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June 4, 2019

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2019-Jun-04 (PDF)

L115 - Tue 4 Jun 2019 / Mar 4 jun 2019

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Tuesday 4 June 2019 Mardi 4 juin 2019

Orders of the Day

Getting Ontario Moving Act (Transportation Statute Law Amendment), 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour un Ontario en mouvement (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le transport)

Introduction of Visitors

Wearing of pins

World Eating Disorders Action Day

Wearing of ribbons

Oral Questions

Beverage alcohol sales

Health care funding

Violence against Indigenous women and girls

Skilled trades

Education funding

Legal aid

Public transit

Public transit

Ontario budget

Public transit

Autism treatment

Red tape reduction

Health care funding

Violence against Indigenous women and girls

Addiction services

Visitors

Birth of city councillor’s child

Official members’ photograph

Deferred Votes

Time allocation

Time allocation

Getting Ontario Moving Act (Transportation Statute Law Amendment), 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour un Ontario en mouvement (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le transport)

Report, Integrity Commissioner

Introduction of Visitors

Order of business

Members’ Statements

Pharmacare

Probation and parole officers

Health care funding

Broadband infrastructure

Better Beginnings, Better Futures

World Eating Disorders Action Day

Cadets

WellFort

York Regional Police

Government’s record

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Government Agencies

Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills

Standing Committee on Justice Policy

Introduction of Bills

Reserved Parking for Electric Vehicle Charging Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le stationnement réservé à la recharge des véhicules électriques

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Pride Month

Missing persons

Pride Month

Missing persons

Pride Month / Mois de la Fierté

Missing persons

Petitions

Sécurité routière

Ontario Food Terminal

Government’s record

Affordable housing

Education funding

Environmental protection

Autism treatment

Government’s record

Education funding

Ontario Food Terminal

Orders of the Day

Bringing Choice and Fairness to the People Act (Beverage Alcohol Retail Sales), 2019 / Loi de 2019 visant à offrir à la population plus de choix et un accès équitable en matière de vente au détail de boissons alcooliques

More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour plus de logements et plus de choix

Adjournment Debate

Education funding

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Getting Ontario Moving Act (Transportation Statute Law Amendment), 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour un Ontario en mouvement (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le transport)

Resuming the debate adjourned on May 29, 2019, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 107,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act and various other statutes in respect of transportation-related matters / Projet de loi 107, Loi modifiant le Code de la route et diverses autres lois à l’égard de questions relatives au transport.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate? Further debate?

Pursuant to the order of the House dated May 15, 2019, I am now required to put the question.

Mr. Yurek has moved third reading of Bill 107,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act and various other statutes in respect of transportation-related matters.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard some noes.

All those in favour will please say “aye.”

All those opposed will please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

A recorded vote being required, it will be deferred until after question period today.

Third reading vote deferred.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Orders of the day.

Hon. Jeff Yurek: No further business, Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): There being no further business this morning, this House stands in recess until 10:30 a.m.

The House recessed from 0904 to 1030.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Before I invite the members to introduce their guests, I wish to introduce special guests who are in the Speaker’s gallery this morning: a former member of the Ontario Legislature, the member for Mississauga West in the 36th Parliament and the member for Mississauga Centre in the 37th Parliament, Rob Sampson, who is now a councillor for the Town of the Blue Mountains. He’s joined by Mayor Alar Soever and CAO Shawn Everitt. Welcome to the Ontario Legislature. We’re delighted to have you here.

The member for Windsor–Tecumseh.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: Thank you, Speaker. With your indulgence, I have four very special friends to introduce to you today: in the Speaker’s gallery, the love of my life, Gale Simko-Hatfield, married almost 44 years. Welcome to Queen’s Park. Our friend John Luttrell is visiting from Florida. John, welcome to Ontario’s provincial Parliament. My son, Andrew, is here today. Andrew, welcome to Queen’s Park. Andrew’s buddy Mark Oleynik, a family friend and a former corporal in the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry—Mark did two tours for Canada in Afghanistan.

He was there on his second tour when his cousin Corporal Andrew Grenon of Windsor paid the supreme sacrifice. Mark, welcome to Ontario’s Parliament, and thank you for your service.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: I’m pleased to welcome to-day’s page captain Hillary Brown, who lives in my great riding of Pickering–Uxbridge, and I would also like to introduce her family: her mother, Beth Yarzab; her father, Patrick Brown; and her grandmother Nancy Sutton.

I’d like to thank Hillary for her service to the Legislature. This is a proud moment for her family, and I want to thank them for joining us here in the Legislature today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: I’m honoured to have the students from Lamberton Public School and Crawford Seventh-day Adventist Academy, who will joining us at Queen’s Park later in the day. They’re part of a monthly series of school visits put on by Inspiring and Empowering Youth Network and the youth-focused Canadian Black Caucus, led by Gwyn Chapman. Thank you so much for organizing, and welcome to Queen’s Park.

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: I’d like to introduce Ty Greenburg who is in the members’ gallery. He is from North York and is a student at Georgetown University who has been volunteering for the Liberal Party. He’s heading up to Haliburton to be a summer camp counsellor shortly. Welcome, Ty.

Hon. Todd Smith: I have an important announcement to make. I rise to welcome the Consul-General of Japan, Ms. Takako Ito, and the Deputy Consul-General as well, Mr. Ominato Satoshi, to the House. We look forward to the reception with the Japanese community and business leaders tonight, and wish to acknowledge here and tonight the tremendous contributions made by Japanese Canadians and the people of Japan to Ontario. Thank you.

Miss Monique Taylor: I would like to welcome back to the Legislature once again autism parents and advocates Amy Moledzki, Faith Munoz, Jeremy Changoo, who is Faith’s son, Tangerine Stanley, Stephanie Ridley, Amanda Mooyer, Bruce McIntosh, Michau van Speyk and Angela Brandt. Welcome back to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: I have three very special guests here with me today in the members’ gallery. I have my uncle Jim Larocque; my mother, Janine Roberts; and my grandfather Wilbert Larocque.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: It’s a real honour to welcome two members of my youth council who are here at Queen’s Park today, Jananey Rajagopalan and Alexandra Elmslie, who are in the members’ gallery. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Chris Glover: Mr. Speaker, it’s my pleasure to welcome to the House today Jack and Theresa Van Fraassen from your own riding, and Rebecca Van Fraassen, who is an OCAD student in my riding. Rebecca has SMA, which is a degenerative disease. Their family raised almost $2 million in order to do research to create a drug that would actually arrest the degeneration. This drug is now available, but unfortunately this family can’t access it because it costs half a million dollars a year. With your indulgence, Mr. Speaker, they would like to meet with the Minister of Health at the end of question period. They will be in the hallway just outside of the Legislature. Thank you.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I too would like to welcome the Van Fraassen family to the Legislature today. Thank you for coming.

Hon. Bill Walker: I would like to introduce Mayor Alar Soever and Councillor Rob Sampson from the Town of Blue Mountains. I look forward to meeting with them in my ministry later today.

Ms. Jessica Bell: I’d like to introduce Lee Tenenhouse from Kensington-Bellwoods Community Legal Services, Katie Remington from the Grey-Bruce Community Legal Clinic, and Daniel Smith from Downtown Legal Services. Thank you for coming, and welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Will Bouma: It’s my great pleasure to welcome to the House today my friend and mentor Karen George and her husband, Erle, and also students from Pauline Johnson Collegiate.

Ms. Jill Andrew: I would just like to also say welcome to Queen’s Park to Rebecca and your family. As the culture critic, I am absolutely blown away by the work that OCAD students create every single day. Thank you for your art.

Mr. Billy Pang: I would like to introduce my staff, Boyun Leung and Summer Hou, who are here in the Legislature and sitting in the members’ gallery. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Kevin Yarde: I’d also like to welcome a member of my staff, Robyn Yakiwchuk, who is here in the members’ gallery.

Mr. Roman Baber: I’m delighted to welcome, from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Sophie Helpard, and a campaign volunteer of mine, Jessie Muller.

Hon. Todd Smith: I’d like to welcome my good friend Gwyn Chapman, who is here with her very good friend Carol Shirtliff, from Shirtliff Hinds Law in Newmarket. They’re here with the Canadian Black Caucus, inspiring the next generation of young people to get involved civically.

Mr. Paul Miller: I’d just like to welcome anybody that we left out.

Hon. Laurie Scott: I’d like to welcome, from my constituency office of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock, Vicki Welton. Also, Vicki’s son is Cody Welton, who is our executive director of issues management. Thank you, Mr. Speaker—a big welcome.

Mrs. Daisy Wai: I’d like to welcome Chris Poulos. He was my first staff as I serve here. He’d gone back to school during the summertime and is now an intern again at Queen’s Park. Welcome, Chris.

Wearing of pins

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

Hon. Christine Elliott: Speaker, I believe we have unanimous consent to wear the pins for ALS Awareness Month.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and Deputy Premier is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to allow members to wear pins in recognition of ALS Awareness Month. Agreed? Agreed.

World Eating Disorders Action Day

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I understand the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s has a point of order.

Ms. Jill Andrew: I believe we have unanimous consent for a moment of silence and also a UC agreement to wear ribbons—a moment of silence to acknowledge the millions of people who have died from eating disorders, eating problems and the consequences of body-based and appearance-based discrimination worldwide.

June 2 was World Eating Disorders Action Day. Over 45 countries across the globe, including ours, and over 200 organizations participated last Sunday.

In Canada alone, one million people are struggling with episodic and chronic EDs. Almost half live in Ontario. Each year, about 1,500 Canadians die from—

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

The member for Toronto–St. Paul’s, I believe, is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to allow members to wear purple, as well as have a moment’s silence in memory of the people who have been affected by eating disorders. Agreed? Agreed.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

Wearing of ribbons

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I understand the member for London North Centre wanted to raise a point of order.

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: I’m seeking unanimous consent to wear rainbow ribbons to show LGBTQ+ Ontarians that we stand with them during Pride month and every month.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for London North Centre is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to allow members to wear rainbow ribbons. Agreed? Agreed.

Oral Questions

Beverage alcohol sales

Mr. John Vanthof: My question is to the Minister of Finance, someone we are hoping is willing to answer the questions the people of Ontario are asking.

Yesterday, the president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce wrote to the minister concerning the government’s proposal to rip up the contract with the Beer Store. In his words, “breaking a legitimate contract is a short-sighted approach.”

Does the minister agree, or would he now characterize chamber of commerce members as “beer insiders”?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Nowhere else in the world does a government give the biggest beer companies special privileges at the expense of consumers and at the expense of the industry. The three global beer giants are for profits, not for the people. Most people in the province of Ontario do not know—and I’ll tell you, when I was first elected as an MPP, I did not know—that the Beer Store is not owned by the government. Well, it’s not owned by the government; it is owned by three global beer giants, who got a sweetheart deal from the Liberal government. The Liberal government put profits ahead of people, Speaker. The result is a lucrative deal for the Beer Store and their insiders.

