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April 18, 2006

38th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2006-Apr-18 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Tuesday 18 April 2006 Mardi 18 avril 2006

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

POWER PLANT

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS

CONVENIENCE STORES

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

ELDER ABUSE

CORNWALL

MOTIONS

WITHDRAWAL OF BILL 123

HOUSE SITTINGS

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

RENEWABLE FUELS

ROAD SAFETY

RENEWABLE FUELS

ROAD SAFETY

RENEWABLE FUELS

ROAD SAFETY

ORAL QUESTIONS

HEALTH CARE

HOSPITAL SERVICES

LONG-TERM CARE

SCHOOL BOARDS

AKWESASNE INTERNATIONAL POWWOW

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

NUCLEAR WASTE

WATER QUALITY

CORONER'S INQUESTS

TOWING INDUSTRY

ENDANGERED SPECIES

WINE INDUSTRY

YOUNG OFFENDER FACILITY

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

PETITIONS

CONVENIENCE STORES

COMMUNITY MEDIATION

CONVENIENCE STORES

CHILD CARE

LONG-TERM CARE

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

CONVENIENCE STORES

SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING

CONVENIENCE STORES

SPRING BEAR HUNT

CONVENIENCE STORES

COMMUNITY MEDIATION

CONVENIENCE STORES

ORDERS OF THE DAY

PROVINCIAL PARKS AND

CONSERVATION RESERVES ACT, 2006 /

LOI DE 2006 SUR LES PARCS

PROVINCIAUX ET LES RÉSERVES

DE CONSERVATION

The House met at 1330.

Prayers.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): The state of agriculture and the future of the rural Ontario we once knew are in a state of disarray

following a McGuinty budget that has slashed $244 million from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It is a disgrace that this government has turned its back on the very people who

feed our cities. At a time in history when other jurisdictions are supporting their agriculture stakeholders at maximum levels, Dalton McGuinty has decided in his wisdom, and with the advice of

Ministers Duncan and Dombrowsky, that we probably do not need agriculture in Ontario.

Farm families have income levels that are at 20-year lows. It is now clear that the best crop a farmer can have is a field full of foundations for new homes.

Does the Premier not understand that when a farmer earns a decent profit, he or she actually reinvests in the family farm operation? New tractors and equipment, trucks, expansion of buildings:

Farmers historically have reinvested their profits.

Today, farmers simply do not have the money to plant their crops. I call on Premier McGuinty to stop this hatred of rural Ontario. Please help our farm families.

Allow Ontario farmers to earn a decent living. In a year when the Ontario civil service $100,000-plus club has grown by 22%, the farmers of Ontario have been abandoned by the McGuinty Liberals. The

Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture, under the leadership of President Dave Riddell, has not forgotten this abuse by the McGuinty Liberals. They will continue to work hard, the same way they

operate their family farms, to let Ontarians know how shabbily they have been treated by the McGuinty Liberals. Remember: Farmers feed cities.

POWER PLANT

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth): I have been instructed by my constituents in Toronto-Danforth to send Premier McGuinty a very clear

message: The people of Toronto-Danforth do not want your port lands mega power plant.

This riding has done its homework. It knows that hundreds of millions of dollars from the public purse will be wasted on this mega gas-fired plant instead of

being spent on greener, cheaper, more effective alternatives that will keep Toronto's lights on without undermining local air quality and without delaying the long-awaited revitalization of the

eastern waterfront.

For example, Toronto Hydro alone could double its conservation targets if only it had adequate funding from the province. In sharp contrast to Dalton McGuinty's

seeing $700 million spent on this 550-megawatt gas plant, Toronto Hydro, with approximately $200 million, could save the city over 550 megawatts of electrical energy.

It's long overdue for the Premier to start working with the community and the city to keep the lights on in the cleanest, greenest and most affordable way.

Dalton McGuinty, stop imposing this mega power plant that no one wants on the waterfront and start being a partner in making Toronto a world leader in energy efficiency, conservation and

renewables.

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

Mr. Ted McMeekin (Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot): I've seen bumper stickers that say, "If you ate today, thank a farmer." With all three

of our daughters home for the Easter break and constantly into the fridge, be assured that Ontario farmers have my undying gratitude.

