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March 31, 2014

40th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2014-Mar-31 (PDF)

L120 - Mon 31 Mar 2014 / Lun 31 mar 2014

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 31 March 2014 Lundi 31 mars 2014

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

ORAL QUESTIONS

POWER PLANTS

POWER PLANTS

POWER PLANTS

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

POWER PLANTS

RETIREMENT HOMES

POWER PLANTS

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

POWER PLANTS

POWER PLANTS

POWER PLANTS

DRIVER LICENCES

CORRECTION OF RECORD

VISITORS

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

ENGINEERS

BIKES FOR CUBA

SENIORS

CRAFT BREWERIES

MUNICIPALITIES

EMERGENCY RESPONDERS

TOBACCO CONTROL

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

CUB SCOUTS

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

LABOUR RELATIONS AMENDMENT

ACT (STRIKE AND LOCKOUT

INFORMATION), 2014 /

LOI DE 2014 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LES RELATIONS DE TRAVAIL

(RENSEIGNEMENTS SUR LES GRÈVES

ET LES LOCKOUTS)

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

NATIONAL ABORIGINAL

LANGUAGES DAY

PETITIONS

WIND TURBINES

HYDRO RATES

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES

GASOLINE PRICES

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

FISHING REGULATIONS

MINING INDUSTRY

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

ONTARIO DRUG BENEFIT PROGRAM

FIREFIGHTERS

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKERS

DENTAL CARE

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

ORDERS OF THE DAY

YOUTH SMOKING

PREVENTION ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE 2014 SUR LA PRÉVENTION

DU TABAGISME CHEZ LES JEUNES

ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

YOUTH SMOKING

PREVENTION ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE 2014 SUR LA PRÉVENTION

DU TABAGISME CHEZ LES JEUNES

The House met at 1030.

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

Prayers.

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: I’m delighted to have Girls Government 2014 here today. Schools represented are James Culnan Catholic School and Swansea Public School. The students are Karolina Zablothy, Cynthia Pham, Nicole Bonner, Renee Deer, Natalie Cocev, Ivana Marsusic, Kate Bryant, Hannelore Koch, Chloe Bhumgara, Rachel Salem-Wiseman and Clare Radnoff. Their principals are Karen Ridley and Michele O’Dowd, and their teachers are Sonya Henderson and Rui Pedrosa. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Helena Jaczek: I want to introduce someone who I know will be visiting us in the Legislature very soon. MPP for Davenport, Jonah Schein, our colleague, welcomed a baby daughter, Hope Wheatcroft Schein, at 3:25 this morning. I am assured she is healthy and beautiful. I want to give a special shout-out to the new mom, who did all the work, Kristin Wheatcroft, a wonderful lady whom I’ve known since she was eight years old, and a shout-out to Les and Mary Wheatcroft. I’m getting really jealous—another grandchild. Congratulations to all.

Mr. Robert Bailey: I’d like to introduce today Kerry Vandenberg, from my riding of Sarnia–Lambton. He’s doing his MBA at the Schulich School of Business, specializing in public management. He’s also the riding president for the riding of York West.

Mrs. Donna H. Cansfield: Today, the page captain is Divya Dey. We’d like to welcome her mother, Dia Dey; her father, Suman Dey; and her grandmother, Indira Dutta, to the Legislature.

Mr. Jeff Yurek: I’d like to introduce my nephew, Greg Fougere, who is down for the day shadowing our Legislature.

ORAL QUESTIONS

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Tim Hudak: My question is to the Deputy Premier.

Before I get to that, I just want to, on behalf of the Ontario PC caucus, extend our best wishes to Constable Michael Klarenbeek and Constable Klarenbeek’s family. Constable Klarenbeek, of course, was shot at the Brampton courthouse. He’s recovering in Brampton Civic Hospital, and we want to send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to this Ontario hero.

Applause.

Mr. Tim Hudak: To the Deputy Premier: It’s been three years since the Liberal government got mired in this controversy around the cancellation of gas plants that cost taxpayers over a billion dollars.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

Mr. Tim Hudak: The most troubling allegations have now arisen as of Thursday, when the Ontario Provincial Police anti—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock, please. The Minister of Immigration and Citizenship will come to order, the Minister of the Environment will come to order and the Minister of Finance will come to order.

Please finish.

Mr. Tim Hudak: The OPP anti-rackets squad indicated that an outsider was given access to destroy criminal evidence—a criminal activity to destroy evidence. I share the frustration and outrage of Ontarians about this allegation. I wonder why Premier Wynne, or you as Deputy Premier, did nothing to prevent the destruction of evidence.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I, too, want to offer wishes for a very speedy recovery to Officer Mike Klarenbeek and his family. This has reminded us of the bravery of our front-line police officers, who every day put their life on the line to protect us. We wish him a speedy, speedy recovery.

Speaker, I will be referring the supplementary to the government House leader, but I do want to address the issue of the Premier’s availability today. She is doing her job as Premier. She is on her way to Sault Ste. Marie. She’s got a number of events there, including a very important announcement at Algoma college. She’s been available multiple times over the weekend. She was in Lindsay on Friday. She was with MPP Wong to visit the residents of Shepherd Village. She’s been available all weekend long to answer questions. I will look forward to the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Tim Hudak: I hope, Speaker, I can have your assistance. If the Premier is not able to answer questions today, I certainly hope the Deputy Premier will answer those on the Premier’s behalf and not refer them.

The Premier and I actually had a meeting on January 28, in her office. I assumed I was speaking with Premier Wynne on January 28. She conducted herself that way in the Premier’s office. She actually asked me to back off on pursuing contempt charges in committee; I now understand why. I understand, too, that you attended a caucus meeting of January 30 of this year, 2014, and Premier Wynne ran that caucus meeting, not Dalton McGuinty. Can you confirm that Premier Wynne was in charge, that she ran the caucus meeting on January 30?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, let’s start at the beginning. Thursday, we learned of some very serious allegations. They are allegations, but if true, they are very serious, and we take them very seriously on this side of the House. But the fact of the matter is that if members take time to review the document which was tabled in court, they will learn that these are allegations which pertain to the period in which Premier McGuinty was Premier and to his former chief of staff. They make no reference to an involvement by the current Premier.

The current Premier has explained that, and despite that, the Leader of the Opposition continues with baseless accusations which are, quite frankly, below an insult to the office that he holds. We look to him to remedy the situation and to stop playing politics with this very serious matter.

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

Mr. Tim Hudak: Again, these are the most serious of allegations of the criminal destruction of evidence in the Premier’s office around the gas plant scandal. I would fully expect that if the Premier is unable to answer these questions today, despite knowing these questions would be at the top of the list, the Deputy Premier should do so. Taxpayers are entitled to very direct answers to simple, straightforward questions. If you argue that Premier Wynne was unaware of what was happening under her watch, when she was in charge, then that shows she was grossly incompetent and extraordinarily negligent.

Either she was complicit or she wilfully looked the other way, neither of which qualifies her to be Premier of the province of Ontario and get us out of the mess that we’re in.

Let me ask again of the Deputy Premier, which is it? Was she involved, or did she simply intentionally look the other way?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, this is very disappointing. The Leader of the Opposition has no interest in the facts. The documents that were tabled in court make it clear that the accusations—they remain accusations; we all have to be very careful—deal with the former chief of staff to Premier McGuinty and have nothing to do with the current Premier.

Mr. Speaker, let’s try to get our facts straight here. The Leader of the Opposition stands up and talks about a meeting with the incoming Premier in her office before she became Premier. That was in the office of the acting or the incoming Premier. That had nothing to do with Premier McGuinty’s office. Premier McGuinty was Premier until February 11, and the accusations which are outlined, the accusations which have not been proven, involve his former chief of staff. It is time that the Leader of the Opposition—he is debasing his office—acknowledge these facts, and remove from his website and stop repeating allegations which are totally baseless.

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Tim Hudak: Again, back to the Acting Premier: Facts are stubborn things. I met with Premier Wynne in her office when she conducted herself as Premier on January—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order. The Minister of Finance will come to order—second time.

Please carry on.

Mr. Tim Hudak: Facts are facts, and I’m going to hold you accountable on behalf of taxpayers in the province of Ontario to get to the bottom of the scandal.

She conducted herself as Premier. The House leader now says, well, she was something called “Acting Premier.” She also says she was the Premier-designate. She said she was leader of the Liberal Party. Enough of the dissembling; enough of the misinformation. The fact of the matter is, Kathleen Wynne was in charge.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Please withdraw.

Mr. Tim Hudak: Withdraw.

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

Mr. Tim Hudak: The fact of the matter is, Kathleen Wynne was in charge. She was at the wheel. This is as much Kathleen Wynne’s scandal as Dalton McGuinty’s. The criminal destruction of evidence—the allegations—took place between February 6 and March 20.

So come clean: Was she responsible or was she wilfully negligent, both of which disqualify—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Stop the clock.

The Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities will come to order.

Deputy Premier.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Government House leader, sir.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, the meeting in question between the Leader of the Opposition and Kathleen Wynne was held in the transition office, not the Premier’s office, located here in this building. I think it’s time we get our facts straight.

There were documents that were filed in court last Thursday, and those documents made it clear that this is an allegation—unproven allegation—against the former chief of staff of Premier McGuinty.

There have been a number of third parties who have taken a look at these documents. Let me tell you what they’re saying. The Ottawa Citizen, March 28: “Trail of Evidence in Gas Plant Probe Ends Before Wynne’s Government Starts.”

“Detectives have found no evidence that any computers in Premier Kathleen Wynne’s office were accessed.”

Toronto Star, March 29, 2014: “A close reading of the 111 pages of OPP documents provides no hint yet of any impropriety” when Wynne was Premier.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Tim Hudak: Now they say that the meeting took place in the transition office. I’ll refresh your memory of another meeting that took place. It wasn’t just me who met with Kathleen Wynne as Premier. On January 31, Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty met with the Lieutenant Governor on the transfer of power. On that day, January 31, Kathleen Wynne took over as Premier-designate, which gave her the authority to direct government activities. On January 31, she met with Dalton McGuinty and the Lieutenant Governor. She became Premier-designate. That tells me that she was in charge, that she is responsible, that this scandal has equal responsibility with Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty.

My question is, why didn’t she say no? Why didn’t she stop the destruction of evidence related to the gas plant scandal? Isn’t that an incredible failure to do a very basic job expected by taxpayers?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock, please.

Just as a reminder to all members, I will say it over and over again. Please refer to all members in this place either by their title or by their riding. Thank you.

Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, the member opposite’s accusations—he can repeat them over and over again but they do not make them true. They are baseless, they are irresponsible and they demean the very high office that he holds.

Again, last Thursday we learned of a document that was filed in court. That document contains allegations—unproven, Mr. Speaker—about the former chief of staff to Premier McGuinty and it outlines a series of activities that happened while Premier McGuinty was the Premier.

The Leader of the Opposition can try to turn himself into pretzels and stand here over and over again, saying things which are not accurate, but the fact of the matter is that the facts speak for themselves. As the Leader of the Opposition learned yesterday, Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have certainly consulted legal experts as to the action that we may be taking if he continues in this baseless stream of allegations.

