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March 19, 2007

38th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2007-Mar-19 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Monday 19 March 2007 Lundi 19 mars 2007

INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS

FOR MARKHAM, BURLINGTON,

AND YORK SOUTH–WESTON

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

VIC PRIESTLY

HATE CRIMES

TOBACCO GROWERS

LONG-TERM CARE

CIA BOUNCE BASKETBALL

ONTARIO BUDGET

HUMBER RIVER REGIONAL HOSPITAL

HOCKEYVILLE

KOOLATRON INC.

WEARING OF RIBBONS

VISITORS

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

FINANCE AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

SOCIAL POLICY

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

JUSTICE POLICY

VISITORS

STANDING COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

SPECIAL REPORT, OMBUDSMAN

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

DAY ACT, 2007 /

LOI DE 2007 SUR

LE JOUR MARTIN LUTHER KING

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ACT, 2007 /

LOI DE 2007 SUR LE MOIS

DE L'HISTOIRE DES NOIRS

MEMBERS FOR LEEDS—GRENVILLE

AND DAVENPORT

MOTIONS

PRIVATE MEMBERS' PUBLIC BUSINESS

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

FAMILY SUPPORT

SOUTIEN FAMILIAL

EDUCATION FUNDING /

SUBVENTIONS DESTINÉES

À L'ÉDUCATION

DORIS ANDERSON

FAMILY SUPPORT

EDUCATION FUNDING

DORIS ANDERSON

FAMILY SUPPORT

DORIS ANDERSON

EDUCATION FUNDING

ORAL QUESTIONS

AUTISM TREATMENT

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

MINIMUM WAGE

MANUFACTURING JOBS

SMITHS FALLS ECONOMY

AIR-RAIL LINK

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

CLASS SIZE

NANTICOKE GENERATING STATION

AGRICULTURAL LABOUR POLICY

HOSPITAL FUNDING

JUSTICE SYSTEM

ACCESSIBILITÉ POUR

LES PERSONNES HANDICAPÉES

ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS

PETITIONS

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE

PULMONARY DISEASE

LONG-TERM CARE

PEACE OFFICERS' MEMORIAL DAY

ROYAL ASSENT

SANCTION ROYALE

ORDERS OF THE DAY

PROVINCIAL ADVOCATE FOR

CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACT, 2007 /

LOI DE 2007 SUR L'INTERVENANT

PROVINCIAL EN FAVEUR DES ENFANTS

ET DES JEUNES

The House met at 1330.

Prayers.

INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS

FOR MARKHAM, BURLINGTON,

AND YORK SOUTH—WESTON

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): I beg to inform the House that the Acting Clerk has received from the Chief Election Officer and laid upon the table certificates of the by-elections in the electoral districts of Markham, Burlington and York South—Weston.

The Acting Clerk of the Assembly (Ms. Deborah Deller): This is a letter addressed to:

"Mrs. Deborah Deller

"Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

"Room 104

"Legislative Building

"Queen's Park

"Toronto, Ontario

"M7A 1A2

"Dear Mrs. Deller:

"A writ of election dated the tenth day of January, 2007, was issued by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor of the province of Ontario, and was addressed to Judi McIntyre, returning officer for the electoral district of Markham, for the election of a member to represent the said electoral district of Markham in the Legislative Assembly of this province in the room of Tony C. Wong who, since his election as representative of the said electoral district of Markham, has resigned his seat.

This is to certify that, a poll having been granted and held in Markham on the eighth day of February, 2007, Michael Chan has been returned as duly elected as appears by the return of the said writ of election, dated the 16th day of February, 2007, which is now lodged of record in my office.

"John L. Hollins

"Chief Election Officer

"Toronto, March 8, 2007."

The second letter is addressed to:

"Mrs. Deborah Deller

"Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

"Room 104

"Legislative Building

"Queen's Park

"Toronto, Ontario

"M7A 1A2

"Dear Mrs. Deller:

"A writ of election dated the tenth day of January, 2007, was issued by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor of the province of Ontario, and was addressed to Jean Schemmer, returning officer for the electoral district of Burlington, for the election of a member to represent the said electoral district of Burlington in the Legislative Assembly of this province in the room of Cam Jackson who, since his election as representative of the said electoral district of Burlington, has resigned his seat.

This is to certify that, a poll having been granted and held in Burlington on the eighth day of February, 2007, Joyce Savoline has been returned as duly elected as appears by the return of the said writ of election dated the 16th day of February, 2007, which is now lodged of record in my office.

"John L. Hollins

"Chief Election Officer

"Toronto, March 8, 2007."

The third letter is addressed to:

"Mrs. Deborah Deller

"Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

"Room 104

"Legislative Building

"Queen's Park

"Toronto, Ontario

"M7A 1A2

"Dear Mrs. Deller:

"A writ of election dated the tenth day of January, 2007, was issued by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor of the province of Ontario, and was addressed to Kenneth H. Paterson, returning officer for the electoral district of York South—Weston, for the election of a member to represent the said electoral district of York South—Weston in the Legislative Assembly of this province in the room of Joseph Cordiano who, since his election as representative of the said electoral district of York South—Weston, has resigned his seat.

This is to certify that, a poll having been granted and held in York South—Weston on the eighth day of February, 2007, Paul Ferreira has been returned as duly elected as appears by the return of the said writ of election, dated the 16th day of February, 2007, which is now lodged of record in my office.

"John L. Hollins

"Chief Election Officer

"Toronto, March 8, 2007."

Mr. Chan was escorted into the chamber by Mr. McGuinty and Mr. Bradley.

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): Speaker, I have the honour to present to you and to the House Michael Chan, member-elect for the electoral district of Markham, who has taken the oath and signed the roll and now claims the right to take his seat.

The Speaker: Let the honourable member take his seat.

Applause.

Mrs. Savoline was escorted into the chamber by Mr. Tory and Mr. Runciman.

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): Speaker, I have the honour to present to you and to the House Joyce Savoline, member-elect for the electoral district of Burlington, who has taken the oath and signed the roll and now claims the right to take her seat.

The Speaker: Let the honourable member take her seat.

Applause.

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora—Rainy River): Speaker, I have the honour to present to you and to the House Paul Ferreira, member-elect for the electoral district of York South—Weston, who has taken the oath and signed the roll and now claims the right to take his seat.

The Speaker: Let the honourable member take his seat.

Applause.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

VIC PRIESTLY

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): I rise today to pay tribute to a great Ontarian. In his hometown of Aurora, throughout York region and across this province, Vic Priestly is known as a man who has a head for business and a heart for people, his outstanding business success overshadowed only by his generous contributions to his community and to humanitarian causes that will continue to touch lives for generations to come.

Whether a voice of encouragement to a struggling business acquaintance, a guiding hand to a budding entrepreneur, a word of caution to an overly optimistic politician or a helping hand to the vulnerable, Vic Priestly moves in and out of these roles with determination, enthusiasm and grace.

Organizations that benefited from Vic's leadership over the years include the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, the Royal Canadian Legion and the York County Hospital Foundation. His leadership with the Rotary Club of Aurora earned him the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Award, and in 1999, Vic was named citizen of the year by the town of Aurora. Today, Community Living Newmarket/Aurora district is honouring Vic Priestly for his lifetime of excellence in community service.

I invite all members of this Legislature to join with me in endorsing this most appropriate honour on a most deserving citizen of this province.

HATE CRIMES

Mr. David Zimmer (Willowdale): I regret to rise once again to address the issue of hate crimes in our communities. While Ontario has made great strides in protecting the equality and human rights of our citizens, occasionally we are confronted with a dark reminder that hatred still remains.

This time, it reared its ugly head in the form of offensive Nazi symbols scrawled on the Chabad Midtown Jewish Community Centre in downtown Toronto. Jewish groups are understandably outraged, as they should be; indeed, all Ontarians are outraged.

Fortunately, a suspect was apprehended at the scene, thanks in part to the vigilance of TTC bus driver Giovanni Hidalgo and the Toronto police.

If there is a bright light that can emerge from such a hateful incident, it is that the good citizens of Ontario who feel a duty to stand up and fight back, did. Ontario is a beacon of multiculturalism. Our diversity and acceptance of difference helps to define our identity. As Premier McGuinty has said, an attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us. As members of this House, we must stand together yet again and send the message that hate, in any form, against any group, against any person in Ontario, will not be tolerated.

TOBACCO GROWERS

Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand—Norfolk—Brant): Tobacco country is in full-blown crisis, and desperate farmers need a total exit plan immediately. We are all well aware of the proposal from the tobacco marketing board and Tobacco Farmers in Crisis. As well, Dalton McGuinty promised to be "an active participant in a federally led process to fund a long-term solution for the tobacco growing region."

These are Ontario farmers. If this farm crisis was in any other province, farmers would be taken under that province's wing, but not as yet in McGuinty's Ontario. A few weeks ago, the finance committee government members voted against a motion to fund the traditional 40% share of a federally led compensation package: another broken promise. Both Ottawa and Queen's Park have said $1 billion is too rich. However, if this McGuinty government would contribute its traditional 60%-40% share, I'm confident the exit package would be affordable.

There are a few government MPPs who want to do the right thing for tobacco farmers. The rest could learn a lot from these members, because they understand that this crisis goes beyond polling. Thursday's 2007-08 budget has to be more favourable for all farmers than the past three budgets. McGuinty government policy has put tobacco farmers out of business. Will you not help pay for a dignified exit?

LONG-TERM CARE

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins—James Bay): I rise on behalf of those who are residents of long-term-care facilities not only in the riding of Timmins—James Bay but across this province who have been waiting on this government for over three years to take action towards the promises they made in the last election. The Liberal government in the last election said they were going to fund an additional $6,000 per resident for each resident in long-term-care facilities. To date, here we are on the eve of an election and yet we are not anywhere near meeting the commitment that the Liberals made in the last election.

Then they talked about providing a minimum standard of care of 2.25 hours to every resident in long-term-care facilities across this province. Yet again, we are not anywhere near that.

I've got to say that each and every one of us here in this Legislature has had the chance to go into long-term-care facilities, no matter what side of the political aisle we come from, and we all see the same thing. We see staff working their hearts out, trying to do the best they can with as little money as they've got to provide services to those people in long-term-care facilities.

We watch what happens to the residents in regard to the amount of attention they get when they are in need and they are not able to find staff people, not because staff people don't want to respond, but because staff have to respond to many calls and there's not enough money to fund the homes to the degree needed in order to provide the services that are required.

What is really sad is that when you go into the secure units and you look at those residents who are suffering from dementia, you often see situations where there's one staff person to watch the entire wing while other staff people are out basically doing other things within the facility.

This is unacceptable. This government has to act, because if we are not going to take care of seniors, then I've got to say that we're not doing a very good job of what government should be all about.

CIA BOUNCE BASKETBALL

Mr. Vic Dhillon (Brampton West—Mississauga): I'm pleased to rise today to recognize a very special achievement by a constituent, Brampton elementary schoolteacher Mr. Michael George. He joined lifelong Brampton residents Tony McIntyre and Derek Boyce, who together formed CIA youth bounce basketball. CIA—which stands for "characteristics inspiring achievement"—bounce basketball is an elite basketball program. It was founded to provide a safe environment for youth to cultivate confidence, discipline and respect through mentoring, workshops and excursions, as well as through teamwork.

