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November 30, 2016

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2016-Nov-30 (PDF)

L037 - Wed 30 Nov 2016 / Mer 30 nov 2016

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 30 November 2016 Mercredi 30 novembre 2016

Orders of the Day

Putting Consumers First Act (Consumer Protection Statute Law Amendment), 2016 / Loi de 2016 donnant la priorité aux consommateurs (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne la protection du consommateur)

Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2016 / Loi de 2016 sur la modernisation de la législation municipale ontarienne

Introduction of member for Niagara West–Glanbrook

Introduction of Visitors

Sergeant-at-Arms

Thomas McQueen

Oral Questions

Energy policies

Highway tolls

Energy policies

Mercury poisoning

Hospital funding

Occupational health and safety

Correctional services

Skilled trades

Beverage alcohol sales

Women’s issues

Hospital services

HIV/AIDS strategy

Protection du consommateur / Consumer protection

Hospital funding

Visitors

Correction of record

Visitors

Annual report, Auditor General

Deferred Votes

Time allocation

Putting Consumers First Act (Consumer Protection Statute Law Amendment), 2016 / Loi de 2016 donnant la priorité aux consommateurs (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne la protection du consommateur)

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Hydro rates

Occupational health and safety

Veterans

GO Transit

Occupational health and safety

Ontario Municipal Board

Thomas McQueen

Events in Glengarry–Prescott–Russell

Cap-and-trade

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills

Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills

Introduction of Bills

Ranger Survey Systems Canada Inc. Act, 2016

Petitions

Health care funding

Consumer protection

Hydro rates

Child care

School closures

Dental care

Water fluoridation

Rail service

Accident benefits

Agri-food industry

Tenant protection

Wind turbines

Orders of the Day

Building Ontario Up for Everyone Act (Budget Measures), 2016 / Loi de 2016 visant à favoriser l’essor de l’Ontario pour tous (mesures budgétaires)

Election Finances Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016 / Loi de 2016 modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le financement électoral

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Putting Consumers First Act (Consumer Protection Statute Law Amendment), 2016 / Loi de 2016 donnant la priorité aux consommateurs (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne la protection du consommateur)

Resuming the debate adjourned on November 29, 2016, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 59,

An Act to enact a new Act with respect to home inspections and to amend various Acts with respect to financial services and consumer protection / Projet de loi 59, Loi édictant une nouvelle loi concernant les inspections immobilières et modifiant diverses lois concernant les services financiers et la protection du consommateur.

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

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: It’s always a pleasure to rise on behalf of my riding of London–Fanshawe and the good people of London, particularly on this bill.

First of all, I would like to recognize that this bill put forward by the government is a decent one. It is a bill that may actually accomplish something positive for the hard-working people in our province. It’s not often that we on this side of the House can say that about a government bill, but it’s nice to acknowledge it when it actually does happen.

For the most part, Bill 59, the Putting Consumers First Act, has some provisions that I believe will be welcomed generally by many folks. From a policy perspective, this bill seeks to create a new administrative authority for home inspectors that will enable regulation of and establish licensing for home inspectors.

For years, we have been hearing about home inspection failures. Even Canada’s favourite contractor, Mike Holmes, created a dedicated TV show dealing with home inspection horror stories. Faced with years of little to no regulation, Mike was compelled to action, and Mike Holmes Inspections was launched. Here’s a quick message in Mike’s own words: “I started Mike Holmes Inspections because I wanted to see more highly skilled, trained inspectors working in the field. I wanted to improve the industry by providing a service that goes beyond the highest standards.

But more importantly, I wanted to give homeowners the peace of mind that comes from knowing their home has been inspected using the best equipment, by skilled professionals who are committed to their work.” That’s a very powerful statement, and I think it draws attention to the fact that too many homebuyers are placing their trust in home inspections without a clear picture of the limitations inspectors are forced to work within.

Veteran home inspectors tell a very different story about the challenges they face. Many people don’t know that home inspectors are forced to comply with regulations, in some instances, that don’t make sense. Inspectors are not allowed to cause damage, and therefore are not allowed to rip walls open, which allows for many serious and expensive problems to remain hidden. If inspectors are denied the ability to dig into the bones of a house, how can they accurately relay to homebuyers whether there are severe problems with the property?

The lack of regulation for home inspectors has been a source of many a lark. This one resonated with me when I came across it: “If you have a flashlight, then you can be a home inspector in Ontario.” While this bill would create an independent body to license inspectors, we also need to ensure that inspectors are empowered in order to accomplish what is intended by the inspection. Otherwise, we are simply creating another governing body that gives the average homebuyer an inflated sense of comfort where none should exist.

We are also seeing some redress against the increased trends in high-pressure door-to-door sales. For me, this problem is especially troubling because we know that the majority of people who are captured by these high-pressure tactics are vulnerable seniors. Taking advantage of a senior’s financial vulnerability is a form of elder abuse, and, like many abuses against seniors, they go largely unreported. The prevalence of scams targeting older adults is growing and evolving, and we must stop this abuse in its tracks.

People go door-to-door and offer lower prices for home improvement work, often stating that the offer is good only at that moment. At the same time, it’s true for high-pressure sales of home water heaters that lock them into high-interest, long-term contracts, often with unnecessary and sub-par equipment.

Now we are seeing the evolution of the hot-water-heater pitch to include more lucrative items than replacing water heaters. Now they’re pushing for people to replace their furnaces and air conditioners under a 10-year lease. While water heaters cost $25 a month to rent, a heating and home cooling system can be $150 to $175 a month plus HST. Moreover, people won’t own the equipment when the contract ends. They’ll have to pay a buy-out fee to take ownership or a removal fee to get rid of it in their house.

The tactics employed by these folks are dangerous, Speaker. They ask to see your most recent bills to prove they are offering a better deal, but the real problem is, once the personal information is given to the sales agent, the agent has everything they need to enrol that customer in a contract, potentially unbeknownst to the customer. We have to be diligent for the sake of everyone, but also the seniors in our communities because we have heard too many horror stories of folks who have been taken advantage of and had liens put against their homes because they’ve entered into high-interest-rate contracts where they had no idea what they were signing.

The last

section of the bill sets forth some regulation of the payday loan industry. From an NDP perspective, this

section has been a long time coming. We have been calling for greater regulation of the payday loan industry for years, and now it would seem that this government doesn’t have much of an appetite for truly regulating in this bill, confirmed in their intention to offload regulations to municipalities. The realities are that too many Ontarians are struggling to afford their day-to-day lives. They turn to these predatory industries because they can’t make ends meet. There is next to no short-term relief for these folks. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

There has been an explosion of payday loan providers in our province, and class-action lawsuits have followed them. There have been hundreds of thousands of Ontarians who have paid skyrocketing, high interest rates and fees on their payday loans. There is a case right out of my hometown, where a London law firm led a class-action lawsuit against Cash Store Financial Services Inc. because those stores charged excessive fees and interest. The company had nine Cash Store and Instaloans outlets in London and one in Sarnia. The company offered a $10-million settlement, which also ensured that there was no admission of any wrongdoing on their part.

The lawsuit alleged that the companies had ripped off customers by charging high fees on loans, then charging the maximum 21% interest on the total of the loan and fee, in contravention of cost-of-borrowing regulations imposed by Ontario in 2011. The company would also, for example, sell a customer a debit card and sell a bank-type account for $9, plus a $9 monthly service charge, plus a $2.50-per-transaction charge, and it charged fees for any loans against those accounts, plus interest on the fee-added loans.

The lawsuit was launched in 2012 on behalf of a customer who borrowed $400 in nine days. He was charged $68.60 in fees and service charges, and paid $78.72 in interest for a total borrowing cost of $147.32, meaning that a $400 loan became a $547.32 debt a little more than a week later.

The work that we should be doing here is creating conditions that prevent people from needing these services at all. Most users of these services are on fixed incomes and already struggling financially, and they are being forced into these incredibly high-paying rates and fees that make it even more difficult for them to gain a solid financial footing. We are perpetuating a cycle of poverty and debt, and we must take real action and impressive actions to address those underlying conditions that force people already struggling to make decisions that don’t help them in the long run.

Again, I’m happy to see that the government is taking action, but I do believe that it’s time that we addressed the real problems we face in this province that speak to the lack of affordability, stagnant wages, the prevalence of part-time and under-waged earnings, skyrocketing hydro rates, and underfunding of key areas like transit, social assistance and health care. The people of Ontario are struggling, and it’s time we answered their call. This government can do better.

One of the suggestions we’ve had—because they always ask us for input and solutions—was to stop the sale of Hydro One. Many people are finding themselves in dire financial straits because they can’t pay their hydro bills. Even businesses are coming forward and saying they have to leave Ontario because of the cost of hydro. They’re not able to expand their business. We had a question yesterday by the member from Essex, who talked about a greenhouse in his area that is doing just that. They’ve been in the area for 45 years, they want to expand their business, but the cost of hydro rates is making it impossible so they’re moving to Ohio.

I ask this government to pay attention to what the people of Ontario are telling them. Stop the sale of Hydro One and make life more affordable for Ontarians so they don’t have to go to these payday loan places at exorbitant interest rates.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Questions and comments? The Minister of Research, Innovation and Science—I want to get it right this time.

Hon. Reza Moridi: You have it right, Mr. Speaker, and thank you very much. Good morning.

It’s a great pleasure to stand in this House and to speak to Bill 59, which is the protecting consumers at home act. If this bill is passed, it’s going to give more protection to consumers—for example, in the area of home inspectors as well as other areas such as door-to-door sales and, also, strengthening consumer financial protection.

Just on the question of home inspection: As we know, as of today, every person can claim that he or she is a home inspector. When you make a purchase, buying a home or selling a home, this is one of the major financial transactions a person may do in his or her life, and you need someone to come and give you advice on whether this property you’re purchasing or, in fact, selling, is okay. It gives you confidence. As it is now, everybody can claim to be a home inspector.

Based on this bill, if it’s passed, those people who are claiming that they are home inspectors will have to be certified, will have to be well educated and will need to have certain qualifications and experience to be a member of the society, association or regulatory body that will basically issue a certificate for them so that the consumers will have confidence that the inspectors are experts in their fields.

I fully support this bill and I request that all my colleagues in this House support the passing of this bill as well.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Questions and comments?

Mr. Jim McDonell: It’s always great to get up and speak on behalf of my residents in Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry.

The bill here closes off a lot of abuses in the system. It takes you back a little bit to times not so long ago when door-to-door sales were really an accepted practice. I remember in our area Neilie Austin, somebody that used to go around. For years, I thought that was actually his name, but it was actually Neilie Austin MacDonald, which I didn’t know until he was inducted into the Celtic hall of fame in Glengarry.

