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June 5, 2023

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2023-Jun-05 vol. A (PDF)

L085A - Mon 5 Jun 2023 / Lun 5 jun 2023

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 5 June 2023 Lundi 5 juin 2023

Wearing of button

Members’ Statements

Sault Youth Soccer Club

Anti-discrimination activities

Government’s record

National Indigenous History Month

Galt Gaslight District

Poverty

Education

Ottawa Riverkeeper Gala

Government’s record

Christine Elliott

Introduction of Visitors

Appointment of Sergeant-at-Arms

Question Period

Hospital services

Public transit

Telecommunications

Fiscal and economic policy

Education funding

Addiction services

Housing

Land use planning

Oil and gas wells

Hospital services

Government contracts

Red tape reduction

Child care

Affaires francophones

Deferred Votes

Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 visant à aider les acheteurs et à protéger les locataires

Religious and spiritual services in correctional facilities

Introduction of Visitors

Introduction of Bills

Improving Dementia Care in Ontario Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur l’amélioration des soins aux personnes atteintes de démence en Ontario

Petitions

GO Transit

Police funding

Autism treatment

Domestic violence

Education funding

Firearms control

Police funding

Access to health care

Police funding

Land use planning

Police funding

Land use planning

Public sector compensation

Orders of the Day

Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur le renforcement de la sécurité et la modernisation de la justice

The House met at 1015.

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

Prayers.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I want to acknowledge that we are meeting on lands traditionally inhabited by Indigenous peoples. We pay our respects to the many Indigenous nations who have gathered here and continue to gather here, including the Mississaugas of the Credit. Meegwetch.

This being the first sitting Monday of the month, I ask everyone to join in the singing of the Canadian national anthem, followed by the royal anthem.

Singing of the national anthem / Chant de l’hymne national.

Singing of the royal anthem / Chant de l’hymne royal.

Wearing of button

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: Point of order.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Point of order: the member for London North Centre.

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: Speaker, I’m seeking unanimous consent to wear an Our London Family button for the duration of my member’s statement.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for London North Centre is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to wear a button during the duration of his member’s statement. Agreed? Agreed.

Members’ Statements

Sault Youth Soccer Club

Mr. Ross Romano: A lot of my colleagues here know that I’m involved in soccer coaching with my three young boys. The last time I stood and delivered a member’s statement where I spoke about a soccer tournament, it ended in a bit of heartache, Mr. Speaker, but today’s is not the case. Today is quite a great story.

Our 2012 Soo City Junior United boys’ team was able to split into two separate soccer teams. We brought our two teams to Petoskey this last weekend—I have some sun still remaining from that. We brought our two teams to Petoskey’s spring coast classic: 16 total teams in this age group, Mr. Speaker. Our boys, in their respective divisions, went 3-0; won their semi-final games; and met in the finals, playing Sault Ste. Marie versus Sault Ste. Marie. And guess what? Sault Ste. Marie won.

It was a great day. I’m so proud of all of our boys, the amount of work that they put into the sport, the amount of time and effort, and, obviously, the parents as well and all the work they put in. It’s the third time I have been able to go to a soccer tournament with my own sons. I remember doing it as a youngster, as a kid. Sometimes we say as parents, “You live so much more vicariously through your children’s eyes,” and Mr. Speaker, I can say that is absolutely the case. It was an absolute pleasure to watch, although my son is a lot more competitive than I ever was. Those are my words, Mr. Speaker.

Anti-discrimination activities

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Tomorrow is the two-year anniversary of a vile act of Islamophobia, a cowardly act of hatred which stole the lives of the Afzaal family: Talat, Madiha, Salman and Yumnah. Out for a family walk, they were targeted for the way they appeared, whether their ethnicity or their attire. It was a despicable act by a weak person. We must not simply ask ourselves how could this happen, but also do what must be done to make sure this never happens again.

White supremacy gathers many targets. Over the last few years, xenophobia, anti-Black racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and transphobia have increased to levels before unseen. No matter where you come from, how you worship, how you appear, your background, your abilities, your age, your gender or whom you love, everyone deserves to have a safe home, community and be the person you were meant to be.

When someone cuts us, do we not bleed the same? When we love another, do we not feel the same joy? Suffering loss, do we not all feel sorrow, remorse, guilt or regret? And when we smile and laugh, do we not feel the same lightness of spirit?

Rather than building fences or focusing on what divides us, let us instead find our common humanity and recognize that we are one family sharing this Earth and commit to share this Earth with fairness, justice and respect.

Let’s all remain quiet and listen to others with an open heart. Remember to make space, elevate voices, bring others forward and share privilege.

Love will conquer hate, and it’s up to us all.

Government’s record

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: One year ago, I was honoured to be re-elected as the member of provincial Parliament for Mississauga–Erin Mills. Mr. Speaker, we have been working hard to fulfill our promises to build a stronger, more prosperous Ontario for the people.

In Mississauga, we are committed to building highways and transit projects. In December, we saw the Highway 401 expansion open. Work on the Hazel McCallion LRT is well under way, and Mississauga received $19.6 million in transit funding.

Investments continue to pour into health care. We are clearing the backlog on essential surgeries and building a new Mississauga Hospital. Last year, the government gave $4.2 million to Trillium Health Partners for upgrades and repairs.

We are also building long-term-care homes, including a new centre for aging and longevity at Ivan Franko Homes and 128 beds at a new facility by the Church of the Virgin Mary Coptic church.

Additionally, I was proud to announce last month, alongside the Minister of Labour, that the Professional Engineers of Ontario are the first regulated body to remove Canadian experience requirements, and over 30 more industries will be doing the same. Promise made, promise kept.

We are going to continue to be there for Ontarians, keeping our commitments to build more housing, support families, create jobs and keep the province open for business. We are getting it done for the people of Ontario.

National Indigenous History Month

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: June is National Indigenous History Month. This month honours the contributions of Indigenous people to Canada and Ontario—our rich history, they say. It’s a month that encourages people to have events that people can learn from.

Indigenous people have many stories that need to be told and heard by Canadians. I hope that people take the time to attend events in your areas and to listen with an open heart about the real history of Canada: the genocide, the loss of our ways of life, the loss of our languages, our children and our lands.

Canada and Ontario have had many opportunities and lots of time to make changes in their relationship with Indigenous people. But most of the time, governments don’t make the time to find the political will to create positive change. The political will comes from the people. Once you acknowledge National Indigenous History Month, take another step and ask yourself what you can do to move forward from just having this month, and use your voices to make change.

Our actions cannot be performative, and we cannot be the ones always reconciling. You have to do your part. Real change is about action, not words.

Galt Gaslight District

Mr. Brian Riddell: Today, I want to introduce to you a new attraction in my riding that is the talk of the town and is attracting visitors from far and wide. The Gaslight District, established by Hip Developments, is located in historic downtown Galt. It’s a mixture of residential and commercial properties, retail shops, the arts and dining, with a focus on community and culture. It features a one-acre public square with a permanent stage, a large outdoor video screen, and it offers year-round free community events.

The Gaslight District will host its official grand opening from July 28 to the 30th. The three-day event will feature a multitude of musical acts, artisans—and the best part, there will be a flyover, so I’m told—and a whole lot of free fun for families. With thousands of people expected to attend, it promises to be a celebration that Cambridge residents will remember for years to come.

Located on the former Tiger Brand property on Grand Avenue, the Gaslight District is a thriving hub in a revitalized urban core graced with the same vintage details as its former day. The Gaslight District is the place to be in Cambridge, and it is a destination that I am very proud of. I encourage you to stop by and discover all it has to offer.

Poverty

Ms. Chandra Pasma: Ottawa is experiencing record levels of food insecurity. The Ottawa Food Bank had the highest number of food bank visits in their entire 38-year history last year with 403,467 visits; that’s a 40% increase compared to 2017. And unfortunately, things are getting worse, not better. The Caldwell Family Centre food bank in my riding of Ottawa West–Nepean served 53% more families in April 2023 than they did in April 2022. I’m hearing this from all of the food banks in my riding, Speaker. The demand is so high right now, and the capacity to meet it is being seriously strained.

We need this government to treat the affordability crisis like the urgent situation that it is and take swift action to address rising levels of hunger and poverty in our communities. That means doubling ODSP and Ontario Works so that people on social assistance can actually buy food and pay for rent. It means increasing the minimum wage so that food banks can stop extending their hours into the evening and weekends for people who are working full-time. And it means bringing back real rent control so that rent isn’t taking up 80% or more of people’s paycheques.

The wealthy lobbyists and developers that this government listens to might be doing fine, but in our communities, people can’t even put food on the table.

Enough is enough, Speaker. It is time for action.

Education

Mr. Brian Saunderson: It’s my pleasure this morning to recognize the hard work and dedication our teachers and support staff provide to the students of my riding of Simcoe–Grey. Recently, I have toured many elementary and secondary schools in my riding, and I visited two Simcoe County District School Board schools in Clearview township on Take Your MPP to School Day.

My first stop was Stayner Collegiate, where Principal Kimberlee Hand took me on a school tour. Speaker, Stayner Collegiate is one of only two grade 7 to 12 schools in Simcoe county. They have a very active and robust student body and have achieved many milestones over the past year. I was joined by board trustee Brandy Rafeek and the board superintendent, Greg Jacobs. We then visited Clearview Meadows Elementary School, where we met Principal Lisa Saunders and Vice-Principal Amanda Harrison.

Speaker, of special note, I’d like to recognize Stayner Collegiate’s skilled trades program. This program prepares students for much-needed jobs and for some careers in the trades. As you know, this is an agenda that this government has been working very hard on, and it was wonderful to see it taking form at Stayner Collegiate. It combines computer training on AutoCAD and hands-on woodworking training in the well-equipped studio shop. In addition, Stayner Collegiate operates an extensive co-op program, providing students with valuable first-hand on-site work experience and establishing important contacts with tradespeople throughout Clearview.

Speaker, I again recognize the commitment to excellence of the Simcoe County District School Board and want to congratulate the teachers and staff for their excellent work.

Ottawa Riverkeeper Gala

M me Lucille Collard: I would like to take this time to congratulate the Ottawa Riverkeeper organization for their recent gala, which raised over $340,000.

The Ottawa River forms a boundary of the riding of Ottawa–Vanier. It is the lifeblood of the city, where we get our drinking water, where we fish, swim, boat, play and cool off. The river also connects us to the Indigenous people who have lived along, fished in and travelled on the Ottawa River for millennia. The name “Ottawa” itself derives from the Algonquin word “adàwe,” meaning “to trade.”

The gala paid special tribute to Algonquin elder Claudette Commanda, who thanked the organization for being collaborative and for respecting the Algonquin people and their heritage. Through many years of careless custodianship and lax environmental laws, the river has fallen into a polluted state. I recognize and appreciate the work done by the Ottawa Riverkeeper, whose goal is to ensure a healthy Ottawa River watershed for everyone.