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

Mr. John Vanthof: Rocco Rossi isn’t just the president and CEO of the chamber of commerce; he’s also a former PC candidate who the minister has enthusiastically quoted in this Legislature. He has now joined the chorus of concerned citizens telling the government that the hundreds of millions of dollars they plan to spend on their Beer Store scheme could be better invested in true services for the people of Ontario.

Will the minister reconsider these reckless plans?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: We campaigned on a promise to put the people first, including by growing jobs, expanding choice and expanding convenience for the people of Ontario.

Our government is open for business and open for jobs. Since coming into office, over 170,000 net new jobs have been created across the province. And just last week, Fitch bond rating agency gave us an upgrade, the first they’ve done in eight years. Speaker, that came after—after—we launched our legislation to bring choice and convenience to the people.

The Beer Store knows that a government need not continue legislation from a previous government or continue with bad Liberal deals. Special adviser Ken Hughes says the agreement “stifles competition, keeps prices artificially high, and prevents new craft beer entrepreneurs from getting a strong foothold in the market.” That’s what the NDP want to see, Speaker.

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

Mr. John Vanthof: The Ford government started attacking people they believed to be their enemies. Now they’re alienating their friends, not to mention the millions of Ontario families who want to see a government focus on better classrooms and ending hallway medicine.

Instead, we have a government that’s cutting those things while they tweet about plans to potentially blow hundreds of millions of dollars because they’re breaking contracts. What kind of government claims to understand business and breaks contracts with companies? The Ontario business community is clear: “Breaking a legitimate contract is a short-sighted approach.” Will the government come to their senses and realize this, and cancel that plan today?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Again, nowhere else in the world does a government give the biggest beer companies special privileges at the expense of consumers and the rest of the industry. The three global beer giants are for profits, not for the people. You have to ask yourself, Speaker, why these multinational companies are so opposed to having the government help them sell more of their products in many stores. It’s because of the lucrative deal, the sweetheart deal, they received from the previous Liberal government.

They’re ignoring the economic opportunity that’s before us: 9,100 new jobs will be created and $3.5 billion added to our economy.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce should join us in supporting small businesses, supporting consumers and supporting our local brewers.

Health care funding

Ms. Sara Singh: My question is to the Minister of Health. It seems the Premier is unwilling or unable to answer questions about this government’s health care spending cuts, so I’ll ask the minister directly.

Yesterday, the minister dismissed a report from the Financial Accountability Office, detailing the Ford government’s health care cuts as “accounting differences.” Among the FAO’s findings was that the government’s budget would reduce health care spending by $2.7 billion, Speaker. Can the minister provide details of what will be cut?

Hon. Christine Elliott: In fact, what we are doing is increasing our health care spending. We’re spending $1.3 billion more on health care in the province of Ontario. We’re adding 174 million new dollars to mental health and addictions funding. We’re providing a new program of $90 million for our dental programs for low-income seniors. We’ve provided $384 million in operational funding increases for hospitals. We are on the increase and we’re modernizing our system, transforming our system in the process of it.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: In the report, the FAO is clear: “The FAO cannot disclose the $2.7-billion reduction in planned spending from the 2018 budget plan to the 2019 budget plan by program area, as the province has deemed this information to be a cabinet record.” In other words, the Ford government is making deep cuts, but they won’t tell us exactly what they’re cutting.

In my community of Brampton, our hospital has been struggling at overcapacity for decades now, with patients routinely being treated in hallways. Those patients want to know: Where is this government planning to find $2.7 billion in health care spending cuts?

Hon. Christine Elliott: We are increasing spending, as I indicated before, by $1.3 billion across the province. We are making changes. We are modernizing our system. We want to make sure that our system becomes patient-focused, that people can achieve connected services when they go for health care services. We are going through the spending right now.

I just started this morning in the estimates committee. You’re welcome to come by and listen to some of the explanations we are going through, with specific questions from the official opposition about spending.

Spending is increasing, not decreasing, in health care.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: Speaker, the Minister of Health must know that this government is on the wrong track. As Patient Ombudsman, she heard from patients waiting in hallways and nurses worried about the care that patients are receiving. She knows that $2.7 billion in health care cuts will have a devastating impact here in this province, but instead of standing up for patients, she’s tweeting photos of herself being at convenience stores and promoting the Premier’s billion-dollar beer boondoggle.

Why is the minister refusing to disclose the details of the $2.7-billion health care cuts?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Again, it’s very clear to the people in the committee and to the people of Ontario where the money is being spent. I am in estimates right now. I will be there for another six hours. If you have any questions, please come by and ask. The members of your party are asking me questions about money that’s being spent. It’s very clear that it is an increase in spending—

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Which you voted against.

Hon. Christine Elliott: —which you voted against. We are increasing spending and making our care services more connected for patients.

I can certainly say to you that, as Patient Ombudsman, what I did hear about on a daily basis was how disconnected people felt from their services. They felt that once they were discharged from hospital, they were left to their own devices. They had to find their own supports and services. Home care and long-term care were not connected.

We are going to connect patients to the services they need throughout their health care journey.

Violence against Indigenous women and girls

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Meegwetch, Mr. Speaker.

Remarks in Oji-Cree.

My question this morning is for the minister responsible for women’s issues.

The final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls commission, released yesterday, made 231 calls for justice. We thank the families for coming forward and sharing their truth-telling stories to improve the lives of Indigenous women and girls.

Previous reports and commissions have made over 1,200 recommendations to all levels of government to address the issue of violence against Indigenous women and girls. How many of these recommendations has Ontario fully implemented?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: I want to thank my colleague for raising this very important issue in the Legislature today.

One of the most emotional periods of my life, I think, in public office was sitting there yesterday as we accepted the report. I was pleased to be the only government representative there who actually walked to accept the recommendations with Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald. It was very meaningful for me.

We’re working on a number of those recommendations. We’re going to continue to work with our federal government counterparts with respect to Bill C-92 and Jordan’s Principle.

We’re going to continue to ensure that we have a strong Indigenous-led voice within the ministry of children and youth, community and social services with respect to women’s issues, as well.

I look forward to working with the member opposite as he brings forward these very important issues.

I will say this to those who may not have seen it: Standing there yesterday to watch the grandmother of Tina Fontaine, a young girl who was 15 years old when she was murdered in Manitoba—it was probably one of the most poignant things I have ever seen.

That is why this government, under Premier Ford, is committed to ensuring that we support our Indigenous sisters.

Interjections.

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

Restart the clock. Supplementary question.

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: I want to thank the member for her answer. But we have to understand that things have been this way for generations and generations, and now people live it on a daily basis.

It’s not enough to accept a report from the inquiry and say the government will listen. Indigenous people expect action and systemic change. Changes such as cutting the Indigenous cultural fund, making mandatory Indigenous culture curriculum an elective and cutting the child advocate are not acts of positive systemic change. These cuts impact Indigenous safety and the future of our people.

Will the government commit to reversing these cuts as the first step in responding to the recommendations from yesterday, and also provide funding for prevention programs to counter violence against Indigenous women and girls and provide support programs for those left behind?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’d ask the members to please take their seats. The minister to reply.

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: Thanks very much. I appreciate the question. There are only a few times in this Confederation when there are certain Parliaments that sit where you witness a momentous occasion such as the one I was fortunate to see yesterday, as we talked about the missing and murdered Indigenous women, as well as those from the LGBTQ+ community.

Let me answer the member opposite this way: We are going to be embedding an advocate for children and youth within the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, with responsibilities for children and women.

We have a number of Indigenous-led children’s aid societies in the province of Ontario, one of which I just signed off on a few weeks ago. We’re going to continue to collaborate with our Indigenous-led child welfare systems across the province, and I hope to grow them. I think that we have an opportunity there. I think we have an opportunity to work with the federal government on Bill C-92, so long as they don’t reduce our standards.

Finally, we have an Indigenous-led child welfare round table that will be created in the coming weeks. I’m very excited about this, and I’ll be making an announcement shortly.

With respect to poverty reduction, we’re taking social assistance reforms very seriously. That is why we are consulting our First Nations.

Speaker, this is an important issue that every member of this assembly and every person in the province of Ontario should be aware of. We must stand with our Indigenous sisters and LGBTQ+ individuals as they confront systemic racism across the province and this country.

Skilled trades

Mr. Toby Barrett: My question is for the Premier. The skilled trades are critical to our economy, yet so many jobs are going unfilled. I’ve heard from employers in my riding who are frustrated by the red tape and stifling regulations that the previous skilled trades framework created, and the lack of action by the previous government to make life easier for those in the trades.

I was so pleased to hear, last week, the Premier and our Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities announce our government’s plan to modernize the trades. Tradespeople in my riding are excited to see a government finally taking the trades seriously.

Can the Premier tell us more about how important this plan is for these people, and how it will help Ontario open for business and open for jobs?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my all-star—and he’s a real all-star—from Haldimand–Norfolk. I was up in his area at a fish fry. I can tell you, the people absolutely love him.

Through you, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, as well as her parliamentary assistant and the member from Northumberland–Peterborough South and the member for Durham, for joining me at the Darlington Energy Complex. We had a great meeting there last Friday. When we went through there, there were 14 different trades, Mr. Speaker, and all 14 absolutely loved this, loved what we’re doing. Those are the people we support: the front-line, hard-working tradespeople.

Through our budget of 2019, we passed the Modernizing the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Act, which will reduce red tape for employers and apprentices, streamline services and delivery, and help promote the tremendous career opportunities that the skilled trades offer. And Mr. Speaker—

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

Mr. Toby Barrett: Thank you very much, Premier. It’s great to hear that we’re taking decisive action to improve the skilled trades framework ignored for 15 long years by the previous government. I’m disappointed that the NDP would refuse to support our plan to reduce the burden on tradespeople. It’s clear our government is listening. Our plan will cut red tape, promote careers, and open up Ontario for jobs.

We do know that by 2021, one in five jobs will be in the skilled trades. Yet we also know that so many baby boomers are now retiring. I’m very proud our government recognizes this urgent need to fill the skills gap and open up well-paying, rewarding career pathways for young people.

Can the Premier tell us more about our plan for the skilled trades?

Hon. Doug Ford: I want to thank the member for the question again. Through you, Mr. Speaker: The member is absolutely right that our government is taking action to reduce the red tape burden on Ontario’s skilled tradespeople. As part of our plan to put our skilled tradespeople first, our government is investing $18.1 million in pre-apprenticeship programs to help prepare hard-working Ontarians for careers in the skilled trades. We’re also investing $12.2 million to support the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program to help students in grades 11 and 12. They can experience a skilled trade while getting a credit for school.

