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November 17, 2014

41st Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2014-Nov-17 (PDF)

L027 - Mon 17 Nov 2014 / Lun 17 nov 2014

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 17 November 2014 Lundi 17 novembre 2014

Introduction of Visitors

Oral Questions

Ontario economy

Government accountability

Privatization of public assets

Privatization of public assets

Child care

Government accountability

Economic development

Trucking safety

Trucking safety

Trade development

Mental health services

Home care

Youth employment

Disaster relief

Pension plans

Consumer protection

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Holocaust Education Week

Irene Atkinson

Remembrance Day

Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week

Health care

Regal Road public school

Ontario economy

Holodomor

Maladie de Crohn et colite ulcéreuse / Crohn’s disease and colitis

Notice of dissatisfaction

Private members’ public business

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Economic outlook and fiscal review / Perspectives économiques et revue financière

Petitions

Hydro rates

Employment standards

Midwifery

Correctional facilities

Hispanic Heritage Month

Air quality

First responders

Environmental protection

Alzheimer’s disease

Workplace insurance

Cycling

Alzheimer’s disease

Government services

Hydro rates

Orders of the Day

Time allocation

Safeguarding Health Care Integrity Act, 2014 / Loi de 2014 de sauvegarde de l’intégrité des soins de santé

The House met at 1030.

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

Prayers.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: I’d like to introduce Wendy Eaton, the mother of Nicole Eaton, who is the page captain today at Queen’s Park.

Mr. John Fraser: I’d like to introduce Mansoor Lakhani and his wife, Salima Lakhani. They are the parents of Moiz Lakhani, who is the first page from Ottawa South since I’ve gotten to this Legislature. Welcome to them.

Mr. John Vanthof: I’d like to welcome our friends from the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance and the Chicken Farmers of Ontario to the House today.

Mr. Han Dong: I would like to welcome student leaders from the U of T Students’ Union and the U of T Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students. They are here somewhere.

Hon. Jeff Leal: We’ve already welcomed the chicken farmers here today, but I’d also like to welcome the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance to Queen’s Park today: Don Taylor, from the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers; Gerard Schouwenaar, from Flowers Canada (Ontario); and Jan VanderHout, president of the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance. They have a reception at lunchtime today.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): With us today in the west gallery we have a very learned group, representatives of the Canadian Federation of University Women. We’re glad you’re joining us today, and be kind to us. Welcome.

We’ve got time for another introduction, if there is one.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: It took a while, Speaker, but I found somebody I know. I see Paul Kossta all the way up there.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Hon. Jeff Leal: For a second time, thanks, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome Henry Zantingh, from the Chicken Farmers of Ontario; and Michael Burrows, from the Association of Ontario Chicken Processors; as well as some of the board of directors, who are on both sides, east and west, of the members’ gallery.

Mr. Garfield Dunlop: Mr. Speaker, I’d like to introduce to you and to the House today Wendy Marshall, who operates a daycare called Pumpkin Patch. She’s co-president of the Association of Day Care Operators of Ontario. Welcome.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I want to take a moment to thank all members for their province-wide attendance at our remembrance week activities. I think it’s fair to announce that all of us shared the same concerns that we all have in the province of Ontario. I want to bring credit to all the members in the House for their constant vigilance in our communities across the province to always remember our veterans: yesterday’s veterans and today’s veterans. So congratulations to all members, and thank you for your participation.

The member for Leeds–Grenville on a point of order.

Mr. Steve Clark: I seek unanimous consent to move a motion without notice regarding the Standing Committee on Social Policy’s consideration of Bill 10,

An Act to enact the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, to repeal the Day Nurseries Act, to amend the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, the Education Act and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I will deal with the first motion, which is to put a motion without notice. Do we have permission to put a motion without notice on the floor?

I heard a no.

It is now time for question period.

Oral Questions

Ontario economy

Mr. Steve Clark: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. After that no, you can see why I moved myself down the row.

My question is for the Premier. Good morning, Premier. Today, your government will release its fall economic statement. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has said that “Ontarians should be very concerned” about the direction in which the province is heading.

Your inability to take urgent action is costing hard-working Ontarians over $11 billion in interest annually to pay for Liberal waste and mismanagement. That’s taxpayers’ money that could be invested in front-line health care, first-rate education, reliable roads and transit.

The interim report by Ed Clark is proof your government will not make the tough decisions to reduce spending to balance the books, because you directed him to tinker around the edges. Premier, will you admit that today’s fall economic statement will do nothing to tackle the urgency raised by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: First of all, let me say that it is always a pleasure and a privilege to work with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. I know that the summit that was held just a number of days ago was very, very productive. They, in their report, which I believe is called Emerging Stronger—which actually reflects what is going on in Ontario, Mr. Speaker, having come out of the economic downturn and still recovering, but strength is exactly the direction that we’re going in.

The fact that over 550,000 jobs have been created in Ontario since the 2009 recessionary low, the fact that the unemployment rate is at 6.5%, the lowest unemployment rate since October 2008—those are indicators of just how this province is emerging stronger than ever, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Steve Clark: Well, Premier, we remember the Drummond report, and we’re seeing it again in Ed Clark’s interim report. You cannot balance the budget on the backs of beer drinkers.

Today’s fall economic statement will confirm what Drummond and Clark have already told us: that the Liberal government will not make those tough decisions. They will not rein in spending. They will continue to dig Ontario deeper in an economic hole despite how many reports you end up commissioning. Commuters, students and seniors will suffer because of this government’s reckless mismanagement.

Premier, will you finally come clean to Ontarians in your fall economic statement and admit that you have no hope to balance the budget by 2017-18?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Mr. Speaker, let me just answer the statement in his question about the reports that we have asked for.

The Drummond report: Over 80% of the recommendations that Don Drummond put forward, we have acted upon. There is

chapter and verse on that, and the member opposite knows that. He knows full well that that information was available in our budget, and he can access it any time.

In terms of the recommendations that have been put forward in the interim report by Ed Clark and his panel, we ran on the reality and the expectation that we would be maximizing our assets, maximizing the assets that are owned by the people of Ontario. The commission has given us advice, and we are going to follow through on that. He will see that in our fall economic statement, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Steve Clark: Back again to the Premier: Ontario’s projected $12.5-billion deficit this year is larger than every other province and the federal government combined. There is really nothing complicated about deficits and the debt. They’re simply deferred taxes that will have to be paid for by future generations and inevitable cuts to public services. Paying off Ontario’s debt alone, without reducing the annual debt by one penny, costs provincial taxpayers almost $11 billion annually, more than the province pays for any other public service aside from front-line health care and education.

Premier, will your fall economic statement truthfully tell Ontarians that because of your out-of-control spending we will continue to waste billions of dollars on debt interest payments, and will you finally admit you have no plan to balance the books?

Interjections.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: The President of the Treasury Board beside me is asking for one idea from the opposite side in terms of how we could continue to emerge—an idea apart from cutting 100,000 jobs, because that actually is an idea that would hold us back.

So let’s look at the facts. Ontario’s unemployment rate is 6.5%, the lowest unemployment rate since October 2008. October’s net job numbers: up 37,000 jobs in Ontario in October. Over 90% of those are full-time, Mr. Speaker. Ontario continues to be first in North America for foreign direct investment.

The reality is that we are emerging stronger. The member opposite says that’s a simple thing. It’s actually not. There are many fronts on which we have to operate. One is working with the private sector to make sure that jobs are created; another is investing in infrastructure, and that is the work we are doing right now.

Government accountability

Mr. Randy Hillier: My question is to the Minister of Infrastructure. Minister, for the past month, we’ve asked you and your government to provide a business case for MaRS phase 2. For the past month, you’ve never once acknowledged that a business case exists. On Thursday, your government released 700 pages of documents that we requested a month ago, yet, once again, no business case. But now it’s crystal clear: You told the media you believe you did release a business case.

Minister, that’s not a business case and it’s not due diligence. A building appraisal is not a market study, nor is it a feasibility study. Why was a business case never done by either MaRS or the ministry to determine what the rental market was for a research space in Toronto?

Hon. Brad Duguid: I was pleased, last week, that we were able to release over 700 pages of documentation that showed an incredible amount of due diligence done by Infrastructure Ontario with regard to the loan the member’s referring to.

I think what Ontario taxpayers want to know is, what did the PCs feel about the idea—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Renfrew, come to order.

Hon. Brad Duguid: —to ensure that MaRS phase 2 did not rot in the ground. That’s why we put that loan forward.

What the member also needs to recognize—because I haven’t heard him say this—is that this loan is fully secured and will be fully repaid. So when the member suggests, wrongly, that somehow taxpayer dollars have been spent on this with regard to this loan, he’s absolutely wrong.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Randy Hillier: Minister, we shouldn’t be surprised that you can’t tell the difference between an appraisal and a business case. You couldn’t tell the difference between a gas plant and a ballot box. You couldn’t tell the difference between a franking sticker and a postage stamp.

What amazes me, Minister, is how you still have a job in this Liberal cabinet. You have quite the knack for having other people resign for your mistakes. I hope you’re planning on sending a Christmas card to your former colleague from London West, as well as your former staffer.

Minister, will you provide the estimates committee with any market study that either MaRS or IO undertook prior to you signing off on the $235-million loan, or will you finally admit one was never done?

Hon. Brad Duguid: Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member’s the critic. I understand that the opposition’s role is to critique government policies. They are entitled to their opinions. They’re not entitled to their facts, and the facts are the facts. The fact is, the loan to MaRS is 100% fully secured. The other fact is that if his party were in office, they would have let that building rot in the ground. Some 51,000 jobs exist in the bioscience cluster. We’re going to—

Interjections.

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

Hon. Brad Duguid: Speaker, every document requested has been released to the public through the media and to the committee. That’s being open and transparent. What those documents do is, they confirm what we’ve been saying all along: The investment is fully secured and it’s a loan that will be repaid. The taxpayers’ investment is protected. We’ll continue to invest in building a strong bioscience cluster in Ontario.

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

Mr. Randy Hillier: Minister, I think we should all be concerned with your competency as a minister of the crown. Not only do you not know what an actual business case looks like, you also weren’t clear on how far you would go to bail out MaRS. You boasted to the media that you were only prepared to pay $7.1 million in interest. You were only partially accurate. You neglected to mention that you were legally obliged to pay $7.1 million for the next 15 years, for a total of $106.5 million. We know you can’t tell the difference between $40 million and $1 billion, but I thought you might have taken a math class in your time at MTCU.

Minister, can you tell the difference between $7.1 million and $106.5 million, or the difference between one year and 15 years?

Hon. Brad Duguid: Mr. Speaker, seriously? That member wants us to take math lessons from the PC Party?

Do you remember last June? It wasn’t that long ago. Too bad you weren’t in charge of your party’s platform. Maybe the math would have been correct, because you sound like such a brilliant mathematician.