For over 20 years, the Riverkeeper organization has been monitoring the health and the levels of pollution in the water and engaging and educating our youth to become the next generation of river stewards. These efforts all take a network of volunteers, compassionate staff and substantial donations to keep doing this work on behalf of our city’s residents.

I congratulate Riverkeeper Laura Reinsborough, her team, board chair Geoff Green and the organizing committee of the Riverkeeper gala for their tireless work and success.

Government’s record

Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos: Last Friday marked the anniversary of our government being given a second mandate by the people of Ontario. In 2018, we promised we would work for the people. In 2022, we promised that we would get it done. Speaker, I can proudly say that we are delivering on both promises. We are getting it done for the people of Ontario. I am so proud of what we have accomplished.

In my own community of Oakville North–Burlington, investments include:

—five new schools in four years, with an investment of $142 million for 4,403 student spaces and 352 child care spaces;

—a total of 1,153 new and redeveloped long-term-care beds for seniors, with four hours of direct care each day;

—$138 million more in base funding for Halton Healthcare and $69 million for Joseph Brant Hospital; and

—$295 million of a total of $1.8 billion investments so that Ford Canada can become an electric vehicle hub in North America, creating 3,000 new, good-paying jobs.

The government, under the leadership of Premier Doug Ford, has made significant and positive changes in the lives of people across the province. We have made life more affordable for families, seniors and small businesses. I look forward to continuing to serve my community of Oakville North–Burlington and thank you for the trust you have given me.

Christine Elliott

Mr. Lorne Coe: I am pleased to share with you that Christine Elliott, the former Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, will be presented with an honorary degree from Trent University at the 2023 convocation on June 16. Leo Groarke, the president and vice-chancellor of Trent University, had this to say: The individuals receiving these honorary degrees “exemplify the spirit of challenging the way we think to make a difference in our communities, our province, across the country and around the world.”

Former Ontario Minister of Health and Deputy Premier Christine Elliott will receive an honorary doctorate of laws in recognition of her service to Ontario as Minister of Health from 2018 to 2022, during which she oversaw the province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as her advocacy and volunteerism for vulnerable community members in the region of Durham—for example, the Abilities Centre, which she and her late husband, the Honourable James Michael Flaherty, established, and the Grandview children’s treatment centre, now situated in the riding of Ajax.

Congratulations, Christine.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m pleased to draw members’ attention to a special guest in the Speaker’s gallery today. Mr. Tim McGough has been selected by a panel of MPPs to be considered by the House to serve as the Legislative Assembly’s next Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. McGough is present today to observe as the House considers the motion to order his appointment.

Mr. McGough has close to 40 years of experience in policing. He began his career with the Royal Military Police and served in various roles with the Medicine Hat Police Service in Alberta.

If appointed by the House, he will assume his role as Sergeant-at-Arms of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on June 19.

Welcome, Mr. McGough.

Mrs. Daisy Wai: I would like to welcome to the House my husband, Albert Wai, who comes to Queen’s Park to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary with me. Thanks for all your support as I serve Ontarians.

Miss Monique Taylor: I’d like to welcome Jonathan Crozier to the House today. Jonathan made us some fantastic martinis down in the Legislature the other night from Vodkow. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Stephen Blais: On behalf of my friend and colleague from Kingston and the Islands, I’d like to welcome visitors from his riding: Gemma, Milo and Cole Zelmanovits, and Scott Grant, who are here to support their nephew and page Luke DeBoni.

Hon. Jill Dunlop: Good morning. I have some guests today from IBT College: James Rice, Joe Shokour, Don Fenn, Anna Simonyan, Ken Rice, Andrea Kurth and Tenzin Norsang.

From the consul general of the Philippines’ office: Rodney Jonas Sumague, Gil Galang and Jennifer Alog Lopez.

I also have a friend who is visiting who is a recent graduate of the PSW program and a recent IBT PSW award-winner: Patrick-Mary Okafor.

I invite all members to join the IBT lunch reception in room 230 following question period.

Ms. Marit Stiles: It’s my pleasure to recognize our page captain today, Sally Tabachnick, from my riding of Davenport. Sally’s parents, Scott and Nadia, and her brother Alfie, who was also a page here, are with us in the members’ gallery. I look forward to meeting with them all later today. Congratulations, Sally.

Mr. Trevor Jones: I’d like to welcome two amazing members from my constituency team today: Victoria Varela and Aleks Draca. Welcome to your House.

Mr. John Jordan: I’m pleased to introduce my wife, Brenda-Leah; my daughter, Amanda; and her friend Powell Hedley from Nashville. Last night, we attended the country music awards Ontario in Hamilton, and I’m proud to say Amanda was nominated for the Rising Star Award.

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: Luke DeBoni is also page captain today. Joining us in the House are Luke’s parents, Jill Zelmanovits and Ross DeBoni, and Luke’s grandparents Judith Zelmanovits and George Zelmanovits. Welcome.

Ms. Natalie Pierre: I would like to welcome two people from the riding of Burlington who are with us in the gallery today. Welcome to Michael and Mark Mazzucco.

Ms. Jess Dixon: We are having a family affair today. Last week, I introduced Chris Golder. We now have Keiko Yano, who is the mother of one of our wonderful pages, Arisa. I’m so pleased to welcome Keiko to the House.

Mr. Nolan Quinn: I’d like to welcome Justin Watkins to the House. He’s working for the city of Kitchener, but we used to volunteer our time with the United Way of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.

Miss Monique Taylor: I would like to wish my colleague from Oshawa, Ms. Jen French, a very happy birthday today.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: I also, as we’re celebrating birthdays, would like to wish my good friend and colleague Jeff Burch a very happy birthday today.

Appointment of Sergeant-at-Arms

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the government House leader and Minister of Legislative Affairs.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to move a motion without notice concerning the appointment of the next Sergeant-at-Arms of the Legislative Assembly.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Calandra is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to move a motion without notice concerning the appointment of the next Sergeant-at-Arms of the Legislative Assembly. Agreed? Agreed.

Once again, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I move that, in accordance with subsection 77.5(1) and (2) of the Legislative Assembly Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.10, Tim McGough be appointed Sergeant-at-Arms, commencing on June 19, 2023.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Calandra has moved that, in accordance with subsection 77.5(1) and (2) of the Legislative Assembly Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.10, Tim McGough be appointed Sergeant-at-Arms, commencing on June 19, 2023. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Congratulations, Mr. McGough.

Question Period

Hospital services

Ms. Marit Stiles: Good morning, Speaker. Last week, we saw the emergency rooms close in Minden and Thessalon. The urgent care centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne closed overnight—permanently. We saw another code black—no ambulances available—in Windsor-Essex. This past weekend, the Conservative staffing crisis forced the emergency room in Carleton Place to close overnight. It was closed for 16 hours this weekend—16 hours—the third closure so far this year.

To the Premier: How many more ERs like Carleton Place will have to close this summer because of his government’s inaction?

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

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The temporary or permanent closures are disturbing for communities, but I have to say, as we continue to invest in health care, the party opposite, the NDP, continue to vote against those investments, whether it is 50 new expanded renovations of hospitals in the province of Ontario, whether it is Learn and Stay programs that ensure paramedics, lab technicians and nurses can train in the province of Ontario and have their tuition covered if they are prepared to serve in an underserved community.

You continue to defend the status quo, and we continue to make the investments that are going to make generational changes in the province of Ontario. We’re doing that work. I only wish that the party of the NDP and the party of the Liberals, when they were in power, were making similar investments so that we were not, in Ontario, finding the same thing that is happening across Canada and, in fact, worldwide: shortages of—

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: And emergency rooms continue to close; they continue to close. How many more is it going to be this week?

Their plan is not working, and ordinary Ontarians are worried about what this means for them. Nearly 400,000 Ontarians took action in the Ontario Health Coalition’s citizen referendum. Members opposite dismissed it as a stunt, but this past weekend, across this province, tens of thousands of Ontarians everywhere took action with the Ontario Federation of Labour to tell this government that enough is enough.

Speaker, if the Premier is truly for the people, will he actually listen to the people?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Dedicated off-load nursing programs that allow hospitals to have dedicated staff who are able to take those patients as the paramedics come in and allow the paramedics to go back out into community and do what they want to do, which is continue to respond to 911 calls; 911 models of care that ensure that instead of the paramedic’s only choice—to be able to take that patient to a palliative care facility, to a long-term care facility, instead of exclusively and only to an emergency department. These are the changes that we have been making that we are seeing, on the ground, make a difference.

The number of paramedics who have spoken to me saying, “These programs are literally life-changing in our community. Please keep them coming,” tells me that the programs are working. And I continue to remind them that, unfortunately, the NDP continue to vote against them.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: Well, I can tell the minister that it’s time she put the partisanship aside and did the work it takes to fix people’s health care, because this is not the reality out there across this province—code blacks, code reds. Speaker, Ontarians are speaking out because they know this government is heading down the wrong path. They saw what happened in Quebec, where carpal tunnel surgeries at private clinics cost taxpayers 84% more than if they had been done in the public system. They hear experts when they say that further privatization of health care will lead to even more emergency room closures and worse outcomes for patients.

Real leadership is listening and changing your behaviour when you have made a mistake. Back to the Premier: Will he start listening to ordinary Ontarians and stop wasting public money on privatizing care?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: As I talk about the suite of services and programs that are available to hospitals across Ontario, I’m going to highlight one in particular, led by the Minister of Colleges and Universities: The Learn and Stay program that ensures that paramedics, lab techs and nurses in the province of Ontario who choose to study and stay in those underserved communities has had an impressive 4,000 students registered for that one program alone.

You talk about why you’re opposed to the expansion of surgical and diagnostic centres in the province of Ontario—centres that have operated for decades but have not had the investment of previous governments. We made that investment in January in Windsor, in Kitchener-Waterloo and in Ottawa, and we now have people getting those cataract surgeries and getting back into community.

The status quo doesn’t work. We’re making the investments.

Public transit

Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Minister of Transportation. People in Toronto are waiting and waiting and waiting for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT to finally go into service. Small businesses have been affected badly by the project, which has gone completely off the rails. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says they’re “fed up with the project’s frequent delays, constantly shifting timelines, ballooning costs, and now a legal challenge that could halt construction.”

Speaker, to the Minister of Transportation: When will the Eglinton Crosstown finally open?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: As I’ve said before, I want to assure Ontarians that the Eglinton Crosstown construction continues to make progress. Currently, the project is 98% complete. But, as I have said before, Mr. Speaker, politicians should not interfere in the timing and the opening of transit projects. When that happens, we see that transit riders are left stranded. The Ottawa LRT is a prime example of that, Mr. Speaker.

But you know, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition stands in this House and asks about why we can’t get the Eglinton Crosstown built when her own party, when it had the chance to vote in support of it 10 years ago, declined to do so.

The NDP continues to vote against transit. They vote against subway expansion, they vote against new LRTs for the city of Hamilton and they vote against building transit faster.