Today's Ontario agriculture and food sector is a colossus. Agriculture represents 12% of all goods produced in our economy, more than 10% of all jobs in the

province and over $8 billion in annual agri-food exports. To build strong rural communities, we must develop an agricultural sector that will not just keep pace but set the pace. This will require

all levels of government to work with our agricultural partners to find ways to smooth out the bumps brought on by lower commodity prices and increased global competition, as well as bringing added

value through product diversification and new ventures such as biodiesel fuels and ethanol. New agri-tourism ventures, enhanced agricultural research and better information sharing are other

important components of any long-term strategy.

Finally, we must acknowledge the simple reality that building a strong and sustainable agricultural future will require a shared sense of purpose. Only by

agreeing to a shared sense of purpose will we be able to develop a clear set of agricultural objectives. Our task is clear, complex and urgent. It is best done together. Let's get at it.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton): This past weekend my family, like many other young families, enjoyed a lovely Easter weekend in

Nepean-Carleton. Unfortunately, farmers and grocers in the Nepean-Carleton riding are not able to say the same. On Saturday, Ken Ross, an independent grocer in my community, asked me, while I was

shopping for groceries in his store, to please listen to the farmers. His shelves were bare. This was the result of a farmers' blockade of the major grocery distribution centre in my Ottawa

community to protest this government.

On Sunday, I spoke with Gib Patterson, a farmer in my community, who lamented his frustration with the government over the agriculture file. In our discussion he

supported the farmers' protest as a means to highlight the agricultural crisis looming in Ontario. Farmers, distributors, grocers and consumers are suffering from the McGuinty government's lack

Interjection: Shame.

Ms. MacLeod: Yes, exactly -- are suffering from the McGuinty government's continuous promise-breaking to Ontario farmers, its continuous

slashing of the agriculture budget and its utter lack of respect for the family farm.

When will this government step up to the plate and begin restoring cuts to our farmers, and when will it keep its promise to make the Ministry of Agriculture a

lead ministry? It's time for action, it's time for keeping promises and it's time to support our family farm.

VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS

Mr. Khalil Ramal (London-Fanshawe): I would like to tell this House about an exciting event that took place on Thursday, April 6. It was my

pleasure to attend the Volunteer Service Awards in London, where 252 honours were given out to Londoners of all ages who have taken time out of their hectic schedules to give back to their

communities and make a difference in the lives of others. I want to congratulate everyone who was honoured.

More than 2.3 million Ontarians volunteer over 390 million hours to 75,000 organizations each year. The Volunteer Service Awards are now in their 20th year and

more than 8,000 people in Ontario will receive volunteer service honours this year.

The work of volunteers has been valued at more than $6 billion annually. This statistic speaks volumes to the generosity, caring and kindness of Ontarians.

Without volunteers, so many communities, agencies and non-profit organizations could not survive.

Volunteers in the province have given their time to a wide variety of Ontarians, including children and youth, seniors and the disabled, and to all sectors,

including health, culture, environment and education, among others. All Ontarians benefit from the millions of volunteers who help to make life in Ontario better and more prosperous.

On behalf of all Ontarians, I want to thank volunteers for taking the time to help others and for being role models to Ontarians, and encourage all Ontarians to

volunteer their time to an organization or cause that they believe in. Not only will the volunteer experience enrich their own lives; it will make Ontario a better place to live for everyone.

CONVENIENCE STORES

Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant): I welcome OKBA, the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association, the Ontario Convenience Stores

Association, Mac's stores and Daisy Mart to Queen's Park. The theme of today's protest of well over 1,000 people out front is "Enough is enough." The Ontario Convenience Stores Association points

out that the Liberal government refuses to meet with its leaders or even acknowledge the issues -- issues like increased electricity, WSIB and insurance rates, and most importantly the war on

tobacco.

Dalton McGuinty's war on tobacco has inflicted collateral damage on small business. This war is claiming convenience store owners as its latest victims. The

underground tobacco economy is putting legal business out of business and driving increased store robberies.

We hear the Premier talk about addiction, but he should acknowledge his own addiction: taxes. While governments across Ontario and Canada claim close to $10

billion annually in tobacco tax revenue and continue to increase taxes, this government has no qualms about legislating away 50% of a corner store's profits. This isn't a smoking issue; it's a

fairness issue. If government can legislate away profits through increased taxation and regulation, it can pay up with a modicum of compensation.