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

Mr. Tim Hudak: Well, let’s look at Kathleen Wynne’s record. She initially said that the—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Excuse me; title, please.

Mr. Tim Hudak: Premier Wynne’s record. She said initially the gas plant scandal would cost $40 million; she said that in the House. We found out it was $1 billion. She was the co-chair of the Liberal campaign when they ordered the cancellation of the gas plants. She was actually the one who signed the cabinet directive to pay TransCanada whatever it took to make the gas plants scandal go away. That cost taxpayers $1 billion.

She had meetings in her office on January 28 with me, January 31 with the Premier, and then on February 7 she ordered the Auditor General to do a review of the gas plants file. You say she was in charge on February 11. On February 7, she was giving orders around here. So clearly she was in charge. And if she wasn’t, the extraordinary incompetence tells me she is not fit to get this province out of the mess we’re in. Clearly, if we want to get Ontario back on track, it’s time to change the team that runs this province and builds our great province.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, I will put the Premier’s record up against the Leader of the Opposition’s record any day of the week.

On the one hand, we have a Premier who re-struck—

Mr. Garfield Dunlop: If you want to put the record up, let’s go to the polls.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order, please. The member from Simcoe North, come to order. Thank you.

Hon. John Milloy: —who re-struck the justice committee with a broad mandate and broad powers, has provided hundreds of thousands of documents to that committee, has appeared twice in front of that committee and made sure that government members, ministers and staff have also appeared in front of the committee.

What we have from the Leader of the Opposition is someone who went on YouTube and said that if he became Premier of the province, he would cancel the gas plants. We have a leader of a party whose candidates went out and campaigned against the very same gas plants that he’s speaking about today, and he will not come clean and acknowledge that very simple yet important fact.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): New question. The leader of the third party.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, question period is supposed to be a venue for the government to be held accountable. By refusing to face questions today about the Liberal gas plants scandal, the Premier is making a mockery of accountability. New Democrats will not participate.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): New question. The member from Nepean–Carleton.

POWER PLANTS

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Typical NDP: When the going gets tough, they get going.

Interjections.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I even had the Liberals applauding me on that one, Speaker.

Speaker, you’ll indulge me on a time line to the Deputy Premier—and I would expect an answer. On January 26, Premier Wynne becomes leader of the Liberal Party. On the 28th, she meets with the leader of the official opposition, asking to stop the gas plants probe. On the 30th of January, she leads the Liberal caucus in a caucus of meeting. On January 31, she meets with the Premier, Dalton McGuinty, to assume leadership as Premier-elect. On February 4, an IT services cabinet officer provides David Livingston’s executive assistant with a global administrative password.

On February 6, Laura Miller, deputy chief of staff, has computer access. From February 7, she then has her computers accessed. Between February 6 and March 20—Premier Wynne is Premier of Ontario—there is access to wipe 24 hard drives clean.

On Thursday, March 27, 2014, I asked them if we could have Premier Wynne’s hard drive. She refused to give it—

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

Deputy Premier.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, let me ask the honourable member to recall another date—and, in fact, the Leader of the Opposition will remember it—February 11, when Premier Wynne was sworn in as Premier in this very chamber with the Leader of the Opposition present. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, this dog doesn’t hunt.

February 11 was when Kathleen Wynne became Premier, but let’s go beyond that to look at the document that was released that was made public last Thursday—the court document. It makes very clear that there are serious allegations—not proven—against Mr. Livingston, the former chief of staff of Premier McGuinty, about actions that took place under his watch.

Mr. Speaker, I can continue quoting: the Globe and Mail, March 31, 2014, “There is nothing in the documents that suggests any records were deleted after Ms. Wynne was sworn into office on Feb. 11, 2013.”

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: The problem with the theory by the government House leader, and, in fact, the Premier, is she is expecting us to believe that no one was Premier of Ontario for six weeks. There is not an Ontarian out there who believes that. They believe that Kathleen Wynne was Premier of Ontario on February 11. They believe that the computers were accessed during that period of time.

If the Premier is so clean on all of this, why has she not responded to my question of last Thursday asking whether her hard drive was compromised, tampered with or deleted? She hasn’t done that because she either doesn’t know, or it has been. She needs to come clean. Will your government do it on behalf of the taxpayers of this province?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Government House leader?

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, maybe we need a little bit more money for opposition research.

As to the honourable member’s question, I direct her towards the court document, which has been fuelling her tirades over the past few days, where it outlines those computers which it is alleged were tampered with. It’s very clear that the current Premier’s name appears nowhere. No, the current Premier’s computer was not involved with this. The court documents are very clear. For the honourable member to be engaging in this sort of baseless allegation—these drive-by smears—is really an insult to the office that she holds as an opposition critic.

Mr. Speaker, on February 11, Premier Wynne became Premier. Before that, Premier McGuinty was Premier. The court documents make very clear, as the media reports have outlined, that the allegations in question are about his former chief of staff Mr. Livingston.

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

Mrs. Amrit Mangat: My question is to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. The city of Brampton is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada. This means that more and more young people are graduating from our high schools and deciding about their future.

I strongly believe that post-secondary education is vital to the success of young people in this ever-changing competitive world. Therefore, the creation of a university campus in an underserved area like Brampton is very important because that provides an opportunity for our young people to get a high-quality post-secondary education closer to their homes. I’m very passionate about the possibility of locating a university campus that can better serve the needs of students in Brampton.

Can the minister tell my constituents how we can bring a new campus to Brampton?

Hon. Brad Duguid: I know the member has been a hugely strong advocate in her region for post-secondary education.

Our government released its framework for major capacity expansion in December, and on Thursday we put out a request for proposals. We’re deeply committed to making the long-term investments necessary to build on the world-class reputation that our post-secondary sector has earned. We need to plan ahead so that our post-secondary system has the capacity to take that next generation of students.

We also know that having a post-secondary institution expand or locate in a community can have a tremendous local economic impact. Interested municipalities will need to work through a university proponent to participate in this RFP. I know the member has a long-standing interest in this RFP, and I’m sure students in her community appreciate that.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mrs. Amrit Mangat: It’s great to hear that the residents of my great riding of Mississauga–Brampton South will have an opportunity to work together to bring a new campus to the city of Brampton. However, I’m sure that the people of Brampton would like to know more about how they can qualify for a campus under the government’s policy framework. I will certainly do everything I can to work with local partners to make that happen.

Mr. Speaker, can the minister explain what factors he will be considering when reviewing applications?

Hon. Brad Duguid: The process for consideration of our campus capacity expansion RFP will be transparent and fair for all proponents. A key consideration will be ensuring that the expansions take place in regions where student demand and growth are located: 30% of the weighting will go to location. Cost is also critical during these challenging fiscal times: 40% of weighting will go toward affordability for students and taxpayers and value for money.

And 30% of weighting will go toward the campus product itself, including local community and economic impacts, promotion of innovation, impact on labour market needs and alignment with differentiation priorities, among others. Preference will be given to proponents that involve partnerships with colleges.

After a decade of record investment in our globally competitive post-secondary education system, we’re following up with further long-term investments to ensure we provide that next generation of students with the quality of education they deserve.

FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Acting Premier. There are a lot of similarities between the gas plant scandal and Ontario’s latest financial debacle. Your government said the gas plant cancellation would cost $40 million, but it took the Auditor General to tell us that it’s really $1.1 billion. Now in the budget, you told us and the financial community that you will balance by 2017. Yet only days before that, your own documents entitled “Confidential Advice to Cabinet” said you had a $4.5-billion gap. I’m sensing a pattern here.

During the gas plant scandal, you knew one thing and told the public something different. Now you’re doing the same with finance, telling us one thing when you know the opposite to be true. Quite frankly, how can we believe anything you ever say again?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, we wrote off $40 million as attributed to the cancellation of that power plant. That was written off. The Auditor General was asked to review it, and they noted that the relocation of the power plant, over the period of 30 years, would amount to an additional billing as it relates to the construction and continuation of that facility, the investments in transmission and so forth.

The member is now talking about the integrity of the numbers that have been presented, numbers that the Auditor General has also reviewed and confirmed as correct. He is saying that we have somehow hidden something that has been out there for public consumption in our fall economic statement. If the member would just read, Mr. Speaker, he would understand exactly where is that place and the fact that we’re making revisions as it relates to the global changes—we’re reacting, and we are taking the proper steps to meet our targets and balance the books by 2017-18, as we said we would.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Back to the Acting Premier: Let me compare the gas plant scandal to your financial debacle another way. During the contempt hearings, you turned over 36,000 documents, and a dozen cabinet ministers stood up and declared, “You have all the documents.” Two weeks later, you reluctantly turned over 20,000 more documents that, we learned under oath, were ordered removed by Liberal operatives.

Now come budget time, you announce that you’re on track to balance the budget by 2017-18, and again, eight cabinet ministers stood up in this Legislature and declared, “We’re on track to balance the budget.” Yet your confidential advice to cabinet only days before told you and your cabinet ministers that you’re not on track to balance.

I have a question for you: Why do the Liberal cabinet ministers continue to stand in this Legislature and say one thing when they know the complete opposite to be true?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please.

Minister of Finance?

Hon. Charles Sousa: We are on track to balance the books by 2017-18. More importantly, four years in a row, we beat our targets. Our spending was less than 1% year over year, and we were the only government to actually cut spending last year. We have met our targets. The Auditor General has confirmed them as such. We’re taking the steps necessary. What is true is that we do have a plan to create those jobs and stimulate economic growth by investing in our economy, not by doing across-the-board cuts that would make it even more difficult for recovery. We recognize what’s necessary.

We have also acknowledged that the global marketplace has changed, and Ontario has had to recalibrate to ensure that we stay ahead. We’ve led the way. We have more than 180% of those jobs returning to the province of Ontario because of the actions that we’ve taken, working in collaboration with our stakeholders. We’re the leanest government in Canada, the lowest-cost government, by far, from any other government in this country.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Mr. Bas Balkissoon: My question is to the new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Co-operative housing is an important component of Ontario’s affordable housing solution. Several co-operative housing units were originally built in the 1970s. The then federal government had worked with the province to ensure that they received federal support. With these agreements, the co-ops helped Ontario’s most needy by providing rent-geared-to-income subsidies, making life more affordable for Ontarians. However, these agreements are expiring, and we’re quickly approaching the day in 2020 when most of these contracts will end and so will rent-geared-to-income supplements.

Two weeks ago the Close the Housing Gap campaign was here at Queen’s Park, advocating that our government stand up for these vulnerable Ontarians. Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister: Could he please explain what our government has done to support Ontario’s co-operatives and social housing providers?

Hon. Bill Mauro: I’d like to thank the member from Scarborough–Rouge River for his advocacy on behalf of those in co-op and social housing.

I want to recognize the hard work and advocacy of a few people: Bud Purves, Harvey Cooper, Ginny Adey and Sean Gadon, who came to the Legislature to advocate for this very important issue.

