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September 27, 2018

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2018-Sept-27 (PDF)

L029 - Thu 27 Sep 2018 / Jeu 27 sep 2018

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Thursday 27 September 2018 Jeudi 27 septembre 2018

Orders of the Day

Time allocation

Wearing of ribbons

Introduction of Visitors

Oral Questions

Government’s agenda

Employment standards

Anti-racism activities

College funding

Long-term care

Injured workers

Education funding

Anti-racism activities

Red tape reduction

Indigenous economic development

Concussions

Addiction services

Forest industry

Addiction services

Community safety

Public transit

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Visitor

Notice of dissatisfaction

Visitor

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Injured workers

Rail safety

Correctional facilities

Childhood cancer

Heron Gate

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center

Gun violence

Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show

International trade

Introduction of Bills

Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le cannabis

Crystal-Kirkland Mines, Limited Act, 2018

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Gender Equality Week

Petitions

School facilities

Employment standards

Injured workers

Animal protection

Affordable housing

Indigenous affairs

Injured workers

Celiac disease

Curriculum

Curriculum

Pharmacare

Special report, Auditor General

Report, Ombudsman of Ontario

Private Members’ Public Business

Alternate Land Use and Services Program for Agricultural Land Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur un programme de diversification des modes d’utilisation des terres agricoles et des services produits sur ces terres

GO Transit

Affordable housing

Alternate Land Use and Services Program for Agricultural Land Act, 2018 / Loi de 2018 sur un programme de diversification des modes d’utilisation des terres agricoles et des services produits sur ces terres

GO Transit

Affordable housing

Orders of the Day

Time allocation

Time allocation

The House met at 0900.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We will have a moment of silence for inner thought and personal reflection.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Time allocation

Hon. Todd Smith: I move that, pursuant to standing order 47 and notwithstanding any other standing order or special order of the House, when the order of the day is called resuming the adjourned debate on government order number 6, the Speaker shall put every question necessary to dispose of the motion and any amendments thereto, which questions shall be decided without further amendment or debate; and

That, notwithstanding standing order 9(

c) or 28(h), there shall be no deferral of any vote; and

That, in the case of any division on the amendment to the motion and the motion, the division bell shall be limited to five minutes.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Smith, Bay of Quinte, has moved government notice of motion number 8. Would the minister care to lead off the debate? No?

Further debate? The member for Timiskaming–Cochrane.

Mr. John Vanthof: It’s always an honour to be able to stand in this House on behalf of the residents of Timiskaming–Cochrane and today also on behalf—as always, hopefully—of the members of my caucus and our leader, Andrea Horwath.

Today we’re discussing another time allocation motion. It came to me this morning, as I found out that we were to discuss a time allocation motion, that since this new government has been elected they haven’t been able to figure out how to move legislation without time allocation. They talk a good game about wanting to work together and then, each time, with very little notice, they have decided to go around the system and use—it is a tool at their disposal.

But it’s further evidence again, and this won’t be the first time that I’ve tried to warn the government—because at the end of the day, although we are in opposition as legislators, each time that time allocation is used, it hurts the way this Legislature works. This one is a bit different, and I will get into that in a few moments.

Legislation needs to be debated. It needs to go to committee. Not because it’s just a way to waste time; it’s a way to get more people to look at it, more people to criticize it and, in the end, make it better legislation. Because at the end of the day, at the end of your mandate, of this current mandate, at the end of your personal mandates and your personal political careers—and we will all have an end to our personal political careers—you want to be looked upon—at least, I hope that I’m looked upon as a reasonable person who did everything I could to make our system work, despite whoever’s in government.

Continually using time allocation, bill after bill after bill, and in this case on this motion, quite frankly, doesn’t look reasonable. But a bigger problem is that the issues you miss by not adequately vetting the legislation are going to come up and bite you, and they’re going to bite you big time. Bigger, maybe, than any of us know, because one of the issues why you would like to create this select committee—and we will talk about that in a second—is because of some of the issues that bit the last government big time.

You’re not taking, from what we can see, any precautions. You haven’t learned from their actual procedural mistakes and their legislative mistakes. You haven’t learned. Although your beliefs may be different, the problems you face could very well be the same thing.

Usually in the past when I’ve spoken to time allocation motions, I like to quote the now Minister of Transportation about the guillotine.

Ms. Catherine Fife: You could actually quote all of them.

Mr. John Vanthof: Oh, I could. I could. But this one is a bit different. Their argument on the other side is going to be, “Well, we’re not trying to move legislation. We’re trying to create a committee.” So, it’s a bit different. The member from Waterloo made a very good point yesterday that—

Ms. Catherine Fife: I’m sure I did.

Mr. John Vanthof: She makes very good points.

Interjections.

Mr. John Vanthof: I’m being heckled by my own members now.

But she made a very good point: Many, if not all of the things that you want to find out with this select committee could be done, should be done, at public accounts. The way your motion is structured, the Auditor General is there. Actually, that is where the issues that you focused on were identified as well, with the Auditor General.

The Auditor General identified the issues with the fair hydro plan. She identified the issues with the pension plan. It raises a question. We understand the issue about the money being, perhaps, put in the wrong places. We understand that. Not “perhaps”; it was. We identified that as well. But this committee doesn’t seem to be looking for new information, it doesn’t seem to be looking for information that we don’t already have, and it certainly doesn’t seem, as the motion is presented, to be looking for solutions.

Usually, a select committee is non-partisan. You identify a problem and you know what? The Legislature sits down, says: “Let’s appoint people. Yes, we will find out a problem, and then we will look for a solution. So, either we fix the problem or it doesn’t happen again.” We don’t see that in this motion, in the committee motion itself. We don’t see that. What we perceive—and it’s not up to me, it’s not my job and not my responsibility, nor do I want to guess what the government sees, but when I look at your motion, again, you’re looking more at using this committee as perhaps a weapon instead of a tool.

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: A political weapon.

Mr. John Vanthof: A political weapon. The weapon has already been used by the people of Ontario against the previous government.

The information that this committee is seeking—and we’re not trying to belittle the information. They are incredibly big numbers, and the Auditor General, in our opinion, was right in saying the accounting was not correct. But we don’t see anything in the motion that would direct the committee to actually say, “And here’s what we’re going to do in the future to make sure that doesn’t happen.” That’s what’s missing.

One of our amendments: We would urge the government to consider, really consider, that if you’re really going to want to use this committee as a tool to make our system better on behalf of the people of Ontario, all the people of Ontario, the people who voted for you, the people who voted for us and the people quite frankly who didn’t vote but whom we still have to look out for—we do. If the committee was structured so there were actually ways that the committee suggests it could look forward, that would make a big difference. But we really don’t see that.

That’s why we’ve put forward, Speaker, these two amendments, to actually—I apologize, Speaker. This is the first time I’ve looked at you. You’re a great Speaker. I’m trying to be measured, so I’m sure that’s why you haven’t directed me to.

But these two amendments we’ve put forward are to try and make this committee a tool, a tool that presently legislators don’t have, because if we’re just looking for the numbers and we’re just looking for the where, why and how, the public accounts committee is perfectly equipped to do that right now. The Auditor General’s office is very, very well equipped to do that right now. We don’t need that. If this is just to find out what happened, that already exists—that already exists.

If this is just to be used as a political weapon on behalf of the government for political theatre or basically to continue to grind other people into the ground—quite frankly, if this government is all about effective use of taxpayers’ money, that is a total waste of taxpayers’ money.

If this committee is to be used as—for once in my life I need speaking notes, and they’re not there. But if this committee is truly to be used as a tool to improve the way the Legislature works for the people of the province, we urge the government to seriously, seriously consider voting for the amendments that we have proposed, both to broaden the scope of the committee, to look at not one slice of government, one period, but also to look at functions of government—functions of governments.

So, to look forward and to look back, because one of the big problems I found in my seven years here—seven, eight years; time flies even if you’re not having fun—is that often decisions are made with a very narrow window. And after decisions are made, people who made the decisions: “Oh, who knew that was going to happen?” Well, we could have thought about that if you had taken some time to actually figure that out. This committee could do that if you broadened the scope and said, “Let’s look at government decisions. Yes, the Liberal government in the past made lots of bad decisions, and let’s look at them.

But let’s look at government decisions in general and see how they’re made and see where they can be improved.”

Ms. Catherine Fife: All the way back to the 407.

Mr. John Vanthof: Oh, yes, we could go all the way back to the 407.

Another issue we have identified is that, the way the committee is structured, witnesses can be called before the committee. That’s a good thing. But effectively, the way it’s structured, witnesses will only be approved if the government approves of the witness. If you really want this committee to work and you want to use this committee as a tool as opposed to a weapon, a political weapon; if you want to use it as a legislative tool to improve the lives of Ontarians, which, really, is what a select committee is for; if you look at the Select Committee on Developmental Services and the Select Committee on—

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: —Mental Health and Addictions.

Mr. John Vanthof: —Mental health and Addictions, those were select committees to improve the lives of Ontarians. If you want to make the select committee on—whatever this one’s called—government transparency, if you want to make it really work as a tool as opposed to a political weapon, you would open it up to allow all of the committee members to call witnesses. And yes, you’re going to get some viewpoints that the governing party is not going to like—you are. But at the end, you’re going to get a much more balanced report from the committee. As legislators, I would believe that you would want a select committee to have a much more balanced approach and balanced recommendations.

There’s not going to be any shortage of political opinion in this place. That’s a given. But if you’re going to create a select committee, let’s make it a legislative opinion, an opinion of this Legislature. That’s what a select committee should be. That’s why we are going to move an amendment to this time allocation motion.

I move that the motion be amended as follows:

In the first paragraph, the words “there shall be one hour of additional debate with 30 minutes apportioned to the government, 20 minutes to the official opposition, seven minutes to the independent Liberal Party members and three minutes to the independent Green Party member. At the end of this time” shall be inserted following the number “6”; and

In the second paragraph, delete the words “9(

c) or”.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Mr. Vanthof moved that the motion be amended as follows:

In the first paragraph the words “there shall be one hour of additional debate with 30 minutes apportioned to the government, 20 minutes to the official opposition, seven minutes to the independent Liberal Party members and three minutes to the independent Green Party member. At the end of this time,” shall be inserted following the number “6”; and

In the second paragraph, delete the words “9(

c) or”.

I give the floor back to the member from Timiskaming–Cochrane.

Mr. John Vanthof: I would like to share my time with the member from—can I do that? Okay.

In closing, the reason for this motion is to give the government a little bit more time to actually consider what we’re trying to do with these amendments that we’ve previously proposed to your motion. We are trying to make this committee work as a tool for the Legislature, not as a political weapon.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Further debate?

