. It felt like it felt when I got here this morning. Overall, it was vague. It lacked detail. It missed the mark. It read more like a cut-and-paste from government news releases over the past year or maybe two years. It’s not the reset that the government claimed it was going to be; it was just more of the same.

The speech let down Ontarians. A lot of Ontarians are saying, “This is what we waited for?” Worst of all, it let down our children. There was not one mention of the word “education,” despite our children having two very, very difficult years at school—no provisions to help students catch up on what they missed, no new provisions to support learning or to make class sizes smaller. If the government really valued public education, they would have at least said the words in the speech.

There was no mention of creating a mandatory vaccination policy for front-line workers in health care and education, although we know it’s perfectly reasonable for families to expect that the person caring for their loved one at home or in a hospital has been vaccinated, or the person teaching their child at school or caring for their child at a child care centre has been vaccinated too.

There was no mention of safe zones around our hospitals or schools, although we saw those protests over the summer and early this fall that were concerning; no mention of the federal government and $10-a-day child care, getting to that agreement, although we know that’s really important for our economy, to get women back into the workforce—mostly women. Greater participation means our economy will be stronger.

There’s no mention of the environment and climate change—none—the greatest challenge facing our children. This speech really let down children: no education, no climate change. It’s quite surprising.

Et il n’y avait pas une seule phrase significative pour répondre aux besoins de la communauté franco-ontarienne.

C’est intéressant : j’ai entendu une réponse du gouvernement pendant la période de questions. La réponse était : « Nous vous avons donné le drapeau dans la Chambre et de l’argent pour le festival du fromage à St. Albert. » Cela en dit long sur la compréhension de ce gouvernement des besoins des Franco-Ontariens, réduisant leurs besoins à des drapeaux et des « curds ».

Speaker, the throne speech let down our future. It let down our children. It didn’t talk about education, didn’t talk about the environment and climate change. It wouldn’t have taken much, but the government couldn’t even utter those words.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I now recognize the member from Scarborough–Guildwood.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: Mr. Speaker, I am always honoured to rise on behalf of my constituents of Scarborough–Guildwood. There is no more critical an opportunity than the throne speech for the government to set out its vision for the people of this province. As my colleagues have already said, this government has fallen way short.

It is heartbreaking that the PCs have squandered this opportunity and could not bring themselves to do the necessary work to really define what the vision is under their government for the people of Ontario.

The reconciliation was mentioned with Indigenous peoples of this land, but what was missing is the action. We just recognized the first national day of reconciliation in Canada, and this government, under this Premier, refuses to make that a holiday in Ontario, and so commitment needs action.

It’s time for the Premier and for his Conservative government to do their part and to put Ontarians first—not your re-election plans and your campaigning and your pre-victory laps before we’re even through the pandemic. Deliver on things like lower class sizes so that students in my constituency of Scarborough–Guildwood, like at Cedarbrae Collegiate and St. Ursula, are not disrupted because of outbreaks in their schools.

Deliver for children with autism and their families so that 50,000 children are not waiting on those wait-lists, which have doubled under your watch despite funding. You have the funding, but you have not spent it.

Deliver on mandatory vaccinations in our health care system, in our education system, so we keep those most vulnerable things. Deliver on a plan to vaccinate children under 12, between five and 11, as soon as that vaccine is approved as safe by Health Canada.

Deliver on $10-a-day child care. Sign the federal agreement. Why are you holding out—one of the last provinces. If you care about women and their economic recovery—which was not mentioned in the throne speech at all, despite women seeing the most challenging effects from this pandemic.

Deliver on justice for those taken from us far too soon and the elderly in long-term care and in our communities, who have bore the brunt of this pandemic.

Deliver on a third round of funding for small businesses in this province, who also were ignored in this throne speech. You’re relying on tax deferrals instead of offering real help and real support.

The people of Ontario deserve better from this government right now. They cannot wait, because they are struggling each and every day to make ends meet and they need a government that actually demonstrates and takes the action needed to show that they care.

Unfortunately, this throne speech did not deliver for the people of Ontario. It did not put the priorities and the needs in health care—you’re still underfunding, despite the fact that we’re in a health crisis. It did not deliver on education. It did not deliver for the women of the province—who were not even mentioned—for the environment and climate change, or for education and for the future of this province. It’s time that you get to work.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I look to the member from Flamborough–Glanbrook.

Ms. Donna Skelly: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s nice to see you in the chair.

My question is for the member from Ottawa South. The member has been in this House since 2013, and during the period that his party formed government, 600 long-term-care beds were built in this province. Our government is spending close to $3 billion to create 30,000 long-term-care beds. We’re spending close to $5 billion to hire almost 27,000 more long-term-care staff to help our seniors, our most vulnerable population.

We’ve spoken about that horrifying statistic for so long—600 beds. We didn’t create the crisis; the Liberal government created a crisis. We inherited it, and we’re doing our part to address that. Can the member please explain why long-term care was not a priority and only 600 beds were built during his tenure?

Mr. John Fraser: That was 600 net new beds. But she didn’t talk about the beds that we rebuilt that were already there—30,000 over 15 years, new, and beds that were redeveloped.

But here’s my question: You’ve just made vaccinations mandatory in long-term care, after months of people calling for it, and you did that because that’s important to protect people there. Also, the minister said, “You know what? The staffing isn’t a problem because being not vaccinated is more of a risk to staffing”—more of a risk. Now this government refuses to do it anywhere else—refuses to do it in schools, refuses to do it in child care, refuses to do it in hospitals. And your excuses are lame. CHEO, 99%; Queensway Carleton, 98%; UHN, 97%—if you actually set the policy and did the work to answer people’s questions and get them vaccinated, we would be so much further ahead.

Thanks for the question.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Niagara Centre.

Mr. Jeff Burch: It’s good to see the juices start to flow this morning.

My question is for the member from Scarborough–Guildwood. She mentioned $10-a-day child care. It amazed me that the government—it was such an easy win. Seven provinces have already signed on to the deal. I think the Liberals promised it 11 elections in a row, and the NDP finally made it happen. I’m wondering if she could tell us how important that program is to the people in her riding.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I really thank the member for the question.

We’re talking about a throne speech, and this government didn’t even mention the children of this province and their futures and what they plan for the children of the province.

The federal government has delivered a comprehensive program on child care. Seven provinces have already signed that agreement, and Ontario still has not signed.