Our friends out on the front lawn are saying, "Enough is enough," and I concur. They're right.

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

Mr. Pat Hoy (Chatham-Kent Essex): Ontario's farmers face an immediate need for financial support in advance of the upcoming planting season. The

McGuinty government is delivering $125 million in financial assistance to farmers prior to spring planting.

Chatham-Kent's direct and indirect agricultural sales represent approximately $2 billion and support more than 16,000 jobs. In Essex, farm cash receipts for one

of the most agriculturally diverse counties in all of Canada were $571.5 million in 2004.

The impact of agriculture on Chatham-Kent Essex goes way beyond just economic factors. The public benefits derived from the agricultural industry include vibrant

rural communities and schools; social infrastructure, including active community centres for all age groups; cleaner air; conservation of agricultural land; management of physical resources;

preservation of wildlife habitat; and stewardship of forests.

Farmers support the rural communities they live in. They have children enrolled in schools, they participate in educational opportunities and they take

leadership roles.

Our government is firmly committed to working with the federal government and our provincial and territorial counterparts on a new agricultural framework to

support our agri-food sector. We are calling on the federal government's participation as a full partner to support our agricultural industry.

ELDER ABUSE

Mr. Dave Levac (Brant): Ontario's strategy to combat elder abuse is designed to prevent and respond to the abuse of older adults in Ontario.

Some agencies coordinate community activities, train front-line staff and provide public education for this tragic stuff. Others are directly involved in elder abuse cases but have no funding to do

so.

These kinds of services are provided by 62 organizations across Ontario, 23 of which provide direct elder abuse intervention services to community clients, and

the remaining 39 help coordinate services in any given area.

The Haldimand and Norfolk Community Response Network, part of the Victim Services of Haldimand-Norfolk, will receive a $15,000 unconditional grant to help the

network continue to provide intervention services.

The Brant county elder abuse advisory board has received $3,000 in recognition of service coordination activities.

These grants will help coordinate community services, provide training for front-line staff and help pay for educating the public. I am pleased that we were able

to provide some more money for these extremely valuable services provided in our communities.

The unconditional grants for elder abuse networks and service organizations are in recognition of their costs related to meeting with the local elder abuse

networks, disseminating information to network partners, producing elder abuse educational materials and hosting educational events for the public and/or providing those services for those people

who are helping our elderly.

Senior citizens do not need to be abused any longer.

CORNWALL

Mr. Jim Brownell (Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh): The Leader of the Opposition is fond of asking this government where evidence exists of its

plan to assist Cornwall. It gives me great pleasure to tell the member currently representing Dufferin−Peel−Wellington−Grey and all members a bit about how that plan has

manifested itself over the last several weeks and months in my area.

Cornwall already has an ideal location and a dedicated bilingual workforce. What the McGuinty government has done is looked to the areas that municipal leaders

and I have indicated need improvement and commenced work to address them.

When the new state-of-the-art hospital capital project is completed, doctors will look to Cornwall as a place to explore the boundaries of innovative medicine.

Families will be interested in settling there knowing there is not only an excellent hospital but new and improved educational facilities for their children.

Businesses, intrigued by the location and the improvements to the road system through Move Ontario, improvements that will facilitate the flow of goods, are

expressing interest in locating in Cornwall and other communities in my riding. I have spoken before of the health care renaissance my riding is embarking upon. I feel it's time to upgrade this to

a general renaissance, all part of the McGuinty plan to revitalize eastern Ontario.

Where the last government had rhetoric, this government indeed does have a plan. Where the last government spewed empty promises, the McGuinty government is

delivering action. I am honoured to continue my work with the government to ensure a new beginning for this, the oldest part of the province.

MOTIONS

WITHDRAWAL OF BILL 123

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): I seek unanimous consent to put forward

a motion without notice regarding the discharge and withdrawal of Bill 123.

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

Hon. Mr. Bradley: I move that the order for third reading of Bill 123,

An Act to require that meetings of provincial and municipal boards,

commissions and other public bodies be open to the public, be discharged and the bill withdrawn.