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: I’m standing for the further debate on the amendment that was just read because I didn’t see a Conservative rise to speak to the amendment, so I’m going to take some time to do that because I think the member from Timiskaming–Cochrane truly presented a very thoughtful amendment. When we are talking about setting up an all-party select committee in this Legislature, there should be voices from all representations in the House. What kind of government thinks that their opinion is the only one that the people of Ontario need to hear?

We are the official opposition, and we are here to explain to you, or deliver our message, about how important it is that you respect the other voices in this Legislature who voted for us to be here. If you have an all-party select committee with one of the terms, that I believe were referenced, that the government is the only one that approves the witnesses that come forward, how ridiculous does that sound to people? They don’t allow anyone—it’s like the Toronto legislation: They didn’t allow anyone to speak to it that it impacted. The people of Toronto had a right to let you know what they felt was the number of people that they needed to represent them and bring their issues forward.

Now we’re seeing the same style of forced legislation, forced decisions, on the people. You have a select committee that they want to get to the bottom of the accounting issues that the Liberals had. We all agreed at the time, when the Conservatives were sitting on this side of the House, that there were problems with the financial language, that there were problems with the financial paperwork and the way they interpreted things. And I have to tell you: They use the same language.

When the Liberals ran in 2014 and talked about optimizing and modernization of hydro, not a word, never a word, mentioned sell-off. Not a word—privatization or sell-off. Then when they got the power of a majority government, they came to this Legislature and they sold off hydro. We tried to stop them. The Conservatives talked a good game, but they are continuing with the privatization. They were quite vocal about how terrible it was, but now they have the wherewithal to do something about it, and they chose to sit there and not do anything but carry on that philosophy, because they inherently love privatization.

The 407 is a perfectly good example. People despise that decision, but once you privatize, you can’t go back.

When I compare that 2014 election, I look at the platform that the Conservatives put forward. The big overview title was “efficient government.” But not once did they talk about changing the Municipal Act in Toronto—not once. And if they did, would the people of Toronto and maybe the people of Ontario have understood whether or not they wanted that to happen?

So you have the privatization and modernization of hydro and you have efficient government under the Conservatives, and nobody tells you what that means until they come to this Legislature and have power. But then they take that power, they take that authority that they were given by the people, and they continue doing that by setting up this select committee on the finance piece and then time-allocating it. When they do that, they even are putting it in a committee where really it doesn’t belong. They’re kind of pushing the Auditor General off to the side. They should be respecting the Auditor General.

We know that the Liberals didn’t; they went outside of her authority and they got independent auditors to make the numbers work the way they liked them.

Now this government, the Conservatives, have an opportunity. If this is what they really want to do—to get some transparency and accountability so that this doesn’t happen again to another government—then you need to put it in the right committee, and that’s public accounts, where the Auditor General, who is an expert—I know the Premier loves to talk about consulting with experts. Now he has the opportunity to do so, and he skirts them.

You know, Speaker, it doesn’t really resonate well with people of Ontario when you’re setting up this committee. We know that during the election the people spoke. They discarded the Liberals for their antics. Everyone knew that the books weren’t correct, that the numbers that they were reporting weren’t accurate. The Auditor General told us that. Now you’re going to a committee to rehash it. So, if we’re going to do that, make sure you’re planning and setting in progress—not just for the Liberals, to catch them and what they did, because, I mean, the Auditor General did that. She did that. She did that on the fair hydro plan. She did that on the pension plan. So you want to rehash that.

The member from Timiskaming–Cochrane said it truly is a political weapon. The election is over. You need to focus on what people want to see happen, what changes they need in their lives. Get on with it. If you do—obviously, you have the power to carry on and have this committee go forward—then please, make it sound like you care about the people of Ontario and it’s not just a political agenda for Premier Ford to continue on this rampage, like he did with the Toronto legislation.

Stop helping him do that kind of style of government. No one really appreciates it. People in my riding talk to me all the time about the way you treat legislation in this Legislature, because you’re not allowing other members of this Legislature to contribute to it. It has been documented and recorded with all the bills that you’ve passed, there have been no committees, no consultation, no public input. Then, you want to just be the only deciding factor who speaks to you. Does that make any sense?

You need both sides of the story. Whether you agree with the outcome, the mature and adult way to deal with an issue is to get both sides of the story and then, sometimes, self-reflect on yourself and how you contributed to that, because you were also the official opposition on this side of the House, and you didn’t stand up to stop the sale of Hydro One.

I really think that there are many things we could be really putting in front of the agenda of this government to change people’s lives for the better. I’m the critic for long-term care and home care. Most recently, the public inquiry with the horrendous murders that happened, one in London, and then the others in Woodstock—that public inquiry has been in process for quite some time. You know what? You hear from everyone, so that when it comes time to make those decisions, conclude that report and your recommendations, you have all the information.

Because if you don’t do that in the select committee that you’re proposing, you’re opening up governments for further mistakes, because your only motivation here for this committee is to catch the Liberals, is to show how they changed the books and how creative they were with their accounting.

It’s been done. It’s been done. The people spoke about it. There was a referendum during the election. It’s been done. They said: “No thank you, no thanks to that style of government. We don’t believe Liberals can continue to govern this province for the people of Ontario.”

You’re not just the government for the people. Please, get over yourself from that slogan. We are all here for everyone, for all the people. We are here for the people who voted for us. We are here for the people who voted for you. We are here for the people who didn’t vote, as the member for Timiskaming pointed out; when they come to your constituency office, I hope that you’re not just serving the people who voted for you, because your role is to serve everyone. We are all here for everyone.

Ms. Sandy Shaw: Exactly. That’s a good reminder.

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: Yes. To constantly think you’re the only government and you have a plaque on each of your desks that you’re “for the people”: Really, again, you’re not understanding your role as a member of Parliament, of people who you represent. You have to respect the members that you work with so that you can work together for everyone, for all the people of Ontario, to make sure their lives do change for the better, because we know that change just for the sake of change so far is not working so good for everyone.

I have people coming up to me and saying, “You know, Teresa, when you get to that Legislature, I want you to hammer that government.” But hammering someone—you’re not going to listen. But that’s your style. You are hammering Toronto with your legislation. You are setting up a committee to catch the Liberals, to punish the Liberals, to use a political weapon. That’s not going to work. In the long run, it isn’t going to work.

It’s short-term gratification for the Premier, but it’s not actually making changes in the financial protocol of this Legislature when a government is in power to help us in the future for everyone, including yourselves, because your focus is on making the Liberals look bad. You know, they look pretty bad now, and they had been looking pretty bad for many years before this election. People have told us that, and that’s why we have this composition, the way the government is now.

I’m going to just basically wrap my time up on the amendment that we have proposed to the time allocation. Again, it talks about allowing people who have been elected to this Legislature to have input. That’s what should be the composition of a committee: to allow the people who are sitting here, because people voted for them, input on a topic that apparently is so paramount to this government, the Conservative government, that they put this priority ahead of people in the riding of—Sol, what’s your riding?

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Kiiwetinoong.

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: Kiiwetinoong—the passionate, compassionate, moving question that we had last week where a young woman, a young girl, died by suicide; where we have people waiting at home in crisis for long-term care or in an alternative care bed in the hospital for months, waiting for a long-term-care bed; where we have an opioid crisis where people are dying. People are dying; no one is making that up here. People are dying. Read the paper. Yet your first priority in an all-party select committee is to look at the creative financial accounting that the Liberals brought forward in this Legislature.

The Auditor General already told you that. The people of Ontario already spoke and said, “That’s not the kind of government we want.” So be the bigger government and actually meet their expectations.

Speaker, I’m going to end my time for the debate right now, but I’m sure someone else would like to contribute to the amendment, as we need to, because hopefully we can talk some sense into these members and they can talk some sense into this Premier and make him understand how to treat other people when it comes to a working relationship.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Dave Smith: I got into politics for one reason and one reason only: I was tired of seeing things being done that were costing people in our province a lot of money. We had the opportunity to stand up and make a difference. You can sit on your couch and complain—that does nothing—or you can stand up and do something. This is a government that is standing up and trying to do something, but our NDP opposition essentially is sitting on the couch complaining that we’re trying to do something.

We know that those who don’t learn from history are destined to repeat it. So we’re asking to have a select committee to review what has happened historically with the money, the money that has been wasted. We need to learn from that. We need to take the opportunity to make sure that we don’t repeat those mistakes; that as a government, we stand up and we do what’s right for the people. We know that they’ve been under a tax burden for a long period of time. For the last 15 years, life has gotten significantly harder for people.

We know that had the last Liberal government kept spending to the same level as Ontario’s population growth, it would have saved $331 billion. If they had done that, just that one little bit of restraint, and kept spending at what our actual growth is, we wouldn’t be facing a $338-billion debt. We’d be looking at a very, very manageable amount of money that Ontario owes. We would have, this year alone, $12.6 billion more that we could be putting into very important things like our social safety network. We could be putting that into health care. We can always add more money to health care.

It’s something that Ontario can never spend enough on. But we’re limited in our resources because of foolish decisions that have been made in the past.

I’m not sure I understand why the NDP do not want to get this to committee, why they do not want us to find out exactly where that money went and why it was spent foolishly. Instead, they want us to be in here debating why we should find out what happened to that money. The opinion of the Legislature is something that my good friend from the NDP referred to earlier. It’s not just the opinion of the Legislature, though, that’s important here; it’s the opinion of the people. We want to bring people into that committee to tell us how they suffered, what went on, where that money got wasted, so that we can learn from that, so that we don’t make those same mistakes.

The amendment they’ve put forward, to most people, is going to sound reasonable: “We want an hour of additional debate added onto it.” But every time you add to the debate here, every time you add something more onto it, you’re adding to the length of time it takes to find out what went wrong. There isn’t anything that they’re going to be able to say here that is going to be more important than the people who are coming to the committee to give us those opinions, to tell us how they suffered through it, to tell us what went wrong. That’s what we need to find out.

Marcus Tullius Cicero once said, “What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes.” But what we have found over the last 15 years is, that’s not the case in Ontario. In Ontario, we have been overburdened by taxes because there has been wasteful spending—significant wasteful spending. Billions and billions of dollars have left this province, have left our government with no accountability for where it was being spent. And that’s wrong.

We are accountable to the people. History will look back at us. History looks back at all of the governments, and they judge us on what we have done. We need to stand up for the people of this province. We need to find out exactly how the money was mismanaged. We need to know all of the mistakes that were made so that we don’t repeat those mistakes. It’s incumbent upon us, as the people in the Legislature, to remember that it is about the people of Ontario, and it’s only about the people of Ontario. Everything that we to needs to be in their best interest, and that’s what we have been trying to do.

We want to make sure that we don’t repeat those mistakes, because we can’t repeat those mistakes.

The average person in Ontario is suffering because of the mistakes that have been made. They reach into their pocket and there’s less there. There’s less there because this government of Ontario, over the last 15 years, has taken more and more from them, and they decided that they were going to spend it. Not only did they take more out of our pockets, but they borrowed more, and they spent that. The only one who received any gain from it when they borrowed that extra money were the bondholders, those who were getting paid the interest, those who were making money off the backs of the Ontario taxpayer, and that’s not right.