Our government believes that long-term, local solutions are the only way that we can tackle homelessness. That’s why our government has focused on Ontario’s housing first strategy, which gives priority to finding permanent housing linked to flexible support services. We understand the importance of this. It’s why we’ve invested $3 billion in affordable housing since 2003, more than any government before us.

Though we’ve got more work to do, I was pleased to learn that the former minister met with Councillor Ana Bailão in February to hear their concerns and see how our government could help. I reaffirm our government’s commitment to work with the city of Toronto and all housing providers, and the federal government, to ensure that we have predictable, long-term solutions for Ontario’s most vulnerable.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Bas Balkissoon: I would like to thank the minister for the answer. I’m sure my constituents will be pleased to hear our government’s commitment to co-operative and social housing.

Two weeks ago the Close the Housing Gap campaign came to Queen’s Park. They spoke of their need for funds to continue their investment in capital repairs for Toronto Community Housing, which will be $2.6 billion over the next decade. They have also asked that we have all parties in this House stand with our government to continue our call on the federal government to maintain the existing housing stock. They believe that the federal government needs to come back to the table with a long-term, stable source of funding.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister: Could he please explain what our government is doing to ensure that the opposition and the third party follow our government’s lead in calling on the federal government to maintain their funding?

Hon. Bill Mauro: Our government has continued to call on our federal partners to join with our government to come up with a stable, long-term solution for homelessness in Ontario. That’s why the former minister urged municipalities at the ROMA/OGRA conference last month to ask their local members and Minister Kenney to urge the federal government to come back to the table, and I understand that the city of Brantford is doing so.

However, unfortunately, like the federal Conservatives, the third party has been silent—and we can see what has happened here today. Sadly, this is typical for a party whose leader, according to the Toronto Star, “has done everything possible to avoid … policies on tough issues that require political bravery.”

While they sat on the sidelines, we’ve acted: over $600 million for affordable housing in Toronto since 2003, 4,700 new housing units, repairing over 3,700, and helping almost 15,000 homes with housing allowances and rent supplements.

There’s more to do—this is a societal issue—and I hope the third party will finally stand shoulder to shoulder with us to demand that the federal government step up—

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

New question.

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Rob Leone: My question is for the Acting Premier. We’ve all heard before the tales of what the Premier knew to be a fact: She knew the Oakville cancellations would cost $40 million, despite signing a cabinet document that stated otherwise. She knew that the documents requested in committee had been made public before thousands and thousands more were dropped on our desks at the eleventh hour. So you will excuse the people of Ontario if after a year and a half of being taken for a ride by this Premier, we don’t accept where she’s dropped us off.

Either the Premier knew full well what was going on, or she was willfully blind to the facts. Acting Premier, can you tell the people of Ontario, which is it?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Talk about being blind to the facts. We’ve all established that on February 11, Kathleen Wynne became Premier of this province. But, Mr. Speaker, don’t take my word for it. I invite the honourable member to go read the document that was tabled in court. That document made it very clear that the accusations—which have not been proven; I think we all have to be very careful—were about the actions that took place under Premier McGuinty’s time as Premier, with his former chief of staff.

The fact of the matter is that, again, I can quote media outlet after media outlet which undertook the analysis of it and came away with the conclusion that they are engaging in the most baseless kind of character attacks; and as the Premier pointed out in her open letter yesterday, she is taking the steps of consulting legal experts on this.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Rob Leone: Mr. Speaker, that was a completely unbelievable answer. This government brags about the number of documents handed over, when they know full well that the most damning documents were deleted or hidden or corrupted or damaged or destroyed by a Liberal strategist’s boyfriend.

We’re worried. We’re worried that there is no reason for the Premier to come clean with the people of Ontario, because in the world of Liberal politics money talks, especially hush money.

Acting Premier, in the real world, when you escort a man to your computer, give him your password and watch him destroy data, you get fired. When Liberal staffer Lauren Ramey does it, she gets promoted to press secretary to the Minister of Education; Beckie Codd-Downey gets promoted to press secretary; and Rebecca MacKenzie gets promoted to chief of staff—all while Peter Wallace felt it wasn’t his place to say anything at all. Acting Premier, why do the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals get promotions for staying quiet?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Before I go on, I’m going to offer a caution, and that caution is—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Excuse me. The member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex is continuing to speak, first when I was trying to say something, and then when I was trying to get his attention.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Education will come to order. The member from Simcoe North will come to order.

I’m going to offer a caution: I don’t like some of the language. Although I didn’t quite find it unparliamentary, I’m going to caution the member not to go any further with that kind of accusation.

Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Mr. Speaker, I didn’t think it was possible for the member to go any lower, but he’s just proven it in that question.

Last Thursday, a document was made public, a court document, which contains allegations about the former chief of staff to Premier McGuinty. It’s a voluminous document; I understand over 100 pages. Everyone who has looked at it knows that it is very, very clearly about the former Premier’s watch. The allegations are directed at Mr. Livingston; they are not proven.

To stand up here in the Legislature and to attempt to drag through the mud the names of hard-working staffers on this side of the House who were in no way implicated—and that document makes it very, very clear—is beneath him. I thought that member was an honourable member, but what he just did is beyond—beyond—contempt, and I cannot believe that he would have—

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

New question.

RETIREMENT HOMES

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: Speaker, my question today is for the minister responsible for seniors’ affairs. Minister, on several occasions while addressing this Legislature, you have provided up-to-date information on the implementation of the Retirement Homes Act, 2010. Thanks to this important piece of legislation, for the first time in Ontario, seniors living in retirement homes have strong protections under provincial law.

In Scarborough alone, there are 10 retirement homes, four of which are in my riding of Scarborough–Guildwood, serving hundreds of senior residents. Minister, I know that you have been to several locations in Scarborough, and our seniors have welcomed you there. I know my constituents in Scarborough–Guildwood appreciate this government’s hard work to keep these residents safe and secure and involved in their local communities.

Speaker, can the minister inform this House of some of the work conducted by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority?

Hon. Mario Sergio: It’s indeed very refreshing to hear the member from Scarborough–Guildwood speak with such passion and advocacy about her seniors. The same goes for all our seniors, Mr. Speaker.

Let me say that since its inception, we have approved some 697 retirement home licences, and this speaks well for the regulatory authority. As well, we have to say that, thanks to the present government, seniors today are enjoying more safety and more protection in their retirement homes than ever before. It means that the regulatory authority is working and will continue to do so.

Since 2012 up to now, we have received some 5,000 inquiries with respect to retirement homes. We continue to provide information on the conditions of all retirement homes; that is available to all seniors and their families. They can access that information through the info line, as well as the rhra.ca website, Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I’d like to thank the minister for that answer. I know that families in my riding of Scarborough–Guildwood are also thankful that this government has always been ready and willing to listen to the needs of our seniors.

Speaker, the seniors of my riding, like thousands of seniors across Ontario, have worked so hard to build this great province. Like my parents, who immigrated from Jamaica, they arrived in Canada many years ago. They chose to make this their home, right here in Ontario. They went straight to work, laying the foundations for the communities we live in today.

Recently, the fifth phase of the Retirement Homes Act, 2010, came into effect. Can the minister explain how these new regulations continue to build on the successful protections implemented by our government?

Hon. Mario Sergio: Again, Speaker, I want to thank the member for the question. She’s quite right: We have made quite a few improvements since the act came into force. As a matter of fact, we have just approved phase 5 of the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority. I have to say that, thanks to the present government of Kathleen Wynne, seniors today are moving forward and they know that they can get better service, better quality and better care in a very safe environment.

What are some of the changes that we have been proposing and that are coming from phase 5? We have established the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority emergency fund. We have mandatory insurance for each retirement home. We have established a formal process for complaint handling by the RHRA, including a complaints review officer, and screening for staff and volunteers by the police. As well, we have created an RHRA—

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

New question.

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Todd Smith: My question this morning is for the Acting Premier. Your unelected, hand-picked Liberal Premier knew when she ran for the leadership of your disgraced party that she was inheriting the contempt charges and she was inheriting the criminal activity that went along with it.

Her predecessor fled the office like a coward, yet she stood on the stage, arm in arm chanting the name Dalton, as you did, even though his reputation had been tarnished beyond belief.

She knew that the gas plant scandal was the biggest scandal in Ontario’s history—and it turns out the most expensive, too—yet she expects us to believe that she knew nothing about the secret, diabolical mission that was going on to destroy documents in her office when she was the Premier.

Now, Minister, I know you have your own OPP investigation to contend with, but how can you continue to stand up for this government that’s so embroiled in criminal activity—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. Be seated, please. Again, I’m going to offer a caution: Making any accusations of criminal activity is not expected from any member in this House.

Deputy Premier?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: You know, Mr. Speaker, it really does insult the office that member holds as a critic. That question was the worst kind of politics. What we’ve seen here today is a Progressive Conservative Party that doesn’t care about facts. They don’t give a damn about facts. All they care about—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Withdraw, please.

Hon. John Milloy: Withdraw.

All they care about is scoring very cheap political points. The fact of the matter is that the reason why we are having this debate and discussion here is because a court document was made public last Thursday. That court document was very serious but it’s very clear: It’s about allegations that took place under the former Premier and is directed—it’s not proven, and again we have to be very careful—at his former chief of staff, Mr. Livingston.

But you know, if the honourable member wants to talk about gas plants, then perhaps in the supplementary he’ll tell us about the cost—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Answer.

Hon. John Milloy: —PCs when they stood on YouTube and promised that if they were elected, those gas plants would be cancelled.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Oxford will withdraw.

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: Withdraw.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Todd Smith: Back to the Acting Premier—I don’t know what the heck this government is going to do when that guy leaves because somebody is actually going to have to answer a question over there.

You know what? The stink of this gas plant scandal is something this government can’t outrun. They’re trying to continue the cover-up as long as they can, but they’re not going to get away with it. You’ve got the same old McGuinty cast of characters there. These are the same people who stood up on the stage in January of last year and said they were going to continue the Dalton legacy. That’s what they promised to do. And yes, they’ve done an excellent job of it because it has already cost us over $1 billion to cancel that gas plant. Any time anyone brings this government’s incompetence to light, what we get is a threat to sue, silence and censure.

Will you do the honourable thing? You said you would stand on your record. Will you call the non-confidence motion today and let the public decide this once and for all?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Before I return, I offer an apology to the member from Oxford. I was incorrect, and I apologize. I will now ask the member from Nipissing to withdraw.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Withdraw.

Interjections.

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

Government House leader?

Hon. John Milloy: I’m not sure about my colleagues, but when I saw that ridiculous display, I was quite proud of the fact that our Premier has sought and obtained legal advice. The fact of the matter is that what we have seen from the opposition is this drive-by smear.

Again, there was a document that was released by the courts last Thursday that makes it very clear that there were serious allegations that took place under the former Premier’s watch.

Again, what does the Toronto Star have to say on March 29? “A close reading of the 111 pages of OPP documents provides no hint yet of any impropriety when” Premier Wynne was Premier.