The people in my community, in Scarborough–Guildwood, really need lower costs for child care, in terms of the $10-a-day, which would save their family a great deal on child care, but they also need access to the more spaces that that would provide, as well as the quality training in terms of early childhood educators and having more of those capacity. It’s desperately needed.

This government needs to sign that agreement today.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Haldimand–Norfolk.

Mr. Toby Barrett: My question is to any of the three Liberal members opposite, with respect to long-term care.

I’ve spent 15 years in opposition, under Premier McGuinty and Premier Wynne, and my riding had zero development of long-term-care beds. Previous to that, I was an elected member under Premier Harris and Premier Eves, and we had long-term-care new builds: brand new facilities at Parkview Meadows in Townsend, two facilities in Dunnville—Edgewater Gardens and Grandview—and a brand new facility at Norview. Then, 15 years of Liberals—no build at all. Now, under Premier Ford, I have four major projects in the works.

What’s your vision for long-term care?

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: I love this place and all of you, too.

So, 30,000 new beds, rebuilt beds, over 15 years—but the vision for seniors is not just building more long-term care, because we know that we have to do that; it’s actually, are you investing in home care? Take a look at what’s happening in home care right now. Home care is asking you for $600 million. Try to get a nurse in home care; try to get a PSW.

Interjection.

Mr. John Fraser: Well, no, what’s happening is, you’re driving them all towards long-term care.

People want to stay at home. People want care, to be able to live in their own homes. That’s why we have to invest in long-term care.

What’s this government doing for not-for-profit long-term care? Nothing. Zero. Squat. What’s the government doing to support communities to build their own long-term care? Nothing. Zero. Squat. They’re leaning in hard to for-profit care. Why? Because they got lobbied.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Ottawa Centre.

Mr. Joel Harden: My question is for my neighbour in Ottawa–Vanier. I just want to bring up something a nurse said in the Ottawa Citizen today for your reaction, given what you mentioned. Kate Magladry is an RN, and her experience during the pandemic—she was that person in the hospital holding up the iPad to the sick patient with COVID-19, who was unconscious, because that was the only way her family could contact that patient. She had to be there. In the Ottawa Citizen, she said she cried every time she saw that.

But what she says about the latest rhetoric of heroes, when people call her a hero—this is what Kate said, and I’d love the member’s reaction. When she hears the word “hero,” she thinks the word is forever tarnished. Now, it sets off alarm bells, and she begins to think, “Oh, they’re calling us heroes. That’s their licence to underprotect and undervalue our work.” I think Bill 124 does that.

You can’t call someone a hero and prevent the growth of their wages. You can’t call someone a hero and not staff up in nursing care.

What do you think, member: Is this something that we should be telling the government to put in its next throne speech as a priority?

M me Lucille Collard: Thank you for the important questions. The member is a neighbour in Ottawa.

We all know that we need to take care of the people who take care of us, and that means really recognizing the value of their work and paying them decently so that we can attract more people in the profession and have more people look after us. I think that increases of wages that are temporary cannot do the job, and not giving the nurses the working conditions that they need to be able to thrive and have a balance in their life with their work and their family is wrong. I think we need to recognize them. We need not only to put them on a pedestal, but give them the means to do their job properly and to thrive as human beings.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Kitchener–Conestoga.

Mr. Mike Harris: You know what? It’s a great Wednesday morning here in the Ontario Legislature. I’m actually quite happy to see a little bit of liveliness coming back to this place after, I’d say, a quiet start to the second session.

My question is the member from Scarborough–Guildwood. She talked a little bit about truth and reconciliation and the new National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the federal Liberal Party, which of course I’m sure she supports, was surfing in Tofino during that day. He ignored a few requests from some local chiefs to come and get together. I’d like to hear her comments on what she thinks about that. If we’re talking about things that were missing from the throne speech, why don’t we talk about our Prime Minister who was completely missing in action on a day that he brought forward?

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I believe that we have to be real when we really think about the effects of colonialism in this province, of what has happened to Indigenous peoples. That was a day that really was devoted to that. It was a day of reflection. For me, I visited Tabor Hill Ossuary in my riding in Scarborough, and I cried.

I recognize that more needs to be done. This government, one of your first acts as a PC government was to cancel the curriculum-writing that was ready. It was already done. It was actually led by Indigenous people. And you cancelled that. You cut arts funding for Indigenous communities through the Ontario Arts Council. You’ve actually done more to prevent the advancement of truth and reconciliation and its actions.

Let’s focus on what we can do here in this House so that true reconciliation is possible.

Debate deemed adjourned.

Request to the Integrity Commissioner

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I beg to inform the House that I have today laid upon the table a request by the member for London West to the Honourable J. David Wake, Integrity Commissioner, for an opinion pursuant to

section 30 of the Members’ Integrity Act, 1994, on whether the member for Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston, Randy Hillier, has contravened the act or Ontario parliamentary convention.

Members’ Statements

Events in London–Fanshawe / Bill Paul

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: This past summer and fall, like so many of us, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my community. Even through our masks and distance, I could feel how glad and relieved everyone was, finally able to get together. Thank you for all the invitations, whether it was to walk with you at the Parkinson’s walk, or the N’Amerind Friendship Centre for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, checking in with local businesses or celebrating local organizations, attending summer festivals or a tree-planting, it was a delight to see you all again. We’ve made it through this hard part, so let’s keep going.

I also want to take a moment to honour someone special: Bill Paul, London’s unofficial town crier. He passed away earlier this month. Bill always had a smile and good cheer for everyone he came across. Bill will be missed. We’ll miss your booming voice and your calling out “Oyez, oyez” to start our events. It always felt like a special occasion when you were there to celebrate with all of us. We will miss you, Bill Paul.

Remembrance Day

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: I want to thank the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms and unity that we commemorate on Remembrance Day this year and every year.

During World War II, 7,400 Indigenous people volunteered for Canadian military service and approximately 300 lost their lives. Known as one of the greatest Canadian soldiers, Company Sergeant Major Francis Pegahmagabow was honoured with a building that was dedicated in his name at CFB Borden. He is known as the most skilled sniper of the First World War, with more than 375 kills. He is one of 38 Canadians to earn the Military Medal with two bars, each in recognition of his acts of bravery.

