Ontario Hansard — 20 December 2000 (37th Parliament, 1st Session)
2000-12-20
Ontario — Debates (Hansard)
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December 20, 2000
37th Parliament, 1st Session
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vol. A
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Hansard Transcript 2000-Dec-20 vol. A (PDF)
L122A - Wed 20 Dec 2000 / Mer 20 déc 2000
MEMBERS' STATEMENTS
STATUT LINGUISTIQUE DE VANIER
EDUCATION FUNDING
QUARRYING
MALACHY MCKENNA
LABOUR LEGISLATION
VICTIMS OF CRIME
NORTHERN ONTARIO
SALVATION ARMY
STATUS OF BILL 172
MUNICIPAL RESTRUCTURING
REPORTS BY COMMITTEES
STANDING COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
STANDING COMMITTEE ON
REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR L'ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE
GREATER JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR UNE OBLIGATION ACCRUE DE RENDRE COMPTE
EN CE QUI CONCERNE LES NOMINATIONS
À LA MAGISTRATURE
AUDIT AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR LA VÉRIFICATION
DES COMPTES PUBLICS
DAY NURSERIES
AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR LES GARDERIES
DEMOCRATIC HERITAGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PRESERVATION ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LA PRÉSERVATION
ARCHÉOLOGIQUE DU PATRIMOINE
DÉMOCRATIQUE
WOMEN'S EQUITY ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR L'ÉQUITÉ
À L'ÉGARD DES FEMMES
BRAIN TUMOUR
AWARENESS MONTH ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LE MOIS
DE LA SENSIBILISATION
AUX TUMEURS CÉRÉBRALES
PORTABLE HEART
DEFIBRILLATOR ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LES DÉFIBRILLATEURS
CARDIAQUES PORTATIFS
ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD
AMENDMENT ACT
(ELECTRICITY RATES), 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT
LA
LOI SUR LA COMMISSION
DE L'ÉNERGIE DE L'ONTARIO
(TARIFS D'ÉLECTRICITÉ)
MOTIONS
HOUSE SITTINGS
REFERRAL OF BILL 155
STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY
AND RESPONSES
GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA
DEFERRED VOTES
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LES NORMES D'EMPLOI
LABOUR RELATIONS
AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR LES RELATIONS DE TRAVAIL
MINISTRY OF TRAINING,
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
STATUTE LAW AMENDMENT ACT, 2000
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT DES LOIS
EN CE QUI A TRAIT
AU MINISTÈRE DE LA FORMATION
ET DES COLLÈGES ET UNIVERSITÉS
ORAL QUESTIONS
EDUCATION
HOMELESSNESS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
PARTICULATE EMISSIONS
CHILD PROTECTION
IPPERWASH PROVINCIAL PARK
WIARTON WILLIE
IPPERWASH PROVINCIAL PARK
HIGHWAY SAFETY
AMUSEMENT DEVICES
ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS
AUTISM SERVICES
DOCTOR SHORTAGE
ORDERS OF THE DAY
BALANCED BUDGETS
FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000
SUR DES BUDGETS ÉQUILIBRÉS
POUR UN AVENIR MEILLEUR
BALANCED BUDGETS
FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000
SUR DES BUDGETS ÉQUILIBRÉS
POUR UN AVENIR MEILLEUR
No. 122A N o 122A
ISSN 1180-2987
Legislative Assembly Assemblée législative
of Ontario de l'Ontario
First Session, 37 th Parliament Première session, 37 e législature
Official Report Journal
of Debates des débats
(Hansard) (Hansard)
Wednesday 20 December 2000 Mercredi 20 décembre 2000
Speaker Président
Honourable Gary Carr L'honorable Gary Carr
Clerk Greffier
Claude L. DesRosiers Claude L. DesRosiers
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Publié par l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE
OF ONTARIO DE L'ONTARIO
Wednesday 20 December 2000 Mercredi 20 décembre 2000
The House met at 1330.
Prayers.
MEMBERS' STATEMENTS
STATUT LINGUISTIQUE DE VANIER
M me Claudette Boyer (Ottawa-Vanier) : Hier soir, j'ai participé à la toute dernière réunion du conseil de ville de Vanier.
The Vanier city council unanimously and enthusiastically adopted the following resolution, which I will summarize for the purpose of this statement:
Attendu que la région d'Ottawa-Carleton compte un très grand nombre de francophones et francophiles qui contribuent largement à son épanouissement et à son développement ; et
Il est alors résolu que la ville de Vanier demande au conseil municipal de la nouvelle ville d'Ottawa de déclarer celle-ci officiellement bilingue afin de faire en sorte que la nouvelle ville d'Ottawa soit représentative d'un Canada où les deux peuples fondateurs sont traités de façon juste et équitable.
Il est de plus résolu qu'une copie de cette résolution soit envoyée à l'honorable Mike Harris, le premier ministre de l'Ontario, et à l'honorable John Baird, le ministre délégué aux Affaires francophones.
La résolution a également été envoyée à d'autres politiciens et politiciennes de la région d'Ottawa, ainsi qu'à des représentants et représentantes d'organisations francophones, les encourageant à mettre davantage de pression auprès du premier ministre et de son ministre délégué aux Affaires francophones.
Il est malheureux de constater qu'en décembre dernier, le premier ministre a manqué une chance en or de donner suite à la résolution numéro 4 du rapport Shortliffe. Il aurait ainsi démontré aux francophones qu'il croyait en nous et notre cause.
EDUCATION FUNDING
Mr Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): Yesterday I introduced a resolution urging this House to introduce legislation that would provide tax credits equivalent to the cost of tuition to people who send their children to private school, including religious schools. This is a fair thing to do. A recent Gallup Canada survey indicated that 80% of people in Ontario favour the provincial government providing at least some support for non-public or other religious schools.
As you are aware, a United Nations human rights committee recently ruled that this province is violating human rights by funding Roman Catholic schools but not funding the schools of other religious groups. The same survey showed that 70% of the people of this province think Ontario should respond by extending funding to other groups.
It is not a question of educational equality, that somehow the public school system is not good enough. It's simply that public schools are like everything else in society: they cannot be everything to everyone. Parents have long realized this. Independent schools flourish because of this.
This resolution puts the fairness back into the system. We are not asking this government to fund these schools. No, we are asking for a tax credit equivalent to tuition, a tax credit that we give so easily to other organizations.
Parents have the primary responsibility for directing the education of their children. Government protects the public interest by establishing educational standards. Democracy blooms through educational diversity and choice. It is in the best interests of society for government to provide fair funding for all students receiving an education that meets the standards for realizing the public good.
I have a school here today, Timothy Christian, and they will be in here later.
QUARRYING
Mrs Leona Dombrowsky (Hastings-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington): This government has presented Ontario's Living Legacy as a document that will protect wilderness areas throughout the province. In my riding of Hastings-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, however, an aggregate permit application has been made for a quarry within a conservation reserve.
Mellon Lake residents were flabbergasted to learn that the Living Legacy document has been written in such a way as to grandfather quarrying permits, including this one near an environmentally sensitive region. Residents have very serious concerns, as this site is close to the home of rare plants and animals such as the prairie warbler, the five-lined skink and the little prickly pear cactus, the most northern cactus in North America.
The Ontario Living Legacy, a document the government presents as the protector of our great Ontario wilderness, may not offer the protection that the government indicates. The residents of Mellon Lake have asked for an environmental assessment and a review to ensure that quarrying activity would not endanger this sensitive region. The ministry has been reviewing this request since July, and still no decision has been made.
The Mellon Lake area holds some of Ontario's most unique environmental treasures. If the Living Legacy document is worth the paper it is written on, I urge the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of the Environment to work together, grant an environmental assessment and protect Ontario's wilderness.
MALACHY MCKENNA
Mr Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant): Today I wish to talk about a young Irish man who is entertaining his homeland with stories from a tobacco bunkhouse -- a structure that can be found all over my riding in tobacco country.
Malachy McKenna is an Irish playwright who spent years toiling in the tobacco fields of Norfolk, through the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers' Marketing Board's student exchange program. It was in the fields and in the bunkhouse at the farm of Marius and Maryanne Vanbesien that Mr McKenna learned about himself, learned about people from different cultures and the fact people truly are the same the world over. These are the things local young people and exchange students learn during the summer months throughout Ontario's tobacco belt.
Aside from the importance of hard work, which sees one up at the crack of dawn, in an interview with our daily, the Simcoe Reformer, Mr McKenna said it was impossible to put a price on the value of the experience he had as a student working the Ontario tobacco harvest. I think a person like Stompin' Tom Connors would say the same thing.
I'm looking forward to McKenna's play and reminiscing about my years as a tobacco primer in the tobacco fields. I commend the Vanbesien family for providing Mr McKenna, and through him providing people in Ireland, the stories of his wonderful learning experience that is now gaining international attention.
LABOUR LEGISLATION
Mr Dominic Agostino (Hamilton East): Later this afternoon this Legislature is going to be passing some of the most regressive anti-working-people legislation in the history of Ontario. Thanks to Mike Harris, Ontarians will now be forced to work 60 hours a week. Thanks to Mike Harris, Ontarians will work more hours for less overtime.
This piece of legislation attacks the most vulnerable workers in our province -- students, young people, new Canadians -- individuals who are often not represented by labour unions. This legislation is simply a gift, a Christmas gift, to big business, to those friends of Mike Harris who purchase tickets to go to fundraising dinners and who lobby this government. Instead of protecting vulnerable workers, Mike Harris today, with this legislation, is going to expose five million Ontarians to difficulties in the workplace, to harassment, to working more hours for less money, making it harder to organize, making it easier to decertify.
This is a disgraceful, disgraceful day in the history of Ontario. Many of the gains that have been made in the last 50 years are going to be wiped out with this legislation that Mike Harris is bringing in today. The last time we had a 60-hour workweek in Ontario was in 1940. Instead of moving forward, this government has turned the clock back 60 years. You should be ashamed of yourselves. It's a disgraceful performance by a government that is catering to big business, abandoning the most vulnerable workers in Ontario. It's a sad day for labour, a sad day for Ontario, but most of all a sad day for working people in this province.
VICTIMS OF CRIME
Mr David Young (Willowdale): On the evening of March 19, 1997, a constituent of mine was attacked and savagely beaten with a baseball bat as he slept in his home. The majority of the blows were to his head and in particular his face. The culprit then stole money and took my constituent's truck as he fled.
My constituent spent five days in intensive care, underwent five surgical procedures and spent months in a rehabilitation facility where he learned once again how to eat, how to drink, how to walk, how to adjust to life with sight in only one eye.
The criminal trial took three years to complete, three years which were ultimately counted against the imposed sentence as time served. Three different judges presided over this matter. The case was remanded on 21 occasions, often because the correct paperwork was not always available.
My constituent was not allowed to make a victim's impact statement because the lawyer for the culprit successfully argued that such a statement would just be far too personal.
It is said that justice delayed is justice denied. Justice was indeed eventually done in this case, but no victim, nor their family, deserves to be put through this kind of protracted suffering by our judicial system. No victim, nor their family, should be prevented from sharing with the court the details of what happened to them and how it has impacted upon their lives.
NORTHERN ONTARIO
Mr Rick Bartolucci (Sudbury): We all know that Santa is from the north. Last night, when I was on House duty, he passed by the Legislature, dropped in and asked me if I would give out some presents for him because he was on his way back in order to make sure that everything's ready for Christmas Eve.