But Mr. Speaker, if the member is such a brilliant mathematician, he would know and he would listen to the fact that we’ve been open and—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): This is last time I provide anyone with an opportunity not to be mentioned by riding.

Finish, please.

Hon. Brad Duguid: I said earlier on that the member is entitled to his opinion, and he’s entitled to his rhetoric as well, but right now, that’s the only thing coming out of his mouth: blind rhetoric. The fact of the matter is, he can fabricate the facts all he wants. The facts are the facts. The loan is fully secure and will be 100% repaid—

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

Privatization of public assets

Ms. Catherine Fife: To the Premier: Since 2002, privatizing energy generation has driven up hydro bills by more than 300%. The PCs started this job. You seem intent on finishing the job.

Now the Premier is planning to privatize energy distribution. How much will Ontarians see their bills go up when the Premier privatizes hydro distribution?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Let me just begin by saying that we made it very, very clear in our budget, then when ran in June, on our platform, and then again when we reintroduced our budget that we were going to do a review of the assets that are owned by the people of Ontario and that we were going to make sure that we were maximizing their benefit to the people of Ontario because in 2014 and going forward, we need to make investments in infrastructure, like transit—like transit to Kitchener–Waterloo—and like investments in roads and bridges around the province. We need to make those investments.

In order to do that, we need to make sure that all of the assets owned by the people of Ontario are performing at their very highest capacity.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Catherine Fife: Premier, Ed Clark says that there are tax barriers to privatizing Hydro One’s distribution network and our local hydro utilities—that’s his language. So the Liberals are going to get rid of those tax barriers. How much will these tax changes cost the people of this province?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Let me just go back to the issue around the assets, because I think it’s very, very important that we understand that what Mr. Clark and his colleagues are talking about is working with the distribution part of the province, which is not as efficient as it could be, which does not function in a way that actually maximizes the benefit to the people of the province. In fact, there is the potential that there would be a reduction or at least a slowing down of the increase of rates, not an increase. If the member opposite reads the report that was put out last week, she will see that.

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

Ms. Catherine Fife: I did read the report. On page 9 of Ed Clark’s privatization report, he writes, “OPG’s portfolio includes assets—specifically its hydroelectric generating stations other than the large hydroelectric stations at Niagara Falls and on the St. Lawrence River—that could be sold to finance additional investments in provincial infrastructure. There is an active market for such assets.”

Will the Premier rule out selling OPG’s hydro dams, and will you do it today?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: First, I would like to ask the member opposite her opinion on the nine private power-generating plant agreements that the NDP put in place when they were in office, because at that time, the NDP obviously believed that it was possible to work with the private sector and that it was in the best interests of the people of the province to work together and to not hold on to an ideology that says that government and private sector should not work together. I don’t adhere to that ideology. Apparently, the NDP in the past had the ability to work co-operatively with the private sector. Apparently, that’s been lost, certainly in this member’s mind.

What we believe is that making sure that the assets that are owned by the people of this province work to their best capacity and to the best advantage of the people of the province so that we can make the investments that are needed now—that’s what we believe needs to happen.

Privatization of public assets

Ms. Catherine Fife: You know, it’s not ideology when you follow the numbers, because the numbers don’t lie. The numbers are accurate.

Again to the Premier: Today, Ontarians will see the fall economic statement. Will it tell Ontarians how much their hydro bills are going to go up after the Premier privatizes Hydro One distribution lines, privatizing local hydro utilities and perhaps—she didn’t rule it out—privatizing OPG hydro dams? Will you tell them how much it’s going to cost?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: I would say to the member that the government and the Premier have made it very, very clear to the asset committee that if there is any increase in price that comes from any of what is being contemplated now, we will not be going forward with it.

Additionally, I want to say that you effectively voted against a budget that had two significant mitigation prices for the people of the province of Ontario: (1) the elimination of the debt retirement charge and (2) the Ontario Energy Board is in the process now, under our budget, of creating a program for low- and middle-income people to mitigate the rates that they have. You and your party voted against that. You campaigned against it. Shame on you.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Catherine Fife: We voted against an austerity budget with 6% cuts in many ministries across this province. That’s what we voted against. And we wouldn’t need mitigation terms if—the cost of hydro keeps going up and up and up, and people can’t afford it.

Really, what is happening here is that the Premier doesn’t know how much her plan is going to cost ratepayers. She doesn’t know that, nor does the Minister of Energy. She doesn’t know how much her tax changes will cost the province’s bank account. Why is the Premier moving ahead with privatizing assets when she doesn’t know what her plans will mean for the people of this province?

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: I appreciate the member’s concern about electricity prices. We have done a significant number of things to mitigate future increases, including the NUGs, non-utility generators, which are 20-year-old power purchase contracts which other governments put in place. They’re coming up for renewal, and the OPA is negotiating a lower price in order to suppress the pressure on prices. One of the members from the New Democratic Party is encouraging us to pay more for private purchase of that power on a renewal contract, so they are talking out of both sides of their mouths.

I don’t have the time to go into many of the other price mitigation measures that we have put in place, but they are significant. It’s a priority for us, and it’s working.

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

Ms. Catherine Fife: Perhaps the problem is that the Liberal government doesn’t really understand what privatization is, they’ve used so many words to describe it: “P3s,” “alternative finance”—

Interjection: “Modernizing.”

Ms. Catherine Fife: “Modernizing.” Maybe that is the problem. For over a decade, the Liberal government has shown a sense of entitlement and arrogance when it comes to a government that belongs to the people of this province. They thought they knew best with eHealth and Ornge and gas plants, and now they’re saying that they know best about the public assets that are owned by Ontarians.

The Premier said that she would be different, so why do we see the exact same Liberal arrogance here in this House today?

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: In our procurement for our power, we have programs in place which are very, very egalitarian, if I can put it that way, and which also help to suppress prices.

Among those are our programs for First Nations. We have had more First Nations participate in our power purchasing process than ever in the history of this province. We have in our renewable process incentives for aboriginal communities to get involved. We have loan programs for aboriginal communities.

We have many things in all of our processing of our electricity contracts that help people in this province, and many of them are used to suppress pressures on prices. We’re very proud of that record.

Child care

Mr. Garfield Dunlop: My question is for the Minister of Education. Minister, your Bill 10 hearings begin today and will be quickly finished by tomorrow evening. Groups such as the Association of Day Care Operators of Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Independent Schools, Ontario First Nations daycare associations and francophone daycare associations have been left completely out of the hearings. These groups represent tens of thousands of daycare spaces across our province.

Minister, we have repeatedly asked for travel and extensive consultation on this very, very important bill. We absolutely have to get this bill right, and yet you have time-allocated and moved this bill through very, very quickly.

Can you explain to the House what the rush is to push this bill through this House without the input from many key stakeholder groups?

Hon. Liz Sandals: I would be delighted to talk about the timing on this bill. The bill was first tabled over a year ago, and we’ve been talking to people both before and after that. So we’ve been talking to people for a couple of years about this bill—over 400 written submissions before we even drafted the bill, and tons of correspondence and discussions.

In fact, after we tabled the bill a year ago, we met with ADCO, the Association of Day Care Operators, and some of the feedback that we received when we tabled the bill the first time is actually incorporated into Bill 10 in its current version.

In fact, I even went to Ottawa—

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

Supplementary, the member from Nepean–Carleton.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question goes back to the Minister of Education.

It was a bit rich, on the weekend, for the Premier to chastise federal leaders about daycare when it is her government shutting down debate on child care in the province of Ontario.

Today, the Association of Day Care Operators said that they were excluded from child care hearings. They represent over 200,000 mothers and fathers.

We know, for example, that, in the hearings that we’re going to see over the next two days, Montessoris, independent religious schools, Jewish day schools and native and francophone child care operators are also being excluded.

I want to talk about Sarah-Jane, a child care operator from Lanark county, who found it so expensive to travel here to Queen’s Park that her friends had to do crowd-source funding for her to come to her provincial capital to speak to Ontario legislators. Her friend Sandra Niblock asks, “Five dollars a person adds up. Think of the money you could be earning as she speaks for us.”

Does the minister think open government means closed government when it comes to public—

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

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order. I’d like to remind the member: When I stand, you sit, please.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Well, you must.

Minister of Education.

Hon. Liz Sandals: Let’s talk about travelling. As I said, on Friday I had the opportunity to travel to Ottawa and to speak with the leadership of both the Coalition of Independent Childcare Providers and the providers resource network. Actually, included in that group was one of the leaders from Lanark county. So I went to hear them. I think we had a very productive conversation. We don’t agree on all the issues, but I think we did find some areas of agreement where we can work together and make the bill work.

I think it’s really important to understand that after we pass the bill—and I obviously hope the bill will pass—

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

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Same reminder: I stand; you sit.

Government accountability

Mr. Wayne Gates: Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier.

The government wrote MaRS a bailout cheque worth at least $300 million. They wrote a US real estate speculator a $65-million cheque for a building that was never more than a third full. But they won’t release the business case for the loan they made to MaRS.

To be clear: The documents released last week were not the business case.

At this rate, we’ll find life on the planet Mars before we get the business case for the building from MaRS.

Why won’t the government release the business case? Is there something that you’re hiding?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure.

Hon. Brad Duguid: To directly respond to the member’s final question, absolutely not. We’ve released over 700 pages of documents. Exactly what was asked for was exactly what was released. Within those documents is all kinds of information regarding the due diligence that’s gone into this loan that IO conducts, frankly, in all of their consideration of loans—over 700 pages of documents that include all of that information.

I know it’s a lot of documents and I know that the members opposite may not have the time to go through them, but within those documents is confirmation of everything we’ve been saying all along. The loan is fully secured on a—

Interjections.

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

I’m going to ask the member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke to come to order and the member from Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington to come to order.

Mr. John Yakabuski: Wow.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I got it out. I got it out.

I also won’t allow for you—the reminder: I do not like it when you name somebody other than with their riding or their title. I’m going to stick to that. It elevates the debate, and if you use it the other way, it lowers the debate, and I don’t want it.

Please finish.

Hon. Brad Duguid: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What those documents provide is confirmation of what we’ve been saying all along. The property is worth more than what we’ve invested into it.

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

Hon. Brad Duguid: The taxpayers’ investment is safe and secure—

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

Mr. Wayne Gates: The Premier released a property assessment for MaRS that’s based on 80% occupancy. The building is 30% full.

The Premier’s government insists the deal was smart, but nobody seems to be able to find the business case. This Liberal government insists it’s being honest, but the people of Ontario still have questions.

Six months after Ontarians learned about the scandal, why is the Liberal government still hiding the business case—not 700 documents, the business case—from Ontarians?

Hon. Brad Duguid: If the member had time to go through the 700 pages of documents we put out, he would not be referring to this issue in the way that he’s referring to it.