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

HOUSE SITTINGS

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): I move that, pursuant to standing order

9(c)(i), the House shall meet from 6:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2006, for the purpose of considering government business.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Mr. Bradley has moved government notice of motion number 104. Is it the pleasure of the House that the

motion carry? Carried.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

RENEWABLE FUELS

Hon. Donna H. Cansfield (Minister of Energy): Ontario continues to move ahead in the development of clean, renewable energy. I recently drew to

the attention of the House the opening of Ontario's second large-scale commercial wind farm, and today I am pleased to report a third, offering clear evidence that our government's plan to ensure

that Ontario has safe, clean, reliable power now and for the future is working and is moving ahead.

The Erie Shores Wind Farm is a 99-megawatt project, making it Ontario's largest operating wind project. The project's 66 turbines will generate enough

electricity to power over 25,000 homes.

Not only are we benefiting from clean, renewable energy, but the Erie Shores Wind Farm represents a total investment of $186 million and will mean cleaner air

for all Ontarians.

Our government is building a new energy future that will keep the lights on and ensure that our children have cleaner air. This wind farm and the others now

operating or being built across the province will allow us to create a stable supply of clean, renewable power. It is an important milestone towards our future.

I would like to remind the members that in 2003, Ontario had a wind capacity of 15 megawatts. Through projects like Erie Shores, by 2008 the province's wind

capacity will be over 1,300 megawatts. That's an 80-fold increase, and will make Ontario Canada's leader in wind power.

As I advised members earlier this month, the 40-megawatt Kingsbridge I wind project near Goderich and the 67-megawatt Melancthon wind project near Shelburne have

both begun commercial operations. Three more wind farms selected under the renewables RFP process are also expected to come online by the end of 2006, with enough capacity to power up to 80,000

homes. Together, all these projects will help Ontario reach its goal of generating 5% of its electricity capacity through renewable generation by 2007, and 10% by 2010.

These larger-scale renewable energy projects, which also include small hydro and biomass projects, represent only one part of our approach to renewable energy.

We recognize that projects of all sizes have a place in our energy future. That's why we recently announced one of the most ambitious and forward-looking standard offer contract programs in North

America, which will lead to smaller-scale commercial, co-operative and community developments. It's also why we have put in place a net metering regulation that helps homeowners, farmers and others

meet their own energy needs through renewable energy generation right at home.

The opening of the Erie Shores Wind Farm is indeed exciting news and a further indication of the clean, green energy future we are creating for the people of

Ontario.

ROAD SAFETY

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I rise in the House today to talk about an important matter for all Ontarians: seat belt

safety.

Earlier today, I officially launched the annual spring seat belt campaign, which runs from April 16 to April 23. This year we are focusing on one of my

priorities: the safety of children travelling on Ontario's roads.

Collisions are the leading cause of death and injury for children one to nine years old. In fatal crashes, nearly 20% of the children under eight years old

were not using seat belts, child car safety seats or booster seats. That is why our government has made it mandatory for drivers transporting children to ensure they are properly secured in an

appropriate child car safety seat or booster seat. Drivers who don't do so face a fine and two demerit points.

We are serious about safety. We know that kids are safer in child car safety seats and booster seats. That's why we supported such strong penalties for parents

and caregivers who don't comply with the law.

About 20 child car safety seat information sessions will be held across the province in the next week to coincide with the annual spring seat belt campaign,

and there will be many more sessions held throughout the year. I want to encourage families with young children to contact our ministry to find out more about these helpful sessions. They are

happening in your community and are a great resource.

I would like to thank the community groups and public health care workers who organized these information sessions as well as our police, who raise awareness

with seat belt spot checks. The work you do is important, and your support is invaluable.

We are also very fortunate to work with a number of road safety partners in educating the public. For example, Brampton Fire and Emergency Services has

recently released an extremely helpful DVD on the proper installation of child car safety seats.

I am proud to report that Ontario has the second-highest rate of seat belt use in urban areas in Canada. It's nearly 93%. That is above the national average of

just over 91%. But we can and must do more. I won't be satisfied until Ontario's seat belt rate is 100% so that no one, no child, is put in danger while travelling.