Our government will continue to deliver for the people of Ontario despite the NDP and their opposition to everything we do.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Supplementary question?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Delay after delay after delay, all while people are left waiting for transit—transit that feels like it’s never going to arrive. Local businesses are taking financial hits—or worse, even closing up shop.

These delays have been caused by the utter mismanagement of this project. Instead of taking responsibility, this minister is embroiled in a finger-pointing battle between the private contractors, Metrolinx, the TTC and even her own ministry. The Toronto Sun reported this morning that they can’t even get answers on just how bad things are.

Speaker, instead of blaming everybody else, can the minister specify what direct actions she has taken to fix this mess?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: You know, Mr. Speaker, last week in this House, the Leader of the Opposition said to all of us that she will continue to vote against public transit. She says that she will not support things that are bad for Ontario. So let’s talk about what the Leader of the Opposition thinks is bad for Ontario.

She thinks that the Ontario Line, which will take 28,000 cars off the road every single day, is bad for Ontario. She says that the largest transit expansion anywhere in North America, which will deliver a new three-stop subway extension for the people of Scarborough, an Eglinton Crosstown West extension and a Yonge North subway extension as well as a new LRT for the city of Hamilton—according to the Leader of the Opposition, that’s bad for Ontario, and she will do everything she can to stop it. She votes against it every single time.

Mr. Speaker, a transit plan that united, for the first time in Canadian history, four levels of government—

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

The final supplementary.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, she has been the Minister of Transportation for four years, and all she can do is play the blame game. Over 400 businesses have closed because of this. Ontarians need public transit, Speaker. We need affordable—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Ms. Marit Stiles: —quality public transit to connect us between work and home, to loved ones, to opportunity. Ontario used to be able—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Ms. Marit Stiles: —to build transit projects on time and on budget, but not under the Conservatives’ watch and especially not under this minister’s match.

Back to the minister: With rumours swirling around a potential cabinet shuffle, does this Minister of Transportation still think she’s the best person for the job?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. I hesitate to insert myself in this interesting discussion. However, I’m going to start calling members who are repeatedly interjecting to order.

The member for Ottawa Centre, come to order. The member for Waterloo, come to order. The Minister of Education, come to order. The member for Brampton North, come to order. The member for Kitchener–Conestoga, come to order.

Start the clock. The response? Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: To the Leader of the Opposition: We have learned a lot of the lessons from the Eglinton Crosstown, which is why we brought in the Building Transit Faster Act, because we know that businesses and residents across Eglinton were deeply affected by the impacts of the construction. Mr. Speaker, this was supported by people across Ontario, to introduce this legislation so that we can get shovels in the ground faster so that we can deliver on our priority transit projects—which, of course, she voted against—faster than ever before.

Mr. Speaker, I say to the Leader of the Opposition, if she wants transit, then she should vote in favour of it. What the Leader of the Opposition needs to do is pick a lane.

Telecommunications

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: Ontarians pay some of the highest cell phone and Internet bills on earth. Places around the world spend 10 times less for what we’re getting. If they can do it, why can’t we?

This morning, I joined our Ontario NDP leader and NDP MPP colleagues to discuss a consultation plan and a set of hearings across the province to hear from consumers, telecom experts, consumer protection advocates and the industry itself to discuss a way forward and a plan to deliver more accessible telecom, and at better prices.

Does this government agree that telecom companies are gouging Ontarians? And what are they willing to do about it?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

To reply, the Premier.

Hon. Doug Ford: Mr. Speaker, we’re putting more money into Ontarians’ pockets. They voted against every single item we put forward. They voted against the 10-cents-per-litre gas tax. They voted against when we scrapped the licence plate stickers for eight million people, an average of $240 per family. We dropped the tolls on the 412 and 418, saving the folks millions of dollars; they voted against that. We increased ODSP by 5%, tied to inflation; they voted against that. We cut the income tax to 1.1 million low-income workers; they voted against that. We increased minimum wage; they voted against that.

We extended a 10% tuition cut; they voted against that. And we’re doubling the payments for low-income seniors, which will provide a maximum increase of $1,000 per person.

Mr. Speaker, the NDP campaign on making gas more expensive. We have the carbon tax king over there from Ottawa Centre who wants the highest carbon tax in the entire world, and you’re proud of it. It’s absolutely unbelievable. You’re proud of that—

Interjections.

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

Restart the clock. The supplementary question.

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: My God, it seems like the Premier sure hates Monday morning. Someone give him a hug.

If there is one thing that this government is great at, it’s over-promising and under-delivering. What we’ve seen is that this government has held back nearly 90% of their budgeted investment on broadband infrastructure, going back years.

So my question is simple: Why won’t they make broadband access a priority, and why are they under-spending on bringing access to Ontarians? Because access to Internet and cell phones and telecom isn’t just a luxury anymore; it is a necessity for all of us.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. Members will please take their seats. Order.

The response: the Minister of Infrastructure.

Hon. Kinga Surma: Mr. Speaker, I would like to know how a $4-billion investment, the largest in our provincial history, is not making access to high-speed Internet a priority.

Prior to COVID, there were 700,000 premises that did not have connections to high-speed Internet. We are now working on making sure that we connect the remaining 40,000 to 60,000 premises. Now, I would say that that is very good progress, Mr. Speaker, but we have not seen any support from the members opposite.

We will continue to make sure that we make those investments, but we pay our Internet service providers when they fulfill their project timelines and when they meet their milestones for construction, The $4 billion is there; we will continue to make sure that everyone is connected and no one is left behind.

Fiscal and economic policy

Mr. Brian Riddell: My question is for the Minister of Finance.

Much like the rest of the world, Ontario continues to face economic challenges. Individuals, families, workers and businesses are all troubled by the rising cost of living. As prices go up on everything from groceries to gas, their household and business budgets are feeling ongoing financial pressure.

That is why our government must implement a responsible plan that supports businesses, families and workers across the province. Speaker, can the minister explain how our government is continuing to support people and businesses during these uncertain economic times?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Thank you to the member from Cambridge for that very insightful question. Mr. Speaker, our government has a responsible plan to ensure that all of Ontario remains on a strong and steady economic growth channel. Our plan is a commitment to support families, to support individuals, to support workers in this great province, as well as our business partners. We’ve laid a strong fiscal foundation which will continue to build Ontario into the future.

As inflation was rising, as the Premier said, we took action early to help the hard-working families of Ontario. We eliminated licence plate renewal fees as well as stickers and refunded two years of past fees for eligible vehicle owners. We extended the current gas tax until December 31, Mr. Speaker.

That is what the people of Ontario expect and deserve from this government.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. Brian Riddell: It is encouraging to hear that our government is continuing to move forward with measures that will support people and businesses in Ontario. This Legislature recently passed Bill 85, Building a Stronger Ontario Act, which will advance our government’s economic plans to help build a stronger and more resilient economy for today and in the future.

However, the people of Ontario expect that our government will continue to follow through on our commitments to lower costs, build key infrastructure, build projects faster and attract more jobs and investments. But, most of all, the people of Ontario want our government to focus on issues that will help make everyday life more affordable, and they deserve nothing less.

Speaker, can the minister please elaborate on actions that our government is taking to make life more affordable for the people of Ontario?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Thank you again to the member for that question. We’re making transit more affordable by eliminating double fares for most local transit services in the greater Golden Horseshoe area when commuters use GO Transit services. As the Premier mentioned, we took off the tolls, off the 412 and 418. But it doesn’t stop there, Mr. Speaker: freezing tuition across the province, after already lowering tuition by 10%; and negotiating the best child care deal in Canada, saving families an average of $12,000 per year.

For low-income seniors, uncertain times are even more challenging. That’s why we temporarily doubled the Guaranteed Annual Income System payments for eligible seniors until December 2023, expanding the GAINS program for up to a 50% increase in recipients, and adjusted, for the first time ever, the benefit to inflation.

Mr. Speaker, our track record speaks for itself. We’re committed to keeping costs down for the people of this province.

Education funding

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Meegwetch. My question is to the Minister of Education. Last week, Lambton Kent District School Board wrote to the Minister of Education about the 63% cut to their Indigenous education funding. Speaker, it’s wrong to cut funding during National Indigenous History Month. School boards across Ontario need resources for curriculum on residential schools, on treaties, on Indigenous history, as well as land-based learning. But I don’t know: What’s wrong with our history?

Speaker, how is the board supposed to implement their Indigenous education programming with a 63% cut in funding for next year?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: We are very committed to ensuring that Canadians learn about their Indigenous history, about Indigenous history in the province and country. It’s why funding within the school board allocation is up overall. It’s at $120 million. It is the highest level of funding in Ontario history.

Now, beyond the money, I will note that the member opposite rightfully speaks about our curriculum, the mandatory learning so students could be better informed about our past. I’m proud that, this coming September, every child in grades 1 through 3 will finally learn about residential school knowledge, because we are mandating it in the curriculum effective this coming September. That’s a positive step forward. We made that announcement with Indigenous leaders, who called on the former government to get it done; they didn’t. We are.

We’re committed to the cause and will continue to work with members opposite to get this right, so we strengthen Indigenous learning right across Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question: the member for Ottawa West–Nepean.

Ms. Chandra Pasma: It’s amazing how the minister’s record-breaking spending keeps translating into cuts on the ground. It’s like the opposite of magic.

The Lambton Kent District School Board isn’t just losing Indigenous funding. They’re facing a cut of $8 million, or 2.5% of their total budget. This is on top of the fact that the government is only funding one quarter of the actual cost of special education for Lambton Kent. In all parts of the province, kids need more support, not less.

Why is this government forcing school boards like Lambton Kent to implement cuts and take supports away?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: The government is increasing investments by $590 million more for the coming September. Our Special Education Grant is up across the board—over $3.2 billion. It is dramatically higher than when the former Liberals were in place. We’ve hired over 3,200 EAs. I appreciate the inconvenient truth associated with funding, staffing and support for school boards, but we are increasing the supports across the board in Lambton–Kent–Middlesex and in every single region of Ontario. To suggest otherwise is frankly preposterous.

No one believes the NDP. This is the default. Every year, there’s a narrative from the opposition of the sky is falling.

We are increasing supports to help kids get back on track. Look at the numbers, look at the investments: $590 million more and roughly 8,000 additional staff even though we don’t have additional kids in our schools. We will continue to be there for Ontario kids.

Addiction services

Mr. Ric Bresee: My question is for the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. The sad reality, Speaker, is that everyone in our province, unfortunately, knows someone who has been negatively impacted by the ongoing opioid epidemic. It’s a distressing fact that over 2,000 individuals died last year from opioid-related causes and about one third of those individuals worked in the vital construction sector.

That’s why our government must take action and ensure that Ontario workers have access to life-saving equipment, like naloxone kits, when and where they need them. Our government must do more to protect Ontarians who are struggling with addictions in order to reduce preventable workplace deaths.

Speaker, will the minister please explain what actions our government is taking to protect our workers here in Ontario?