But it just shows life as it used to be. People made livings going around selling door to door. People trusted them. It’s too bad that this government has to throw everything out with legislation. When I was going to university, there were a lot of college painters; they went around. Even last year we had some work done at home. In fact, a lot of their work was done door to door, going around and knocking on doors to see if anybody needed painting done in the house. A lot of these caused a lot of issues. The old “buyer beware” is no longer there.

We’ve lost a lot of things that really built up our country. We have a situation here where we have the highest percentage of the population on minimum wage in this country, and a lot of it dictates that it puts people into drastic measures. They have to afford their hydro bills. You see part of this bill being the payday loans. People are turning to these services because they have no choice. This bill will drive them underground and possibly put many of the small ones, at least, out of business.

We were hoping for better, but I guess this is what we get.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Questions and comments?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: I appreciate the opportunity. I want to thank my colleague from London–Fanshawe for her speech on this bill. I think she set out a lot of good points.

I know it’s unusual for us to give any praise to the government at all. We don’t have a lot of confidence in them, but as Bill Clinton once said, even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day. I think the fact is that my colleague pointed out the need for regulation of home inspectors. She’s right. There is that saying: “A man or a woman with a flashlight, and you got your home inspector.” Setting up some standards so that homeowners are protected makes all kinds of sense. We absolutely need to have that.

The other thing that I wanted to comment on, and she remarked on this, is the whole question of payday loans. We in the NDP have been asking for a while for regulation of payday loan companies. To tell you the truth, they’re going to need very, very rigorous legislation. What we have is a bill that gives municipalities some power to set out zoning, to set out where they can operate and where they can’t. It’s important to note that the legislation doesn’t put a cap on interest rates, and as it stands, these companies will be allowed to charge close to 400% interest on a loan that they give to people.

That is an outrageous amount, and a damaging amount for anyone who’s on the wrong side of those loans.

Again, as my colleague had to say, if in fact the government doesn’t take action to deal with those things that drive the need for payday loans, if they don’t take action to stop the sale of Hydro One, stop its privatization, then they’re going to contribute in an ongoing way to the difficulties that people have with their lives. People have enough difficulty covering their hydro bills now. A privatized Hydro One will be driven to make those rates as high as they can possibly make them.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Questions and comments?

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I’m pleased to rise today to speak in support of Bill 59, the Putting Consumers First Act. This is really about putting people and their safety first. I want you to know that this bill is really about committing to protect consumers at home and in the marketplace.

The Putting Consumers First Act, 2016, will strengthen consumer protections by introducing new rules. These rules are really designed to ensure that people, when they are in vulnerable situations, are protected by the rules and the laws of this province. If passed, the Putting Consumers First Act will make it possible to ban unsolicited door-to-door sales, regulate the home inspection industry and strengthen consumer financial protections.

Let’s just talk about door-to-door sales. These protections are important because consumers will have fewer undesired interruptions at home and would be far more likely to enter into contracts they had sufficient time to consider.

Let me just talk about my own home. Right now, my father, who is in his eighties, is at home during the day. When someone knocks on the door, when someone is older and a little more vulnerable, they’re not sure who is there. There also can be—at the other end, the receiving end—pressure tactics, when it comes to people trying to get them to sign things. So this allows them a little bit of time to consider what the presentation is about and make sure that they make an informed decision.

Home inspectors: This is about consumers being more confident about the decisions they make when it comes to purchasing a home. Our government is proposing to establish mandatory licensing. This is so important because it would assure consumers that they are hiring a qualified professional.

Payday loans: This is setting standards to protect the vulnerable when they are really in need and making sure that they are being protected.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): The member from London–Fanshawe has two minutes.

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: I appreciate all of my colleagues in the House for their feedback on my debate time on Bill 59, the Putting Consumers First Act.

One comment that was made is that this bill is here and the government can always do better. Yes, I think we all can use that as a measuring stick—that we can always do better. In the world we live in today—you set up legislation today, and you should be revisiting it because things change.

One of the things I look forward to, in making things better, in strengthening legislation and becoming more effective, is when it goes to committee. We know that when it goes to committee, that’s when people come and tell their stories—agencies come in, and private companies that are operating these payday loans come in. That’s when we can hear true stories and then make amendments to try to make this legislation stronger and work for the people that it’s intended to work for.

Speaker, home inspection is one of the main topics we’ve been debating a lot. People have highlighted that, and it’s really important. I’ve mentioned this before: As an insurance broker, when we had people purchase new homes, we had insurance inspections go out to make sure that the home was functioning properly for services like furnace, roof, plumbing and electricity. We understood at that point how important it is for the functionality of the home and to insure it for losses—risk management.

I really believe the home inspector piece, with purchasing a home, as a homebuyer—to know that information would really give people peace of mind. So I’m glad to see that’s in there and that it’s a regulated profession so that people have confidence in that report coming back. I think in the past, if anyone did a home inspection, you weren’t really sure what the results were, and maybe people entered into buying a home and they really didn’t know what they were getting at the time. So I just want to say that that is one of the positive things in this bill.

I look forward to when it goes to committee, to hearing back what the amendments are—even to strengthen this bill further, if it’s possible.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Further debate?

Hon. Laura Albanese: I am pleased to rise and to speak to Bill 59. As you have heard, this bill, the Putting Consumers First Act, 2016, will strengthen consumer protection by introducing new rules for home inspections, door-to-door sales and payday loans. These are three important areas for consumers. The aim is to build a fair, safe and informed marketplace for our province.

I would like to speak a little bit about door-to-door sales, Mr. Speaker, because this is an issue that I often encounter in my constituency office and that my residents have been subject to. As you will know, there are currently laws in place that provide consumers with rights and protections in regard to door-to-door sales of home appliances such as water heaters, air conditioners, furnaces and water filtration. The current rules allow for a 10-day cooling off period, or 20 days in the case of water heaters.

The consumers may cancel a contract within a year if there are any deceptive or misleading statements that are found to have been made by the salesperson, and consumers may also rescind a contract if it violates the Consumer Protection Act in any other way.

We believe that the public interest is best served by protecting all Ontarians against these unscrupulous door-to-door marketers. We are taking additional steps to provide consumers with greater protection against aggressive, high-pressure, door-to-door sales tactics. What this bill would do, if passed, is ban the door-to-door sale of household appliances such as water heaters, air conditioners, furnaces and water filtration. So we continue to look at ways to build a much fairer, safer and informed marketplace for all Ontarians.

I wanted also to touch on payday loans. This is another long-standing issue that I have been facing in the riding that I have the privilege to represent, York South–Weston. Currently, there are laws in place to help consumers, such as a set maximum cost of borrowing, the prohibition of rollover loans, and giving consumers two business days to cancel a payday loan. We know that Ontario, unfortunately, has a thriving payday loan marketplace. In 2014, consumers borrowed over $1.2 billion. However, many are repeat borrowers who pay extremely high interest costs due to long-standing and ever-increasing debt.

The proposed legislation would, if passed, create better standards and regulations that lenders must follow in order to better protect vulnerable consumers. It will also better aid repeat late payday-loan borrowers and help them avoid debt traps and spirals.

We’ve also heard, as a government, the concerns that many municipalities have expressed in regard to payday loans. There are worries that payday loan establishments are proliferating in areas with high concentrations of low-income individuals, who are more likely to need these quick and high-interest loans. City councillors throughout the province, including my local councillors, have called for municipalities to control the zoning of payday lenders, akin to what has been done with strip clubs.

The proposed legislation, if passed, would amend both the Municipal Act and the City of Toronto Act to allow municipalities to require payday loan establishments to obtain a municipal business licence and to control the number of storefronts and their location. This would allow for more local decision-making in the availability and prevalence of payday loans in higher-risk areas. I think this would be a benefit for many of our residents, especially the most vulnerable ones.

This bill has now seen more than 10 hours of debate, and many members of this Legislature have spoken to the bill. We have also heard, during second reading debate, the opposition and third party express their support for this important legislation.

For example, the member from Hamilton East–Stoney Creek has said, “I commend the government ... for pushing this through, because this is long overdue, and I think it’s going to save a lot of anguish for a lot of people in our province.” The member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound said, “This is a good bill.” However, at this point, much of the debate is now repeating points already made by other members, so I believe it would be time that this bill be referred to committee, where we can hear from stakeholders and members of the public.

As a result, Mr. Speaker, I move that this question be put now.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): The minister politely brought me into the conversation, but, with all due respect, the member, in his position, said—and I recall—that the whole process is overdue; I don’t think he said debate was overdue.

Interjections.

Hon. Michael Coteau: You can’t do that.

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): The member has moved that the question be put. Are we all in favour of the motion?

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Thanks to the minister, with his zealous—I have decided that this has been enough time, debated 10 and a half hours, and I will now read this:

Mrs. Albanese has moved that the question be now put—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): I am satisfied there has been sufficient debate. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? We heard a yes.

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Excuse me; there’s a bit of confusion here. Can I have the Clerk come here, please? A two-minute recess.

The House recessed from 0930 to 0932.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Be seated. Okay, we’re going to do this again without interruption.

Mrs. Albanese has moved that the question now be put. I am satisfied there has been sufficient debate to allow this question to be put to the House. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

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

Those opposed, say “nay.”

I believe the ayes have it. This will now be a recorded vote. After question period, they’ll vote on it. It’s deferred.

Vote deferred.

Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2016 / Loi de 2016 sur la modernisation de la législation municipale ontarienne

Resuming the debate adjourned on November 29, 2016, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 68,

An Act to amend various Acts in relation to municipalities / Projet de loi 68, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne les municipalités.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Further debate? The member from Prince Edward–Hastings.

Mr. Todd Smith: Thank you, Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to defer the one-hour leadoff of our critic.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Defer the lead? Are we all in favour? Agreed.

Member?

Mr. Todd Smith: This is an historic day here at Queen’s Park, and it’s a pleasure to stand in my place as the representative for Prince Edward–Hastings to speak on this day. Not only did we have the youngest member of the Legislature ever elected, from Niagara West–Glanbrook—he’ll be joining us before question period; sworn in at 8:15 this morning. Quite a thing for Sam Oosterhoff, and we are so proud to have him as a member of our caucus. I know we all celebrate history being made.

It’s also a very important day here with our legislative staff. It’s the final day on the job for our Sergeant-at-Arms, Dennis Clark, after a long and distinguished career protecting the legislative precinct. We congratulate him on his long career and keeping the Legislature safe, as he has done.

It is a pleasure to rise and speak to this bill, although we would have appreciated a little more heads-up from the government on this bill. This is Bill 68, the Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act.