By investing in the jobs of today and tomorrow, our government is delivering on our promises to get Ontarians working and make Ontario open for business, open for jobs. It’s a shame that the NDP decided to vote against these measures that would make life easier—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. The next question.

Education funding

Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Minister of Education, given that the Premier seemed unable to answer it yesterday.

Emily Jenkins is a drama teacher at Parry Sound High School. She grew up in the community and she came back to teach, which is a job she loves. But after 12 years, Emily has received notice that her job is now at risk, thanks to this government’s cuts to education. She told the Parry Sound North Star that her family is already cutting back on groceries, curtailing expenses, and considering all options, including selling their house.

Emily’s story is sadly not unique, especially in her board, where 240 secondary teachers have been declared redundant and only 37 are being brought back.

Is the minister really going to stand here again and claim that her cuts won’t result in job losses?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I have to tell you this: I cannot believe that the member opposite, day in and day out, stands up and perpetuates nonsense. The fact of the matter is, I noted that she very carefully worded her question, because she knows full well that teachers across this province, as happens every year, are in the process of being recalled.

The list goes on and on. I thank the school boards in Ontario that are choosing to work with us, putting—

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: Believe me, I wish I didn’t have to ask these questions every day, either.

Speaker, this minister will try to blame everyone but herself for these painful cuts. It’s real people and real families who have to deal with the impact.

In Toronto, at least 90 child and youth workers, seven occupational therapists, 10 social workers, 14 speech-language pathologists and four ABA facilitators were let go yesterday.

At a time when we know youth mental health should be a priority, students are going to have to do without in-school supports.

At a time when more students on the autism spectrum will be losing funding and spending more time in our schools, there will be fewer qualified adults to support them.

Speaker, will the minister take an ounce of responsibility for this mess and scrap the cuts in our schools?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I find it very rich, coming from the member opposite. She is a former member of the Toronto District School Board, and she knows full well that the fact of the matter is, this is an exercise that happens year in and year out.

The reality is, we’re investing $700 million or more in education, and that member opposite voted against it. The manner in which they’re continually saying the sky is falling is absolutely preposterous.

Let’s talk about what we’re doing. We’re increasing awareness and exposure to technology and skilled trades, like the Premier referenced earlier. We’re increasing funding for financial literacy. We’re increasing funding for math. We’re increasing funding for special needs. The list goes on and on.

Finally, Ontario has a government that believes in education, and we’re investing—

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

Interjections.

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

The general noise level in the House seems to be increasing during questions and answers, and I would ask the members to please come to order to allow us to have a reasonable question period today.

Start the clock. The next question.

Legal aid

Mr. Michael Coteau: My question is to the Attorney General. Recently, legal aid has seen their budget cut by over 30%, which has been described by many Ontarians as simply cruel. Vulnerable Ontarians rely on access to legal aid and the services that it provides.

In fact, when I was 15 years old, my family relied on legal aid when we were sent an eviction notice. If it wasn’t for the Flemingdon Park legal clinic, my single mother and my two brothers may have ended up on the street.

Minister, these services protect families—yet in response to the blowback on the cuts and the chaos it caused, the Premier has confirmed that he will guarantee anyone in this province legal aid.

I want to know: With these cuts, how will the Attorney General assure that every Ontarian has access to legal aid?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I thank the member opposite for the question.

Ontario has the most comprehensive legal aid system in the entire country. The Ontario government funds legal aid up to the amount of almost $433 million.

I am very pleased that legal aid has been working closely with my ministry to ensure that front-line services will be available to those who need them. Families like your family who needed legal representation were able to go to legal aid, and those services will still be available. We are working very closely with them, and we are very pleased to report that they will be able to do it.

The previous government spent almost $100 million more on legal aid over the last few years, and Ontario taxpayers and the clients who rely on legal aid services did not see an increase in the services, as they should have expected, given that level of increase in financing.

Some lawyers may not welcome renewed accountability at legal aid, but the taxpayers of Ontario and the clients who rely on legal aid will.

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

Mr. Michael Coteau: Not all Ontarians have the ability to go out and just hire a lawyer. Legal aid is about ensuring that the government supports the most vulnerable. It’s about ensuring that all Ontarians have the opportunity to defend themselves in court.

There are rumours out there that the Attorney General plans to import a US-style public defender system here in Ontario. Mr. Speaker, will the Attorney General confirm whether she does in fact plan to move towards this American-style system?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I’m not sure where the member opposite is getting his information. I’m working hard on reforming legal aid to ensure that it’s sustainable and providing legal aid services to the most vulnerable in our society, as it has been doing now for a very long time.

Our government’s priority is protecting what matters most: health care and education, and legal representation for those who can’t afford to pay for legal representation themselves. Legal aid is working very closely with my ministry to ensure that the front-line services that people need are there for them when they need them. But we will do it in a sustainable way. We are working closely with clinics, with lawyers who provide legal aid, to ensure that they’re able to provide the work that they have been doing now for some time.

We are able to do that in a sustainable way. Rumours about other systems coming into Ontario to provide legal aid in a different way are unfounded.

Public transit

Ms. Christine Hogarth: My question is for the Minister of Transportation. Recently, the minister introduced a comprehensive piece of legislation, the Getting Ontario Moving Act. If passed, this legislation will include our proposed measures to cut red tape, save businesses and taxpayers time and money, and help keep Ontario’s roads amongst the safest in North America.

This legislation would also kick-start our government’s plan to build more transit that will connect more people to new opportunities.

In my riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore, the Premier unveiled our government’s bold and historic vision for transit, a plan for the 21st century, a $28.5-billion transit vision to expand the province’s subway network by 50% and get millions of commuters moving again.

We are making life easier for people and businesses in the province by delivering simpler, faster and better government services. Can the minister update the Legislature on the Getting Ontario Moving Act?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: I appreciate the work that the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore has done in the last 11 months—almost 12 months, this Friday. She has been quite an advocate for transit but has been wonderful to work with, and I hopefully will continue working with her.

Mr. Speaker, she’s right. Today, we will vote on third reading of Bill 107, which is a very important piece of legislation. The proposed legislation, if passed, will cut red tape for job creators. It will reduce burdens so that businesses and job creators can get doing what they do best, and that’s creating jobs for the people of this province. Simply put, we want to transform how the MTO interacts with businesses and people across this province.

Despite all the great things that this legislation would do, the NDP keep voting against this piece of legislation. Today, I hope they take a look at themselves, and look at how great this piece of legislation is, and stand up for the interests of Ontarians and vote to support this legislation. This bill is cutting red tape, reducing regulatory burdens in Ontario and—

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

Ms. Christine Hogarth: Thank you to the Minister of Transportation for that great response. I look forward to the third reading vote today, and I hope, too, the opposition does the right thing and votes to get Ontario moving.

We have a plan to finally get subways built, after 15 long years of barely any action on the part of the previous Liberal government. The proposed Ontario Line alone will provide real relief from congestion on Line 1. It will be twice as long, and move twice as many people, as the original relief line project, and we’ll get it done at about the same cost. We know that we can these subways built before 2029, and that’s a target that was set by the city. We’re going to deliver it by 2027.

Can the Minister of Transportation tell us more about the benefits of the Ontario Line?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Thank you again for that question. Simply put, the Ontario Line will provide relief that is desperately needed. People are tired of crowded platforms and of watching three full trains go by before they can get on with their commute.

This is something that everybody wants, and it’s time that the opposition and the Liberals stood up and voted for the legislation that is going to get subways built in this province.

These subways are going to be built in their own ridings, on the opposite side. It makes no sense for those members to vote against it.

I’m hoping members from Parkdale–High Park, Davenport, Spadina, Rosedale, Toronto Centre, Toronto–Danforth, Beaches–East York and Don Valley East and West take a moment and look after their own constituents and vote for the relief that’s needed on our subway system today. We’re going to go forward and build this project. The city of Toronto is going to be with us; why won’t the opposition help us on this issue?

Public transit

Ms. Jessica Bell: My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Since early April, the government has been talking up their transit plan as if it was a done deal, not a few lines drawn on the back of a napkin. Now the Premier has gone hat in hand to the federal government for the Ontario Line, even though the minister himself admitted yesterday that the business case still isn’t complete. The feds aren’t buying it; they say they need to see real estimates and concrete plans before they consider handing over a single dollar.

Did the minister really expect anyone to fund his back-of-a-napkin plan when basic details, like where stations will be and how much the line will cost, are still unknown?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: I appreciate the question from the other side.

We made a historic announcement in this province of $28.5 billion to finally build transit that’s much needed in this city and in the GTHA. We’re building the Ontario Line to bring much-needed relief to Line 1. We are going to extend the Yonge subway into Richmond Hill and Markham, we’re going to build the Eglinton into Etobicoke toward the airport, and finally, after years and decades of waiting, Scarborough is going to get their three-stop subway system.

Yesterday, the Minister of Infrastructure and myself had an announcement, and a request for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau just to treat us the same as other provinces and give us a conditional approval for the infrastructure funding, much like they did to British Columbia. In 2017, the Prime Minister in his own budget announced funding for a project that wasn’t even supported by the province, not even supported by the city. Eventually, a year later, it was supported. They got the business case. All we’re asking for is equal treatment.

I don’t know why the member opposite is against building subways in this city and in the GTHA. I don’t know why Prime Minister Trudeau isn’t stepping forward and helping support—

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

Interjections.

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

Restart the clock. Supplementary question.

Ms. Jessica Bell: Back to the Minister of Transportation: This government now claims they want to work together with other levels of government when it comes to transit. That’s a bit rich, coming from a Premier who has undercut the city of Toronto every step of the way in the hostile takeover of the subway system. Your reputation is starting to get around. The federal government isn’t too eager to jump on board with a government that, in their words, cuts first and thinks later.

How does the minister expect Ontarians to trust this government with large infrastructure projects like public transit when they can’t even play nice with our federal and municipal partners?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Minister of Infrastructure.

Hon. Monte McNaughton: Let me make it perfectly clear: We will take no advice, when it comes to infrastructure, from Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government. In fact—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I need to be able to hear the Minister of Infrastructure reply. I would ask the opposition to come to order.

Minister of Infrastructure.

Hon. Monte McNaughton: We have forwarded to the federal government 54 projects for funding. That includes 49 projects in rural and northern communities across the province and, as the Minister of Transportation said, five major transit projects inside of the GTHA. We would expect all members in this House to stand up for Ontario.

Justin Trudeau should treat Ontario like he treats every other province in the country. Like the Minister of Transportation said, the federal government announced their support for metro Vancouver before city council supported it and before the—

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

Next question.

Ontario budget

Mr. Randy Hillier: My question is to the Minister of Finance. It is a fundamental aspect of budgeting that one must first accurately compile all the approved program spending through detailed estimates from each ministry. These are then rolled up and aggregated for each ministry and for the government’s total budget. The estimates or detailed spending are then tabled and are voted upon in committee and referred back to the House.