The first present that Santa and people from the North want me to deliver is to the Minister of Citizenship and Culture. Because this is our millennium year, we want her to remember this year, so Santa would like her to have an autographed copy of this book. I'm going to ask my elf Dwight to bring it over to the minister.
For the Minister of Transportation, who says the roads in Ontario are so good, we want him to have some salt in case he travels the roads of northern Ontario. We know he will need this. I'm going to ask my elf Marie to deliver this to the minister.
In the spirit of co-operation that's beginning to exist in this House, I'm going to present the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing with a blank cheque made out to the city of greater Sudbury. All he has to do is fill in the amount and sign it. I'm going to ask Dwight to make sure he brings that across and ask the minister to return the cheque immediately.
You know, there is a good relationship developing between me and the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. Because I want to ensure that he comes to Sudbury often, I'm providing him with what's called the one perfect gift. It's a map of northern Ontario so he won't get lost along the way. I'm going to ask elf Marie to bring it over.
I have a framed original for the Minister of Health. It's a framed original of the petition to the Ontario Legislature to end health care apartheid. Santa wants the Minister of Health to look at this framed original over the holidays, and hopefully it will affect any decisions she makes. Elf Dwight?
We have a gift for the Premier. It's a golf T-shirt, because we know he'll probably be doing some golfing over the holidays. This golf T-shirt says, "Cancer Tumours Don't Know the Meaning of Re-referral: Northern Cancer Patients Want Equality." I'm going to ask elf Marie to bring this over.
Finally, Speaker, Santa is very concerned about your voice and your having to shout over members in the Legislature, so Santa's providing you with the official Speaker whistle. I would ask elf John, who never heckles, to present it to you.
Finally, we want to wish everyone a very happy, safe, joyful Christmas, from the people of northern Ontario to every member in the House.
SALVATION ARMY
Ms Marilyn Mushinski (Scarborough Centre): Recently the Salvation Army approached me to assist them in finding warehouse space for their Christmas toy drive distribution centre. The Salvation Army, as many of you in this House know, plays an important role in my community in ensuring that needy children and families can share in the magic of Christmas.
I am proud to inform this House that with the help of a generous local business, 23,000 square feet of warehouse space was found and located in Scarborough.
The Salvation Army toy drive expects to assist 20,000 needy children this year. The residents of Scarborough provide 70% of the volunteers at the toy depot and donated approximately 30% of the 100,000 toys collected this year.
Minister Margaret Marland has established the $30-million early years challenge fund to assist Ontario's most vulnerable and impressionable children. Mike Harris offered to assist in ensuring that every child in Ontario receives a toy at Christmas. I ask the members of this House and the people of Ontario to help them help Ontario's needy children by contributing to the Salvation Army's toy drive. The army desperately needs toys for girls aged three to 10. They suggest Barbie dolls, stuffed toys, craft kits, children's videos, cassette players and board games.
Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Tilley of the Salvation Army is in the members' gallery today. Please join me in showing our collective appreciation for the good work the army performs all year, and especially for needy children and their families during this season. Merry Christmas to all.
STATUS OF BILL 172
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Maybe I'll read this before the last statement.
Therefore, pursuant to subsection 3(2) of the French Language Services Act and standing order 33(d), the bill will be removed from the Orders and Notices paper.
I apologize for the inconvenience of that.
MUNICIPAL RESTRUCTURING
Ms Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I'm glad to see the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is here, because we have a little message for him this Christmas season. We say, "Ho, ho, ho, where's the dough for Sudbury, Tony?" It's time for Minister Clement to show a little Christmas spirit and produce a $24-million cheque for the new city of Sudbury so we can pay for the transition costs that have been forced upon us by this government through its forced restructuring of our region.
Minister, you would know that it has now been one full year since your government passed Bill 25, which forced restructuring on our community, and in all of that time you have not committed to pay the restructuring costs that come from this scheme. One whole year and you have yet to publicly announce whether or not you are going to pick up the entire tab, never mind producing the cold, hard cash in order to do so.
Minister, it's now been not one, but two Christmases since you let this matter pass. You are making Scrooge look good on this one. We say to you that it's time to put your money where your mouth is during this Christmastime and produce the cash, especially now, because the transition costs have doubled from $12 million to $24 million. There's no reason in the world why those property taxpayers in the city of greater Sudbury should have to pick this up.
This is your bill; you forced it upon us. Produce the $24 million to pay the transition costs in Sudbury.
REPORTS BY COMMITTEES
STANDING COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): I beg to inform the House that today the Clerk received the 16th report of the standing committee on government agencies. Pursuant to standing order 106(e), the report is deemed to be adopted by the House.
STANDING COMMITTEE ON
REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS
Ms Frances Lankin (Beaches-East York): I beg leave to present a report from the standing committee on regulations and private bills and move this adoption.
Clerk at the Table (Ms Lisa Freedman): Your committee begs to report the following bill without amendments, Bill Pr34,
An Act respecting the University of St Jerome's College.
Your committee further recommends that the fees and the actual cost of printing at all stages be remitted on Bill Pr34,
An Act respecting the University of St Jerome's College.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed.
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR L'ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE
Mr Murdoch moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 178,
An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act / Projet de loi 178, Loi modifiant la
Loi sur l'Assemblée législative.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement.
Mr Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): It is my pleasure today to introduce a second amendment to the Ontario Legislative Assembly Act.
I believe that it is an amendment that makes common sense out of a ticklish issue that we faced recently, the salaries of the MPPs. If passed, this act will see Ontario's Integrity Commissioner, a man appointed after consultations with all political parties, to be the one who determines how much members of this House will be paid.
I believe that a truly impartial figure is the only one who should be setting the pay schedules of politicians. I believed this when I was the reeve of Sydenham township, I believed this when I was warden of Grey county and I believe it now.
That's why the Ontario Legislative Assembly Amendment Act, 2000, if passed, also contains a provision that all municipalities in Ontario can opt into using the Integrity Commissioner's services in this manner: an impartial look at a thorny issue.
Also, Mr Speaker, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to introduce my resolution yesterday, that, in the opinion of this House, the government of Ontario should introduce legislation that would provide tax credits equivalent to the cost of tuition to people who send their children to private schools, including religious schools.
GREATER JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR UNE OBLIGATION ACCRUE DE RENDRE COMPTE
EN CE QUI CONCERNE LES NOMINATIONS
À LA MAGISTRATURE
Mr Wood moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 179,
An Act to provide for greater accountability in judicial appointments / Projet de loi 179, Loi visant à accroître l'obligation de rendre compte en ce qui concerne les nominations à la magistrature.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?
All those in favour will please say "aye."
All those opposed will please say "nay."
In my opinion, the ayes have it. Carried.
The member for a short statement?
The office of the legislative counsel has apologized for this error and advises that they have developed a procedure to ensure that such an error will not happen again.
AUDIT AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR LA VÉRIFICATION
DES COMPTES PUBLICS
Mr Gerretsen moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 180,
An Act to amend the Audit Act to insure greater accountability of hospitals, universities and colleges, municipalities and other organizations which receive grants or other transfer payments from the government or agencies of the Crown / Projet de loi 180, Loi modifiant la
Loi sur la vérification des comptes publics afin d'assurer une responsabilité accrue de la part des hôpitaux, des universités et collèges, des municipalités et d'autres organisations qui reçoivent des subventions ou d'autres paiements de transfert du gouvernement ou d'organismes de la Couronne.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement?
Mr John Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands): The purpose of the bill is to enable the Provincial Auditor to have access to the financial records of crown agencies, grant recipients and crown-controlled corporations. The auditor is authorized to audit the financial statements of grant recipients. Auxiliary provisions are included making it an offence to obstruct the auditor's mandate, to allow the auditor to examine people under oath and to require information to be kept confidential.
It's important that the Legislative Assembly, through its officer the Provincial Auditor, holds grant recipients, including
schedule A agencies, completely and totally accountable.
DAY NURSERIES
AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR LES GARDERIES
Mr Lalonde moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 181,
An Act to amend the Day Nurseries Act to allow up to seven children to be cared for in rural areas without requiring a licence under the Act / Projet de loi 181, Loi modifiant la
Loi sur les garderies afin d'autoriser, dans les régions rurales, la garde de sept enfants au plus sans devoir obtenir un permis prévu par la Loi.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement?
Mr Jean-Marc Lalonde (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell): I was prompted to bring forward this bill when I was approached by many concerned young families in my riding, as well as a follow-up letter from the mayor of the municipality of Nation, who expressed their concern for the availability of daycare facilities for children in rural areas.
A large part of my riding, as well as many others, is rural. Access to public daycare is non-existent and access to private home daycare is limited due to restrictions in place under the present legislation of the Day Nurseries Act.
The purpose of the amendment I have proposed today is to exempt day nurseries and private home daycare agencies that receive or provide care for no more than seven children from the licence requirements of the act if the nurseries or agencies are located in a rural area or in a town or village with a population of fewer than 3,000.
I feel the proposed change for premises to receive up to seven children in their care, rather than five, will provide some relief for young families in rural communities.
DEMOCRATIC HERITAGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PRESERVATION ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LA PRÉSERVATION
ARCHÉOLOGIQUE DU PATRIMOINE
DÉMOCRATIQUE
Mr Marchese moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 182,
An Act to ensure the preservation of the site of Toronto's first parliament buildings / Projet de loi 182, Loi visant à assurer la préservation du site des premiers édifices parlementaires de Toronto.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement?
Mr Rosario Marchese (Trinity-Spadina): The bill is intended to ensure the preservation of the site of Toronto's Parliament Buildings, built in 1798 and
Section 2 provides that the site is deemed to have been designated under
part VI.
Section 3 provides that the minister responsible for the administration of that act shall ensure that a full archaeological excavation and investigation is conducted and shall promote the purchase of the site and its donation to the city of Toronto, the construction of a museum and the provision of operating funds for the museum.
WOMEN'S EQUITY ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR L'ÉQUITÉ
À L'ÉGARD DES FEMMES
Mrs Bountrogianni moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 183,
An Act to establish real equality for women in the province of Ontario and to provide the essential benefits required to promote equal access to opportunity / Projet de loi 183, Loi établissant une véritable égalité pour les femmes de l'Ontario et fournissant les avantages essentiels à la promotion de l'égalité des chances.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement?
Mrs Marie Bountrogianni (Hamilton Mountain): The purpose of the bill is to establish real equality for women in the province of Ontario and to provide the essential benefits needed to promote equal access to opportunity for women.
The government of Ontario should:
(
a) move toward the reality of pay equity with equal pay for equal work as outlined in existing legislation;
(
b) ensure that existing laws are complied with;
(
c) introduce one year paternity leave for new parents;
(
d) address the problem of violence against women and implement the emergency measures introduced by the cross-sectoral violence against women strategy group;
(
e) reinvest in the essential services for women, such as health care, counselling, legal aid, neighbourhood and community supports, emergency shelters, crises lines and second-stage housing; and
(
f) promote equality of women in Ontario so that gender, race, ethnicity, economic status or education attainment do not provide a barrier to employment opportunity.