I would have loved to have the opportunity to speak to Bill 59, the consumer protection act, but once again, the government has decided they’re going to—as my friend from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke often says—lower the guillotine and cut off debate for the elected members of the Legislature. I think that’s why we are seeing the types of protests that we’re currently seeing out on the front lawn of the Legislature. It’s because of the arrogance of this Liberal government, who think that they know better than the official opposition or the third party or the people of Ontario, and they’re proceeding with their plans no matter what anybody else says.

If we listen carefully outside, you can actually hear the beating of the drums out there and a large protest, once again, gathering on the front lawn of the Legislature. Today it’s skilled tradespeople. They’re upset that the government is making changes to the way that work is done here in the province of Ontario. Previously, it has been health care workers. Of course, we’ve had an awful lot of protests on the front lawn when it comes to the disastrous energy policies that this government has put forward.

It has been a fall of protests here at Queen’s Park, and it has been a fall of omnibus legislation. We have another piece of omnibus legislation before us here today—another piece of omnibus legislation. They brought in their fall economic statement, which was a piece of omnibus legislation. It had about 27 different acts. I’m starting to understand why they do it; I really am. These guys are making so many mistakes with their pieces of legislation that they now have to bring in new pieces of legislation—omnibus legislation—to make up for the mistakes that they’ve made.

We’ve seen bills introduced in this Legislature to correct previous bills that have been passed because they’ve been rushed through the Legislature because they haven’t had the proper scrutiny from the members of the official opposition.

Last night, we heard that the government was bringing forward Bill 68. I know that the government had their minister here doing his lead-off and I know that the parliamentary assistant, who’s just making his way up to his seat now, from Northumberland–Quinte West was up in the Legislature last night. I actually watched it at about 12:45 this morning when I was in my apartment watching the member bringing forward his thoughts on why this piece of legislation was important.

Time and again, they bring forward the legislation and they ram it through the House without proper scrutiny. In this case, they didn’t even give the official opposition or the third party proper notice as to what was coming forward in the legislative schedule.

We have a very, very capable critic in Mr. Hardeman from Oxford, our representative there, who has outstanding staff. They’ve been here and they probably know the way this place works better than most of the bureaucrats over in the ministry offices. They’ve prepared a very, very good piece of legislation, but you know what’s going to happen with this bill? The same thing that just happened with the bill that we were debating earlier this morning: The Liberals cut off debate; they don’t give the opposition parties the proper amount of time to bring forward the concerns of residents in their constituencies. They lower the guillotine and they end debate.

If the Liberals don’t want to work, then why should we follow in their course of action? There are protesters out on the front lawn; I can hear them now. That’s why I’m moving adjournment of the debate on this bill.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Mr. Smith has moved the adjournment of the debate. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour, please say “aye.”

All those opposed, say “nay.”

I believe the nays have it.

Call in the members. This will be a 30-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 0939 to 1009.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Members, take your seats.

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Order. Mr. Smith has moved adjournment of the debate.

All those in favour, please stand and remain standing.

All those opposed, please stand and remain standing.

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Order.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 22; the nays are 39.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): The motion is lost.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): This House stands recessed until 10:30 this morning.

The House recessed from 1011 to 1030.

Introduction of member for Niagara West–Glanbrook

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that the Clerk has received from the Chief Electoral Officer and laid upon the table a certificate of the by-election in the electoral district of Niagara West–Glanbrook.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): I have a letter addressed to me bearing the date November 28, 2016, which reads as follows:

“A writ of election dated the 19th day of October, 2016, was issued by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor of the province of Ontario, and was addressed to Robert Ciarlo, returning officer for the electoral district of Niagara West–Glanbrook, for the election of a member to represent the said electoral district of Niagara West–Glanbrook in the Legislative Assembly of this province in the room of Tim Hudak who, since his election as representative of the said electoral district of Niagara West–Glanbrook, has resigned his seat.

This is to certify that, a poll having been granted and held in Niagara West–Glanbrook on the 17th day of November, 2016, Sam Oosterhoff has been returned as duly elected, as appears by the return of the said writ of election dated the 24th day of November, 2016, which is now lodged of record in my office....

“Greg Essensa

“Chief Electoral Officer.”

Mr. Oosterhoff was escorted into the House by Mr. Brown and Mr. Wilson.

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you and to the House Sam Oosterhoff, member-elect for the electoral district of Niagara West–Glanbrook, who has taken the oath and signed the roll and now claims the right to take his seat.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Let the honourable member take his seat.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: Mr. Speaker, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce my parents and my family and those who came out, some from a decent distance away, to be here today. I’d like to introduce Carl and Monica Oosterhoff, Aaron Oosterhoff, Tim Oosterhoff, Micah Oosterhoff, and Jake and Nel Oosterhoff.

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

Mr. Peter Tabuns: It’s my pleasure to welcome Blair Gallant from the sheet metal workers and Joe Ros from the plumbers and pipefitters. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Arthur Potts: I’m delighted to welcome the parents of page captain Charlie Scholey here today. Welcome to Queen’s Park. We have mother, Nicole Mellow; father, Hugh Scholey; sister, Jane Scholey; and grandfather Owen Mellow. Thanks for being here.

Mr. Jeff Yurek: I’d like to welcome Allan Weatherall here today to Queen’s Park—a constituent of mine.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: One of the people here for the Automotive Industries Association this morning is from Windsor. Welcome to Queen’s Park, Danica Vukmirovich.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: I too want to welcome people from the Automotive Industries Association, here for advancing women in automation and the automotive sector today: president Jean-François Champagne; Franie Daviault; Luciana Nechita; and other members. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: I’m honoured to introduce my friends from the Progressive Certified Trades Coalition with us this morning: Dan Lancia, Jeff Koller, Terry Moore and Kevin Vallier. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: Members of CUPE Local 4914, representing workers at Peel Children’s Aid Society, are here again. Welcome back to Queen’s Park.

Hon. David Orazietti: I’m pleased to introduce today, from the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, Rory Ring, Dan Hollingsworth and Monica Dale, as well as Jennifer Rushton, who are over in the members’ east gallery.

Mr. Bill Walker: I would like to introduce Kevin Post and Bob Parkin with the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects. Kevin, welcome also to Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound. He’s a new resident of our great riding.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: OUSA week continues at Queen’s Park, and I’d like to welcome Blake Oliver from McMaster, Justin Monaco-Barnes from McMaster, Kraymr Grenke from Laurentian, Jason Maeda from Laurentian, Eddy Avila from Western, Sarah Wiley from Waterloo, Armin Escher from OUSA, Amanda Kohler from OUSA and Marc Gurrisi from OUSA. Welcome, all.

Mr. Lorne Coe: I have three guests from the Whitby Sunrise Rotary Club: Janet Thorstenson, Evie Thorstenson and Chi Yun En.

Mr. Wayne Gates: I’d like to welcome all the skilled trade workers here today—all 4,000 of them. We couldn’t fit them all in the House today, but I’d like to welcome them all to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: It’s great to see, in the members’ gallery, the great CEO from the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, Deb Nicholson. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: I’d like to welcome members of the northern Ontario chambers of commerce. I know team Huron–Bruce really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with them.

Hon. Bill Mauro: I’m not sure if they have found their way in here just yet, but, from Thunder Bay, two old friends of mine: Glen Drewes from IBEW and Terry Webb from plumbers and fitters Local 628.

Mr. Norm Miller: In the members’ east gallery, I’d like to welcome the parents of page Charlie Scholey: dad, Hugh Scholey; mother, Nicole Mellow; sister, Jane; and granddad Owen Mellow. Charlie’s mother, Nikki, was a nanny for our four kids a long, long time ago and lived just down the road, as did his dad, Hugh.

Mr. Granville Anderson: I would like to welcome Chris Hoog, father of page Emma Hoog, who is here with us today. Welcome.

Ms. Sylvia Jones: It is my pleasure to welcome, from Fort St. John, British Columbia, my brother Robert and sister-in-law Annette.

Mrs. Cristina Martins: It gives me great pleasure to introduce members from the chambers of commerce in Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, Thunder Bay and North Bay with whom I had the pleasure of meeting yesterday: Rory Ring, Dan Hollingsworth, Tracy Nutt, Jennifer Rushton, Monica Dale and Debbi Nicholson. Welcome.

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I would like to introduce and welcome Leah Brockie, the academic affairs commissioner of the Queen’s University Alma Mater Society; Patrick Foster, president of Brock University Students’ Union; and Zachary Rose, the OUSA executive director. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: I’m delighted to welcome to Queen’s Park, from Waterloo region, Sarah Wiley. She is with the University of Waterloo Federation of Students. Welcome.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I do have an introduction. In the Speaker’s gallery today is the best half of a great duo: Mrs. Connie Clark, wife of Dennis Clark, our Sergeant-at-Arms.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: I would like to recognize in the gallery Ishmael Van Der Rassel from the Ontario Métis.

Mr. Paul Miller: I’d like to welcome all the trades and crafts here today, my brothers and sisters in the trades.

Sergeant-at-Arms

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Just before question period, I hope all members will forgive my indulgence and take just a moment, on behalf of all of us—and, I dare say, not just the members but all staff—to say a few words and thank our Sergeant-at-Arms, Dennis Clark, who is retiring from this place effective tomorrow. He is about to see his last question period.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Cut the Speaker a little slack, will you? Dennis has been our Sergeant-at-Arms for almost 20 years. In that time, he has become known to all of us as an utterly dependable and professional servant of the Legislature, constantly vigilant towards the safety and the orderly proceedings of the chamber. I can’t imagine how many cellphones he has had to confiscate over the years.

After 29 years with the RCMP, Dennis began a new career here at the Legislative Assembly, with a mandate to establish a new, independent, in-house security service which hadn’t existed before. Today, the Legislative Security Service is among the most respected parliamentary security operations in the British Commonwealth.

As you know, I know and all of us know Dennis, with his team—because he never takes credit—are routinely consulted by jurisdictions for their advice and recommendations around the world. A lot of us have also benefited from that advice, and I know that Dennis has visited many of our constituency offices to provide recommendations to improve our safety and that of the staff in those locations.

This institution has benefited significantly from Dennis’s service. I might have an even deeper appreciation than most because Dennis and I work together and, as Speaker, I am privileged to have a closer look and a more direct connection with the Sergeant-at-Arms. I can tell you that all of his contributions as part of the senior management team here have always been profound, and I have personally appreciated his wise advice and steady character throughout my time as Speaker.

Dennis, the Legislative Assembly and the people of Ontario owe you a great debt of gratitude for your outstanding service. I know I speak for all members and staff of this place when I commend you for your stellar career full of outstanding achievements. You can be justifiably proud, and you should be. We wish you all the best in your retirement, with you and your family. Congratulations, and thank you.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Just in case any of my colleagues get any ideas, somebody else will be wearing the sword tomorrow.