It’s pretty simple overall. It’s a complex issue, but it’s pretty simple. There was a building rotting in the ground at MaRS. Do the NDP now want to join the PCs in suggesting the government should have just let that building rot and put at risk the 51,000 jobs in our bioscience cluster? Mr. Speaker, that would not be our position.

We supported the idea to construct this building. Michael Nobrega and Carol Stephenson, two experts, will soon be providing us advice about the path forward. I’m very confident that there’s a positive path forward on this project that’s going to be very successful in terms of protecting taxpayers’ dollars.

Economic development

Mrs. Kathryn McGarry: My question is to the Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure.

From knocking on doors in my riding of Cambridge during the spring election to receiving calls at my constituency office, the economy is top of mind for many of my constituents, including my 17- and 20-year-old sons and their friends, who are now planning for their future and their entry into the job market.

I have reviewed Stats Canada’s recent job numbers report and found a positive trend for my region of Waterloo that includes Cambridge. My region’s unemployment rate dropped by 0.4% in the last month alone and 1.5% over the last year. Cambridge now has an unemployment rate of 6.3%, proof that our government’s economic plan is working for my constituents in Cambridge.

Would the minister please inform the House about last month’s job numbers and how our province has continued to grow since the global recession?

Hon. Brad Duguid: That’s certainly great news for the Cambridge community. It’s really good to hear that.

Last month alone, Ontario created 37,000 net new jobs. Over 90% of those jobs were full-time jobs, which is great news. Our province’s unemployment rate dropped 0.6% last month. It’s now 6.5%. This is the lowest unemployment rate Ontario has seen since October 2008. Mr. Speaker, even the opposition has to consider that good news.

Since the recession, Ontario is up 550,000 net new jobs—in fact, more specifically, 551,300 net new jobs. In fact, our job recovery rate since the recession is 207.4%, well outpacing the US at 115%. That tells me we’re doing something right in the province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mrs. Kathryn McGarry: This is great news, not only for my Cambridge community but for the entire province.

Ontario’s manufacturing sector is important to the overall strength of our economy. I know that the opposition enjoys talking this sector down, but I think it’s important to talk about the facts.

Last month alone, Ontario’s manufacturing sector gained 32,900 net new jobs. Recently, I spoke at a manufacturing summit in Cambridge hosted by Professional Engineers Ontario. They’re excited by the growth of the advanced manufacturing sector in Cambridge.

Today, in my community, auto manufacturing is incredibly important. Toyota’s Cambridge facility, our largest employer, is home to the only Lexus plant outside of Japan.

Would the minister please update the House on the strategic investment partnerships this government has recently secured to keep Ontario’s auto sector on track?

Hon. Brad Duguid: Last week, following the Premier’s successful mission to China, our Premier was pleased to announce that our government is investing with Honda to make the Alliston facility the global lead for the Honda Civic.

I’ve been advised that this is a first, globally. This will make Ontario the only jurisdiction outside of Japan to ever land a Honda global lead facility, something for us and the workers in Alliston to be very proud of. These investments will not only safeguard 4,000 high-skilled, direct positions, they will also support thousands more supply chain jobs throughout Ontario. The project will cover major investments in the assembly lines, engine plants and paint shops.

As Ontario continues to lead North America in foreign direct investment, our strategic efforts to partner with our auto sector will continue to provide value and attract investment and jobs to our province.

Trucking safety

Mr. Michael Harris: My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Minister, how many violations of provincial truck testing standards did Serco report at the DriveTest centre in Woodbridge this year?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I want to thank the member for that question. This is a very timely question because the member will know that not that many days ago I had the opportunity to announce via the media that our government would be moving forward for the first time—for the first time amongst all the provinces across this country—with mandatory, entry-level training for truck drivers who are seeking to obtain their AZ licence.

This is a measure where, once fully rolled out, of course, I’ll have the chance to work closely with my colleague the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities on this particular matter. As I said a second ago, it will place Ontario at the forefront of dealing with making sure that truck drivers out there are properly trained.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the convention of the Ontario Trucking Association, and they were thrilled to know that our government plans to move forward with this measure. I look forward to discussing this more in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Michael Harris: I’ll remind folks that I did ask about violations at the provincial truck testing standards facility in Woodbridge, because we know, through the Toronto Star report, that would-be truckers were not even being taken on 400-series highways—a clear violation of your ministry’s standards.

Serco’s contract allows them to self-audit and self-report compliance with ministry standards, giving them Ornge-like powers that are jeopardizing our safety. Minister, you have a clear responsibility for oversight and yet you allow a contract for self-policing of our testing centres that diverts accountability.

In the spirit of openness and transparency, will you, today, table the reports and audits of detailed DriveTest centre violations since this self-policing regime went into effect?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: It’s interesting, I also had the opportunity to read some of the media stories that the member opposite is talking about. The self-auditing aspect of what this particular contractor is able to provide deals with a variety of issues, including items like customer satisfaction. When it was first brought to the ministry’s attention, via the media, that there was a problem or a concern being expressed around this particular test centre, Ministry of Transportation officials were able to go out to the test centre itself to make sure that all the rules and regulations were being followed.

In fact, as it relates to the extent to which these test centres are performing their responsibilities in the manner that they are supposed to, the Minister of Transportation does, of course, send out folks to audit, on average, on a monthly basis.

It’s important, as I said in responding to the first question, that we move forward with the mandatory training for AZ drivers who want to become truck drivers here in this province. Hopefully, the member opposite will support those measures.

Trucking safety

Mr. Joe Cimino: Speaker, through you again to the Minister of Transportation, I’ll keep the same line of questioning.

Last month, we learned that the provincial government allows unregulated licence mills to train drivers of 40-tonne tractor-trailers. Then we learned that Serco, the private multinational corporation that runs DriveTest centres, does not always test these drivers on highways. At that time, the Minister of Transportation assured us “there are specific standards and requirements for commercial driver testing that our service provider must meet.”

Well, today we learned that the government has no idea whether Serco is meeting these standards. That’s because last year, the government gave Serco the power to police itself, leaving it up to Serco to verify its own performance and let the minister know whether they are not doing their job properly.

Will the minister explain why the government agreed to this gaping loophole when the contract was renewed last year?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: In my answer to the previous question from the member of the opposition, the member from Kitchener, I spent a bit of time talking about what this particular contractor is in fact permitted to self-audit, which is at the crux of this question as well. Here is a list of some of the things that this particular contractor is entitled to self-audit: accuracy of transaction processing and timeliness of corrections, maintaining an 85% customer satisfaction rating at all locations, and response and resolution time to customer inquiries and complaints. The list goes on, Speaker.

What I’m trying to get at here, and what I tried to say in my response to the original question I received on this, is that the self-auditing mechanism doesn’t occur with respect to the testing itself. The Ministry of Transportation works very hard with all of our testing centres to ensure that they are following the regulations and rules. When the story first appeared, we did take action.

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

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I’ll respond more in the supplementary.

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

Mr. Joe Cimino: Speaker, through you: In 2003, the Harris Tories privatized driver licensing centres, signing a 10-year contract with Serco, which also runs private prisons and private hospitals. Contracting out has been a disaster, leading to a long strike in 2009. But instead of cutting ties with Serco, as the NDP had demanded, last year the Liberal government signed up for another 10 years, and this time, the contract is even worse, with less accountability and protection for Ontario drivers—and the government refuses to say how many inspectors, if any, are overseeing Serco’s operations.

Instead of outsourcing accountability to yet another public-private partnership, will the government publicly release the uncensored Serco contract, all audit reports and ministry reviews of DriveTest, and tell us the number of inspectors in charge of overseeing Serco’s operations?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: In one of my answers to a question already today, Speaker, I talked about the fact that on average, on a monthly basis, there are MTO inspectors who are out there at this particular test centre and across the province.

I think it is important here in this Legislature for us to deal with facts and information. It’s really important to note that over the last few years, there were a number of measures that have been brought forward by our government to make sure that our roads here in Ontario remain amongst the safest in North America. For example, not that many years ago, this government took some steps to make changes to the commercial vehicle testing regime, including a training standard for class AZ drivers and for their licence training programs which was introduced back in 2010 by one of my predecessors in this portfolio.

Here’s the interesting part: Notwithstanding what the members of the opposition are trying to do here today, since that time, since those measures were introduced, we have seen in Ontario that the number of fatal collisions involving large trucks has reached a five-year low.

So instead of standing here in this House—

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

Hon. Steven Del Duca: —and trying to create hysteria around this subject, let’s deal with the facts and see—

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

Trade development

Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris: My question is for the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade. Minister, despite a constantly changing economy, Ontario was able to rank high as one of the largest economies in the US and Canada last year, and we’re first in North America when it comes to foreign-direct investment. We all know how crucial to our success it is that we promote our economic competitiveness on the international stage.

My riding of Halton is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, and our residents are concerned about our province’s economic health. My constituents want Ontario to maintain its competitive business advantage and continue to create opportunities for economic growth.

Minister, as the global economy remains unstable, what is Ontario doing to ensure that we foster a climate that is conducive to business?

Hon. Michael Chan: I want to thank the member from Halton for asking.

Speaker, three weeks ago, I was in China on a trade mission with the Premier and the Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure. Two delegations of over 60 Ontario businesses and organizations—one in clean tech, the other one in science and technology—accompanied us. We visited Nanjing, Shanghai and Beijing in China. We were joined by Premiers from other provinces as well who share our belief that relationships must be in place in order for the doors to open for the business connections.

We secured three deals that will lead to almost $1 billion in investments and 1,800 jobs for Ontarians.

Speaker, we’re also pleased that our trade mission brought about tangible results so quickly. Driving our economy and creating jobs are our ultimate goals.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris: Mr. Speaker, it is reassuring to hear that the trade mission to China brought about so many trade and investment partnerships. According to the Conference Board of Canada, every $100-million increase in exports creates close to 1,000 new jobs for Ontarians. Given the success in China and the number of new partnerships you have brought to Ontario, I’m sure we can expect many new opportunities for the people of our province.

However, it is important to note how diverse Ontario is, not just in culture, but in our job force as well. In my riding, we have a lot of young families coming from a lot of different backgrounds with a lot of different skills. Many are looking to break into and establish themselves in the job market. Not all Ontarians work in the same sector. Not all Ontarians will find work in a steel mill.

Mr. Speaker, would the minister be able to tell us what is being done to ensure that Ontarians in different fields, like the residents in my riding, will benefit from the success of the China trip?

Hon. Michael Chan: We know how important it is to our economy that we must diversify. But diversification is not just about knocking on the doors of different countries. It’s about exploring opportunities in many different fields and bringing various types of investment to Ontario.

This is what we did in China, Speaker. We secured partnerships, investments and jobs that will benefit different sectors and different communities. Here are some of the examples: We partnered with a company building a pair of residential towers, a company that will bring manufacturing jobs for green projects, a steel nail mill, a financial centre and more.

We will also formalize a new work plan for the Ontario-Jiangsu Business Council which will promote ties beyond the mission.