Toronto Star, March 30, regarding Tim Hudak’s claims about Premier Wynne: “The OPP documents suggest no such thing.” It is time that the Progressive Conservatives came clean, that they apologized and that they removed the offensive language from their website and stopped spreading these un-based smears.

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Ms. Soo Wong: My question is for the Minister of Research and Innovation. Ontario is recognized for its many excellent academic and research institutions and their strong collaboration with industry. To build on this further, we continue to create the right conditions that will lead to an innovative business climate that will attract investment, create jobs and increase the quality of life for Ontarians.

Fostering collaboration in this intensely competitive global economy is important. It is also to our competitive advantage. To help to translate Ontario’s research strengths into commercialized activities, businesses must be able to access the world-class knowledge and expertise available in Ontario’s research institutions.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister of Research and Innovation: What steps has the government taken to facilitate knowledge mobilization between industry and academic institutions?

Hon. Reza Moridi: I would like to thank the member from Scarborough–Agincourt for that very important question.

Our government recognizes the importance of a strong relationship between academic and research institutions and industry in our province. That’s why our government created the Collaboration Voucher Program, which provides redeemable credits to small and medium-sized businesses for expertise and resources from Ontario’s research and academic institutions and research hospitals. Collaboration vouchers are a practical tool to facilitate knowledge mobilization between industry and academic institutions.

Not only does this voucher program help businesses improve their competitiveness around the world and productivity in the marketplace, but it helps to translate Ontario’s research strengths into stronger innovation and commercial activity in the future.

I am proud of our government’s initiatives to foster strategic collaboration and knowledge mobilization in our province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Soo Wong: I’m pleased to hear that our government is undertaking stronger collaboration between innovative businesses, industry and academic institutions. Ontario’s research community is globally recognized as a commerce-friendly jurisdiction that supports the growth of innovative companies and activities.

International research collaboration is a rapidly growing component of core research activities for all countries. They enable researchers to participate in networks of cutting-edge and innovative activity.

Ontario is the home of many world-class researchers. They know that collaboration provides opportunities to move further and faster by working with other leading people in their field. But in a global context, especially as developing countries and economies ramp up their research investments, to achieve prominence they must collaborate nationally and build international bridges.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister of Research and Innovation: Can he please let us know what international partnerships and collaboration our government has undertaken to promote this research?

Hon. Reza Moridi: I want to thank again the member from Scarborough–Agincourt for that question. Ontario understands the importance of collaboration and building international bridges to remain competitive.

Ontario has several active MOUs that focus on promoting Ontario’s strengths while attracting investments to Ontario. In fact, I had the pleasure of visiting China a couple of weeks ago, with a focus on collaboration and collaborative opportunities in life sciences, information technology and clean technology.

We announced the next phase of our MOU between our government and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. Under this MOU, a total of 12 academic and industry research and development collaboration projects are being funded by both of our governments. As Ontario’s second-largest trading partner, China’s emerging economy will remain a key factor in Ontario’s international business strategy.

These partnerships will lead to the generation of new technologies, attracting talent and international investments into our province of Ontario and creating jobs for today and tomorrow.

POWER PLANTS

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I’m pleased to have the added opportunity today. My question is to the Acting Premier. Look, I don’t know what is worse: the Premier evading this assembly and not answering questions—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member knows full well that we do not make reference to people’s presence or absence in this House. Don’t do it again, please.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I’m not sure what’s worse, the fact that the Premier is avoiding accountability or the fact that the NDP is refusing to hold this government to account.

I’m going to try it one more time: Since they will not answer whether or not the Premier’s hard drive was wiped, will the Acting Premier afford us this opportunity in telling us whether or not the Premier’s senior transition staff—and all of her staff, actually—had any of their data wiped clean during that period of time.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: I answered that question several minutes ago. The honourable member can look at the document that was released by the court which talks about a series of computers which allegations are about. It does not include Premier Wynne. It includes a list of individuals, which is made very clear in that document. I’ll tell you what’s really bad: the baseless allegations coming from the opposition.

I’ll pick up on one point she made about the New Democrats, because it’s not just against the Progressive Conservatives. Let me quote the Toronto Star, March 30. The leader of the NDP “indulged in conventional opposition mischief by implying police were ‘now focusing on questions about the period after you were sworn in and became Premier’—a clear misreading of the OPP documents.”

It’s kind of interesting, the theatrics we saw from the New Democrats, because when the PCs tried the same thing in November 2009, the leader of the NDP said, “New Democrats believe it’s extremely important to bring the voices of the people into this Legislature.... I not only don’t approve of their tactics—being the PCs—but it changes the channel for them”—

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

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: The NDP and the Liberals can play all the games that they want, with the PR stunt by the Premier yesterday and the PR stunt by the NDP today. The only leader that is here committed to getting to the bottom of the gas plant scandal is Tim Hudak, leader of the official opposition.

Acting Premier, I would like to know this: How much was Peter Faist, the outsider hired by the Liberals to delete the public records, paid? Was he paid from the Premier’s office budget or from the Liberal Party of Ontario? How much was he given to destroy these records under Premier Wynne’s leadership?

Hon. John Milloy: As I said, many of the issues that have been raised by the member have been dealt with in the court document. In terms of the IT company that the honourable member is speaking of, we learned of the allegations on Thursday, as she knows. Following those revelations, an internal investigation was conducted, and it was determined that the company has previously done occasional IT services work for the caucus office under the former Premier and the party office. The company was informed yesterday that its services at the party office were terminated. The proper authorities had been proactively made aware.

But to be clear, the allegations centre on the former chief of staff to Premier McGuinty. These are serious allegations. No one disputes that, but the fact of the matter is, they are still allegations. I would caution all members to be very careful and to allow the police to do their work.

POWER PLANTS

Mr. Bob Delaney: My question is to the Acting Premier. Acting Premier, I understand that, yesterday, the Premier sent an open letter to the Leader of the Opposition. In the letter, the Premier asks the Leader of the Opposition, his caucus and his party to stop making false and defamatory allegations. Acting Premier, would you share with the House the contents of that letter?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I would be happy to read into the record the contents of this letter, dated March 30, 2014, to Mr. Tim Hudak.

“Dear Mr. Hudak,

“During your press conference on March 27th you made several false, misleading and defamatory allegations about me”—this is from the Premier. “You alleged that I personally ‘oversaw and possibly ordered the criminal destruction of documents’ and that criminal conduct took place in my office. The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party repeated these false allegations on its website and in a public mailing.

“These allegations and accusations are false and utterly unsupported, and you ought to know it.”

I will continue in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Bob Delaney: Thank you to the Acting Premier for beginning to share that letter. From the day that she was sworn in, the Premier has opened up the government to an unprecedented degree. Under the current Premier, the government has implemented mandatory record-keeping rules and staff training, and new rules limiting political staff involvement in commercial third party transactions.

Acting Premier, would you continue to share the contents of that letter?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: The Premier goes on to say, “As political leaders it is our role and public duty to engage in spirited political debate on issues. The decision to relocate the gas plants and the facts related to the ongoing police investigation are legitimate subjects for this political debate. False, misleading and defamatory statements are not, and they represent the worst kind of politics. That is why I’m writing this open letter to you.

“There should be no tolerance for false and defamatory accusations as a means to gain political power.

“I am asking you and your caucus to immediately stop repeating these untrue statements and to immediately remove them from the PC Party website and all other communications.

“I have sought and obtained legal advice”—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Answer.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: —“regarding your comments, and if steps are not taken immediately, I will have no choice but to”—

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

Hon. Deborah Matthews: —“take all necessary and”—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. Be seated, please. Thank you.

New question.

POWER PLANTS

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question is to the government House leader. Moments ago, the government House leader indicated that Peter Faist had a contract with the Liberal Party of Ontario. According to reality, on January 26 Kathleen Wynne became Premier but also became leader of the Liberal Party. That means he was one of her contracted employees. This revelation is quite serious in that it gives us more of an understanding into what is going on with this Liberal government.

So I ask the government House leader once more, were members of the transition team and Kathleen Wynne’s hard drives wiped clean—yes or no—by a contracted employee of the Liberal Party of Ontario when Kathleen Wynne assumed the leadership of your party?

Hon. John Milloy: I think this stretches longer than a Leonard Cohen song. The fact of the matter is that last Thursday a court document was made public. I would invite the honourable—I believe it’s on the Toronto Star website. I know you have to pay a certain fee every month to access it, Mr. Speaker, but I would invite her to read that, because it outlines a number of computers—and it names those staff of the former Premier, Premier McGuinty—that were, in fact, according to this document, wiped clean. There are allegations about the former chief of staff. These are unproven allegations, and I think all of us should allow the police to do their work.

But in terms of the Premier’s transition team, I will point out to the honourable member that the justice committee has received information and emails from the Premier’s transition team. Again, she should read those documents. As I say, the court document makes clear what computers they’re talking about, and it’s staff of former Premier McGuinty.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I’m sure that the minister is well aware that I was the first person to bring the revelations to the floor of this assembly. We’re quite aware of what’s in the ITO. I asked this minister for very specific details. He is choosing not to provide them. I would ask the minister one more time, would he provide the assembly, the committee and the leader of the official opposition with the nature of the contract for Peter Faist from the Liberal Party of Ontario?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Dufferin–Caledon, come to order.

Government House leader.

Hon. John Milloy: Both the caucus office and party require significant IT services, both to support staff and to communicate with Ontarians. My understanding is that the company performed IT services like routine maintenance. But again, I invite the member to take a look at the court document that was released last Thursday. That document clearly outlines allegations—unproven allegations—against the former chief of staff.

In terms of the current Premier, she was the one who worked—I can tell you, as House leader—to open up a committee with a very broad mandate, with a great deal of power. Mr. Speaker, we have provided some 326,000 documents to that committee, including documents and emails from the transition team. Again, she should read them.

DRIVER LICENCES

Mr. Grant Crack: My question is to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. I drive about 1,500 kilometres a week, and I know that Ontario roads are among the safest in North America. It’s important that we continue to keep our roads safe while aiming to keep our seniors driving as long as they can—and that they do so safely.

Recently, Minister, your ministry announced changes to the seniors’ driving tests, and I know that seniors in my riding have received this news quite well. Many still have questions about exactly what those changes are.

Speaker, through you, I’m just asking the minister: Can you please speak to these changes and how they will affect seniors in Ontario?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I have to be very careful, Mr. Speaker, because of my mother. I can’t give her age because she’ll really get upset with me. But suffice to say my mother is a woman of a certain age, and she’s watching what I’m saying, so I had better be on my best behaviour today.

She is someone who does not drive at night now. She gave up her car when she moved to the city so she could be close to myself and the rest of the family to take care of her. But if she decided, and my mother is a woman of some substantial will, that she wanted to renew her driver’s licence again—and she has kept it; I commended the Premier when she introduced an equivalent to the drivers’ licences so people like my mum can have a licence—she would take a vision test, she would undergo a driver record review, and she would attend group education sessions, as well as complete two in-class screening exercises. These are easier, less stressful, less threatening solutions.