In Barrie, Speaker, we have a rich history of recognizing our veterans. This year, as you drive around Simcoe county and Barrie–Innisfil, take time to commemorate the streets that are named after our veterans: for example, Brown Street, which is named after George Roy Brown and Harold Brown, who both fought in the First World War. We also have Spiers Road, which is named after Thomas Robert Speers, and just next door in Newmarket is a street named after Reginald Harrison, who is the grandfather of Emma Notman, who works with my team. He served in Europe.

So as you drive around this year and commemorate our veterans who fought for our freedom, don’t forget to think about the local history in our own areas.

Volunteers

Mr. Jeff Burch: I’m pleased to rise to speak about a great initiative in Welland. Next month, Jim Butts is joining other Wellanders to offer breakfast to those facing homelessness in the city.

For the last nine years, Butts and a team of volunteers, including my friend Mary Ellen DuPon, have been operating a food bank and serving hot meals once a month at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. These good Samaritans are now partnering with Beyond the Streets, a local volunteer-led organization providing services to those at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Welland. The group has counted at least 40 people who are homeless in downtown Welland alone. Shelter beds offered by the Hope Centre are constantly full, and local not-for-profits report that more and more people are struggling to find a place to live.

Groups like Beyond the Streets and the organizers out of Holy Trinity Anglican Church are hoping to fill some of the gaps and ensure that those facing homelessness can get a hot meal at the start of their day. The program is starting with a soft launch on November 6, where I will be joining them in handing out food, and I encourage others to join, as more help is needed. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact my office, where we will connect you with the organizers.

Long-term care

Mrs. Robin Martin: I’m proud to rise and say that after decades of neglect by previous governments, our government is taking action to fix Ontario’s long-term-care sector. We want to ensure Ontario seniors get the quality of care that they need and deserve, both now and in the future.

The Minister of Long-Term Care is committed to an open dialogue on how best to move Ontario’s long-term-care system forward, and in that spirit I held a consultation on October 12 with the Minister of Long-Term Care and the MPP for Willowdale, the Associate Minister of Transportation. The consultation included input from relevant stakeholders such as long-term-care providers and family groups from the riding of Willowdale and my riding of Eglinton–Lawrence, including representatives from Villa Colombo Toronto and the Jewish Home for the Aged.

I’m proud that in addition to these consultations, our government is already taking concrete steps to improve long-term care across the province, funding more care with a $270-million investment this year. As a result, in my riding of Eglinton–Lawrence, to increase the direct care every resident receives this year, Villa Colombo Toronto residential long-term care will be receiving $1.4 million more than last year, and the Jewish Home for the Aged $1.7 million more than last year.

To meet our promise of an average of four hours of care per resident in 2024-25, Villa Colombo will be receiving $8.5 million more annually than their current funding by that year, and the Jewish Home for the Aged $10 million more annually than their current funding.

Mr. Speaker, strengthening long-term care is a commitment our government takes seriously. Through consultations with our partners in the sector and our direct investments, our government is fixing long-term care, now and for the future, and making a difference for Eglinton–Lawrence.

Blaine Cameron

Mr. Joel Harden: Nine years ago, an organizer for Ottawa ACORN knocked on Blaine Cameron’s door. Blaine lived with Becker muscular dystrophy in a used power wheelchair, and he’d been trapped in his apartment for months, struggling with a pest problem and a lack of access to the outside, given Ottawa’s winter conditions. This is the case for thousands of people with disabilities every year.

The organizer told Blaine, though, that he didn’t have to put up with it. Blaine was invited to join Ottawa ACORN to help people organize for justice, and from that day onward, Blaine was a leader in our city, because someone knocked on his door.

In time, Blaine became the chair of ACORN’s central Ottawa chapter. He helped win $250,000 in rent rebates in that building. He helped win increases to the asset limits for ODSP recipients. He fought for hikes in Ottawa’s affordable housing spending, and he helped win a national program, the Connecting Families program, which offers low-income families $10-a-month Internet. That has reached 200,000 families across Canada. In 2018, Blaine was also a major part of our win in Ottawa Centre.

But we lost him two weeks ago, Speaker. His heart couldn’t sustain his life any longer, and his friends and family today are heartbroken too. So this Saturday, we are going to celebrate Blaine’s life, and we’re going to do it by hosting a community canvass for rent control, because that’s what Blaine would have wanted.

Blaine, rest in power, my friend. We’re thinking of you, and we’re never going to stop organizing for justice. Bless you.

Amélioration des routes

M lle Amanda Simard: Depuis des décennies, les résidents de ma circonscription qui voyagent sur l’autoroute 174/17 font face aux embouteillages, aux accidents et à tout ce qui fait des trajets quotidiens du matin un cauchemar. Plus de 20 000 personnes empruntent quotidiennement cette autoroute dans ma région. Le statu quo n’est pas acceptable.

Pour résoudre ce problème, cette autoroute doit être élargie et, comme je l’ai déjà préconisé auprès du gouvernement, pour que cela se produise, il est essentiel que le gouvernement de l’Ontario reprenne cette autoroute sous sa juridiction.

Je sais que ce gouvernement, par l’intermédiaire de leur ministre des Transports, a déclaré qu’il ne reprendrait pas l’autoroute 174/17. Cette position est profondément décevante, car cette reprise est le seul moyen d’avancer le projet d’élargissement à ce point-ci.

J’exhorte encore une fois ce premier ministre et ce gouvernement à changer leur position sur cette question importante et à reprendre cette autoroute—pour la sécurité, pour l’efficacité, pour l’économie.

Anti-racism activities

Mr. Aris Babikian: Racism and hate are the scourge of any society. It is a destructive phenomenon. It destroys the cohesion of any society or country. I am proud of the government initiative to launch a $1.6-million program to protect communities against racism and hate. I’m confident that the Stronger Together coalition will benefit from this program.

The Stronger Together coalition was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. Its mandate is to combat racism and hate, especially against Asian communities.

For the record, I would like to pay tribute to the coalition members: Alpha Education, Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs, Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, Canadian Multicultural Council – Asians in Ontario, Canadian Tamil Congress, Chinese Professionals Association of Canada, Filipino Centre Toronto, Hong Fook Mental Health Association, Korean Canadian Cultural Association, Malaysian Association of Canada, South Asian Culture and Health Association, the Cross-Cultural Community Services Association, Toronto Hakka Heritage Alliance, Toronto Police Service and the United Way of Greater Toronto.