Today's announcement is just one way the McGuinty government is helping families do the best for their children. We have lowered class sizes for children in

the early grades; 70% of our kids are now in smaller classes, half in classes of 20 or fewer. We have provided the resources and help that kids need to learn to read, write and do math at a high

level. Test scores are up: 62% of our children are now meeting the provincial standards, up from half in 2003. We have hired 4,300 new teachers and delivered one million new textbooks. We have

introduced legislation to keep students learning until at least age 18. We have launched an anti-bullying strategy and school safety audits. We have added three new vaccines to protect children and

save families more than $600 per child. We have also created 14,000 new child care spaces. All Ontarians benefit when we keep our children safe and help them to learn.

Together, we are making our roads safer for children and everyone who travels in Ontario. Ontario has the safest roads in North America. Our government is

committed to maintaining and improving upon that record. For more than a decade now, the Ministry of Transportation has held the annual spring seat belt campaign with the help of our road safety

partners, including police, fire, emergency medical services, health care professionals and community groups across the province.

I know all members will want to join me in encouraging everyone to wear a seat belt and use the proper child car safety seat or booster seat when transporting

children.

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

RENEWABLE FUELS

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): It's my pleasure to respond to the Minister of Energy for another announcement of a mega wind

project, Erie Shores. The minister calls this a 99-megawatt project providing power for 25,000 homes. She further talks about her previous developments, 40 and 67 megawatts, and about being able to

produce power for 80,000 homes through 2006 from wind in this province.

The government is not being straight with the people, but that's not surprising from this government. That is actually the way they conduct business. You see,

Mr. Speaker, even the IESO, in their latest report, clarify and make it clear that you can only rate wind at 10% of its capacity, which means that 80,000 homes is 8,000 homes and today's

announcement is not 25,000 homes; it is 2,500 homes.

The people in this province have a right to know where this government is going with these gigantic announcements that are going to actually provide a very,

very small portion of the power needed to power this province over the next several years. They are being totally -- you know what I want to say, but I can't -- with the people of Ontario when it

comes to the actual numbers of this power. Yet their policy is ensuring that we will shut down power to almost two million homes, using their figures, by their silly, ridiculous, undoable coal

shutdown policy.

I met with people from Germany and Denmark a couple of weeks ago with regard to the opportunities in fossil generation today and the good work they are doing.

But this government will not even recognize that those exist. Do you know what is sad about their policy? Under the gigantic demand of power last year, our plants continued to burn coal, with this

government doing nothing about the emissions they produced at record levels.

The fact is that what we get from this government are sky-high hydro prices and an incoherent policy. They're not straight with the people of Ontario. They

really don't know where they are going with coal. They have no idea where our supply is coming from over the next several years. They have not responded to the OPA report, which they promised to do

in 90 days. It is just a mishmash of incoherency that the people of Ontario are paying the price for, and they will continue to pay the price until we ship these people out of office.

ROAD SAFETY

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): I'm pleased to respond to the Minister of Transportation's comments regarding seat belt safety. Clearly we

support any initiative that is going to make it safer for our children on the roads in this province.

I do want to respond to the Minister of Transportation's education comments, though. I want to point out that what we have in this province, unfortunately --

and I can understand the minister's making the comments, because he is not the Minister of Education and of course he wouldn't know. But I think that we need to look at people who do know what is

going on in education in Ontario.

Here is the Ottawa Citizen headline this weekend: "Don't Let Kennedy's `Success' Fool You: Liberal Leader Hopeful Left Schools a Mess." It goes on to talk

about a $17.8-million gap between what the board plans to spend and what the province will deliver. That's a difference between the former Minister of Education's announcements regarding education

and the shortfall of funding he has left school boards with. This

article goes on to say what we have been saying in the House for many months; that is, the former Minister of Education has left a

legacy of mismanagement in education in this province. School boards are forced to rob from special education, from textbooks, from all kinds of programs that the Minister of Transportation

referred to. They have to rob from those programs to meet contract commitments that the Minister of Education made in this province. It is unconscionable. Now we have the two largest boards in

Ontario -- Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic school board -- spending $100,000 of taxpayers' dollars to hire Warren Kinsella to lobby this government so they can get an ear

about the problems they have in education funding. It's a shame, an absolute shame. We hope the new Minister of Education can fix the problem.