You do something because it is the right thing to do, not because you want adulation for it, not because you want praise for it, not because you want to gain more votes. The Ontario government is not here to sell itself to get more votes. The Ontario government is here to serve the people of Ontario, and to serve the people of Ontario in a way that allows them freedom, the power to live as they wish. That has been taken away from them over the last 15 years. We cannot forget that. Most people in Ontario are not able to have the life that they want to live because they’re overburdened. We need to change that.

I ask the NDP, I ask our opposition: Work with us on this. Please. Help us get to the bottom of how that money was wasted. Help us so that we can all learn from those mistakes, so that we don’t repeat those mistakes. We can’t go through that again. We cannot further burden the people of this great province. Life has gotten harder in Ontario, and it shouldn’t be.

I’m a father. I want my children to have the opportunities that I had. I’ve lived through a couple of recessions and yet I’ve had a good quality of life. I want my children and my grandchildren to have that quality of life. They can’t when they’re overburdened by the debt load we have—38% is what our debt ratio is to GDP. If we were going into a bank looking to buy a home and that was our debt ratio, we wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage because the bank would look at us and say: “You can’t afford it.” We’re reaching that breaking point in Ontario. Our debt burden is so high, we’re taking away the freedom of the people of Ontario. We’re taking away the power to live as they wish.

Marcus Tullius Cicero lived more than 2,000 years ago, and he knew that. He said those things. We need to learn from that history. Yes, he was a Roman. Yes, he didn’t live in Canada. Canada didn’t exist at that point, but he was a great man who had vision and understood.

He also made a statement that gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but it’s the parent of all other virtues. We need to be grateful to the people of Ontario. We know that they have put us in this position so that we can make wise decisions on their behalf, so that we can make their lives easier. That’s the gratitude we should be showing to them. It shouldn’t be that we need to stand in here and talk more and more and more about something that all of us know needs to be done.

We need to get to work, and that’s what the Doug Ford government is doing. We are getting to work. We want to know everything that went wrong. We want to know how that money was wasted. We want to make sure that we don’t make those same mistakes, because the people of Ontario cannot afford those mistakes. We don’t have the luxury of borrowing more on the backs of our grandchildren or our great-grandchildren. That’s not fair and reasonable to them.

The government’s job—the government’s only job—is to serve the people of Ontario, and that’s what we need to do. We need to do it in a responsible and respectful manner. I ask the opposition once again: Please take the time to work with us because you know in your hearts that it is correct, that we have to find out exactly where that money was wasted. We have to.

We’re going to work forward with it. There are all kinds of things that have come forward on this. What we know definitively—I’m going to take a quote from the President of the Treasury Board: “We all know that diet fads don’t work. By the same measure, reaching at short-term, cost-cutting measures is not a long-term answer to addressing structural challenges facing our province.”

We need to make sure that what we’re doing is in the long-term best interests of this province. We can’t be in a position where Ontario is going to have to cut something because we no longer have any money. We need to make sure that we are financially sustainable. We need to make sure that those who need the support get the support, from today, moving forward. We can never be in a position where the people of Ontario cannot depend on their government to do what’s right for them. The only way we’re going to have that financial ability is to look back at how the money was wasted, to know where that money was misspent, so that we don’t make that same mistake.

I said it earlier and I’ll say it again: Those who don’t learn from history are destined to repeat it. We need to know: What was the history? How was that money mismanaged? Where did it go? How can we make sure that we don’t do those same things? The only way that we can make sure that we don’t make those same mistakes is to look back at what those mistakes were, to find out exactly where those gaps were. We need to find out exactly what the needs are of this province. If we don’t do the proper needs analysis and the gap analysis, we’re going to be making those same mistakes. We’re going to be putting money in places that we don’t need it.

A program that is a fabulous program that is underfunded and doesn’t serve its needs is a waste of money. Likewise, a program that may do good work but is overfunded and has significant waste is also a waste of money. We need to find out exactly where all of that money was spent to make sure that we’re not overfunding something and spending too much on it and not receiving any result from it. We need to make sure that we’re not underfunding something that could be doing great work for the people of Ontario.

What we know more than anything else is that with a $338-billion debt load, $12.6 billion wasted in interest alone that could have been spent on more appropriate things in this province, it means that there will be things that there are shortfalls for, and we cannot have that. We must make sure that the people of Ontario are being served properly, that the people of Ontario get to live their lives the way they want to, the way they deserve to. We know right now that there are a number of people in this province that that’s not the case.

We are the government for the people, for all of the people of Ontario, and we need to make sure that we have the money to look after every person in this great province.

I get passionate about these things because I truly believe it. I believe that we’re here for one purpose, and that purpose is to serve the people of this province. If we’re not serving the people of this province appropriately, then why are we here? We’re not here to take their money from them and waste it or spend it foolishly. We’re here because we are looking after our brothers and sisters. We’re here because we want to make sure that the life for our children, our grandchildren and their children is going to be better. We want to move this province forward in a way that we know is going to make it a better province.

We’ve said repeatedly that we are open for business. Ontario is open for business, and we will remain open for business. But what we can’t have is a taxation system that takes away that competitiveness. We can’t have a taxation system that puts an undue burden on the people who live in this province. The only way we can make sure that we’re not putting that burden on them is to know how the money has been wasted. We have to get back to a point where we’re accounting for every single dollar that comes in.

It’s not our money—none of us in this chamber. It is not our money. It’s the people of Ontario’s, and they’re entrusting us to look after it appropriately. The way to look after it appropriately is to find out how it has been misused, to make sure that we’re not misusing it, to make sure that we’re not plugging a hole that doesn’t exist, to make sure that we’re not leaving a gaping hole that needs to be fixed.

At the moment, money is leaving this province at a rapid rate—$12.6 billion this year alone will go to someone’s pocket to pad it through interest. We cannot continue to borrow money that way. We need to get back to a balanced budget. We need to make sure that the people of Ontario are getting the services they deserve. We cannot do that if we don’t have financial transparency. We cannot do that if we continue down the path that we’ve gone down in the past. That’s not how we do things appropriately.

We have to look at how every dollar has been spent. Was it misspent? We have to know: Who made those decisions to misspend that money and why did they make that decision? Was the decision politically motivated? Was the decision being made because it was in the best interests of the people, or was the decision being made because it was padding someone’s pocket? Those are the questions that need to be answered.

We’re asking to strike a select committee on this. We want to bring together some great minds. We have some exceptional MPPs who have been proposed for this committee—very, very bright people on both sides. The NDP are presenting some very, very capable people. We are presenting some very capable people. These people are the ones who are going to get that information for us. They’re going to have the witnesses come in. They’re going to be able to ask for documents from the previous government. They’re going to be able to do the investigation. If we don’t do that investigation, we’re doing a disservice to the people of this province.

I’m not sure why—I’ve said it earlier, but I’ll repeat it—the NDP want to debate more. Why do we want to talk more on why we should or shouldn’t be asking the questions? Why do we want to have another hour dedicated to saying, “We’re not 100% sure yet that it’s the right idea to find out how money was wasted”?

We need to get to work. We need to prove to the people of Ontario that we are conscious that it is their money. It is their money. The government of Ontario does not make money. The government takes money from the people and redistributes it, and we need to redistribute it in a way that is appropriate.

We know, definitively, there was a deficit this past year of more than $15 billion. We were told by the Liberals that that was not going to be the case, that it was going to be just a little deficit of $6 billion. The Auditor General took a look at it and said, “No, we believe it’s going to be more.” Then, we did the independent study, and we found it was greater than that. There was a larger amount of waste, a huge amount of waste that was hidden not only from the Auditor General but from us and the people of Ontario. It’s their money. It is completely inappropriate for us not to find out how and why their money was wasted.

We need to get to work. Obstructing it, making it harder to find out how the money was being wasted—I don’t truly understand it. We’ve said in the past that the NDP propped up the Liberal government 97% of the time. Are they asking for a delay? Why are they asking for a delay?

What we need to find out is exactly why that money is being wasted, but there’s a delay that’s being requested for it. How is that serving the people of Ontario? How is that serving our constituents? Why can’t we go out and find out how that money was spent, how that money was wasted, where did it go? Who made those decisions? We can’t right now because a group in this Legislature is saying, “Let’s hold off. Let’s delay it. We need to think about this more before we start asking questions. We need to hold off. We need to make sure that we don’t get to work.”

The loyal opposition’s role is to hold us accountable, which we agree to 100%. That’s the system we have. They need to hold the government accountable, but they need to hold the government accountable in a reasonable way, in a measured way. Holding the government accountable for spending, and wasteful spending, is key to their job. They need to be part of the select committee. They need to get down to work with us. They need to work with us so that we can find out how that money was wasted and why that money was wasted.

Excuse me. I’m coming down with a cold. I’m sick. I’m sick because of the amount of money that has been wasted; it’s making me sick. Excuse me, Madam Speaker.

Mrs. Nina Tangri: Are you okay there?

Mr. Dave Smith: I’m okay.

They’re looking for an additional hour of debate. They’re going to give 30 minutes of that debate to us, they’re going to take 20 minutes for themselves and then divide up between the Greens and the Liberals an additional 10. They’re giving 5% of the representation here about 12% of what’s being said. What we know, though, is that those decisions were made by the Liberals. I’m not sure why they want the Liberals to weigh in more and add more delay to it. They propped them up 97% of the time.

Ms. Catherine Fife: No, you can’t prop up a majority government. You know that.

Mr. Dave Smith: Whenever something was put forward by the Liberals in the past, 97% of the time the NDP agreed to it. That is propping them up.

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Order. Stop the clock.

If we could cut back on the chatter going across the room, I would be able to hear the person who has the floor. Thank you.

Start the clock.

Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I come back to my point, though: We have a select committee that is being put together. The committee’s job is to make sure that we know exactly how the money has been spent. We need to make sure that that $15-billion deficit doesn’t repeat itself. We need to make sure that the $338 billion that Ontario owes gets reduced. We need to find out where that money was wasted so that we can move forward. We are setting up that select committee for it. We’re going to make sure that we don’t have these issues moving forward.

Madam Speaker, I’m going to wrap up what I’m going to say and pass it over to my colleague—sorry, I have to look where he’s from—from Markham–Stouffville. I’m going to share my time with him on this.

As I said earlier at the very beginning, we can sit on our couch and complain, or we can stand up and do something to make a difference. There’s a sports analogy: Pain goes away; glory lasts forever. The reason we do these things—it may be painful for us at times, but we have to do it because it is for the betterment of Ontario so that Ontario can move forward, so that the people of this province get the glory that they deserve, so that the people of this province can live the lives that we all know they deserve.