During the Lantern Festival celebration, the coalition organized a powerful and meaningful tribute to the victims of the residential schools. Mr. Speaker, I was honoured to participate in this tribute. I am also privileged to have participated in the founding meeting of the coalition.

Affordable housing

Ms. Marit Stiles: My community of Davenport is going through some extraordinary change. We have some of the most intensive development happening anywhere in the city, and as I meet with neighbours on the doorstep there is one issue that continues to be raised again and again and again: They want development that doesn’t just spew out more high-priced condos. They want housing that is deeply and permanently affordable, with real rent control. They want the developers who profit from these projects to contribute to the building and maintenance of local schools, to playgrounds, to transit and to parks.

They also want transparency around the ownership of real estate and developers in our community, like the disclosure laws that the BC government has brought in. And while the city of Toronto considers inclusionary zoning, they are asking for the support of this government, the provincial government, to stand up to developers who don’t build with our communities in mind.

I want to thank organizations in my community like South Junction Triangle Grows and the Junction Triangle Community Action Network for the work that they’re doing to ensure there’s a cohesive community voice and focus in negotiation with developers. I especially want to mention the amazing community members of Build a Better Bloor Dufferin, who have successfully worked to negotiate significant benefits and affordable units in developments in the Bloor-Dufferin area. We need more support from this government now.

Health care funding

Mr. Robert Bailey: It’s an honour to rise today to announce another critical investment in Sarnia–Lambton by the government of Ontario. I’m pleased to share the good news that the Ontario government is investing nearly $1.35 million this year to support critical health care infrastructure upgrades in Sarnia–Lambton at Bluewater Health’s beloved Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital in Petrolia.

This is a very important investment and part of the government’s larger investment of $182 million, provided through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund. This year’s investment by the government in the Bluewater Health CEEH campus also builds on our investments of $1.3 million in 2019 and over $1.2 million in 2020.

Our government continues to make record investments to support world-class hospitals across the province and ensure the health care system is prepared to respond to any scenario. Upgrading and maintaining hospitals and community health infrastructure is one of the more important ways our government is ensuring Ontarians receive exceptional care when they need it and closer to home.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m very pleased to inform the House that page Lamees Elbayoumi, from the riding of Mississauga–Malton, is one of today’s page captains, and we have with us today at Queen’s Park her father, Usama Elbayoumi.

Yamama Dahdal, from the riding of Toronto Centre, is also one of today’s page captains and we are joined today by her mother, Faten Dahdal. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. We are delighted to have you here.

Question Period

Long-term care

Ms. Sara Singh: My question is to the Premier. Throughout this pandemic, the Conservative government could have applied penalties and fines to long-term-care operators where inspections clearly revealed that they had broken the rules. We know that in 2018, the Liberals brought in penalties, but never got around to actually proclaiming them into law. To make matters worse, this government, after more than three years, still hasn’t proclaimed those penalties into law either.

After nearly 4,000 deaths in long-term care, why won’t this government proclaim the laws that are already on the books and hold these for-profit homes accountable?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply on behalf of the government, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I think the member will know that yesterday we announced a significant increase in inspections across the province of Ontario for the long-term-care sector.

The member is quite correct that over 15 years, the Liberals certainly did not do the work that was needed to ensure that we had a strong long-term-care sector, and we saw some of the results and the impacts of that in the early stages of the pandemic. Honestly, that’s why we moved so quickly to ensure that we increased the amount of beds, increasing it by 30,000 over the next number of years. That’s why we are significantly increasing the amount of inspectors. That’s why we are moving to the highest standard of care in North America, with four hours of daily care. That’s why we are hiring 27,000 additional PSWs, paying for the education of PSWs and hiring thousands of new nurses.

The member is correct: The Liberals did let us down in that regard, but we are moving very quickly to ensure that we have a stable, strong long-term-care system for the future.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: The government House leader is correct: The Liberals certainly did let us down. But this government had three years to act, and they did nothing. They could have proclaimed these laws on day one, but they chose not to.

In her April 2020 report on long-term care, the Auditor General said that she was not impressed by this government’s lack of action to move forward with penalties that are already on the books. The Auditor General said this government “decided to not implement any fines or penalties” and they raised serious concerns about significant delays in this government’s action and the government’s decision to take a very supportive role in supporting these bad actors.

The Premier has no issue using extraordinary powers to serve his own political purposes, but when it comes to protecting seniors, they did nothing. They could have proclaimed these laws, but they chose not to.

Why is this government rewarding the for-profit operators with new beds and 30-year contracts instead of enforcing penalties that are already on the books?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Minister of Long-Term Care.

Hon. Rod Phillips: I thank the member for the question. This government, from day one, started to address the problems left by the previous government by committing to build new beds. From day one, this government took a proactive approach to addressing the issues in long-term care.

But very specifically to the member’s question: We’ve acknowledged and identified, listening to the long-term-care commission, listening to the Auditor General, listening to front-line workers and listening to the residents and families of long-term-care homes, that there need to be changes in the long-term-care act. That’s why, tomorrow, we’ll be introducing new legislation. We look forward to the feedback from the member when we look at introducing more transparency, when we look at introducing more accountability.

But, yesterday, we announced the doubling of the number of inspectors. So I’d ask the member, are you in favour of more enforcement? Are you in favour of the increased powers for inspectors? We know what you’re against, but clearly, you must think that increasing the number of inspectors and doubling those inspectors is a good thing, so, Mr. Speaker—

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

The final supplementary?

Ms. Sara Singh: Speaker, with all due respect to the minister—I know he’s still relatively new to the role—there are inspection reports that clearly outline that there are bad actors. What this government is doing is actually rewarding those bad actors with more contracts and public taxpayers’ dollars.

The Liberals didn’t proclaim these laws and penalties and they didn’t build enough beds either, causing the problems that we have in long-term care. But the horrors in long-term care were exacerbated by this government’s inaction.

As the Financial Accountability Office’s report in May of this year indicates, this government isn’t even going to meet their own targets for new beds. Even when they hand out contract after contract and billions of public taxpayers’ dollars to the for-profit sector, they are going to miss their own target by nearly 7,000 beds.

Is the government’s plan to provide zero accountability for bad actors, and accountability and transparency to Ontarians, and then hand these contracts over to these for-profit providers?