We really look forward to an easier system for our mums and dads and our grandparents that is more safe.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Grant Crack: Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Both my mother and father are seniors, and I recall quite well my mother knocking the mirror off my vehicle in the driveway. I just wanted to throw that in.

I’m pleased to hear about the changes to the process. Many seniors share the desire to drive for as long as they can and as safely, as well. The old program was onerous—that I well know—and caused many of the seniors in my area a fair amount of stress. Many of the enhancements to the program are quite similar to the previous renewal process for seniors, but I do notice that we’re shortening how long the entire process will take.

Speaker, through you to the minister: Can the minister please explain why that is and what you have enhanced? Will this result in any new fees to our seniors?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I once lived in the member from Glengarry–Prescott–Russell’s constituency. My mother and father nearly ended their relationship over my father’s acquisition of half a bull. My mother didn’t realize—she thought she wasn’t going to have room in the freezer for it, until I heard the words “artificial insemination,” when my sister and I were sent away from the dinner table for the rest of my parents’ conversation.

But I know in that constituency and many others, it gets dark. There are many areas of Glengarry–Prescott–Russell and rural communities that don’t have the kind of lighting—and as your eyes get a little more challenged as you get older, it’s important.

There will no longer be these complicated tests people have to study for—

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: And stressful for these seniors.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: Very stressful, as the Attorney General has just pointed out—they will just simply be able to come in and do a short classroom test that won’t require much. As you know, in legislation before the House, first of all, there are no fees, as the health minister just pointed out—none. Second of all, we’re also looking at graduated driver’s licences for seniors as well, if we pass the legislation through the House.

CORRECTION OF RECORD

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

Hon. John Milloy: I wish to correct my record. Earlier in question period I referred to the current Premier before she had assumed office. I got a bit tongue-tied and said “incoming” or “acting.” I, of course, meant Premier-designate at that point.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Finance on a point of order.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent that the question on the motion for second reading of Bill 177,

An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act, be immediately put forward without further debate or amendment; and

That the bill be ordered for third reading; and

That the order for third reading of Bill 177 be immediately called; and

That the question on the motion for third reading of the bill be put without debate or amendment.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Finance is seeking unanimous consent that the question on the motion of second reading of Bill 177,

An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act, be immediately put without further debate or amendment; and

That the bill be ordered for third reading; and

That the order for third reading of Bill 177 be immediately called; and

That the question on the motion for third reading of the bill be put without debate or amendment.

Do we agree? I heard a no.

VISITORS

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Consumer Services on a point of order.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: On a point of order, I realized I forgot to introduce some elected official here today from the city of Pickering. We have Doug Dickerson, deputy mayor; and Kevin Ashe, councillor for ward 1. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Simcoe–Grey on a point of order.

Mr. Jim Wilson: I seek unanimous consent that the sponsorship of Bill 5,

An Act to freeze compensation for two years in the public sector, be transferred to the member for Nipissing.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member for Simcoe–Grey is seeking unanimous consent that the sponsorship of Bill 5,

An Act to freeze compensation for two years in the public sector, be transferred to the member for Nipissing.

Do we agree? I heard a no.

The minister responsible for seniors’ affairs on a point of order.

Hon. Mario Sergio: Speaker, I would really be happy if I could have a late show on the question that—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): That’s not a point of order.

There are no deferred votes. This House stands recessed until 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1141 to 1300.

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: I ask all members of the House to join me in welcoming my guest today, Mr. Suneet Singh Tuli, who is CEO of Datawind. Their claim to fame is that their tablets are outselling both iPads and Samsung tablets in India. Please join me in welcoming him today.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We welcome our guest.

Further introductions? Further introductions? Last call for introductions.

If you will notice, I was very slow in getting to the member from Scarborough–Guildwood.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: Speaker, thank you very much. It’s my pleasure, and honour in fact, to welcome Miss Jamaica World and Miss World Caribbean to the Legislature today: Ms. Gina Hargitay. This is her first time to Canada, and I think she has brought the sunshine with her, so thank you. I’d also like to welcome her mother, Marlene Campbell Hargitay, her uncle Johannes Campbell, and a friend, of course, to all of us, the Consul General of Jamaica, Mr. Seth George Ramocan. Please welcome them.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I want to thank the Consul General for having it rain every day on my holiday while I was in Jamaica.

Further comment on this introduction?

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I’d also like to invite all members in the House to join us in room 230, where Ms. Hargitay will be available for pictures, which we will provide to all of you, and also, I believe, a taste of Appleton rum, which is wonderful for the afternoon.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’ve got to say something. I’m not sure if that’s parliamentary, to invite people to have rum out of the House, but we thank our visitors and we welcome you.

Mr. Bill Walker: Unanimous consent, Mr. Speaker?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): That could be unanimous consent.

Last call for introductions.

We thank our guests for being here. It’s now time for statements.

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

ENGINEERS

Mr. Jim McDonell: March is National Engineering Month across Canada. As an engineer myself, I’m glad to see the initiatives that inspire younger Canadians to explore the engineering profession. Engineers have consistently taken the possible and pushed its boundaries.

In his official greeting to mark National Engineering Month, the Governor General wrote, “Engineering is truly a profession of faith in the advancement of technology for people’s well-being, in Canada and worldwide.”

Prime Minister Stephen Harper also commented that “The work engineers do drives investment, contributes to our prosperity, and ensures our safety, comfort and well-being.”

As part of engineering month, the Upper Canada

chapter of Professional Engineers of Ontario hosted its annual bridge-building competition for grades 5 to 12 students. Their challenge was to build a bridge out of 200 Popsicle sticks and white glue, which was then subjected to a load test.

Kaytlin Andrews and Charlotte Reed of Char-Lan school beat their high school peers to take first place.

Twelve-year-old Eric Ronkin of école Rose-des-Vents took second place, following in the footsteps of his father, Dimitri, who is an engineer at the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp.

Third place was taken by the Filliol brothers, Caleb, Eric and Jean, of école Notre Dame.

Our future infrastructure and safety and our province’s leadership in technological innovation depend on a growing generation of passionate, inquisitive and resourceful engineers. I am pleased to see that the future leaders of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry are ready to face that challenge.

BIKES FOR CUBA

Ms. Cindy Forster: It’s my privilege to rise today to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of two of my constituents from Port Colborne, Mr. Aubrey Foley and Kathleen Cosby, who have started an initiative to provide bikes to underprivileged children in Cuba.

Mr. Foley is a 69-year-old Port Colborne resident who has been repairing used bicycles out of his home, using his own money to pay for the necessary parts. The initiative then sends the bikes to children in Cuba who otherwise would not be able to afford one.

Two bikes have already been sent to a 13-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, and yesterday, a volunteer truck driver from Brantford—your riding, Mr. Speaker—picked up 40 completed bikes, 10 of which are destined for an orphanage in Cuba. They’ve already received an overjoyed thanks by email from the father of the one of the recipients expressing his gratitude.

The initiative’s ultimate goal is to give a bicycle to every child in Cuba who can’t afford one. They rely on donations of used bicycles to make this a reality.

Doctors Without Borders has offered the initial space for 100 bikes in a shipping container bound for Cuba, so they are calling upon the community to donate old or used bikes to help fill the container.

It is truly heartwarming to hear about this project happening right in my own riding, and I’d like to be able to commend Aubrey Foley and Kathleen Cosby for their incredible charitable work.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Brantford truckers can get it all the way to Cuba.

That’s over everyone’s head. Don’t worry about it.

SENIORS

Ms. Soo Wong: I’m pleased to rise this afternoon to talk about last Friday’s visit by the Premier to my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt. The Premier visited Shepherd Village, a large seniors’ complex in my riding.

I want to acknowledge Brock Hall, Christine Hopwood and all the staff at Shepherd Village for the excellent work they do for the seniors they care for at Shepherd Village, as well as across Scarborough.

Mr. Speaker, as the Premier and I chatted with the residents and staff at Shepherd Village, we heard that our government’s commitment to seniors’ care is making a positive difference in our community.

In 2012, Dr. Samir Sinha produced the Ontario Seniors Strategy. We listened; now we are taking action. We’re working to ensure our seniors are living healthier, safer, and living in a community that meets their needs. We are committed to providing more access to home care through the additional three million personal support worker hours for seniors in need.

Mr. Speaker, I want to say that our government is working together with our community to make Ontario the best place to grow up as well as to grow old.

CRAFT BREWERIES

Mr. Norm Miller: I rise in this House today to recognize two excellent craft brewers that are based in my riding of Parry Sound–Muskoka.

Recently, during the annual Speakers’ craft brewers’ event at Queen’s Park that was held on St. Patrick’s Day, members of the provincial Legislature and staff of the Legislature voted across a number of categories. Some 23 of Ontario’s craft breweries were on hand, with 87 varieties competing in the annual event. The results of the voting are now in.

I’m pleased to congratulate the Highlander Brew Co. from South River in the riding of Parry Sound–Muskoka that was the winner in the “refreshing ale” category for its Lion Grass beer. As well, the Lake of Bays Brewing Company, located in Baysville, was voted the winner with their Spark House Red Ale, which topped the “malty dark lager or ale” category.

I’m proud to say that these two breweries are growing, and, along with other Ontario craft brewers, are making a significant contribution to Ontario’s economy and creating jobs throughout Parry Sound–Muskoka and across the province.

I look forward to their continued success, and I again want to congratulate the Highlander Brew Co. and the Lake of Bays Brewing Company on their award-winning ales.

MUNICIPALITIES

Mr. John Vanthof: On March 15, I organized a round table discussion with the mayors and reeves of central Temiskaming and the leader of the Ontario NDP, Andrea Horwath. It was a raw, windy day, but, despite the blustery weather, there were reps from across the area. We had an excellent discussion regarding the issues that municipalities are facing in my riding and across the north.

Some of the major topics of discussion were: MPAC and ARB appeals, which were brought up first. The retroactivity of the appeals process is very difficult to deal with. It’s one thing for an appeal to impact projected revenue, but it’s very hard for municipalities to budget to reimburse taxes that have already been spent.

Provincial downloading and cancellation of programs were brought up several times. The cancellation of the Connecting Link Program is a serious blow to many towns, and other cases of downloading were also highlighted, from parks to wildlife management.

Energy was also a hot topic of discussion. Issues ranged from the local contractors who are not being paid for their work on the Canadian Solar farm to the siting of projects on agricultural land and the problems with billing by Hydro One.

The proposed new billing model for OPP services was top of mind for many townships. Under the model, their costs are projected to go up by, in some cases, more than 300%. This increase was seen as unsustainable, and it was felt that a better solution must be found.

Connectivity with the rest of the province continues to be a crucial issue. Highway maintenance, the ONTC and air service were the focus of much discussion.

On behalf of Andrea, I’d like to thank the municipalities that took the time to inform her about issues important to their constituents. I hope to be able to arrange similar round tables in the north and south parts of my riding as well.