I’ll come back to it one more time because my colleagues don’t seem to like Marcus Tullius Cicero: “What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes.” We need to make sure that we know how that money was wasted so that the people of Ontario can live as they wish.

With that, Madam Speaker, I’m going to turn it over to my colleague from Markham–Stouffville.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s a pleasure to join the debate this morning.

I have to tell you, Cicero is turning around in his grave. If he thought that anybody would be using him to quote time allocation, which is limiting debate—it is compromising our democracy.

Democracies can be messy, but it’s something that we fought to have here in this country and in this province. Honestly, time allocation—which this government has been using constantly—is the hammer that a government uses. I can’t even recognize some of the former members that we served with for six years, because they were dead set against time allocation. John Yakabuski used to sit here, and I have so many quotes from that member from Renfrew, because he said that using time allocation is an abuse of power. It is in the Hansard.

What we have proposed, our amendment, is incredibly reasonable. I want to let you know why we have proposed this amendment, the one hour that will break the democratic process here in the provincial Legislature. We have proposed two amendments to the select committee, because we, unlike the member from Peterborough has, sort of, referenced—

Mr. Dave Smith: Peterborough–Kawartha.

Ms. Catherine Fife: Peterborough–Kawartha; thank you very much. We have proposed two amendments to actually make the select committee stronger, which is an important part of the official opposition. It is our job to do so.

The first amendment that came directly is, really, to allow any member of the committee to call witnesses. That’s an important process. If you want to get to the truth, open the door and invite the people into the process. But the government has said no; they’re going to limit our ability to do this. That isn’t a government for the people; that is a government that is all about control. They have used these mechanisms and these tools to control this process.

The second amendment, which is incredibly valuable, was to take a broader view, to look at how the new government is dealing with the deficit now. This is the part of the process that the select committee could look at to apply new learning to how we actually spend money, how we establish contracts, because the Liberals did a lot of privatization, they did a lot of contracting out, and there was very little accountability to that process.

One quick example: They kept giving the same highway maintenance company contracts for six years, even though those companies were found to not be doing any basic due diligence, they weren’t performing to the terms of the contract, and they actually owed the government $49 million in fines. The government was giving a company fines for not performing the work, and then they were still giving them the contracts.

But you know where this information is? It’s right there in the Auditor General’s report, because the Auditor General is the independent officer of this Legislature. So,she will not be looking at these issues through the lens of being a New Democrat or being a Progressive Conservative. She has taken an oath to be independent and to establish the fact that public money has no party. That’s the important part of this process, this select committee.

The select committee, as the government has engaged in—I just want to be really clear with the government side of the House. Everybody already sees that this is theatre, because we actually have a public accounts committee which has the same makeup of the select committee. We have six PC members on that committee. I’m the Chair of the public accounts committee. Our job is to do exactly what the select committee has been charged to do.

There are six PC members and there are three New Democrats. They’re good people. They’re the members from Richmond Hill, Carleton, Etobicoke Centre, Parry Sound–Muskoka, Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry and Aurora. Then we have two members from the NDP, in addition to myself from Waterloo: London West and Toronto Centre.

If the government was truly serious about embedding best practices in a systemic way into the finances of this province, they would just put the public accounts committee to work, because we’re ready, and we want to work. We actually have 15 years of Auditor General’s reports, which called out the Liberal government time and time again and then held those ministries responsible. Those ministries have to come back and report to us. They have to answer to the public accounts committee, in a public way, in an open and transparent way that strengthens our democracy.

But is this government concerned with that? Is that their first priority, Madam Speaker? I don’t think so. The political posturing has actually already called into question this committee, which is why, by putting forward this amendment on the floor, we are trying to help the government have a purer process, if you will, one that is more balanced and one that is fair, and that the committee, at the end of their three months—because they are supposed to report on December 13. So, they have less than three months to do what the auditor does in one full year, and these are MPPs.

I’m not sure how many accountants will be on the select committee, but the Auditor General has literally the talent, the expertise and the calling. That is her job. So, in a sense it’s a level of duplication.

We will get some valuable information out of it, perhaps, at the end of the day, but it won’t be seen as valuable because the Premier has already poisoned the process. He has already said what the end result is going to be. It’s really interesting; it’s quoted today in the Toronto Star. This is from the columnist Cohn: “A premier who threatens his predecessors is once again degrading our democratic discourse. Like his unprecedented and unhinged attacks on our ‘unelected’ judiciary....”

But it’s very clear; most people actually see this for what it is. The PC members who sat on this side for a very long time, I will say, have already commented in the past on the consultants that the Liberals used. They used the same consultants to do this review, because it’s not a forensic audit. It was no such thing. The minister who ordered it, the President of the Treasury Board, had to admit to reporters just yesterday that it was produced by private sector consultants at Ernst and Young Canada, not the qualified auditors in the firm’s audit department.

You can see how you are being completely contradictory in your approach. You criticize those multitudes of consultants who came in and discredited our Auditor General, and then you turned around and you used the same consultants to prop up your perspective of the numbers. This is a government that is essentially a walking contradiction, Madam Speaker.

To say that we propped up the Liberals—I have to put it on the record: You have the majority government. You’re going to get your select committee. You don’t even need to use these time allocation tools. You’re going to get whatever you want because our electoral system is so unbalanced. You’re going to move forward with the select committee. It’s our job as the official opposition to make the process a better process and to make that select committee, as you review those numbers, have some credibility.

We know where the problems are, and the finance minister certainly knows where the problems are. In fact, the finance minister—when he sat right there just five months ago, this is what he said about the Auditor General. He said, “I’ll tell you, I will always side with the Auditor General of Ontario and the Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario.” This is from May 7, 2018; literally, just around the corner, Madam Speaker.

We have these independent officers: the Auditor General reviews the books as they are presented through the government; the Financial Accountability Officer looks at the projections around the economy. The FAO called out the fair hydro plan. We call it the unfair hydro plan, but it is still the plan that you’ve adopted, so that doesn’t make any sense. Also, the Auditor General called out the accounting treatments of the pension plans, and for good reason. That money cannot be spent by the government; it’s not the government’s money. It shouldn’t be on the books.

Again, this is a very contradictory perspective when the finance minister, whom I served with as finance critic for a number of years—and I thought it was a pretty productive relationship because we actually found the same things. We agreed on a lot of the numbers, which I know is not supposed to happen. But the numbers were so egregious, I have to say, and they were so blatant. It was such a misuse of the government’s power around spending. The priorities around spending were really skewed away from the people of this province.

We agreed on that, so it is shocking that the finance minister wants a duplication of another committee and will not let us strengthen the process by ensuring that we can call witnesses too and that we broaden the scope of the committee, to make sure that if we’re going to do it, let’s do it right. Why is that so difficult? And why does one extra hour of debate so we can try to convince you, so we can try to help you—“help us help you.” There’s a line from a movie—I don’t know; I like to quote it every once in a while.

This is what the finance minister said, and I think I should end there: “What the Auditor General and primarily what the Financial Accountability Office just told us”—this, again, is just five months ago. “This government has told us that they are going to run a $6.7-billion deficit by choice. Well, that is absolutely wrong. That is absolutely not true in two aspects. Number one, the Financial Accountability Officer said, ‘No, that’s not true. It’s not a $6.7-billion deficit this year. First of all, it’s $12 billion,’” and “‘$3 billion is already a deficit.’” So the $15 billion that you uncovered, that you’re so surprised to find out, we knew about in May.

What our amendment is meant to do is to give this government a sober second thought to re-evaluate the select committee and then to put the public accounts committee to work. Because we’re ready, and so is the Auditor General.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Paul Calandra: I appreciate the opportunity to briefly rise on this. I think, in so doing, I can reflect on a lot of the things that the member opposite talked about in her speech. I also just want to quickly highlight the member from Peterborough–Kawartha, who did a spectacular job of helping people understand why it’s so important that we move forward with the select committee.

The member opposite who gave a speech very eloquently highlighted many of the things that we saw over the last 15 years that caused not only the members who are now on this side of the House a lot of distress, but I know the members opposite, when they were in opposition alongside the former Conservative official opposition, shared many of the same frustrations that we are now talking about as we have come into government. That’s one of the reasons we have to move so quickly with this select committee.

One of the reasons why we have to move so quickly, Madam Speaker, is because Ontarians, when they elected this government and when they elected the NDP to be the official opposition, sent a very clear message to those of us who were elected, to the new official opposition and to this Legislature. The message was: “Get the fiscal house in order. But don’t only work on getting the fiscal house in order; find out why and how we got to where we are.”

In the lead-up to the last election, they heard the Financial Accountability Officer and the auditor telling us what the real fiscal situation was in the province of Ontario. Ontarians couldn’t understand—and, I think, rightfully so—how it was that officers of Parliament were tabling reports that suggested that the deficit was far worse than the government was telling us. They couldn’t understand why it was that officers of Parliament were being ignored—how the government was telling them one thing and how the opposition was saying something else—and how the officers of Parliament’s reports were being ignored.

Even worse, the government was actually taking on the officers of Parliament, in essence saying that they weren’t doing their job, that they couldn’t do their job.

Now, Madam Speaker, that gives us pause. That has to give us pause when we assume government—and all of us in this Legislature. It has to give us pause, and we have to take the time to say, “What happened? How did it happen? And why is it”—

Interjection.

Mr. Paul Calandra: Sorry. I’ll also be sharing my time with the President of the Treasury Board.

We have to take pause, and we have to find out why it happened.

One of the things that we heard during the last election—I think all of us heard this as we went door to door—is that people were frustrated. They’re extraordinarily frustrated. They work hard, Madam Speaker. Everybody works hard in this province: the people in the gallery; the people who come and watch us every day; the people who come to work from my riding who spend two hours in traffic, or from Pickering, Ajax and from all over this place—from Aurora. They work hard. They get up. They pay their taxes.

They spend two hours in traffic, and as they’re going back and forth, they’re irritated that the money that they sent isn’t solving the traffic problem. When they go to the hospital or the doctor, they get frustrated because they have to wait. They don’t understand why 50% of the money that they make, the hard-earned money that they make, isn’t solving those—

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Thank you.

Debate deemed adjourned.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Seeing the time on the clock, this House stands recessed until 10:30.

The House recessed from 1015 to 1030.

Wearing of ribbons

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Before we introduce our guests, the member for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound on a point of order.

Mr. Bill Walker: I would like to ask for unanimous consent for everyone in the House to wear a gold ribbon in support of childhood cancer. We have deputations and delegations here today.

I’d like to also invite all members for a photo op on the staircase at 11:50 following question period to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is there unanimous consent? Agreed? Agreed.