This past month, as many still may recall, Mr. George, who teaches at Cardinal Newman Catholic school, won $144,000 on a popular game show, and as promised then, he has given half to the organization and the kids who mean so much to him. That's a lot of money.

I cannot fully express my happiness and admiration for these role models and the selfless example they set for our community and our youth, and especially for the residents of Brampton West—Mississauga. For more information on their great work, please visit www.bouncebasketball.com. Mr. George is here in our gallery today, and I would appreciate it if we would welcome him to our Legislature.

ONTARIO BUDGET

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie—Lincoln): We have three days until the provincial budget is presented in this place. Based on the previous record of Premier McGuinty, the outlook is grim for Ontario taxpayers. It took from Confederation to 2003 to get Ontario government spending to $68 billion a year in total. In true Liberal fashion, Dalton McGuinty plans to boost that spending to over $90 billion in four years. That's a whopping $22-billion, or 34%, increase in government spending. That is simply breathtaking.

We all remember that this time last year the McGuinty cabinet hastily rushed out some $3 billion in last-minute March-madness spending that was heavily criticized by the Auditor General for the lack of controls or strings attached. Despite all of that spending, Ontario taxpayers must wonder where all the money has gone and what they've got to show for it. We don't see better education, we certainly don't see improved health care, nor do we see reduced taxes for seniors or working families in the province. Instead, we see the McGuinty Liberals increasing the debt by some $13 billion and forecasting a $4-billion increase this year.

Mr. Speaker, you know as well as I that money does not grow on trees. It comes from the pockets of hard-working voters across Ontario who want to see spending with a plan, with controls and with real results for Ontarians. In the immortal words of Roger Daltrey, taxpayers won't be fooled again by Dalton McGuinty.

HUMBER RIVER REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Mr. Mario Sergio (York West): In my riding of York West, Humber River Regional Hospital this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. For the past 10 years, and previously as York-Finch Hospital, Humber River Regional Hospital has been serving the larger community, reaching out to approximately 800,000 people. In York West, home to a strong multicultural community, Humber River Regional Hospital provides health care information in more than 50 languages.

February 2 of this year marked the occasion of our Minister of Health having announced that Humber River Regional Hospital has been designated as the province's first medical centre of excellence. Humber River Regional Hospital provides care to some 100,000 emergency visits each year and more than 300,000 ambulatory and diagnostic procedures annually. It provides a full range of medical and surgical services and is recognized as the regional centre for dialysis, level 2 women's health, child and adolescent mental health, and in the provision of cancer surgery and chemotherapy.

Humber River Regional Hospital has a very proud past and is looking toward an even more exciting future. Congratulations to the president, Rueben Devlin, his hard-working staff, physicians and volunteers, who total about 4,000 dedicated and committed individuals. Together, their tireless efforts have promoted Humber River Regional Hospital to the cutting edge of acute hospital care in Canada. Humber River Regional Hospital will celebrate not only 10 years but the beginning of a long and continuous level of service to the people of York West.

To Humber River Regional Hospital, happy 10th anniversary.

HOCKEYVILLE

Ms. Monique M. Smith (Nipissing): The tension ran high in North Bay on Saturday night as the winner of Kraft Hockeyville 2007 was set to be announced during Hockey Night in Canada, with all of Canada finding out which of the five final communities would be voted the champion.

Ron McLean read the results of the vote, starting with Noelville in fifth place, and the final two communities, both from Ontario: Cornwall and North Bay. The tension could not have been higher as Gary Bettman announced that North Bay is Hockeyville.

This is one more example of what we in Nipissing can do when we put our minds to it. This was truly a grassroots campaign, and a number of people worked tirelessly to make this happen. I want to congratulate Chris Dawson, the chair; Debbie, Heath and Devon Marson; Ryan Drouin; Paul Robillard; Rob Brownlee; Brad Gavan; Joey Rainer; Linda Turcotte; Trina St. Jacques; and Randy Edmonds. They encouraged all of us to vote early and vote often. We proudly wore our hockey jerseys to work on Thursday and encouraged everyone to get out and vote.

Not only does the city win bragging rights as Hockeyville, $50,000 for arena upgrades, and a pre-season NHL exhibition game between the New York Islanders and the Atlanta Thrashers, but the city will also be featured in a national one-hour CBC Television special to air this fall.

Hockeyville officials noted that "North Bay's commitment to community and hockey underlies everything they do." The officials took notice of local initiatives like Tommy Hedican's Coach for Food program and the hosting of Hurricane Katrina victims at our local pond hockey tournament.

I want to congratulate everyone who was involved in this. It was a great community effort and everyone got out and voted.

I just want to remind everyone in this Legislature that in North Bay we are Hockeyville.

KOOLATRON INC.

Mr. Dave Levac (Brant): It's a very large pleasure to rise today to highlight the tremendous contribution being made to local infrastructure in my riding by Koolatron Inc.

With the help of a $2.34-million investment from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, a $26-million investment will be leveraged.

Koolatron is a fascinating business that is investing in the development of several new products, including a large mobile cooler and a cordless mosquito trap, using energy-efficient thermoelectric power designed by the shuttle program.

This investment will allow for the creation of new jobs and the retention of over 170 high-value jobs for workers in Brant, jobs that the people of Brant can count on into the future.

All of this acts as proof that the McGuinty government's ongoing commitment to local infrastructures, a stable energy supply, as well as research and innovation are key to the economic development of our province.

The investment made in Koolatron represents a win for my riding of Brant, the workers and their families and for the government.

Our government is making strategic investments that are helping manufacturers throughout the province with this specific program.

The summer season is quickly approaching, and if anyone has any plans to travel, I would strongly suggest that they visit www.koolatron.com, where they can read about and purchase several different types of portable travel coolers and warmers that are ideal for travel.

This will unlock investment in our province. We thank the McGuinty government so much for this investment.

WEARING OF RIBBONS

Mr. Dave Levac (Brant): On a point of order, Speaker: Ribbons today have been mailed from Epilepsy Ontario—their program that they want to make March their epilepsy awareness month. I seek unanimous consent in this House to wear the ribbons that have been mailed to each one of us. Lavender will now become the colour of epilepsy.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Agreed? Agreed.

VISITORS

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I would like to recognize Bill Laidlaw. He's the executive director of the MaRS Centre and the Canadian Biotechnology Education Resource Centre. I'd also like to recognize Faridah Saadat. She is the intern working with Bill Laidlaw at the MaRS Centre.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): I would draw members' attention to the members' west gallery. We have with us Mr. Elie Martel, who represented Sudbury East in the 29th to 33rd Parliaments. Welcome.

In the Speaker's gallery we have David Warner, the member for Scarborough—Ellesmere in the 30th, 31st, 33rd, and 35th Parliaments and the Speaker of the House in the 35th Parliament. Welcome.

Mr. Jerry J. Ouellette (Oshawa): I'd like all to join me in recognizing my new seatmate's husband, Ron Savoline, along with their children Robb, Becky, Natasha and Josh, and her cousins Philip and Courtney Patent, who have flown in from Arizona to see today's event.

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

FINANCE AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Mr. Pat Hoy (Chatham—Kent Essex): I beg leave to present a report on the pre-budget consultations 2007 from the standing committee on finance and economic affairs and move the adoption of its recommendations.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Does the member have a brief statement?

Mr. Hoy: I thank the committee and all of the staff who worked on this particular report.

I move adjournment of the debate.

The Speaker: Shall the motion carry? Carried.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Mr. Ted McMeekin (Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot): I beg leave to present a report from the standing committee on the Legislative Assembly and move its adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Lisa Freedman): Your committee begs to report the following bill as amended:

Bill 155,

An Act to provide for a referendum on Ontario's electoral system / Projet de loi 155, Loi prévoyant un référendum sur le système électoral de l'Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Shall the report be received and adopted?

All those in favour will say "aye."

All those opposed will say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1400 to 1405.

The Speaker: All those in favour will please stand one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

The Speaker: All those opposed will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

The Acting Clerk of the Assembly (Ms. Deborah Deller): The ayes are 78; the nays are 9.

The Speaker: I declare the motion carried. The bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

SOCIAL POLICY

Mr. Ernie Parsons (Prince Edward—Hastings): I beg leave to present a report from the standing committee on social policy and move its adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Lisa Freedman): Mr. Parsons from the standing committee on social policy presents the committee's report as follows and moves its adoption:

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

Bill 140,

An Act respecting long-term care homes / Projet de loi 140, Loi concernant les foyers de soins de longue durée.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Shall the report be received and adopted?

All in favour will say "aye."

All opposed will say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1410 to 1415.

The Speaker: All those in favour will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

The Speaker: All those opposed will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

The Acting Clerk of the Assembly (Ms. Deborah Deller): The ayes are 78; the nays are 9.

The Speaker: The bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Mr. Norman W. Sterling (Lanark—Carleton): Pursuant to the order of the House dated December 20, 2006, I beg leave to present a report on the driver and vehicle private issuing network from the standing committee on public accounts and move the adoption of its recommendations.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Does the member have a brief statement?

Mr. Sterling: Yes, Mr. Speaker. As you know, the public accounts committee reviews the auditor's report and does it

section by

section on a weekly basis. This report comes from the Auditor General's 2005 annual report.

The driver and vehicle private issuing network provides a great service for the government of Ontario and does it very cost-efficiently.

There have been a number of issues with regard to the compensation for the people who do this work. There have been a number of issues with regard to the oversight of these different offices. I think there was a general feeling of the committee that these issues should be resolved and resolved now. They have been outstanding for as many as 10 years. Even if some of these issues would be resolved on an interim basis, the committee feels that that should be done.

I move adjournment of this debate.

The Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

JUSTICE POLICY

Mr. Lorenzo Berardinetti (Scarborough Southwest): I beg leave to present a report from the standing committee on justice policy and move its adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Lisa Freedman): Mr. Berardinetti from the standing committee on justice policy presents the committee's report as follows and moves its adoption:

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

Bill 103,

An Act to establish an Independent Police Review Director and create a new public complaints process by amending the Police Services Act / Projet de loi 103, Loi visant à créer le poste de directeur indépendant d'examen de la police et à créer une nouvelle procédure de traitement des plaintes du public en modifiant la

Loi sur les services policiers.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed? Agreed.

The bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

VISITORS

Mr. Mario G. Racco (Thornhill): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: It's my pleasure to introduce the family of the new member from Markham, the Minister of Revenue, Michael Chan. In the northwest corner, we have the family of the member: his wife, his two sons, his mother-in-law, his sister and, of course, the president of the Markham riding. Welcome to this House.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): I beg to inform the House that during the adjournment, the Clerk received the reports on intended appointments dated February 26 and March 1, 2007, of the standing committee on government agencies.

Pursuant to standing order 106(e)9, the reports are deemed to be adopted by the House.