Hon. Monte McNaughton: I want to thank the member for Hastings–Lennox and Addington for this very important question. Our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is working every day to save lives. That’s why we are actively expanding the availability of naloxone kits throughout Ontario. Naloxone is a vital medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. As of last week, employers are now required to have a life-saving naloxone kit on hand and workers trained on how to use these naloxone kits.

Through our Ontario Workplace Naloxone Program, we have now distributed more than 1,000 free naloxone kits to workplaces across the province. This initiative enhances public awareness of opioid addiction, combats the stigma and, ultimately, saves lives.

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

Mr. Ric Bresee: Thank you to the minister. It is very encouraging to hear that naloxone kits have been distributed to many workplaces. Let’s face it, the seriousness of the opioid addiction and the risk of accidental overdoses simply cannot be understated.

For the Ontario Workplace Naloxone Program to be effective, naloxone kits must be available in workplaces where there’s a risk of opioid overdose. Additionally, people must be trained to know how to administer naloxone properly. That’s why our government must implement requirements and directives for employers so that they can provide a safe workplace for their employees.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is supporting worker safety and protection through the workplace naloxone program?

Hon. Monte McNaughton: Thank you again to the member for this question. Speaker, one life lost to an overdose is one too many. Every one of these deaths is preventable. Our workplace naloxone program is the very first of its kind anywhere in North America. We are supporting at-risk businesses by providing them with free access to naloxone kits and comprehensive training for those workers to use those naloxone kits. Working with our Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, we have a strategy to give people the second chance that they deserve. We’re taking an education-first approach that is focused on giving employers the tools they need to do their part.

Speaker, I encourage everyone to visit ontario.ca/workplacenaloxone to learn more.

Housing

Ms. Sandy Shaw: My question this morning is to the Premier. Another expert report has just been released, this time using advanced mapping technology, that shows yet again this government does not need to build on the greenbelt to achieve our housing goals. Yes, we are in a housing crisis. We need housing; we need affordable housing. But this study shows that Ontario could deliver the next 30 years of housing in the greater Toronto-Hamilton area using a portion of land already zoned for development.

My question: Given the mounting evidence that we already have the necessary land to build housing, why are you putting the greenbelt, our farms, our forests and our wetlands at risk?

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

To reply, the Associate Minister of Housing.

Hon. Nina Tangri: Thank you, Speaker, and good morning. I’d like to thank the member opposite for the question.

Speaker, we all know that Ontario is expected to grow by more than two million people by 2031, with approximately 1.5 million living just in the greater Golden Horseshoe alone. The federal government has also announced that Canada will increase immigration by another 500,000 newcomers by 2025. We know Ontario is expected to get a significant portion of new Canadians, and so we have to start planning now so the next generation of Ontarians have a place to live. The decision we made will result in the construction of at least 50,000 new homes and will expand the greenbelt by approximately 2,000 acres.

Speaker, Ontario’s population reached a historic 15 million people last year, and it’s expected that this growth is going to continue. We are going to get 1.5 million homes built by 2031 because we desperately need it, Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question: the member for University–Rosedale.

Ms. Jessica Bell: My question is to the Premier. The Conservatives want to open up an area of land as big as the size of Toronto on greenbelt land and farmland, even though experts have been telling you loud and clear—even your own experts have been telling you—that there is more than enough land already available in areas zoned for development.

Well, get this: Land speculators are reading the tea leaves and they are buying up protected farmland. Farm prices have gone up by 20% in the last year alone. New farmers and young farmers can’t compete with these land speculators, and they’re worried they’re never going to get into the housing sector and the farming sector.

To strengthen our farming sector, can the Conservatives commit to not opening up any more greenbelt land to needless development?

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

The Associate Minister of Housing.

Hon. Nina Tangri: Look, we all know that we are in a housing supply crisis, contrary to what the member from Hamilton Centre remarked last week, who said that the housing crisis was manufactured.

Speaker, I am so proud to be part of a government that’s taking a responsible, targeted approach to deliver on its plan to build a million and a half homes by 2031. This plan is just part of our larger commitment to make life easier and much more affordable for the people of Ontario.

Speaker, under this Premier and this infrastructure minister, we’re investing more than $159 billion over the next decade to support infrastructure projects including transit, highways, schools, hospitals, long-term-care projects. This transportation minister is building more municipalities while improving local transit. This labour minister—we’re doubling our economic immigrants. And under this economic development minister, we’re attracting $7 billion in St. Thomas.

Speaker, our province is growing. We’re welcoming newcomers. We need to build housing, and we’re going to get it done.

Land use planning

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Back in 2019, this government did a good thing by creating provincially significant employment zones and identifying areas of high economic output The Nanticoke industrial park in my riding of Haldimand–Norfolk includes both Stelco and Imperial Oil, and was included in this initiative—rightfully so.

Fast-forward to last spring in Haldimand, when the mayor at the time dropped news on the county that he supported a proposed 15,000-home community on 4,200 acres surrounding the industrial park. Stelco maintains a provincial rezoning of the lands could imperil the future of the company’s Lake Erie works, and Imperial Oil has the same opinion.

Haldimand county needs these good-paying jobs, and an industrial park is where they should remain. Speaker, will the minister assure Haldimand county and the tenants of the industrial park that this government will protect the jobs at the steel mill and the refinery, as they said they would do in 2019?

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

Hon. Nina Tangri: I do want to thank the member opposite for her question. Speaker, yes, it’s very, very important that we have high-employment zones. We have many of them right across this province. But what we also heard from many of these employers is the desperately needed housing in and around those employment zones, so that their employees could get to work much faster, rather than sitting in commutes for hours.

And so, we’re listening and we’re making sure that the people of this province can get to work in a timely manner by still protecting those high-employment zones and getting that building, bringing in this investment, and everybody has a great place to live, to work and to raise their family.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: The idea of putting 40,000 people in Ontario’s largest industrial park was supported by the former Haldimand county mayor, who unexpectedly ended up on the ballot for the party of this government last June. It appears something interesting developed between 2019 and last spring, because now we see this government doing away with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Surely we’re not so desperate to build houses that we would subject newcomers to life in Ontario’s largest industrial park.

Chaos across the Highway 6 corridor and the inability to meet the health care needs of the current population have many people concerned about adding 40,000 people to the area. Two elections have been fought on this issue, and voters feel an industrial park is not the place for a city.

As the MPP for Haldimand–Norfolk, it is my duty to bring forward the public’s opinion, not form it for them. Speaker, if the consultation on the provincial planning statement concludes that the people of Ontario want to see these employment lands protected, will this government uphold that protection, including the employment lands at Nanticoke?

Hon. Nina Tangri: Speaker, I do want to thank the member opposite again for her question. But as I mentioned earlier, it is so important that (1) we have these employment zones, but (2) that people can actually get to and from work in a timely fashion. By allowing housing being built around those employment zones, we are making it easier for people to work, easier to raise their families, easier to stay within their own communities, and I think that’s extremely important.

That is also why we’re taking the provincial policy statement, putting it together with A Place to Grow and making it one provincial policy statement, to make the wording so much easier, more easy to understand and easier to follow for all municipalities.

Oil and gas wells

Mr. Trevor Jones: My question is to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. In August 2021, my constituents in Wheatley experienced a terrifying and life-changing event when a gas explosion occurred at the site of an old, abandoned well. This explosion had a devastating impact on our people, our businesses and our community.

Thankfully there was no loss of life, but lasting economic damage remains, as well as legitimate concerns about the potential for similar occurrences throughout other communities.

No community in Ontario should ever have to experience such an event. That is why our government must take urgent action to address this serious issue. Speaker, can the minister please explain what actions our government is taking to address the environmental impact that legacy oil and gas wells have in our province?

Hon. Graydon Smith: I just want to say to the good people of Wheatley that you’re never far from our thoughts, and what happened in 2021 continues to shape our actions today.

I was pleased to be joined by the member from Chatham-Kent–Leamington—thank you for the question—and the member from Essex on Friday to make an announcement that’s very important to southwest Ontario. Over the course of the next three years, our government will provide over $26 million to develop a plan to address legacy oil and gas wells in the province. To start, eligible municipalities will be able to apply for funding for specific projects aimed at keeping their communities safe. In addition, this funding will help municipalities address risks and challenges of oil and gas wells, invest in plugging more abandoned oil and gas wells and conduct more science and research.

Speaker, this is the first step in a commitment to the people of southwest Ontario. We’ve heard their concerns, and we’ll continue to provide resources to protect and build a stronger province.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. Trevor Jones: The investment our government is making is a positive first step toward developing a strategy to address the serious implications of abandoned oil and gas wells. It’s clear the explosion in Wheatley emphasized the seriousness of these issues and the need for urgent and customized action.

The potential for the release of dangerous gases presents a number of genuine safety risks and concerns. This is why it’s essential our government gains a deeper understanding of the extent of the challenges associated with legacy oil and gas wells throughout southwestern Ontario. Speaker, could the minister please elaborate on the scope and design of the strategy to address these risks posed by legacy oil and gas wells?

Hon. Graydon Smith: Thanks again for the member’s question. Speaker, Friday’s announcement really marks a historic first step in the development of a comprehensive action plan to help tackle the complex challenges of legacy oil and gas wells in Ontario. Our government is building on our strategy, building on lessons learned and feedback from mayors, fire chiefs, Indigenous communities, industry experts and members of the public.

As I mentioned on June 2, in addition to the funding, our government has also announced an action plan that will have three main principles: increasing our understanding of the risks of plugging oil and gas wells, taking actions to reduce and mitigate these risks, and implementing measures that are focused on preventing petroleum-related emergencies and enhancing our emergency preparedness.

We understand our job is not done, which is why we’ll be holding additional consultations as we look toward the next steps. Speaker, we’re just getting started. This side of the House will not rest until we have delivered on our commitment to the great people of southwest Ontario.

Hospital services

Mr. Jeff Burch: Speaker, through you to the Minister of Health: Last week, we learned that the urgent cares in Port Colborne and Fort Erie are having their hours reduced by half, permanently. This follows the recent closure of after-hours emergency surgeries at Welland hospital. Welland is where Port Colborne patients go if they cannot access service in Port Colborne.

Does the minister understand that real people don’t plan to need emergency surgery prior to 10 p.m.? That’s why it’s called an emergency. Will the minister stop blaming volunteers on hospital boards for this crisis and finally take responsibility?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: As I have said many times, when hospital leaderships make decisions about how to best serve their communities, it is not in our interest, as local members or government members, to second-guess those locally decided upon decisions.

Having said that, the investments that we are making to ensure that we have, as an example, last August, directed the College of Nurses of Ontario to quickly assess, review and expedite licences for internationally educated nurses, mean that in last year alone we had over 12,000 new nurses licensed in the province of Ontario; over half were internationally trained nurses. We’ve done the same with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

We will continue to make sure that pathways for licensing in the province of Ontario—the red tape is removed so that we can have as many people—

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

The supplementary question.