BRAIN TUMOUR
AWARENESS MONTH ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LE MOIS
DE LA SENSIBILISATION
AUX TUMEURS CÉRÉBRALES
Mr Wood moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 184,
An Act to encourage awareness of the need for the early detection and treatment of brain tumours / Projet de loi 184, Loi visant à favoriser la sensibilisation à la nécessité du dépistage et du traitement précoces des tumeurs cérébrales.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement?
Mr Bob Wood (London West): This bill points out that early detection and treatment of brain tumours is vital to survive this devastating disease. Brain tumours strike people of all ages, from newborns to seniors, crossing all economic, social and ethnic boundaries in all walks of life. Brain tumour research, patient and family support services and awareness among the general public are essential to promote early detection and treatment of brain tumours. The bill proposes that the month of October in each year be proclaimed Brain Tumour Awareness Month.
I'm introducing this bill now to give the public a chance to tell us whether or not they think its passage would help in fighting brain tumours.
PORTABLE HEART
DEFIBRILLATOR ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LES DÉFIBRILLATEURS
CARDIAQUES PORTATIFS
Mr Colle moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 185,
An Act to help save the lives of Ontarians who suffer from cardiac arrest by promoting the widespread availability and use of portable heart defibrillators in public places / Projet de loi 185, Loi visant à contribuer à sauver la vie des Ontariens qui souffrent d'un arrêt cardiaque en promouvant la disponibilité et l'usage généralisés de défibrillateurs cardiaques portatifs dans les lieux publics.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement?
Mr Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence): The bill would require that portable heart defibrillators be made available and installed in significant public buildings, including privately owned buildings such as shopping centres, arenas and stadiums that have significant public access.
These portable defibrillators are about the size of a laptop computer. They cost about the same amount as a laptop computer. The United States has just passed similar legislation. This will save thousands of lives in the province of Ontario if one day we have these as readily available, hopefully, as we have fire extinguishers. I hope we get one here as soon as possible.
ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD
AMENDMENT ACT
(ELECTRICITY RATES), 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT
LA
LOI SUR LA COMMISSION
DE L'ÉNERGIE DE L'ONTARIO
(TARIFS D'ÉLECTRICITÉ)
Mr Lalonde moved first reading of the following bill:
Bill 186,
An Act to amend the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 to provide for protection against increases in the rates charged for the distribution of electricity / Projet de loi 186, Loi modifiant la Loi de 1998 sur la Commission de l'énergie de l'Ontario de façon à prévoir une protection contre les augmentations des tarifs exigés pour la distribution d'électricité.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
The member for a short statement?
Mr Jean-Marc Lalonde (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell): This bill amends the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, to limit increases that the Ontario Energy Board can approve or affix in the rates that distributors charge for distributing electricity to consumers.
As a result of subsection 78(2) of the act, a distributor cannot distribute electricity unless the Ontario Energy Board has made an order under
section 78 approving or fixing the distribution rates. Also, any increases are limited to the percentage annual increase in the consumer price index for Canada for prices of all items as published by Statistics Canada. This bill will protect Ontario consumers against sharp increases.
MOTIONS
HOUSE SITTINGS
Hon Norman W. Sterling (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Minister of Correctional Services, Government House Leader): I move that, pursuant to standing order 9(c)(iii), the House shall meet until 12 midnight on Wednesday, December 20, 2000, for the purpose of considering government business.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?
All those in favour of the motion will please say "aye."
All those opposed will please say "nay."
In my opinion, the ayes have it. Carried.
REFERRAL OF BILL 155
Hon Norman W. Sterling (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Minister of Correctional Services, Government House Leader): I move that, pursuant to standing order 72(a), the order for second reading of Bill 155,
An Act to provide civil remedies for organized crime and other unlawful activities, be discharged and the bill be referred to the standing committee on justice and social policy.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.
STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY
AND RESPONSES
GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA
Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier): This past September, I outlined a program of continued progress and sustained growth for the people of this province. That program can be described in seven words: more to do to keep Ontario strong.
Today, as we prepare to return to our families and constituencies for the holiday season, I'm pleased to report that we have met the objectives we set for the fall and for the entire year.
In the past year, we have continued our drive to replace an outdated and financially troubled health care system with a modern system that is accessible to all. We have continued to invest in quality education and to expand results-oriented educational opportunities for our young people. We have continued to ease the burden on the taxpayers of Ontario by returning some of their hard-earned money to them.
We have continued with our aggressive welfare reforms, replacing a handout with a hand up. We have continued to stand behind our men and women in uniform. With them, we have worked to create safer streets and communities throughout the entire province of Ontario. We have taken strong new actions to protect Ontario's environment for today and again for generations to come. We've asked the people of this province to join in a partnership that will build a brighter future for all of Ontario's children. In short, we're keeping our promises, we're honouring our commitments, we're doing what we said we would do, and we will continue to do this.
Today, Ontario is once again leading the nation in producing jobs and prosperity. From September 1995 to August 2000, more than 725,000 jobs were created in Ontario. Since meeting that target, an additional 105,000 jobs have been created, putting us on target to keep our Blueprint commitment to create 825,000 net new jobs over the next five years.
The province is indeed on track to achieving its second consecutive budgetary surplus. Thanks to the Taxpayer Protection and Balanced Budget Act, passed in December 1999, the hard-earned money of Ontario taxpayers is now protected by law.
This year, we once again gave much-needed tax relief to the hard-working taxpayers of Ontario. We promised to return more than $1 billion to Ontario taxpayers in the form of personal income tax rebates. Today, I'm proud to report that almost 5 million Ontario taxpayers have received their cheques.
Our efforts to reduce taxes have drawn praise from experts and leaders of all political stripes, including Prime Minister Chrétien. Recently, the Prime Minister told an audience in the United States: "Our tax system is now very competitive with that of the Americans. If you look at Ontario, the income tax, federal and provincial, is competitive with New York, Michigan, California and the state of Washington." Thank you, Mr Prime Minister, for recognizing Ontario's leadership in cutting taxes.
To help taxpayers keep even more of their hard-earned income, we introduced in November the Balanced Budgets for Brighter Futures Act. The act would enable the Ontario government to reduce personal provincial income tax rates, without interference from the federal government.
For our economy to attract new investment and create even more jobs, a balance must be struck between employers and employees in the workplace. The Labour Relations Amendment Act, introduced in November, is meant to create that balance by strengthening the right of employees to choose whether they want to be represented by a union, and by requiring union bosses earning more than $100,000 a year to disclose their incomes, paralleling the public service and broader public service. We've also taken steps to extend parental leave for working families and create fair and modern standards in the workplace.
Since we took office, 568,742 Ontarians have left the province's welfare rolls. This is not an abstract number; rather, it represents 568,742 personal success stories. To help even more people to escape that trap, we've been exploring ways to help those who've had trouble finding work because of substance abuse problems. This government will not turn its back on anyone who needs a hand moving from welfare to work.
The people of Ontario expect and the people of Ontario deserve modern health care. That's why our team continues to reform and improve our province's health care system. Even in the face of unilateral funding cuts by the federal government, we've increased health care spending operating funding by $4.4 billion since taking office, including $850 million for Ontario's hospitals this year alone in increased funding.
In the past several months, we've continued to lead the nation in health reform by making landmark changes to the way people use the health care system. Our goal? Better access to the care provided by doctors and nurses, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
We are creating Telehealth Ontario to give people in the 416 and 905 areas access to round-the-clock health information and advice from a registered nurse. We have kept our commitment to increase access to quality health care in northern Ontario with the enhancement of dialysis and cancer care centres and hospital services throughout the region. We have laid the cornerstone for the health care system of the future with the introduction of legislation to protect the privacy of personal health information of the people of Ontario.
We will be announcing additional health reforms in the coming year.
There can be no greater gift than the gift of life. That's why, through the Trillium Gift of Life Network Act, we hope to make it easier for individuals to give the gift of a vitally needed organ or tissue to a loved one, to a neighbour or to a fellow Ontarian.
This government continues to fight for the right of all our children to get a quality education. That's why we developed a new curriculum, from kindergarten to grade 12. That's why we now require province-wide testing and standards for students. That's why we'll be implementing province-wide testing for our teachers.
We've made major changes, and today our children are learning more and they're performing better. The results of the most recent International Mathematics and Science Study demonstrates that our reforms are working. In the past five years, Ontario students have made significant progress in both math and science when compared to school children in other countries. Ontario students are now better prepared to compete and excel in a knowledge-driven world. There is still more to do, but our education reforms, and our kids, are now definitely on the right track.
We are determined that Ontario's school children receive a first-class education, inside and outside the classroom. We have been fair and reasonable with the unions representing our teachers. Progress is being made and many boards have reached agreements with their teachers. But in the time ahead, as we strive toward promoting co-instructional activities in all boards and all schools, parents and families can count on this government to stand by them.
We are also working for choice and we are working for excellence in higher education. That's why our proposed Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act will give students an expanded opportunity for post-secondary education by permitting the establishment of private degree-granting universities in Ontario.
From the outset this government has come down solidly on the side of law-abiding citizens, on the side of victims of crime, on the side of the men and women in uniform throughout this province who uphold the law. In this session we introduced the Domestic Violence Protection Act and the Victims' Bill of Rights Amendment Act, because for too long the scales of justice in our country have tipped in favour of the offender.
In October we introduced legislation banning the sale of imitation handguns to those under 18, to better protect the public and the police. The Remedies for Organized Crime and Other Unlawful Activities Act, if passed, would take the profit out of unlawful activity by hitting organized crime where it hurts -- in the wallet. The Corrections Accountability Act will ensure that any reduction in an inmate's sentence is earned and that offenders stay drug-free. We are also working to give victims of crime a greater say in parole hearings of our offenders and to protect our children and young people from sexual exploitation.
The tragic events of Walkerton have served as a wake-up call for all of us. To ensure that the right lessons are learned and such tragedies do not occur again, we have introduced a province-wide drinking water protection regulation, one that sets tough standards for large waterworks and is considered the toughest in Canada.
We have also passed the Toughest Environmental Penalties Act, giving the Ontario government the power to impose on all major polluters the largest fines and longest jail terms in Canada.
To preserve our natural heritage, we have announced a $100-million investment in Ontario's Living Legacy, the largest expansion of protected natural areas in our province's history.
Finally, our team has taken positive action in what is perhaps the most important matter of all: our children. In November, I announced the creation of Ontario's Promise, the partnership for children and youth. At its heart, Ontario's Promise is about creating new partnerships to help us do more for our children by working together. To date, Ontario's Promise has enlisted eight new corporate partners with total commitments of $23 million. To further promote creative partnerships for children, we announced the launch of the $30-million early years challenge fund earlier this month.
In September, our team renewed its drive for more efficient government, for more jobs, for lower taxes, for safer streets, for a cleaner environment, for higher education standards and for better health care.
In short, we continued to champion the principles of the Common Sense Revolution. Throughout the fall and throughout this year, these principles have guided every action this government has taken.
The voters of Ontario support the principles of the Common Sense Revolution because these principles have returned hope and they've returned growth and they've returned opportunity to this province. They have restored fiscal responsibility to the government of this province and they have restored good government to the people of this province.
But while we have accomplished much, the work of fixing government, of reforming government, of improving government goes on. Since our election, we have accomplished much, including the achievements of a very busy and productive fall, but there is still more to do to keep Ontario strong.
That's why in the coming session we will continue to put forth on behalf of the people of Ontario an agenda based on continued progress, not complacency, an agenda based on sustained growth, not the status quo. That's why we will continue to keep our promises and to honour our commitments. In short, we will continue to do what we said we would do. The Common Sense Revolution will continue.