Speaker, my question, again to the Premier, is: Why is this government never willing to do the right thing to protect seniors, and why are they constantly rewarding their friends and insiders?

Hon. Rod Phillips: Mr. Speaker, the member chose not to talk about the doubling of inspectors. Smokey Thomas, the head of OPSEU, yesterday said this is a government that’s listening; Doris Grinspun from the RNAO said this is a government that’s listening.

But on the topic of beds: We understand this is why there is an opposition, different sides of the aisle. The opposition, the NDP, have an ideological aversion to the 140 construction projects that are going on right now, including, in Oakville, the building of 340 beds, including those beds that will be culturally specific to the Sikh and Hindu communities. They would rather see that project stop right now. Mr. Speaker, we don’t want to see that project stop; we want to see those 140 beds built.

We don’t want to spend billions of dollars expropriating the assets of private companies, which is what the NDP would do. We want to spend billions of dollars building new beds—$3 billion. We want to spend $4.9 billion adding four hours of staffing—something they’ve talked about over there but we’re doing. We’re going to spend the money protecting seniors, building beds and making sure accountability—

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

The next question.

Long-term care

Ms. Sara Singh: My next question is also to the Premier. The same companies running for-profit homes, where some of the worst outbreaks and deaths were found, are actually getting more rewards from this government.

At Sienna Senior Living, for example, which operates the Woodbridge Vista care facility and the Altamont care home, 84 seniors passed away in the pandemic. The government didn’t issue any penalties to those homes. In fact, the government is giving Sienna millions in taxpayer dollars as a reward.

Speaker, why would the government reward Sienna with millions in lucrative contracts when that company hasn’t been able to even safely operate the homes they already have contracts for?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Long-Term Care.

Hon. Rod Phillips: Mr. Speaker, the tragedy of what happened with COVID-19 is something that we all witnessed. We understand the challenges that happened not just in long-term-care homes here in Ontario but across Canada and around the world. That is why we appointed a commission, and that commission looked very specifically at issues across the long-term-care sector. They have provided recommendations—recommendations like increasing the number of inspectors; recommendations like making sure those inspectors have more authority; recommendations that related to accountability, transparency and the importance of making sure that enforcement is in place.

That commission, led by a former judge, also talked about the need for more and new beds. The previous government, at one point supported in its minority by the opposition, allowed only 611 beds to be built over a period of seven years.

Mr. Speaker, we are fixing long-term care. That does involve building new beds. That does involve putting more accountability in place. And that does involve a plan that’s working.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: Speaker, the government knows just how badly Sienna operated their own homes. Professionals from the William Osler Health System had to actually step in to help manage the Woodbridge Vista home. At the Altamont home, the Canadian Armed Forces were required to step up. What they found was a home in disrepair, dirty and damaged walls, overworked staff and a huge maintenance backlog. But instead of issuing a single penalty to Sienna, this Premier brought out the chequebook and offered new, lucrative contracts to this for-profit provider.

Sienna wasn’t capable of managing the homes that they already had licences for. So why would the Premier reward Sienna with new contracts when they weren’t even able to properly manage the long-term-care homes that they already had?

Hon. Rod Phillips: Mr. Speaker, under the previous government—again, at times supported by this opposition—of the 611 beds built, none were built, for example, in Brampton. This government is committed to 680 new beds and 120 upgraded beds just in the community of Brampton.

The shareholders of the company that the member is talking about are probably rooting her on, because they know that what the NDP wants to do is make sure that billions of taxpayers’ dollars go to pay them for their company. We are not in the business of expropriating companies. We’re not in the business of putting billions of dollars just to take ownership away from those operators. We’re in the business of putting billions of dollars to work, and that’s what we’re doing—providing more care, four hours of care; providing 27,000 new staff; providing 30,000 more beds. That’s how we will spend the taxpayers’ money. That’s how we will protect seniors. And that’s how we will fix long-term care.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: Speaker, this could have been an opportunity for this province to do better. This could have been an opportunity to move away from for-profit long-term-care system that the Liberals and the Conservatives both prefer. We could have homes where seniors live and die in dignity.

Instead, we have licences going to an operator where inspectors found a resident not drinking enough fluids, and instead of being offered a glass of water, the senior was given medication that caused further dehydration. That resident later died. Inspectors found that Sienna lacked a staffing plan. And instead of a penalty, this government offered Sienna new contracts to make even more money. When asked yesterday by the media what the minister’s possible justification would be, he refused to answer.

So I’ll ask again: Why won’t the government do the right thing, stop rewarding their buddies and the private shareholders in for-profit long-term care with lucrative contracts and start protecting seniors and people with disabilities in long-term care?

Hon. Rod Phillips: This government is the first government in decades to take the actions necessary to protect seniors. It comes in three parts: building more beds—30,000 beds, and 20,000 of them are already under way. That’s 220 construction projects, 140 of which the member would have us stop today; $4.9 billion for four hours of care—27,000 new staff; I was with the Minister of Colleges and Universities offering another $100 million to bridge RPNs and PSWs into nursing jobs—$100 million today for 2,000 new nurses—surely you support that; and, Mr.

Speaker, more accountability, more enforcement, doubling the number of inspectors. The member likes to talk about inspectors. Would she not think it would be better if there would be more of them? Could she say that? No.

Ideologically driven, they want to put billions of dollars through expropriation in the hands of the very private companies they don’t like. We’re going to put those billions of dollars to work to support seniors. We’re going to fix long-term care in this province.

COVID-19 immunization

Parents want kids vaccinated as quickly and as efficiently as possible. School boards are already running school-based vaccination clinics for other childhood vaccines, they’re just waiting for direction from this government. Approval from Health Canada could come at any moment. Why are we still waiting for a clear vaccination plan from this government for our five-to-11-year-olds?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Hon. Christine Elliott: Thank you to the member for the question. We have been working on a vaccination plan for children aged five to 11 for months now. We recognize that Health Canada approval may be forthcoming very quickly. We have been in contact with our 34 public health units. They have submitted their plans. We are finalizing them with the public health units. Many of those vaccination programs will be carried out in schools—perhaps not during school hours, but after hours and on weekends.