I know this is the finance minister’s first time tabling a budget and the first time tabling detailed estimates. My question is: Is the minister confident that the budget is accurate and without significant errors or omissions, or is it possible that he got the cart before the horse?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Thank you very much. I can tell you that we’re very proud of the budget that we not only presented, but proud of the budget that this government has passed. It’s all about protecting what matters most. That includes health care, education and social services, and the services that our people in Ontario look forward to receiving on a daily basis. That is why we have seen an additional $1.3-billion increase into the health budget and we’ve seen a $700-million increase into the education budget.

Speaker, I’ve said this many times in this Legislature: I simply cannot and just do not fundamentally understand how the NDP can vote against $90 million for 100,000 seniors for free dental care. I simply do not understand why they won’t support our—

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

Interjection.

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

Supplementary question.

Mr. Randy Hillier: Again, to the Minister of Finance: On March 26, before the release of the budget, the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services stated, “Under the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party,” autism funding this fiscal year “will be over $600 million.” However, her ministry is only seeking approval for $331 million, which is tabled in the provincial estimates under vote 702.

Speaker, one of three things must be happening:

(1) The Minister of Social Services is out of the loop and leaving families of autistic children euchred; (2) there’s a hidden deficit of nearly $300 million; or (3) the government will secretly use a Treasury Board order to defund other approved programs and services to fill the gap.

Speaker, I’d like to have the minister answer which of the three it is.

Interjections.

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

The Minister of Finance to reply.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Thank you very much, Speaker. We have been perfectly clear. The budget that was passed by this government is—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The opposition must come to order. The independents must come to order.

The minister can reply.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Thank you, Speaker. We have made ourselves perfectly clear. The budget is fully costed, and all efficiencies and all value-for-money initiatives have been accounted for. Budget 2019 lays out our comprehensive plan, and we will continue to roll out a responsible path to balance over the months and the years ahead.

Speaker, our plan puts people ahead of everything. We put people at the centre of everything we do and we will continue our path to balance and protect our front-line services.

Public transit

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Our government campaigned on a promise to make life easier for Ontarians by improving transit, reducing congestion and getting people to home and work faster, leaving them more time for what matters most.

I know we have moved quickly over the last 10 months to increase GO train service for people throughout the region. This includes the largest increases in GO rail services in five years on the Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West lines, more service on the Kitchener line and year-round weekday commuter rail service to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Transportation update the House on our GO train services in the region?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: I thank the member from Markham–Thornhill—

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Hard-working.

Hon. Jeff Yurek: He’s working hard to build that extended subway system into Markham. He has been a key part of that project in making it go forward.

As part of the 2019 budget, we announced our commitment to move ahead with the GO Expansion Program to improve and expand GO train service. Just last week, the Minister of Infrastructure and my parliamentary assistant, Kinga Surma, were on hand to announce that our government is delivering on our promise by moving forward with the next stage of the GO rail expansion program and announcing the prequalified teams that will be bidding on the On-Corridor Works project.

The four teams were selected based on their experience and ability to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a project of this scope and complexity. EnTransit, MTR, ONcore Transit and ONxpress Transportation Partners are the groups that are bidding.

We want to create a more integrated, seamless system, and that’s what this project is going to do.

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

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: Thank you, Minister, for that great answer. It is encouraging to know that our government is putting the people of our province first by moving ahead with the GO rail expansion program.

For years, this province has been plagued by congestion and lack of vital transit infrastructure. With this announcement, our government is showing that we are committed to getting it right and getting this province moving.

Getting it right means having the right tools for the job. Ensuring that this project is delivered on time and delivered on budget will be vital to its success. Can the minister tell us more about how our government is going to get this project going?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Minister of Infrastructure.

Hon. Monte McNaughton: Thank you to the member opposite for that excellent question, and for his leadership.

Congestion in the GTHA is an $11-billion problem. This has a real impact on people’s lives. Last week, I was excited to announce, with the Minister of Transportation, that our government has launched requests for proposals for the largest transit public-private partnership in Canada’s history.

We asked the private sector for the best and most innovative solution to a simple challenge: Move people from point A to point B within a certain time frame. This project means faster trains, increased ridership and lower maintenance. It will make travelling across the GTHA faster, easier and more seamless.

Partnering with the private sector to deliver this project will minimize construction delays and financial risks to taxpayers. This allows us to protect front-line services and programs that matter to people.

Mr. Speaker, we’re open for business, and we’re putting Ontario back on track.

Autism treatment

Miss Monique Taylor: My question is for the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. Today we released a report outlining what we have been hearing from parents since the government introduced its devastating autism program. Frankly, it’s what we heard under the Liberal program as well.

Across this province, we heard that parents aren’t getting the help that they need, and they don’t trust this government to deliver the program that they deserve. That’s why we are calling for an all-party, arm’s-length select committee to transparently design and implement a new autism program that will work for families. This is a chance for the government to take the politics out of autism.

Will the minister agree to our call and strike a non-partisan select committee?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: It’s my pleasure to respond to the member opposite. Obviously, I’m very excited that we appointed last week a non-partisan advisory panel to the ministry with—

Interjections.

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: And I’m looking forward to receiving the report from the New Democrats. I have yet to receive it.

I’m pleased that members of all parties in this assembly, including the Green Party and the Liberal Party as well as the New Democrats, and including members of the Progressive Conservative government, have had round table consultations. I’m happy to provide that to the chair of the committee, who is Dr. Marie Bountrogianni, a former Liberal cabinet minister.

I’m also excited that we had a number of telephone town halls, as well as online surveys, where over 4,000 Ontarians were able to contribute their views, their values and their thoughts.

But, Speaker, I think we must take the politics out of this, which is why I appointed not only a former Liberal MPP to co-chair it, but a number of my own personal critics, so we could get this right for the children in the province of Ontario, with an unprecedented fund of over $600 million—

Interjections.

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

Start the clock. Supplementary question?

Miss Monique Taylor: Speaker, it wasn’t very long ago that this government was calling frustrated parents professional protesters, the same parents who were told by the Conservatives that they wouldn’t have to protest on the lawns of Queen’s Park under their government. These parents have tried and tried to have their voices heard, only to be stifled by tightly controlled telephone town halls and invite-only community meetings.

Families have lost their trust in this government and this minister to do the right thing by their children. That’s why we’re asking for a non-partisan, arm’s-length select committee to oversee the implementation of the new autism program. It’s time this government introduced some transparency and fairness into the way that it delivers programs.

Will this minister get the politics and secrecy out of autism and strike this committee?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members, please take their seats. The minister to reply.

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: I’m very disappointed with the member opposite, who continues to bring partisanship into this issue. An unprecedented $621 million will be invested this year into the Ontario Autism Program. More children are receiving service than ever before in the province, and we have now put forward an expert advisory panel by that rabid Conservative partisan that we know as Dr. Marie Bountrogianni, a former Liberal cabinet minister, and those Lisa MacLeod sycophants at ONTABA and the OAC.

The reality is, we decided to take the partisanship and politics out of this and add an unprecedented amount of money so that we can support every single child in the province of Ontario with autism.

But you know what, Speaker? What frustrates me day in and day out on this file is the irresponsibility of the member opposite, the fearmongering by her leader and the behaviour of that party, which wants to play politics with children—

Interjections.

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Hamilton Mountain must come to order. The House will come to order.

The member for Ottawa West–Nepean is anxiously and patiently awaiting the opportunity to ask his questions. Start the clock.

Red tape reduction

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Last week, the minister announced changes to the Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit. Our government is cutting red tape and levelling the playing field for small and medium interactive digital media companies across this province. In 2016, Ontario’s interactive digital media industry employed almost 20,000 people. Members of Interactive Ontario, the association representing companies in the sector, say they plan to hire thousands of new people over the next year, including in Ottawa’s west end.

Could the minister please outline for the House how our government is working to create an environment where interactive digital media companies can grow and thrive?

Hon. Todd Smith: I want to thank the diligent member from Ottawa West–Nepean for that great question this morning.

It was a pleasure to visit last week with Uken Games here in Toronto for an important announcement we made. It was great to speak with business leaders in the interactive digital media sector here in Ontario, where they have an impact of $3 billion for our economy in that sector. These companies are working on everything from video games to digital marketing solutions for some of the world’s largest companies. The video game industry has come a long way since your Donkey Kong days. It’s really, really big business.

Jean-Sylvain Sormany is the president of Snowed In Studios, a developer in west Ottawa, where the member is from. He said, “I think this is great,” and we do too. It’s a great change. Small and medium businesses make up 85% of this space. With our changes to the digital media tax credit, those companies are going to face less red tape when they’re accessing this important support.

As the member opposite says, thousands and thousands of jobs in Ontario are depending on us. We’re coming through to create even more.

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

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: I appreciate the minister’s response. It’s always good news for our province any time we can remove red tape for Ontario’s businesses.

I am pleased to hear the steps our government is taking to help our smaller video game developers grow and thrive here at home in Ontario. Through strategic investments, we can ensure that Ontario is a leader in this field and create jobs and keep jobs in this province for years to come.

Through you, Mr. Speaker: Can the minister please advise the House further on how our government is creating an environment in the media sector where we can attract investment and create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity?

Hon. Todd Smith: I know the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport would like to answer this question.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Thank you for the opportunity to answer that important question, and also for the great work that you do out in your constituency.

I’d also like to commend the Honourable Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade for the great work he’s doing to bring jobs to the province of Ontario.

We have tax credits across the media landscape for film, television, music, books and, of course, video games. These tax credits are distributed through a provincial agency called Ontario Creates. These tax credits are used for the industries to simply allow them to access funds to be able to create more work in the province.

That’s why we’re committed to cutting red tape for video game developers, striking film and television advisory panels for those tax credits to ensure we’re supporting job creation—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. Next question.

Health care funding

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: This morning I received a media release from London Health Sciences Centre. I’d like to have a page deliver it to the minister in case she hasn’t seen it.

My question is to the Minister of Health. This morning, London Health Sciences Centre announced their budget plans for this year, and it’s not good. They will need to make $28 million in cuts, equal to 2% of their total budget. They have asked all the departments to find between 2% and 2.5% in cuts to their budgets.

Does the minister still stand by her statement that she is not cutting health care?

Hon. Christine Elliott: The answer is yes. We are actually investing, as I indicated earlier, $1.3 billion more into health care this year. We’re investing in the front lines of our health care system with an extra $384 million for hospitals’ operational costs this year. This includes a $12-million increase in base funding for London Health Sciences Centre in 2019.

Our government also announced a $1.2-million investment for London Health Sciences Centre in the fall to help that hospital deal with increases during flu season.