That revolution will keep our province at the forefront of economic growth and job creation. It will raise the bar for quality education and modern, affordable and accessible health care. It will continue to enhance and expand our parks and our wilderness areas. And it will provide a cleaner environment and safer streets and communities for all of our citizens. Together, these efforts will maintain and enhance a quality of life second to none in the world.
Mr Speaker, I understand this is scheduled to be the last of this Legislature before the holiday season. I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank all of the members of the Legislature who have contributed to a very productive session and wish all members and their families and their staff and their staff's families, including all of the officers of the Legislature, from the Clerk and the Clerk's office to the pages, to wish you all a very happy holiday season and a very healthy and prosperous new year.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Responses?
Mrs Sandra Pupatello (Windsor West): The Premier of Ontario has a very selective memory. Do you know how we started this session this year in January? You had the resignation of your Tory MPP over your broken promise and forced amalgamation in the Hamilton area. That resulted in our new member, Ted McMeekin, joining the Ontario Liberal Party. We forgot to talk about that: a 20,000-vote move in just a few short months. That's what the Ontario voters said about the Mike Harris agenda. We're forgetting to tell the people what has happened in Ontario in this last year.
In the spring session of this year, we brought to this Legislature the scandals at the ORC. We remember the Ontario Realty Corp scandals. Now we have yet another OPP investigation under the Mike Harris government.
We talked about the Premier's own attendance record in this House and we demand it be 100%, but so far you're less than 35% attendance during question period, when you're to be held accountable to the people of Ontario. That's what we expect of the Premier. That's not what we got this year out of the Premier of Ontario.
I ask you some very basic questions. In this last year, is our health care system better? Our party knows the answer is no. We had to suffer through and watch day to day the Fleuelling inquiry after a young man died at the hands of the emergency system of our hospitals in the greater Toronto area, something that should never have happened. But thanks to cuts to the hospital system, we left that young man wanting. It shouldn't have happened, and that was under your watch, Premier. You forgot to talk about Mr Fleuelling, who's not here to celebrate Christmas with his family.
I ask you, are the schools in Ontario better? Our party knows that the answer to that is no. We have today an entire generation of young people, high school attendees, who have never known peace in their high school, who have never known what it would be like to have government and school boards and teachers and parents and students actually get along for the betterment of education. Today we have our fifth, final year of more war in the classroom. We heard that yesterday by our own Minister of Education talking about "capitulation," another war term. That's not what our students deserve, but that's what our students got for yet another year.
I ask this question: is the environment better in Ontario this year? We watch day to day the Walkerton inquiry. At the hands of what system and whose responsibility is it that seven people are not in the province to celebrate Christmas this year? We watched with interest: what role did the Ontario government have to play in cuts to the Ministry of the Environment that may have cost those people their lives?
Those are the questions we asked you all this year. Those are not the answers we got this year. Instead we got a litany of photo ops, of the Minister of Community and Social Services, the one cabinet minister who's supposed to be respectful and helpful to the poor, out on a photo op rampage, throwing needles on the ground in a big show of being tough on poor people. We're embarrassed by that kind of behaviour by a minister. It shouldn't happen, but it happened under your watch this year. You forgot to talk about poor people, Mike Harris. That's part of your job.
We ask you the question: is the environment any better? Did you come with more forceful rules? We have no more people in the Ministry of the Environment to enforce those rules. What good is better law, are better fines, if we don't have the individuals to enforce those fines or rules?
We ask those questions because the people of Ontario ask those very same questions. In light of the Walkerton inquiry, these were your words: "What we promise you is rules around agriculture operations." Did we get rules in agriculture operations? We didn't get rules about agriculture operations, and those were your words.
You promised an Ontario disability act. I ask the caucus, did we get an Ontario disability act? We still have disabled people in Ontario who are asking this government for help to lead a full life in this province, and you've let them down. One more year of no action on the part of people with disabilities. I ask the Speaker, could we have more of a Premier who doesn't give us the answers? We, the Ontario Liberal Party and Dalton McGuinty, will keep you to account on behalf of all the people of Ontario.
Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): Speaker, the Premier started out his statement by boasting about Ontario's over $1-billion surplus.
He started out the fall session by saying his government was going to do all it could to put an end to violence against women. One hundred and thirty women's groups came here and gave this government a long list of things they could do and need to do to ensure that no more women die as a result of domestic violence. We need to recount that this government told those 130 women's organizations to basically leave, that there was nothing this government was prepared to do. And do you know what?
This government was honest about that, because the only thing they've done with respect to violence against women is to pass a piece of legislation that will allow an abuser to keep an arsenal of weapons. That is their response to the over 40 women, on average, in this province who die as a result of violence in the home.
When a government has over $1 billion in surplus you would think we should be celebrating here today that a government has made an investment to do something about that problem. Instead, we are pointing out that this is a government that has done virtually nothing about that problem.
The Premier talks about improving our education system. Well, the Premier should go out there and talk to the tens of thousands of parents who have children who need special education, who have need for special education and can't get it because the budget isn't there to meet the needs of all the children in Ontario who need and deserve special education.
Or the Premier should go out and talk to all of the parents who are now dealing with high school students who are saying, "School really isn't very interesting any more since we don't have extracurricular activities, since the things that made school interesting and attractive and created some energy around the school have gone." And why have they gone?
They've gone because this government, this government that claims to know everything about education, insisted that they were going to ram through legislation that has resulted in teachers being able to say, "If I have to choose between extended hours in the classroom and time for extracurricular activities, I'm sorry, I won't have the time to do the extracurricular activities that I used to." That is not improving the education for our children, nor is it improving the education for our young people or those people who need to return to post-secondary education when we continue to have the highest debt loads in the country for students, when tuition fees have increased dramatically yet the means made available to students to finance their education have not kept up.
We know from talking, not just to students but also to faculty members who teach at our colleges and universities, that we are headed for a major problem in terms of post-secondary education.
This government simply doesn't have a strategy other than saying, "Open it up to the private sector." But the very private sector institutions that this government is talking to and talking about have a deplorable record in the United States, have been investigated and have been charged and convicted of fraud with respect to student loans and have, frankly, in many cases left students high and dry without the education they paid for when they've simply moved on into another jurisdiction. That's this government's answer to expanding and increasing the capacity and capability of the post-secondary education system.
But the greatest travesty of all is this: workers across Ontario now, thanks to this government, can look forward to 60-hour workweeks. Workers who used to be able to count on a two-week vacation with their families can now recognize that the two-week vacation taken together is gone, that more and more their vacation time will be a day here, a day there. Workers who used to look forward to a weekend with their family can now recognize that in most cases that is gone.
This is not improving the quality of life for Ontario citizens. This is depleting it, while this government puts more money in the hands of their corporate friends. You're going to be held accountable for that now and in the future.
DEFERRED VOTES
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 SUR LES NORMES D'EMPLOI
Deferred vote on the motion for third reading of Bill 147,
An Act to revise the law related to employment standards / Projet de loi 147, Loi portant révision du droit relatif aux normes d'emploi.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.
The division bells rang from 1435 to 1440.
The Speaker: All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.
Ayes
Arnott, Ted
Baird, John R.
Barrett, Toby
Beaubien, Marcel
Chudleigh, Ted
Clark, Brad
Clement, Tony
Coburn, Brian
Cunningham, Dianne
DeFaria, Carl
Dunlop, Garfield
Ecker, Janet
Elliott, Brenda
Eves, Ernie L.
Flaherty, Jim
Galt, Doug
Gilchrist, Steve
Gill, Raminder
Guzzo, Garry
Hardeman, Ernie
Harris, Michael D.
Hastings, John
Hodgson, Chris
Hudak, Tim
Jackson, Cameron
Johns, Helen
Johnson, Bert
Kells, Morley
Klees, Frank
Marland, Margaret
Martiniuk, Gerry
Maves, Bart
Mazzilli, Frank
Molinari, Tina R.
Munro, Julia
Murdoch, Bill
Mushinski, Marilyn
Newman, Dan
O'Toole, John
Ouellette, Jerry J.
Palladini, Al
Runciman, Robert W.
Sampson, Rob
Snobelen, John
Spina, Joseph
Sterling, Norman W.
Stewart, R. Gary
Stockwell, Chris
Tascona, Joseph N.
Tilson, David
Tsubouchi, David H.
Turnbull, David
Wettlaufer, Wayne
Wilson, Jim
Witmer, Elizabeth
Wood, Bob
Young, David
The Speaker: All those opposed to the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.
Nays
Agostino, Dominic
Bartolucci, Rick
Bisson, Gilles
Bountrogianni, Marie
Boyer, Claudette
Bradley, James J.
Bryant, Michael
Christopherson, David
Cleary, John C.
Colle, Mike
Conway, Sean G.
Crozier, Bruce
Curling, Alvin
Dombrowsky, Leona
Duncan, Dwight
Gerretsen, John
Hampton, Howard
Kennedy, Gerard
Lalonde, Jean-Marc
Lankin, Frances
Martel, Shelley
McMeekin, Ted
Parsons, Ernie
Peters, Steve
Phillips, Gerry
Pupatello, Sandra
Sergio, Mario
Smitherman, George
Clerk of the House (Mr Claude L. DesRosiers): The ayes are 57; the nays are 28.
The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
LABOUR RELATIONS
AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT LA LOI
SUR LES RELATIONS DE TRAVAIL
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): We also have a deferred vote on the motion for third reading of Bill 139.
Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.
The division bells rang from 1444 to 1449.
The Speaker: Mr Klees has moved third reading of Bill 139,
An Act to amend the Labour Relations Act. All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.
Ayes
Arnott, Ted
Baird, John R.
Barrett, Toby
Beaubien, Marcel
Chudleigh, Ted
Clark, Brad
Clement, Tony
Coburn, Brian
Cunningham, Dianne
DeFaria, Carl
Dunlop, Garfield
Ecker, Janet
Elliott, Brenda
Eves, Ernie L.
Flaherty, Jim
Galt, Doug
Gilchrist, Steve
Gill, Raminder
Guzzo, Garry J.
Hardeman, Ernie
Harris, Michael D.
Hastings, John
Hodgson, Chris
Hudak, Tim
Jackson, Cameron
Johns, Helen
Johnson, Bert
Kells, Morley
Klees, Frank
Marland, Margaret
Martiniuk, Gerry
Maves, Bart
Mazzilli, Frank
Molinari, Tina R.
Munro, Julia
Murdoch, Bill
Mushinski, Marilyn
Newman, Dan
O'Toole, John
Ouellette, Jerry J.
Palladini, Al
Runciman, Robert W.
Sampson, Rob
Snobelen, John
Spina, Joseph
Sterling, Norman W.
Stewart, R. Gary
Stockwell, Chris
Tascona, Joseph N.
Tilson, David
Tsubouchi, David H.
Turnbull, David
Wettlaufer, Wayne
Wilson, Jim
Witmer, Elizabeth
Wood, Bob
Young, David
The Speaker: All those opposed?
Nays
Agostino, Dominic
Bartolucci, Rick
Bisson, Gilles
Bountrogianni, Marie
Boyer, Claudette
Bradley, James J.
Bryant, Michael
Christopherson, David
Cleary, John C.
Colle, Mike
Conway, Sean G.