SPECIAL REPORT, OMBUDSMAN

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): I beg to inform the House that during the adjournment, the following report was tabled on February 27, 2007: a report from the Ombudsman concerning the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

DAY ACT, 2007 /

LOI DE 2007 SUR

LE JOUR MARTIN LUTHER KING

Mr. Klees moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 181,

An Act to proclaim Martin Luther King Jr. Day / Projet de loi 181, Loi proclamant le Jour Martin Luther King.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

The member may wish to make a brief statement.

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): As the

preamble to my private member's bill states, more than 100 countries around the globe honour the person and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in support of the movement inspired by his life and death to promote interracial harmony based on the principles of human rights, equality and freedom.

In the words of Dr. Rosemary Sadlier, the president of the Ontario Black History Society, "Martin Luther King has come to be a symbol of freedom, social justice and equality in the world. And when we recognize him, we also recognize the efforts of countless others who have contributed to our current level of awareness of these important issues."

I would ask members to welcome Dr. Sadlier, who is here to observe the tabling of this legislation in the west members' gallery.

Dr. King himself was inspired by the example of a great abolitionist and member of the British Parliament, William Wilberforce, who spent his political career fighting slavery and who died just one month before the anti-slavery act of 1807 was promulgated by the British Parliament on March 25 of that year. That act did end the transatlantic slave trade but did not end enslavement of Africans.

A contemporary of William Wilberforce who likewise took inspiration from him was Ontario's first Lieutenant Governor, John Graves Simcoe. In 1793, when this very House came into existence at Newark, and at its first sitting, John Simcoe ensured that the first bills on the order of business to be tabled were those that attacked the pernicious institution of slavery in Upper Canada. That was almost 15 years before the British act of 1807.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ACT, 2007 /

LOI DE 2007 SUR LE MOIS

DE L'HISTOIRE DES NOIRS

Mr. Balkissoon moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 182,

An Act to name February in each year Black History Month / Projet de loi 182, Loi visant à désigner le mois de février de chaque année comme Mois de l'histoire des Noirs.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

The member may wish to make a brief statement.

Mr. Bas Balkissoon (Scarborough—Rouge River): This bill, entitled

An Act to name February in each year Black History Month, is about celebrating the many contributions of African-Canadians, both past and present, every year in the month of February. It signifies this government's commitment to promoting and upholding Ontario's diversity.

Ontario has been enriched through the achievements made by African-Canadians. I am pleased to propose that we formally acknowledge February in each year as Black History Month in Ontario.

MEMBERS FOR LEEDS—GRENVILLE

AND DAVENPORT

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: If I may, I would like to draw to the attention of the House that on March 19, 1981, the member for Leeds—Grenville, Mr. Runciman, and the member for Davenport, Mr. Ruprecht, were elected to this House. I think we should extend congratulations to them.

Applause.

Mr. Tony Ruprecht (Davenport): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: While I appreciate the applause—and so does Mr. Runciman, I'm sure—I want the honourable members to know that when I was still in public school, I listened to the rousing speeches by the member from St. Catharines, who has been here much longer than I have.

MOTIONS

PRIVATE MEMBERS' PUBLIC BUSINESS

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): I seek unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice regarding private members' public business.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Agreed? Agreed.

Hon. Mr. Bradley: I move that, notwithstanding standing order 96(d), the following change be made to the ballot list of private members' public business: Mr. Kormos and Mr. Ferreira exchange places in order of precedence such that Mr. Kormos assumes ballot item 78 and Mr. Ferreira assumes ballot item 74; Mr. Balkissoon and Mr. Duguid exchange places in order of precedence such that Mr. Balkissoon assumes ballot item 72 and Mr. Duguid assumes ballot item 73; and that, pursuant to standing order 96(g), notice be waived for ballot items 71, 72, 73 and 74.

The Speaker: Shall the motion carry? Carried.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

FAMILY SUPPORT

SOUTIEN FAMILIAL

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for francophone affairs): Today I am proud to tell the House about an important McGuinty government initiative that is helping families and children get the support that they deserve. On February 19, our government launched goodparentspay.com, a new website to help track down defaulting support payers who refuse to live up to their family responsibilities.

Nous affichons sur le site lesbonsparentspayent.com, la photo de mauvais payeurs dont le lieu de résidence est inconnu, ainsi que des renseignements à leur sujet. Le site Web lesbonsparentspayent.com connaît un succès retentissant. En fonction depuis seulement quatre semaines, plus de 16,8 millions d'accès au site ont été enregistrés.

We have received more than 200 tips from the public about the location of support payers not living up to their family responsibilities. Most important, I am proud to tell this House today that we have already located five defaulting payers. We've added five new profiles to the site so that Ontarians can continue to help us make sure that children get the support they deserve.

Most parents are responsible. These good parents pay their court-ordered child support. But there are some irresponsible parents out there. To them our message is simple: We will find you, and we will make sure your children get the support they deserve.

Le site Web lesbonsparentspayent.com est la plus récente des mesures prises par le gouvernement McGuinty pour aider les familles et les enfants.

J'aimerais rappeler quelques autres réalisations du Bureau des obligations familiales : Plus de 330 $ millions ont été recouvrés grâce à l'initiative d'information des agences d'évaluation du crédit. Près de 400 000 appels additionnels ont été traités par la nouvelle unité du service à la clientèle du bureau depuis février 2004, ce qui représente une hausse de 35 % du nombre d'appels traités par le bureau. Plus de 238 000 nouveaux numéros d'identification personnels, NIP, ont été délivrés à des clientes et clients pour leur permettre d'accéder, 24 heures sur 24, sept jours sur sept, à des renseignements sur leur cas au moyen d'un système automatisé.

Our government believes that children should not suffer because a parent refuses to live up to her or his financial responsibilities. We will use every tool at our disposal to find those who don't pay. Thanks to goodparentspay.com, parents not living up to their family responsibilities are getting the message and children are getting the support they so rightly deserve.

I want to thank all those who have gone on the site and are helping us to identify and locate these parents.

EDUCATION FUNDING /

SUBVENTIONS DESTINÉES

À L'ÉDUCATION

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne (Minister of Education): Over the past four years, we've seen our government's commitment and investments in education paying off for our students.

Au cours des quatre dernières années, nous avons constaté que l'engagement de notre gouvernement envers l'éducation et ses investissements dans ce secteur donnent des résultats au profit de nos élèves.

Scores on various provincial tests are up between five and 15 percentage points. Graduation rates have increased 5% over the past two years, and class sizes are smaller, with almost all primary students in classes of 23 or fewer.

And it's not over. Students will benefit from another year of significant education investments through the help of new resources and a funding formula that reflects the changing needs of our students. Education funding will increase by $781 million, to an unprecedented total of $18.3 billion in 2007-08. Province-wide funding per pupil will rise by 5.1% to more than $9,400. That means an additional $2,000 for each student in Ontario since our government came to office.

This funding supports three new components to the funding formula to help boards meet their operating costs and to boost student achievement.

First, the program enhancement grant will support arts, music, physical education, outdoor education and other activities that provide students with a well-rounded educational experience.

Second, the First Nations, Metis and Inuit education supplement will provide enhanced ongoing supports for aboriginal students.

Third, the supported schools allocation will ensure that schools in small communities with low or declining enrolments stay viable.

Our government's new investment in 2007-08 also includes support for 1,900 new teachers, a 3% salary increase negotiated in the labour framework, increased funding for special education, increased funding to recognize the rising costs of transportation and utilities, and additional support for French-language boards.

We are listening to our education partners. We are listening to ensure that the way we deliver funding responds to the changing needs of students and schools.

Since 2003, our government has made 10 significant changes to the funding formula. We've supported more teachers to create smaller class sizes and more secondary courses. We've addressed the teacher salary funding gap. We're renewing our schools with a $4-billion investment to repair and rebuild them, and we're providing school-based funding so that small schools and schools with declining enrolment get the stable funding they need.

We will continue to work with school boards and our other partners in education to ensure our students' best interests are looked after and that parents can feel confident in the publicly funded education system.

Through our investments, commitments and partnerships, we're creating peace and stability and giving our students more opportunities to reach their full potential.

Grâce à nos investissements, à nos engagements et à nos partenariats, nous instaurons de la paix et de la stabilité et nous donnons à nos élèves plus de possibilités de réaliser leur plein potentiel. Merci.

DORIS ANDERSON

Hon. Sandra Pupatello (Minister of Economic Development and Trade, minister responsible for women's issues): On March 2, days before International Women's Day, our province lost a champion and a trailblazer of women's rights: Doris Anderson. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask my colleagues to join me in remembering an icon of women's equality.

Grâce à ses efforts, les femmes en Ontario et au Canada ont davantage de choix et d'opportunités. M me Anderson a tracé la voie vers la pleine égalité des sexes pendant plus de 50 ans. Elle estimait que toutes les femmes devraient être libres de faire leurs propres choix et de vivre sans craindre de devenir victimes de violence. Elle a agi pour que ses convictions fassent

partie de notre expérience quotidienne.

During her tenure as editor of Chatelaine magazine, Ms. Anderson raised women's consciousness about topics that had a direct impact on their lives: topics like the wage gap; inequality of divorce laws; women's health issues.

At a time when there were very few women in politics, Doris Anderson asked what was then considered to be an impertinent question: Why aren't there more women in politics?

Ms. Anderson pushed for a Royal Commission on the Status of Women.

She used her position as chair of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women to lobby for strong wording on women's equality in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Thanks to Ms. Anderson and the support of a generation of Canadian women, we now have wording that enshrines women's equality in the charter.

But she didn't stop there. Ms. Anderson, in the last decade and a half of her life, campaigned vigorously for proportional representation in the electoral system. She believed that it would encourage more women to run and have a better chance at being elected.

Looking back at all of her accomplishments, we owe a lot to Doris Anderson.

Of course, we know there is still more work to do. Our numbers are still too few in politics. Women are still living with the threat of violence in their own homes, and some are not able to access economic opportunities. But our government, along with our community partners, is doing its part to honour this inspirational woman by redoubling our efforts to address these issues.

Our government is investing more than $82 million over four years to keep women and children safe through our domestic violence action plan. The plan is working to prevent violence against women through better community supports, a strengthened justice system response, public education strategies, and increased access to French services. And we are creating economic opportunities by funding training programs in the skilled trades and information technology areas.

Our government will also safeguard those rights that women have fought so hard for.

True equality means that women can live free from the fear of violence in their own homes and have economic opportunities. Our government will honour Doris Anderson's memory by doing just that: improving women's lives across this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Responses?

FAMILY SUPPORT

Mr. Ted Arnott (Waterloo—Wellington): I'm glad to have this chance to reply to the Minister of Community and Social Services on behalf of our party. I know that the member for York North, who is an outstanding advocate for improving the well-being of Ontario's children and families, would want to be here to respond to this statement, but I understand that she is attending a funeral this afternoon. So, in responding on her behalf, I'm expressing my own personal views.

My wife and have I been blessed with three children, and they are the centre of our lives. As a father, I believe that I have certain moral obligations to my children, one of which is ensuring that all of their essential material needs are met. I believe that every father has this moral obligation. This obligation continues even in the event of a marital split.

In many cases, Ontario court orders are intended to ensure that the costs of raising children are shared by both parents. Unfortunately, as we know, too many children still do without because one parent is unwilling or unable to make their payments to meet their children's needs.