Speaker, we are committed to ensuring this trade mission does not create only temporary results. We have worked to bring about long-term, prosperous growth for Ontarians.

Mental health services

Mr. Jeff Yurek: My question is to the Attorney General. Minister, we all join the people of London to mourn the life of Dave MacPherson. Mr. MacPherson was tragically killed in a fire that engulfed an unlicensed group home where he and some 30 other people, all suffering from mental illness and addictions, were forced to reside because your government has failed to provide an adequate number of properly licensed facilities.

But days before this fatal fire took place, a manager from your ministry’s Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee toured the building. How is it that ministry staff who toured this group home did not raise any concerns, even though the building was under strict city and fire department improvement orders?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: First of all, let me offer my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim. This is a real tragic incident.

I want to remind members that the job of the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee is to do for the client what he or she would do for themselves in financial matters; for example, receive income, apply for any available benefits, pay bills and file taxes. As the guardian of property, the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee does not make personal decisions for the client, such as deciding where a client lives and what activities they engage in. It also does not recommend or refer clients to any type of housing. Community agencies usually perform this function.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jeff Yurek: Minister, the place was appalling. There were no walls in the bedrooms. There were bugs in the bed and piles of garbage in the hallways. Who would want to live in that, and why would the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee, which signs the cheque, turn a blind eye and walk away?

For more than a year, inspectors from several city departments had been monitoring this London apartment building. London police alone have visited the facility over 100 times in 2014. There are constant red flags, including health, safety, fire and zoning violations, but some of our most vulnerable Londoners were still living in these conditions.

Minister, your ministry’s Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee is responsible for protecting the rights and interests of Ontarians suffering from mental illness. This tragedy should have been prevented. What immediate and urgent action will you take to guarantee that this same tragedy does not take place in other Ontario communities?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: The role of the Public Guardian and Trustee is to look after the financial matters of those individuals. However, there are other agencies, like the municipality, for instance, that are responsible for looking into these facilities and seeing if the fire code is respected and if health and safety is respected.

But I’m sure that the Ministry of Community and Social Services, along with other agencies that look after these types of individuals, will look into it, because it’s very unfortunate, and I hope it does not happen again.

Home care

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: My question is to the Premier. This Liberal government has a bad habit of saying one thing and doing another. For all their talk about making home care a priority, the Liberals are allowing home care services to be cut from Windsor to Sarnia.

The Erie St. Clair CCAC has reduced daily nursing visits by a shocking 33% this month. That’s a huge hit that means seniors won’t get the care they need. Many have been told they’re now just a number on a wait-list, and family caregivers have been stripped of essential respite time.

Will the Premier explain how she can possibly stand by and allow vital home care services to be slashed in southwestern Ontario?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I appreciate the question. It simply isn’t true that we’re slashing our funding to home care or to our CCACs. In fact, we have dramatically increased the funding that we provide to home care and to community care services through our CCACs and through our LHINs since coming into office in 2003. In fact, it is a 99% increase in funding over, roughly, the past decade.

Obviously, Mr. Speaker, we do rely on our LHINs and our CCACs to make those important decisions in terms of the distribution of resources.

I’m happy to speak more about that in the supplementary coming up.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: The minister can talk about home care until he’s blue in the face, but the only thing that matters is whether he’s willing to stop these cutbacks that are happening on his watch.

A 33% reduction in home care nursing visits is not acceptable. My office has been flooded by worried families who have no idea where they’re going to turn to get the care their loved ones need. They’re scrambling to deal with these cuts and the government’s broken promise to deliver better home care.

Premier, you stated that you would not forget about Windsor, but this is not the type of attention we were hoping for. Will the Premier commit today to doing whatever it takes to reverse each and every cut to the seniors of southwestern Ontario who depend on vital home care services?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, again, we are investing more than $4 billion in home care, including investing significant portions of that amount in the Windsor-Essex area. We are not making cuts to home care or to our community care services. In fact, we’ve increased it: this year alone, $270 million extra into that important care.

It is true that we’re using those funds to provide support for the more complex-needs patients. We’re making sure that those patients are no longer cared for in hospitals but are actually cared for in the place that is more relevant to them to give the highest quality of care, to provide them with the supports that they need. Those complex-needs patients who perhaps used to be cared for in hospitals are now being cared for in home and closer to home. It’s working, and we’re increasing funding to accommodate those needs.

Youth employment

Mr. John Fraser: Two Fridays ago, we heard some great news for Ontario’s economy. Our unemployment rate dropped to 6.5%, the lowest since October 2008, the peak of the—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I need to know who.

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Interjection.

Mr. John Fraser: Thanks to the member for Nepean–Carleton.

Mr. Speaker, 37,000 jobs were created in Ontario last month, most of them full-time, including 6,300 jobs for youth. It is vital to Ontario’s economic future that youth have opportunities for employment, and it’s apparent that our plan to grow the economy and create good jobs is working in every region of the province. However, we know that there’s always more that can and needs to be done.

Could the Minister of Children and Youth Services give us an update on how the Ontario government is helping to create opportunities for youth employment in the province?

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: Thanks to the member for Ottawa South for that question. It’s a really important one because I think we can all agree that the future of Ontario is indeed tied to our youth, and it’s important that we help young people reach their full potential in this province. We need to work collaboratively, not just in government but with the private sector, the broader public sector and so on.

When I’m meeting with groups outside of government, there’s a real recognition that government can’t address this issue alone. We must work collaboratively with the private sector, the broader public sector and beyond. Our work with CivicAction is an example of a project we’ve entered into to help at-risk youth overcome barriers to employment. CivicAction is leading a nine-month engagement review in the GTHA and the report, Escalator, will provide opportunities for employment, mentorship and so on. I’ll speak more to it in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: I appreciate the minister’s answer. It’s very interesting work that’s being done with CivicAction to help at-risk youth with employment opportunities.

Bringing the private sector, labour, government and community groups together is a major undertaking, and the collaborative, consensus-building approach to this issue will lead the way to lasting and positive outcomes for youth who need these opportunities.

Though the Escalator report was only released in September, I’m hoping that the minister could give us some insight on what the response has been like.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: I am very pleased to report that in November CivicAction and NPower Canada welcomed their first cohort into the Technology Service Corps Canada program. This is an employer-driven program for aspiring IT professionals. It gives free training, internships, job placements and mentorship for underserved youth in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area. It’s a fantastic program. This is another example of important partnerships that our government is making with grassroots organizations in Ontario.

I should just mention, too, that CivicAction led a round table last Friday on youth employment with LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner. That’s another example of important partnerships with the private sector.

We’re committed to working with all our partners to help address the issues with youth employment.

Disaster relief

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: My question is for Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. On October 30, my colleague asked the minister about his government’s incredible indifference towards two small municipalities hit by last year’s ice storm. He claimed that municipalities that “suffered the most damage and have the least ability to respond fiscally” would “get helped as quickly as possible.” If that’s true, then why is he plastering those municipalities in red tape, forcing them to fill out even more paperwork a year after the disaster struck?

Hon. Ted McMeekin: That’s an interesting question. It goes right to the heart of accountability. When you’re distributing $190 million in ice storm relief, you want to make sure you get it right. Municipalities have applied for assistance. They’ve been screened based on that application, and there’s a process of documenting their receipts for ice storm repairs that’s very, very necessary for any government that wants to be transparent and accountable. It’s as simple as that. That’s what we’re doing.

Municipalities have, in fact, asked—and AMO has asked—for an extension of the deadline with respect to filling out the forms so that more of those municipalities that you’re talking about can come together, document their need, present their receipts, and get, hopefully, a response from the government.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: Minister, the town of Minto and the municipality of North Perth, where officials are still filling out paperwork, will not be satisfied with that answer, and neither am I. They were hit very hard but have yet to see a nickel. I have consistently spoken up for the municipalities I represent, starting in April 2013. That’s when the first storm hit and North Perth applied for assistance. The government’s response? Not so much as a gift card.

When the former minister promised $190 million after the December ice storm, officials in Toronto confidently stated that “virtually all” of their costs would be covered. Why hasn’t the government given Minto, North Perth and other small and rural municipalities the same assurances, or does the minister actually think that Toronto is less able “to respond fiscally”?

Hon. Ted McMeekin: I think it’s wonderful that the member opposite continues to be an advocate for his community; that’s what he’s here for—good for you.

Notwithstanding that, we want to make sure that any assistance that’s provided is done based on need and is done in the responsible and accountable way that requires receipts to be presented for the work that’s done. Municipalities know what the guidelines are, and in a number of instances have asked for extensions in order to assist.

By the way, there is some financial assistance available to municipalities who are having trouble with the paperwork.

Pension plans

Ms. Jennifer K. French: My question is to the Associate Minister of Finance. Questions remain about the government’s proposed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan. We know that “comparable” plans will be exempt, but the government is still to define exactly what that means. Instead, they continue to prioritize their bank-friendly PRPP legislation.

Speaker, I have already asked this question and I didn’t receive an answer, so I’m happy to ask it again: Will PRPPs be considered comparable and qualify for an exemption from the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan?

Hon. Mitzie Hunter: I want to thank the member from Oshawa for her question. As we know, retirement savings is an issue for us in this province. When we look out we know that people are not saving enough for their retirement futures. Our government has committed to strengthening our retirement income system, and that includes voluntary measures such as PRPPs, which are a complement to our made-in-Ontario solution of the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan.

Speaker, we have to take action now. Doing nothing is not a solution. We have to ensure that we strengthen Ontario’s retirement savings system so that when people retire, they can retire in some comfort and dignity. That is our intention and that is our focus.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Jennifer K. French: The government claims that it is committed to a public pension plan in Ontario but their actions say otherwise. They tell us that PRPPs will merely supplement the ORPP, but more and more it looks like they will become a substitute. Speaker, if the government is committed to a public pension plan, then we want to hear them make commitments, not just make noise.

So I’ll ask again: Will PRPPs be considered comparable and qualify for an exemption from the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan? Third time.

Hon. Mitzie Hunter: Let me be very clear. The focus of our government is the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, and that is what we’re focused on doing. Other measures such as PRPPs and RRSPs are voluntary savings mechanisms, which are essential to people achieving their retirement goals overall. It’s important for us to have strong retirement savings systems in this province so that we can continue to move forward and to contribute to Ontario’s economy in the long term.

I thank the member opposite for her question. It’s an important one, as we focus on building up retirement savings in this province.

Consumer protection

Ms. Daiene Vernile: My question is for the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Minister, in my riding of Kitchener Centre, there are many constituents who live very demanding lives, whether they’re students, professionals or parents of young families. They want to know that they can shop safely for basic needs and enter into fair and accountable agreements without worrying about being taken advantage of by misleading sales tactics or confusing contracts. I think many of us have had experiences like that.