We also invested over $8 million as part of our government’s larger commitment to upgrade, repair and maintain hospital facilities across the province.

Together, these investments will enable all hospitals, and specifically London Health Sciences Centre, to deal with the increases that they are experiencing.

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

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: In order to achieve $28 million in cuts, London Health Sciences Centre is forced to reduce staffing hours equivalent to 1.6% of their workforce. To start, there will be a hiring freeze of non-clinical staff, natural attrition and non-union voluntary exits. But London Health Sciences is clear: This is only their goal, and the exact number of layoffs will be unknown for some time.

How do budget cuts and layoffs help to end hallway medicine? Does the minister still stand by her statement that there will be no layoffs of front-line health care workers on her watch?

Hon. Christine Elliott: As the member will know, hospitals are independent corporations that are run by their own boards of directors, and as such they’re making their own decisions with respect to how they’re going to deal with their operational pressures.

But I would say that we understand that the hospital is working to mitigate the effect on staff by implementing temporary hiring freezes of non-clinical staff through natural attrition and non-union voluntary exits. I understand the hospital is doing whatever they can do to minimize the effects in terms of job losses, but they make their own decisions with their own board of directors.

We will, as a ministry, continue to work with the hospital to ensure that they can get through the next period of time with the additional help that we have already provided them with in monetary terms.

Violence against Indigenous women and girls

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: My question is to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. After more than three years of collecting testimony from Canadians through community meetings and town halls held across the country, the commission of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls delivered its final report yesterday. This report contains testimony from over 2,300 family members, survivors, experts and knowledge keepers collected from heartfelt and often emotional public hearings.

Speaker, the minister was in Ottawa yesterday to receive the report on behalf of our government. Can she please tell us the significance of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: I want to thank the member from Barrie–Innisfil for her strong leadership in defending all vulnerable women in the province of Ontario, and for bringing this important question to the floor of the Legislature today. I really do appreciate it because it is important that every member in this assembly understand what took place yesterday in our country and right here in the province of Ontario.

I was proud, as I mentioned earlier, to represent Ontario yesterday, and also to be the only level of government, the only provincial government, to bring along our Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald to receive the report alongside me. I felt that was important, Speaker, not only as a gesture but as the next step after the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls report was tabled.

The prevalence of violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada is entirely unacceptable, Speaker. That is why this government is committed to supporting vulnerable women, particularly in our Indigenous communities, so that we can ensure their safety, their security and their—

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

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: Through you, Mr. Speaker: Thank you to the minister for accepting this report on behalf of our government, and standing up for Indigenous women and girls and encouraging all Ontarians, both men and women, to stand up against violence against women and girls.

Speaker, this report highlights statistics that show Indigenous women and girls in Canada are 12 times more likely to experience violence than non-Indigenous women during their lifetime, and demonstrates through testimony how issues such as sex trafficking and exploitation are affecting young girls in our communities. This high prevalence of violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada is entirely unacceptable.

Can the minister please share with us the steps our government is taking to combat violence against Indigenous women and girls across this province?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: I take the issue of sex trafficking very seriously. That’s why, later today, I will be meeting with a number of survivors so that we can move forward on protecting women in a much more effective way across the province of Ontario, including our Indigenous sisters.

The ministry will continue working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners to support the delivery of culturally appropriate child welfare services as well. That’s extremely important to us. Ontario has signed relationship agreements with three First Nations political territory organizations in relation to child and youth well-being. We have 12 Indigenous children’s aid societies right now who deliver culturally appropriate care in the province of Ontario, and these agreements and others in development demonstrate our shared commitment as a province to working together to improve outcomes and opportunities for First Nations women and girls.

I believe every single member of this assembly stands committed in ensuring that we protect Indigenous—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. The next question.

Addiction services

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. London is facing one of the most severe opioid overdose crises in the country. Last April, five Londoners died in a single week.

It was heartbreaking news we received yesterday that the government abruptly pulled Middlesex-London Health Unit’s funding application for a supervised consumption site on York Street and did not even provide a reason why. The Premier doesn’t get to decide the site’s location; London city council does. And yet, this government once again takes its cues from wealthy insider friends and lobbyists, including Amir Farahi and Blackridge Strategy.

There are deep connections between Blackridge Strategy and the Premier’s own office staff. Lobbyists pushed to have the York Street site cancelled and, sure enough, that’s what happened. This is another example of the Premier cutting deals in backrooms and meddling in municipal affairs while vulnerable people pay the price.

Will the minister put the needs of Londoners ahead of the Premier’s friends and immediately fund the York Street supervised consumption site?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank you for the question, but the premise is entirely incorrect. What I will tell you is that a selection site has been made for King Street that was made on the same criteria that all applicants are treated to. All applications are evaluated against the exact same criteria: proximity to other sites, services and community support; ongoing community consultation; integration with primary care treatment and other public health services; and defined pathways to addictions treatment and rehabilitation, primary care, mental health, housing, employment and other health and social services.

That is the criteria that has been applied to all of the other applicants that have been approved—the other 15 sites across the province of Ontario. London is no different. The King Street site has been chosen as the applicant, as the site that’s going to be providing those treatments and services. There’s no question that London needs those services, and they are going to be provided at the King Street site.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry has informed me that he has a point of order.

Hon. John Yakabuski: I’m pleased to welcome to Queen’s Park today Premila Balasubramaniyan, who is the mother of page Aaryan Harshith from my riding of Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke. Premila, welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I believe the member for Scarborough–Guildwood may have a point of order.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: Point of order, Speaker: I would also like to welcome back to the Legislature Gwyn Chapman of the Canadian Black Caucus, who is leading a delegation of young people here today, along with Nadine Spencer, the president of the BBPA, and many other leaders from the Black community.

It’s also my pleasure to welcome collège La Cité de Toronto and Amy MacDonnell, Illungua Baswe, Sabine Soumare, Bessy Yao and Sébastien Laperrière. Bienvenue.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member from Toronto–St. Paul’s has a point of order.

Ms. Jill Andrew: I just want to invite all the members in the House to join us at the bottom of the stairs for a photo for World Eating Disorders Action Day after question period.

Birth of city councillor’s child

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Toronto Centre, a point of order.

Ms. Suze Morrison: I just wanted to take a quick moment and share with the Legislature that my city councillor in Toronto Centre, Kristyn Wong-Tam, who I know many of you probably know, and her wife, Farrah, welcomed their brand new baby into the world yesterday. So we wanted to say congratulations, and welcome to baby Kiyan.

Official members’ photograph

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Before we move to the votes, I wish to remind all members that tomorrow after question period, we are going to be having the official photograph of the 42nd Parliament take place, so I hope you will all be here for that.

Deferred Votes

Time allocation

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We have a deferred vote on government notice of motion number 65, relating to the allocation of time on Bill 115,

An Act to amend the Liquor Control Act with respect to the termination of a specified agreement.

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

The division bells rang from 1150 to 1155.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to ask the members to please take their seats.

On June 3, 2019, Mr. Yakabuski moved government notice of motion number 65, relating to allocation of time on Bill 115. All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Anand, Deepak

Baber, Roman

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bethlenfalvy, Peter

Bouma, Will

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Cho, Stan

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Elliott, Christine

Fedeli, Victor

Fee, Amy

Ford, Doug

Fullerton, Merrilee

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Jones, Sylvia

Kanapathi, Logan

Karahalios, Belinda C.

Ke, Vincent

Khanjin, Andrea

Kramp, Daryl

Kusendova, Natalia

Lecce, Stephen

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McKenna, Jane

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norman

Mitas, Christina Maria

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Park, Lindsey

Parsa, Michael

Pettapiece, Randy

Phillips, Rod

Piccini, David

Rasheed, Kaleed

Roberts, Jeremy

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Dave

Smith, Todd

Tangri, Nina

Thompson, Lisa M.

Tibollo, Michael A.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Walker, Bill

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

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

Andrew, Jill

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arthur, Ian

Bell, Jessica

Bisson, Gilles

Bourgouin, Guy

Coteau, Michael

Fife, Catherine

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Gretzky, Lisa

Hassan, Faisal

Hatfield, Percy

Hillier, Randy

Horwath, Andrea

Hunter, Mitzie

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Lalonde, Marie-France

Lindo, Laura Mae

Mamakwa, Sol

Miller, Paul

Monteith-Farrell, Judith

Morrison, Suze

Natyshak, Taras

Rakocevic, Tom

Sattler, Peggy

Schreiner, Mike

Shaw, Sandy

Singh, Gurratan

Singh, Sara

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

West, Jamie

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yarde, Kevin

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 68; the nays are 42.

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

Motion agreed to.

Time allocation

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We have a deferred vote on government notice of motion number 66, relating to the allocation of time on Bill 117,

An Act to amend the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Call in the members. This will be another five-minute bell.

Interjection: Same vote.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Same vote?

Interjection: No.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Call in the members.

The division bells rang from 1159 to 1200.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): On June 3, 2019, Mr. Walker moved government notice of motion number 66, relating to allocation of time on Bill 117. All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Anand, Deepak

Baber, Roman

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bethlenfalvy, Peter

Bouma, Will

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Cho, Stan

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Coteau, Michael

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Elliott, Christine

Fedeli, Victor

Fee, Amy

Ford, Doug

Fraser, John

Fullerton, Merrilee

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Hunter, Mitzie

Jones, Sylvia

Kanapathi, Logan

Karahalios, Belinda C.

Ke, Vincent

Khanjin, Andrea

Kramp, Daryl

Kusendova, Natalia

Lalonde, Marie-France

Lecce, Stephen

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McKenna, Jane

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norman

Mitas, Christina Maria

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Park, Lindsey

Parsa, Michael

Pettapiece, Randy

Phillips, Rod

Piccini, David

Rasheed, Kaleed

Roberts, Jeremy

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Dave

Smith, Todd

Tangri, Nina

Thompson, Lisa M.

Tibollo, Michael A.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Walker, Bill

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

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

Andrew, Jill

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arthur, Ian

Bell, Jessica

Bisson, Gilles

Bourgouin, Guy

Fife, Catherine

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Gretzky, Lisa

Hassan, Faisal

Hatfield, Percy

Hillier, Randy

Horwath, Andrea

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Lindo, Laura Mae

Mamakwa, Sol

Miller, Paul

Monteith-Farrell, Judith

Morrison, Suze

Natyshak, Taras

Rakocevic, Tom

Sattler, Peggy

Schreiner, Mike

Shaw, Sandy

Singh, Gurratan

Singh, Sara

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

West, Jamie

Yarde, Kevin

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 73; the nays are 37.

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

Motion agreed to.