Every member of this House knows that the Family Responsibility Office is a bureaucracy which has huge problems. Rarely a day goes by that my constituency office doesn't receive a complaint about FRO. Whether FRO is poorly administered or is under-resourced or its processes need to be simplified or new leadership needs to be appointed, the government has been remiss in tackling the fundamental problems at FRO. The Ombudsman has said as much, and I agree.

With over $1.3 billion in support arrears uncollected, tens of thousands of children go without the basic necessities that most of us take for granted. How do these families pay for healthy food, new shoes, additional school expenses and extras like minor sports and other recreational activities, let alone save up for post-secondary education? Many of them can't.

Will this new website help? I sincerely hope so. However, when we looked at it in my office a few minutes ago, it appeared that there were only 18 so-called deadbeat dads pictured on the website: hardly something worth boasting about in this House.

The minister claims to have located five deadbeat dads, but has the money that they owe yet found its way to their children? Apparently not.

Collecting all of that money for all of those children and families in Ontario will take a lot more than a website. It will take an overhaul, strong leadership, compassion for families and a good business sense.

The McGuinty Liberal government had its chance and wasted the last three and a half years. These children need a change of government.

EDUCATION FUNDING

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): The minister's statement today is nothing short of an indictment of the government's mismanagement of public dollars: that after three and a half years and an additional $3.5 billion, the best this government can do is to take credit for improved test scores on standardized tests that every member of the Liberal caucus voted against.

The reality is that after $3.5 billion and three and a half years, , neither of the Dalton McGuinty cornerstone promises of caps on class sizes and fixing the funding formula has been kept. In fact, where the cap has been implemented, school board administrators and teachers are telling us about the incredible problems they're having in those schools. The fact is that the funding formula has not been fixed, and the commitments that this government made while on the campaign trail to ensure that the foundational funding for education would be dealt with are a miserable failure on the part of this government.

Three and a half billion dollars later and we have school boards in deficit, we have classrooms in trouble, and the stakeholders who are the most true supporters of this government are abandoning them, accusing them, and exposing the shell game that they've been playing for the last three and a half years.

DORIS ANDERSON

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton—Victoria—Brock): I'm pleased to rise and respond on behalf of John Tory and the PC caucus in honour of the late Doris Anderson. It is also fitting that we celebrate the life of Doris Anderson in light of the 30th anniversary of International Women's Day, which was March 8.

As a journalist and an activist for women's rights, Doris Anderson spent much of her life clearing a path for the advancement of women in Canada and in Ontario. We are fortunate to join today in celebrating the life of such a progressive woman in Canada as we welcome my colleague the member from Burlington, Joyce Savoline, as part of the John Tory team. Ms. Savoline's election to this Legislature has allowed us to reach a historically high proportion of women in the Ontario Legislature, at 25%. I am very proud to be a member of a party that, under Premier Bill Davis, appointed the Honourable Margaret Birch as Ontario's first woman cabinet minister in 1972.

To Doris Anderson, equality simply made sense. It was and is a basic question of human rights and fairness. In order to help our goals of equality and inclusion, it is imperative that we recognize the work of pioneers such as Doris Anderson.

FAMILY SUPPORT

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches—East York): In response to the Minister of Community and Social Services: another day, another government website. What people need in this province is a lot more than that. What the spouses and children need is action, not another website that does virtually nothing. By your own admission, you have found five defaulters. By your own admission, not one of those defaulters has yet paid a single nickel into the system.

What you have announced today is nothing. What we need is streamlined rules where those who want to pay more are allowed to do so without going back to court. What we need is a computer system that actually works. What we need are some workers who are given the muscle and the money and the number of people they need to actually do their job. We need speedy legal action.

You have stated in your statement that children suffer when parents won't pay. Children also suffer when your government won't pay. They also suffer when you claw back their money. You should have a website to report yourselves for what you have done these past three years.

DORIS ANDERSON

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): In the meagre amount of time we've been allotted to honour the iconic symbol of the Canadian women's movement whom we lost March 2, I want to pay tribute to the legacy of Doris Anderson, who championed the rights of women in a trailblazing fashion in this province. Every step Doris took in her life was a break of new ground. She put herself through university in 1945. She began working as a journalist when barriers to women working outside the home were still very much in place. When she moved to Chatelaine magazine, Doris rose quickly through the ranks.

As the editor for 20 years, she made Chatelaine the pre-eminent voice for women's issues and shaped generations with the feminist belief that women can do anything, and she encouraged women to do just that.

Doris lived her beliefs. As an activist, a champion, an insightful writer, an author, and a dogged campaigner for raising the status of women, Doris constantly worked for equality and against social injustice. Even as her life was nearing an end at age 85, Doris was lobbying fiercely to stop the Harper Conservatives' raid on status-of-women funding and the closure of local offices.

You might be interested to know that Equal Voice has found a powerful way to honour Doris and her life's work by establishing the Doris Anderson fund, which will be dedicated to getting more women elected to political office. This goal was Doris's driving passion. Equal Voice has planned a memorial tea kickoff fundraising event for Sunday, April 15, and we hope that everyone who is watching today can attend. I can think of no better way to recognize Doris Anderson, a modern pioneer for women's financial, social and political equality, than with a fund that encompasses the principles she lived by and cherished.

Doris Anderson will long be remembered and will be a source of inspiration and strength as we continue to struggle for equal pay; for universal, non-profit child care; for affordable housing; and here, in Ontario, an end to the clawback of the national child benefit.

EDUCATION FUNDING

Mr. Rosario Marchese (Trinity—Spadina): Here we have yet another multi-million-dollar announcement on education funding. The problem is that this government is high on announceables and low on payables; this government is all about announceables and not about deliverables. Frankly, New Democrats don't believe that this money will ever be spent. These announcements give the government all the political currency they want, and they feel that once they've gotten the headlines, there is no urgency about actually keeping the promises.

The government announced $4 billion in school repairs in 2004. To date, less than 10% of that money has actually been spent, but the government continues to take credit for the announced amount. Buildings are still crumbling, students still go to class in portables, parents still have to fundraise for basic school essentials like teachers' office supplies and textbooks with chocolate bars and skip-a-thons. They're raising money unlike ever before. It's $40 million today and rising under the Liberals.

This government treats the announcement of programs and the implementation of programs as the same thing. This money will not deal with the backlog of needs that has built up over the last three years, but the worst part of it is that the money won't flow at all, because we all know that McGuinty money flows like molasses in March.

ORAL QUESTIONS

AUTISM TREATMENT

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): My question is to the Premier. Could the Premier please tell the House how much taxpayers' money the Dalton McGuinty government has spent to date fighting various lawsuits related to autism?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I'm sure that the leader of the official opposition would be more interested in learning what we're doing for children who are affected by autism. I'll be pleased to better inform him in that regard.

First of all, we've ended the entirely unfair discrimination that had been put in place by the Conservative government, who were cutting kids off from assistance when they turned the age of six. We have eliminated that unfair age cut-off. We have more than doubled our level of investment in supports for children affected by autism to more than $115 million this year. We now have more therapists than ever before. We've created a new college program to train therapists; 110 new therapists have been hired, and there are 200 graduating in the next year.

Mr. Tory: The fact is that in this area, as in so many others, the Premier has utterly failed to keep the promises he made so forcefully in 2003. Maybe the Premier will actually answer the question if I put it this way: We've heard estimates of the amount of money that he has spent on lawyers fighting parents of children with autism and lawyers fighting to keep information secret about how public money is being spent on those same lawyers. We've heard estimates on how much he's spending to keep that information secret. We've heard estimates ranging from $2 million to $10 million.

That's money that is not available to help these families who have these challenges in front of them. Maybe he could help the poor old taxpayers whose money this is by telling them: Is the number closer to $2 million that you're spending on lawyers to fight these parent with children with autism or is it closer to $10 million? Then maybe you might explain how your idea of addressing autism to begin with comes from fighting parents in court and fighting MPPs in court who are trying to help them. Maybe you could explain that.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: Again, so that the leader of the official opposition is reminded of this, this is litigation that was started under the Conservative government, just so we're clear about where we're going on this, because he seems to have forgotten that.

Now, what else have we done specifically to assist families into which a child has been born who has been affected by autism? More children than ever before are getting service. In fact, more than 1,100 children are now receiving IBI treatment this year. That's a 105% increase since 2004. We've reduced wait times for assessments; there has been a 68% reduction in the waiting list for assessments since 2004. And there is more early years support than ever before. We're training 1,600 early childhood education and child care workers to work with children who are affected by autism.

Again, I want to remind my honourable friend that it was on his watch, under his government's watch, that they instituted this particular—

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you. Final supplementary.

Mr. Tory: The fact is that the promises the Premier himself made—he could have and should have shut that litigation down a long time ago.

I attended a fundraiser a couple of weeks ago. It was put on by friends of Eugene and Jee Lee and their four-year-old son, Parker. They get from the government about half of what it costs to provide autism therapy for Parker; the fundraiser was to pay the rest. Yet even with the help of the fundraiser that they brought their friends out to on a Saturday night, they have their house up for sale because they have to sell it, and they're thinking of moving to Alberta, where they can get more help.

In Dalton McGuinty's Ontario, millions of dollars are spent on lawyers to fight these parents in court, and millions of dollars are now being spent to fight MPPs in court who are just trying to get information and help these families and these kids. It's no wonder Dalton McGuinty's government has increased spending by $20 billion, with few results. It's this type of thing that the money is going towards.

My question is this: Will the Premier please tell us how many millions of taxpayers' dollars he has spent on these lawyers to fight these families that have children with autism, and when is he going to stop—

The Speaker: The question has been asked. Premier?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: I want to again take this opportunity to remind my honourable friend that the court case was started because of their unfair, discriminatory cut-off. That's why that court case was instituted in the first instance. I note as well that my honourable friend is now also saying he's prepared to provide additional support should he earn the privilege of serving in government, but again, that is restricted to children under the age of six. He would continue that discrimination.

Something else that we have done: For the first time ever, we're providing support in our schools. As of September of this year, under a new initiative, we'll be serving 7,000 school-age students in the classroom. To that end, we are now training 5,000 teaching assistants to work with children over the age of six with autism in the classroom. We've also hired 170 autism consultants—

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): The bottom line is, you haven't come close, not even close, to fulfilling your own promises.

A question to the Premier: Last week we had a report in the Globe and Mail that the McGuinty Liberals were looking at signing a contract with the Don Mills Surgical Unit for the purposes of performing 1,500 knee replacement operations. This was supported by a quote from Ministry of Health spokesperson A.G. Klei—one of the 77 people, by the way, who work in the communications branch alone of the Ministry of Health, according to the government phone book. The following day, the Minister of Health said that your government would "never support" such a proposal.

My question for the Premier is this: Does he support the Minister of Health's out-of-hand dismissal of this proposal, which would be paid for entirely within the public health care system with OHIP cards and would result in removing 1,500 people from the knee replacement wait-list in the process? Do you support the out-of-hand dismissal of this proposal to get these people off the list and out of pain and suffering?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): First of all, I want to take the opportunity to congratulate the Minister of Health and all those individuals working so hard within our public health care system who have realized so many gains when it comes to getting wait times down in the province of Ontario.