Thomas McQueen

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Simcoe–Grey on a point of order.

Mr. Jim Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent to observe a moment of silence to honour and recognize Canadian Forces pilot Captain Thomas McQueen of Hamilton. Captain McQueen tragically lost his life when his CF-18 crashed near Cold Lake, Alberta.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Do we have unanimous consent to pay tribute? Do we agree? Agreed.

Please all rise to provide a moment of silence in honour of Captain McQueen.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): God rest his soul. Thank you.

Therefore, it is now time for question period.

Oral Questions

Energy policies

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. This week we learned that Mucci Farms from Kingsville were planning to build another greenhouse. But because of Liberal energy policies, they’re going to set up in Ohio. The owner of the greenhouse said, “If we had competitive electricity rates, we would be doubling our production here” in Ontario.

Mucci Farms won’t be the last company to choose places outside of Ontario because of electricity rates. This must stop. These are jobs we want in Ontario. My question to the Minister of Agriculture is: When will you ensure that these reckless Liberal energy policies are going to stop driving greenhouses out of Ontario?

Hon. Jeff Leal: First of all, I want to welcome the new member from Niagara West–Glanbrook to the Ontario Legislature. It is an extraordinary accomplishment to get elected at 19 years old. We look forward to the new member making a contribution to the debate here at Queen’s Park. Welcome, sir. Good to see you.

I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for asking me a question on agriculture. I think it’s the first opportunity since he has been here to ask a question about agriculture. So let’s set the context for agriculture in the province of Ontario, a sector that contributes $36 billion to Ontario’s GDP, represents—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. The member from Glengarry–Prescott–Russell will come to order. If he holds it up again, I will have it confiscated and ask him to apologize.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I wasn’t born yesterday.

Minister, you have one wrap-up sentence.

Hon. Jeff Leal: A sector that contributes 790,000 jobs to the province of Ontario, and last year—

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

Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Back to the Minister of Agriculture: first question about agriculture? Maybe the minister was asleep when we asked question after question on neonics. But then again, the minister has a very short-term memory.

Now, back to my question, which he avoided answering: We had Leamington’s NatureFresh Farms expanding—a huge expansion—in Ohio, despite wanting to locate in Ontario. Now we have Mucci Farms setting up, again, in Ohio, despite being an Ontario family and an Ontario business that wants to invest in Ontario. Both are ignoring Ontario and choosing to locate elsewhere because of reckless Liberal energy policies.

For 13 years, you’ve led us to this point. You’re driving businesses out of Ontario. Rather than Liberal talking points and spin, what are you going to do to keep these agriculture jobs in Ontario?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Without the editorial, please.

Hon. Jeff Leal: I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke and the member from Leeds–Grenville, come to order.

Finish, please.

Hon. Jeff Leal: I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for his second question on agriculture that he’s posed here. Let me tell you, it’s a bit rich for this side to ask a question about agriculture. When they were in office, they closed 52 offices around the province of Ontario. That’s the reality.

Let’s talk about some facts here. In 2015, the farm cash receipts in the province of Ontario were $15 billion—a record in the province of Ontario. We’ve created 42,000 new jobs in the province of Ontario. This is a sector that’s growing with the support of this government each and every day of the—

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): It’s starting to elevate. I’ll repeat yesterday if needed. I’m trying to give you an opportunity to control yourselves.

Final supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, back to the Minister of Agriculture—and in fairness to the Minister of Agriculture, he is the best Minister of Agriculture that Ohio has ever seen. His work in supporting ag jobs in Ohio is impeccable. But I’m concerned about Ontario.

You know, you look at the government’s promise of natural gas expansion, and there’s no action here. You’re preventing investment in the greenhouse industry. It has cost investments.

Let me read a quote from Stuart McFadden, Chatham-Kent’s deputy director of economic development. He estimates that 300 acres of greenhouses were not built in his municipality over the past few years because there wasn’t adequate natural gas infrastructure in place. They lost $300 million worth of investment because of this government’s dithering.

You talked about natural gas expansion. You’re already hurting the greenhouse industry because of electricity. When will you honour your word and actually make sure that that expansion happens?

Hon. Jeff Leal: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for his third question on agriculture today. Let me tell you—

Mr. Steve Clark: He’s got to ask you three questions to get one answer.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Leeds–Grenville, second time.

Finish, please.

Hon. Jeff Leal: Let me tell you, he’s the best spokesman that New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Louisiana and California have ever had. We, on this side, are promoting Ontario each and every day through very aggressive trade missions, whether it’s to China or India. There’s an increased demand right around the world for products, and agricultural products, that are produced right here in Ontario.

In 2015 alone: 42,000 new jobs in this sector. Whether it’s the greenhouse sector, whether it’s primary agriculture or whether it’s processing—it’s a good time to be in agriculture in the province of Ontario.

Highway tolls

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, since there’s no point in asking questions to the Minister of Agriculture because he won’t answer them, I’ll try the Minister of Finance.

Tolls are making life harder in Ontario and more expensive for the people of Ontario. It won’t make life any easier; that’s for sure. According to the city of Toronto’s own study, just over 13% of drivers who will use the DVP and the Gardiner will be diverted to other areas. The city has said that some of the drivers may take public transit, but the majority will find another route on a surrounding road. David Pritchard, the chair of the Mimico-by-the-Lake Business Improvement Area, said, “It doesn’t take much traffic to really” completely “block the streets.”

We’re going to see more traffic and more congestion in the city of Toronto that we can’t afford. So, Mr. Speaker, again to the Minister of Finance: Can he back up to the House why he thinks tolls are the right thing for Toronto?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member from—what was Garfield’s riding again?

Hon. Liz Sandals: Simcoe North.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Simcoe North; that’s right.

Mr. Speaker, the previous leader of the Progressive Conservative Party has been putting forward some solutions—with their knowledge and, I presume, support—in order for the city—

Interjections.

Hon. Charles Sousa: —and as the member opposite knows, the city of Toronto has yet to determine what it is they’re going to do. I’m sure that the Progressive Conservative Party is dealing with their former leader to determine how best to proceed. We, on this side of the House, will look at what those solutions will be when, and if ever, they are proposed.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Back to the Minister of Finance, or the member for gas plants, if I recall—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. I will inject myself in this only insomuch as you give, you get, except to say this: There is an understanding here that we refer to people by their ridings and only their ridings or their title—nothing else. That includes questions from the members on the government side with regard to aggrandizing the ministers. I’m going to ask everyone to bring it down a notch and just get this thing done the way it should be done.

Please.

Mr. Patrick Brown: A toonie may not sound like a lot to the minister, but according to a study, Fare Driving, which was published on driving.ca, they expect the tolls on the DVP and Gardiner could be as high as $12. Knowing the government’s past and their history of having prices skyrocket, I’m very concerned that this is going to make Toronto and the 905 unaffordable for commuters.

Interjections.

Mr. Patrick Brown: I know this is a sensitive spot for the Liberal benches because they can’t defend these Liberal tolls.

So once again, my question to the Minister of Finance is: How does he justify tolling the DVP and the Gardiner?

Hon. Charles Sousa: I appreciate the member opposite reminding everyone that I fought hard for my community and I always did, right from the very get-go, right through to the end. I’m proud of that. They followed suit and they failed. We delivered on this side of the House.

Furthermore, he’s talking about toll roads—toll roads which he forgot that he actually sold because somehow he didn’t remember, like he didn’t remember that he supported a health curriculum, then didn’t support the health curriculum, then did so, then did not. He has no idea as to what’s going on because they sold the 407. That’s $1 billion annually that we lose on this side of the House, and that costs every Ontarian in this province.

Interjections.

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

Final supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Back to the Minister of Finance: The DVP and the Gardiner are necessities for commuters. They don’t have a choice. They need to go to work. They are far too important for this government to use as a cash grab on hard-working commuters. This is an attack on commuters. It’s not just the mayor of Mississauga who has expressed reservations. We’re hearing reservations across the 905 and in the city of Toronto.

Once again, for the third time, my question for the Minister of Finance is: Why is he giving the city of Toronto permission to toll the DVP and the Gardiner when commuters can’t afford it?

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member for Etobicoke–Lakeshore, come to order.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I appreciate the third question from the leader on this particular topic. I think we covered this ground yesterday here in the Legislature. Myself, the Minister of Finance and everyone on this side has said that, of course, if the city of Toronto has a formal plan with council approval, the government will review that plan very carefully.

But we also covered off a couple of other important topics yesterday in this same realm. Number one would be that our government has the most ambitious transit and transportation expansion plan in Ontario’s history. We are making unprecedented investments in transit and transportation infrastructure in Toronto, in the GTHA and right across the province of Ontario. We’re going to continue to do that.

We also covered off the fact that we have yet to see a plan of any kind from that leader or that caucus with respect to how they would continue to build up transit and transportation here in the province of Ontario. The Minister of Finance referenced the fact that on this particular topic, it was that leader’s party that sold the 407 in 1998 for 100 years.

We’re moving in the right—

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

New question?

Energy policies

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: My question is to the Acting Premier. Yesterday I asked the Acting Premier about people whose hydro had been cut off and about small businesses that were forced to relocate to the US and often, in some circumstances, shut down entirely. Every time I asked these questions, the Minister of Energy stood up and said, “Everything is fine. The government is working, and the government is doing a great job.”

Could the government explain how the Premier, on one side, says that she has made a mistake, that there’s a mistake, that there’s a problem here, but the Minister of Energy thinks that there isn’t a problem?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I’m always very pleased to stand up and talk about the great programs that we have in place to help small businesses with some of their energy costs. We recognize the importance of small businesses.

Yesterday, we met with many of the chambers from northern Ontario to talk about the importance of the NEER program, Mr. Speaker. That’s helping many of our industries throughout the north.

We also recognize that some of those industries in southern Ontario need support as well. That’s why we brought forward the 8%. That 8% reduction is actually helping many of those small businesses.

Also, last week, in Hamilton, I worked with Dofasco, creating 81 jobs. They’re reducing their energy usage and saving themselves over $100,000.

That is fantastic work that we’re seeing on this side of the House, that’s going right across the province.

There are many programs in place that help, but we know we’ve got more work to do, and that’s what we’re doing. We continue to work to find ways to help businesses right across the province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: Mr. Speaker, the cost of hydro is making people feel like they can’t build a life for themselves, and they can’t see how the next generation is going to have a future. When they see local companies forced to relocate to the States, when they see local companies shut down, they see jobs leaving and they don’t see how the next generation will have jobs here in this province.