So, given the fact that we’ve already had tremendous success with our adult vaccination campaign, we reached 88% of people aged 12 and older having received their first dose. This is a significant achievement, and based on the achievement of our adult program, we are going to replicate that success with our children’s program for children aged five to 11.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Back to the Premier: The science table report is crystal clear. It says that boosting the uptake of vaccination among children and youth is going to depend on building and leveraging trust, especially by those in positions of authority. But, yesterday, the Premier himself sowed more doubts about vaccines for kids. I’m going to quote him. He said, “I also understand if parents don’t want to get their five-year-old or six-year-old vaccinated.”

Speaker, our younger children are the last segment of our population waiting to be vaccinated. When is this Premier going to stop pandering and start planning to get our kids the protection they need?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Our government has said since the very beginning when vaccines became available that anyone who was able to receive the vaccine should get the vaccine. The vast majority of people have, with 88% of people aged 12 and over already vaccinated with their first dose and over 84% having received the second dose as well.

This will apply to children as well. There may be some children who might not be able to for medical reasons. However, we are encouraging all parents to have their children aged five to 11 vaccinated as soon as it becomes available by Health Canada’s approval. We will be able to supply those vaccines. We have the orders in. We have the capability to do it, and we are ready to deliver. Just as we’ve successfully done with adults, we will successfully do with children as well.

Flu immunization

Mr. Aris Babikian: With this year’s flu season approaching, I know many in Scarborough–Agincourt have questions surrounding how and where they can get a flu shot. Here in Ontario the flu shot is provided free of charge to everyone, six months of age and older, who lives, works or attends school. As we continue to live with COVID-19, it is more important than ever to get the vaccine when it is your turn. I have heard from constituents who are eager to get their flu shots as soon as possible.

Speaker, through you: Could the Minister of Health tell us how our government is planning to roll out the flu vaccine this year?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Thank you to the member from Scarborough–Agincourt for the question and for your superb work on behalf of all of your constituents.

Our government is proud to say that this year will mark the largest seasonal flu shot program in Ontario’s history. Building on last year’s success, Ontario is investing over $89 million to purchase over 7.6 million flu shots this year, which is 1.4 million more than last year. This includes a total of 1.8 million high-dose vaccines specifically for seniors.

Over five million doses of the 7.6 million doses ordered have already arrived in Ontario and are being distributed around the province. To protect the most vulnerable, Ontario’s initial supply of flu vaccine was prioritized for long-term-care-home residents and hospital patients beginning in September, and flu shots are now available for seniors and others most at risk for complications from the flu.

Flu shots for all Ontarians will be available starting next week through doctor and nurse practitioner offices, at participating pharmacies and public health units.

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

Mr. Aris Babikian: Thank you to the minister for that response. It is great to hear that we are preparing for a strong demand for flu shots this year, and that we have focused on prioritizing the initial supply for the most vulnerable. I personally look forward to booking my flu shot at any local pharmacy when they become available starting next week.

Last year we saw some delays in distribution due to the significant turnout at flu vaccine clinics. Speaker, to the minister through you: With such high demand this year, what is the minister doing to ensure there is more than enough supply available in Ontario?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I’m very pleased to report that there are no delays in vaccine shipments by manufacturers. We ordered more doses this year, as a result of the increased uptake last season and in recognition of the importance of the flu shot in ending hallway health care and protecting hospital capacity as the province continues to respond to COVID-19. We are being clear that there will be a sufficient supply of flu shots for any Ontarian who wants one.

As the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Moore, has said, “The annual flu shot is the best defence against the flu this season.... As we head into the fall and begin gathering indoors more often with family and friends, it is even more important to get your flu shot, in addition to following public health measures, to protect yourself and those around you.”

Speaker, I encourage everyone to get their flu shot as soon as they can, and I’d like to remind all Ontarians that it is safe to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu shot at the same time. So if you’re receiving your flu shot and have yet to receive a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, please do so as soon as you can.

Child care

Mr. Jeff Burch: My question is to the Premier. The Centre for Future Work has shown that a universal early learning and child care program, phased in over 10 years, would facilitate increased labour force participation and employment of up to 725,000 Canadian women in prime parenting years, create over 200,000 jobs in child care centres, increase the Canadian GDP by between $64 billion and $107 billion, and add $17 billion to $29 billion to provincial and federal revenues, more than covering the cost of the program.

Ontario’s astronomical child care costs are the highest in Canada, yet this government continues to drag its feet and squabble with the federal government. Will this government stop their theatrics and bring in universal, high-quality, public, not-for-profit, $10-a-day child care for the people of Ontario? Yes or no?

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

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I want to thank the member opposite for the question. We agree child care is too expensive. It was an inherited legacy out of the former Liberal government, where child care rose by 40%. With that said, the province in the nation that, regrettably, has the worst metric when it comes to pricing is the New Democratic province of BC. We believe as Progressive Conservatives we can make child care affordable and accessible through a better deal with the federal government.

The member opposite uses the word “theatrics.” We’re negotiating for a better deal when we’re talking about potentially leaving as much as $3 billion on the table. Thank goodness the New Democrats or the Liberals are not in the driver’s seat in this negotiation. They would have caved to the federal Liberals immediately.

We’re extracting the best deal, the longest and more sustainable deal, to ensure those fees are reduced—not just in year 1 but over the course of our mandate—to ensure the program is there for moms and dads when they need it so they can afford child care in this province for good.

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

Mr. Jeff Burch: Seven provinces and one territory have signed the deal to provide $10-per-day child care. As the Ford government drags its feet on the child care deal, municipalities are stepping up to fill the gap. Last week, Niagara Regional Council passed a motion asking staff to investigate the potential for them to enter into a direct agreement with the federal government to participate in the national child care strategy.

Niagara is prepared to treat the child care crisis with the urgency it requires. Municipalities know we need to start building a universal, affordable, quality child care system right away. Will the Premier stop his ideological dithering and say yes to child care?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: It’s this Premier who is investing $2 billion this year alone to build a more accessible child care system, investing $1 billion specifically to build 30,000 spaces, which the former government couldn’t get done.

We’ve introduced a tax credit to reduce child care costs, given that they rose by 40%. I agree with the member: It’s absolutely unacceptable, by any standard. What did the Premier do in his first year? He introduced a tax cut, which was then enriched, providing roughly $1,500 per child in savings.