Introduction of Visitors

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: I am so pleased to introduce Bernie Farber, Dr. Karen Mock and Sabreena Ghaffar-Siddiqui, who were here this morning. They had a press conference this morning as part of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Norman Miller: I’m pleased to let you know that today’s page captain is Katie Fleming from Parry Sound–Muskoka, and she has quite a contingent joining her today. Joining her to watch her duties today are Katie’s mom, Dr. Sarah MacKinnon; her dad, OPP Sergeant Josh Fleming; her sister, Margot Fleming; and her grandfather, retired Ontario Superior Court Justice the Honourable Robert MacKinnon. Katie’s cousins, Claire and Amelia Finley, and her grandmother, Sharon MacKinnon, will be visiting a little later in the day. They’re in the members’ east gallery. Please welcome them to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: First of all, good morning. I would like to welcome from my riding Chief Elizabeth Atlookan, from Eabametoong; Charlie Okeese, councillor for Eabametoong First Nation; and also my assistant, Anne Chabot, and Peter Siebenmorgen.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: I’m pleased today to have here a good friend of mine and former business partner, Mr. George Zabarelos.

Mr. Roman Baber: It’s a pleasure to welcome guests from the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center to the Legislature, who will be hosting a Jewish holidays reception after question period in room 230. Joining us are president and CEO Avi Benlolo, Dr. Rose Rahmani, Andrew Braude and Frank Wilson. Friends of Simon Wiesenthal, welcome to the Legislature.

Mr. Paul Calandra: It gives me a great pleasure to recognize our other page captain today, Deven Sinanan from my riding of Markham–Stouffville. He and all the pages are doing a great job, and I would like to welcome him. Of course, he is joined here today by his family in the gallery, Yasmin Sinanan and Andrew Moonilal. Welcome to Queen’s Park. He’s doing a great job. I know you’re very proud of him.

Mrs. Robin Martin: I would like to welcome to the House today my friend Joe Simon, who’s a business owner in my riding of Eglinton–Lawrence and also a great supporter in my campaign. He runs a business that employs a lot of the trades and is a very important part of the fabric of our community.

Hon. Jeff Yurek: I’d like to welcome to the chamber the members of the forest industry in Ontario here today. It’s National Forest Week, and there are over 24 members. I’d introduce each of you, but that would take up half of question period. Welcome. I hope everybody has a meeting with the forestry industry and understands its importance to the economy of Ontario.

Mr. David Piccini: I’d like to welcome to the Legislature this morning a delegation visiting from the Republic of Kosovo: a member of Parliament, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, who is here along with the consul general, Donat Syla, and Adijena Arifi, who is here as well. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Norman Miller: I’d like to welcome all the members of the forestry industry association to Queen’s Park, but the Minister of Transportation, who—I know you’re not supposed to say is away—is actually away dealing with tornadoes in his riding, has called me three times to make sure I introduce people from his riding. That is Jamie McRae of McRae Lumber in Whitney; Kris Heideman of Lavern Heideman and Sons in Eganville; Dana Shaw from Herb Shaw and Sons in Pembroke; and Jeff Muzzi from Ben Hokum and Son in Killaloe. Welcome to Queen’s Park on behalf of John Yakabuski, the Minister of Transportation.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Introduction of guests?

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: No, a point of order.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): A point of order: the member for Kitchener Centre.

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: I just wanted to acknowledge that today is September 27, and six years ago today my partner passed away. My girls can’t be here today. I just wanted to make sure that I publicly acknowledge them and that he was here with us.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. It is now time for oral questions.

Oral Questions

Government’s agenda

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Premier. All week, the Premier has been laying the groundwork for cuts to our schools, our hospitals and the services that families rely on. This week, we heard from the Premier’s Bay Street consultants. They were supposed to produce a line-by-line audit. Instead, they produced a laundry list of schemes that will work wonders for the Premier’s wealthy friends but leave families falling behind.

Does the Premier support this plan for deep cuts, new fees for families and a fire sale of public assets?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker, to the Leader of the Opposition: What we support is putting money back into the taxpayer’s pocket, reducing taxes, reducing hydro bills and reducing the gas price by 10 cents a litre. We’re halfway there.

We’re about respecting the taxpayers. We aren’t about taking care of the backroom deals and all the insiders and all the lobbyists that the Leader of the Opposition is working with. We’re for the people, we’re for the little guy, and we’re going to continue being for the front-line workers and everyone in Ontario. It’s about for the people.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, it looks like the Premier’s Bay Street consultants came up with the real Tory platform. Unfortunately, people didn’t get to see it until after the campaign.

Page 38 proposes new user fees on services that families rely on. Page 41 calls for reduced tax credits to businesses like, for example, the film and television tax credit. And page 43 proposes a sell-off of the OLG, LCBO and Ontario Power Generation for a one-time cash payout. It’s a platform that will make the Premier’s Bay Street buddies very happy, but it will leave families and businesses paying higher fees and higher hydro rates and with cuts to their schools and hospitals.

Is the Premier going to reject these ideas today, or is he ready to admit that this was the real Tory platform all along?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: I just want to remind the Leader of the Opposition that we actually froze the fees. The licence registration fees that the Leader of the Opposition approved: The Minister of Transportation actually froze them. We aren’t increasing them, but the Leader of the Opposition actually voted to increase it.

We’re going to make sure that we freeze all user fees and make sure that we put money back into the taxpayers’ pockets once again.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Not true; basically not true. Speaker, I believe that the Premier is out of order in his accusations, and I take them very personally. He hasn’t been here. He knows very well that the New Democrats never supported a Liberal budget in their majority government. That’s the reality, so I don’t appreciate his untruth.

People were hoping for help with—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I have to ask the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I’ll withdraw, Speaker, but you should pay attention to what the Premier is saying.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): You have to withdraw without qualification.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I do.

People were hoping for help with their schools, investment in their hospitals and a plan to create jobs from this government. Those are the priorities they were hoping the government would look at, but they’re quickly learning that in Doug Ford’s Ontario, change means a heck of a lot more of the same. Insiders get rich off fire sales of public assets. The wealthy get another round of tax cuts, and families get higher fees, higher hydro rates and funding cuts to their schools and hospitals.

If this is the change that the Premier was planning, why didn’t he say so during the campaign?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Opposition propped up the Liberal minority budgets, supported every single tax increase they put in, made sure they stood shoulder to shoulder propping up the Liberals to the tune of 97%.

The Leader of the Opposition is responsible for the financial disaster this province is facing today.

Employment standards

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier, but you know: Ignorance is no excuse for a misinformed Premier.

Speaking of backroom meetings, can the Premier tell us who he has been meeting with concerning his plans to cut the minimum wage and take away vacation days for single moms, sick time for parents and fair wages for temporary workers?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: Again, to the Leader of the Opposition: We need to turn this province around. We need to create jobs. There were 300,000 manufacturing jobs that were lost because of the Leader of the Opposition supporting the Liberal government.

They supported the carbon tax, the Green Energy Act. They’re destroying this province, destroying jobs. Endless companies are heading south of the border because it’s more feasible to do business down there.

We’re going to make sure we attract new businesses, attract new jobs by getting rid of the carbon tax and the Green Energy Act, by lowering gas prices and lowering electricity costs. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to start employing people. We’re going to make sure Ontario thrives as a province.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I think it’s important that the Premier knows that his party supported the Liberals 49% of the time and we supported them 53% of the time—a 4% difference. So in fact his rhetoric is something that he has to admit to himself, Speaker.

Today’s news reports, though, that lobbyists are frantically working the backrooms, trying to cancel the scheduled increases to the minimum wage and to take away the new sick days and pay equity protections granted to Ontario workers this year.

The Premier talks about standing up for the little guy, Speaker, but the working moms who need a raise and a sick day don’t have lobbyists in his backrooms to try to get him to do the right thing. Why is the Premier ignoring those moms, Speaker?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: Again, 97% of the time—I know it’s tough for the Leader of the Opposition to do the math. During the election they were $5 billion off on their budget. I can assure you, every business I talk to, no matter if it’s small, medium or large—they’re struggling right now. They’re struggling with Bill 148. Tens of thousands of people lost their jobs when it came to Bill 148.

We will make sure Ontario is competitive. We’ll make sure we attract businesses from all over the world to open up here in Ontario and attract good-paying jobs.

I have to remind the Leader of the Opposition that if it was up to the Leader of the Opposition, there would be 7,500 people unemployed right now out at the Pickering nuclear facility. The Leader of the Opposition didn’t worry about that. They worry about lining the pockets of their buddies, making—

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The priorities of this government are becoming more and more clear. The Premier is hearing from his Bay Street consultants and lobbyists, and he is delivering for them. But the working mom earning minimum wage won’t be getting the sick days she needs, or the pay raise that she deserves, or the pay raise that she needs. Instead of a hand up, she’s going to get hit with new service fees and hydro bills from a privatized electricity company.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. Will the Premier move ahead with the increase in minimum wage and commit to maintaining job benefits like sick days?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker, to the Leader of the Opposition: The single mom lost her job under the Liberals and the NDP regime. The single mom wants a job to make sure that she can put food on the table.

The Leader of the Opposition supported the outrageous hydro rates that were the highest in North America. I had people come up to me—single moms—all day, all night, when I was campaigning, saying, “I can’t afford my hydro bill. I have a choice between heating and eating.” But that was all right for the Leader of the Opposition. As long as she makes sure she takes care of her buddies, the special activists, the backroom deals—we know what it’s all about.

The party is over with the taxpayers’ money. It’s about time we respect the taxpayers and start creating good-paying jobs.

Anti-racism activities

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is for the Premier.

I have to say, again, ignorance is no excuse for an uninformed Premier who doesn’t know what happened here over the years that he was nowhere to be found.

Yesterday, after four—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Again, I have to remind all members that the personal insults do not elevate the debate. We have to keep our questions focused on government policy. I’d ask all members to keep that in mind.

I recognize again the Leader of the Opposition to put her question.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Yesterday, after four days of refusing to do so, the Premier tweeted a denunciation of hate speech. Will he now say out loud and unequivocally that he does not support Faith Goldy’s campaign for mayor?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: I’ve been clear over and over and over again every single day. I condemn hate speech, anti-Semitism and racism in all forms, be it from Faith Goldy, be it from anyone.

But let’s talk about the hypocrisy—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Premier will withdraw his unparliamentary comment.

Hon. Doug Ford: Withdraw.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: For people in Ontario concerned about the rise of organized hate, this week has been very, very concerning. The government was already cutting support to programs like the anti-racism secretariat. But then they watched this week as the Premier refused again and again to distance himself from a candidate for Toronto mayor who promotes a white nationalist agenda and makes common cause with neo-Nazis.

Will this Premier say now, out loud and unequivocally, that he does not support her campaign?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: Again, I find this so ironic. You have members there—from Ottawa Centre, who passionately supports the radical and extreme Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, better known as the BDS movement, against Israel. I want you to denounce your own members. You have another member, from Brampton East, who demonstrated with an “eff the police” sign. Another member, from Toronto–St. Paul’s, used racial slurs against our police chief. I’ll tell you, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs has described one of your members as anti-Semitism disguised as anti-Zionist.