Instead of providing help, instead of actually doing something concrete, the minister just keeps on responding by saying, “Everything is fine. There’s no problem here.”

There is a problem. People are struggling. Businesses are suffering. We need to do something about it. And the sale of Hydro One is only making the situation worse.

Will the government commit today to finally ending any further sale of Hydro One?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: When we’re talking about the next generation—the next generation will be proud that they actually can go outside and breathe clean air. We’ve eliminated coal, Mr. Speaker. We’re meeting our GHG reductions. Seven million cars have been taken off the roads because of our closing of coal plants. That’s actually seen air pollution deaths and hospitalizations drop by 23% and 41% respectively. That’s doing a lot for the next generation.

But we know there’s more work to do. That’s why we brought forward the 8% reduction with the HST, permanently reducing that off of the hydro bills.

When it comes to small businesses, the ICI program is going to help over 1,000 new businesses across the province lower their electricity rates, lower their GHGs—because do you know why, Mr. Speaker? We recognize that reducing GHGs, creating jobs and lowering rates is something that this government will do for the next generation.

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

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: Mr. Speaker, the Premier promised that she would be different. She made people believe that she would be different. And what happened is, she’s letting down families just the same way. In fact, she’s letting them down even worse. She’s not only letting down families; she’s also letting down small businesses in this province that want to hire. They want to grow and they want to innovate, but they can’t even stay open, let alone try to do these innovative things.

Nobody voted for this. Nobody voted for 60,000 people to be cut off from Hydro One. No one voted for this government to sell off Hydro One in the first place.

When the Premier finally told Liberals that she had made a mistake, does that mean that she understands that selling off Hydro One is a mistake and that she’s going to commit to not selling off any further stock of that sale?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: When it comes to the broadening of Hydro One, Mr. Speaker, we know that it was a tough decision. That’s why we do the heavy lifting on this side—because we know that the investments that we’re making in infrastructure are creating jobs and building Ontario up.

The sale of Hydro One, as everyone in this House knows, has no direct link with the increase in rates. We know that the OEB just made a decision two weeks ago that didn’t see an increase in rates.

When it comes to Hydro One and the broadening of the sale and the investments that we’re making, I can talk about what happens right in my own riding of Sudbury. Maley Drive: a $26-million investment by this government to expand Maley Drive in Sudbury.

We’ve got many other things happening throughout the northeast, many other great infrastructure projects that are happening right across our great province, and that’s with the great investments being done by the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Infrastructure.

We recognize that there’s a lot of work to do on this, and we’re building Ontario up and creating—

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

Mercury poisoning

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I had a private conversation the other day with the member opposite to explain in some detail what’s going on. Let me just reiterate: Dr. Rudd was funded by the Ministry of the Environment, through the First Nation, to undertake the study—the study, Mr. Speaker, that I have in my hand. The study asks for about $600,000 worth of very specific work, outlined in

chapter 7, which is being done right now.

The agreement, which has now concluded and we expect to have it signed by the chief any day now—that hasn’t held the money up from signing—is to present these options and the risks of the different types of interventions that Dr. Rudd asked for. That will be finished by June. It will be presented to the community, and the community will make the choices of which interventions they want to do.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Speaker, I’m glad that that matter was raised. I’ll go back to the Deputy Premier. Dr. John Rudd, whose research and recommendations are what this government has to go on, says the cleanup can safely get under way today. But the money, $300,000 this government says it has invested in fieldwork, hasn’t arrived.

My question: Will the acting Premier tell this House on the record how much of that $300,000 has actually been released?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: This partnership, under the agreement of a political accord between First Nations and the government, requires that we cannot spend or act in a First Nation without the consent and agreement. We have had three meetings now with the political committee that Minister Zimmer and I sit on with the chief. The agreement is now finalized. It is literally awaiting one signature. The First Nations negotiated in good faith. We think that the agreement is solid.

I have asked for an immediate meeting with Dr. Rudd because, in his report, he advised caution and specific measures to be taken. If he is now of the view that this can move ahead more quickly, we will not hesitate to advance the agenda. The only reason we haven’t advanced the agenda more quickly is because we have to finalize the agreement with the First Nation. Money has already been flowing to cover their bills, and we’ve been taking Dr. Rudd’s advice.

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

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Speaker, notwithstanding that, I thought we would actually get the number. However, I’ll go on to my next question.

Deputy Premier, as you well know, enough is enough. When will this Liberal government start the cleanup of the Grassy Narrows area so that the fish are safe to eat?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: If the member opposite would like the number, we have received $20,000 in bills from the First Nation, which have been paid in full. I have not received a single bill or cost yet from any of the research teams, which are actually out there working right now. If we did, we would advance the money. As of this last couple of days, I think we now have—we’re just waiting for one signature—all of that money will flow. The $300,000 that we are spending directly is already flowing, so the vast majority of the money is either in play or being spent.

What has to happen? What actions should we do? Should we do extraction? Should we do covering? Which of these should we do? I will say again, if Dr. Rudd’s advice—who we have great respect for and I can read through the nine measures that he’s recommended, and the work plans that he wrote that we’re actually following on a daily basis. If he wants to revise his advice, we will accept that advice.

Hospital funding

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the people of Niagara West–Glanbrook for giving me the privilege to represent them. It’s an honour to stand in this House.

My question is for the Minister of Health. The hard-working people of my riding have fought for the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby for years. In fact, the community fund raised $13.6 million to put towards the project. Sadly, in 2012, this Liberal government cancelled the project that they promised in 2011.

It’s been four years since the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital project was shelved. Will the Minister of Health commit to the people of Niagara West–Glanbrook and give the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital the funding it deserves?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Again, without the editorials, please.

Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I’m honoured to be the recipient of the first question from the member from Niagara West–Glanbrook. I welcome him to the Legislature and appreciate this question.

It’s important to mention that all of the candidates in the recent by-election specifically referenced the importance of building health care, including supporting and furthering the infrastructure and the delivery of health services through the West Lincoln hospital. They made it a priority during the campaign, as did the member opposite.

It is a critically important health service that provides services to individuals in that community. That’s why we’ve increased their funding this year. That’s why, in fact, as recently as last week, I announced 140 million additional dollars that go to operating expenses for hospitals. Included in that list is the West Lincoln hospital, through Hamilton Health Sciences, because, of course, Hamilton Health Sciences is responsible for the management and administration of that hospital. They do have some very real infrastructure needs at that hospital, as well, and I know that my ministry is working closely with Hamilton Health Sciences and the West Lincoln hospital.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: Back to the minister: The people in the riding I represent held fundraisers for over a decade to help raise funds for the hospital redevelopment, but this Liberal government made a promise to the people of my riding in 2011, and then turned their backs on them in 2012.

It’s time for the Liberals to honour their commitment, it’s time to stop playing politics with people’s health and it’s time to get this project the funding it deserves. Mr. Speaker, when will the minister announce the promised funding for West Lincoln Memorial Hospital?

Interjections.

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

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Ask Jim Bradley.

Mr. James J. Bradley: The Conservatives closed 28 hospitals.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Now we’re getting evidence of why I ask you not to say anything when I’m standing.

Minister.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I believe that the member will agree that, because the West Lincoln hospital is part of Hamilton Health Sciences, we’re working closely with them and the leadership at West Lincoln. Hamilton Health Sciences is putting together a proposal where they are prioritizing their infrastructure investments, which, of course, include the West Lincoln site.

But it’s important to reference that we’ve increased the funding for Hamilton Health Sciences, including West Lincoln, by $10 million just this year. We gave nearly $5 million specifically to West Lincoln earlier this year for infrastructure and other upgrades.

We are working hard, and we’ve made and will be making unprecedented investments: $12 billion over the next decade for infrastructure. I look forward to working with the member from Niagara West–Glanbrook as we look at the Hamilton Health Sciences proposal for infrastructure going into the future.

Occupational health and safety

Ms. Catherine Fife: My question is to the Acting Premier. Buried deep within the government’s fall economic bill are changes that will put the health and safety of tens of thousands of workers across Ontario at risk. These changes completely ignore recommendations from the 2010 Expert Panel Report on Occupational Health and Safety. In an email, the government says this will remove “the burdensome processes like routine inspections.” This is why there are 3,000 people on the front lawn of Queen’s Park.

We’ve heard from hundreds more concerned workers and labour groups over the last week, appalled at these changes, shocked that no consultation took place with those who have the most to lose. Will the government do the right thing and ensure that the tens of thousands of workers across our province are protected while they’re at work and remove these schedules from this finance bill?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Minister of Labour.

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Thank you to the member for that very, very important question. The health and safety and protection of all Ontario workers is a top priority, and it’s a focus at the Ministry of Labour. I’ll tell you that what the member is talking about is the accreditation process, Speaker. The objective of an accreditation, or an employer’s recognition process, is to enhance the delivery of health and safety services in order to enhance health and safety within the workplace.

If this proposed legislation is passed, what we have in accreditation is the potential to benefit Ontarians and all those who work in the province. It’s going to empower business to improve their own internal health and safety. What it does, it’s proven to improve health and safety within companies. It saves lives. It prevents injuries.

We, on this side of the House, support this. I can’t for the life of me imagine why the NDP would not.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Catherine Fife: Mr. Speaker, what this government has done is that they have forgotten that you cannot build Ontario up without the work of skilled trade workers in the province of Ontario.

This isn’t speculation. It was in a note from senior government staff, the same day that the bill was introduced, that these changes will reduce “the burden of unnecessary processes like routine inspections.”

The research and the evidence-based data is clear that workplace health and safety is better with more, not less, enforcement. In fact, the non-governmental Institute for Work and Health reports that “employers do take steps to prevent work-related injuries for employees when there are direct consequences to them.”

Will the government do the right thing, make workplace safety a priority and reverse its decision to start privatizing workplace health and safety in Ontario?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Minister.

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Thank you again to the member for the supplementary. It is a very, very important issue.

What this will allow the MOL—the Ministry of Labour—to do is to focus resources on the places where we need to focus on, the places where the injuries are taking place, the places where the fatalities are taking place.

I know the member talked about research. She might want to do her homework. Three Canadian jurisdictions have accreditation processes in place. You’ve got Alberta. You’ve got British Columbia. You’ve got Nova Scotia. Clearly, when those programs were put in place, health and safety improved, incidents went down, increased hazard reporting took place, reduced rates of lost-time injuries, improved health and safety environments. These are all things that we want for the health and safety of workers in this province.

Instead of making cheap political points, she might want to put the health and safety of workers in the province of Ontario first.

Interjections.

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Start the clock. Order.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Kitchener–Waterloo will come to order. The Minister of Agriculture will come to order.

New question.