This is yet more evidence that the leader of the official opposition is more than ready to give up on public health care in Ontario when it comes to bringing about more innovation and getting our wait times down. The public health care that he is today implicitly criticizing is a system through which we have already brought wait times down for knee replacements by 30.2%, which means we've brought wait times down by 133 days.

No, we are not prepared to give up on public health care, we're not prepared to give up on the gains we've made within public health care, nor are we prepared to give up on the gains we have yet to make within public health care.

Mr. Tory: What you are prepared to do is give up on exploring any publicly funded alternatives at all that would get people out of pain and suffering and get them the surgery they need. The fact of the matter is that the government's own website, Dalton McGuinty's own website, reports that, province-wide, the wait time for knee replacements is 307 days. That's 125 days—more than four months longer—than the benchmark your government set in December 2005. In Stratford, Ontario, people are waiting 525 days for a knee replacement. In Ottawa, your hometown, they're waiting 641 days. In Kingston, they're waiting 785 days. Are you satisfied with that set of circumstances?

Why won't you explore a publicly funded alternative that will allow these people to get out of their pain and suffering and get in and get the surgery done, paid for with their OHIP cards within the publicly funded system? It's no statement of lack of confidence in the public health care system at all. It's a statement of confidence in the patients and getting them the surgery they need and restoring confidence in the system.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: Once again, the leader of the official opposition is seeking to have it both ways. He tells us, on the one hand, that he's not, in effect, attacking public health care, but he is not prepared to acknowledge that they've made substantial gains when it comes to getting wait times down. On the other hand, he says that the only way for us to make these kinds of gains is to go through the private health care system. Well, we disagree with that.

It's also interesting to hear the member opposite use our benchmarks, which that government refused to put in place in the first instance. He's now consulting our website to gain access to information which that government refused to make available in the first instance. But what is more important, and more galling, is the fact that he refuses to acknowledge that public health care in the province of Ontario is making great strides. We are getting wait times down, and we're doing that by bringing about innovation within the publicly funded, publicly delivered health care system. Why won't he join us to work harder within public health care?

Mr. Tory: What the Premier doesn't understand—and that's why he's spent $20 billion more of taxpayers' money and has little to show for it—is that it doesn't matter if you set benchmarks and then you don't meet them: 525 days in Stratford for a knee replacement; 641 days in Ottawa for a knee replacement; 785 days in Kingston. You are not meeting these benchmarks; you are way off meeting these benchmarks.

Let's look at a different question, then. If it's not okay under the publicly funded health care system to have knee replacements done by the Don Mills Surgical Unit, why is it okay for the Dalton McGuinty government to do cataract operations and arthroscopic knee surgery, paid for through the public system, at the very same place? Why is that okay and these poor people who are suffering waiting for knee replacements can't have their surgery done? Why is it a big point of principle for the knee replacement people and not for the cataracts and everything else? Explain that.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: We're going to continue to make progress, to make inroads and to make huge strides forward on behalf of the people of Ontario by pursuing those avenues where we are guaranteed success. That's what we've done to date and that's what we will continue to do.

I think another question that weighs heavily on the minds of the people of Ontario is: If this gentleman opposite is truly determined to get wait times down and to bring about substantive, measurable improvement within the public health care system—something that his government before refused to do—how is it going to help Ontarians if the member opposite takes $2.5 billion of funding out of public health care? How is that going to help the people of Ontario who look to public health care when it comes to relying on the quality of delivery services that they have come to rely on under this government?

MINIMUM WAGE

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora—Rainy River): To the Premier: Last year, the banks broke all records by posting $19 billion in profits, and oil companies racked up $21 billion in profits. But at this time of unprecedented corporate profits and prosperity, several studies tell us that the average family is working longer and harder while seeing fewer of the economic benefits. New Democrats believe that today's working families deserve a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. My question is this: Does the Premier share that view? And if he does, why has the Premier refused to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour today?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I want to welcome the NDP to this debate. I want to remind them that our government has raised the minimum wage four times now. We've raised it 17% in our first four years. The leader of the NDP will in fact know that I have stated now—it's a matter of record—that the issue for us is not whether we get to $10 an hour; it's what's the best way to get there for us to do that. He knows all of that.

What he refuses to acknowledge, however, is that he voted against an additional 15,000 child care spaces for Ontario children, he voted against insulin pumps for children affected by diabetes, he voted against 120,000 grants for university and college students, and he voted against our raises to social assistance and disability support. So on the one hand, he tells us that he's prepared to stand up for vulnerable families, but on the other hand, his record in this Legislature speaks to the contrary.

Mr. Hampton: I think the Premier struggles to avoid answering the question.

We know that people working for minimum wage are living below the poverty line. Your answer just now says that you might consider $10 an hour sometime in the future. But to live, to have a living wage, these workers need $10 an hour today, not in 2012, not in 2011. Premier, you're very good at preaching restraint to low-paid workers. Can you tell those low-paid workers why they aren't worth $10 an hour today when you were so quick to raise your own pay by $40,000 a year?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: I note that in the NDP campaign platform, their commitment was to get to $8 an hour, and now that we have gotten there, of course, they say that they've been in favour of $10 an hour all along.

Again, let's describe some of those items that go beyond the minimum wage—which, we admit, is an important issue, and we'll have much more to say about that shortly. When it comes to children, for example, we have now free vaccines in place, saving a family $600 per child. We're now offering newborn screening; we've gone from two tests to 29. We were the worst and now we're first in Canada. We have 84,000 more children receiving nutrition support. As I mentioned a few moments ago, we've also doubled funding for autism in the province of Ontario. Yes, we have moved on the minimum wage, we will continue to move on the minimum wage, but we're also doing many things beyond that.

Mr. Hampton: Premier, here is the difference between your position and the New Democrat position: We said $8 an hour in 2003, not $8 an hour in 2007. And it should be $10 an hour now, not $10 an hour in 2012.

Last week we saw how tough you were prepared to be with corporate executives. Tom Parkinson took advantage of the people of Ontario, and you rewarded him with $5 million in punishment pay. Thank God he didn't rip off the people of Ontario for any more or you would have given him more punishment pay. Premier, how do you justify your $5 million in punishment pay for disgraced Tom Parkinson while you say to minimum wage workers that they're not worth $10 an hour today?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: I think it's important to understand what else we're doing, apart from the upcoming budget, to help the plight of the needy in the province of Ontario. We've increased social assistance and disability support twice now. We've ended the clawback of the national child benefit on a go-forward basis. A single parent with two children on social assistance now receives the equivalent of a 15.7% increase in supports. We've flowed through the entire $1,200 federal child care credit. We've extended health and dental coverage when leaving assistance for a new job.

We've restored the nutritional allowance for pregnant women, and we are allowing those who are working part-time to keep more of their income.

Now my NDP friends opposite are quick to dismiss all of these and say these have no impact whatsoever. We beg to differ. We have moved forward on the minimum wage. We will continue to do that, but we will also continue to move forward in so many other areas as well.

MANUFACTURING JOBS

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora—Rainy River): To the Premier: The Premier talks about what else his government has done. His government continues to claw back $250 million a year from the lowest-income children in this province in federal money that goes to those children—another thing you should be, according to yourself, proud of, Premier.

But there's a reason why working families aren't sharing in Ontario's corporate prosperity. Over the last four years, the McGuinty government's energy and economic policies have cost Ontario 140,000 manufacturing and forest sector jobs. Working families are losing their paycheques, their benefits, their pensions; in some cases, whole communities are suffering.

Premier, you held a special, extended session of the Legislature to increase your own pay by $40,000 a year, yet you refused to recall the Legislature to deal with this loss of manufacturing jobs. I ask you: What message does that send to hard-working families across Ontario about your government?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I think the leader of the NDP will have to find a way to grow comfortable with the fact that he stands in here and asks these kinds of questions and yet he has accepted that pay and he has taken that pay. That's something he'll have to find a way to deal with.

Hon. David Caplan (Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Deputy Government House Leader): As they all have.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: As I believe they all have, each and every one of them.

We're pleased to be in a position to work with all Ontario communities. We understand that the economy is being challenged in certain sectors, but overall I think it's important to acknowledge that the economy continues to grow. There are 327,000 net new jobs over the course of the past three years plus. We've put in place a number of support strategies, whether to support the auto sector, the manufacturing sector, the agri-food sector, the forest sector or the TV and film sector, all of which are bearing fruit at this particular time. We will continue to work with all sectors, all Ontario communities, to ensure that they transition themselves to a more competitive, value-added economy.

Mr. Hampton: Actually, I haven't pocketed the pay increase, as you have. I've given it away to community organizations and charities that desperately need the money under the McGuinty government.

Premier, I've met with laid-off Hamilton steelworkers, and I've met—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Stop the clock. Order.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. Government House leader, I won't warn you again. Leader of the third party.

Mr. Hampton: Premier, I have met with laid-off steelworkers in Hamilton, laid-off auto workers in Windsor, Hershey workers in Smiths Falls and workers in paper mills across the north. I've met with workers who are struggling because they've lost their jobs, and they all say one thing: They know the McGuinty government is out of touch and the McGuinty government is showing no leadership. These workers all agree that Ontario needs a jobs commissioner to fight to reposition these jobs before they're lost.

Premier, these workers saw you take real action to raise your own pay by $40,000 a year. When are they going to see real action to deal with the loss of their jobs?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The leader of the NDP of course likes to pretend that somehow he is the only conscience in this Legislature and he's the only one who cares for families that are affected by job losses. I can tell you that many of us on this side of the House have also grappled to find ways to better serve communities that are affected by job losses.

I have more recently been involved with the job losses in Smiths Falls; I've been talking with the mayor there. I've been on the phone with the president and CEO of Hershey's. The Minister of Economic Development and Trade has just returned from a trip to the US to see what we might do, working with Hershey's, to restore some strength to that particular plant. Just recently, I've had the opportunity to speak with some of the union members and management for a plant in Sault Ste. Marie. I've also worked with Mike Gravelle to help him in a particular case of a plant that was affected by a fire in Nipigon.

We will continue to work with all our communities and all our workers to do what we can as a government to—

The Speaker: Thank you. Final supplementary.

Mr. Hampton: Premier, your government is very good at saying, "We feel your pain." Workers across Ontario hear that from your government all the time. These same workers saw your government take real action to raise your own pay. You extended the session of the Legislature by one week to ram through that legislation. Now these workers are asking when they are going to see real action from your government.

Let me give you one specific example. You mentioned Thunder Bay. Thunder Bay just lost another 500 jobs at the Abitibi mill and the Bowater mill. The issue across the north is this: The north of Ontario produces the lowest-cost electricity in the world through hydro dams, but it's McGuinty government policy that says they have to pay seven cents a kilowatt hour for that lowest-cost electricity in the world. That is killing jobs at paper mill after paper mill. They're asking you, will you take real action, since the power dam is located in some cases 100 yards from the mill—

The Speaker: Order. The question has been asked. Premier?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: When you land $7 billion worth of new investment in the auto sector, the leader of the NDP may dismiss that and say it's not real action, but on this side of the House we have a different perspective. We think it's real action that has created or protected 7,000 new jobs. We've put $500 million into our advanced manufacturing strategy. So far, we have announced seven projects costing us $350 million in investments and we've landed 2,700 new or protected jobs.