I would like to know if the Leader of the Opposition is willing to denounce your own members. You had another member—

Interjections.

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Time’s up.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Once again, the personal insults and attacks do not elevate the debate; it diminishes the debate. Anybody watching would be most unimpressed. I’d ask all members to remember that.

Next question. Start the clock.

College funding

Mr. Stephen Lecce: To the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Speaker: This Parliament should be seized with the success of our young people. There should be unity of purpose in this Legislature, focused on the enablement of our young people to learn, develop and compete and succeed. For students, the metric of success is not only the attainment of knowledge in the classroom, but the application of that knowledge into the workforce.

Progressive Conservatives on this side of the House are determined to give our students in this province every tool to achieve because this government is resolutely focused on enabling the next generation to pursue their full God-given potential.

Speaker, later today, I will join the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities at Seneca College in my riding of King–Vaughan for the official opening of Magna Hall.

Through you, Speaker, can the minister outline why this investment in our colleges will support our students, strengthen our knowledge economy and give our young people the tools to get a good-paying job?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you to the member opposite for the question and the strong advocacy for the people of King–Vaughan and the young people of this province. As the member said, our government is focused on creating jobs and opportunity for our young people. I want all the people of Ontario to reach their full potential.

That is why I’m so excited that, later today, I will join the member from King–Vaughan, Seneca College President David Agnew and others, to officially open Magna Hall. The new Magna Hall, sitting at 200,000 square feet, is home to a new library, over 25 classrooms and computer and health care labs, providing hands-on learning for Seneca students. Magna Hall is providing the education, training and support that students need for the workforce of tomorrow, to bring well-paid jobs back to Ontario, grow our communities and make Ontario open for business again.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary.

Mr. Stephen Lecce: Back to the minister: Minister, on behalf of students across the province, I say thank you for investing in their success, not indebting them to failure.

Young people in my riding of King–Vaughan and across the province remain concerned about their inheritance as a generation as they inherit a legacy of Liberal debt, of spending more on interest on debt than on funding colleges and universities in this province. The next generation asks one thing of this generation: that we never mortgage their future. Let me assure the young people in this province: We hear you. We are with you, and we will fight to protect your futures every single day.

Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, effectively twice the provincial average. Young people cannot find good-paying jobs. The skills mismatch in our economy impedes our students’ ability to find employment related to their skills. This undermines our economic competitiveness.

To the minister: Could she outline how our investment in Seneca College will provide the next generation with job skills they need to attain good-paying jobs?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: As I said before, my focus is on making sure that Ontario students reach their full potential. Our government has promised the people of Ontario to create good jobs so our young people can find high-quality employment. I want to make sure that our young people have the skills they need to fill those jobs and build a career for themselves in their communities.

And while the previous Liberal government accumulated massive debt loads which will be a burden on future generations, our government is listening to the people of Ontario, the business community and post-secondary institutions to ensure that our young people can find a good job in Ontario and have a good future.

Speaker, I congratulate Seneca College on the opening of Magna Hall and its focus on real-world, hands-on learning for students. I look forward to touring the facility later today and continuing to work with Seneca and all our institutions to ensure that Ontario is home to the best education system and workforce in the world.

Long-term care

Mr. Joel Harden: Before I get into my question, I have to say two words on behalf of the Jewish community where I’m from, given what the Premier just said: Oy gevalt. Goodness gracious. People here stand up against hate, Premier. We really reject your slurs.

I also have to say: My question, Speaker, is for the Deputy Premier. Earlier this week, the government released a report outlining privatization and outsourcing. Meanwhile, the Wettlaufer inquiry is taking place, and they say we should be focused on public delivery. Every dollar that goes into private care is a dollar taken away from public care.

Will the Deputy Premier expand the mandate of the Wettlaufer inquiry to include quality care and funding models, so we can ensure Ontario seniors and their families have access to the highest quality of long-term care?

Hon. Christine Elliott: The terms of reference for the Wettlaufer inquiry were set long ago and, in fact, they’re almost finished hearing evidence. They’re continuing to do their work preparing their report and recommendations, and we’re awaiting those recommendations, which we take very seriously.

The safety of our seniors is a primary concern for us. We are going to wait for the Wettlaufer inquiry to finish and see what the recommendations are. We will take them into consideration and take that report very seriously, so thank you for that.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. Joel Harden: Thank you, Deputy Premier, for that answer, but we know that people deserve dignity as they age. Despite the fact that the Wettlaufer inquiry is coming to an end, we need to ramp up on that model. What we need to make sure is that public dollars go towards front-line care and staffing. It shouldn’t disappear into private profit margins. The Wettlaufer inquiry has heard testimony that says, “All roads lead to problems with staffing and funding.”

Given the testimony to the Wettlaufer inquiry, will the Deputy Premier agree to expand the inquiry’s mandate after its completion to ensure it looks at the impacts of privatization in long-term care across our province?

Hon. Christine Elliott: What I certainly can tell the member is that we are working on those issues every day at the Ministry of Health. One of our primary mandates and what we ran for on June 7 was to expand long-term care, to create 15,000 new beds in five years and another 15,000 in 10 years. We take that seriously. We are working on that every day to try and build up that capacity, because we do know that there are over 30,000 people who are waiting for spaces, and that’s causing problems in our hospitals and it’s causing problems in our communities. We are working on that.

But you are right. We need to take a look at human resources. We do know that there is a shortage of personal support workers, for example, many of whom work in long-term care. We are looking at understanding why, although people are graduating, they’re not continuing to work in the sector. There are lots of reasons for that. We’re looking to correct that so that when we have those beds ready, they will be able to operate with qualified health care professionals to take care of the people who have worked hard all their lives and who deserve to be treated in comfort and with dignity.

Injured workers

Ms. Donna Skelly: My question is to the Minister of Labour. Yesterday, it was announced that the WSIB had eliminated its unfunded liability, which, in 2011, was as high as $14 billion. It was also announced that the higher-than-average premium rates paid by Ontario employers will be reduced by an average of 30%, beginning in January of 2019. All in all, it was great news for Ontario.

Since yesterday, I have heard from businesses and workers in my riding of Flamborough–Glanbrook who are interested in what this could mean for them. Can the minister explain why the elimination of the WSIB’s unfunded liability was so important for the sustainability of the WSIB and why a rate reduction for employers is great news for all of Ontario?

Hon. Laurie Scott: I thank the member for the great question and for her work representing her constituents.

I’m honoured to rise in the House to speak about yesterday’s announcement. Our government has long advocated that an unfunded liability was unacceptable. The elimination of the WSIB’s unfunded liability means that the WSIB has enough money set aside to provide the benefits that injured workers are entitled to. It also means that workers can now have the confidence that if they are hurt on the job or develop illnesses related to their work, they will receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

We will continue working with the WSIB to serve workers well, whether it’s return to work, recovery outcomes or customer service. Our government will also work with the board to ensure a modern, financially sustainable and accountable workplace safety and insurance system, now and for generations to come. It was a great announcement yesterday for workers and for businesses.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Donna Skelly: To the minister: Clearly, both employers and workers will benefit from yesterday’s announcement.

I’ve heard from many businesses, again in my riding of Flamborough–Glanbrook, about the excessively high premium rates they’ve been paying for many years. It seems to me that these high rates have hindered Ontario businesses.

Local businesses across Ontario like bakeries, mom-and-pop shops and diners need to have the resources to invest back into their businesses, to attract investment and to have a strong, confident workforce that is assured that, if the unthinkable happens, benefits to which they are entitled are there for them.

Can the minister please explain to this House how businesses and workers will benefit from this announcement?

Hon. Laurie Scott: Thank you again to the member for the question. It’s true: Businesses across Ontario have been paying higher premium rates than other provinces for many years. This was a definite barrier for businesses to grow and expand.

With the elimination of the unfunded liability, the premium rate reduction for businesses across the province means that employers will be able to keep more of the money they’ve earned to invest right back into their operations and to help grow their businesses and create jobs for the people of Ontario, resulting in a $1.45-billion injection into the Ontario economy. That is good news for the people of Ontario.

Education funding

Ms. Marit Stiles: My question is for the Minister of Education. Tucked into the Ernst and Young report amongst sweeping recommendations to sell off public assets like the LCBO, there’s one line that should give all parents pause. It calls for “alternate arrangements” for funding education, including “providing funding to individuals, who can then choose their service providers through a form of market activity....”

Will the minister tell us now if she plans to bring American-style vouchers and charter schools to Ontario? Is the minister really planning to funnel public dollars to private education?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: Speaker, to the member opposite, through you: I would like to share that what we’re doing right now is absolutely focusing on preparing our students for the best path forward to be equipped for 21st-century jobs.

The fear-mongering and the propaganda that come from that side of the House and from that opposition party are just non-stop. I want to assure people that as we embark on our consultation, we are going to be working on a path forward with educators, with parents, with students, with interested organizations that want to make a difference and that want to work with us. Just yesterday, I met with the public school board trustees association, and they reported publicly that we had a fantastic meeting.

Honestly, we are moving forward in a positive manner, setting all the fear-mongering aside.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Mr. Speaker, it’s right there in the report. Though it is just 48 pages long, the government’s $95,000 commissioned report calls for radical changes that would devastate Ontario’s public education system.

This approach in the United States has decimated—decimated—public education. You only have to look to the south to see that. I’m actually really surprised that the Minister of Education wouldn’t just end this conversation by saying, “No, we’re not thinking about privatizing education. We’re not thinking about charter programs. We’re not thinking about vouchers.” But you won’t say that; the Minister of Education will not say that.

Why? Will the minister stand up for Ontario families and reject the privatization of education now? Will she do that now?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I’ll tell the member opposite what I reject: I reject the fallacies that they are trying to project into the conversation. The fact of the matter is, that’s not our report. They need to stop the falsehoods that they’re perpetuating.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I ask the Minister of Education to withdraw the unparliamentary remark.

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I withdraw.

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

Next question.

Anti-racism activities

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Premier. This morning I spent time with my friend Bernie Farber, who’s here with colleagues. They’re here and they’re concerned. They’re calling on the Premier to disassociate himself from Faith Goldy, a known white supremacist.

I know the Premier sent out a tweet last night denouncing hate speech, even if coming from Faith Goldy. Mr. Speaker, that is not enough. It’s not enough for those people who are truly frightened by seeing their Premier standing shoulder to shoulder with a white supremacist.

The Premier needs to say those words here. I’m calling on the Premier today to be a true leader, to say those words, to say those words here in the people’s House, to say, “I denounce Faith Goldy and what she stands for. I do not stand shoulder to shoulder with her and I do not support her campaign. I apologize to those people who are frightened and deeply hurt.”

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker, and to the member for Etobicoke—Etobicoke south? Ottawa South. Sorry to insult the people in Etobicoke. Ottawa South. Through you, Mr. Speaker, I would—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): That’s not helpful, Premier. Complete your answer, please.