Correctional services

Mr. Vic Dhillon: My question is for the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Children and youth who come into contact with the youth justice system have unique needs. We strongly believe in the importance of rehabilitative programs in a safe environment that help our youth successfully transition back into their communities.

One such facility that aids this process is the Roy McMurtry Youth Centre, a 192-bed facility located in Brampton. We recently announced that the Ontario government is repurposing this centre. Minister, why is the Roy McMurtry facility being repurposed?

Hon. Michael Coteau: I want to thank the member for Brampton West for this important question. I know the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services will want to weigh in on the second part of the question.

Here in Ontario, between 2003 and 2015, we saw the youth crime rate drop by 46%. I think that’s great news for everyone here in the Legislature today. It means that our youth strategy here in the province of Ontario is working.

Our strategy focuses on prevention and diversion programs. We’re moving young people away from formal court proceedings into diversion and alternative programs.

A diversion program can include job skills training, mental health treatment, family counselling, and education and tutorial services. As a result, we have seen an 81% drop in youth custody admissions here in the province of Ontario since 2003.

Mr. Speaker, the repurposing of this facility is good news for Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Vic Dhillon: My next question is for the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. That youth justice admissions have declined over 80% since we came into power is a testament to the successful rehabilitation and reintegration programs our government has put in place. In turn, it frees up space within our adult correctional system, where I know the minister is working very hard to address capacity challenges and provide supports for individuals with mental illness.

I understand that we have hired 36 dedicated mental health nurses in facilities across the province since 2013 and are partnering with CAMH and others to provide specialized mental health training for correctional officers. Can the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services please expand on what the Roy McMurtry means for correctional transformation and for our efforts on behalf of those with mental illness?

Hon. Michael Coteau: Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Hon. David Orazietti: I want to thank the member from Brampton West for asking about this important issue. I also want to commend the Minister of Children and Youth Services for his leadership on this issue and working with our ministry, across ministries, to develop what will be a welcomed addition and a centre that is much needed in the province of Ontario.

This 192-bed adult female detention centre is part of the conversion for the Roy McMurtry Youth Centre, which will also include a much-needed 32-bed mental health unit for female inmates that will be opening in 2018. It will in fact be the first dedicated female mental health unit in the province of Ontario.

The additional 192 beds is the latest step as part of our transformation of our correctional system and investments that we’re making, adding to nearly 380 new beds that we’ve created with facilities in Windsor and Toronto, as well as the 112-bed Regional Intermittent Centre in London. This is part of our investment strategy and modernization of corrections in Ontario.

Skilled trades

Mr. Randy Hillier: My question is to the Deputy Premier. There are thousands of skilled trades men and women who have travelled from across this province and lost a day of wages to be here to protest against Bill 70,

schedule 17, which threatens their livelihoods and their careers.

These skilled tradesmen feel that this government has betrayed them and has stabbed them in the back with

schedule 17. It will take the decision-making and determination of scope of work and recognition of their trades out of the hands of the college and put it into the hands of the OLRB.

Speaker, will this government take

schedule 17, pull it out and throw it in the trash where it belongs?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Deputy Premier?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Labour.

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Speaker, I appreciate the question coming from the member, as he stands up for unionized skilled trades in the province of Ontario. Certainly, I want to thank him. It’s something that we weren’t expecting today. But I do want to acknowledge, Speaker, the men and women that join us on the front lawn of Queen’s Park today to express an opinion.

What we’re doing at the College of Trades is, we’re implementing procedures that have come out of the Dean report. We’re implementing procedures that have come out of Chris Bentley taking a look at the College of Trades.

The College of Trades is an organization that brings all the skilled trades in the province of Ontario together. There are some tough negotiations going on as this college seeks to establish itself and promote the skilled trades in the province of Ontario.

What we saw today, Speaker, was part of a healthy discussion that we’re having with skilled trades around the province. That’s going to continue. We’re going to reach a resolution on this; I’m convinced.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Randy Hillier: Again to the minister: A healthy discussion requires two parties. You weren’t out there, and nobody else in the Liberal Party was out there.

This government is in a rush to ram legislation through, and it has been their stock and trade all the time. It is disrespectful of the people of Ontario. It’s disrespectful to the thousands of people who are on the front lawn of Queen’s Park today.

It’s both incredulous and absurd that this minister would place a determination of scope of work and trade recognition into the hands of the OLRB. It’s wholly unsuited and it is prejudicial to our skilled trades. Once again to the minister: Will you stand with our skilled trades, out there with them, and take

schedule 17, pull it out, throw it in the garbage and stand up for skilled trades?

Interjections.

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Start the clock. You won’t know when I’m going to strike, so why don’t you stop?

Minister of Labour?

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Thank you very much again for the question. Let me be clear: If there’s any individual member in this House that has stood in the way of the College of Trades since its inception, it would be that member. They’ve opposed the College of Trades every step of the way. While skilled trades in this province, while the men and women were seeking the same determination in their jobs that professions have, that doctors have, that lawyers have, that nurses have, this member did not want the skilled trades to have a say in their own future. He felt somehow they couldn’t do it.

What they’re asking us to do today—and I won’t do it. What we want to do is enshrine risk of harm as a key recommendation for college enforcement. That is going to keep people safe. That is going to respect scopes of practice.

There are a lot of questions on the College of Trades, and certainly there should be questions. But coming from that member, it just doesn’t ring true.

Interjections.

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

Mr. Paul Miller: I wonder how many tradesmen they’ve got over there? None.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Walk-by heckling is not allowed.

New question.

Beverage alcohol sales

Mr. Taras Natyshak: My question is to the Acting Premier. This government has been consulting with stakeholders in the beverage alcohol industry for three years. For three years, they’ve heard from Ontario’s craft distilleries. They have heard that this small but growing industry needs a competitive environment in Ontario and they need a graduated rate of taxation based on the litres produced rather than the bottle, not unlike what Ontario’s craft brewers have.

The Premier’s right-hand minister, Ed Clark, has been having conversations, engaging in dialogue and discussing. Bill 70’s changes to spirits taxation will destroy a small, growing, local farm-to-glass industry.

Can the Premier explain why her advisers and her government ignored what craft distillers have been telling them?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I appreciate the question, recognizing, of course, how important the distillers are, as well as our wine industry, our cider industry, our beer industry—all of which are providing jobs and creating more opportunities for the province of Ontario.

As the member opposite noted, they have an existing system today, which we’re trying to—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Leeds–Grenville, second time.

Hon. Charles Sousa: —which we’re trying to improve. In fact, their current share is around 39% per bottle. As we implement the changes that are being proposed, they’ll be getting a greater percentage—

Mr. Steve Clark: You stabbed them in the back.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): In case you didn’t hear it, you have a second time. Now that’s a third time, which means it’s a warning.

Minister?

Hon. Charles Sousa: We are improving the suppliers’ margins here, from 39% to 45%. We’re making it better. We recognize that there’s something more that they would like to do, and we’re having those discussions as well.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: The government can claim that they’re helping out the craft distillers, but this is what the craft distillers themselves are saying: Charles Benoît of the Toronto Distillery Co. said that his distillery will be closing on January 31 if Bill 70 passes. Other Ontario craft distillers are looking to sell their products internationally instead of right here at home because it doesn’t make sense financially. This government should be doing everything it can to support small distillers, to support new manufacturers and to support growing sectors of our economy.

Can the Acting Premier explain why, instead of helping Ontario’s craft distillers, her government has decided to make it almost impossible for them to succeed?

Hon. Charles Sousa: The industry has grown 10 times since 2011 as a result of the measures we put forward. The distillers were well aware of what costs were involved when they commenced. We are now improving their margins to make it more effective for them. We’re having ongoing discussions. We’re providing promotional distribution, Mr. Speaker, enabling them to have access throughout all of the stores, going forward. We’re providing 1,250 litres of spirits as promotional distribution. And we’re expanding their sales opportunities.

We’re working with the distillers. We recognize their importance to our province. We’re improving their margins. And we’re working towards doing even more. The distillers know that for a fact; all the industry knows, as the changes being brought forward. It’s the greatest amount of change we’ve made since Prohibition. We are now providing beverage alcohol—cider, beer and wine—in grocery stores, and that is a complement to the entire industry.

Women’s issues

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: My question is for today’s ever-popular Minister of Labour. When I look around—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. I’ve already spoken to that, and it will not happen again. To the minister, please.

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I am proud to see so many women representing and working hard for their communities in Ontario. Women are present in all industries and sectors across the province. However, despite our participation throughout the workforce, we know that barriers remain—barriers that prevent full participation by women in the workforce. Most notably, women continue to earn less, on average, than men.

I know that both the Minister of Labour and the minister responsible for women’s issues have been working hard to break down barriers that women face. As a government, we believe in the critical role women play in Ontario’s economy and support fair workplace policies and equal opportunities for everyone. Can the minister please inform the House how our government is currently working to close the gender wage gap?

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Thank you to the member for that very, very important question and for her continued support and involvement that she has taken in this very important issue.

Last week was the 30th anniversary of the introduction of Ontario’s Pay Equity Act, and what I did on that day was I announced the new working group that’s going to deal with the gender wage gap. It’s something that the steering committee recommended we do to make practical decisions to move forward on this issue, speaker. None of the three political parties over the past 30 years have made the progress we should have made on this issue.

The working group has got 14 organizations and two community members; they’re going to represent business, labour, human resources and advocacy groups. This group will be diverse. It’s going to have a very wide-reaching network. It’s going to provide us with practical advice and feedback on how we should be very, very specifically addressing the issue of the gender wage gap.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I want to thank the minister for his answer. My supplementary is for the minister responsible for women’s issues.

I know that in addition to the gender wage gap working group, our government is taking steps to empower women. Women play an important role in contributing to a healthy economy, and it is essential that we ensure that there are economic opportunities for women and all Ontarians. I know that earlier this year our government announced that Ontario will be setting and implementing targets for women on public and private sector boards. Removing barriers to the advancement of women ensures that more Ontarians have equal access to economic opportunities.

I have spoken to several members of our faculty and management at Queen’s University, in my riding of Kingston and the Islands, about this issue, and I look forward to meeting with the OUSA members today to discuss that.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister, what else is our government doing in this area?

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: The minister responsible for women’s issues.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: Again, I want to thank the member from Kingston and the Islands for her efforts on this very important work to close the wage gap for women in Ontario. We have many initiatives under way, which include creating 100,000 new licensed child care spaces and, as the member mentioned, ensuring that at least 40% of all appointments to provincial boards and agencies by 2019 are women, and making workplaces, campuses and communities safer through our sexual violence and harassment action plan.