In the agri-food sector, we've put in $910 million to help farmers and support our ethanol program, which will create thousands and thousands of jobs. In the forestry sector, there's over $1 billion in our strategy to work through this time of global competition and difficult pricing. In the TV and film sector, we've increased our tax credits and we've invested in training Ontarians to work in the film industry.

The member opposite may dismiss that, but we on this side of the House think that all those things and all those investments constitute real action, producing or protecting real jobs.

SMITHS FALLS ECONOMY

Mr. Norman W. Sterling (Lanark—Carleton): My question is to the Premier. As the Premier knows, the people of Smiths Falls were rocked last month by the announcement of Hershey closing their plant sometime in 2008 or 2009. This, together with the accelerated closure of Rideau Regional Centre, will mean that more than 1,500 people will lose their jobs in a community of 9,200. You can imagine the effect on not only those people who have lost their jobs directly, but the many people who have lost their jobs indirectly who supply to these major employers.

I appreciate the work that you have done, Mr. Premier, and that some of your ministers have done on this file. Our leader, John Tory, and I met with the mayor and the Hershey employees and are urging Hershey to stay there in some form into the future. But if this doesn't work, what is your plan for Smiths Falls' future?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

Hon. Sandra Pupatello (Minister of Economic Development and Trade, minister responsible for women's issues): I think it's important to note that we have been working with the town of Smiths Falls, in particular the mayor and the leadership in this town, and we have brought the very best from my ministry and colleague ministries, all who have a part to play in the future of this town, and we believe that Smiths Falls does have a bright future. We will make sure that we work with them so that they do have a very bright future. Let me say that first.

Second, let me say also that we are impressed with the leadership of Smiths Falls. They are prepared to reach out and work with us to put together a plan, because if plan B is that that plant will close, we need to go to what is next for Smiths Falls and what part we can play in all of that. That is the conversation that we're engaging in with them. We have the A team, which is working directly with this town, meeting on a regular basis. I want to tell you that we believe that these talks are very fruitful and that we will develop a very good action plan for the future of Smiths Falls.

Mr. Sterling: After the announcement of the accelerated closure of Rideau Regional Centre, the mayor and I and many others tried to work with this government to find some answers to replace those jobs, those over 800 public sector jobs. Little has been forthcoming from the government on that issue.

Later today, I'm going to introduce some petitions in the Legislature to ask you, the government, to delay the closing of Rideau Regional Centre and to give the final okay to the redevelopment of the Smiths Falls hospital. These people in Smiths Falls need a ray of hope for their future. This community is already suffering from a shortage of doctors, and a new hospital will help them attract not only the physicians but new investment to the community. Premier, will you commit to delaying the closure of Rideau Regional Centre and immediately starting the redevelopment of this hospital, which is ready to go to tender now?

Hon. Ms. Pupatello: I think it's clear to the people who are in Smiths Falls and whom we've been working with these last many years, ever since the announcement of the final closure of the Rideau Regional Centre: That plan is moving ahead. We do want to work with this community, and we have told this community that. We have developed a very good rapport with the people, who are drawing up their lists of exactly where they want to go. We believe that the people at the table have to be local leadership, and they are there. We're working with them now, going across our ministries, to see how we can be helpful.

The Ontario Realty Corp. is working diligently, in terms of releasing the site, to see what can happen on that site in the future. We believe that this community, through the benefit of the rural economic development fund, through my colleague at OMAFRA—they have made monies available over the past couple of years to draw up their plans around tourism and what they can bring to the region. We're working with this community hand in hand.

I spent two hours with the leadership at Hershey in Pennsylvania on Friday. They made it very clear what their future is as a company. We're—

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you. New question.

AIR-RAIL LINK

Mr. Paul Ferreira (York South—Weston): I'm honoured to rise in this House for my maiden question to the Premier. Premier, I've been instructed by the voters of York South—Weston to send you a loud and clear message: The people of York South—Weston do not want your privately run, publicly subsidized Blue 22 air-rail link. Premier, the people of York South—Weston want to know: If you found the time to give yourself a $40,000 pay raise, when will you find the time to stop the Blue 22 dead in its tracks?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I'm going to refer the question to the Minister of the Environment, but if I may, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the member opposite, to welcome him to this Legislature and to offer him my very best and sincerest wishes as he assumes his new responsibilities on behalf of his constituents.

Hon. Laurel C. Broten (Minister of the Environment): I'm pleased to have a chance to clarify for the new member the process that is before the Ministry of the Environment with respect to the terms of reference. As I've been saying since I received the terms of reference in January, I share many of the concerns that have been raised by the community, and I very much value the input that they are giving to this very important environmental assessment process.

So let me assure you that I will be making a decision with respect to the terms of reference, and I will be doing so once my concerns have been satisfied. I've asked MOE to work closely and consult with GO Transit and the various proponents to ensure that if a project should go forward and a terms of reference should be crafted, the right decision is made for the community and for the environment.

Mr. Ferreira: This is very typical. The Premier passes the buck, but he takes the big bucks.

Premier, my constituents confirmed how important this issue is to the environment, the safety of their kids and the economic survival of local businesses. Your government acknowledged this in the by-election and clearly echoed my sentiments that the communities along the rail corridor will not benefit from nor do they want the Blue 22 air-rail link.

A month ago I wrote your Minister of Transportation, in my first act after being elected, to urgently address the implications for the community along the line. I have yet to get a response.

Premier, I repeat: Will you listen to the community and stop your plans for the privately run, publicly subsidized Blue 22 train?

Hon. Ms. Broten: Let me assure the member that I have been very actively engaged on this file. I have stood on the platform at the Weston GO train and talked to your community, standing alongside Laura Albanese. I have heard from Ms. Albanese on a number of occasions with respect to this issue. At the platform, I had an opportunity to hear directly and to feel first-hand the concerns that the community had about their safety, about a high-speed train going by.

Those reflect many of the concerns that have come forward to the Ministry of the Environment, and all of that is what is taken into account in the context of the creation of the terms of reference of an environmental assessment that will examine all of these issues. It's the proper process to take place. All of those things will come forward, and when terms of reference are made in terms of a decision, the right decision will be made for the environment and for the community. That's my commitment.

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn (Oakville): I have a question today for the Minister of Health. It's been well documented that the cuts by the third party to medical school spaces in the early 1990s resulted in a doctor shortage in this province. These initial cuts, coupled with years of inaction on the part of the previous government, have compounded the problem. This lack of health human resources is often cited as one of the barriers to shortening wait times for surgical procedures in Ontario.

This past weekend, you announced a brand new initiative to counter the shortage of anaesthesiologists in Ontario. One of these teams will be established in Oakville at Halton Healthcare Services, in my riding. Minister, will you tell the House how these teams will provide better access to surgical procedures for my constituents and all Ontarians?

Hon. George Smitherman (Deputy Premier, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): As we have sought, through the wait times strategy, to dramatically enhance our surgical capacity, one of the shortcomings that we've run into is the shortage, indeed, of anaesthesiologists. Accordingly, we've been working with health care providers to create anaesthesia care teams made up of anaesthesiologists and two new health care roles: anaesthesia assistants and nurse practitioner-anaesthesia. These two new positions will support the anaesthesiologists. This gives them the capacity, working together as a team, to enhance the number of people they can support, thereby enhancing the surgical capacities.

It's an example of the innovations which are occurring inside the context of our publicly funded health care system. We believe that this is one of the really, really important breakthroughs that enables us to continue to enhance our surgical platform in the province of Ontario, thereby reducing wait times even further for the people of this province.

Mr. Flynn: These teams sound like they're a progressive move towards addressing the wait times issue. But what Ontario citizens and Oakville citizens want to ensure is that safety is also a number one priority. What kind of training will these new health care providers receive, both in Oakville and throughout Ontario, in the hospitals that they serve? And are we the first jurisdiction to actually introduce these roles?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: This is an innovation that has been applied in other parts of the world, indeed, in the United States and in Europe. Our model is a more collaborative model.

From the training standpoint, we engaged the Michener Institute, which is a specialized training institute for people taking up professions in medical sciences. We've provided $1.35 million to support Ontario's first anaesthesia assistant certificate program. There are recent graduates and others who are currently in training.

We've gone one step further. Because of the necessity of having nurses and medicine working well together to provide these supports, we've engaged the University of Toronto and asked them to bring together their faculties of nursing and medicine to be able to further support the adoption of this collaborative team approach to health care, designed to reduce wait times for Ontarians.

CLASS SIZE

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): To the Premier: Premier, just a few weeks ago your Minister of Education boasted that your 2003 commitment to cap class sizes would in fact be kept. Today, we have reports from school boards across the province telling us that, given the limitations of school facilities, the short list of staff availability they have, it's just going to be impossible to meet your cap commitment. Will you admit today that your promise for a hard cap was wrong in the first place and, second, that it is an absolute failure?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of Education.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne (Minister of Education): What has happened in the province of Ontario since we started investing in primary class size reduction is that we've got 65% of classes in this province in the primary grades at 20 students or fewer. We've got over 90% of classes at 23 students or fewer. What's happening is that primary class sizes have substantially been reduced from the time that the previous government was in office.

What some boards have said to us—and I want to acknowledge my PA Liz Sandals, who has been talking to boards through this budget process, through this GSN process—was, "Do you know what? We're not going to quite get there. We're not going to be able to build as much as you have given us money to build. So we need a little bit of flexibility." And what we said is that we're on target. If there are some boards that need a bit of flexibility, we'll work with them to give them some extra time.

Mr. Klees: So, Premier, your Minister of Education has in fact admitted that your cap promise has been a failure: 65% is far short of the commitment that you made.

Now, for those where in fact the caps have gone in place, you are wrecking havoc with the education system. Let me read to you from a 15-year teacher. She says that absolute capping is creating damaging structural problems in our education system—split classes. Teachers, principals, administrators around this province are telling you that your hard cap policy is a failure. You're creating problems within the system. Will you admit it and will you return to a policy of flexibility so that communities can properly plan within their school system? Will you do that?

Hon. Ms. Wynne: I just want to quote from one of the member opposite's constituents. Jennifer Branch, who teaches a primary class at Moraine Hills Public School in Richmond Hill, says, "Having a smaller number, it just allows you the time to sit and really focus with them and give them as much attention and time as they need." The people in this province who know that primary class size reduction works are the kids in those classrooms. They are the people who benefit from the class size reduction. If the member opposite took the time to go into an elementary school and talk to some primary teachers, he would know that primary class size reduction is working. We are on target.

Some boards have said to us, "We need a bit of flexibility," because there is so much money in the system to build capital they don't have time to spend it. They need some extra time. We're willing to give them that flexibility, because that's a reasonable response to a request from the sector. That is not something the member opposite understands, but it is something that we—

Mr. Klees: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I would like a late show. The minister didn't understand—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Order. I would remind members that the standing orders are quite clear about how you apply to have a late show, and it doesn't involve a statement during question period.

New question.