Ontarians believe that our province should maintain certain standards protecting their rights as consumers. Mr. Speaker, can the minister please update this House on what his ministry is doing to protect Ontario consumers?

Hon. David Orazietti: I appreciate the question from the member from Kitchener Centre. It’s an important question. Since 2003, we’ve taken a significant number of measures to help protect consumers, including things like removing the expiry date on gift cards, capping payday lending costs, and capping fees on cellphone costs as well as allowing for triple recovery.

We’re also very pleased with the recent passage of Bill 55, Stronger Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, which will help prevent aggressive, high-pressure door-to-door sales tactics as well as protect consumers with respect to water heater rentals, debt settlement and real estate practices.

We are moving as well to introduce changes to the Condominium Act. There has been a fairly lengthy consultation on that. We’re going to have more to say about that in the future, as well as areas around home renovations, moving companies, home inspections and the development of a consumer protection bill of rights.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): There are no deferred votes. This House stands recessed until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1142 to 1300.

Introduction of Visitors

Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde: I’m delighted to introduce, from Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, Aida Fernandes, Lisa Salapatek, C.K. DesGrosseilliers, Helen Silbiger, Natasha Mistry, and Andrew Holt and his mother, Martha Holt. Welcome.

Mr. Arthur Potts: In absentia, I would like to introduce Amanda Ironside, who is a teacher at East York Collegiate Institute. She was here with three members of her grade 10 civics class, and we were very civil for her being here.

Ms. Soo Wong: I’d like to welcome my predecessor, the Honourable Gerry Phillips, who is here with us today.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: My colleague introduced Mr. Phillips; thank you.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): So both of you are stepping on my job.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: I’ll just add, Speaker: from Scarborough, a wonderful former member and colleague and a great adviser to us. Thank you for being here today.

Mr. Yvan Baker: It’s an honour to welcome to the House today a number of guests—and I’d ask all members to welcome them—from the Ukrainian Canadian community. We have with us Valentina Kuryliw, who is chair of the National Holodomor Education Committee, and a number of members of the committee: Nadia Makriy, Lydia Falcomer, Eugene Yakovitch, Lesa and Jaroslav Semcesen, Bob Onyschuk and Myroslava Oleksiuk. Welcome.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further introductions?

Mr. Arthur Potts: Yes. Sorry, Mr. Speaker; I was remiss in not also recognizing Sarah Ker-Hornell, who is with Film Ontario. She’s a constituent in Toronto–Danforth.

Mrs. Cristina Martins: We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge my colleague MPP Yvan Baker’s mother, who is joining us here today as well. Welcome, Mrs. Baker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Somebody is going to get in trouble for that one.

The member from Thornhill, an introduction.

Mrs. Gila Martow: I was expecting some students from Thornhill Public School today. I don’t know if that’s them up in the gallery, but hopefully they made it down today safely in this weather.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Let’s get to the one that I always do. My friends and colleagues, with us today in the west members’ gallery, from Scarborough–Agincourt in the 34th, 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th and 39th Parliaments, from parts unknown, Gerry Phillips.

Members’ Statements

Holocaust Education Week

Mrs. Gila Martow: On behalf of myself and the entire PC caucus, I am honoured to extend my warmest greetings to all those who participated in last week’s 34th annual Holocaust Education Week in Toronto and all over the world. This was presented by the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. I’m proud to be able to say that this year, Canada has assumed the position as the chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Holocaust Education Week offers extensive programming designed to engage Ontarians from all different types of heritages, with the opportunity to delve into one of the darkest moments in human history and emerge with universal lessons of hope, tolerance and human rights. I myself attended a couple of fantastic events, one at the Royal Ontario Museum to mark the launch of Holocaust Education Week and another a lecture at Shaar Shalom Synagogue.

Holocaust Education Week offers a powerful

schedule of activities, including films, discussions and exhibits that encourage remembrance and denounce intolerance.

I want to take this opportunity to commend the dedication of the survivors, volunteers, staff and supporters from UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre for their efforts to make this and every year’s Holocaust Education Week such a success. Thank you for all the work that you do.

Irene Atkinson

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: It’s my absolute honour to stand today and to recognize a woman who truly is a force of nature in Parkdale–High Park and throughout the educational system. That’s Irene Atkinson, our trustee, who is retiring after 40 years as a trustee, the longest-serving trustee in the Toronto District School Board ever, and, not only that, the only trustee who served on the Toronto Board of Education and on the TDSB as well.

She is known as the “mother of Sorauren.” She actually saved Sorauren Park in our community as a place for families rather than a place for garbage trucks to park. She worked tirelessly and got extra funds for Parkdale public, Queen Victoria public, Swansea public, Keele public—I could go on and on—over the 40 years.

A true woman of conscience, she used to be a red Tory and left the Conservative Party after she saw what Mike Harris did to education in this province. She crossed the floor to us—we were the happy beneficiaries of that—and continued to serve the same folk.

Here’s to Irene Atkinson. After 40 years, we hope she has a wonderful retirement. Of course, a woman like that never really retires. She’s actually going on to work on the review board and other boards in the community. But we’re going to miss her. I can tell you that a generation or two of education ministers are not going to miss her, because she kept on their heels.

Here’s to Irene and all the women like her.

Remembrance Day

Mr. Bob Delaney: Last week, Ontarians all across our province paused for a minute of silence on November 11 to commemorate the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, when the guns of World War I fell silent with the signing of the armistice between the Allied Nations and the Central Powers.

“The beginning of the end of war,” wrote American veteran and author Herman Wouk, “lies in remembrance.”

Our Royal Canadian Legion branch 139 Streetsville marched with veterans, elected officials, fire, police and emergency response, as well as our very active army, navy and air cadet corps. Queen Street in 2014 was lined with more people than anyone can ever recall attending a Remembrance Day ceremony.

This year’s ceremony was the first Remembrance Day at the redeveloped Streetsville square, with its rebuilt cenotaph, and the last Remembrance Day for Hazel McCallion to preside as Mississauga’s mayor. An estimated 3,500 people lined the streets and jammed the square to pay tribute to Canada’s fallen soldiers and to remember not merely those who served in Canada’s wars and peacekeeping, but also those who returned to build the great nation, province and communities that we have and enjoy today.

Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: Mr. Speaker, recently we celebrated the first annual Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, part of the Hawkins Gignac Act, which passed last year. I want to commend Ontario fire departments for their support and their efforts to raise awareness.

For example, the Perth East and West Perth fire departments made The Wake Up Call, a CO safety video that educates people on the dangers of carbon monoxide. In Peterborough, the fire department worked with First Alert and the Peterborough Petes to create an information display. In Barrie, the fire and emergency services knocked on doors and distributed printed materials describing the new CO laws in Ontario, and held a talk with John Gignac, the founder of the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for CO Education.

I also want to recognize the Insurance Bureau of Canada, which has donated over 2,000 carbon monoxide detectors. In recognition of CO Awareness Week, they made donations in London, Ottawa, Cornwall, and several Oxford fire departments. They also donated to Habitat for Humanity in Leeds and the Thousand Islands. These carbon monoxide detectors will play an important role in protecting Ontarians. You can’t see, smell or taste carbon monoxide, so the only way to know your family is safe is to have a detector in your home.

I want to thank everyone who helped promote Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, including the members of all three parties. These efforts are making Ontario families safer and are a tribute to the Hawkins family. I want to thank each and every one of you.

Health care

Ms. Cindy Forster: Last Thursday, November 6, I had the opportunity to attend an event in my community at the Welland community centre to protect our local hospital services in our communities. We hear about this issue day in and day out from small and rural communities across this province. It was attended by many, many people in my riding, and they all had the same concerns: cutting hospital beds; cutting CCAC services in our communities; wait-lists for mental health services; wait-lists for long-term-care beds; and giving our long-term-care beds to the private sector instead of to the non-profit sector—those dollars should be going to the care of individuals in our community.

Now, this coming Friday—and I would encourage all MPPs to attend this event—there’s going to be a rally here at Queen’s Park. It is sponsored by the Ontario Health Coalition and the Niagara Health Coalition and it’s here at 12 p.m. on Friday. There are buses coming in from across the province, because everyone is concerned about the erosion of health care services in their communities.

In my own community, many hospitals have closed; another one is slated for closure. So, please, attend this rally and show your support to keep our hospitals open.

Regal Road public school

Mrs. Cristina Martins: I am rising today to recognize a tremendous milestone in Davenport. On Saturday, November 8, Regal Road public school celebrated its centennial anniversary. This means that since 1914 Regal Road has been at the forefront of guiding and educating Davenport’s young people.

Regal Road public school was constructed for the Dovercourt community just as the area was annexed to the city of Toronto. It is a magnificent building, designed in the beaux arts style by architect Franklin E. Belfrey, who also designed many other schools in Toronto, including Oakwood Collegiate, also in my riding. In 2007, the city of Toronto declared the school a heritage building.

I had the pleasure to meet a tour group from Regal Road at the Legislature in September, and I look forward to meeting more students from this exciting school going forward.

Ontario economy

Mr. Todd Smith: Today, the government releases its fall economic statement. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has said Ontarians should be very concerned about the direction in which this province is heading. The recent interim report by Ed Clark is proof the Liberals will not make tough decisions to reduce spending to balance the books.

We can expect today’s economic statement to continue the Liberals’ unrealistic and unaffordable path that puts front-line services in jeopardy while hurting families in every part of this province, including those having the hardest time.

Mr. Speaker, this government is spending beyond its means. The Bank of Canada and the Conference Board of Canada have also provided evidence that the government’s path is unsustainable. Under the Liberals, our debt has doubled and our annual debt interest payment now approaches $11 billion. That’s taxpayers’ money that should be invested in front-line health care, first-rate education, reliable roads and transit. All Ontarians are paying the price for debt interest costs that take money out of priority services like health care and education.

This Liberal government is always trying to blame someone else for not getting their own house in order. They’ve doubled the debt in just 11 years. They continually blame lower-than-expected revenues and the federal government. This Liberal government must take responsibility for their bad policy decisions. I hope they will do that today.

Holodomor

Mr. Yvan Baker: Mr. Speaker, last week I had the privilege of travelling to Ukraine to support a medical humanitarian mission where Canadian doctors performed surgery on patients who were victims of the war in eastern Ukraine, people who were fighting for their freedom and their democracy. I also had the opportunity to visit the national Holodomor memorial, and I stand here today to commemorate the Holodomor.

Holodomor commemoration week, which is this week, pays tribute to the 81st anniversary of the Holodomor, when Joseph Stalin closed Ukraine’s borders and confiscated grain to destroy the Ukrainian population that resisted his rule, who had sought the freedom and democracy that the people of Ukraine are fighting for today. During that time, 17 people per minute, 1,000 per hour and 25,000 per day were dying from famine. The world was silent. Millions died as a result.