In addition to this, we continue to support programs that help low-income women gain new skills and opportunities. Since 2003, for example, more than 2,500 women have participated in training through our Women in Skilled Trades and Information Technology Training Program. Our micro-lending program for women in Ontario helps low-income women build and grow their businesses. Employment training for abused and at-risk women provides women with specialized—

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

Hospital services

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question is to the Minister of Health. Since we last engaged on the Ottawa Hospital 48 hours ago, a lot has changed. The Ottawa Hospital board last night unanimously rejected the Tunney’s Pasture location for the rebuild of the Civic hospital and I was pleased to learn that each and every member of the Ottawa Liberal caucus also endorsed, as I have, the preferred experimental farm site as well. Today the NCC will formally provide their recommendation to the federal heritage minister, with the new information.

I’m hoping that the Minister of Health will share our position with local health care professionals and elected officials on our preferred location for the new Ottawa Hospital to the federal government today.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I appreciate the question as a follow-up from the one asked earlier.

It’s vitally important that any decision with regard to the provision of health care, particularly when it comes to the siting of a new hospital that we’re committed to, be a community-led process, that there be wide and thorough consultation with the community, and that the community board, as represented by the Ottawa Hospital board, plays, as it does, a leadership role in determining the future siting of the hospital. I’m gratified that not simply the member opposite but the five members of the Liberal caucus who represent the Ottawa region and Ottawa itself are intimately engaged and advocating on behalf of the new construction of the Civic hospital.

There was a recommendation provided by the National Capital Commission last week. We understand that it is now up to the federal government, in consultation, to look at that recommendation.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Thank you very much, Minister. I appreciate your response, and I do appreciate that all members from Ottawa support the preferred site of the experimental farm. The community-led processes have, time and time again, proven that the best place to rebuild the Civic hospital is at the experimental farm.

It is not a community-led process when it is the National Capital Commission; it’s unelected, it’s unaccountable, and the only three members actually from Ottawa actually did not support the NCC’s recommendations.

We’re asking for your leadership. It has been a long process, and everyone from former mayors and the former CEO of the Ottawa Hospital to our current elected MPPs and the Ottawa Hospital board have spoken with one voice: Tunney’s Pasture is not an appropriate location for the Civic hospital. As the funder of the hospital rebuild, will the minister commit to not only funding the new Civic hospital but speaking to the minister of heritage federally to ask that the reconsideration of the land go back to the original location?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I’m confident that with the process in place, the decision taken by the community board of the Ottawa Hospital, the support provided to that board by my five caucus colleagues who represent, along with the member opposite, Ottawa and the Ottawa region, the process that we have in front of us, including the role of the federal government and the minister of heritage—I understand that the board has a very positive and collaborative relationship with the federal government and in particular the minister and her ministry with regard to this process.

I’m confident that they’ve established a community-led, community-driven process, driven by the leadership of the Ottawa Hospital board, a community board. I’m confident the right decision will be taken, ultimately.

HIV/AIDS strategy

M me France Gélinas: Ma question est pour le ministre de la Santé. Tomorrow is World AIDS Day. I want to thank the people living with HIV and Ontario AIDS service organizations for their response to the epidemic. We have made real progress, but there is still more to do. Every single year, 800 Ontarians get diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. That’s far too many. We must do better.

For nearly two years now, we’ve been waiting for the minister to sign off on the new plan to reduce HIV infection in Ontario and provide better care for people at risk of infection. Today we are still waiting. Why is the minister taking so long to release Ontario’s new HIV strategy?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: We should be proud of the success that we’ve seen over the past several decades in Ontario in terms of reducing the negative impact of HIV infection; the outcomes that we’re seeing, both in terms of the prevalence—the new cases that we’re seeing, which continue to drop in the province—but also with the therapies available, which are turning what was a scourge across the world several decades ago to what is being seen more and more as a chronic disease.

As we have been developing a strategy for the next 10 years, I think the member can appreciate that it’s important that we have widespread, significant consultation, particularly with those front-line individuals: those individual Ontarians who are living with HIV and those advocates and front-line workers who are supporting them. That’s the consultation that has been under way. We’re very close to releasing our strategy.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

M me France Gélinas: Two years to sign off on a new HIV/AIDS strategy is a very long time. AIDS service organizations—like Richard Rainville from ACCESS in Sudbury—are doing incredible work on the front line, but every year that the minister waits, 800 more people’s health and lives are in danger.

The new strategy is done. It is supported. It needs to be released. After two years of waiting, the minister needs to sign off. Will the minister mark World AIDS Day tomorrow by finally, at long last, releasing Ontario’s new HIV strategy that we’ve all been waiting for?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: That would be a great way to mark World AIDS Day tomorrow; I agree with the member opposite.

It’s important that the public not think or believe that we have been standing still. We have been investing significantly in continuing to provide supports to prevent, to treat, to support those living with HIV and AIDS, and primarily doing that through funding these same organizations that are at the front line, the advocates that the member opposite is speaking to.

We’ve spent, I believe, an appropriate amount of time, while we continue to engage and continue to invest and continue to make demonstrable progress. We’ve taken an appropriate amount of time to make sure that we get this strategy right—a strategy that in fact reflects the hard work of those front-line workers and the advice and expertise of those who are living with HIV. We’re going to be releasing that strategy very, very soon.

Protection du consommateur / Consumer protection

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: Ma question est pour la ministre des Services gouvernementaux et des Services aux consommateurs.

Premièrement, je suis très heureuse et très fière de représenter les gens d’Ottawa–Vanier, dont une des préoccupations était la prolifération des établissements de prêts sur salaire. Plus tôt ce mois-ci, la ministre a annoncé des nouvelles règles pour protéger les consommateurs dans les transactions en matières financières. Les consommateurs vulnérables peuvent souvent s’endetter dans le cadre de ces établissements et cela pose un danger considérable pour leur famille.

Monsieur le Président, est-ce que la ministre peut nous indiquer quels sont les plans de notre gouvernement pour protéger les Ontariens et Ontariennes des prêteurs sur salaire abusifs?

L’hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Tout d’abord, permettez-moi de souhaiter la bienvenue à la nouvelle députée d’Ottawa–Vanier avec nous.

Je suis ravie d’avoir une alliée francophone, et je sais qu’elle fera un excellent travail pour les électeurs de sa circonscription. Nous avons non seulement une nouvelle députée exceptionnelle, mais aussi, j’ajoute, hautement qualifiée, qui s’ajoute à notre gouvernement. Je remercie la députée pour l’excellente question, et je suis consciente que c’est un enjeu important dans sa circonscription.

Monsieur le Président, les consommateurs devraient avoir accès à un marché équitable pour des services financiers qui ne leur créent pas un fardeau déraisonnable. Ce projet de loi, s’il est adopté, renforcera les protections financières des consommateurs. Nous croyons fermement à un marché sûr, équitable et informé pour tous les Ontariens et les Ontariennes.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Merci. Supplementary?

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the minister for her continued work on this issue. It’s very important work for my constituents. I am pleased that our government is taking concrete actions on payday loans, which are something that I hear a lot about in Ottawa–Vanier. I’ve heard the concerns of several members, on both sides of the House, about how payday loans can be a problem and require immediate attention. We know that payday loans are a last resort for many Ontarians, and we need to make sure that the risk of borrowing is reduced.

Can the minister update us and provide further details of her plan to strengthen consumer financial protections?

Hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Again, a big thank-you to the member from Ottawa–Vanier for the supplementary.

If the proposed legislation is passed, a rule-making authority will be able to set out standards that lenders must take into account when determining a borrower’s ability to repay. It will restrict high-frequency borrowing, provide repeat payday loan borrowers with an extended payment plan option, and improve enforcement powers to address unlicensed lenders.

Hospital funding

Mr. Michael Harris: To the Minister of Health: While this government tries to convince Ontarians we’ve turned the corner on ER wait times, a recent initiative from Grand River Hospital paints a different picture. Residents in K-W are being asked to foot the bill themselves to reduce ER wait times since patients are waiting longer than they should. In a letter to neighbours, the hospital foundation indicates that we do not have enough ER doctors to serve our growing community. But it’s not too late.

While the government’s funding has failed to meet ER demands, the letter explains that, “Your gift of $30, $50 or whatever you can ... will help us bring more emergency physicians to Grand River Hospital.”

Can the minister explain why Kitchener-Waterloo residents are being hit up with fundraising letters to support ER needs that her government has failed to provide?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I appreciate the question. What I can tell the member opposite is that, since 2008, when we first introduced our ER strategy to reduce wait times in ERs—we began by actually publishing and making transparent and available to the public what those wait times were, which is something that the party opposite, the official opposition, never did. What we’ve seen since 2008 is an improvement in the wait times and a decrease in the amount of time that Ontarians have to wait in their ERs.

There’s a recent report that I referenced earlier from the Fraser Institute that showed that, in recent years, despite an increasing population, increased visits to our ERs and an aging population with more complex conditions—despite all of that, we are continuing to see a decrease, in the past seven years or eight years, in the wait times both for the high-acuity visits as well as lesser-acuity visits.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Michael Harris: Thanks, Speaker. I’ll send him over a copy of the letter so he knows what I’m talking about.

Just last year, Grand River Hospital had to cut 68 staff, including 23 nurses, due to the government’s lack of support. This year they’re having to go hat in hand to the community just to meet our ER needs. As the fundraising letter explains:

“Over the past few years we’ve tried very hard to cut wait times ... doctors have shifted their hours and staff have ensured efficiencies in patient flow.” While they’ve done their part, the letter notes that “each year the ministry only funds one ER resident and this is not enough to meet our shortage.

“To help cut wait times, please give today.”

Will the minister tell us what we can mark him down for—$30? $50?—or will he provide whatever he can to support ER needs at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener–Waterloo?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Here’s what you can count on me for. You can count on this government for $1.379 million for the Grand River Hospital corporation that I announced just last week, Mr. Speaker. Just last week—almost $1.4 million for Grand River Hospital. That’s in addition to what we announced in our spring budget, which was $345 million, including funding for Grand River, an additional $140 million across this province.

We are committed to our hospitals, as evidenced by the almost 3% increase in operating costs for budgets this year alone. That investment will help with ER wait times. It will help us make even more progress than what the Fraser Institute has demonstrated to us, that we are decreasing wait times to the point where we are among the best in Canada.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Scarborough–Agincourt on a point of order.

Ms. Soo Wong: I have two very special guests here visiting us at Queen’s Park: Pamela Hart and Lisa Powell, from the Anduhyaun native women’s shelter, who are here today for the third annual shoebox drive. I encourage every member to come and participate.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member for Windsor–Tecumseh on a point of order.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: On a point of order, Speaker: I noticed in the public east gallery today the leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Mike Schreiner. Welcome back to Queen’s Park.