NANTICOKE GENERATING STATION

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto—Danforth): My question is for the Premier. Last week PollutionWatch confirmed again that Nanticoke is the number one greenhouse gas polluter in Ontario. Two weeks ago, the federal government pledged over $500 million from its ecoTrust fund to Ontario to fight climate change. You were at the press conference; so was I. You're taking the money—that's a good thing—but you're still planning to keep Nanticoke running. Will you designate that ecoTrust fund to demand response, energy efficiency and cogeneration so that we can shut down Nanticoke as soon as possible?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of Energy.

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy): I'm proud that this government has a policy to close coal plants, and I'm proud that, unlike the member opposite's party—the member opposite's leader goes to northern Ontario and says, "Keep the coal plants open." When he comes to southern Ontario, he says, "Close the coal plants."

We have reduced emissions from coal plants by 32% in the first two and a half years. We have closed a coal plant; we have laid out a plan to get the rest. We're going to continue down that path, and we will close the coal plants. We just wish your leader and your party would be consistent throughout the province in their views on closing coal. Don't go up north and say, "Keep them open," and come down south and say, "Close them."

This government is going to close the coal plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a cleaner, greener environmental footprint in the energy sector.

Mr. Tabuns: As good at giving direct answers as shutting down coal plants, I have to say.

Anyway, as the minister well knows, reducing demand is the quickest way to shut down coal. He also knows that any credible plan to combat global warming, to combat climate change, has to have shutting down the Nanticoke plant as its highest priority. You know that this number one polluter has to be closed. You promised in 2003 that it would be closed in 2007. It's 2007; you broke that promise. Will you invest this money to cut demand in Ontario so that Nanticoke can be shut down, or is it going to run indefinitely while you continue to say that someday you're going to shut it down?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: Between 2003 and 2006, a 32% reduction in emissions from coal plants, including CO 2 : 29% on CO 2 , 44% on SO 2 and 46% on NO X . What I would like the member to do is ask his leader why he said in Atikokan that the Atikokan coal plant doesn't create an air pollution problem and doesn't create a global warming problem. Yes, it does; sorry.

Interjections.

Hon. Mr. Duncan: I know what he's trying to do; he's trying to have it both ways. He's trying to say up north that you can keep coal plants firing and down south that you can close them.

We believe firmly and unequivocally—and many other governments are joining us now—that coal must be closed. It must be closed in a timely, responsible fashion ensuring electricity reliability. Tell your leader to get with it, to quit saying one thing up north and another thing down—

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): New question.

AGRICULTURAL LABOUR POLICY

Mr. Pat Hoy (Chatham—Kent Essex): My question is to the Minister of Labour. Minister, this year Canadian Agricultural Safety Week is being observed from March 14 to 20. This is a week where farmers are reminded that occupational health and safety is everyone's responsibility.

According to the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, 115 people are killed and another 1,500 are seriously injured by farm-related incidents each year. We know that our government is committed to safe farms. Our government put in place a regulation making the Occupational Health and Safety Act apply to farm operations, which came into effect in June 2006. As a result, paid farm workers, both domestic and foreign, now have the same basic health and safety rights as other Ontario workers employed in provincially regulated workplaces. Minister, can you update the House and my constituents on the impact of this important change both for the farm workers and for the overall farm community?

Hon. Steve Peters (Minister of Labour): I want to thank the member from Chatham—Kent—Essex for his question. I want to thank the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Farm Safety Association for spreading this important message, because it is important.

You need to recognize that the health and safety of all workers is of utmost importance to this ministry, and farmers are no exception. I'm proud that we were able to move forward. Two previous governments did not move forward. They left an exemption in place for agriculture in the Occupational Health and Safety Act. We didn't believe that was right. We worked very closely with the Labour Issues Coordinating Committee. We worked closely between the Minister of Labour and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and those farmers on the ground to make sure that those protections of the Occupational Health and Safety Act applied to farm workers in this province.

We also recognized as we went forward that we had to have properly trained inspectors who understood the specific challenges within agriculture. That's why we have 14 dedicated inspectors who have received specific training. We've also moved forward with community information sessions. We're there to protect Ontario farmers.

Mr. Hoy: That's very positive.

Farmers grow our food and they contribute to our economic success. Our government recognizes the important role of agriculture and how it plays in our economy. No one in this House underestimates the importance of agriculture's farm sector. We could not survive without it. I can tell you from experience that farmers work long hours, sometimes in difficult and hazardous conditions. So I'm pleased to hear that the farm community have accepted the responsibilities under the act and are actively working to make their operations safe. Minister, can you please tell us what your inspectors found when they visited farm operations and what changes might be planned for the future?

Hon. Mr. Peters: I thank the member again for the question. This is Canadian Agricultural Safety Week, and they have a great theme: "Protect your moving parts!" We think that is extremely important. We've taken a very proactive approach to this. We've conducted over 50 investigations. But tragically, two of those investigations involved farm fatalities. We investigated 29 critical or serious injuries. Yes, we recognize that farming can be a dangerous occupation. That's why we moved forward. No other government moved forward better protecting our farmers. We felt that that was extremely important.

As well, we've moved forward with orders. We've issued over 100 orders that have been written. I'm pleased to say that each one of those 100 orders that has been written has been voluntarily complied with, because our farm employees recognize that it's incumbent on them to be serious about workplace health and safety.

Again, we're going to continue to work closely with the Farm Safety Association, because outreach is extremely important. We need to make sure that we educate our farmers and our farm employers. We're going to see that that happens. We are getting results. We are better protected—

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you.

HOSPITAL FUNDING

Mr. Jerry J. Ouellette (Oshawa): I have a question for the Minister of Health. Minister, I know you have family in Oshawa and I realize that you know Oshawa is doing fairly well, but doing well in Oshawa is very dependent on all its supportive infrastructure. I must say that our community was shocked and outraged at several aspects of you and your ministry. To our knowledge, for the first time in the province of Ontario you and your ministry have specifically stated which programs our local health care provider, Lakeridge Health, is to cut.

Normally, you just say there is a reduction and then the health care provider decides where the cuts are going to be. But you have directed them. That amount is $8 million.

Minister, these cuts are affecting vulnerable patients in areas such as children's mental health services, addiction services and crisis intervention services. Local individuals are getting involved, such that tomorrow night Paul Taylor is holding a town hall meeting to address these very issues. Minister, why have you and your ministry directed Lakeridge Health to cut $8 million from specific programs, such as $1.6 million at Pinewood treatment centre?

Hon. George Smitherman (Deputy Premier, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): If the honourable member's community expressed outrage at the fact that they just got a $7-million budget increase, then imagine how outraged they must have been when his party, when he was a member here, cut Lakeridge's budget in-year by $6.4 million and when they closed the Whitby hospital. That must have been cause for a lot of outrage. How does the community feel in a circumstance where your leader proposes a further $2.5-billion cut to health care? The budget at Lakeridge Health this year is $35.9 million greater than when we came to office as a government.

There are community-based mental health services being provided by the budget of Lakeridge Health. We have obligated the community hospital and the local health integration network to move forward in a fashion that sees those community-based services delivered in the community with no disruption to the individuals in the community. I will be pleased to work with the member more closely on this if that is what is required to address the misinformation.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Supplementary? The member for Durham.

Mr. John O'Toole (Durham): Minister, you're quite aware that you are at the head of the pack here cutting $8 million from Lakeridge Health in the riding of Durham, Oshawa and Whitby—Ajax. There is a community meeting tomorrow night. It is important that you understand that this is a community with multi-site hospitals serving urban and rural settings, as well as a rapid-growth area as defined by the recent report from Stats Canada. But quite frankly, at a real level, Minister, these are vulnerable people, whether young or old. These are mental health services. They are being victimized under your watch.

You can talk about the past. Under your charge, we've seen health tax increases and less access to services.

Minister, what are you going to do to protect not just the Bowmanville site and the Port Perry site but the Whitby site as well as the Oshawa site? We need a commitment from you to address the shortfall of $8 million that affects services to children and vulnerable people. What are you going to do to help the people at Lakeridge?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: The honourable member in his question said, "You can talk about the past," and so, in part, I will. For 12 years in this province, community-based mental health services did not see one penny of increase. For every year that that party brought in a budget in the province of Ontario, community-based mental health services were left on their own. They closed the Whitby site of their hospital and they reduced in real terms the funding for Lakeridge Health by $6.4 million.

In contrast, we've increased the budget at Lakeridge Health. This year it is $35.9 million more than when our government came to office. There is a regional cancer centre under construction. I give the honourable member this very clear assurance with respect to community-based mental health services that are currently being provided by the hospital: We will work with the LHIN and the hospital to ensure that these services are continued with no disruption whatsoever to patients.

JUSTICE SYSTEM

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): My question is for the Premier. Last summer, charges in the Gilbank double homicide case were dropped amidst allegations of leaks one week before preliminary hearings were scheduled to begin. The Hamilton police chief has said that an OPP investigation into the botched case clears his department of any responsibility for leaks whatsoever. Your Attorney General has tried to sweep this case under the rug. Will you lift the cloud of suspicion around this trial and make the OPP report public?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Attorney General.

Hon. Michael Bryant (Attorney General): I think it first has to be said that obviously the death of Lynn and Fred Gilbank was a terrible and a brutal tragedy that affected your community. I've met with family members, met with their children. Obviously, we want to do everything we can to support those family members during this particularly difficult time.

The member mentioned an allegation of a leak. I just want to make it very clear that there was certainly no leak from the Ministry of the Attorney General. The Deputy Attorney General has confirmed this; the chief prosecutor has confirmed this. We had a discussion with your chief of police, who indicated very directly that he had absolutely no evidence or information about a leak from the Ministry of the Attorney General.

The matter is subject to an ongoing investigation. As such, I certainly don't want to say anything, and I know the member won't want to say anything, to interfere with that investigation, but I'm happy to address any other questions she has in her supplementary.

Ms. Horwath: The problem is that nobody has explained to the citizens of Hamilton why the case was dropped and whether in fact leaks from the provincial government contributed; that's part of the problem. The government has a record, unfortunately, of hiding inconvenient truths. Last week, the Attorney General was willing to take the honourable member for Nickel Belt to court to prevent her from learning the truth about autism-related cases.

When are you actually going to deal with the culture of secrecy that your government and your Attorney General have in fact made worse and finally create a culture of openness in government that you so long ago promised?

Hon. Mr. Bryant: Again, the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, and I know that the member would not want to do anything, either in this House or outside of this House, that in any way would derail or interfere with that investigation. Certainly I don't want to either.

It is in the hands of the police right now. The police are doing their work. Chief Mullan has indicated that the investigation continues. Obviously, if there's a role to play for the Ministry of the Attorney General to provide them with support, we will do that. In the meantime I personally, and officials in our ministry, have met with the family members and have endeavoured to do our best to explain in a fashion that at the same time does not compromise the ongoing investigation, and we will continue to do that as the investigation is ongoing.