It will help make a difference, but we recognize there’s more we can do, which is why we’re at the table with the federal government. We’re standing up to this federal Liberal government to get a better deal for the people we represent in this province. I would expect the New Democrats, at the least, perhaps not the Liberals, to cave to Justin Trudeau—to demand that this province gets the best possible deal: long-term sustainable funding the moms and dads in this province deserve.

Highway improvement / Amélioration des routes

Mr. Stephen Blais: My question is for the Premier. For almost 25 years, the residents of Orléans and Ottawa have been stuck with the cash cow that is Highway 174. Highways 174 and 17 function as an enormous regional highway that sees tens of thousands of commuters each and every day.

As we know, Mr. Speaker, previous Conservative governments downloaded Highway 174 on to the backs of Ottawa property taxpayers and never looked back. This decision has sucked tens of millions of dollars out of local road maintenance, out of winter snow clearing, out of repairing potholes and better sidewalks and better cycling infrastructure.

Earlier this week, I introduced Bill 26, the Uploading Highways 174 and 17 Act. You can’t watch a sporting event without seeing the Premier say that he wants to say yes. Saying yes to Bill 26 will help commuters in Orléans and across eastern Ontario. Will the Premier say yes? Will this government support Bill 26 and upload Highways 174 and 17?

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

Hon. Stan Cho: Just when you think you’ve heard it all from the Liberals—this is incredible. What an ironic question.

First of all, the Liberals had 15 years to do something about this and they did nothing at all. But it doesn’t stop there. In 2016, the then transportation minister, Steven Del Duca, announced plans to widen parts of Highway 17 but said no when it came to widening Highway 174 in Ottawa. In fact, it was the member from Orléans—an Ottawa city councillor at the time—who told the CBC, “What’s going to happen is you’re going to have a four-lane road in Rockland, cramped down to a two-lane road through Cumberland, and back up to a four-lane road in Orléans.... Maybe that’s what Rockland residents want but somehow I doubt it.”

The Liberals are hot then cold, yes then no, and while they’re busy making up their minds we’re going to invest in transit and transportation across this entire province.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. Order.

Restart the clock. The supplementary question?

Mr. Stephen Blais: While I appreciate the answer from the junior member from Willowdale, my question was for the Premier.

For nearly 25 years, the Conservatives have kept Highways 174 and 17 with municipal taxpayers in eastern Ontario. Ever since, those highways have been sucking tens of millions of property tax dollars out of road maintenance, out of winter snow clearing, out of better cycling facilities and pedestrian facilities for residents in Ottawa and the counties.

Conservatives used to understand the error of their ways. In 2014, the leader of the Ontario Conservatives promised to upload Highway 174 in a letter to Mayor Watson. Let me quote the letter: “In our first 100 days in office ... we will begin negotiations to upload Highway 174, thereby removing the cost of this route from the city and integrating it into the province’s highway planning.”

It has been 1,216 days since this government took office—1,216 days—and there has been no action.

The Premier likes to say yes—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock.

The government House leader will come to order. The Minister of Economic Development will come to order. The Solicitor General will come to order. The member for Kitchener–Conestoga will come to order.

Restart the clock. Please conclude your question.

Mr. Stephen Blais: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier likes to say yes, so I would like to hear a yes from the Premier.

Le premier ministre va-t-il enfin dire oui aux habitants de Hawkesbury? Va-t-il enfin dire oui aux habitants d’Alfred? Will he finally say yes to the residents of Wendover, to the residents of Rockland, to the residents of Ottawa? Will the Premier finally say yes to the residents of Orléans and approve Bill 26 and upload Highways 174 and 17?

Hon. Stan Cho: So the member wants to talk about history. Let’s talk about history: In fact, these challenges for the great people Ottawa are not new. In 2007, the Liberal government under Dalton McGuinty and Conservative government under Stephen Harper made the first commitment to fund $40 million toward the widening of Highway 174 and county road 17. But guess what? The city of Ottawa—

Mr. Stephen Blais: It’s a $500-million project.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Orléans, come to order. Allow the minister to answer the question.

The associate minister.

Hon. Stan Cho: Speaker, the city of Ottawa said no to that plan, but almost a full decade later, the plan was revived by the then Liberal transportation minister, Steven Del Duca. But as a councillor, the member for Orléans said no. This is incredible: The member for Orléans tried to get the last Liberal government to upload the highway, but they said no to him too. The Liberal government can’t seem to decide which is yes, which is no or whether they agree with their own members or not. So this government will not take lessons from them but continue expanding transit and transportation across the entire province, including in the great city of Ottawa.

Child abuse prevention

Mrs. Robin Martin: My question is to the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues. Every October, children’s aid societies across Ontario raise awareness about the role we must all play in supporting vulnerable children, youth and families in our province, and this is done through our Dress Purple Day campaign.

Families today are dealing with a multitude of challenges, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to create additional stresses for some families. For vulnerable children and youth, these times have posed increased risk for their well-being and safety.

Can the minister please tell this House how we are helping to raise awareness for vulnerable children, youth and their families on Dress Purple Day?

Hon. Jane McKenna: I’d like to thank the member from Eglinton–Lawrence for this important question. Keeping children and youth safe is a responsibility that our government takes very seriously, along with our children’s aid societies. In fact, everyone in Ontario has a role to play in the well-being of children, youth and families.

Through Dress Purple Day, we remind Ontarians that, together with other social service providers, children’s aid societies are there to help children youth and families who may be facing challenges. Dress Purple Day is an opportunity to raise awareness for all of us, including among children and youth, about their right to safety and well-being in all spaces.

On Dress Purple Day, we celebrate communities and families and remind them that help is available and no one is alone.

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

Mrs. Robin Martin: Back to the minister: As you can see, members on all sides of this House are dressed in purple to show their support for vulnerable children, youth and families. While dressing in purple demonstrates our support for this important campaign and helps to raise awareness of everyone’s role in supporting children, there’s more that can be done to help address some of the challenges vulnerable children and youth are facing.

In addition to the partnership with service providers and the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies’ Dress Purple Day campaign, could the minister please advise this House about some of the actions taken by this government to not only protect vulnerable children, but to also ensure that they feel supported?

Hon. Jane McKenna: Speaker, the member is quite right. Our focus is not only on protection, we are also working to change the culture of the child welfare system to one that focuses on prevention and early intervention. At the core of our plan to redesign the child welfare system is our goal to strengthen families and communities. We’re working to make children and family services safe, culturally appropriate and responsive to the needs of children, youth and families.