Hon. Doug Ford: Maybe the member from Ottawa South should talk to his friend from Ottawa Centre over there—Ottawa Centre, who passionately supports the radical BDS movement against Israel. Maybe you should be talking to your friend in the far corner over there—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Please make your comments through the Chair and depersonalize them.

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: Maybe the Leader of the Opposition should denounce one of her candidates in Scarborough–Agincourt. Tasleem Riaz shared an inspirational quote from Adolf Hitler on her Facebook—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Premier will take his seat.

Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: I thank the Premier for his response—

Interjections.

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

I recognize the member for his supplementary.

Mr. John Fraser: —over here, not over there. Mr. Speaker, that’s not the response that I expected. That’s not what a true leader does. My father taught me that when you’ve done something wrong, when you’ve hurt someone, when you’ve made a mistake, you need to apologize. And when you make that apology, you need to do it in front of the people who you’ve hurt.

Two days ago, another leader in this Legislature, the Minister of Municipal Affairs, said those words. He said those words out in the hall, and I know if I asked him today, he’d say those words right here. So, Speaker, through you to the Premier: Again I call on the Premier to denounce Faith Goldy, to denounce what she stands for, to renounce her campaign and to apologize to those people who are hurt and deeply concerned.

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: I would like the Leader of the Opposition to denounce one of her candidates. Tasleem Riaz shared an inspirational quote from Adolf Hitler—from Adolf Hitler. The Leader of the Opposition stood side by side and campaigned with this candidate, took pictures with this candidate. I’d like the leader to denounce the candidate from Scarborough—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Leader of the Opposition has to put the sign down.

Hon. Doug Ford: I’d also like the Leader of the Opposition to denounce the Ottawa Centre—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Just a second. Sorry.

I think all members know that you’re not allowed to hold up props and signs. I would ask members on both sides of the House to stop putting up signs.

Premier, if you’ll briefly conclude your comments.

Hon. Doug Ford: The member from Ottawa Centre sitting in the corner, again, supports the radical BDS. You can’t—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Premier’s comments—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The House will come to order. The Premier will come to order.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Premier will come to order.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. The clock is ticking.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Next question. Let’s move on. The member for Peterborough–Kawartha.

Mr. Dave Smith: My question is for the Minister of—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Premier will withdraw.

Hon. Doug Ford: Withdraw.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. Come on. We can do better than this.

Next question.

Red tape reduction

Mr. Dave Smith: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. A month ago, our government of the people announced a province-wide consultation with businesses across Ontario to reduce red tape. Fifteen years of failed Liberal policies have done serious damage to our competitiveness. Red tape is chasing job creators out of this province.

In Ontario, the regulatory burden is getting worse every year, yet across the border in the United States they’re reducing it. It’s making it attractive for Ontario investment to leave this province.

Could the minister give us an update on what he has heard and how our government will make Ontario more competitive?

Hon. Jim Wilson: I thank my honourable colleague for the question.

Business owners have described a toxic environment here in Ontario, created by the former Liberal government and propped up by the NDP.

In my own riding, Bistro Burger, a long-time fixture of downtown Alliston, shut down after the implementation of Bill 148. Skyrocketing costs left a number of people unemployed.

Joel Lipchitz, an accountant and owner of Lake Simcoe Arms Pub and Restaurant, employs close to 60 people. He expressed his frustration to me recently. He and his wife put everything on the line and, in their own words, were treated like “pariahs” by the former government.

Speaker, hard-working people who risk money and put their livelihoods on the line to pursue their dreams should be rewarded and encouraged, not suffocated by red tape and overregulation. We have 380,000-and-counting pieces of red tape that we’re finding. BC has 200,000—and no one has told me that BC is a bad place to live. We have to work hard—every cabinet minister and every member of our caucus is working hard—to cut that red tape, not down the centre, but right across, to get out of the way of businesses and create jobs.

Ontario is open for business.

Interjections.

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

Supplementary.

Mr. Dave Smith: Minister, those stories sound like they came from a horror movie.

Ontario used to be the economic engine of Canada. People flocked to Ontario to pursue their dreams and build their lives for their families.

The Liberals lost sight of the fact that the treasury is the people of Ontario’s money. Far too many provincial regulations are inflexible. They duplicate each other. They’re out of date and misaligned with other jurisdictions.

Our government for the people has begun to implement policy to restore accountability and open Ontario for business once again. Can the minister please update the Legislature on Ontario’s changing economic climate?

Hon. Jim Wilson: That’s a great question from my colleague.

I also want to shout out to MPP and parliamentary assistant Michael Parsa. He has been doing these round tables. They’ve been a huge success, and they’ve been providing us with great examples of red tape and where we can cut and get out of the way of business so they can create jobs.

It’s all about putting food on the table for families, Mr. Speaker. That’s what we’re all about. We can do that, we will do that, and we are doing that. I don’t want to be all doom and gloom. I want to congratulate Microsoft. They’re creating 500 full-time positions and an additional 500 positions for co-ops and interns. Uber is creating 300 jobs for technicians and engineers. Amazon is creating 1,500 construction jobs and permanently employing 600 people with its fulfillment centre in Ottawa, and there’s another one to come in Ms. Jones’s riding, in Caledon. And Instacart recently announced that they’ll be hiring 200 employees.

Congratulations to all these great job creators, to all these great employers. Ontario is open for business. They’re getting the message, and I hope soon we’ll be even more open for business.

Indigenous economic development

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Remarks in Oji-Cree.

Speaker, this question is for the Deputy Premier. Your ancestors and mine signed Treaty 9 in 1905, with adhesions—essentially, additions—made in 1929. The basis of that treaty is how together we manage and share the benefits from the land and then do so in a way that is mutually beneficial.

A recent court decision in the Ontario Divisional Court ruled that the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines failed to properly carry out the crown’s constitutional duty to consult with the Eabametoong before approving the Landore gold exploration project.

Deputy Premier, do you intend to respect the court’s decision and live up to the obligations under the treaty and properly consult the community, as per the court’s decision?

Hon. Christine Elliott: To the Minister of Natural Resources.

Hon. Jeff Yurek: I thank the member opposite for that question. Ontario is blessed with incredible opportunities when it comes to our natural resources. It’s true not only for us and Ontarians but also our Indigenous communities, who stand to benefit from economic development and mining, forestry and natural resource development.

We are committed as a government to bringing good jobs back to this province in northern Ontario by developing our natural resources, working with our strong local partnerships, our municipalities and our Indigenous communities to make Ontario open for business again. We will duly consult with Indigenous communities, as well as northern Ontarians and rural municipalities, going forward as we develop our northern resources.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Back to the Deputy Premier: On July 9, 2018, the Matawa chiefs sent a welcoming letter to the Premier asking to re-engage the vital regional negotiations necessary in order to set up the Ring of Fire.

The Premier’s office wrote the chiefs to say that the Minister of Indigenous Affairs would follow up. That was on August 9, yet no meetings have been scheduled.

The historic regional framework agreement for the Ring of Fire has stalled because the government hasn’t engaged with the Matawa chiefs since this election. As noted, Mr. Speaker, Eabametoong First Nation Chief Atlookan is here today. Will the Premier direct the Minister of Indigenous Affairs not to get on a bulldozer but to meet with Chief Atlookan today to begin the dialogue as affirmed by the courts so that future mines may some day go forward in a way that honours the treaty and that is mutually beneficial to all parties?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Thank you again for that question, member opposite. Speaker, through you to the member: The Ring of Fire has great potential for the province of Ontario. Unfortunately, over the past 15 years, it has been stagnant, not only because of lack of consultations but also because the government opposite promised time and time again but failed to follow through, which is the problem with Ontario in general.

We need a province that’s open for business. We need a province that’s growing the resource development throughout northern Ontario in our rural communities. That is what’s going to make Ontario strong again. That’s what’s going to make Ontario open for business.

The Minister of Indigenous Affairs and the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines takes his duty to consult very seriously, and he will continue to build those relationships with Indigenous communities and municipalities to build lasting partnerships.

My ministry has been tasked with developing resource-sharing with communities across this province. We are working toward that. We are going to be partners in these communities, with Indigenous communities, with northern Ontario, with rural communities. Ontario is open for business under the government of Doug Ford.

Concussions

Ms. Lindsey Park: My question is for the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Yesterday, members on all sides of this House commemorated Rowan’s Law Day. I was happy to see so much purple in this place. Even the Minister of Finance ditched his traditional yellow tie to wear a purple one. I think that’s worthy of a round of applause.

However, Rowan’s Law Day isn’t about clothing. It’s about commemorating the life of Rowan Stringer, a 17-year-old Ottawa varsity rugby player who died from sustaining multiple concussions resulting in a catastrophic brain injury. Rowan’s Law was made to help keep people safe and ensure they know how to deal with concussions safely. Can the minister outline what our government is doing to ensure we educate people about concussions and how to properly deal with them?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you to the member for Durham. I know you understand how important concussion awareness is.

I cannot thank and acknowledge the work of Rowan’s parents Kathy and Gordon Stringer enough for all their hard work on Rowan’s Law. This is something they’ve been working on since their daughter was lost to a preventable death. I’d also like to extend my thanks to my friend and colleague the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, the member from Ottawa South and the member from Waterloo for their work on making this bill a reality in the last Parliament.

Our government is committed and eager to implement the recommendations made by the Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee. That includes implementing Rowan’s Law Day and a multimedia campaign to ensure that children, athletes, coaches, educators and parents know what to do when they suspect a concussion.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary.

Ms. Lindsey Park: I’m so glad that Rowan’s legacy is being used to ensure that we can prevent more injury and, in some cases, even death. I’m also encouraged that we’re able to set aside our differences on all sides of the House to support this specific initiative and keep Ontarians safe on the playground, on the fields and on the ice.

I’ve had a number of teammates whose sporting ambitions were completely derailed by this type of injury. Everybody needs to be on board to ensure we’re keeping athletes and kids safe. That includes parents, educators and coaches. We all need to take these steps. Could the minister explain what these groups should do when it comes to concussions and the roles they can play in treating and preventing concussions?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I’d be pleased to. We all have a role to play in helping people stay safe when it comes to concussions.

As an athlete, if you suspect a concussion, ask your health care professional for a recovery plan you can follow. You shouldn’t be afraid to leave the game when safety is the most important thing.

As a parent or guardian, ask your child’s sports club about their concussion prevention and management policies. Make sure they have a concussion protocol.

As a coach, ask your organization about concussion training available to you. Knowing the first symptoms of a concussion can go a long way in preventing further damage.

As an educator, you can ask your principal about your school’s return-to-sport and return-to-learn concussion policies.

Working together, we will make sure that our athletes are safe and supported.