EMERGENCY RESPONDERS

Mr. Mike Colle: I rise today to acknowledge the heroic efforts of over 120 firefighters, police officers, paramedics and MOE emergency personnel who responded to a six-alarm fire in my riding on Thursday. The six-alarm fire saw over four fire pumpers in the sky with their cannons. There were crews that worked for 24 hours on the site to control this fire in a mattress factory. Luckily, we had an excellent first-hand response from our firefighters and all of our front-line emergency responders.

I would also like to give special thanks to the police: Staff Sergeant Mike Matic, who, on the last day before he retires, was there, helping control the crowd; and staff inspector Baptist from 13 division. There were senior environmental officers from MOE—Sarah Proud and Charlie Tajnay were there—and Toronto EMS.

I would like to, again, give special thanks to the amazing firefighters who were up on these ladders, hundreds of feet in the air, with smoke that you could see all the way to King City. They were there, again, for 24 hours, for one of the worst fires we’ve ever seen in the middle of Toronto. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt and all that was damaged was the building.

Again, we sometimes forget how important these first-line responders are. We thank them for their great work.

TOBACCO CONTROL

Mr. Monte McNaughton: As you know, Ontario is the epicentre for contraband tobacco in Canada, and it is currently estimated that one quarter of all tobacco sold in Ontario is of the contraband variety. Illegal cigarettes are a prime source for youth smoking and make a mockery of price and access control efforts.

In addition, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimates that in Ontario alone, the provincial and federal governments lose as much as $1.1 billion annually to missing tax revenues from the contraband tobacco trade.

We know that illegal cigarettes fund criminal activities in our communities, and because of this, it is clear: The province of Ontario needs to do more to control the flow and supply of contraband tobacco. As you know, it has been nearly three years since the government passed Bill 186, the Supporting Smoke-Free Ontario by Reducing Contraband Tobacco Act. This legislation could help disrupt the manufacture of illegal cigarettes, but it is essentially useless because the Ministry of Finance has failed to finalize regulations for its full implementation.

Contraband tobacco is a cash cow for organized crime, and it’s a huge problem affecting communities across my riding of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex. Today I join a number of community organizations in calling on the government to do more to stop and prevent the sale and manufacture of contraband tobacco all across the province of Ontario.

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Mr. Steven Del Duca: I’m pleased today to rise and update members of this House regarding an event that’s taking place in my wonderful community of Vaughan this coming Thursday. April 3 will mark the 25th annual Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Awards.

For over 30 years, the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce has been an essential part of the business community, providing services to both small and large organizations. These critical supports have helped businesses grow and have provided them with the tools they need to thrive and prosper. This annual awards event allows us to recognize and celebrate business excellence in Vaughan, and it truly exemplifies my community’s support for key industries and also for small businesses—principles not unlike those demonstrated in our government’s plan for the economy.

I want to thank the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce for their dedicated commitment to our business community, and I also want to specifically congratulate Mr. Rudy Bratty on his receiving, this coming Thursday, the Philanthropic Business Person of the Year award for the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce, as well as all the other winners who will be receiving awards this coming Thursday at the event.

I want to thank and congratulate the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce staff, board and volunteers on what I know will be, as always, a truly amazing event that I look forward to attending.

CUB SCOUTS

Mr. Jeff Yurek: I would like to start this statement with a promise:

“I promise to do my best,

“To love and serve God, to do my duty to the Queen;

“To keep the law of the Wolf Cub pack,

“And to do a good turn for somebody every day.”

Mr. Speaker, that is the promise by the Cub Scouts of Canada, and I was fortunate enough, during the March break, to have the 13th St. Thomas Cub Scouts visit my office on a hike.

It was really interesting that day; they did an outdoor hike, but instead of going out into the woods and seeing nature, they came to downtown St. Thomas and visited their political leaders. They stayed and toured my office for a good hour, asked many intriguing questions, and we got along quite well before they headed out the door to see the city of St. Thomas’s mayor, Heather Jackson.

The Cub Scout program focuses on six activity areas: the natural world, outdoors, creative expression, healthy living, home and community, and Canada and the world. Activities include: challenging hikes, weekend camps and outdoor activities; water activities like canoeing and kayaking; games and sports; model-building; and music, storytelling and play-acting.

I want to thank them for coming to visit me at my office, and I would also like to take the time to thank the volunteer Cub Scout leaders for helping and teaching and guiding our young folks of the next generation who will be there to take care of us when we’re in our elderly years.

The last thing I want to leave you with is the motto: Do your best. I hope that we’re all here at the Legislature doing our best for our constituents of Ontario.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

LABOUR RELATIONS AMENDMENT

ACT (STRIKE AND LOCKOUT

INFORMATION), 2014 /

LOI DE 2014 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LES RELATIONS DE TRAVAIL

(RENSEIGNEMENTS SUR LES GRÈVES

ET LES LOCKOUTS)

Mme Gélinas moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 184,

An Act to amend the Labour Relations Act, 1995 with respect to information relating to strikes and lock-outs / Projet de loi 184, Loi modifiant la Loi de 1995 sur les relations de travail en ce qui concerne les renseignements sur les grèves et les lockouts.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member for a short statement.

M me France Gélinas: Yesterday, March 30, marked the first anniversary of Peter Kormos’s passing. I didn’t want to let the day go by without mentioning his name, and without doing a little something for him.

People who knew him would remember that he always had on the docket an anti-scab bill; that was something that he would present at every Legislature. This bill is a whole lot more timid; all it asks for is to identify when temporary replacement workers are used, but I thought it would have made him happy. I miss him greatly, and this bill is for him.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

NATIONAL ABORIGINAL

LANGUAGES DAY

Hon. John Gerretsen: I am pleased to make a statement on behalf of the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs on the 25th anniversary of National Aboriginal Languages Day.

Speaker, boozhoo, bonjou, tunngasugit. Today marks Canada’s 25th annual National Aboriginal Languages Day. National Aboriginal Languages Day was established by the Assembly of First Nations in 1989 to raise awareness about aboriginal people’s languages and to support their preservation.

Speaker, aboriginal languages are significant to our country’s great heritage. The name Canada comes from “kanata,” the Ojibway word for village. Ontario stems from the Huron word “Onatari:io” meaning beautiful lake.

Languages are integrally linked to all of our cultures. There are more than 60 aboriginal languages spoken across Canada. They carry with them the spirit, history and philosophy of a people, and they transmit their culture to future generations. However, only three are currently considered safe from extinction: Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut.

The revival and preservation of aboriginal languages is not only important for First Nations, Métis and Inuit, but for all the people of Ontario.

Ontario’s curriculum offers studies in seven First Nation languages: Cayuga, Cree, Delaware, Mohawk, Ojibway, Oji-Cree and Oneida. These classes are available to all students who want to learn an aboriginal language.

Last year, almost 6,650 elementary and secondary school students were enrolled in the aboriginal language programs and courses in our public schools throughout the province. This includes students enrolled in the Ojibway classes in the northern boards such as the Algoma District School Board and at urban schools in the Toronto District School Board.

Mr. Speaker, on National Aboriginal Languages Day our government joins with the First Nations, Inuit and Métis in recognizing the efforts of individuals and organizations to revive and preserve aboriginal languages.

There are not too many places, unfortunately, in southern Canada where you can learn to speak Inuktitut, but the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre is one of them where you can learn that language. Classes there are helping to create a new generation of Inuktitut speakers, connecting Inuit children and youth with their culture and their elders through language.

The University of Toronto’s aboriginal studies department offers courses that provide opportunities for aboriginal and non-aboriginal students to learn about indigenous people’s cultures, histories and traditions. A key feature of their program is its commitment to aboriginal language instruction. One of its affiliates, the Indigenous Language Initiative, promotes language learning in Ojibway, Oneida and Inuktitut.

The Métis Nation of Ontario has created a collection of resources to help Métis youth reconnect with their heritage language, Michif. This includes a series of videos with phrases and pronunciations, in addition to audio and text resources. As you’ve probably seen by now, I should have taken some of those lessons to get some of those aboriginal languages in.

Interjection: There’s always time, John.

Hon. John Gerretsen: There may still be time yet.

Six Nations Polytechnic is home to the Indigenous Knowledge Centre. The centre works collaboratively with indigenous knowledge guardians to collect information about cultural history for the benefit of aboriginal communities. One of its key projects is the preservation of Haudenosaunee languages.

Mr. Speaker, it is exciting to know there are opportunities available across the province to learn aboriginal languages.

I’d like to take just a moment—I think all of us in the House can do that—to thank these unsung heroes. Their work is supporting language preservation and strengthening the aboriginal cultures and traditions that are part of the foundation and the future of Canada and Ontario.

I encourage all of the people of Ontario to spend some time on National Aboriginal Languages Day—today, March 31—to learn a few words in an aboriginal language. It helps all of us to recognize the importance that the aboriginal communities and nations have played and continue to play in this great province. Let us respect that this is due to the founding peoples of this land and adhere to the treaties and obligations that have been signed with the aboriginal nations.

Speaker, there are resources available in the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs Twitter account and Facebook page.

Thank you. Miigwetch. Nia:wen. Marsé. Nakurmiik.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Nya:weh. It’s now time for responses.

Mr. Norm Miller: It’s my pleasure to respond to the minister on National Aboriginal Languages Day. I’m pleased to rise in this House today on behalf of the PC caucus and leader, Tim Hudak, to recognize National Aboriginal Languages Day.

Founded by the Assembly of First Nations in 1989, this year marks the 25th anniversary of National Aboriginal Languages Day in Canada. The 2011 Canadian census reports over 60 First Nations languages spoken in Canada, falling into 12 distinct language categories.

Language is central to culture. As we discuss the preservation of culture, it becomes more necessary to also look to preserving language. This will undoubtedly be a difficult task, as the number of elders in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities limit the ability for these languages to be passed on. In many cases, the oral tradition associated with the passing on of these languages adds to the difficulty of bringing these traditions to younger generations.

New technology provides hope for the preservation of Canada’s First Nations languages. Specifically, with the capability for online archiving and remote learning with the expansion of Internet access, there is much greater hope of ensuring that these aboriginal languages are preserved and passed on to future generations.

Efforts are now under way to preserve Michif and introduce Métis youth to their heritage language. As part of that effort, the Métis Nation of Ontario has created online Michif resources. These include online audio and video files to help preserve—and educate new individuals to—the Michif language. This technology could certainly be used for First Nations, Inuit and Métis languages.

I’m pleased to represent a riding that has some seven First Nations and Métis, including the Dokis First Nation, Henvey Inlet First Nation, Magnetawan First Nation, the Pottawatomi of Moose Deer Point First Nation, Shawanaga First Nation, Wasauksing First Nation and the Wahta Mohawk First Nation.

Seeing as I have the floor, I would like to congratulate the Wahta Mohawks’ newly elected chief, Philip Franks, on his election, which was held recently, on March 15.

Miigwetch. Nia:wen. Marsé. Nakurmiik.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Miigwetch.

Ms. Sarah Campbell: It is an honour to stand up and speak on behalf of the New Democratic caucus to mark National Aboriginal Languages Day. This day was established in 1989 by the Assembly of First Nations to support aboriginal languages across our country.