I’d also like to recognize the efforts of those who work at children’s aid societies. We all faced many challenges and pressures we couldn’t have imagined 18 months ago. I want to take a moment to thank those who are dedicating their lives to support children and youth in our province. Every child in Ontario should feel empowered and supported, because when they feel safe and supported, we all benefit.

Government investments

Mr. Peter Tabuns: My question to the Premier. The investment by this Premier and his minister to their buddies at Facedrive just stinks. The products the Premier and his minister proclaimed would help Ontarians aren’t even in use anymore, and no one can find any actual jobs created by the millions in grants. Some have said that the millions the company received may have contributed to helping the company drive up its stock, only to see it come crashing down while company executives sold off shares for millions of dollars. But that’s not all.

Facedrive’s executive vice-president kicked thousands of dollars into the PC coffers last year just after the government gave the company millions in public dollars.

To the Premier: What jobs in Ontario did this multi-million investment create, and how many of the Facedrive products were actually made in Ontario to date?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: In the depths of the pandemic, when Ontario had almost no PPE capacity, our government launched the $50-million Ontario Together Fund. This helped local companies retool their operations to produce PPE, critical supplies and develop technology-driven solutions and services.

Like all submissions to the Ontario Together Fund, this proposal was assessed by ministry officials using internal experts as well as external, independent and third-party institutions. Additionally, in this case, this also included two university professors who provided their expertise.

In order to ensure value for money, the ministry has safeguards against a company’s performance, and that includes a holdback of funding, covenants around project completion and a requirement to have an independent auditor confirm that the investment was made in accordance with the funding agreement. If the company falls short, the ministry can take appropriate action.

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

So what did Ontarians get out of this cash to the Premier’s corporate buddies, besides a bunch of trackers, no longer in use, that the company bought off the shelf in China?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: From day one, our government has been focused on keeping the people of Ontario safe. That’s why we introduced programs like the Ontario Together Fund. The intention is to lower the hurdle for domestic companies to begin to support Ontario’s ongoing response to the pandemic.

The program supported 45 projects and leveraged more than $187 million in private sector investments. That has allowed us to reduce our dependence on unreliable supply chains. In fact, before the pandemic, very little PPE was made here in the province of Ontario, and as of today, 74% of our PPE is purchased domestically and most of it here in the province of Ontario.

Now, it’s unfortunate that the member and his party voted against the second round of $50 million for essential goods that are made in Kanata. They said no to supporting critical manufacturers in places like Hamilton and Scarborough. It’s only our government—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Orléans will come to order. The member for Davenport, come to order.

The next question.

COVID-19 immunization

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Premier. Good morning, Premier. Speaker, it’s perfectly reasonable for families to expect that the person who is caring for a loved one at their bedside, in a hospital or in home care, that that person has been vaccinated. It’s a perfectly reasonable expectation. Does the Premier agree? Yes or no?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Hon. Christine Elliott: What people should expect is that they will be protected against COVID-19. We have said that from the beginning, that the health and welfare of all Ontarians is our primary goal.

We’ve had a very successful vaccination campaign. As I indicated earlier, 88% of people aged 12 and older in Ontario have received at least a first dose, and 84% have received a second dose.

We expect, and we are asking everyone in Ontario who is able to receive the vaccine to do so, and as indicated, the vast majority of people have, as have the vast majority of people in health care.

However, as the member knows, there are other concerns that we have to be thinking about as we make this decision with respect to mandatory vaccination or not. That is with respect to the number of people who are not being vaccinated. Though they still have to be tested on a regular basis before they go into work to make sure everyone is safe and healthy, we still need to be concerned about the number of people who would leave if we brought forward a mandatory vaccination program. That is why the Premier has written to hospitals, has written to health care organizations to understand the ramifications of such a decision.

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

Mr. John Fraser: I’d appreciate a yes or no from somebody on that side if the Premier is unwilling to answer that question.

Speaker, what’s unreasonable is the delay this government has taken. The argument the minister is making—their Minister of Long-Term Care says that we need mandatory vaccinations to prevent outbreaks so we won’t have staff shortages, and that far outweighs losing any staff. That same principle applies in hospitals, in home care, in schools. It’s not any different. So the position that the government is taking and the Premier has taken is unreasonable—unreasonable.

The delay is incredible. Of those organizations that have adopted mandatory—hospitals have adopted mandatory vaccinations in my riding: CHEO, 99%; Queensway Carleton, 97%; here, where we are: UHN, 97%. You know why it works? Because they took action early on, and they did the work they needed to, to get there. But this government can’t figure that out. You haven’t been able to figure it out through the whole pandemic.

I just need an answer to the question, Premier. Yes or no: Is it reasonable for families to expect that?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll remind the members to make their comments through the Chair.

Minister of Health.

Hon. Christine Elliott: We have taken every step possible during the course of this pandemic to protect the health and welfare of all Ontarians.

The member is correct that there have been some—particularly pediatric—hospitals where they have required vaccinations because of the fact that children cannot be vaccinated right now. The vast majority of their patients are not vaccinated. The situation is different in hospitals, plus the fact that anybody who is working in a hospital, who is not vaccinated, also has to be tested very regularly.

But still, the principle remains the same: We need to understand and look at the evidence, look at what’s happening in all of the hospitals, in all of the health care organizations across Ontario to make a proper decision to ensure that we will have sufficient numbers of health care professionals who would stay on if a mandatory vaccination program were brought in, to make sure that we can continue to care for the people who already need care in our hospitals and in home care. We need to look at the—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ottawa South, come to order.

The next question, the member for Sarnia–Lambton.

COVID-19 immunization

Mr. Robert Bailey: Thank you, Speaker. To you and through you, to the Solicitor General: It’s great to be back at Queen’s Park after spending a productive legislative recess in my community of Sarnia–Lambton to hear from my constituents and share how our government is working for the people of the riding.

As our government continues this last mile of our vaccination strategy, we know there are more steps that we can take to reach the unvaccinated in communities across Ontario. But we’re going to need to be even more creative and strategic in offering Ontarians the most convenient experience when receiving their shot.

To the Solicitor General: How is our government going to innovate how we vaccinate?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you to the member from Sarnia–Lambton.

We have been very innovative. I’m very pleased, as the Minister of Health has said a number of times today, that we have ac