Mr. Jeff Burch: Speaker, after the closure announcement, the minister released the following statement: “We have received assurances from Niagara Health that they have consistently promoted alternatives to (emergency department) presentation through the ‘know your options’ campaign.”

Through you, Speaker, what is the alternative to emergency care when you need life-saving emergency surgery and there is no emergency care available at the urgent care or the emergency department? Will this minister act before one of my constituents dies because they cannot get emergency service?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The member is doing exactly the opposite of what he should be doing as a local representative in that community. Instead of standing behind their local hospital decisions, he’s second-guessing the hospital leadership and suggesting that they do not know their jobs. I will never do that, as a minister—or as a government.

We will continue to invest. We have done that through surgical recovery programs. Hospitals have been able to expand and widen the number of surgeries that they can do with funds from the province of Ontario. We’ve done it to make sure that we have options, in the province of Ontario, including 24/7 health services provided with registered nurses, so individuals can have that conversation and make sure that they are going to the most appropriate level of care in the province of Ontario.

Government contracts

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: My question is for the President of the Treasury Board. Since being re-elected, our government must remain focused on growing the economy and unlocking new opportunities for businesses in every corner of our province. Our government needs to understand that Ontario’s economic prosperity relies on the success of our local businesses and the strength of our local communities.

The President of the Treasury Board recently announced changes to our government’s procurement directives in order to leverage Ontario’s purchasing power and to strengthen our province’s immense economic potential.

Our government must continue to take the necessary actions in order to ensure that businesses in Ontario can remain competitive.

Speaker, through you: Can the president please explain how these changes to our government’s procurement directives will support Ontario businesses?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Thank you to the member from Carleton for her question.

For far too long, the previous Liberal government drove up the cost of doing business in this province and drove out good-paying jobs. We are taking a better approach. Through the Building Ontario Business initiative, our government is leveraging Ontario’s buying power to drive demand for made-in-Ontario goods and services.

The recently announced updates to Ontario’s procurement directives will provide Ontario businesses with greater access to public procurement opportunities. For example, a business in Carleton that invests in Ontario and that uses local supply chains and creates good-paying jobs right here in our province will no longer be put at a disadvantage when bidding for government contracts.

Speaker, our government is proud to buy Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: The residents and businesses in my riding of Carleton will be reassured to hear that the Building Ontario Business initiative will only further enhance our government’s support for made-in-Ontario goods and services.

However, the Building Ontario Business initiative is just one measure our government must take in order to support Ontario businesses and leverage Ontario’s purchasing power. There is more work that needs to be done to reduce the administrative burden of the procurement process and more ways to support the adoption of Ontario-made innovations.

Speaker, through you: Can the minister please elaborate on what additional steps our government is taking to modernize the procurement system and make it easier to buy from Ontario businesses?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to enhancing support for Ontario-made innovation and will continue to deliver better value for Ontario’s taxpayers as we move forward in modernizing Ontario’s procurement process.

Through Supply Ontario, our government is taking meaningful steps to reduce red tape faced by small businesses in the procurement process by centralizing our government’s supply chain and delivering better value for taxpayers by harmonizing contracts across the Ontario public sector.

Additionally, our government is developing an innovation pathway that, in collaboration with Supply Ontario, will make it easier for health services providers to procure from Ontario’s medtech innovators and will remove barriers to the adoption of promised technologies that improve outcomes for Ontarians.

We will continue to move forward with our plan that buys—

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

The next question.

Ms. Sarah Jama: Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier. Later this afternoon, the grassroots organization TTCriders will be hosting a press conference at Queen’s Park, in the press gallery, about the failures of the Family of Services program. With the unveiling of this program, the TTC’s Wheel-Trans 10-year strategy set a diversion target to restrict 50% of Wheel-Trans users from full door-to-door service by 2025. This essentially means that disabled people will be kicked off of the service.

This government has already made it impossible for disabled people to travel safely in the GTA, with AODA targets that have not been and will not be met by 2025. Kicking disabled people off Wheel-Trans to cut costs is a shame. Will this government repeal this family of services model and get back to meeting AODA targets?

Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: I thank the member opposite for raising this important question. I strongly believe that all Ontarians should have equal opportunity, regardless of ability.

We encourage all local organizations to work with advocates to support the unique needs of their community, and to live up to what the AODA meant for us to do.

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

Ms. Sarah Jama: Again, my question is to the Premier. To quote disability rights activist Maayan Ziv, “Until we live in an equitable society where I can hail an accessible cab or cross a snowplowed street without barriers, Wheel-Trans clawing back services that support people with disabilities is not acceptable.”

She’s right. Kicking 50% of the folks who use Wheel-Trans off the para-transit system is an unfair attack on disabled people who deserve the right to travel safely just like everyone else, but who won’t be able to use the public transit system.

This government keeps talking about getting disabled people to go to work, but is making it impossible to get to work. It seems like a contradiction.

So I’m asking again: Will this government repeal this Family of Services model and get back to meeting AODA targets, including transit targets?

Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: When it comes to supporting the 444 municipalities, there is no stronger advocate than this Premier.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing continues to ensure ongoing support for local governments. The Minister of Transportation has made sure that all municipalities get what they need and are getting more than their fair share when it comes to transit. This past year alone, Toronto received $185 million in gas tax. Since 2018, this government has provided close to $1 billion in gas taxes supporting municipal transit.

When it comes to public transit infrastructure, this government is making transit more accessible every day.

Red tape reduction

Mr. Brian Riddell: My question is for the Minister of Red Tape Reduction. Under the leadership of our government and the Premier, Ontario is once again a destination for opportunity, investment and growth. In this competitive economic climate, it is important that we continue to take bold action to continuously drive productivity and innovation. This means eliminating burdensome red tape on people and businesses across our province. While our government has brought forward 11 red tape reduction packages, the people of Ontario are looking to our government to continue to focus on solutions that will make life easier for people and businesses.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is strengthening our economy by reducing red tape?

Hon. Parm Gill: I want to thank the member from Cambridge for the important question. The people of Ontario gave our government a historic mandate to continue the work that we started in 2018 to reduce red tape, improve access to government and make it easier to invest and build in Ontario. With the passage of our latest red tape bill, that’s exactly what we are doing. It builds on our government’s strong record of ending the frustrations and delays from unnecessary red tape.

The results speak for themselves. We’ve eliminated 16,000 different kinds of pieces of red tape, which has now helped Ontario businesses save over $800 million in annual costs. It has also helped create over 600,000 new jobs. Last year alone, there were 85,000 new businesses that—

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

The supplementary question.

Mr. Brian Riddell: The people of Ontario strongly support the reduction of duplicative, confusing and burdensome regulations that slow down our province’s long-term economic prosperity. While the previous Liberal government operated under the assumption that more red tape is better for everyone, this is not a reality. Unfortunately for many businesses and entrepreneurs, that meant major difficulties, frustration and unnecessary delays while trying to access government services when starting their operations. Sadly, the opposition Liberals and NDP still hold this mindset of saying no to measures that will improve our government services and make it easier to invest and build in Ontario.

Speaker, can the minister please elaborate on the benefits that have been achieved through the Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act?

Hon. Parm Gill: I want to thank my colleague for the question once again. The 42 different actions being taken in the Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act are game changers for Ontario. The member is correct; the Liberals and the NDP have said no to all of them, unfortunately.

They said no to saving businesses $800 million each and every year, Mr. Speaker. They said no to delivering broadband to every community in our province, Mr. Speaker. They said no to improving road safety. They said no to helping farmers, Mr. Speaker.

While the opposition wants people and businesses to pay more and be dependent on governments, we will never let that happen on this side of the House.

Child care

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Premier. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has identified London as a child care desert with only enough licensed spaces for 12% of eligible infants. Brenda Feeney told me that her grandson is 150th on the list at one London centre and 60th on the list at another. His family was hopeful about the place where he was 20th on the list, but two infant rooms were just forced to close there because of a shortage of qualified staff.

Speaker, without a child care workforce, you can’t have a child care system. When will this government start paying early childhood educators fairly so that we can attract and retain the workforce we need to provide London families with the child care they deserve?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I’m very pleased to confirm to the member opposite that the city of London is going to be receiving an allocation of an additional 2,000 spaces in the first round and an additional 809 in the second round. That would not have been achieved if we followed the New Democratic advice, which would have omitted a third of childcare operators in London. The for-profit centres in your own riding would have been denied participation.

Decouple the ECE issue—you would have removed the capacity of one in three parents from having the choice of lower fees. You’ve ideologically opposed options for parents because you know better, bureaucrats and politicians, instead of the people who pay the bills and raise their kids. It’s absolutely unconscionable that you would have denied that many participants from enrolling. Some 92% said yes to our offer.

We have a reduction of fees by 50%: $46 to $23 today. Yes, we’re going to help support the creation of 86,000 more spaces in London and right across Ontario.

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

The supplementary question: the member for St. Catharines.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: As Niagara families confront the summer child care squeeze, with providers barely running at 60% due to staff shortages, I am troubled and so should you be. Remarkably, two thirds of our Niagara ECE graduates are international students. The minister should be deeply concerned about retaining these graduates in Ontario.

Minister, how can we expect to keep our trained ECEs with a base salary of $19, $6 less than any other province’s? Fourteen months post our federal child care agreement, through you, Speaker, I ask, will the minister present a clear timeline for a workforce strategy to secure essential child care for our families here in Ontario?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I appreciate the question from the member opposite. I agree, we do need quality ECEs. We need to retain them; we need to recruit them. That’s why we have a plan to hire thousands of them across Ontario.

With respect to wages, in the federal deal we did accept that we’re going to create a wage floor for the first time in the sector’s history. We’ve increased the wages by $1 per hour every year over the course of this agreement, and we’ve committed to going even further.

Mr. Speaker, in the member’s community in the Niagara region, there’s an additional roughly 3,000 more spaces which we are going to fund to support expanded access, to reduce wait-lists and make life affordable for families in Ontario. We are going to invest in a quality child care program that’s going to reduce fees. One of the great legacies, I think, when it comes to affordability during this time of rising inflation federally is that this government has slashed child care fees by 50% for non-profits and for-profits—for everyone, Mr. Speaker. That’s a good thing for people in Ontario.

Affaires francophones

M me Goldie Ghamari: Ma question s’adresse à la ministre des Affaires francophones. Notre gouvernement doit se tenir derrière notre population franco-ontarienne. La francophonie ontarienne est un atout inestimable pour notre province, et nous devons continuer à soutenir la communauté francophone avec des initiatives qui contribueront à assurer son succès pour les années à venir.

La semaine dernière, notre gouvernement a rendu public le deuxième rapport annuel sur les affaires francophones. Le rapport souligne les réalisations que nous avons accomplies pour soutenir la francophonie ontarienne et favoriser son développement économique, culturel et social.

Monsieur le Président, la ministre peut-elle expliquer l’importance de déposer ce rapport annuel?