My grandmother was one of those people who survived the famine, and she lost three of her brothers to the Soviet regime. She once told me that she hopes the victims of the Holodomor will not only be remembered but honoured. Honouring means not just remembering them and commemorating them, but also learning from their mistakes, learning from the mistakes that we made, and making sure we take the steps to make sure it never happens again.

One of the things that needs to be done is to make sure our young people here in Ontario learn about the Holodomor. That is why I’m so pleased to be here today to stand with the leaders of the Ukrainian community who have worked towards that for so many years, with you, Mr. Speaker, and other members of the Legislature who co-sponsored a bill to commemorate the Holodomor, and with our Premier and our education minister, who have spoken in the past about the importance of teaching the Holodomor and have ensured that the Holodomor will be part of our curriculum so that every Ontarian learns about the Holodomor.

Today, I’d like to take this opportunity to not only reflect and to commemorate the victims of the Holodomor, but to ask us to re-commit ourselves to make sure we learn from the mistakes of the past and make sure tragedies like this and those that are happening in Ukraine never happen again. Let us do what my grandmother would have asked: Let us not only remember the victims; let us not only commemorate the victims; let us honour them.

Maladie de Crohn et colite ulcéreuse / Crohn’s disease and colitis

M me Marie-France Lalonde: Je suis fière et honorée de me lever aujourd’hui afin de manifester mon soutien à l’égard du mois de la sensibilisation à la maladie de Crohn et à la colite. La maladie de Crohn et la colite ulcéreuse sont les deux formes les plus courantes de maladies inflammatoires de l’intestin. Il s’agit de maladies chroniques qui causent l’inflammation de l’intestin. Actuellement, il n’existe aucun traitement curatif connu contre elles et on en ignore la cause.

Les Ontariens ont plus de raisons que quiconque dans le monde d’être préoccupés par la maladie de Crohn et la colite ulcéreuse. Près de 95 000 Ontariens vivent avec l’une ou l’autre de ces maladies. En effet, monsieur le Président, ma famille est une parmi bien d’autres en Ontario qui sont touchées par la maladie de Crohn. Deux de mes cousines souffrent de cette maladie, alors je connais bien les défis qui se présentent quand les gens vivent avec la maladie.

Depuis 40 ans, Crohn et Colite Canada travaille à la découverte d’un traitement curatif contre la maladie de Crohn et la colite ulcéreuse, ainsi qu’à l’amélioration de la vie des enfants et des adultes touchés par cette maladie chronique.

As mentioned earlier, I would just like to recognize once again Andrew Holt and his mother, Martha, who are here today, volunteers, and the staff de Crohn et Colite Canada pour leurs efforts et leur dévouement. Ils travaillent fort pour faciliter le quotidien des personnes vivant avec cette maladie, et pour ceci, je les remercie infiniment. Thank you.

Notice of dissatisfaction

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Pursuant to standing order 38(a), the member for Windsor West has given notice of her dissatisfaction with the answer to her question given by the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care concerning service cuts at CCACs. This matter will be debated tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Private members’ public business

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 98(c), a change has been made in the order of precedence of the ballot list for private members’ public business such that Mr. Clark assumes ballot item number 22 and Ms. MacLeod assumes ballot item number 39.

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Economic outlook and fiscal review / Perspectives économiques et revue financière

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I wish to thank my newly minted deputy minister, Scott Thompson—the other guy’s name escapes me at this moment. I appreciate the entire staff at the Ministry of Finance for their hard work in making today’s statement and update possible. Ontario is truly blessed with a wonderful set of individuals in our public service.

I rise today to present the 2014 Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review. This fall economic statement shows how the government is building Ontario up, supported by four pillars: (1) by investing in people’s talents and skills; (2) by building modern infrastructure like roads and public transit; (3) by creating a dynamic and supportive environment where business thrives; and (4) by ensuring a strong pension system so everyone can retire with greater peace of mind.

Underlying the foundation of these pillars is a prudent and thoughtful path to a balanced budget by 2017-18. We’re working towards that balance while ensuring that we provide the programs and services that Ontarians expect and rely on.

The global economic environment remains challenging and has contributed to a slower pace of revenue growth. However, there are positive signs that the economy is gaining momentum this year, supported by a resurgence in the United States.

Major indicators for Ontario, including real GDP, exports and household consumption, have posted solid gains. And most significantly for many Ontarians, our unemployment rate declined to 6.5% in October, down a whole percentage point from the beginning of the year. That’s the lowest rate of unemployment since 2008.

Our government is working to meet our fiscal targets, despite the challenges of modest economic growth and lower-than-expected revenues. Today, the province’s total revenue for 2014-15 is projected to be $118.4 billion. That’s $509 million lower than the 2014 budget forecast. This largely reflects lower levels of taxes collected in 2013.

Notwithstanding lower-than-expected revenues, we have overachieved on our fiscal targets for five years in a row, thanks to sound management of program spending. In fact, over the past four years, we’ve been disciplined, and growth and program spending was held to an average of only 1.2% a year. We delivered public services more efficiently while making critical investments in programs and services that people depend upon, like health care and education.

Ontario has an efficient government. Indeed, Ontario consistently has the lowest per capita program spending among all Canadian provinces.

As I said, Mr. Speaker, our government is taking a balanced path to achieving a balanced budget by 2017-18. We’re taking a deliberate approach in the face of tough choices, to ensure that every dollar goes further in achieving higher value for taxpayers. We’re doing this by: reviewing and transforming programs; by managing compensation costs; ensuring everyone pays their fair share of taxes; and unlocking the value of provincial assets. As well, we’re encouraging collaboration with all levels of government to support these important fiscal measures in achieving our targets.

We are committed to eliminating the deficit while transforming and modernizing public services, but should revenues fall further, the government must consider other tools to balance the budget.

My colleague the Honourable Deb Matthews, President of the Treasury Board, is leading a careful review of every government program. For each program, our Treasury Board colleagues will ask: Is it relevant? Is it effective? Is it efficient? And is it sustainable?

Focusing on evidence and results is critical to the review. The objective: ensuring that sustained funding goes to initiatives that work and deliver better results for people. For the government, that means savings. Those savings targets are set at $250 million for 2014 and $500 million for each of the next two years.

As well, we’re working hard to manage compensation costs. For example, in August, the government reached a four-year collective agreement with AMAPCEO. This agreement includes a wage freeze in the first two years and a 1.4% wage increase in each of the third and fourth years. It includes no new funding for compensation increases. The cost of wage increases is being offset through changes to benefits and entitlements, making it a net zero deal.

We’re also working to manage compensation costs in the broader public sector. If passed, new legislation would authorize the government to control salaries and set hard caps. These clear changes will lead to clear benefits for all.

Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, our government has reduced taxes for businesses, encouraging growth in jobs and capital investment. Ontario now has a lower combined corporate income tax than the combined tax rate in any of the U.S. states.

Of course, all businesses need to pay their fair share of taxes. When businesses don’t pay their fair share, they not only compromise the public’s revenues; they disadvantage other businesses that do follow the rules, and that’s not fair. We cannot allow the underground economy to grow, which adversely impacts everyone. As such, the underground economy will be forced above ground and brought into the light.

The government is taking action. We’re strengthening compliance in high-risk sectors. We’re making sure that anyone who wants to do business with the Ontario government has paid their taxes before they’re awarded a government contract. We’re improving the way government ministries and agencies share information to enforce this compliance. We’re taking further measures to address the supply of contraband tobacco. Fair is fair. These steps will ensure that everyone plays by the rules.

Continuous improvement is also a guiding principle in managing provincial assets. Unlocking the value of those assets will help our economy grow while creating jobs and improving government services. It will also create new revenues that will go to pay for public transit.

Let’s be clear: The government will not be selling crown corporations for the purposes of meeting its operating costs. The Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets was asked to find ways to increase efficiencies and unlock the full value of Hydro One, OPG and the LCBO. The council has issued its preliminary findings.

At the LCBO and throughout our alcoholic beverage distribution system, we want consumers to have more choice and more convenience while providing greater returns for the people of Ontario.

The council has reviewed the key elements of our electricity system and determined that OPG’s generation business should be retained, with a focus on the Darlington nuclear refurbishment. Hydro One’s core transmission businesses should also be retained.

But the council says that local distribution is fragmented and inefficient. That’s why the council is recommending that the system of about 70 local electricity distributors be improved through consolidation and innovation. Facilitating such consolidations is good energy policy. This will lead to a more efficient, adaptive and lower-cost system.

Our government supports the council’s initial findings, and we look forward to receiving its final recommendations. This will help inform the 2015 budget.

Ontario’s economy is continuing to create jobs. As noted earlier, our unemployment rate is down to 6.5%. Since the recessionary lows, Ontario has gained over half a million net new jobs, nearly all in full-time, well-paying positions.

Applause.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Yes. More needs to be done, and more is being done. That is why we’re taking steps to ensure that people, particularly young people, have the skills and training required for those rewarding jobs.

To that end, we’re launching programs so that high school students can reach their full potential. Next year, Experience Ontario will allow high school graduates to gain work experience before they choose their career path. This, and other initiatives, builds on our $295-million Ontario Youth Jobs Strategy. The Youth Employment Fund has already helped more than 23,000 young adults find jobs. We’re also conducting a review of the College of Trades, because skilled trades are fundamental to ensuring that Ontario’s economy grows.

For Ontario to grow its economy and create more jobs, the province needs better infrastructure. Ontario is planning to invest more than $130 billion over the next 10 years in infrastructure to make us more competitive. We’ll be investing $15 billion in transit projects in the GTHA and nearly $14 billion in other critical infrastructure projects throughout Ontario. By investing today, we’re creating jobs and growing our economy to meet the needs of tomorrow.

We’re also modernizing and strengthening Ontario’s business sector. Our plan includes maintaining a competitive tax environment, reducing regulations and helping businesses manage their electricity costs so that they can prosper.

We’re also fostering strategic partnerships through our $2.5-billion Jobs and Prosperity Fund to support growth in our key sectors, such as advanced manufacturing.

As well, we’re fostering regional growth using the economic development funds like RED, the Rural Economic Development Program. Recently, RED provided support to the Hensall District Co-operative, located in Huron county. This co-operative markets high-value field crops for over 2,000 farmers, thereby creating jobs and generating $4.3 million in private investment.

As part of our province’s Going Global trade strategy to promote international trade, Premier Kathleen Wynne recently led a mission to China that attracted almost $1 billion in new investments. These investments by Chinese companies will create thousands of jobs across Ontario. These efforts also spur economic growth for the arts and tourism sector.

It is also why we are very proud to be hosting the Pan Am and Parapan American Games, which inject billions of dollars in infrastructure, in our stadiums, community centres and sporting facilities for the long-term benefit of future generations to come. The profile of these international games has already created tremendous economic interest by investors throughout North and South America to Ontario. They also see and appreciate the wonderful diaspora of cultures that make up our great province.

We also value our heritage, as well as the First Nations and Métis Nation people. In fact, in September we announced funding of $5.9 million for commemorative events, including the 400th anniversary of the francophone presence in Ontario.