Crozier, Bruce
Curling, Alvin
Dombrowsky, Leona
Duncan, Dwight
Gerretsen, John
Hampton, Howard
Kennedy, Gerard
Lalonde, Jean-Marc
Lankin, Frances
Martel, Shelley
McMeekin, Ted
Parsons, Ernie
Peters, Steve
Phillips, Gerry
Pupatello, Sandra
Sergio, Mario
Smitherman, George
Clerk of the House (Mr Claude L. DesRosiers): The ayes are 57; the nays are 28.
The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
MINISTRY OF TRAINING,
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
STATUTE LAW AMENDMENT ACT, 2000
LOI DE 2000 MODIFIANT DES LOIS
EN CE QUI A TRAIT
AU MINISTÈRE DE LA FORMATION
ET DES COLLÈGES ET UNIVERSITÉS
Deferred vote on the motion for third reading of Bill 132,
An Act to enact the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000, repeal the Degree Granting Act and change the title of and make amendments to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities Act / Projet de loi 132, Loi édictant la Loi de 2000 favorisant le choix et l'excellence au niveau postsecondaire, abrogeant la
Loi sur l'attribution de grades universitaires et modifiant le
titre et le texte de la
Loi sur le ministère des Collèges et Universités.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.
The division bells rang from 1452 to 1457.
The Speaker: Would the members kindly take their seats, please.
Mrs Cunningham has moved third reading of Bill 132,
An Act to enact the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000, repeal the Degree Granting Act and change the title of and make amendments to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities Act.
All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.
Ayes
Arnott, Ted
Baird, John R.
Barrett, Toby
Beaubien, Marcel
Chudleigh, Ted
Clark, Brad
Clement, Tony
Coburn, Brian
Cunningham, Dianne
DeFaria, Carl
Dunlop, Garfield
Ecker, Janet
Elliott, Brenda
Eves, Ernie L.
Flaherty, Jim
Galt, Doug
Gilchrist, Steve
Gill, Raminder
Guzzo, Garry J.
Hardeman, Ernie
Harris, Michael D.
Hastings, John
Hodgson, Chris
Hudak, Tim
Jackson, Cameron
Johns, Helen
Johnson, Bert
Kells, Morley
Klees, Frank
Marland, Margaret
Martiniuk, Gerry
Maves, Bart
Mazzilli, Frank
Molinari, Tina R.
Munro, Julia
Murdoch, Bill
Mushinski, Marilyn
Newman, Dan
O'Toole, John
Ouellette, Jerry J.
Palladini, Al
Runciman, Robert W.
Sampson, Rob
Snobelen, John
Spina, Joseph
Sterling, Norman W.
Stewart, R. Gary
Stockwell, Chris
Tascona, Joseph N.
Tilson, David
Tsubouchi, David H.
Turnbull, David
Wettlaufer, Wayne
Wilson, Jim
Witmer, Elizabeth
Wood, Bob
Young, David
The Speaker: All those opposed will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.
Nays
Agostino, Dominic
Bartolucci, Rick
Bisson, Gilles
Bountrogianni, Marie
Boyer, Claudette
Bradley, James J.
Christopherson, David
Cleary, John C.
Colle, Mike
Conway, Sean G.
Crozier, Bruce
Curling, Alvin
Dombrowsky, Leona
Duncan, Dwight
Gerretsen, John
Hampton, Howard
Kennedy, Gerard
Lalonde, Jean-Marc
Lankin, Frances
Martel, Shelley
McMeekin, Ted
Parsons, Ernie
Peters, Steve
Phillips, Gerry
Pupatello, Sandra
Sergio, Mario
Smitherman, George
Clerk of the House (Mr Claude L. DesRosiers): The ayes are 57; the nays are 27.
The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.
ORAL QUESTIONS
EDUCATION
Mr Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale-High Park): I want to direct a question on this last day of sitting, apparently, to the Premier. I want to ask you about your own hard-nosed, bumbling attitude toward education and what it's doing to deprive the students of this province of the education they deserve. In particular, I want to ask you about your comments of yesterday. Yes, teachers support our plan to put peace in high schools. They do. But so do parents and students and school boards and people all across this province.
Apparently, Premier, you have a problem with that. Last year you unilaterally acted to change conditions in high schools. You created a mess. We've given you a fair, balanced compromise, something you can act on today, and put extracurriculars and better learning conditions in our high schools by February. Premier, this is your last opportunity to do something positive for the high school students of this province. Will you today stand up and do this? Will you agree, will you reconsider and put in place peace in our high schools?
Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier): I know that you and your leader have been claiming that everybody's supportive, and editorially, although I did read this editorial. It said:
"This peace plan sounds as if it was crafted by Neville Chamberlain. It's an attempt to appease the teachers' unions, with no guarantee of any better co-operation on extracurriculars.
"The unions like it, which is not surprising, since McGuinty's plan means a reduced workload for their members....
"There are practical problems, too. McGuinty's solution would reduce the number of students each teacher faces, and that would mean hiring 3,700 teachers. It would also cost $150 million."
I think what we have here is, you revitalize a three-year-old union plan, ignoring all the changes that have been brought in by the minister, including the hiring of thousands of new teachers to actually increase quality and reduce class size. What we have here is a desire among teachers, educators, trustees and parents to see as long-term solution --
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Order. The Premier's time is up. Supplementary?
Mr Kennedy: Premier, your actions and your words don't reflect what the parents and the students of this province are saying. Today in the gallery we have Sue Lockington. Sue Lockington is with the Victoria Park Secondary School school council. She is here today to tell you, "It's encouraging to hear the proactive approach of Dalton McGuinty's peace plan. A resolution needs to be done as soon as possible. The damage done to the teaching profession, the lack of trust in the education system, and the emotional and physical well-being of students are all being ignored."
Now, Premier, you're in your place. Ms Lockington is here. This is a parent telling you what the needs of her school are. She represents a school council that is charged with that responsibility, and that has been frustrated over the last 105 days.
Dalton McGuinty has done more in six days since he released this peace plan than you've done in six years. You have the chance today to do something positive. You've got two choices. You can pass this plan today or you can table your own. I guess you have a third choice. If you're not courageous enough to do either of those things, you can slink off and go back to wherever you go for holidays and do nothing for these parents.
Which is it going to be, Premier?
Hon Mr Harris: Also in the Legislature today are a number of Ontario students. This is the report of the Ontario Student Trustees' Association. They say the government must make changes which facilitate long-term solutions when attempting to rectify the situation, not knee-jerk, three-year-old instantaneous-type solutions you propose.
They talk about how every attempt must be made to avert the threat of labour action every second or third year. They want the negotiations sped up. They say this: "The loss of these opportunities due to work-to-rule destroys school communities," and they go on to condemn using students as pawns through the work-to-rule campaigns of some of the union leaders.
The report goes on with many other areas supportive of long-term solutions that the minister is attempting to achieve. I might say to you that I think we all support the minister's actions and we support the teachers' actions to ensure that we don't have the kind of labour disruptions, holding students as pawns, that we've had over the last couple of years.
Mr Kennedy: The language of this government, the idea of a fight, of a war, of pawns, of having to capitulate -- that is what is going on here. Your attitude is not serving these students particularly well. If you'd read their whole statement, the last page, Premier -- you might want to go there. You might want to talk to Karl Baldauf, Peter Doelman and Darya Nadar afterwards about what they want.
They held a consultation. I know that word is a little strange to you, but they actually went out and talked to students. These are student trustees from around the province, and they've talked to the students. This is what they told the Premier and the minister: they have said, after looking at the problem, that one of things that would be helpful to do would be to look at the increase in the length of school periods to meet the ministry's new standards, whether the curriculum is being delivered and understood. They recognize it isn't happening in this province, and they see the increase in school periods, exactly what is in the peace plan, as something to be done.
Premier, because you've seen fit to endorse some of the comments of these students, will you pay them some decent respect by listening to all of it, including the call to action, including the call to consider exactly what is in our peace plan? Will you do that today?
Hon Mr Harris: As you know, the minister has encouraged this group to go out and consult with students. She has met with this group. I think they are well aware of the minister's desire to have extensive consultations all across the province with all groups. I have their report here. They say to leave no stone unturned, but what they mostly say is to make sure it's a long-term solution; make sure this solution isn't one that is arrived at in a coercive way, that is knee-jerk, that is short-term. They talk about the extended school day. As you know, the union offered an hour extended school day at no cost. That was the union position, but for some reason or other, it wasn't --
Interjection: That wasn't the union position.
Hon Mr Harris: Well, it was proposed by OSSTF. It wasn't proposed by the current leader of OSSTF, who clearly has your leader in his back pocket. He wants even more and more, and less workload and more money. We understand that.
This report that you refer to also says, "Many of the problems in the Canadian education system are due to the approximately 2.5" --
The Speaker: Order. The Premier's time is up.
New question.
Mr Kennedy: Back to the Premier. I can't speak for Mrs Lockington. She's there to speak to you, Premier. She's here. She's made special arrangements. She had to pick up her child. She stayed through all our votes, because she wants you to respond to her needs. You've chosen not to do that.
Art Buckman, who is the chair of the Upper Canada District School Board, says, "I heartily support the restoration of extracurricular high school activities. It's vitally important to have them for next semester. Dalton McGuinty's education peace plan is the initiative we need."
He also goes on to say that this is an issue they can't settle. This is an issue, they say, to be settled by you at the provincial level.
Premier, I want you again to reference yourself to the students you were kind enough to reference but not respond to, and to the parents. I want to ask you, are you going to slink out of this House, are you going to take off, having done nothing for the problems affecting our high schools, or will you pass Bill 165, a very simple amendment to the Education Act? Will you today give us your solution?
Hon Mr Harris: The disruption of Bill 165 that cost the taxpayers a quarter of a billion dollars to achieve not one whit of quality in education -- presumably you are opposed to the minister's plan that we are implementing to spend a quarter of a billion dollars to hire all these teachers to reduce class size, the same number of teachers -- in fact more teachers -- to reduce class size. For some reason or other, you want the minister to cancel that, cancel all those teachers, cancel the lower PTR, make sure every new teacher who is hired is to reduce workload. We understand the union wants more dues.
We understand the union wants a reduced workload. We understand that is Earl Manners's position. That is not the position of anybody who wants quality education in this province.
Mr Gerry Phillips (Scarborough-Agincourt): Just keep bombing. Keep on the war. Mike's got to win the war.
Mr Kennedy: My colleagues refer to the Premier sometimes as Bomber Harris, and this is an exact indication, because what has happened instead is that this government unilaterally imposed something on all the schools, all the school boards and all the students. Rather than come back to the table, the teachers have said they would work an extra half an hour. The government doesn't want any of that.
The students have said, "We'll go to school for an extra half an hour." The parents have said, "We'll make the adjustments we need to make." The parents of this province are saying about the Liberal initiative, "We are finally seeing some leadership to find a solution to the turmoil in our schools. This plan would truly give our kids more quality time while restoring dignity to our teachers and harmony in our schools." Cathy Balsys, a mother of four, another member of a school council, says she is so pleased that someone is finally putting the needs of kids first.
Premier, this is your last opportunity before you head off for holidays. You've got an opportunity to put kids first, to quit playing around with all the bombast you want to throw. Every group in the province has agreed that there's a need to do something to restore peace in the high schools. There's a solution on the table.