Le Président (L’hon. Ted Arnott): Merci. La députée de Carleton.

Monsieur le Président, la ministre peut-elle nous en dire davantage sur la façon dont notre gouvernement réalise une approche pangouvernementale afin de mieux servir la population francophone de notre province?

Je vais continuer à travailler en étroite collaboration avec mes collègues au sein du gouvernement pour faire avancer les dossiers francophones et m’assurer que les voix des francophones et de leur communauté sont entendues.

Le Président (L’hon. Ted Arnott): Merci, c’est tout. That concludes our question period for this morning.

Deferred Votes

Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 visant à aider les acheteurs et à protéger les locataires

Deferred vote on the motion that the question now be put on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 97,

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing and development / Projet de loi 97, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne le logement et l’aménagement.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1150 to 1155.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will take their seats.

On May 31, 2023, Mr. Clark moved third reading of Bill 97,

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing and development.

On June 1, 2023, Mr. Flack moved that the question be now put.

All those in favour of Mr. Flack’s motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Barnes, Patrice

Bouma, Will

Bresee, Ric

Byers, Rick

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Coe, Lorne

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Dixon, Jess

Dowie, Andrew

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Flack, Rob

Ford, Doug

Ford, Michael D.

Gallagher Murphy, Dawn

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Grewal, Hardeep Singh

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Holland, Kevin

Jones, Sylvia

Jones, Trevor

Jordan, John

Kanapathi, Logan

Kerzner, Michael S.

Khanjin, Andrea

Kusendova-Bashta, Natalia

Leardi, Anthony

Lecce, Stephen

Lumsden, Neil

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

McCarthy, Todd J.

McGregor, Graham

McNaughton, Monte

Mulroney, Caroline

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Parsa, Michael

Pierre, Natalie

Quinn, Nolan

Rae, Matthew

Rasheed, Kaleed

Rickford, Greg

Riddell, Brian

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Sarrazin, Stéphane

Saunderson, Brian

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Dave

Smith, David

Smith, Graydon

Smith, Laura

Surma, Kinga

Tangri, Nina

Thompson, Lisa M.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Williams, Charmaine A.

Yakabuski, John

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Those opposed to Mr. Flack’s motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Bell, Jessica

Blais, Stephen

Brady, Bobbi Ann

Burch, Jeff

Collard, Lucille

Fife, Catherine

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Gretzky, Lisa

Harden, Joel

Jama, Sarah

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Mamakwa, Sol

Mantha, Michael

Pasma, Chandra

Rakocevic, Tom

Sattler, Peggy

Schreiner, Mike

Shaw, Sandy

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

Vaugeois, Lise

West, Jamie

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 70; the nays are 30.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I declare the motion carried.

Mr. Clark has moved third reading of Bill 97,

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing and development. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard some noes.

All those in favour of the motion will please say “aye.”

All those opposed will please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Call in the members. This is another five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1159 to 1200.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): On May 31, 2023, Mr. Clark moved third reading of Bill 97,

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing and development.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Barnes, Patrice

Blais, Stephen

Bouma, Will

Bresee, Ric

Byers, Rick

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Coe, Lorne

Collard, Lucille

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Dixon, Jess

Dowie, Andrew

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Flack, Rob

Ford, Doug

Ford, Michael D.

Gallagher Murphy, Dawn

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Grewal, Hardeep Singh

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Holland, Kevin

Jones, Sylvia

Jones, Trevor

Jordan, John

Kanapathi, Logan

Kerzner, Michael S.

Khanjin, Andrea

Kusendova-Bashta, Natalia

Leardi, Anthony

Lecce, Stephen

Lumsden, Neil

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

McCarthy, Todd J.

McGregor, Graham

McNaughton, Monte

Mulroney, Caroline

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Parsa, Michael

Pierre, Natalie

Quinn, Nolan

Rae, Matthew

Rasheed, Kaleed

Rickford, Greg

Riddell, Brian

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Sarrazin, Stéphane

Saunderson, Brian

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Dave

Smith, David

Smith, Graydon

Smith, Laura

Surma, Kinga

Tangri, Nina

Thompson, Lisa M.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Williams, Charmaine A.

Yakabuski, John

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): All those opposed to the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Bell, Jessica

Brady, Bobbi Ann

Burch, Jeff

Fife, Catherine

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Gretzky, Lisa

Harden, Joel

Jama, Sarah

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Mamakwa, Sol

Mantha, Michael

Pasma, Chandra

Rakocevic, Tom

Sattler, Peggy

Schreiner, Mike

Shaw, Sandy

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

Vaugeois, Lise

West, Jamie

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 72; the nays are 28.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I declare the motion carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Religious and spiritual services in correctional facilities

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Next, we have a deferred vote on private member’s notice of motion number 55.

Call in the members. This is another five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1203 to 1204.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Oosterhoff has moved private member’s notice of motion number 55.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Barnes, Patrice

Bell, Jessica

Blais, Stephen

Bouma, Will

Brady, Bobbi Ann

Bresee, Ric

Burch, Jeff

Byers, Rick

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Coe, Lorne

Collard, Lucille

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Dixon, Jess

Dowie, Andrew

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Fife, Catherine

Flack, Rob

Ford, Doug

Ford, Michael D.

French, Jennifer K.

Gallagher Murphy, Dawn

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Glover, Chris

Gretzky, Lisa

Grewal, Hardeep Singh

Hardeman, Ernie

Harden, Joel

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Holland, Kevin

Jama, Sarah

Jones, Sylvia

Jones, Trevor

Jordan, John

Kanapathi, Logan

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Kerzner, Michael S.

Khanjin, Andrea

Kusendova-Bashta, Natalia

Leardi, Anthony

Lecce, Stephen

Lumsden, Neil

MacLeod, Lisa

Mamakwa, Sol

Mantha, Michael

Martin, Robin

McCarthy, Todd J.

McGregor, Graham

McNaughton, Monte

Mulroney, Caroline

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Parsa, Michael

Pasma, Chandra

Pierre, Natalie

Quinn, Nolan

Rae, Matthew

Rakocevic, Tom

Rasheed, Kaleed

Rickford, Greg

Riddell, Brian

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Sarrazin, Stéphane

Sattler, Peggy

Saunderson, Brian

Schreiner, Mike

Scott, Laurie

Shamji, Adil

Shaw, Sandy

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Dave

Smith, David

Smith, Graydon

Smith, Laura

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Surma, Kinga

Tabuns, Peter

Tangri, Nina

Taylor, Monique

Thompson, Lisa M.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Vanthof, John

Vaugeois, Lise

Wai, Daisy

West, Jamie

Williams, Charmaine A.

Yakabuski, John

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): All those opposed to the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 101; the nays are 0.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I declare the motion carried.

Motion agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): There being no further business at this time, this House stands in recess until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1207 to 1300.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: I would like to welcome my childhood friend Bikram Cheema, who is visiting all the way from India. With him is his cousin Sahib Dhaliwal.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I’m delighted to welcome a great leader in our community, Mr. Guidy Mamann, who is with us in the gallery today. I want to congratulate him for the wonderful work he does to keep York Centre great.

Ms. Laura Smith: It is with great pleasure that I would like to introduce a number of individuals: Kyle Fitzgerald, director of government relations with the Alzheimer Society; Catherine Barrick, chief executive officer; Sanah Manickam, policy coordinator, government relations; and Kari Quinn-Humphrey, chief executive officer of ASO York region.

Also, with RetiSpec, it is my great pleasure to introduce Eliav Shaked, co-founder and CEO of RetiSpec, and Catherine Bornbaum, head of clinical operations and partnerships.

And, with the Ontario Brain Institute, I would like to introduce Christa Studzinski, manager, partnerships; and Jordan Antflick, director of integrated discovery at OBI.

It is also my great pleasure to introduce Michael O’Leary, dean of the faculty of applied health and community studies at Sheridan College.

And it is also my great pleasure that I introduce from ORCA, the Ontario Retirement Communities Association, Mr. Grant Gonzales, senior manager of government relations and corporate affairs.

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: It’s my pleasure to welcome Thomas Soliman, a new member of our team in the constituency. He’s here at Queen’s Park for the first time. Welcome.

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: It is my pleasure to welcome Grant Gonzales, who is a co-chair of Pride Toronto.

It’s wonderful to see you here.

I also recognize Guidy Mamann, someone I have a long history with, going back to the time I was in my twenties. I actually worked in his law firm.

Introduction of Bills

Improving Dementia Care in Ontario Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur l’amélioration des soins aux personnes atteintes de démence en Ontario

Ms. Smith moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 121,

An Act to enact the Improving Dementia Care in Ontario Act, 2023 / Projet de loi 121, Loi édictant la Loi de 2023 sur l’amélioration des soins aux personnes atteintes de démence en Ontario.

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

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the member for Thornhill care to briefly explain her bill?

Ms. Laura Smith: The bill enacts the Improving Dementia Care in Ontario Act, 2023, which would require the following:

(1) The Minister of Health must develop a provincial framework designed to support improved access to dementia care. The minister must table a report setting out the provincial framework in the Legislative Assembly and, afterwards, must prepare and table a report on the state of dementia care in Ontario. Each report must be published on a government of Ontario website.

(2) The Ministry of Colleges and Universities must review its Personal Support Worker Standard to determine if certain changes should be made, including whether to require in-depth learning about person-centred dementia care.

Petitions

GO Transit

Ms. Catherine Fife: This is my first time presenting this petition in the Legislature. It’s entitled “Weekend GO Trains for Waterloo Region.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Waterloo region is home to three post-secondary institutions, the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College, whose students and staff require weekend train options; and

“Whereas the government of Ontario is responsible for investing in building, maintaining and upgrading GO Transit trains and rail routes throughout the province; and

“Whereas the government of Ontario has repeatedly made commitments to invest in and improve GO Transit trains for the purposes of improving connectivity, increasing transit ridership, decreasing traffic congestion, connecting people to jobs, and improving the economy; and

“Whereas dependable, efficient public transit on weekends is as critical as weekday service to achieving these goals;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support the immediate expansion of GO service to Kitchener-Waterloo, including weekend two-way rail service along the full length of the vital Kitchener GO corridor.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and give this to page Silas.

Police funding

Mr. Graham McGregor: Speaker, I’ve got a petition here.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas police provide protection to some of the most vulnerable members of our society; and

“The provincial government has launched the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy; and

“The 2023-24 budget commits an additional $13.4 million to this strategy;

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

“That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario reject the ‘defund the police’ position, and continue funding police, seizing illegal guns, suppressing gangs, and supporting victims of violence through the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.”

I wholeheartedly endorse the petition. I’ll be putting my name to it and giving it to Ameer.