Je suis très fier que les gouvernements du Québec et de l’Ontario collaborent plus étroitement. Par exemple, nous aurons une réunion conjointe de membres des Conseils des ministres de ces deux provinces plus tard cette semaine. Une coopération accrue renforcera les économies du Québec et de notre province de l’Ontario.

Remarks in Portuguese.

For the benefit of Hansard, we value our collaboration with the province of Quebec in both official languages, as well as others as may occur, the main point being that Ontario welcomes greater relations with other provinces. Our Premier, who has been a leader in the Council of the Federation, will host a joint Quebec-Ontario cabinet meeting later this week. Premier Wynne is working hard to increase co-operation among all provinces and territories, which can only mean good things for the nation’s economy. What is good for Quebec is good for Ontario; what is good for Ontario is good for Quebec, and what is good for Quebec and Ontario is good for Canada.

As well, we’re leading and working with provincial and federal partners to establish a co-operative capital markets regulatory system. That means our capital markets will be more competitive on the global stage and safer for individual investors.

To improve our financial services industry, we’re reviewing the mandates of FSCO, of DICO, the legislative framework for credit unions and caisses populaires, as well as the regulation of financial planners. Having appropriate oversight in these important sectors is crucial.

Mr. Speaker, I’m also pleased to be working closely with a recently announced trading hub of Chinese currency in Canada. This is unique. It will be the first such hub in North America, putting Toronto at a competitive advantage over financial centres such as New York and Chicago. It will support greater trade with one of the biggest economies in the world. We’re proud to do so, in collaboration with the federal and BC governments.

A strong and secure retirement income system is to everyone’s benefit. People deserve to enjoy their retirement years, and that’s why we’re creating a mandatory, made-in-Ontario pension plan called the ORPP. I’m proud of my colleague, the Honourable Mitzie Hunter, Associate Minister of Finance responsible for the ORPP, who has begun her work toward a pension launch in 2017.

Mr. Speaker, when the global recession struck, the federal and Ontario governments worked together to limit its worst effects on people. Working in conjunction to simulate investment helped us weather the economic storm. However, that collaboration between our two governments is still much needed. We need to work together today to secure long-term prosperity for Ontario and Canada tomorrow. The federal government must avoid further unilateral actions that hurt the people of Ontario; actions that put the province’s fiscal plan at risk.

As the federal government moves into surpluses, it should reinvest in the provinces. It’s not that we’re asking the federal government to invest its money; we’re saying that more of the money collected in Ontario, from Ontarians, be reinvested back in Ontario. In many respects, the federal government collects a bucket of water from Ontario and returns a thimble. We need some of that water to flow back.

Ontarians contribute to the federal coffers $11 billion more every year than they receive back. That gap amounts to about $850 per person, or $3,400 per family of four. Ontario has consistently been a net contributor to the federation, and that’s how it should be. But the time has come for greater federal support to benefit the Ontario economy and, in turn, the economy of all of Canada. To that end, we call on the federal government to match Ontario’s investments in the Ring of Fire. We also ask the federal government to increase investments in public transit.

Mr. Speaker, we talk a lot about economic stimulus, but when it comes to the feds it’s acting in reverse, it seems. Lack of federal investment is holding us back and slowing us down. It’s like we’re driving ahead but the federal government is letting the air out of our tires. We can’t go as far, we can’t go as fast and we can’t go to where we need to be. The time for that investment is now.

We’re determined to build a fairer and healthier Ontario. The province is taking action in reducing poverty. It’s aimed at supporting people to find meaningful employment at a fair wage. Allowing people to realize their full potential will reduce poverty, and that improves the economy. That’s why we’re helping low-wage workers by raising the minimum wage to the highest of any province in Canada, at $11 per hour, and that’s indexed into the future.

Mr. Speaker, driving a car to and from work is also a necessity for many Ontarians, and that’s why we’re taking action in reforms fighting fraud and eliminating abuses, so that auto insurance can be more affordable. We know that more needs to be done. Rates have gone down by 6% since August 2013, but we’ve now introduced legislation—under debate today, I believe—that, if passed, would bring rates down even further in the coming year.

Mr. Speaker, from now until our next budget, this government is pursuing its mandate for action. Our clear path to balance is supported by four essential pillars: investing in people’s skills and talents; building modern infrastructure and transportation networks; creating a supportive and dynamic business climate; and ensuring retirement security for everyone in Ontario. These targeted investments and our determined effort to make every dollar count will help eliminate the deficit by 2017-18.

In short, we are creating opportunity and security for all. We are building Ontario up.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for your time, and thank you to all my colleagues.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’m loath to interrupt statements like that—during ministerial statements. I have to express a little bit of my disappointment that the banter going back and forth was not conducive to our normal ministers’ statements.

It’s now time for responses.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Today’s fall economic update continues the Liberal government’s unrealistic and unaffordable path that puts front-line services in jeopardy and will hurt families in every part of this province, including those having the hardest time.

The government is clearly spending beyond its means, but instead of a responsible plan, the Liberals spun us a fairy tale of balancing the budget with more spending, higher deficits and bigger debt.

The Liberals brag about the economic outlook improving, but Ontario’s fiscal outlook is actually worse. Revenue is $509 million lower than the 2014 budget forecast, and that was only four months ago. Most troubling is the fact that our GDP growth is down to 1.9% even though it was forecasted as 2.1%, again only four months ago. These are major changes in only a few months.

The Bank of Canada, the Conference Board of Canada and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce have all provided evidence that the government’s path is unsustainable. In fact, a recent report from the chamber entitled How Bad Is It? concluded that “Ontario will not grow its way out of debt.”

That’s not all the chamber had to say, and in fact much of it flies in the face of what the minister just said. These are quotes from the Ontario chamber: “Ontario’s fiscal situation is becoming increasingly dire....” “We are likely to reach a state of crisis unless the province cuts spending and changes the way it does business.” It makes a “clear case for urgency.” “Government must fundamentally change the way it does business in many program areas.” “Increased interest payments on the debt will further crowd out government’s capacity to spend on programs and services valued by Ontarians, such as education, health care, and transportation.”

Here, Speaker, is exactly what that means to families and seniors across Ontario. Here’s what a $12.5-billion deficit means: The ONA has announced that 1,600 nursing jobs are cut; diabetes testing strips in Ontario—cut; physiotherapy for seniors in Ontario—cut; cataract surgeries in Ontario—cut. That’s the Premier’s dirty little secret she doesn’t want Ontarians to know: Today, under her watch, health care jobs and services are being cut every single day.

Perhaps the most disgraceful thing about the situation we find ourselves in is that the Liberals are always trying to blame someone else for not getting their own house in order. They’ve doubled their debt in only 11 years and continue to blame others, including the federal government.

Speaker, we found the truth in the government’s own public accounts documents, which show that the Liberal government has actually received $600 million more from Ottawa this year than last year. In fact, in the fall economic statement of today, it says that we’ve got another increase of $8.3 million. It’s not a $600-million deficit; it’s $600 million more from the federal government that this government has not told us about. The federal government is balancing its budget while at the same time providing tax relief to Ontario.

The Ontario Liberals’ appetite for wasteful and self-interested spending has left us with a deficit larger than all other provinces combined, and they need to take responsibility for their bad decisions. How can we trust a government that says it’s going to invest in transit when they leave themselves a loophole to use that asset sale money on anything but transit? How can we trust a government that bulldozes ahead with a new pension plan when their own internal documents show us it’s going to cost the province of Ontario tens of thousands of jobs?

Twice in today’s economic statement, the government explicitly told us they’re going to be raising taxes—they called it “other tools”—to balance the budget.

In closing, this government would do well to heed the advice of the chamber of commerce: You need to fundamentally change the way you do business. It’s the only way we can get this province going in the right direction again and make Ontario first.

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s a pleasure to respond to the fall economic statement on behalf of New Democrats.

Clearly Ontario is growing slower, and there is less in the cupboard. The fall economic statement shows that we’re going to miss, again, four years’ worth of growth targets that were set out just a few short months ago. The Liberals are also missing revenue targets, and there is less in the bank: a $509-million shortfall of provincial revenue targets. This raises even more concerns about what they will sell to cover their losses. The desperation, actually, is a little bit alarming.

Over the last two weeks, we saw that the OLG is looking to expand online gambling, for instance. They have reached out to their 56,000 priority customers. Last week, I got a call at my office from the executive director of the social planning council. Her 23-year-old autistic son, who is on ODSP, got such a call. You do not balance a budget on the most vulnerable in this province. It is despicable.

The shiny promises that the Liberals made in the campaign have disappeared. There is nothing about the Trillium Trust and how it will function, except there’s a loophole so that they can siphon that money away.

Of interest to my community: The high-speed rail promise made by Minister Murray has disappeared. The people of Windsor and London are looking for sustainable rail transit as well, as are the mayors of Niagara region, and they can make a good case for that.

With this document, the Liberals are raising even more doubts about the promises that they’ve made to Ontarians.

For the first time, you are saying that auto insurance rates didn’t come down by 8%, as they first claimed they would; in fact, it’s 6%. Now they’re saying that a 15% reduction may not happen at all.

There is lots of information that’s just plain missing. There is a lot of talk about the Stephen Harper-approved PRPPs, but nothing that gives comfort to the US Steel retirees wondering what will happen to them. It is very telling that you have prioritized the PRPPs, I think.

There is nothing about the services that will be cut by the Liberals’ 6% slash to just about every ministry every year—on page 244 of the austerity budget—all of this within the context of 53% of children in the city of Toronto living in poverty and 170,000 people and families who are waiting for affordable housing. How will you ever stabilize the economy if people do not have stable housing?

This is, by and large, a marketing document for the Liberals. Quite honestly, the people of this province deserve better.

Of note, for the first time that I’ve seen—and I have consulted many of the more experienced members—you’re mentioning MPPs by name, as if this is a book of fiction. Ontarians deserve answers and transparency, and this is all spin.

If you want some suggestions about how to find revenue, we have come to the table with some constructive suggestions: You should close the HST corporate tax loopholes; you should bring the public service’s IT services back in-house and stop paying two to three times as much, as you are; you should stop the privatization agenda; and you should stop wasting money.

In your document here, you say, when you’re reviewing—the Treasury Board president is going to be reviewing government programs—you’ll ask, “Is it relevant, effective and efficient?” Public services are, but not when you privatize them and you outsource them and you pay two to three times as much for them.

The finance minister says that they have overachieved on their fiscal targets. Mr. Speaker, if this is overachievement, I would hate to see what an underachieving Liberal looks like in the province of Ontario. When you scratch the surface, you get more surface. It’s disappointing, and the people of this province, quite honestly, deserve better.