The Speaker: Order. The member's time is up.
Hon Mr Harris: No.
Mr Kennedy: That one word, Premier, summarizes the amount of concern you have, the amount of interest you have. In one syllable, one word, you exempt yourself from your responsibility. We see this House, these government members, afraid to stand up for their students. They will be headed back to their communities. They will hear from their students and their parents. They couldn't, in this House or in their caucus, speak up.
Interjection.
The Speaker: Will the member take his seat. The member for Stoney Creek, come to order. Sorry, to the member.
Mr Kennedy: It seems that the Premier is anxious to escape. He's not willing to buckle down and do something, but instead he wants to get away from this problem. He's not willing to listen to trustees, parents, students or teachers. The members opposite see something wrong in listening to school teachers, whom we want to be able to teach our kids.
Mr Harris, I must give you this. On January 9, we'll be in Durham region. We'll be there speaking to parents and students. We'll be there seeking a solution. I challenge you to be there with your solution. If you're not --
The Speaker: The member's time is up. Premier?
Hon Mr Harris: Let me say that for both myself and the minister this is not our last day at work. We're concerned every day. We're concerned as we continue to advance. The minister continues to meet and consult. We'll not be waiting till January 9 to continue to meet with parents, to continue to meet with students, to continue to encourage parties to come together. You are fixated on a three-year-old, union-led solution that does nothing for class size, nothing for quality education, nothing but massively increase the cost without any benefit to the long term, without any benefit to quality.
I'm sorry you're fixated on only the one solution that many in the province have said is the wrong solution, but at least they've recognized the problem. We've all recognized the challenge and the problem. The problem is that unions are using students as pawns in their negotiations, and it has to stop.
Your solution --
The Speaker: Order. The Premier's time is up.
HOMELESSNESS
Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My question is for the Premier. This morning I was at Tent City down on the Toronto waterfront. Tent City is where literally hundreds of people who are homeless have come together to build temporary housing at a time of the year when it is freezing outside. They acknowledge that this is not the best solution, but they point out that it is better than freezing on the streets and it's better than your temporary shelters, which are too often unsafe and unhealthy.
While we were there, we learned that your Ministry of the Environment is trying to push Home Depot, which owns the property, to evict these people. Premier, why would your government want to try to push Home Depot to evict these people when all they're trying to do is build temporary housing so they don't freeze to death on the street? Why would your government be trying to do that?
Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier): I don't have all the information before me, but as I understand, the Minister of the Environment has concerns about the contamination on that land. Therefore, he has concerns about the health of these folks. I'm sorry you don't.
Mr Hampton: Premier, here is your solution. Your solution is to put them in temporary shelters, but when you actually sit down and look at United Nations' documentation, your temporary shelters don't even meet the standards for refugees in wartorn countries. According to the United Nations, that's the condition in your shelters. When you talk to a public health nurse, you will learn that tuberculosis is rampant in those temporary shelters. So people, for their own health and safety, are saying, "We would rather try to build something, as temporary as it may be, because it is better than the shelter system this government advocates for a solution."
Premier, I say again, your shelters, your solution to homelessness and affordable housing, don't even meet the United Nations' standards. Why are you trying to evict these people when Home Depot says, "It's OK if you build temporary shelters here. We're prepared to work with you and help you if you want to build temporary shelters here"? Why is your government trying to force Home Depot to evict them when their solution is certainly superior to the unsafe and unsanitary shelters that you're trying to put them in?
Hon Mr Harris: I want to thank the member for the advice, as off-base as it is.
Mr Hampton: The other point those people are trying to make is that while you boast about a surplus in excess of $1.5 billion and, frankly, while your federal counterparts in Ottawa boast about a surplus, neither of you has a strategy for affordable housing. While the cost of a two-bedroom apartment in this city and in other cities in this province has gone up by more than $2,000 a year, there is no money to pay that kind of rent and there is no strategy for affordable housing.
Since your answer is either to put them in unsafe, unsanitary, unhealthy shelters or to evict them when they're working with a private company to build something that would be better than your unsafe, unsanitary shelters, if that's the scenario we have now, would you at least come forward with an affordable housing strategy, since, by the way, as you boast, you have a surplus?
Hon Mr Harris: I want to understand. I think the leader of the New Democratic Party is saying the solution should be to leave these people outdoors, with no shelter, on contaminated land. I appreciate that is what you are saying we should do. That's the only inference any reasonable person could take from your question and what you're talking about today.
You criticize the Minister of the Environment for being concerned about their health and about them being outside on contaminated land. You talk about a government solution that is not the government's solution at all. There are others who are trying to assist them to at least have some form of temporary shelter.
What we're interested in are the long-term solutions of a job, of opportunity, of training, of breaking the cycle of poverty that we've been so successful at -- maybe three, five, 20 times more successful than your government was with a solution.
We are concerned about anybody who does not have the resources for decent housing or food or shelter, in spite of the fact that we have the most generous programs in Canada, by every measure. If you look at the increase in poverty and in children living in poverty, it was the highest under your government and it is going down --
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Order. The Premier's time is up.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): Another question for the Premier. It is interesting to know that on the verge of Christmas, while your government has a huge surplus, you have no money for affordable housing and no interest in a strategy for affordable housing.
But I want to ask you about a confidential report that was given to your government three years ago by senior officials which pointed out to you how serious the problem was at Walkerton and other small communities across the province in terms of their water and sewer problems. Despite the fact that very senior officials brought this report to you and advised you once again of the seriousness of the problem, you ignored their advice and you ignored the confidential document they brought to you.
Premier, can you tell us why you ignored the concerns they raised about the safety of water treatment and the safety of sewage treatment in communities like Walkerton, when they clearly warned you three years ago?
Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier): I'm not sure what confidential report you are talking about. If it's confidential, I guess I don't know about it.
I can tell you this: this government has never ignored any report, any suggestion of anything that would jeopardize any citizen anywhere in the province, including Walkerton, about water quality.
There was a report I saw in the media that was referred to which recommended that the private sector be put in charge of water facilities. If that's the report you're talking about, you're quite right: we did not accept that as one of I think about 20 recommendations when dealing with OCWA and water systems. Perhaps if the private sector ran anything, it is your position that it would be run better. That was the position of the column I saw in the paper today. Maybe you're an ideologue that way and you think everything has to be privatized. I don't know. What we tend to look for on this side of the House is what makes sense: private sector, public sector, government, extended public agency.
If there's another report you're referring to --
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): Order. The Premier's time is up. Final supplementary.
Mr Hampton: I think we actually know the answer to the question. Your government was in fact in the process of downloading responsibility for water treatment and sewer treatment on to the municipality and downloading the costs of doing that. You didn't want to hear about the problems that already existed and you didn't want to hear about the further problems and the further threats to public health that would be created by that.
Premier, I want to ask you now, will you make that report public so that all the citizens of Ontario can see how clearly you were warned three and a half years ago and how much you cared about your agenda rather than caring about the public health of citizens across this province, and especially the public health of citizens in communities like Walkerton? Will you make that report public so that people across the province now can see just how negligent your government was in your duties?
Hon Mr Harris: I don't know why the leader of the New Democratic Party is so confused on this issue. Sewer and water have always been, since I've been elected, close to 20 years, under Progressive Conservative governments, Liberal governments, New Democratic Party governments and our government, a municipal responsibility.
I don't know what report you are referring to. If this information deals with the story that I read in the paper today, it's no secret report. I can tell you that there was a recommendation among a whole number -- I can't tell you how many -- suggesting that perhaps all sewer and water services should be privatized. If you want them all privatized, if that's your position, say so.
PARTICULATE EMISSIONS
Mr James J. Bradley (St Catharines): I have a question for the Minister of the Environment. This question is about the largest single purveyor of dioxin in Ontario and probably across this country, the largest single source. I'm referring to the garbage incinerator called Swaru in Hamilton.
Minister, you will be aware that there was at the very least confusion over the provision of testing results, and at the very worst falsification of those testing results from the Swaru incinerator. As a result, it is my understanding that there is total confusion in the Hamilton area at this time. You will know that Swaru, by the way, spews its pollution across Hamilton and across the Niagara Peninsula.
Minister, could you tell us how it could possibly be that your ministry, understaffed as it is, was unable to obtain the information on the contamination coming from the Swaru incinerator and why to this point you've allowed Swaru to be the largest purveyor of dioxin in this country, allowing it to have six times the amount of dioxin that it's supposed to be allowed to purvey into the atmosphere?
Hon Dan Newman (Minister of the Environment): Our government is indeed committed to ensuring clean air for all Ontarians to breathe in our province. We're taking action now to ensure that a clean air legacy is left for generations to come.
As part of its waste disposal master plan, the region of Hamilton-Wentworth established Swaru, which is there as an incinerator in the Hamilton area.
My ministry is dedicated to the ongoing environmental protection of the area. That's why we have a focused review of some of the potential deficiencies in that area.
My ministry did receive an application for review under the Environmental Bill of Rights. Staff from the Ministry of the Environment have now completed their consideration of the Environmental Bill of Rights application for review on this project. Based on all of the information available, they have concluded that while a full technical review of the Swaru certificates of approval is not warranted, a focused review is appropriate to assess some of the potential deficiencies that ministry staff have identified.
Mr Bradley: That's an absolutely, totally unacceptable answer to a question. You have pollution spewing over Hamilton, over the Niagara region, over the surrounding area of Hamilton. You have the falsification of information being provided to your ministry. Your ministry doesn't have enough staff any more, as the Provincial Auditor said, to monitor anything, it seems. The auditor certainly indicated that in his report when he said a 25% staff reduction over the last four years has contributed to a 34% decrease in the number of ministry-initiated inspections conducted province-wide each year.
I ask the minister two specific questions: when are you going to make Swaru, this garbage incinerator, come into compliance with what are considered to be the toughest regulations in this country -- you always say that you have them in this province for garbage incinerators -- and when are you going to end the practice of self-monitoring and self-regulation without the kind of supervision needed from your ministry so that the people of this province can be assured that we don't have a repetition of what's happened in other communities such as Walkerton and other areas in the province?
How can you guarantee to the people of this province that Swaru is the only incinerator, industrial or otherwise, that is spewing forth this dioxin when you don't even have the proper supervision of the kind of testing that's going on at this time?
Hon Mr Newman: I say to the member opposite that dioxins are a part of the review the ministry is undertaking in this regard. They're going to be reviewed as part of our Canada-wide standards review. I have been informed by the deputy minister that dioxins will indeed be included in that review. That should be good news for the member opposite. We anticipate that the review will be concluded within the next couple of months. In fact, the progress of our review will be shared with both the applicants and the certificate holders with respect to that Swaru site.
But operation of the site has significantly reduced the amount of waste going to landfill and has extended the life of the landfill site. The incinerator also produces energy for sewage plant operations. As well, its air monitoring reports are submitted annually to the Ministry of the Environment.
CHILD PROTECTION
Mr John O'Toole (Durham): My question is to the Attorney General. During the holiday season our hearts and minds often go out to the children in our communities. I can tell you, as a parent of five children and as a parliamentarian, it is a concern to me that this government work to protect the children of not just my riding but of course all of the children across Ontario. Protecting children starts, as you know, Minister, at the prevention stage and it continues beyond the court system itself.
I was very encouraged by the introduction of your legislation yesterday. I'm wondering, Minister, if you could tell us what other initiatives you, your ministry and this government have taken to protect children in the early-prevention stage, right through the court system itself.