Autism treatment

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: It’s an honour for me to present the following petitions on behalf of Peri Ren, Samantha Bolger, Ayma Aqib and the class of 2025 medical students from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. The petition is entitled “Support Ontario Families with Autism.” It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas every child with autism deserves access to sufficient treatment and support so that they can live” their life “to their fullest potential;

“Whereas the Ontario Autism Program was badly broken under the Liberals, and the changes introduced by the Conservatives have made it worse;

“Whereas the new funding caps are based on age and income, and not the clinical needs of the child;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to invest in equitable, needs-based autism services for all children who need them.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and deliver it with page Christopher to the Clerks.

Domestic violence

Ms. Christine Hogarth: My petition is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies intimate-partner violence as a major global public health concern, as it affects millions of people and can result in immediate and long-lasting health, social and economic consequences; and

“Whereas other Canadian provinces including Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador have passed legislation on the disclosure of intimate-partner violence history, to protect its citizens from domestic violence; and

“Whereas the disclosure mechanisms outlined in Clare’s Law would be an additional tool for police services to prevent intimate-partner violence; and

“Whereas over 43,786 people, as of April 19, 2023, have signed the petition ‘Justice for Bobbi: Adopt Clare’s Law in Ontario’ on change.org; and

“Whereas people at risk of potential harm have the right to be informed of their intimate partner’s violent past—if the partner was a repeat offender of domestic violence;

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

“To urge the government of Ontario to adopt mechanisms for disclosure outlined in Clare’s Law—whereby information relating to intimate-partner-violence convictions can be used to assess the risk of and prevent harm from intimate-partner violence.”

I wholeheartedly agree with this petition—I look forward to the debate tomorrow—and I will sign my name to it.

Education funding

Mr. Chris Glover: This petition is signed by residents and members of Jean Lumb school, Bishop Macdonell school, Harbord Collegiate, the Waterfront School, Market Lane, and St. Mary school in my riding.

“Petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Fund Ontario Public Schools.

“Whereas the TDSB has a deficit of $63.2 million for the 2023-24 school year, due to continuous underfunding by the Ministry of Education;

“Whereas the Ministry of Education has not reimbursed the $70.1-million TDSB reserve used to cover pandemic expenditures;

“Whereas the deficit and pandemic costs combined result in forcing schools to reduce special-needs assistants, educational assistants, clerical staff, teachers and vice-principal positions at TDSB schools;

“Whereas continued underfunding disproportionately affects the marginalized, the vulnerable, and those with special needs;

“Whereas continued underfunding results in larger, more crowded, and unsafe schools;

“Whereas continued underfunding means that students receive less one-on-one time with educators;

“We, the undersigned parents, guardians, caregivers, students, staff and community members, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:

“

(1) To adequately fund and strengthen public education in Ontario so students and education workers get the support they need;

“

(2) To reimburse schools and the TDSB for the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

I fully endorse this petition. I will affix my signature and pass it to page Arisa to take to the table.

Firearms control

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: I have a petition here.

“Ontario Should Say No to Federal Gun Confiscation.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the federal government is banning a large number of firearms legally owned by private citizens; and

“Whereas the federal government has introduced legislation for a buyback/confiscation of the banned firearms and wants provincial law enforcement agencies to execute said confiscation; and

“Whereas participating in this buyback/confiscation will take law enforcement personnel off the streets; and

“Whereas the governments of provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick and the Yukon territory have said they won’t allow provincial resources to be used for the federal gun confiscation;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to inform the federal government that Ontario won’t provide funding for police agencies to execute the gun buyback/confiscation and take police off the streets to execute ... gun control measures.”

I support this petition and will affix my signature and send it to the table with page Dina.

Police funding

Mr. Lorne Coe: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas police provide protection to some of the most vulnerable members of our society; and

“The provincial government has launched the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy; and

“The 2023-24 budget commits an additional $13.4 million to this strategy;

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

“That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario reject the ‘defund the police’ mentality, and continue funding police, seizing illegal guns, suppressing gangs, and supporting victims of violence through the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.”

Speaker, I’m going to affix my signature to this and provide it to page Pierre.

Access to health care

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: I’d like to present a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas two-spirit, transgender, non-binary, gender-diverse, and intersex communities face significant challenges to accessing health care services that are friendly, competent, and affirming in Ontario;

“Whereas everyone deserves access to health care, and they shouldn’t have to fight for it, shouldn’t have to wait for it, and should never receive less care or support because of who they are;

“Whereas gender-affirming care is life-saving care;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support the reintroduction of a private member’s bill to create an inclusive and representative committee to advise the Ministry of Health on how to realize accessible and equitable access to and coverage for gender-affirming health care in Ontario.”

I will proudly affix my signature to this petition and send it to the table with page Christopher.

Police funding

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas police provide protection to some of the most vulnerable members of our society; and

“The provincial government has launched the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy; and

“The 2023-24 budget commits an additional $13.4 million to this strategy;

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

“That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario reject the ‘defund the police’ position, and continue funding police, seizing illegal guns, suppressing gangs, and supporting victims of violence through the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.”

I fully support the petition. I will affix my signature and pass it to the table through page Halle.

Land use planning

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I am pleased to share this petition.

“Stop the 413 GTA West Highway.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Ontario government is pushing ahead with plans to build Highway 413, a redundant and wasteful 400-series highway through the greenbelt that would cost taxpayers an estimated $10 billion or more; and

“Whereas according to a TorStar/National Observer investigation entitled ‘Friends with Benefits?’ powerful developers and land speculators with political and donor ties to the Premier and the PC Party of Ontario own thousands of acres along the proposed highway corridor and would profit from its construction, suggesting that this $10-billion taxpayer-funded highway is about serving the private interests of the Premier’s friends and donors, not the public interest; and

“Whereas the Ontario government’s expert panel concluded in 2017 that Highway 413 would be a waste of taxpayer money that would only save drivers 30 to 60 seconds on their commutes; and

“Whereas that expert panel identified less costly and less destructive alternatives to new highway construction, such as making better use of the underused Highway 407, just 15 kilometres away; and

“Whereas Highway 413 would pave over 400 acres of greenbelt and 2,000 acres of farmland, destroy the habitats of at-risk and endangered species, and pollute rivers and streams; and

“Whereas building more highways encourages more vehicle use and increases traffic and congestion; and

“Whereas the highway would cause significant harm to historic Indigenous sites;

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

“Stop the plans for building Highway 413.”

Of course, I support this petition. I will affix my signature and send it with Ameer.

Police funding

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: I would like to table the following petition:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas police provide protection to some of the most vulnerable members of our society; and

“The provincial government has launched the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy; and

“The 2023-24 budget commits an additional $13.4 million to this strategy;

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

“That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario reject the ‘defund the police’ position, and continue funding police, seizing illegal guns, suppressing gangs, and supporting victims of violence through the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.”

I support this petition. I will affix my signature, and I’m going to be passing it on to our page.

Land use planning

Ms. Catherine Fife: I’d like to thank the folks from Guelph, Kitchener and Kitchener–Conestoga for collecting these signatures. It reads as follows:

“Petition to the province of Ontario Premier and members of provincial Parliament:

“We, the undersigned residents of Ontario, call upon the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to stop ordering sprawl via urban boundary expansion and development on farmland and natural spaces.”

I fully support the intent of this petition. I will affix my signature and give it to page Arisa.

Public sector compensation

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: It gives me great pleasure to present the following petition on behalf of Samantha Bolger, Peri Ren, Ayma Aqib and the class of 2025 medical students from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. It reads:

“Repeal Bill 124.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Bill 124 removes the right of public employees to negotiate fair contracts;

“Whereas Bill 124 limits the wage increase in the broader public sector to a maximum of 1% per year at a time of unprecedented inflation;

“Whereas Ontario’s public servants have dealt with two years of unheralded difficulties in performing their duties to our province;

“Whereas those affected by Bill 124 are the people who teach us, care for us, make our hospitals and health care system work and protect the most vulnerable among us;

“Whereas the current provincial government is showing disrespect to public servants to keep taxes low for some of our country’s most profitable corporations;

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

“Immediately repeal Bill 124 and show respect for the public sector workers.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and deliver it with page Luke to the Clerks.

Orders of the Day

Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur le renforcement de la sécurité et la modernisation de la justice

Mr. Kerzner moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 102,

An Act to amend various Acts relating to the justice system, fire protection and prevention and animal welfare / Projet de loi 102, Loi modifiant diverses lois relatives au système judiciaire, à la prévention et à la protection contre l’incendie ainsi qu’au bien-être des animaux.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the minister care to lead off third reading debate? I recognize the Solicitor General.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m delighted to speak and to share my time with my colleagues the member from Simcoe–Grey, the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore, the member from Sarnia–Lambton, and the Attorney General of Ontario.

Monsieur le Président, je suis fier de soutenir nos policiers et nos premiers intervenants et tous ceux qui assurent la sécurité de l’Ontario tous les jours. Ce sont des gens formidables qui nous protègent au quotidien.

Je prends mon rôle sérieusement. C’est un honneur d’assurer la sécurité de notre province, parce que tous ont le droit de se sentir en sécurité chez eux et dans leur collectivité. Chaque personne mérite d’être traitée avec dignité et respect.

Mr. Speaker, it’s a great honour to rise here today and to also acknowledge the president of the PAO, the Police Association of Ontario, my friend Mark Baxter. The associations in Ontario know—Mark and his colleagues—that our government is with you every step of the way.

The safety of our communities is everything. Our growth and prosperity depends on peace and stability. As I’ve said before in this House, and I’ll say it again, public safety means having a place to raise our children, to wake them up from their bedrooms in the morning, to take them to school—it means a place that we can work; it means a place that we can take them to the parks at the end of their school day, and to be with our wives and our partners when we take walks on the street; it means to have a place to play and a place to pray.

Our communities are growing faster than ever before. We know that because we spoke about the need to build houses in Ontario and to build infrastructure in Ontario. As we build our housing and our hospitals and our schools across Ontario, and as we expand our communities, we need to make sure that their policing needs are met. Because the unfortunate truth is, the selfish actions of criminals continue to undermine what we believe is ours: a right to live safely in our communities. Our government recognizes that, now more than ever, public safety matters. That is why, under the leadership of Premier Ford, we have made public safety our top priority.

The reason we introduced Bill 102 is because we have to acknowledge that the sizes of our communities have changed. Technology has changed. There are a lot of things that change. Nothing remains stagnant. This bill, Bill 102, takes us current to where we need to be today. It includes elements, as I will speak to in my remarks, to address the police recruitment, to move us that step closer to getting the Community Safety and Policing Act, the CSPA, in place—an act that will replace a piece of legislation that is over 30 years old, the PSA.

That is why it is my pleasure to rise and to participate in third reading, together with my colleagues, of the Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act. It is a critical piece of legislation. It’s a major step in advancing public safety, and it delivers on our promise that we always said to Ontarians, that public safety matters. It helps address challenges and police recruitment by presenting a clear path for more people to consider a career in policing.