Correction of record

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Agriculture on a point of order.

Hon. Jeff Leal: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order: if I might be able to correct my record from this morning, in response to a question from the Leader of the Opposition. He did ask a question to me back on October 8, 2015. I want to make sure the record was corrected.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Essex on a point of order.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: I just noticed two friends from the Laborers’ International Union of North America. Jason Ottey and Jason McMichael are here to join us today to see the proceedings.

Annual report, Auditor General

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that I have today laid upon the table the 2016 annual report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario.

Deferred Votes

Time allocation

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We have a deferred vote on notice of motion number 5, relating to the allocation of time—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I keep hurting my neck turning this way a lot.

Interjection: It’s the new guy.

Interjection: Don’t blame Sam.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): You just threw him under the bus.

We have a deferred vote on notice of motion number 5, relating to the allocation of time in Bill 70,

An Act to implement Budget measures and to enact and amend various statutes. Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1153 to 1158.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): On Tuesday, November 29, 2016, Ms. MacCharles moved government notice of motion 5. All those in favour of the motion, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Jaczek, Helena

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Orazietti, David

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sousa, Charles

Takhar, Harinder S.

Thibeault, Glenn

Vernile, Daiene

Wong, Soo

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Brown, Patrick

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Hatfield, Percy

Hillier, Randy

Jones, Sylvia

MacLeod, Lisa

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norm

Miller, Paul

Munro, Julia

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Scott, Laurie

Singh, Jagmeet

Smith, Todd

Tabuns, Peter

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Yakabuski, John

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 52; the nays are 38.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Motion agreed to.

Putting Consumers First Act (Consumer Protection Statute Law Amendment), 2016 / Loi de 2016 donnant la priorité aux consommateurs (modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne la protection du consommateur)

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

Bill 59,

An Act to enact a new Act with respect to home inspections and to amend various Acts with respect to financial services and consumer protection / Projet de loi 59, Loi édictant une nouvelle loi concernant les inspections immobilières et modifiant diverses lois concernant les services financiers et la protection du consommateur.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We have a deferred vote on the motion for closure on the motion for second reading of Bill 59—

Interjection: Same vote.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Same vote? Same vote.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 52; the nays are 38.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Madame Lalonde has moved second reading of Bill 59,

An Act to enact a new Act with respect to home inspections and to amend various Acts with respect to financial services and consumer protection. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour, please say “aye.”

All those opposed, please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1202 to 1203.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those in favour, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Barrett, Toby

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Brown, Patrick

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Michael

Hatfield, Percy

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Jaczek, Helena

Jones, Sylvia

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

MacLeod, Lisa

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Martins, Cristina

Martow, Gila

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McDonell, Jim

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

McNaughton, Monte

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Miller, Norm

Miller, Paul

Moridi, Reza

Munro, Julia

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Orazietti, David

Pettapiece, Randy

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Scott, Laurie

Singh, Jagmeet

Smith, Todd

Sousa, Charles

Tabuns, Peter

Takhar, Harinder S.

Thibeault, Glenn

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Vernile, Daiene

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Wong, Soo

Yakabuski, John

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 90; the nays are 0.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Second reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Shall the bill be ordered for third reading?

Hon. Marie-France Lalonde: I would ask that the bill be referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): There are no further deferred votes. This House stands recessed until 3 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1205 to 1500.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Any hassles this afternoon and I’m going to call the Sergeant-at-Arms.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I would like to introduce a guest in the members’ gallery: from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex for two terms, Maria Van Bommel.

Members’ Statements

Hydro rates

Ms. Sylvia Jones: I wanted to share with members of the House a letter I received from a constituent of mine about the unaffordability of hydro. They wrote:

“For many like myself and my husband, we are finding it impossible to pay our utilities.... I have been on disability through work for the past two years.

“The employer my husband worked for, for 20 years, shut down and went south of the border. The only work he was able to get pays him barely more than minimum wage.

“We reside in Shelburne. We are so proud when we finally had saved enough to purchase our first house ... 14 years ago.

“Although we do not bring in a lot per year, we are still a few thousand dollars over the low-income threshold for any kind of government assistance with our utilities. Each month we have to decide who to pay.

“Pretty soon we will more than likely end up with one or more utilities being disconnected.

“Life seems bleak right now. Do we pay our utilities and starve without a roof over our heads?

“If something isn’t done soon, then our fine province will end up like Detroit, derelict and abandoned.”

Speaker, just the other day, the Ontario Association of Food Banks stated that many of their users are having difficulty as well affording hydro. This government has forced people to make the difficult choice of whether to eat or pay their skyrocketing hydro bill.

It’s time for the government to provide real relief to thousands of individuals and families like my constituent.

Occupational health and safety

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: It’s my pleasure to rise today on behalf of my constituents of Windsor West, in particular all those working in the skilled trades.

The so-called Building Ontario Up for Everyone Act disrespects those working to actually build Ontario and jeopardizes their health and safety. Bill 70 undermines routine workplace inspections, the process that ensures workers are properly trained and working in a safe environment. It devalues the skilled trades.

At a time when we are encouraging our young women and men to become certified tradespeople, when we are touting the quality of life and satisfaction that the trades will bring our next generation of workers, this Liberal government is hollowing out health and safety legislation and paving the way for privatization. It’s not surprising given that this Liberal government views routine safety checks as a “burden”—their word, not mine.

In an email, the ministry staff stated, “This program would ... reduce the burden of unnecessary processes such as routine inspections.” While this government views routine inspections as a burden, those actually working in the trades view them as essential, a proactive process that prevents injuries, prevents occupational illness and saves lives.

I couldn’t agree more. That’s why New Democrats called for schedules 16 and 17 to be removed from this bill. That’s why New Democrats stood in solidarity with thousands of skilled trade workers outside Queen’s Park this morning and why I’m bringing their concerns before the Legislature this afternoon.

New Democrats don’t just stand with workers when the cameras are flashing—like the Conservatives, who don’t support the College of Trades—we fight for the right to a safe and secure workplace every day inside this chamber, and will continue to do so.

Veterans

Mr. Ted McMeekin: Mr. Speaker, I want to share a statement that was shared by Kamran Bhatti, a representative of the Hamilton Mountain Mosque at the Hamilton Remembrance Day garrison parade. It reads, “885,000 Muslims, including 400,000 Indian Muslims, were recruited by Allied forces to fight in” World War I. “Today there are Muslims serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, including friends of mine from this very city.

“Many of the Muslims who have come to this country, have come from nations where there are no freedoms, transparency or democracy. Our veterans have served our nation to protect these values and remind us what it means to be a Canadian.

“It is because of our veterans that people are able to flee from oppressive regimes, and find refuge and safety here in Canada.

“Veterans remind us of the meaning of responsibility, honour, sacrifice, integrity and selflessness.

“Our veterans define what it means when we say we are all in it together. There is no greater unifying entity in Canada than commemorating those who serve....

“Our veterans are those who came together to protect one nation, one flag. The flag of Canada.

“As a community we need to now commit to serve you as you have served us. This begins with me. I commit to you all to be a servant in any way that I can to assist in any way possible.

“My commitment to you is to continue to promote the values which you fought for. The protection of civil liberties, freedoms, human rights and inclusivity” for all.

GO Transit

Mr. Ted Arnott: Working together for almost a decade, we in Wellington–Halton Hills have been actively pushing for improved GO train service for the residents of our communities, and we’ve made some significant progress. The Acton GO station was reopened in January 2013, giving our area residents another access point for commuter rail service to the greater Toronto area. Additional new trains along what we now call the Kitchener corridor give our Georgetown-area residents greater flexibility for their daily commute.

However, we have not forgotten the promise that was made by the Liberal government in the 2014 election campaign to establish all-day, two-way GO train service between Kitchener and Union Station in downtown Toronto. It was only after the 2014 election was over that the government admitted that they were planning to take 10 years to keep the commitment to two-way, all-day rail service through Wellington–Halton Hills from Kitchener to downtown Toronto.

This demonstration of political cynicism was disappointing to say the least, but it only served to strengthen our resolve. As soon as it was possible to do so after the 2014 election, on July 2, I tabled a private member’s resolution calling on the government to immediately move forward to fulfill their commitment to provide full-day, two-way GO train service on the Kitchener line between Waterloo region and the GTA, with stops in Wellington–Halton Hills. It was one of the first resolutions on the Ontario Legislature’s order paper.

When the new session began in September, I again tabled my private member’s resolution supporting better GO train service. It continues to stand out as one of the very first resolutions on the order paper.

We appreciate the work that Metrolinx staff are doing. Recently, I asked them for an updated briefing on their progress to improve GO train service. That meeting took place at my Queen’s Park office last week.

We call upon the Minister of Transportation to undertake all reasonable efforts to expedite the prerequisites for improved GO train service along the Kitchener line, and in doing so, keep the government’s promise to our community.

Occupational health and safety

Mr. Wayne Gates: This morning, on the front lawn at Queen’s Park, I had the honour of joining more than 4,000 men and women who make fantastic contributions to the Ontario economy. Those 4,000-plus men and women who were outside today are skilled trades workers. They represent the thousands upon thousands of men and women who work every day to make Ontario a better place to live, work and play.

Mr. Speaker, these men and women are represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario. They are represented by the Ontario Pipe Trades Council and Unifor trades. They are represented by the Sheet Metal Workers of Ontario, the United Association: Canadian Piping Trades, and the Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association.

All of these organizations and all of these workers are here today for one reason: They’re here today to tell the Liberal government that the changes they are trying to force through with schedules 16 and 17 of Bill 70 are wrong. Those schedules will reduce the safety of workers, will open up the trades to people who don’t have the necessary training, and will do this all without having consulted those workers who are affected.

Mr. Speaker, we need policies that encourage young people to pursue trades. We need policies that encourage more women to pursue trades. These are jobs that pay well, are mostly unionized, and, because of the taxes they bring in, fund our health care, our education and might even allow us to stop the sale of Hydro One.

It’s time for the Liberals to do the right thing and remove schedules 16 and 17 from Bill 70, work with our skilled trades people instead of against them, and actually take action to encourage more people to become a trades person.

Ontario Municipal Board

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn: Earlier this month, over the course of two weeks, I held two town hall meetings in my riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore on the topic of reform of the Ontario Municipal Board. I had over 120 residents attend. These were people I’ve worked shoulder to shoulder with over the course of the last 25 years, dealing with the issues in our neighbourhoods and communities about how to ensure good planning.

Mr. Speaker, the ideas that were brought forward by my constituents were very thoughtful and well thought out. They were talking about ways to make sure the municipality’s decision-making is respected through the appeal