Getting Ontario Moving Act (Transportation Statute Law Amendment), 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour un Ontario en mouvement (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le transport)

Deferred vote on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 107,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act and various other statutes in respect of transportation-related matters / Projet de loi 107, Loi modifiant le Code de la route et diverses autres lois à l’égard de questions relatives au transport.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We have a deferred vote on third reading of Bill 107,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act and various other statutes in respect of transportation-related matters.

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

The division bells rang from 1204 to 1205.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): On May 29, 2019, Mr. Yurek moved third reading of Bill 107,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act and various other statutes in respect of transportation-related matters. All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Anand, Deepak

Baber, Roman

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bethlenfalvy, Peter

Bouma, Will

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Cho, Stan

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Elliott, Christine

Fedeli, Victor

Fee, Amy

Ford, Doug

Fullerton, Merrilee

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Jones, Sylvia

Kanapathi, Logan

Karahalios, Belinda C.

Ke, Vincent

Khanjin, Andrea

Kramp, Daryl

Kusendova, Natalia

Lecce, Stephen

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McKenna, Jane

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norman

Mitas, Christina Maria

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Park, Lindsey

Parsa, Michael

Pettapiece, Randy

Phillips, Rod

Piccini, David

Rasheed, Kaleed

Roberts, Jeremy

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Dave

Smith, Todd

Tangri, Nina

Thompson, Lisa M.

Tibollo, Michael A.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Walker, Bill

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

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

Andrew, Jill

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arthur, Ian

Bell, Jessica

Bisson, Gilles

Bourgouin, Guy

Coteau, Michael

Fife, Catherine

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Gretzky, Lisa

Hassan, Faisal

Hatfield, Percy

Hillier, Randy

Horwath, Andrea

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Lalonde, Marie-France

Lindo, Laura Mae

Mamakwa, Sol

Miller, Paul

Monteith-Farrell, Judith

Morrison, Suze

Natyshak, Taras

Rakocevic, Tom

Sattler, Peggy

Schreiner, Mike

Shaw, Sandy

Singh, Gurratan

Singh, Sara

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

West, Jamie

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yarde, Kevin

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 68; the nays are 41.

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.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): This House stands in recess until 3 p.m.

The House recessed from 1208 to 1500.

Report, Integrity Commissioner

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I beg to inform the House that the following document has been tabled: the annual report of the review of expense claims covering the period April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019, pursuant to the Cabinet Ministers’ and Opposition Leaders’ Expenses Review Accountability Act, 2002, from the Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Introduction of visitors. I’m pleased to recognize the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: It appeared you may have tried to hesitate to allow me the opportunity. Okay, rotation, rotation, rotation.

I have a number of organizations and guests who are going to be joining us in the gallery today for Pride Month as we kick that off here in the Ontario Legislature.

From Pflag, we’ve got Anne Creighton; from Canada’s gay and lesbian chamber of commerce, Darrell Schuurman; from the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Garfield Durrant; from LGBTory, Helen-Claire Tingling, Maddy Stieva, Arthur Conway, Dr. Isaiah von Lichtenberg, Eric Lorenzen, Rick Hall and Glen Miller; from Jake’s House, Kaitlyn Leeb and Danilo Ferron; from Covenant House, Laurie Hamilton-Houston and Tracie LeBlanc; from Egale, Lennox Toppin and Mark Fellion; from the 519, Lisa Gore Duplessis and Karlene Williams; from Pride Toronto, Olivia Nuamah and Amber Moyle; and from Griffin Centre, Tài Vo.

I’m very excited that they are going to be here to join us today as we celebrate Pride Month.

Order of business

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I believe the member for Orléans has a point of order.

Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde: We would like to ask unanimous consent to share our time among Liberal members for ministerial statements this afternoon.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Orléans is seeking unanimous consent of the House to allow her to share the independent members’ time between the members for Ottawa–Vanier and Orléans in response to ministers’ statements. Agreed? Agreed.

It’s now time for members’ statements.

Members’ Statements

Pharmacare

Mr. Chris Glover: It’s my pleasure to rise in the House to talk about a press conference that we had yesterday with two young women, Tori Lacey and Rebecca Van Fraassen. They’re both young women in their early twenties and they both have an illness called SMA. It’s a degenerative disease; it’s like the childhood version of ALS.

They were here yesterday. Both of their families have raised millions of dollars to research for medication, for a drug that would actually help them to overcome their illness. Miraculously enough, the drug was developed. The challenge now, and the cruel irony, is that they can’t access the drug because it’s too expensive. It costs half a million dollars a year for the treatment, and they cannot get access to that. One family has mortgaged everything to pay for some of the medications, but they have run out.

The drug has been available for two and a half years. I’m happy to report that we met with the Minister of Health this morning, and she has committed to speaking with the ministry, trying to get this drug and make it available to these young women. She has committed to coming back in two weeks. So I’m hoping for good news from the minister, that in two weeks she will be announcing that these young women will get the medication they so desperately need.

Probation and parole officers

Ms. Donna Skelly: I’d like to take a moment to talk about a wonderful event that I was privileged to be able to attend last week on behalf of the Solicitor General. It was the graduation ceremony in Hamilton for Ontario’s newest probation and parole officers.

I was able to spend a few minutes chatting with some of the graduates before the ceremony, and I was extremely impressed with the depth of knowledge they displayed about the situations they will be encountering and with the desire they have to be a positive influence on the people they will be dealing with. Each of these graduates knew they were taking on a responsibility that most people rarely give a second thought to but one that has the potential to make such an enormous impact not only to the individuals involved and their families but on our society as a whole.

Mr. Speaker, as I watched these 22 young people accept their certificates, I felt confident that, as front-line workers in our corrections system, they will live up to the trust and responsibility placed in them by the people of Ontario and work hard to make a difference in the lives of the people in their charge. Mr. Speaker, with these graduates, we are in good hands.

Health care funding

Ms. Jill Andrew: Speaker, nothing matters more than our health. It’s our province’s highest expenditure, and it should be. Each and every Ontarian should be able to have confidence in their government and know that health is top of mind. After all, we can’t buy our health care at a convenience store, and it costs more than a buck.

Sadly, this government has proved that our public health isn’t that big of a concern. How? By ramming through health legislation without consulting the community; by slashing $2.7 billion from health, according to the Financial Accountability Office; and by hiding the details of the cuts from the public. This Conservative government is funding health care embarrassingly below inflation. Ontarians deserve better. The people of St. Paul’s deserve better.

We have listened, and tonight we are hosting a health town hall at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, 230 St. Clair Avenue West. We welcome anyone in the House to attend, and we welcome anyone in any riding to attend, because everyone in Ontario and Toronto is concerned with health care.

Our guests this evening will include Councillor Joe Cressy, chair of the Toronto Board of Health; MPP France Gélinas, our fantastic Ontario NDP health critic; Ester Dubali, policy campaign manager, Ontario Health Coalition—I think they’ve got something to say about health cuts—and more.

Join us. Join us, Ontario. Join us, St. Paul’s.

Broadband infrastructure

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: I rise today with excitement to speak about our government’s recent announcement to expand funding for broadband Internet in southwestern Ontario. The Minister of Infrastructure, my colleague, Minister McNaughton of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, announced that our government will contribute up to $63.7 million towards the Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology project, or SWIFT project. This investment is part of a $315-million commitment being made to ensure communities across Ontario have access to high-speed Internet and better cellphone service, which is one of our key campaign promises.

Too many people in southwestern Ontario, and in my riding of Niagara West, do not have access to high-speed Internet. But this funding announcement means that they are now one step closer to getting reliable, high-speed Internet. I look forward to seeing rural residents and businesses being able to stream high-speed Internet from their homes, farms and businesses. It’s high time that smaller communities across the province joined the digital economy. With better access, people can work remotely, access e-commerce platforms, learn online and research at home.

People can also access health care and government services and stay connected to friends and family. Better Internet means businesses will also be able to connect to customers in new markets, making it easier to share information, close deals and process payments.

A new day has dawned for rural southwestern Ontario, all as a result of a promise made and another promise kept.

Better Beginnings, Better Futures

Mr. Jamie West: Since opening 28 years ago, Sudbury’s Better Beginnings, Better Futures has helped over 17,000 children and families have a chance at a good life. It all began with a free recreational after-school program in the old O’Connor community ice shack.

Better Beginnings offers a nutritious snack and a safe environment for homework, for creative and educational games, for arts and crafts, outings and cultural celebrations. They’ve since expanded to multiple locations, offering dozens of free programs such as the Community Closet, which offers dignity while providing free access to clothing and linens; Baby’s Breath, which provides support to pregnant and parenting teenagers, to their families and to their partners; and several nutrition programs. To continue this vital work, Better Beginnings, Better Futures relies on support from the Ontario government.

They need the government to be their partner to make investing in these families and our communities a priority.

Their model is designed to prevent young children in low-income, high-risk neighbourhoods from experiencing poor outcomes.

Speaker, I’m an example of a child that grew up in a low-income, high-risk neighbourhood. O’Connor Park is a few blocks from Cabot Street, where I grew up. It’s a short walk from Queen Elizabeth, the primary school that I attended. I was given a better beginning; I now enjoy a better future. All children in Sudbury deserve that same opportunity.

World Eating Disorders Action Day

Mr. John Fraser: Today is the fourth annual World Eating Disorders Action Day. It’s a global initiative that is comprised of thousands of activists and 200 organizations in 46 countries. This year’s theme is “Eating Disorders: We Can’t Afford to Wait.”

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. They do not discriminate. They affect people of all genders, ages and ethnicities.

Many families are affected by a loved one with an eating disorder. When a loved one is sick, nothing else matters. Eating disorders are pernicious and complicated diseases that devastate those who suffer and leave families feeling hopeless and unable to help. Those who suffer need our support, love and encouragement to get well, but they need the tools and treatment as well.

Speaker, it’s something that our family went through many years ago, and it was a very difficult time. We stuck together, and our daughter, Kïrsten, got well largely due to her courage and strength.

But there are so many individuals and families that are suffering right now. We need to make sure that those things that they need to heal are in place.

Cadets

Mr. Will Bouma: It gives me great pleasure to rise in the House to welcome an extraordinary group from my riding of Brantford–Brant. Today, we welcome the top cadets as chosen by their commanding officers for their dedication, excellence and willingness to make our community the best that it can be.

Cadets learn to become active, responsible members of our community. They make valuable contributions to Canadian society through citizenship and community service activities.

In Brantford, Brant and Six Nations, the four cadet programs keep 260 youth engaged, off the streets and away from their handheld devices, teaching them structure, respect, community involvement and civic duty from today and into adulthood.

For the Navy League Cadets: Chief Petty Officer First Class Matthew Peach, Chief Petty Officer Second Class Benjamin Austin and commanding officer Lieutenant Julie Bernard.

For the Sea Cadets: Chief Petty Officer First Class Celina Bernard and Chief Petty Officer Second Class Isaiah Loftman, joined by Lieutenant Shane Downey.