ACCESSIBILITÉ POUR

LES PERSONNES HANDICAPÉES

M. Jean-Marc Lalonde (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell): Ma question s'adresse à la ministre des Services sociaux et communautaires. En décembre dernier, l'Assemblée générale de l'ONU a adopté la première convention conçue spécialement pour protéger les droits des personnes handicapées. La convention a pour objet de promouvoir, protéger et assurer la pleine et égale jouissance des droits de plus de 600 millions de personnes qui présentent des incapacités physiques, mentales, intellectuelles ou sensorielles durables. Quoique l'ONU demande aux pays de signer la convention et d'adopter des lois protégeant ces gens, quelle est la position de notre province face à cette convention de l'ONU?

L'hon. Madeleine Meilleur (ministre des Services sociaux et communautaires, ministre déléguée aux Affaires francophones): Je voudrais remercier le député de Glengarry—Prescott—Russell pour sa question. Cette convention de l'ONU sur les droits humains est la première du 21 e siècle, et j'espère qu'elle démarquera une amélioration considérable du traitement des personnes handicapées.

Ainsi, je suis heureuse de vous dire que l'Ontario appuie sans équivoque la signature par le Canada de la Convention internationale sur les droits des personnes handicapées. En fait, le gouvernement McGuinty a adopté plusieurs politiques ayant le but de rendre l'Ontario totalement accessible aux personnes handicapées d'ici 2025. Nous souhaitons réaliser l'accessibilité pour les Ontariens et Ontariennes ayant un handicap en ce qui concerne les biens, les services, les installations, le logement, l'emploi, les bâtiments, les constructions et les locaux d'ici le 1 er janvier 2005, en concevant, mettant en œuvre et appliquant des normes d'accessibilité.

M. Lalonde: Je sais que je ne suis pas le seul dans cette Chambre à me réjouir par rapport à votre appui quant à la signature de la Convention internationale sur les droits des personnes handicapées pour le Canada. L'Ontario est le chef de file dans ce domaine grâce à la Loi de 2005 sur l'accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l'Ontario, qui a pour but, comme vous l'avez souligné, de rendre l'Ontario totalement accessible aux personnes handicapées d'ici 2025. Cependant, pourquoi faut-il jusqu'à 2025 pour mettre en œuvre la Loi de 2005 sur l'accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l'Ontario?

L'hon. M me Meilleur: La date de 2025 est l'aboutissement et non le point de départ. Les personnes ayant un handicap doivent pouvoir se déplacer d'un endroit à l'autre, magasiner, aller à l'école, rendre visite à leur médecin ou trouver un emploi sans faire face à des obstacles que les personnes qui n'ont aucun handicap n'ont pas à surmonter. En dépit de nos souhaits les plus chers, une telle tâche ne peut être accomplie du jour au lendemain.

D'ailleurs, d'autres pays sont parvenus à la même conclusion. À

titre d'exemple, l'Australie s'est fixé des étapes de cinq ans, échelonnées sur 30 ans, pour éliminer les obstacles à l'accessibilité dans le domaine des transports. Les États-Unis, quant à eux, ont établi dans le domaine des transports des objectifs qui s'échelonnent sur une période allant jusqu'à 30 ans.

En collaborant tous—personnes, collectivités, secteurs public et privé—nous serons en mesure d'éliminer et de prévenir dès maintenant les obstacles à l'accessibilité. Nous obtiendrons de véritables résultats en plusieurs étapes, avec des jalons au moins tous les cinq ans.

ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS

Mr. Robert W. Runciman (Leeds—Grenville): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: As you know, standing order 97(

d) requires the ministry to respond to written questions within 24 sitting days of their having been placed on the order paper. I want to draw your attention to question 235, standing in my name: The response was due November 13, 2006, and has not been received. And question 309, standing in the name of the member for Haliburton—Victoria—Brock: A response was due on December 6, 2006, and has not been received. I further draw your attention to questions 242 through 247, standing in the name of the member for Oak Ridges: Responses were due by November 2, 2006.

Interim answers have been received, but we've not seen the full responses. The minister indicated on the responses that "we are currently preparing a response to your question which will be available shortly." That was almost five months ago, and I submit that "shortly" has long passed. I ask you, Speaker, to direct the government to respond to these questions today and release information that rightfully belongs in the public domain.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): This, of course, is a point of order, and I would remind the ministries affected—the Ministry of the Attorney General in response to Mr. Runciman's question and the Ministry of the Environment in response to Ms. Scott's—that their answers are overdue and that they need to deal with that immediately.

PETITIONS

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE

PULMONARY DISEASE

Mrs. Joyce Savoline (Burlington): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly.

"Whereas the lung association's women and COPD national report 2006 reveals that more than 425,000 Canadian women have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ... and more than 4,300 will die of the disease this year; and

"Whereas the women and COPD national report indicates that since 2000, female mortality due to COPD has risen at double the rate of breast cancer;

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

"That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario support a call to action for early diagnosis and optimized management of COPD to reduce illness and suffering;

"That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario support the Ontario Lung Association's COPD advisory panel report to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care on the prevention and management of COPD in Ontario; and

"That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario endorse a comprehensive strategy to address COPD in this province."

LONG-TERM CARE

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins—James Bay): I have a petition here. I was going to read it with Rosario Marchese's glasses, but I figure I'd better take my good friend Mr. Yakabuski's. They're much more becoming of my physique. It reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas Ontario will not meet the needs to its aging population and ensure access to hospital services unless long-term-care homes can provide the care and services that residents need; and

"Whereas staff are now run off their feet trying to keep up and homes are unable to provide the full range of care and programs that residents need or the menu choices that meet their expectations; and

"Whereas dietary, housekeeping and other services that residents and their families value are being put at risk by increasing operating costs; and

"Whereas some 35,000 residents still live in older homes, many with three- and four-bed ward rooms and wheelchair-inaccessible washrooms; and

"Whereas on November 23, 2006, this Legislature unanimously passed a private member's motion asking the government to introduce a capital renewal program for B and C homes; and

"Whereas such a program is required to support the limited-term licensing provision in the proposed new Long-Term Care Homes Act;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario of Ontario to: increase long-term-care operating funds by $390 million in 2007 and $214 million in 2008 to provide an additional 30 minutes of resident care, enhance programs and meal menus and address other operating cost pressures, and introduce a capital renewal and retrofit program for all B and C homes, beginning with committing to provide $9.5 million this year to renew the first 2,500 beds."

I affix my name to that petition on behalf of the residents of Extendicare.

PEACE OFFICERS' MEMORIAL DAY

Mr. Dave Levac (Brant): "Petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for an Ontario Peace Officers' Memorial Day and a memorial monument on Queen's Park (Bill 131):

"Whereas Ontario peace officers have performed significant and heroic duties to protect the public for over 130 years; and

"Whereas Ontario peace officers have been murdered, killed, or died in the line of duty; and

"Whereas federal peace officers have also been murdered, killed, or died in the line of duty in Ontario; and

"Whereas Bill 131"—written by MPP Dave Levac— "would establish a Peace Officers' Memorial Day and a permanent Ontario peace officers' monument on Queen's Park; and

"Whereas Ontario peace officers are recognized nationally, along with police, at the police and peace officers' memorial on Parliament Hill in Ottawa; and

"Whereas eight (8) other provinces have police and peace officers' memorials;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pass Bill 131 which would create a Peace Officers' Memorial Day in Ontario and a peace officers' memorial monument on Queen's Park where fallen officers' families, other peace officers and the public can remember peace officers who have given their lives in the performance of their duties in Ontario."

I sign my petition and hand it to Alyssa, our page.

ROYAL ASSENT

SANCTION ROYALE

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): It being 4 o'clock, I am required by standing order 30(

b) to now call orders of the day, but before I do, I beg to inform the House that on December 21, 2006, His Honour the Lieutenant Governor was pleased to assent to certain bills in his office.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Lisa Freedman): The following are the titles of the bills to which His Honour did assent:

Bill 173,

An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act, the MPPs Pension Act, 1996 and the Executive Council Act / Projet de loi 173, Loi modifiant la

Loi sur l'Assemblée législative, la Loi de 1996 sur le régime de retraite des députés et la

Loi sur le Conseil executive.

Bill Pr29,

An Act respecting Sheena's Place.

Bill Pr30,

An Act respecting Red Leaves Resort Association.

Bill Pr31,

An Act respecting the Perimeter Institute.

Bill Pr32,

An Act respecting The Centre for International Governance Innovation.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

PROVINCIAL ADVOCATE FOR

CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACT, 2007 /

LOI DE 2007 SUR L'INTERVENANT

PROVINCIAL EN FAVEUR DES ENFANTS

ET DES JEUNES

Mrs. Chambers moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 165,

An Act to establish and provide for the office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth / Projet de loi 165, Loi visant à créer la charge d'intervenant provincial en faveur des enfants et des jeunes et à y pourvoir.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): Mrs. Chambers has moved second reading of Bill 165,

An Act to establish and provide for the office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth. Minister.

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): Last November, our government took a very significant step forward to provide better protection for Ontario's most vulnerable children and youth. We did this because we are determined to ensure that these children and youth will always have the ability to be heard by government and by the people of this province.

Today our government is pleased to be moving forward on the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth Act, which would, if passed, make the province's child and youth advocate an independent officer of the Legislature. This legislation, if passed, will better protect the interests of children and youth by ensuring that no government, current or future, would be able to suppress the voice of the advocate.

The child advocate provides a voice to be heard that might otherwise be ignored. This government believes that when it comes to giving vulnerable children a voice, there can be no room for interference, political or otherwise. Ontario's children deserve no less.

We promised to bring forward a law that would have an independent child and youth advocate report to the Legislative Assembly. We said the appointment would take place through an all-party legislative committee, and we said we would make the advocate as independent as the Auditor General and the Ombudsman. If passed, this legislation would meet that commitment.

The child advocate represents a range of children and youth who are seeking or receiving services. Those services could be in the youth justice system, in the children's mental health or complex/special-needs systems, in the child protection and well-being system, or in provincial and demonstration schools for the deaf and blind. The advocate's office also reviews cases that involve complaints about the treatment or care of a child or youth in a program funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

Each year, the advocate's office receives more than 3,000 calls. The majority of calls have been about standards of practice in residential care, violence between peers, children living at home with special needs and aboriginal child protection. The advocate speaks for children and youth who are unable to bring complaints forward on their own behalf. We believe that government has a responsibility to listen to everyone it serves, and we believe that includes children and youth. This legislation, if passed, would ensure that children and youth would be heard not only by this government but also by future governments.

In the east gallery today, I'm very pleased to have with us Ontario's first child advocate, Les Horne, and Matthew Geigen-Miller, who represents Defence for Children. I'm also very pleased to have Cathy Vine and Carlyn Zwarenstein on behalf of Voices for Children. And I'm happy to have Ashraf Shah, who is executive assistant to the child advocate.

As always, it gives me very great pleasure to take this opportunity to once again recognize Judy Finlay. For more than 15 years Judy Finlay has served with the utmost compassion and integrity as Ontario's chief advocate for children and youth. I have had the very real privilege of working closely with Ms. Finlay as Minister of Children and Youth Services. She has helped me to acquire a more profound and a more personalized understanding of the substantial challenges that some of Ontario's children and youth face in their day-to-day lives.

Many of us in this Legislature could not even begin to imagine the challenges that some of these kids face through no fault of their own. My actions, as well as policies and directives created by my ministry, have been guided in large