Addiction services

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: My question is for the Minister of Health. This week, the Premier will make a final decision on the future of Ontario’s overdose prevention sites. Technically, this decision will be based on the recommendation made by the Minister of Health. Will the Minister of Health tell the people of Ontario what was in her recommendation?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. We have been working on this issue quite diligently over the last two months. I have visited several overdose prevention sites and supervised consumption sites. I have done a walk-around. I have consulted with experts, neighbourhood people, people with lived experience who have given me their thoughts, and I can tell you that I have shared this information with the Premier’s office. We’ve been working very collaboratively on this issue, and we expect to be making an announcement very shortly.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary.

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: To the Minister of Health: It’s no secret that the Premier is firmly opposed to these sites staying open. He was clear about it during the campaign. The minister herself said that, even with her recommendation, “Whatever I think is really not the point that matters. It’s the Premier’s decision.”

If the Premier unilaterally decides to shut down these sites, will the minister finally stand up for the thousands of families affected by the opioid crisis and demand that the Premier continue to fund overdose prevention sites, or will she allow extensive evidence to be overridden by his uninformed personal views?

Hon. Christine Elliott: As the member will know, the Premier has been very clear for many months that he wanted to make an evidence-based decision on whether these sites should remain open or should be closed down. That is the information that I have been collecting for these past several months and that I have been sharing with the Premier’s office.

The Premier, it is true, makes the ultimate decision, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t work collaboratively on it. We have been doing that, and we will be making a decision. We will be making a recommendation. We are working with the Premier’s office, and the Premier and I will be making an announcement very shortly on that.

Forest industry

Mr. Ross Romano: My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. In recognition of this being National Forest Week, it is important to appreciate the abundant amount of opportunities that are provided through our unique provincial forests. In fact, 66% of our province is made up of forested areas.

Unfortunately, while the previous Liberal government was in power, the concerns of this industry were ignored. According to Statistics Canada, under that Liberal government, the forestry industry lost 51,000 jobs from 2003 to 2016. That’s a 51% decrease over that span.

During the election, our government ran on a promise to consult with residents about a multitude of issues. Mr. Speaker, will the minister please tell us how he will consult with Ontarians to attract investment, create jobs and foster those jobs in the forestry sector?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: I’d like to thank the member from Sault Ste. Marie, who is a strong voice for northern Ontario.

This morning, I was pleased to announce my ministry’s plan to engage with Ontarians as we work toward a provincial forestry strategy. Over the coming months, we’re going to sit down with industry and municipal leaders to listen to how we can tear down barriers and create an environment for growth. We’re also looking forward to hearing from our Indigenous communities, who will also be an important part of the process.

Mr. Speaker, we want to ensure that the forestry sector is driven by a long-term vision for growth and sustainability and that communities across the province share in the prosperity from this abundant renewable resource. The forestry industry generates over $15 billion in revenue and supports 150,000 direct and indirect jobs in 260 communities throughout this province. I look forward to continuing to grow the industry. A provincial forestry strategy is an important first step in unleashing the potential for Ontario’s forest industry.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary.

Mr. Ross Romano: I want to thank the minister for his answer. I want to thank you for the great work you’re doing to advance this very important cause on behalf of the people of Ontario.

Our government for the people promised that it would work hard to make Ontario the most prosperous region in North America to do business in, and Ontario’s forestry industry is a very important part of that. Forestry is vital to the social, economic and environmental well-being of the communities across Ontario, and hard-working people and families depend on the forestry sector.

I know that there’s more we can do to grow this industry, to create more jobs and opportunities in northern Ontario and across the province and to be more competitive and a stronger player in the global economy. I’m pleased to hear that our government will be listening to the people in regard to creating a provincial forestry strategy. Mr. Speaker, will the minister please explain how this strategy will ensure that the voices of the people of Ontario will be heard to ensure the future success of this vital industry?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Thank you again for that question. As the member from Sault Ste. Marie stated, over half of the forestry jobs in Ontario were lost due to Liberal neglect during their time of governing. That is why I am pleased today to announce to the House that, starting next month, our government will be holding round tables and gathering feedback online to help the province lay out a strategy for promoting economic growth within the forestry sector.

The first round table session will be held in November in Sault Ste. Marie, followed by additional sessions in the new year in Kitchener, Kenora, Kapuskasing, North Bay, Thunder Bay, Pembroke, Hearst and Timmins. We are also inviting people to have their say about the forestry strategy by emailing us at forestrystrategy@ontario.ca. I look forward to hearing how our government can reduce barriers so that industry can create jobs and prosperity not just in northern Ontario but across the province.

Ontario’s wood and wood products are recognized around the world as the highest standard of forest management anywhere. Sustainable forest management helps Ontario’s forestry remain healthy and productive, grows our economy and provides good jobs for Ontario. Ontario is open for business, Mr. Speaker.

Addiction services

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: My question is for the Deputy Premier. In my community of London North Centre, Dr. Chris Mackie tells me the temporary overdose prevention site has saved 35 lives and conducted 150 rehab referrals in as many days. This government committed to reviewing the evidence and providing an answer by the end of September. But the evidence was already clear: This approach saves lives. It’s a well-researched and proven harm reduction tool for combating this unprecedented public health crisis. Does the Conservative Party honestly think this problem will go away if these sites are shut down?

Will this government commit here and now to continuing to fund London’s temporary overdose prevention site past the deadline of September 30? Tell this House here and now.

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. I am certainly well aware that there is a serious issue in many parts of Ontario with opioid overuse and overdoses, so it is something that we are taking very seriously here. The health and safety of every person of Ontario is obviously a concern.

With respect to overdose prevention sites and supervised consumption sites, I’m very pleased to say that Dr. Mackie was actually one of the people who presented to us on the work that he’s doing in London, the activities he has undertaken and the wraparound supports that he is also able to provide. This is something that we took very seriously into consideration. I’m very grateful that Dr. Mackie took the time to come from London to provide us with that evidence. That is the kind of information that we need for the Premier to make an evidence-based decision about whether these sites should continue or not.

That is something that the Premier and I will be announcing very shortly, recognizing the September 30 deadline for responding and extending the timelines if they are to be extended.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: I’m glad to hear that this government is considering solid, robust, peer-reviewed evidence, because these services save lives and they make a huge difference.

We’ve also been concerned over here in the official opposition, because the 45-day pause on the overdose prevention sites has really reinforced this public health crisis. This crisis is bigger than HIV in the 1990s, and polio. In fact, if you put those two epidemics together and times them by two, you would get the same number of people dying each year in Canada from opioids.

In the face of a public health crisis and the overwhelming evidence that this treatment works, I trust that this government will do the right thing and continue to fund temporary overdose prevention sites. It is the right thing to do. It’s the humane thing to do.

Hon. Christine Elliott: The member is absolutely correct that there is a serious public health issue involved here. There are different ways that one can combat it. We have spoken with the Office of the Chief Coroner and Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, as well as many other people, including people with lived experience, who have told us quite directly what these sites have meant to them.

We are taking all of that information into consideration in terms of making recommendations to the Premier, much of which has already been shared with the Premier. As I’ve said before, recognizing that this deadline is coming up, in order to achieve the extension, if that is to be done, it has to be done before September 30. Therefore, an announcement will be made very shortly.

Community safety

Mr. David Piccini: My question today is for the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Minister, a few days ago we heard the deeply disturbing and shocking news that Terri-Lynne McClintic, who was convicted of the kidnapping, murder and rape of young eight-year-old Tori Stafford, was to be transitioned into a healing lodge.

I’m aware that our Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs wrote a letter to the Minister of Public—we always know that the federal Liberals put the interests of criminals above those of victims.

Interjections.

Mr. David Piccini: I would advise you to just listen.

In fact, we knew that the Minister of Agriculture spoke to the father—and our Premier spoke to the father as well—and has made it clear that we will do everything to ensure that justice is served as originally intended for Ms. McClintic.

Mr. Speaker, can the minister give this place an update on what he is doing to urge the government to take immediate action to reverse this shameful decision?

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for this question. I want to begin by reiterating that my thoughts and the thoughts of our government remain with the family of Tori Stafford.

We are shocked and saddened that such a change in direction was taken by the federal government, bringing back feelings of anger and despair for all of those affected. As I mentioned before in the Legislature, decisions like this made by our federal government can seriously impact the public’s confidence in our correctional systems.

I’ll be writing a letter myself to the federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Mr. Ralph Goodale, to get clarification on how such a decision could possibly have been made, and what can be done to reverse it.

Our government has remained committed to improving our community safety and correctional services. This includes working with our federal counterparts to do the same and to ensure that justice is served as intended.

Canada can do better, and our government here in Ontario will encourage the federal government to do so as well. We must do better.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. David Piccini: Minister, thank you for that answer, and thank you for your swift action on this. Thank you to the Premier for his swift action as well.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that has stood on principle on this issue, that has made it clear in this place, on record, that we will not stand by as this shameful decision by our federal government has been made.

In fact, we’ve also heard the attitude of the federal Minister of Public Safety in his initial remarks on this, who described the crimes committed by Terri-Lynne McClintic as “bad practices.”

Mr. Speaker, can the minister reassure this Legislature that this matter is being taken with the seriousness it deserves? And can he give us an update on what he and our government is going to do to ensure that we put the rights of victims before those of criminals?

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Mr. Speaker, I refer this to the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Ernie Hardeman: I thank the member for the question, and I thank the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services for treating this matter with the utmost importance.

Upon hearing about the sudden and disturbing news in the change of direction taken by the federal government regarding this matter, we reached out to the Stafford family. The family expressed that they are grateful to finally have a government that cares, takes action and works for the people.

Our government stands behind the Stafford family, and I am encouraged to see that the community of Woodstock is taking action to call on the federal government to change its decision. The residents in my riding are watching this matter very closely. We’re all hoping to see quick action taken so that justice can be delivered and closure can be brought to the family of Tori Stafford.

Together with the Premier and the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, we are taking real action to see what can be done to correct this poor and unfortunate decision.

Mr. Speaker, earlier it was mentioned that yesterday we were all wearing purple for Rowan’s Law. I just want to say I’m still wearing it today. It was Tori Stafford’s favourite colour.

Public transit

Ms. Jessica Bell: Speaker, my question is to the Premier. Transit experts and the head of the TTC have said that breaking up Toronto’s transit to upload the subway to the province is a disaster in waiting.

The people of Toronto deserve to know what’s happening with their transit system. Can the Premier share the details of this government’s plan to upload the TTC?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: During the election, we made it very, very clear that we need a regional transportation system to get people from point A to point B in a rapid fashion. Our number one priority is going to be to build that downtown relief line. We’re going to make sure there’s a three-stop subway in Scarborough.

Over the years, we haven’t been able to build transit in this city. We have not been able to build transit. We’re going to build a regional transportation system, a great subway system, one of the best in the world. But we’re going to start getting the shovels in the ground.

Years ago, Mr. Speak