For the Army Cadets: Chief Warrant Officer Molly Stamp, Master Warrant Officer Jacob Stoneman and commanding officer Captain Joshua Jenne.

For the Air Cadets: Warrant Officer Second Class Joshua Fogg and Flight Corporal Halle Corner, joined by Second Lieutenant Celina Corner.

Cadets, the people of Ontario salute you.

Applause.

WellFort

Ms. Sara Singh: I recently had the pleasure of visiting WellFort Community Health Services in my riding of Brampton, which is actually an umbrella organization for the Bramalea Community Health Centre. It was such a pleasure for me to learn about the important health services that they provide to our community.

I’d like to take this opportunity to also thank the volunteers and staff, who are so passionate about the work they do to provide community services to folks in our community. Those services range from health promotion, primary health programs, oral health programs, diabetes education programs, HIV and hep C awareness programs, just to name a few. Mr. Speaker. They provide holistic care for individuals, families and the community, often those who face multiple barriers in accessing health services in Brampton and specifically in the Bramalea community.

During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet with the Seniors in Action club; it was such a delight. But they shared a number of concerns with me. As seniors in our community, they were very worried about the fact that the majority of them are still living in poverty; they have quite a difficult time accessing housing options; and they’re very concerned about the recent cuts to public health. They were wondering if their very own Seniors in Action program was in jeopardy as well.

I tried to reassure them that I think the government values the contributions of seniors here in our province. As we celebrate Seniors’ Month, I just want to reinforce how important it is that we take the opportunity to engage with our seniors but also, intergenerationally, learn from what they bring to the table. It’s so much power.

I really enjoyed my visit. Thank you.

York Regional Police

Mrs. Daisy Wai: Community engagement can be a very effective way of policing. The general public has often created an unpopular image of police. When a child whines or misbehaves, parents sometimes threaten them to stop, or the police will come. Even adults do not favour the sight of police, as that often means receiving a ticket for a traffic violation.

When I served on the York Regional Police Services Board in 2006, the board recognized the importance of building a strong and positive relationship between the police and public. Today, I am happy to see the strong relationship that York Regional Police have built with the community. They take the initiative to reach out and to participate in numerous cultural events. Just last week, I participated in the Iftar dinner they organized with the Richmond Hill Muslim community. The week before, they celebrated Asian Heritage Month with a lion dance and Indian songs and dances.

Through these events, York Regional Police have become friends with various communities in Richmond Hill. This partnership goes a long way in crime prevention and the protection of neighbourhoods. We thank the York Regional Police for supporting this.

Government’s record

Mr. Mike Harris: It’s always a pleasure to get to rise in the House. Today I’d like to share a little bit of local feedback that I have heard in our first year in government, a year of restoring fiscal balance while protecting what matters most in this province.

At the New Dundee Victoria Day parade, I had many people stop me and say, “Mike, keep on going. We support your government on reducing the deficit, reforming education and supporting small businesses to finally get ahead” here in the province.

They know we have been working non-stop to honour our campaign commitments to repeal the cap-and-trade carbon tax and the Green Energy Act, to expand natural gas and broadband for rural communities, and to provide record funding for long-term-care beds and mental health and addiction services.

On Friday, I brought together nearly a dozen organizations providing these crucial services, to celebrate the $1.5 million in additional funding. They are excited about the $3.8-billion commitment we have made to mental health and addiction services here in Ontario.

We are working for Waterloo region on multiple fronts, in partnership with municipal leaders and other partners. This includes allowing fair and open tendering, protecting double-hatter firefighters, and green-lighting—wait for it—the new Electrophysiology Lab at St. Mary’s hospital and, of course, helping support the Gies Family Centre, which is a beautiful new hospice that has been created in north Waterloo.

One year down, but we have a lot more work to do on behalf of the great people of this province. I’m looking forward to three more great years.

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Government Agencies

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I beg to inform the House that today the Clerk received the report on intended appointments dated June 4, 2019, of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies. Pursuant to standing order 108(f)(9), the report is deemed to be adopted by the House.

Report deemed adopted.

Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills

Mr. Kaleed Rasheed: I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills and move its adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Mr. William Short): Mr. Rasheed from the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills presents the committee’s report as follows and moves its adoption.

Your committee begs to report the following bill without amendment:

Bill Pr10,

An Act respecting The United Church of Canada.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed?

I heard a no.

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. The motion is carried.

Report adopted.

Standing Committee on Justice Policy

Mr. Parm Gill: I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Justice Policy and move its adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Mr. William Short): Mr. Gill from the Standing Committee on Justice Policy presents the committee’s report as follows and moves its adoption.

Your committee begs to report the following bill, as amended:

Bill 108,

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing, other development and various other matters / Projet de loi 108, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne le logement, les autres aménagements et d’autres questions.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed?

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 will be a 20-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1521 to 1541.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to ask the members to please take their seats.

Mr. Gill has moved the adoption of a report from the Standing Committee on Justice Policy regarding Bill 108. All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Anand, Deepak

Baber, Roman

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bethlenfalvy, Peter

Bouma, Will

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Cho, Stan

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Elliott, Christine

Fedeli, Victor

Fee, Amy

Fullerton, Merrilee

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Jones, Sylvia

Kanapathi, Logan

Karahalios, Belinda C.

Ke, Vincent

Khanjin, Andrea

Kramp, Daryl

Kusendova, Natalia

Lecce, Stephen

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McKenna, Jane

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norman

Mulroney, Caroline

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Park, Lindsey

Parsa, Michael

Pettapiece, Randy

Phillips, Rod

Piccini, David

Rasheed, Kaleed

Roberts, Jeremy

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Dave

Smith, Todd

Tangri, Nina

Thompson, Lisa M.

Tibollo, Michael A.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Walker, Bill

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

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.

Arthur, Ian

Bell, Jessica

Bisson, Gilles

Coteau, Michael

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Fife, Catherine

Fraser, John

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Hatfield, Percy

Hunter, Mitzie

Kernaghan, Terence

Lalonde, Marie-France

Miller, Paul

Rakocevic, Tom

Schreiner, Mike

Singh, Gurratan

Singh, Sara

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Vanthof, John

West, Jamie

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 66; the nays are 23.

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

Report adopted.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Pursuant to the order of the House dated May 28, 2019, the bill is ordered for third reading.

Introduction of Bills

Reserved Parking for Electric Vehicle Charging Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le stationnement réservé à la recharge des véhicules électriques

Mr. Calandra moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 123,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act respecting electric vehicle charging stations / Projet de loi 123, Loi modifiant le Code de la route en ce qui concerne les stations de recharge pour véhicules électriques.

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): I would ask the member for Markham–Stouffville if he would like to briefly explain his bill.

Mr. Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, this is just a bill that would make it an offence to leave a vehicle unattended at an electric vehicle charging station and not be charging.

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Pride Month

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: I’m happy to stand in this House today to celebrate the beginning of Pride Week in the province of Ontario. I would be remiss not to welcome a number of people in the gallery today, whom I welcomed earlier but are with us now.

I would like to welcome Pflag’s Anne Creighton; Canada’s gay and lesbian chamber of commerce, Darrell Schuurman; Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Garfield Durrant; LGBTory, Helen-Claire Tingling, Maddy Stieva, Mr. Arthur Conway, Dr. Isaiah von Lichtenberg, Eric Lorenzen, Rick Hall and Glen Miller; Jake’s House, Kaitlyn Leeb and Danilo Ferron; Covenant House, Laurie Hamilton-Houston and Tracie LeBlanc—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I apologize to the minister for having to interrupt her. I would ask the members to come to order so as to allow the minister to make her statement.

Once again, the Minister of Children, Community, and Social Services.

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: Egale, Lennox Toppin and Mark Fellion; the 519, Lisa Gore Duplessis and Karlene Williams; Pride Toronto, Olivia Nuamah and Amber Moyle, and Griffin Centre, Tài Vo—and I hope I said that right.

Speaker, this is a very important day in the Legislative Assembly; it’s a very important time in the province of Ontario. Many would pinpoint the beginning of Toronto Pride as the response to Operation Soap, in which gay men were targeted because of their sexuality and arrested. That was in 1981. Back then, many LGBTQ2S people were forced to live their lives in secret or in the closet because of societal pressure and intolerance.

Around that same time, I was growing up in the small town of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, a town where everyone knew one another—and most of us were related to each other too. We would often make a joke that there wasn’t a family tree; it was more like a family web. It was a town where everyone knew one another and neighbours were always willing to help their neighbours.

One of the houses in my town belonged to two men who were in our church choir. They lived together as partners. I didn’t think about it much at the time, but I did know that they were two of my dad’s friends, whom he loved. He firmly believed that their love was no different from anyone else’s in New Glasgow. My dad was also one of the first straight men who walked in our local AIDS march. When he passed away just over a decade ago, the AIDS walk in our community where I grew up honoured him for his support.

My dad is the reason why I care for vulnerable people. He always taught me to treat everyone fairly and with equality, which is why I was one of the first Progressive Conservative politicians, not in Ontario but in all of Canada, to march in a Pride parade.

Just as I was happy to stand among LGBTQ2S friends and allies years ago, I was happy to stand in this House last month on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. I was happy, as well, to stand in April on the International Day of Pink against bullying and to stand outside of Queen’s Park to raise the trans flag in honour of Trans Day of Remembrance, a piece of legislation I was proud to co-sponsor a few years back while in opposition.

Speaker, on behalf of this government, let me be perfectly clear: Ontario stands with the LGBTQ2S community. We always will. Everyone in Ontario should feel welcome and included in our society, regardless of sexual orientation or their gender identity.

As the minister responsible for children and youth, I believe that no child in this province should feel ashamed or scared for who they are. No child should ever have to go to school feeling tormented. I’m committed, alongside my colleague the Minister of Education, to do everything we can to end bullying, ignorance and hate.

Ontario and Canada have come a long way over the past 30 years. We have legalized same-sex marriage, added gender identity and expression as protected grounds to the human rights legislation in our country, and we have banned conversion therapy in the province of Ontario.

At this point, I would like to acknowledge the strong work of an icon within the LGBTQ+ community, the Rev. Cheri DiNovo, a former colleague of mine in this Legislature from the NDP. I’d also like to highlight the work of a former member of this House and a friend of many of us, Phil Gillies, who has been an advocate for the LGBTQ2S community for many years. In 1986, well before his time, Phil Gillies stood in this assembly to ensure a free vote among Progressive Conservative MPPs to stop discrimination against LGBTQ2S people.

And, Speaker, in this Legislature, we have someone else we can be very proud of who is a leader who broke ground. They often say—and I steal this line from the member from Oshawa, Jennifer French, who once said in this House that sometimes we have trailblazers, and then we have other people who widen the trail. A true trailblazer: Her politics and mine couldn’t be any further different than they are, and we’ve had many quarrels in this assembly, but today is an important day to celebrate the member for Don Valley West, Kathleen Wynne.