Hon Jim Flaherty (Attorney General, minister responsible for native affairs): I thank the member for Durham for the question. This government has taken several initiatives to help protect children in the justice system with respect to children being exploited and victimized by prostitution.
Yesterday I introduced new legislation that will protect children from the tragic fate of child prostitution, will give the police and children's aid workers the tools they need to place children in this situation in safe locations and disengage them from pimps and remove them from street prostitution, adult entertainment facilities, massage parlours, bawdy houses, escort services, telephone and Internet sex lines, and the pornography industry.
In addition, with funds provided in the budget this year by the Minister of Finance, we've opened more than 20 new supervised access sites and centres. This is particularly important for people involved in family law disputes to ensure that they have supervised access for their children.
Thirdly, in the initiatives with respect to child-friendly courts, regrettably some children have to give evidence in court. We've expanded the number of child-friendly courts. There are 16 now in 13 locations, with more to be added next year.
Mr O'Toole: Thank you for that answer, Minister. Second, the justice system must take into account that children are not as mature as adults and, therefore, do not always fully understand the consequences of their actions. Nonetheless, our justice system must send a signal to our children and their parents that breaking the law does have serious consequences and that a simple slap on the wrist is not sufficient.
I'd like to ask the minister what steps he has taken to ensure that children learn a lesson about the consequence of breaking the law.
Hon Mr Flaherty: The member for Durham of course is absolutely right with respect to the serious problem of violent young offenders. Over the past year, this government has lobbied Ottawa repeatedly to repeal the Young Offenders Act and make the changes that the people of Ontario have told us they want made, including increases to the length of jail sentences for those who commit serious offences, requiring mandatory jail time for youth convicted of offences involving weapons, a guarantee that youth convicted of serious offences such as murder would serve full adult sentences and to stop forcing prosecutors to prove that an adult sentence is necessary for most serious violent offences.
Once again the calls for a change from Ontario have fallen on deaf ears with the Liberal government in Ottawa. The Young Offenders Act is a demonstrable objective failure both with respect to recidivism and with respect to graduation rates of young offenders to adult criminal courts in this province. We urge the federal government to repeal the Young Offenders Act.
IPPERWASH PROVINCIAL PARK
Mr Gerry Phillips (Scarborough-Agincourt): My question is to the Premier. It has to do with Ipperwash Provincial Park and the shooting death on September 6.
You have, over the last few years, maintained in the Legislature that you had absolutely no influence with the OPP actions. I quote one of the answers you gave. You said, "I determined nothing. I gave no direction, I gave no influence on it. We left that entirely to the OPP. I assumed there would be negotiations."
In a memo that has been released within the last 24 hours, it indicates that the day of the shooting death you met with the OPP commissioner, along with at least one other of your cabinet ministers, that they gave you advice that day -- the police did, as well as the Deputy Attorney General -- on how you should proceed, and you decided to ignore or to go against that advice and to seek a particular type of injunction.
My question is, do you still today stand by your comment, "I determined nothing. I gave no direction, I gave no influence on it. We left that entirely to the OPP. I assumed there would be negotiations"?
Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier): Absolutely.
Mr Phillips: You have indicated before, because the matter was before the courts, your reluctance to answer questions. I remind you that this OPP officer was charged in 1996, and the answers that you gave over the last five years have often been answers given when that matter was before the court. I think it is important for the OPP officer that you have indicated many times that you gave absolutely no direction.
Will you confirm today that you did meet with the OPP commissioner the day of the shooting, and will you indicate to us why you ignored the advice you were getting from the police on the type of injunction? I remind you, Premier, that you answered these questions when the matter was before the court and may very well have influenced the action in the courts.
Hon Mr Harris: The document you refer to I think was released months ago, and it confirms that the OPP commissioner was at a meeting that I was at, something I indicated quite freely five years ago at the time of the Ipperwash situation. I can tell you that the OPP commissioner sought an injunction and we gave him one.
WIARTON WILLIE
Mr Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): My question is to the Premier. Mr Premier, last February you forgot the rules. You forget the
part in MPP school where they tell you never to make fun of a national icon. Last February you did just that. You made fun of Wiarton Willie: you compared him to a Liberal senator. Actually, technically you made fun of Wee Wiarton Willie, Willie's successor, who just happened to be found in Ottawa, but that's beside the point. What you may not realize, Premier, is that the people of Wiarton have long memories, so with the help of the organizers of the Wiarton Willie Festival, I'm taking a pre-emptive step here. I'm going to educate you on the importance of that little rodent who resides in my riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and hopes to soon be in northern Ontario.
With your permission, I have presents to give to you from these tireless organizers: a CD which is highly enlightening about the history of the festival, and also a Wiarton Willie beanie.
Wiarton Willie will make his prediction on February 2, Mr Premier. My question to you is, will you display this Wiarton Willie beanie in your office to show your pride in our provincial winter forecaster?
Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier): I'd like to thank the member for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound for the question. A beanie baby? I was hoping it was a beanie I could wear, but it's a Wiarton Willie beanie baby. I'll be happy to display it, of course.
But let me say that I think the member is referencing a speech I made last February to the Young Entrepreneurs organization. I remarked about the fact that Wiarton Willie had received an HRDC federal jobs grant from Jane Stewart. I pointed out in my speech, regrettably, that with his qualifications, sleeping all winter, working one day a year, I was surprised he hadn't been appointed a Liberal senator. Upon reflection, I want to acknowledge that comparing Wee Wiarton Willie to a Liberal senator is insulting to Wee Willie. I accept that. He works much harder than most Liberal senators.
He's also more accurate than the weather forecasters on the CBC, I might add. I thank the honourable member again for the question and I assure him I will have this beanie on display in my office.
Mr Murdoch: Thank you, Premier, for your response and for showing both your pride in Wiarton Willie and your respect for the hard work he does, not only on Groundhog Day but on each and every day of the year. I think we all realize the importance of Groundhog Day. For me, I can't wait to see whether Wiarton Willie predicts an early spring or six more weeks of winter. I have found him to be a reliable forecaster, much more worthy of respect than the pale imitation found in Pennsylvania.
February 2 marks the big day, Premier. Will you personally show your respect to Wiarton Willie and be on hand when he makes his prediction for winter 2001?
Hon Mr Harris: I thank the honourable member and I thank the people of Wiarton for the very kind invitation. I know that each and every year they host a wonderful festival, and I know it does not occur without the very many volunteers in Wiarton who dedicate countless hours of their time. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate those volunteers and offer my best wishes for yet another successful festival.
I commit this to the member and the organizers: I'm going to check my
schedule and I will get back to the member and I will get back to Wee Wiarton Willie as well. I assure them that wherever I am that day, I will be watching closely to see if Wee Wiarton Willie indeed sees his shadow.
IPPERWASH PROVINCIAL PARK
Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My question is for the Premier. This is a copy of the September 6, 1995, memo, the day on which Dudley George was killed. Premier, this memo states that the OPP commissioner was called into the meeting. It states that Larry Taman, who was then the Deputy Attorney General, was at the meeting, that he was quite eloquent and forceful. He cautioned about rushing into the situation with an ex parte injunction. He cautioned about interference with police discretion. But then the memo says, "But Premier and Hodgson came out strong ... decision to go ex parte appeared to have already been made."
Premier, what I find interesting about this memo is, can you tell us why it was only made available this summer, five years after Dudley George was killed?
Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier): I think we made it available in September, right away, that we had planned to seek an ex parte injunction. We had a request from the OPP and it was our desire to seek an injunction.
Mr Hampton: I don't think that was an answer. This is quite germane evidence in the death of an unarmed man, and for some reason, your government kept it out of the public for five years.
Premier, I want to ask you this.
You've always maintained that decisions to interfere at Ipperwash, decisions to get an ex parte injunction, were made not by your government, but this memo pretty clearly indicates that the OPP commissioner was called into the meeting, that you and your cabinet colleagues were warned, "Don't interfere with police discretion, don't force an ex parte injunction," and then it says, "But Premier and Hodgson came out strong." I think any reasonable person would conclude that you and Mr Hodgson directly interfered, that you and Mr Hodgson made the decision over the heads of the OPP commissioner and the Deputy Attorney General to directly interfere with Ipperwash.
If that's not the right conclusion, Premier, please give us your explanation.
Hon Mr Harris: As I have indicated publicly on many occasions over the last number of years, the OPP requested an injunction and we responded to their request for the ex parte injunction. Unfortunately, as you know, that injunction was never acted upon because of a tragedy that intervened, a tragedy that has been a court case, a tragedy that's now part of a civil suit. The document you have, one we made available, is part of that court case. It clearly indicates that we were asked for an injunction; we responded with an injunction.
HIGHWAY SAFETY
Mr Ernie Parsons (Prince Edward-Hastings): My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Last week I had the opportunity to be on an ice surface doing pirouettes and figure 8s -- not a very pretty sight. Unfortunately, I was in my van on Highway 401 at the time.
It is common knowledge that the quality of snow-plowing in this province has severely deteriorated in the past few years. It's a safety issue, with thousands and thousands of motorists on the highways every day. In fact, the highways have become the lifeblood of our industry.
The privatization so strongly heralded has not brought better service. The auditor said that the contracts were given to a few companies and the equipment was given away. The equipment in Ontario used to be out on the highways before the storm started. Now we're seeing them after the storm is finished. The 401 is now routinely closed because of accidents. I'm saying the 401, but it could be any highway in this province.
Ontario was once the leader in snow control on provincial highways. Minister, will you pledge to return to the snow removal standards that were in place in 1990?
Hon David Turnbull (Minister of Transportation): Safety is our top priority. Let me say to the member unequivocally that there has been no change whatsoever in the standards that we apply to winter maintenance. There has been no reduction in winter maintenance. MTO standards are maintained by private contractors before, during and after a storm. There are absolutely no legs to what you're saying.
Let me quote Bob Beatty, an OPP traffic sergeant from Thunder Bay, for example. He was saying, "I would say there is more sanding being done and more plowing being done." That's rather interesting.
The allegations that you make are absolutely groundless. All of the contractors stand to lose their contracts if they do not comply with very strict MTO standards, which are not different to when you were the government or when the NDP were the government or since we've been the government.
Mr Parsons: You need to ask your chauffeur what the roads are actually like. You need to get out of your vehicle and ask some truck drivers what the highways are like in this province.
The basic problem is the contract that you signed with the private operators. They receive the same number of dollars whether they plow all night or whether they don't plow at all. You make our most disadvantaged citizens partake in workfare, be drug-tested and be humiliated -- no work, no pay -- yet you have a corporate workfare that says to your friends with the highway contracts, they have an incentive to not work for the money. Very clearly, corporate welfare is what's being undertaken here. Everyone else in Ontario has to work for their money. Those signs along the highway saying "Your Ontario tax dollars at work" should reflect the actual situation.
Minister, will you renegotiate the contracts to require the firms to be paid only for what they do, rather than the present lump sum contracts?
Hon Mr Turnbull: First, let me reiterate: there has been no change in maintenance standards. Second, the companies can lose the contract if they do not maintain the roads. Third, we have achieved a savings in the cost of maintaining our roads. That is quite clear.
Lastly, I want to say it is very clear that we have to have people --
Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): That's not what the auditor says. Your nose is growing.