I have to say, this was one pillar of a great announcement that we made a couple of months back, where we’re waiving the obstacles and the barriers for people to go to the Ontario Police College. This is important. We believe that we will have, next year, about 2,000 new recruits graduating each year from the Ontario Police College. It’s an amazing place. I have seen for myself. The member from Chatham-Kent–Leamington is a graduate and served in the Ontario Provincial Police. He was with me, actually, at one of the marches past.

You see the promise in a person’s eyes when they graduate and they go to serve their communities, their First Nations communities, the Franco-Ontarian communities, the municipal police services. It’s absolutely unbelievable.

These amendments in our legislation will also help strengthen the protection for animals and modernize different parts of our public safety.

I want to give a shout-out to our incredible animal welfare inspectors. Why? Because I went to see for myself, just a couple of weeks ago, when they were doing part of their training in Brantford—I saw 37 new animal welfare inspectors who looked like Ontario.

I’m so proud of our diversity, whether it’s in policing, whether it’s in firefighting, whether it’s in corrections, whether it’s in probation and parole, whether it’s in animal welfare, or whether it’s in the telecommunicators, who are having a conference today. I always want to shout out to those amazing 911 call operators. I want to shout out to the support staff who keep everything else functioning.

This is important because this piece of legislation, in so many ways, catches the regulations that we need to catch up with. The amendments focus on oversight and governance and labour arbitration and police recognition and education.

At the same time, we want to make public safety an attractive career choice for a new generation of civic-minded Ontarians. Police services across Canada specifically had struggled to hire new recruits, and there were different reasons for it, but our government stepped up to the plate. I remember a conversation I had with the Premier himself and we talked about what we can do to plan for the future. As our province grows by over a million people in the next number of years—we know that because we know how many homes we need for them to live in—we need so many more people in public safety to keep us safe.

This is exactly why this bill will help, amongst other things, address the need to find more recruits so that they can come and protect Ontario and have a career like Mark Baxter—a career of meaning, a career of satisfaction.

Our government treats the care of our animal welfare services with enormous concern. That’s why—and I know my colleague from Etobicoke–Lakeshore shares in this even more, perhaps, than any one of us—the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019, which came into force in January 2020, has set a standard of care for animals and prohibitions against causing or permitting distress to animals. I want to thank her for her leadership in this. What Bill 102 does is take it to the next level. It sends a message to people that if anybody is thinking about causing harm to their animals, they had better think twice.

The proposed Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act will improve cost recovery and close the gaps specifically on animal welfare—and this is important.

I mentioned in my kick-off speech in second reading that under regulation 180 of the existing Coroners Act, the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service—by the way, proudly located their head offices in my riding of York Centre. They have the authority to retain and store tissue samples and body fluid obtained during a post-mortem examination. The regulation identifies the types of specimens that can be stored and the length of time that they can be retained.

But the act did not contemplate the retention of materials for purposes beyond the needs of a coroner’s investigation, like DNA, something that is part of—to understand DNA today is understanding it in a whole new world. I understand this just a little bit, because in my previous business iteration, before I got elected, I started a company that helped people identify drug interactions that may occur over the course of their lives. DNA provides us with a glimpse into the future, and it solves mysteries that were never before able to be solved.

I look back on the announcements just from genetic genealogy, on what that has done, just as of recently, in Moosonee and in other cities—in the province of Quebec, in other jurisdictions where they’re solving 40- and 50-year-old murder crimes as a result of the DNA technology today. So the proposed amendments will deliver this added tool to prevent further deaths now and into the future by the use of it.

Finally, there is the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997. This act established the legislative framework for the delivery of fire protection, but there were gaps in this old piece of legislation, and there were inefficiencies. Bill 102 will close those gaps and streamline decision-making at both the Office of the Fire Marshal and the Fire Safety Commission.

Making the Community Safety and Policing Act a reality, attracting new recruits, and strengthening and modernizing Ontario’s public safety framework is why this is important. This brings us one step closer. Our government is eager to move forward and to proclaim and set the date for enactment.

Again, I want to thank the associations and all of our stakeholders who have worked with us every step of the way. Their concerns matter, and we have listened, and I am encouraged that in the months ahead as we complete the final regulations that need to be done in order for us to move to move forward, we will see that this is something that will be a reality.

Nothing has been as impactful to me as travelling throughout Ontario and visiting the fire and the correction and the police and the communications services in people’s ridings. It has been an honour of a lifetime.

One of the first tours I went to last summer was visiting the member’s riding in Sarnia–Lambton—my great friend—and I saw for myself something that we take for granted: that if we don’t treat our security by having this 360 perspective on it, we don’t know. In many respects, it’s not our fault because we live our lives, as I’ve said before, in a narrow focus of wanting to be safe but not understanding the roles that people do to keep us safe.

When I went with the member from Sarnia–Lambton to the St. Clair River, it was the first time in my tenure as Solicitor General that I saw just how close the other side is, and I became fascinated by the need to learn more. My great friend from Sarnia–Lambton and the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore helped educate me on the needs of public safety not only in their communities, but in their roles as parliamentary assistants to the Solicitor General. They knew, and I knew, that by saying to the public in Ontario that our safety matters, the public will respond by saying, “We agree with you.”

We always have to have the backs of everyone who keeps us safe. Last week, I think it was the 91st AGM of the Police Association of Ontario, and the Premier and I were there. It was important for us to be there, because it also was a time that we had to reflect on the times that find us, on the people we lost just last week—a beautiful constable in Ontario; we lost Steven. Before Steven, we lost Eric, Andrew, Morgan, Devon, and Greg, and the list unfortunately has kept growing. But it won’t define who we are.

It won’t take away from the resolve we have to say that our communities mean everything; our public safety means everything. Never before in my generation have we had such a vocal government that has raised public safety to the forefront, that can look somebody in the eye and say, “We will always have the backs of everyone who keeps us safe”—because we need to have public safety, because the rule of law must matter and our public safety must matter.

And for those who wish us ill, as I like to say, who can’t agree that we have a right to live in our communities, however we choose and whoever we want to be with, we have a message for them: We will call you out.

That’s why, as we debate third reading of Bill 102, change is needed. This bill takes us one step closer. It addresses the changes and regulations we need to do to bring us forward, and it acknowledges what everybody knows: that when we have a safe community, we have absolutely everything.

I said at the funeral of Sergeant Eric Mueller of the OPP: « En tant que solliciteur général, je continuerai à travailler chaque jour pour assurer le bien-être de nos policiers et nos premiers intervenants. Pour le premier ministre de l’Ontario et pour moi, c’est personnel. » It really is. It’s an honour of a lifetime to work as hard as I can, day and night, for Ontario’s safety, and we won’t stop. Our commitment to public safety is absolute and constant.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): The Attorney General.

Hon. Doug Downey: I’m honoured to stand here in the House today for the third reading of the Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023. If passed, as you may know, this bill will make necessary legislative changes to strengthen public safety and continue our work providing accessible and responsive justice services for everyone in Ontario.

Before I get into my other remarks, I want to thank the Solicitor General for his passion and dedication to the people of Ontario, along with his entire team and ministry staff—his passion is infectious as we move forward to help those who help us—and for the work they’ve done to make this bill, in particular, a reality.

And I want to acknowledge the stakeholders and justice partners for their valuable input, which has brought us to where we are today.

Madam Speaker, we just heard the Solicitor General speak about the changing nature of public safety and crime in the province. Now, more than ever, people want to see a justice system that works for them and that addresses their needs. So the services we provide must remain responsive, adaptive and dynamic. This includes working towards a legal system with fewer barriers, fewer delays, fewer obstacles.

Today, we’re proposing changes that align with our ongoing work to drive transformation across the justice sector and ensure people feel safe in their own communities. One way we’re doing this is by proposing a change that will, if passed, make the court system more efficient.

Madam Speaker, as part of the act, we’re proposing changes to how low-dollar-value civil claims are handled in our courts. People may remember that a few years ago, we made changes to increase the maximum claim limit in Small Claims Court from $25,000 to $35,000. This change gave people options. Now most claims for money or personal property under the $35,000 mark can be heard in the Small Claims Court, but they can also be heard in the Superior Court of Justice.

To ensure court resources are used appropriately and on the right scale, the change we’re proposing in this bill would prevent claimants from starting claims in the Superior Court if instead they should be in the Small Claims Court. If passed, this bill will allow resources to be redirected towards other, more urgent priorities, and it will assist in freeing up judicial time and staff.

Madam Speaker, let me speak for a moment about the legal landscape that’s driving this particular change and the work that we’ve done so far. This House has heard me say this many times, but recent years have shown that our justice system has fallen far behind the expectations of how people expect their services will be delivered. And yet, it has also been an exciting period for collaboration, innovation and opportunity to address these challenges head-on and make the justice system work better for the people of Ontario.

In 2021, we launched Ontario’s Justice Accelerated Strategy to break down the long-standing barriers in our system, overhaul processes and move more services online, closer to Ontarians. Since its inception, and together with our justice partners, we’ve delivered many game-changing initiatives to help create a more accessible, responsive and resilient justice system. For example, we’ve implemented a new digital case management system at Tribunals Ontario. We’ve expanded to a new digital document-sharing platform. We’ve transformed the court’s capacity for virtual and hybrid hearings.

These are just a few examples of the many ways that we’ve made things easier, better, more accessible and responsive for the people of Ontario. We’re going to continue to explore every possible avenue to improve systems and the way people interact with their courts.

Madam Speaker, a major component of our work also includes addressing the criminal courts backlog through the implementation of a criminal backlog reduction strategy. As part of this multi-year initiative, we invested $72 million—money that will be used for additional crowns, court services and victim support staff to support prosecutions, the judiciary and, importantly, victims of crime. This will alleviate some of the long-standing pressures. As part of this strategy, we’ve adopted other measures too.

As one example, my ministry created virtual resolution teams of experienced prosecutors who conducted an intensive review and resolution blitz of low- and mid-level backlogged criminal cases in 2022. And it worked. As a result, thousands of appropriate cases were resolved, reducing backlog and freeing up court time.

Madam Speaker, in my work as Attorney General, I’ve met victims and survivors and heard their stories. On a more personal level, as I’ve mentioned before, my mother was an abuse counsellor and one of the founding directors of the York Region Abuse Program. Through her work, I saw the strength and courage her clients needed to confront intimate partner violence and the many challenges victims and survivors face as they seek justice. This includes people like Dr. Jennifer Kagan-Viater, who was here in the House through second reading and first reading. We speak about her daughter Keira.

And in the wake of Keira’s death, her mother has worked tirelessly to advocate for changes in the way courts address domestic violence. I’m so pleased to say that her efforts have resulted in lasting legislative change. Keira’s Law, the private member’s bill spearheaded by Dr. Kagan-Viater, was passed by the House of Commons federally and the Senate and received royal assent at the end of April. The new law supports judicial education on domestic violence and coercive control. This builds upon legislation passed by the federal government in 2021.

That legislation enhanced the judicial education provisions under the federal Judges Act to encourage training on sexual assault for federally appointed judges