She became the first openly gay Premier in Canada and head of the largest government by population as an LGBTQ2S leader. Her perseverance and bravery in the face of hate and homophobia serve as an inspiration to us all: that you can reach the highest levels of leadership, and make systemic and positive change. Again, as I say, our politics are not the same. But, Speaker, as the mother of a daughter, I will never forget calling my then-eight-year-old up from her playroom into the living room to watch the Liberal leadership race that Kathleen Wynne won.

Unfortunately, this sense of progress isn’t universal around the world. In March, I spoke at the United Nations. In that same body, 54 nations stood in opposition to supporting a resolution for LGBTQ2S rights. In 10 countries, homosexuality is still a crime punishable by death. Think about that. Globally, we still need to fight for LGBTQ2S rights on the world stage.

Canada and our province of Ontario must continue to be leaders in this regard by denouncing abhorrent policies around the world, like former Prime Minister Stephen Harper did in 2009, when he lobbied the president of Uganda against an anti-LGBTQ2S bill; or when the person I succeeded in this Legislature, the former MPP for Nepean and community and social services minister and then foreign affairs minister, John Baird, wasn’t afraid to attack Russia’s anti-gay laws. That, in my opinion, is leadership.

It’s also by supporting organizations like Rainbow Railroad, which shepherds LGBTQ2S people from unsafe countries to our country, to Canada. Canada became one of the first western world countries to admit refugees on the basis of sexual orientation. I could be no more proud of the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, 30 years ago—my seatmate’s father—who in 1991 decided to take that stand on behalf of this country. We all have an incredible legacy to build on to support those who are marginalized and those who continue to need our support.

I conclude with this: while Pride is a celebration—and I certainly intend to celebrate Pride—we must also reflect on the successes of the past, but still the challenges that lie ahead both here and abroad. Yesterday’s missing and murdered Indigenous women and 2QS report indicated we still have a lot of work to do, not only in big cities like Toronto and Ottawa, but in our rural and remote Indigenous communities throughout this province. I say to all Ontarians, we all must be part of these efforts to support the LGBTQ2S community. I say to all of those in the LGBTQ2S community: Ontario stands with you and we celebrate you.

Missing persons

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I am pleased to speak about the Missing Persons Act, 2018, which will come into force on July 1, 2019.

Police and family members will tell you that the first hours after a loved one goes missing are critical. Unfortunately, in Ontario, in cases where there is no evidence that a crime has been committed, police have not been able to obtain judicial orders to access essential information or obtain warrants authorizing entry to premises to locate the missing persons.

This has left too many missing people lost or at risk. No one knows that better than families of loved ones who have gone missing, like Maureen Trask, who is here today with her son Adam. In 2011, Maureen’s son Daniel went missing. Maureen never stopped searching for Daniel until his remains were found in the Temagami wilderness in 2015. From her experience, she has become a vocal advocate for families of missing persons.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the tireless effort of Maureen and her family, as well as the work of MPP Catherine Fife, the member from Waterloo. I would also like to acknowledge the many other families in helping advance this important and critical legislation. Thank you.

This week, on June 7, it would have been Daniel’s 36th birthday, so it’s fitting that this legislation will come into effect at the end of June. Police services should not have their hands tied when someone goes missing. Instead, we must ensure they have the tools and supports they need to find our loved ones.

Once enforced, the Missing Persons Act, 2018, will address barriers faced by police in Ontario when investigating missing persons. It will provide police with three tools to use in certain circumstances where there is no evidence that a crime has been committed. The first is the ability for police to obtain a judicial order to obtain copies of records that may assist in locating a missing person. The second is the ability for police to obtain a warrant to allow entry into premises to locate a missing person. The third is the ability for police to make an urgent demand for records without a court order in certain very narrow circumstances.

Missing persons legislation already exists in other Canadian jurisdictions such as Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and was a key recommendation in the inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations youth in Thunder Bay. At the same time, any such legislation must contain safeguards to protect the privacy of the missing person and the safety of those who do not wish to be located. The Missing Persons Act, 2018, strikes that very delicate balance.

The act sets out tests to obtain judicial authorization for access to records or search warrants, and to execute urgent demands for records. It requires police and judicial officials to consider privacy issues and whether there is evidence that the person does not wish to be located, including because they are fleeing violence. The act provides guidance to police on what information may be disclosed about a missing person before and after they have been located.

There are circumstances where a missing person may be at imminent risk of harm, or records that could be helpful in a search are destroyed in the time it takes to obtain a judicial order. In such cases, police may exercise an urgent demand for records without seeking a judicial order. The officer would have to report the use of an urgent demand to a member of the police service designated by the chief of police and make reasonable efforts to notify the person whose information was accessed. The police service board would have to report publicly on the use of urgent demands by the police services.

In any missing persons case, the police have one goal: to locate the individual, to ensure their safety. I applaud them for the work they do, and I am committed to ensuring that they have the tools they need to locate a missing person sooner.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): It is now time for responses.

Pride Month

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: I’d also like to welcome all of our distinguished guests here in the Legislature today.

It’s an honour to speak about Pride Month as the Ontario NDP critic for LGBTQ issues. New Democrats are proud to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community, not just in June but every day of the year. Pride Month is an important opportunity for us to celebrate the gains we’ve made and to reflect on how far our society still needs to go.

Last July, I had the privilege of marching in London’s Pride parade for the first time as an openly gay MPP. The level of support and enthusiasm was incredible, and it was inspiring to see members of London’s LGBTQ community march proudly while being cheered on by supportive families and neighbours. I look forward to attending more Pride events this month, such as Blockorama, organized by Nik Red, as well as many others throughout the summer.

Organizations like Pride Toronto have worked day and night to host a wide range of parades, art shows, speakers and festivities in the Village and across Toronto. Pride events like these are happening all across our province, from Sarnia to Peterborough to Ottawa, and I encourage my colleagues across the aisle to attend these events. I hope they celebrate alongside the LGBTQ community, while also listening to their concerns.

I want to thank the many LGBTQ organizations, activists and volunteers who are working tirelessly to show their communities that love is love. But it’s also important to remember that Pride was founded as a protest. Pride began as a way to recognize the Stonewall riots, when Marsha P. Johnson and so many others stood up for equal rights. We continue to stand on their shoulders, and the shoulders of those who came before us. We must honour their legacy by remembering that Pride remains a time for the LGBTQ community to push for equal rights.

On this account, we still have much distance to go. Wait times for gender reassignment surgeries across the province remain lengthy and costly. Inclusive programs and curricula that represent LGBTQ students in schools are under threat, whether it is Conservative governments repealing modern sex ed programs or attacking gay-straight alliances in high schools.

It’s important to remind our federal and provincial governments that Pride is more than a symbol, and the LGBTQ community needs more than symbolic gestures to achieve true equality in our society. A commemorative coin—a token—means very little when we don’t see legislative change.

Missing persons

Ms. Catherine Fife: Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the government’s statement on the Missing Persons Act.

I want to welcome Maureen and Adam Trask to the Legislature for this important day. It has been a long time coming.

There are currently over 300 people missing in the province of Ontario. For years, Daniel Trask was one of these people. Daniel went missing in Temagami in 2011. Sadly, his remains were found in 2015.

Daniel’s mom, Maureen, turned her grief into advocacy. I was proud to work alongside her, pushing for provincial legislation that would locate missing persons. Together, the Trasks and other families of missing people collected hundreds of signatures on petitions. I presented member’s statements, asked questions during question period, put forward a private member’s motion in 2015, and saw through this legislation under the last government.

Today, a few days away from Daniel’s birthday on June 7, I’m here again to talk about the Missing Persons Act finally—finally—becoming law.

In 2014, Maureen walked into my office looking for help. She and her husband had been looking for their son Daniel for three years. When we met, they still hadn’t found him. They were organizing search after search. In 2015, volunteer searchers—volunteer searchers—found Daniel’s remains. They had to organize these searches all on their own because in the province of Ontario, we didn’t have missing persons legislation. So, if a family member or a friend goes missing and there is no suspicion of foul play, there are few tools that police can employ to help people find their missing loved ones.

When this new legislation comes into effect, it will help police in locating missing people whose safety and welfare may be at risk. These are people living with dementia who go missing, these are children and adults with mental health issues, and these are missing Indigenous women and youth, too many of whom go missing.

I want to thank Waterloo police Chief Bryan Larkin, who has followed this issue closely.

We all agree that this new legislation can’t just be words on paper. Police need to be given the proper resources to find missing people. I hope that the Solicitor General is prepared to do the work, and I believe that she is.

In 2015, when I tabled this motion calling on the province to develop missing persons legislation, I said that, as a province, we needed more empathy and we needed more than indifference. We were all in a unique position, as legislators, to motivate action towards missing persons legislation. Today, four years later, I am proud that members from all parties have participated in this, and that we have gotten something done together. I’m hopeful that this legislation will help prevent future pain and suffering when a family member or a friend goes missing.

It has been my privilege to work with Maureen to advance this cause. I thank you for your advocacy.

Applause.

Pride Month / Mois de la Fierté

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: It is indeed an emotional day when we are here to acknowledge courage and to continue to celebrate advocacy.

C’est un honneur pour moi de souligner le Mois de la Fierté au nom du Parti libéral de l’Ontario.

Pride Month celebrates the vision, the courage, of the early heroes and heroines who dared to be proud and proclaim their pride in who they are and who they want to be. This has not always been easy. Indeed, Pride Month celebrates the Stonewall riots—and the level of prejudice that continues to exist in Ontario.

Earlier we celebrated the great leadership of the former Premier, the MPP from Don Valley West. I think she had a tremendous importance for all of us to be inspired and continue to be good advocates and to be trailblazers, and to continue to go forward and do what we are meant to do.

But prejudice continues. Hate continues. We all know of acts of violence, we all know of bullying, we all know of rejection, and we all know that the LGBTQ community continues to need to be helped and to be celebrated, and that’s what we want to do this month.

It’s important to stand up, it’s important to stand out and it’s important to speak up, to celebrate the constant demand that equality requires from all of us. It is incumbent on all of us who have a platform to turn words into action and to actively demonstrate our support for LGBTQ2S communities every day, and this month particularly.

This month, I encourage all MPPs and everyone watching to go into the community and celebrate and support LGBTQ art and LGBTQ-owned businesses. The Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity has assembled a wonderful list that they have named Proud City, a list of businesses, community organizations and spaces which have positive spaces for the LGBTQ community.

I invite people to come to Ottawa for Ottawa’s Pride parade in August. I will be part of it. I will be part of the run, as well, that we always organize.

I invite everyone to continue to attend Pride celeb