It is important not only because it preserves culture and helps strengthen one’s identity, but because it helps to preserve the history of our nation’s first peoples. There are more than 60 indigenous languages in Canada, which represent 12 distinct language families. Approximately 1.4 million people identify as aboriginal in Canada, representing 4.3% of the total Canadian population. With each new report, this number is growing.

As an MPP who represents nearly 50 First Nation communities, I have been very fortunate to be in close contact and witness first-hand the sharing of this vital link to our past. Aboriginal peoples, through their language and oral storytelling, have conveyed thousands of years of accumulated knowledge. Through art and expression, we have seen much of their important connection to the natural world passed on from generation to generation.

However, in more recent history, aboriginal languages and culture have become threatened and weakened through things like residential schools and other assimilation policies. In some cases, children faced severe punishment for speaking their First Nation languages. Being cut off from their families, they lost the ability to speak their mother tongue and pass it along to their own children.

In the words of the Assembly of First Nations’ national chief, Shawn A-in-chut Atleo: “As with all civilizations our languages, cultures and ceremonies and histories are the foundations for our identities.”

Preserving aboriginal languages means supporting access to immersion programs, language teachings, cultural camps and access to traditional languages within all learning environments, including training of language teachers in our schools and institutions.

To this end, we appreciate the role that the Assembly of First Nations, the Chiefs of Ontario, treaty organizations and our First Nations leaders have played. Other significant contributors to the preservation of aboriginal languages are the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Aboriginal Voices magazine, Windspeaker, Tekawennake, Wawatay Native Communications Society including Seven magazine, which is a quarterly publication aimed at sharing and promoting First Nations culture among youth.

In addition, there are many independent initiatives taking place, such as the new development of a web-based interactive First Nations language portal featuring dictionary and curriculum-based resources for Cree language in Canada, and the commitment of individual communities such as Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug to the preservation of First Nation culture through their newly created youth leadership program, which will increase awareness about First Nations culture, issues and living conditions in northern communities.

The fact is, much of the preservation of these languages relies on the commitment and supports that we all provide to preserve it. Today, on National Aboriginal Languages Day, we celebrate and honour the strength and endurance of aboriginal languages and culture. This day recognizes the need to revitalize and seek ways to sustain traditional languages, First Nation identity and our history as a nation. Meegwetch.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank all members for their statements. Nya:weh.

PETITIONS

WIND TURBINES

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“In light of the many wide-ranging concerns being raised by Ontario citizens and 80-plus action groups across Ontario and the irrefutable international evidence of a flawed technology, health concerns, environmental effects, bird and bat kills, property losses, the tearing apart of families, friends and communities, and unprecedented costs;

“We, the undersigned, ask the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to declare an Ontario-wide moratorium on the development of wind farms.”

I agree with this petition. I’ll affix my signature and send it to the desk with Milana.

HYDRO RATES

Ms. Sarah Campbell: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas home heating and electricity are essential utilities for northern families;

“Whereas the government has a duty and an obligation to ensure that essential goods and services are affordable for all families living in the north and across the province;

“Whereas government policy such as the Green Energy Act, the harmonized sales tax, cancellation of gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga have caused the price of electricity to artificially increase to the point it is no longer affordable for families or small business;

“Whereas electricity generated and used in northwestern Ontario is among the cleanest and cheapest to produce in Canada, yet has been inflated by government policy;

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

“To take immediate steps to reduce the price of electricity in the northwest and ensure that residents and businesses have access to energy that properly reflects the price of local generation.”

I support this and will affix my signature and give it to page Calvin to deliver.

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES

Mr. Steve Clark: I would like to thank Rooney Feeds Limited in Kemptville for this petition.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the University of Guelph’s Kemptville and Alfred campuses are two of Ontario’s outstanding post-secondary agricultural schools; and

“Whereas these campuses have delivered specialized and high-quality programs to generations of students from agricultural communities across eastern Ontario and the future success of the region’s agri-food industry depends on continuing this strong partnership; and

“Whereas regional campuses like those in Kemptville and Alfred ensure the agri-food industry has access to the knowledge, research and innovation that are critical for Ontario to remain competitive in this rapidly changing sector;

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

“That Premier Wynne in her dual capacity as Minister of Agriculture and Food act immediately to reverse the University of Guelph’s short-sighted and unacceptable decision to close its Kemptville and Alfred campuses.”

I’m pleased to affix my signature and send it to the table with page Samantha.

GASOLINE PRICES

M me France Gélinas: I have this petition that comes from M me Lynne St-Jean from Naughton, in my riding, as well as Mrs. Monic Monahan from Gogama. It reads as follows:

“Whereas northern Ontario motorists continue to be subject to wild fluctuations in the price of gasoline; and

“Whereas the province could eliminate opportunistic price gouging and deliver fair, stable and predictable fuel prices; and

“Whereas five provinces and many US states already have some sort of gas-price regulation; and

“Whereas jurisdictions with gas-price regulation have seen an end to wild price fluctuations, a shrinking of price discrepancies between urban and rural communities and lower annualized gas prices;

They petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to “mandate the Ontario Energy Board to monitor the price of gasoline across Ontario in order to reduce price volatility and unfair regional price differences while encouraging competition.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask page Milana to bring it to the clerk.

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I have a petition addressed here to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which has been duly signed and endorsed by Clerk Todd Decker. It reads as follows:

“Whereas virtually all Legislatures in Canada have fully embraced digital technologies;

“Whereas digital communications are now essential for members of Parliament to conduct their business, correspond with constituents, respond to stakeholders, stay in touch with staff, store data and information securely, keep ahead of the news cycle, and to remain current;

“Whereas progressive record-keeping relies on cloud technology, remote access, real-time updates, multiple-point data entry and broadband, wireless and satellite technologies;

“Whereas as there is more to full exploitation of technology than having an email address;

“Whereas the Legislative Assembly of Ontario has been considering the value, utility and usage of digital devices within the legislative precinct and within the chamber of Parliament itself for several months;

“Whereas this consideration of digital empowerment of members continues to be unresolved, on hold, under consideration and the subject of repeated temporizing correspondence between decision-makers and interested parties;

“We, the undersigned, respectfully request all various decision-makers of the assembly and government to fully embrace digital technologies, empower members, acquire the optimal Android and Apple devices, maximize the many technology offerings, and orchestrate a much-needed modernization of the conduct of parliamentary business for the eventual benefit of the people of Ontario.”

In agreement whereof I affix my signature and send it to you proudly via page Nusaybah.

FISHING REGULATIONS

Mr. Jerry J. Ouellette: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly.

“Whereas the Ontario Fishing Regulations

Summary is printed each year by the Ministry of Natural Resources and distributed to recreational fishermen throughout the province to inform them of all the relevant seasons, limits, licence requirements and other regulations; and

“Whereas this valuable document is readily available for anglers to keep in their residence, cottage, truck, boat, trailer or on their person to be fully informed of the current fishing regulations; and

“Whereas the MNR has recently and abruptly drastically reduced the distribution of the Ontario Fishing Regulations

Summary such that even major licence issuers and large fishing retailers are limited to one case of regulations per outlet; and

“Whereas anglers do not always have access to the Internet to view online regulations while travelling or in remote areas;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately return the production of the Ontario Fishing Regulations

Summary to previous years’ quantities such that all anglers have access to a copy and to distribute them accordingly.”

I affix my signature in full support.

MINING INDUSTRY

Ms. Sarah Campbell: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s mineral wealth belongs to the people of Ontario;

“Whereas the people who collectively own these natural resources should stand to” benefit from them;

“Whereas Ontario’s Mining Act presently calls for resources mined in Ontario to be processed in Canada, yet allows cabinet to grant exceptions to the clause;

“Whereas these exceptions ensure residents of Ontario are told why our resources are being shipped elsewhere—information that can be used to better plan for infrastructure and job training needs to ensure a more competitive environment;

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

“To amend the Mining Act to ensure that people living in Ontario maximize the benefit of their natural resources.”

I support this, will affix my signature and give it to page Eli to deliver to the table.

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: J’ai une pétition ici, adressée à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

“Whereas virtually all Legislatures in Canada have fully embraced digital technologies;

“Whereas digital communications are now essential for members of Parliament to conduct their business, correspond with constituents, respond to stakeholders, stay in touch with staff, store data and information securely, keep ahead of the news cycle, and to remain current;

“Whereas progressive record-keeping relies on cloud technology, remote access, real-time updates, multiple-point data entry and broadband, wireless and satellite technologies;

“Whereas as there is more to full exploitation of technology than having an email address;

“Whereas the Legislative Assembly of Ontario has been considering the value, utility and usage of digital devices within the legislative precinct and within the chamber of Parliament itself for several months;

“Whereas this consideration of digital empowerment of members continues to be unresolved, on hold, under consideration and the subject of repeated temporizing correspondence between decision-makers and interested parties;

“We, the undersigned, respectfully request all various decision-makers of the assembly and government to fully embrace digital technologies, empower members, acquire the optimal Android and Apple devices, maximize the many technology offerings, and orchestrate a much-needed modernization of the conduct of parliamentary business for the eventual benefit of the people of Ontario.”

I agree, Speaker, affix my signature and send it to you via page Divya.

ONTARIO DRUG BENEFIT PROGRAM

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: I’m pleased to present this petition from the community of Mildmay:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Health Canada has approved the use of Esbriet for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a rare, progressive and fatal disease characterized by scarring of the lungs; and

“Whereas Esbriet, the first and only approved medication in Canada for the treatment of IPF, has been shown to slow disease progression and to decrease the decline in lung function; and

“Whereas the lack of public funding for Esbriet is especially devastating for seniors with IPF who rely exclusively on the provincial drug program for access to medications;

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

“Immediately provide Esbriet as a choice to patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and their health care providers in Ontario through public funding.”

I agree with this petition, I affix my signature and I’ll send it to the desk with Simon.

FIREFIGHTERS

M me France Gélinas: I have this petition that comes from the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, their Sudbury local. It reads as follows:

“Whereas firefighters are routinely exposed to burning chemicals and other toxins in the course of protecting the lives and property of fellow citizens; and

“Whereas even with the best respiratory practices and protective equipment, exposures will continue to occur due to absorption through the skin once a firefighter has become soaked during fire suppression activities; and

“Whereas epidemiological, medical and scientific studies conclusively demonstrate an increased rate of diseases such as cancer in firefighters versus the general population …”

They petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:

“Amend the regulations of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA), 1997 to include cancer of the lungs, breasts, testicles, prostate, skin and multiple myeloma in presumptive legislation for occupational diseases related to firefighting.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name to it and ask page Jane to bring it to the Clerk.