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

Petitions

Hydro rates

Mr. Bill Walker: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Green Energy Act has driven up the cost of electricity in Ontario due to unrealistic subsidies for certain energy sources, including the world’s highest subsidies for solar power; and

“Whereas this cost is passed on to ratepayers through the global adjustment, which can account for almost half of a ratepayer’s hydro bill; and

“Whereas the high cost of energy is severely impacting the quality of life of Ontario’s residents, especially fixed-income seniors; and

“Whereas it is imperative to remedy Liberal mismanagement in the energy sector by implementing immediate reforms detailed in the Ontario PC white paper Paths to Prosperity—Affordable Energy;

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

“To immediately repeal the Green Energy Act, 2009, and all other statutes that artificially inflate the cost of electricity with the aim of bringing down electricity rates and abolishing expensive surcharges such as the global adjustment and debt retirement charges.”

I fully support it. I will affix my name and send it with page Nicole.

Interjections.

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

I would deeply appreciate the opportunity to finish routine proceedings in the normal manner. If you have conversations that are too loud, the petitions are not being heard. Thank you very much.

We’ll continue petitions. The member from London West.

Employment standards

Ms. Peggy Sattler: This is a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas there are an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 unpaid internships in Canada each year; and

“Whereas youth unemployment in Ontario is over 15%; and

“Whereas the Ontario Ministry of Labour is not adequately enforcing the laws on unpaid internships;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to take the following actions:

“

(1) Proactively enforce the law on unpaid internships;

“

(2) Engage in an educational campaign to inform students, youth, employers, educational institutions and the general public of the laws surrounding unpaid internships; and

“

(3) Undertake a comprehensive review of the current laws surrounding unpaid internships in Ontario.”

I fully support this petition, affix my name to it and will give it to page Claudia to take to the table.

Midwifery

Mr. Steve Clark: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas midwifery care in Ontario is perfectly aligned with transforming the health care system toward quality care that uses resources effectively;

“Whereas midwives, who are primary care providers, ensure the provision of the right care, in the right place, and at the right time;

“Whereas the Minister of Health expressed commitment to work closely with midwives to ensure they have the support they need to carry out their work as well as grow the profession;

“Whereas midwifery in Ontario is currently being destabilized by negotiations that have broken down, a contract that expired on March 31, 2014, and a compensation structure that has not addressed pay equity;

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

“That the government resume negotiations with the Association of Ontario Midwives and enable midwives to continue to provide the highest standard of primary health care to women and their families.”

I’m pleased to affix my signature to this petition. I’ll send it to the table with page Steven.

Correctional facilities

Miss Monique Taylor: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas Ontario’s youth justice facilities are run by two completely different sets of policy guidelines depending on whether they are part of the Ontario public service (OPS) and funded directly by the provincial government, or the broader public service (BPS) and funded indirectly; and

“Whereas OPS and BPS facilities serve the very same youth, and both receive their funding from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services; and

“Whereas unlike in similar OPS facilities, there is no provincial mandate for youth corrections community agencies to provide WSIB coverage, meaning many agencies have inadequate private insurance coverage; and

“Whereas youth corrections community agencies are struggling with chronic underfunding;

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

“We strongly urge the provision of a provincial mandate for all youth corrections agencies to provide WSIB coverage to their staff. We further urge the assembly to improve systemic inequities by ensuring that all youth corrections facilities receive proper funding.”

I couldn’t agree with this more. I’m going to give it to page Nick to bring to the Clerk.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Mrs. Kathryn McGarry: I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas Ontario is home to over 400,000 first-, second- and third-generation Hispanic Canadians who originate from the 23 Hispanic countries around the world; and who have made significant contributions to the growth and vibrancy of the province of Ontario;

“Whereas October is a month of great significance for the Hispanic community worldwide; and allows an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate future generations about the outstanding achievements of Hispanic peoples to our province’s social, economic and multicultural fabric;

“We, the undersigned, call upon members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support proclaiming October of each year as Hispanic Heritage Month and support Bill 28 by MPP Cristina Martins from the riding of Davenport.”

I agree with this petition, I affix my name to it and I will give it to page Moiz to bring forward.

Air quality

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

“Whereas Ontario’s Drive Clean Program was implemented as a temporary measure to reduce high levels of vehicle emissions and smog; and vehicle emissions have declined significantly from 1998 to 2010; and

“Whereas the overwhelming majority of reductions in vehicle emissions were, in fact, the result of factors other than the Drive Clean program, such as tighter manufacturing standards for emission-control technologies; and

“Whereas from 1999 to 2010 the percentage of vehicles that failed emissions testing under the Drive Clean program steadily declined from 16% to 5%; and

“Whereas the environment minister has ignored advances in technology and introduced a new, computerized emissions test that is less reliable and prone to error;

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

“That the Minister of the Environment must take immediate steps to begin phasing out the Drive Clean program.”

I agree with this and will be passing it off to page Nick.

First responders

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: This is from the Ottawa-area first responders.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas emergency response workers … confront traumatic events on a nearly daily basis to provide safety to the public; and

“Whereas many emergency response workers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their work; and

“Whereas Bill 2 ‘An Act to amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 with respect to post-traumatic stress disorder’ sets out that if an emergency response worker suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, the disorder is presumed to be an occupational disease that occurred due to their employment as an emergency response worker, unless the contrary is shown;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to unanimously endorse and quickly pass Bill 2 ‘An Act to amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 with respect to post-traumatic stress disorder’.”

Our first responders deserve no less. I’m going to affix my signature and give it to page Maja to deliver.

Environmental protection

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I have a petition here to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas the purpose of Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act … is to ‘provide for the protection and conservation of the natural environment.’ RSO 1990….; and

“Whereas ‘all landfills will eventually release leachate to the surrounding environment and therefore all landfills will have some impact on the water quality of the local ecosystem.’—Threats to Sources of Drinking Water and Aquatic Health in Canada;

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

“That

section 27 of the EPA should be reviewed and amended immediately to prohibit the establishment of new or expanded landfills at fractured bedrock sites and other hydrogeologically unsuitable locations within the province of Ontario.”

Mr. Speaker, I keep getting these petitions from a great number of my constituents in Oxford county. I affix my signature. Thank you very much for the opportunity to present this petition.

Alzheimer’s disease

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: “Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are progressive, degenerative diseases of the brain that cause thinking, memory and physical functioning to become seriously impaired;

“Whereas there is no known cause or cure for this devastating illness; and

“Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias also take their toll on hundreds of thousands of families and care partners; and

“Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affect more than 200,000 Ontarians today, with an annual total economic burden rising to $15.7 billion by 2020; and

“Whereas the cost related to the health care system is in the billions and is only going to increase, at a time when our health care system is already facing enormous financial challenges; and

“Whereas there is work under way to address the need, but no coordinated or comprehensive approach to tackling the issues; and

“Whereas there is an urgent need to plan and raise awareness and understanding about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias for the sake of improving the quality of life of the people it touches;

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

“To approve the development of a comprehensive Ontario dementia plan that would include the development of strategies in primary health care, in health promotion and prevention of illness, in community development, in building community capacity and care partner engagement, in caregiver support and investments in research.”

I sign my signature to this petition and give it to page Jared to deliver.

Workplace insurance

Mr. Bill Walker: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas, beginning on January 1, 2013, the WSIB was expanded to include groups of employers and principals who had previously been exempt from WSIB and had private insurance; and

“Whereas this new financial burden does nothing to improve worker safety and only drives up the cost of doing business in Ontario;

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

“To repeal the statutory obligations created by Bill 119.”

I support this and will sign my name and send it with page Nicole.

Cycling

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas 25% of Ontario adults regularly cycle and over 50% of children cycle either daily or weekly;

“Whereas a cycling fatality occurs every month in Ontario and thousands of cyclists are injured each month;

“Whereas Ontario is lagging behind provinces like British Columbia and Quebec that have invested $31 million and $200 million respectively in cycling infrastructure;

“Whereas investing in cycling infrastructure in Ontario will create jobs and benefit the economy, reduce traffic congestion and pollution, protect those sharing the road, and encourage active transportation;

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

“That the province of Ontario release a comprehensive cycling strategy for Ontario that includes dedicated funding to match municipal investments in cycling infrastructure, education initiatives to raise awareness about the rights and responsibilities of all road users, and a review and update of provincial legislation including the Highway Traffic Act and the Planning Act to ensure roadways are safe for all users....”

I couldn’t agree more. I’m going to sign this and give it to Steven to be delivered to the table.

Alzheimer’s disease

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I have a petition here with a great number of signatures from the tri-county area of Oxford, Norfolk and Elgin. It’s to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are progressive, degenerative diseases of the brain that cause thinking, memory and physical functioning to become seriously impaired;

“Whereas there is no known cause or cure for this devastating illness; and

“Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias also take their toll on hundreds of thousands of families and care partners; and

“Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affect more than 200,000 Ontarians today, with an annual total economic burden rising to $15.7 billion by 2020; and

“Whereas the cost related to the health care system is in the billions and is only going to increase, at a time when our health care system is already facing enormous financial challenges; and

“Whereas there is work under way to address the need, but no coordinated or comprehensive approach to tackling the issues; and

“Whereas there is an urgent need to plan and raise awareness and understanding about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias for the sake of improving the quality of life of the people it touches;

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

“To approve the development of a comprehensive Ontario dementia plan that would include the development of strategies in primary health care, in health promotion and prevention of illness, in community development, in building community capacity and care partner engagement, in caregiver support and investments in research.”

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to present this petition on behalf of my constituents.

Government services

Mr. Michael Mantha: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas northern Ontario will suffer a huge loss of service as a result of government cuts to ServiceOntario counters;

“Whereas these cuts will have a negative impact on local businesses and local economies;

“Whereas northerners will now face challenges in accessing their birth certificates, health cards and licences;

“Whereas northern Ontario should not unfairly bear the brunt of decisions to slash operating budgets;

“Whereas regardless of address, all Ontarians should be treated equally by their government;

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

“Review the decision to cut access to ServiceOntario for northerners, and provide northern Ontarians equal access to these services.”

I agree with this petition and present it to page Claudia to bring down to the Clerks’ table.

Hydro rates

Mr. Bill Walker: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Green Energy Act has driven up the cost of electricity in Ontario due to unrealistic subsidies for certain energy sources, including the world’s highest subsidies for solar power; and

“Whereas this cost is passed on to ratepayers through the global adjustment, which can account for almost half of a ratepayer’s hydro bill; and

“Whereas the high cost of energy is severely impacting the quality of life of Ontario’s residents, especially fixed-income seniors; and

“Whereas it is imperative to remedy Liberal mismanagement in the energy sector by implementing immediate reforms detailed in the Ontario PC white paper Paths to Prosperity—Affordable Energy;

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

“To immediately repeal the Green Energy Act, 2009, and all other statutes that artificially inflate the cost of electricity with the aim of bringing down electricity rates and abolishing expensive surcharges such as the global adjustment and debt retirement charges.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name and send it with page Nick.

The Acting Speak