Hon Mr Turnbull: With all due respect to the leader of the third party, you are the government that didn't maintain our roads. Let the record show that we, as a government, are spending more money on maintaining our roads than either the Liberals or the NDP, and we are expanding the system. You, on the other hand, neglected our roads, and you should hang your heads in shame.
AMUSEMENT DEVICES
Mr Brian Coburn (Ottawa-Orléans): My question is for the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations. I believe some new regulations have been put in place for the province's amusement ride operators. I understand that the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, which is in charge of ride safety, falls under your ministry and your jurisdiction. Could you please tell the House what these new recommendations are and when they will be implemented?
Hon Robert W. Runciman (Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations): Thank you for the question. I am very pleased to say that last week the Technical Standards and Safety Authority announced that they have issued a director's order outlining new licensing requirements for operators.
Now ride operators must provide additional information about the training and experience of amusement device mechanics before they are awarded a 2001 licence. Also, it will now be mandatory for all mechanics to attend a TSSA safety seminar in early 2001, before being put at the controls of a ride this coming summer. These changes are part of TSSA's ongoing commitment to improve public safety at Ontario's fairs and amusement parks.
Mr Coburn: In June of this year, a coroner's jury issued recommendations to improve amusement ride safety in this province in the inquest that was investigating the death of Jerome Charron, where Mr Charron lost his life in a tragic accident on a bungee ride at the Central Canada Exhibition in Ottawa in 1998. I understand that these changes by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority are in direct response to some of the jury's recommendations. Can you please tell us how else the TSSA has responded to the jury's recommendations?
Hon Mr Runciman: As the member indicated, the coroner's jury came back with 29 recommendations for improvements to the operation of Ontario's amusement devices. I am pleased to say that the TSSA and the ministry have implemented or are in the process of implementing 28 of these 29 recommendations.
Today's announcement from the TSSA specifically addresses three of these recommendations surrounding the training and certification of ride operators and mechanics.
This government takes the safety of Ontarians very seriously. We will continue to work with the TSSA to ensure we have some of the highest safety standards in the world.
ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS
Mr John C. Cleary (Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh): My question is to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The legislative session is winding down and many of us will be heading back to our ridings with a lot of unanswered questions. First of all, there's a crisis in agriculture, whether you admit it or not. When can Ontario farmers expect the government to finally take a leadership role and provide some of the additional funding desperately needed by farmers? Also, on October 11, you stood in this Legislature and talked about a nutrient management plan. When can we expect to hear from you and what exactly is the status of this plan?
Hon Ernie Hardeman (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs): Thank you very much to the member opposite for the question. I want to assure him that the agriculture community in Ontario shares his concerns and shares society's concern for public health and the quality of our water. But I want to stress that the issue the member raises on nutrient management is indeed a very important but complex issue. I'm sure he would recognize that we want to get the process right.
I want to stress that we've been working closely with the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the issue. The issue has broad impacts on all Ontarians, so we want to make sure we consult with all of Ontario before we come forward with legislation. We are confident a solution can be reached if we spend sufficient time to make sure that we come up with a solution that protects our environment and ensures a sustainable agriculture industry.
Mr Cleary: Minister, you didn't exactly answer my question. I watched you and the former minister drain the heart right out of rural Ontario. First of all, you closed local agriculture offices, taking away front-line workers, and there are a lot of other issues. Then there's the role of the struggling farmers who are just asking for some help in this time of need and low prices, high gas prices and all that goes along with them. Now you're stalling on the management legislation. When are you going to start paying more attention than lip service to rural Ontario?
Hon Mr Hardeman: Indeed I thank the member opposite for the question, but I want to say that in fact we as a government are very concerned and very supportive of our agriculture community. Over the last several years, our budget has continued to increase to help our farmers, both in the services we are providing for the farmers and in the money we are putting into the safety nets to make sure that our Ontario farmers get the type of protection and the safety net they need.
The member will be aware that one of the commitments we made in the Blueprint was that we would go to the federal government and make sure we got our fair share for our Ontario farmers of federal safety net spending. In fact, we were very pleased that we were able to accomplish that. We got $30 million more from the federal government that will go toward our Ontario farmers. We are matching that with another $20 million to make sure that we can help our farmers through the time they find themselves in because of low commodity prices. I share his concern --
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): I'm afraid the minister's time is up.
AUTISM SERVICES
Mrs Tina R. Molinari (Thornhill): My question is for the Minister of Community and Social Services. Recently in my constituency office I met with parents of an autistic child. They wanted to know what supports are in place for this very vulnerable group of children. They specifically wanted to know what services will be provided and the criteria for eligibility for these services. Minister, could you please tell my constituents of the riding of Thornhill what the government is doing to provide services for autistic children?
Hon John R. Baird (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for francophone affairs): Last year, before the pre-budget consultations, the Autism Society Ontario came forward and recommended that the government invest in providing services for young children with autism, particularly early intervention services so that we can deal with the challenges of young children with autism. At the time, not one single province in Canada was providing a comprehensive program to young children two to five years of age, but this government responded with funding of $19 million to provide these early services.
Much like the Autism Society Ontario, Dr Fraser Mustard spoke about the malleability of a young child's brain. We can intervene at that early stage and provide supports, including an individualized service plan for each child, intensive behavioural intervention for children, particularly at the ages of two and five, and the evaluation for continuous improvement of these services. We're very pleased to have taken the time to build an infrastructure where none existed to train people and to begin to provide these important services to young children in Ontario.
Mrs Molinari: My constituents will be happy to hear that this government recognizes the need for early intervention and investing in the foundation we now have in place. In York region, there are centres that are acting as service providers for this very first program in Ontario. Minister, would you elaborate for my constituents if you have witnessed first-hand the delivery of services for autistic children and made sure that the money is in fact flowing to those who need it most?
Hon Mr Baird: We have taken the time to build a network around the province of Ontario to ensure these important services are available to children and their families. That is particularly the case in York region. I did have the opportunity just last month to visit Kinark child and family services to view two children receiving this therapy and to talk to their families and to hear their stories and to hear how, for many years, they couldn't have these services because they weren't provided. The good news is that they're beginning to get those services.
I had the opportunity to meet with the executive director of Kinark, Peter Moore, and with the clinical director, Sylvie Donais. They had to go to the States to get trained because those services weren't available. But we're now providing those services to children and their families right here in the province of Ontario.
DOCTOR SHORTAGE
Ms Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a question to the Minister of Health. It has been a year since Dr McKendry released a report outlining recommendations to recruit and retain doctors in the province. One of those recommendations clearly emphasized the need to consider establishing a medical school in northern Ontario so that we can end the doctor shortages in our special part of the province.
Minister, instead of acting on that recommendation, you decided to appoint yet another panel to do yet another study when we already know what needs to be done. Many in northern Ontario have a concern about the panel because the chair and the vice-chair both represent southern Ontario medical schools. The concern is that the panel will recommend additional spaces in southern medical schools as the means to deal with the doctor problem.
More spaces in southern schools will not do anything to resolve the long-standing problem of attracting and retaining more doctors in northern Ontario. Minister, it has been a year since Dr McKendry reported. We still don't have the report from the expert panel. Will you now move forward on this very important recommendation and commit your government to establishing a medical school in northern Ontario?
Hon Elizabeth Witmer (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): As the member knows, it was during the tenure of her government that a decision was made to decrease the number of spaces in medical school, not only in this province, but throughout Canada. We have recognized that we do need an adequate supply and mix and distribution of physicians throughout Ontario, and that's why we had Dr McKendry do the initial analysis of the needs. We have -- as you know and you referred to -- given the information to Dr Peter George, and he has an expert panel.
I can assure you the expert panel represents different areas of responsibility and different people from throughout the province. I think it would be premature to speculate as to what they may or may not do; in fact, it's probably quite unfair.
Ms Martel: The question was, will you commit on behalf of your government to establishing a medical school in northern Ontario? We ask that question because we know that the family residency program in Sudbury, for example, established under our government, has had enormous success in ensuring that those doctors who are trained in that community stay in northern Ontario. The same occurs in Thunder Bay at the residency program there.
We know that despite any of the initiatives that you have undertaken and despite the OMA-government agreement, nothing concrete has happened with respect to recruitment and retention of physicians in northern Ontario -- quite the opposite. At the Sudbury Regional Hospital in my community, we have an enormous crisis right now with respect to a loss of physicians. In the riding of my colleague from Timmins-James Bay, the hospital in Kapuskasing cannot operate the emergency ward because of a lack of physicians.
Dr McKendry made it clear. He recommended that a northern medical school should be established. Will your government follow the advice of your appointee and commit now to a northern medical school so that we can finally deal with the problem of doctor recruitment and doctor retention in our special part of the province?
Hon Mrs Witmer: Again I would remind the member that it was your government that cut the spaces in medical schools. I would also remind you that since 1995 we have provided $9 million to a joint OMA-OHA-Ministry of Health initiative to help over 60 small hospitals with physician coverage in emergency rooms.
There is also an agreement for 20 northern underserviced communities to attract doctors. They are given a $10,000 retention bonus if they stay for three years, double stipends for specialty services, guaranteed base salaries and $60,000 for overhead costs. Also, we have provided a 70-hour sessional fee for physicians working nights, weekends and holidays in emergency departments in northern hospitals.
We've established community development officer programs with positions in northwestern and northeastern Ontario. We've designed a medical specialty course. We've established community-sponsored contracts. The list goes on and on.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): I'm afraid the minister's time is up.
Pursuant to standing order 30(b), I am now required to call orders of the day.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
BALANCED BUDGETS
FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES ACT, 2000 /
LOI DE 2000
SUR DES BUDGETS ÉQUILIBRÉS
POUR UN AVENIR MEILLEUR
Resuming the debate adjourned on December 18, 2000, on the motion for second reading of Bill 152,
An Act to implement the 2000 Budget to establish a made-in-Ontario tax system and to amend various Acts / Projet de loi 152, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre le budget de 2000 en vue de créer un régime fiscal propre à l'Ontario et à modifier diverses lois.
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): I am now required to put the question.
Mr Young has moved second reading of Bill 152. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?
All those in favour of the motion will please say "aye."
All those opposed will please say "nay."
In my opinion, the ayes have it.
Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.
The division bells rang from 1604 to 1609.
The Acting Speaker (Mr Bert Johnson): All those in favour will please rise one at a time and be acknowledged by the Clerk.
Ayes
Arnott, Ted
Baird, John R.
Barrett, Toby
Beaubien, Marcel
Chudleigh, Ted
Clark, Brad
Clement, Tony
Coburn, Brian
Cunningham, Dianne
DeFaria, Carl
Dunlop, Garfield
Ecker, Janet
Elliott, Brenda
Eves, Ernie L.
Flaherty, Jim
Galt, Doug
Gilchrist, Steve
Gill, Raminder
Guzzo, Garry J.
Hardeman, Ernie
Hastings, John
Hodgson, Chris
Hudak, Tim
Jackson, Cameron
Johns, Helen
Kells, Morley
Klees, Frank
Marland, Margaret
Martiniuk, Gerry
Maves, Bart
Mazzilli, Frank
Molinari, Tina R.
Munro, Julia
Murdoch, Bill
Mushinski, Marilyn
Newman, Dan
O'Toole, John
Ouellette, Jerry J.
Palladini, Al
Runciman, Robert W.
Sampson, Rob
Snobelen, John