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which reads as follows:

“Whereas virtually all Legislatures in Canada have fully embraced digital technologies;

“Whereas digital communications are now essential for members of Parliament to conduct their business, correspond with constituents, respond to stakeholders, stay in touch with staff, store data and information securely, keep ahead of the news cycle, and to remain current;

“Whereas progressive record-keeping relies on cloud technology, remote access, real-time updates, multiple-point data entry and broadband, wireless and satellite technologies;

“Whereas as there is more to full exploitation of technology than having an email address;

“Whereas the Legislative Assembly of Ontario has been considering the value, utility and usage of digital devices within the legislative precinct and within the chamber of Parliament itself for several months;

“Whereas this consideration of digital empowerment of members continues to be unresolved, on hold, under consideration and the subject of repeated temporizing correspondence between decision-makers and interested parties;

“We, the undersigned, respectfully request all various decision-makers of the assembly and government to fully embrace digital technologies, empower members, acquire the optimal Android and Apple devices, maximize the many technology offerings, and orchestrate a much-needed modernization of the conduct of parliamentary business for the eventual benefit of the people of Ontario.”

I agree, Speaker, affix my signature and send it to you via page Mira.

PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKERS

Mr. Jim McDonell: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas current community care access centre personal support worker guidelines do not provide a clear indication of whether PSWs are allowed to support patients’ activities outside the home; and

“Whereas patient health is best ensured through an active, healthy lifestyle that may involve activities outside the patient’s home; and

“Whereas the spirit of community care includes patient access to their community’s healthy lifestyle resources;

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

“To enact all necessary statutes that would allow personal support workers and other community care access centre staff to support their patients and clients both in the home and in necessary activities in their communities.”

I will agree with this and sign it for page Jane.

DENTAL CARE

M me France Gélinas: I have this petition that comes from all over Ontario.

“Whereas thousands and thousands of adults live with pain and infection because they cannot afford dental care;

“Whereas the promised $45-million dental fund under the Poverty Reduction Strategy excluded impoverished adults;

“Whereas the programs were designed with rigid criteria so that most of the people in need do not qualify; and

“Whereas desperately needed dental care money went unspent and was diverted to other areas even though people are still suffering without access to dental care;

“We petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to do all in its power to stop dental funds from being diverted to support other programs and to fully utilize the commissioned funding to provide dental care to those in need.”

I support this petition, will affix my name to it and ask page Samantha to bring it to the table.

USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario which reads as follows:

“Whereas virtually all Legislatures in Canada have fully embraced digital technologies;

“Whereas digital communications are now essential for members of Parliament to conduct their business, correspond with constituents, respond to stakeholders, stay in touch with staff, store data and information securely, keep ahead of the news cycle, and to remain current;

“Whereas progressive record-keeping relies on cloud technology, remote access, real-time updates, multiple-point data entry and broadband, wireless and satellite technologies;

“Whereas as there is more to full exploitation of technology than having an email address;

“Whereas the Legislative Assembly of Ontario has been considering the value, utility and usage of digital devices within the legislative precinct and within the chamber of Parliament itself for several months;

“Whereas this consideration of digital empowerment of members continues to be unresolved, on hold, under consideration and the subject of repeated temporizing correspondence between decision-makers and interested parties;

“We, the undersigned, respectfully request all various decision-makers of the assembly and government to fully embrace digital technologies, empower members, acquire the optimal Android and Apple devices, maximize the many technology offerings, and orchestrate a much-needed modernization of the conduct of parliamentary business for the eventual benefit of the people of Ontario.”

I agree, will sign it and send it to you via page Eli.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

YOUTH SMOKING

PREVENTION ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE 2014 SUR LA PRÉVENTION

DU TABAGISME CHEZ LES JEUNES

Resuming the debate adjourned on February 19, 2014, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 131,

An Act to amend the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. / Projet de loi 131, Loi modifiant la Loi favorisant un Ontario sans fumée.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): I’m pleased to recognize the member for Nickel Belt.

M me France Gélinas: Thank you, Speaker. Well, I guess it’s my turn to do my lead on Bill 131.

This bill was first introduced on November 18 of last year. This is a bill that is extremely important and this is a bill that has wide support throughout Ontario to ban candy-flavoured tobacco in our province. I’m happy to be doing my lead today, but I sure wish we didn’t have to wait four and a half months to move on with something like this.

You see, Speaker, flavoured tobacco is something that I have been working on since 2008. In 2008, myself and the Speaker—not you; Speaker Levac—introduced a co-sponsored bill that did just that: It banned flavoured cigarillos. The bill was one of the first ones put forward as a co-sponsored bill, and it actually went through. It received first, second and third reading and royal assent, and it became law in Ontario. We were both very proud that something like this had been supported. That was back six years ago, in 2008.

By the time the act came into effect—because there was a little bit of a delay between the time it received royal assent and the time that the people in Ontario had to adjust—the tobacco companies had already found a loophole. The loophole was quite simple. They took the little, single cigarillo that had been defined in the act as best as we could—it contained a total gram of tobacco to say that it was a cigarillo, not a full cigar, that we were talking about, because the full cigars have not been targeted to kids as much. They’re targeting other people with it.

But, to make a long story short, by the time it came into effect, the tobacco industry was ready. They had found a loophole in the bill, increased the number of grams of tobacco in their cigarillo, and continued to sell under the same name brand, the same packaging, the same price—the same everything. If you put the old product, which I still have in my office, beside the new product, which is how they found a loophole, you need to have a pretty sharp eye to see the difference between the two, because to you and me it looks pretty much identical.

Since then, I have been working really hard to try to close that loophole, to try to ban flavouring in tobacco, which clearly targets our youth. It hasn’t been easy, and I have introduced different versions of this bill six times. But I was happy that in February of this year, my bill, Bill 149, actually went through. It passed second reading with unanimous support from this House. So we know that in this House, like in the rest of the province, there is really strong support to bring that kind of legislation forward.

Given all of this, given that we know that Ontarians want this, that we’ve already had a similar bill go through the House and reach second reading, it is a little bit disheartening to see that here we are four and a half months after the minister has introduced her bill, and I’m just doing my lead. Doing my lead means that it’s the first time the bill is tabled in a way that allows us to talk about it. With something that has such great support, you would have thought that my lead would have been done way back in November, but it wasn’t. It took a lot of work from the cancer society and from many people who are opposed to flavouring in tobacco to move that ahead.

It shouldn’t be that hard, Mr. Speaker. When there is support within this House, when there is huge support within our society, why is it that the Legislative Assembly is so, so slow? Why is it that volunteer organizations have to come here and talk to pretty well every single one of us to show us how important it is to move on this issue? But it even took a letter to the editor in the Toronto Star to finally get this bill back on the docket so that we can talk about it. It leaves me with a feeling that they’re not that committed to this.

They say yes when they’re pushed in that direction, and they say the right thing when they’re speaking, but their actions speak way louder than their words, and their action right now is saying that four and a half months later is sort of a good time to talk about this bill again. Well, not to me, Speaker; not to me.

Sometimes you dream as to what could be. Well, life in Ontario could be quite, quite different when you look at things like the fact that three million people worldwide die every year because of tobacco use. Right here in our province, 36 people today and every single day will die because they were smokers. If you look at the population at large, about 20% of Ontarians are smokers. Well, that 20% of Ontarians who are smokers are the 90% who will die of lung cancer. Lung cancer is not a fun disease to fight, but for the 20% of smokers in Ontario, 90% of them who get the disease will die.

Of all of the lung cancers that are diagnosed in our province—and unfortunately, there are tens of thousands of them every year—90% of those diagnoses come from that 20% of people who smoke.

If you look at all cancers, and we know there are hundreds of thousands of people who receive a diagnosis of cancer, 30% of all cancers are directly linked to people who smoke. If you look at things like chronic bronchitis, emphysema, you could wipe out 80% of the people with chronic bronchitis or emphysema if people stopped smoking. Twenty-five per cent of heart disease or strokes—those can be pretty debilitating diseases and handicaps. Having a stroke that affects your right side usually also affects your speech.

It becomes a very difficult recovery when not only is half of your body paralyzed so that you cannot use it, but you also cannot communicate. Twenty-five per cent of strokes and heart disease would be wiped out if people stopped smoking.

Why am I going through all of those statistics? Because the people in this House have an opportunity to change it. The people in this House have an opportunity to move this bill forward so that it becomes reality and so that the next generation of smokers doesn’t start.

We all know that a cigarette contains nicotine. Nicotine—a bit like heroin—breaks what we call the blood-brain barrier. It affects the brain. But did you know that nicotine is actually more addictive than cocaine? Nicotine is more addictive than heroin, so it is really, really easy to get hooked.

Why am I talking to you about this? It’s very simple: because the products that we want to ban, the flavoured tobacco products that we want to ban, are there because they want to hook the next generation of smokers. For somebody who is already hooked on nicotine, they don’t want the cherry flavours anymore and they certainly don’t want the bubble gum or the candy floss flavour anymore; they want the nicotine. The nicotine is what will call you back 30 times a day to light another one.

Interjection.

M me France Gélinas: Sorry. No, this is not a smoker’s cough. That was not funny.

So all of those kids who will have a buck to look cool, a buck to go and buy a flavoured cigarillo so that they can carry it in their backpack, so that they can try to fit in with the cool crowd—what the industry is really doing is making sure that they get addicted to nicotine. Once you’re addicted, then they don’t have to worry anymore: You will find the money someplace to buy the next pack. Once you’re addicted, it’s not the single flavoured cigarillo that you will crave. It is the nicotine, and you will find this, and you will do what needs to be done so you get your next fix of tobacco.

Anybody who has tried to quit will soon realize the very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that come once you’re addicted to nicotine and you try to stop. What’s the easy route? Well, the easy route is to continue to light up, which is what the industry is hoping for.

Interjection.

M me France Gélinas: Sorry, let me try again. I don’t want any comments from the gallery either.

Basically, this is the core of what the bill will do. The bill will do more than that, though, and those are all measures that we support. The bill will prohibit the selling of promotional items with tobacco products, which is something that is kind of picking up speed. You buy a pack of cigarettes, and you get a free lighter with something cool on it or a pack with something on it—it would ban this.

It would broaden the ability of an inspector to enter a place where it is prohibited to smoke, a place that manufactures or a wholesale distributor of retail tobacco or a place where an inspector has reasonable grounds to believe that a prohibited activity is taking place. It also doubles the fine for those who sell tobacco to youth, which unfortunately is still happening in this province.

It would allow for testing of tobacco in water pipes, or hookah pipes, which is a practice that is gaining in popularity with our youth. Unfortunately, this is also another way where youth get addicted. You don’t need a whole lot of nicotine before you’re addicted.

It’s always weird to think that a product that has over 4,000 different chemicals in it—40 of them are known cancérigènes; that is, they give you cancer.

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Carcinogens.

M me France Gélinas: Carcinogenic? That was the French translation for you there.

They are actually inhaled by people every day. If you would ask people to take a pill that has all of those chemicals in them, people would refuse because of the harm it would do to their health, but they’re willing to inhale them 30 times a day—or whatever number of cigarettes they do smoke.

The bill also has some regulations. The regulations will prohibit smoking on playgrounds, sports fields, sports surfaces and sports spectator areas within a 20-metre radius, except if there’s a private dwelling. This is the kind of regulation that’s already in place in a number of municipalities. So I would say the province is playing catch-up right now with a number of municipalities, including my own in Sudbury, where such a bylaw has already been put in place