RENEWABLE FUELS

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth): Development of wind power in this province is a good thing. But the reality is that the energy plan that

is coming forward from this government is one that needs sugar-coating. It is a plan that has nuclear power at its core, prettied up with some positive things, but in the end a plan that is not

environmentally or economically sustainable.

We are faced with a government that is poised to spend $41 billion on new nuclear power plants and that is poised to make the majority of power in this

province come from nuclear power when we still have unpaid bills from the last round of nuclear power. Twenty-four billion dollars is the estimate that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization

gives for disposal of nuclear waste in Canada, most of that from Ontario. That unfunded liability hangs over this province.

We already have a charge on our hydro bills for what is called stranded debt; that means dead nuclear power plants. We're about to have this government go

forward to add a number of other lines to our hydro bills, lines that will reflect the cost of waste disposal from the last round, lines that reflect dead reactors from the last round, and future

charges for waste management/waste disposal that will weight down this province environmentally and economically. It's no wonder, with an approach like that, that this government is so desperate to

sugar-coat a plan that is a dead end.

The other thing I want to say is that this government treats efficiency and conservation as frills, as small items that are left to the side. Demand response,

paying companies a small amount to cut their power use at peak times, is extraordinarily cost-effective. We buy about 3,000 megawatts of power from the United States at peak times during the summer

to deal with demand in this province. We have offered jurisdictions and companies in this province an opportunity to sell reductions on call to meet peak need, but we've capped that at 250

megawatts. In other words, if you're in the United States and you want to sell power into Ontario, whatever you want. If you're in Ontario and you want to sell reductions to this province, your

opportunity is capped at 250 megawatts, guaranteeing that we will be sending dollars out of this province to poison ourselves, because most of this power is coal-fired.

This government has to sugar-coat its initiatives. Wind power is a positive thing, but it's wrong to use it as sugar-coating for a nuclear-powered future.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Responses? The member for Niagara Centre.

ROAD SAFETY

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): Be positive.

Mr. Peter Kormos (Niagara Centre): As Mr. Bradley admonishes me to be positive, I will.

All of us share a concern about highway safety. All of us are concerned about the remarkable shocking data that indicates that 20% of under-eight-year-old kids

in fatal accidents weren't wearing appropriate seat belts. There isn't a member of this Legislature who doesn't agree with the proposition of firmer education, stronger educational programs, and

assistance to those families who need assistance in purchasing and acquiring the appropriate child restraining device, because now there are clear and defined regulations requiring different sized

devices for different ages and different sized kids.

But the observation has to be made that unless you've got, amongst other things, cops in adequate numbers on our 400 series highways patrolling those highways,

we're not going to have an effective level of enforcement. The regrettable human reality is that there's going to be a percentage of people who, notwithstanding all of the investment in educational

programs and all of the assistance offered to them, are still going to ignore the law when it comes to seat belts. So I say to this government that while all of us join in our concern about the

failure to use seat belts and the incredible fatal consequences of that, we should have a similar sharing of a commitment to adequate levels of policing on our 400 highways, which means

reinforcing, restaffing and upgrading the level of staffing when it comes to OPP, and municipal police forces, for that matter.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): It is now time --

Mr. Kormos: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I seek unanimous consent to move a motion adding the Spanish and Portuguese languages to the

official languages that can be used here in this chamber.

The Speaker: Mr. Kormos has asked for unanimous consent. I heard a no.

ORAL QUESTIONS

HEALTH CARE

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener-Waterloo): My question is for the Premier. Ontarians do want a health care system where they get the right

care at the right time. During the last campaign, you made a promise to reduce wait times. You promised there would be shorter wait times for key cancer surgery and treatment. Premier, I'd like you

to explain to people in this province why you have broken this promise and why, according to your own website data, cancer surgery wait times are up throughout the province.

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I'm pleased to take the question and to speak to what is a very important

issue, not just for members of this Legislature but, obviously, for the people of Ontario. I'm proud of the fact that for the first time in Ontario we now have a public wait times website, making

information available to Ontarians in a way that was never apparent. I believe we've had over 500,000 hits on that website, just to give you an indication of how interested Ontarians are in

acquiring that kind of information. That is just one phase in our determination to get wait times down in Ontario.

The member should know that elective cardiac bypass waits are now 50% shorter. They've dropped from 30 days to 15 days. She should also know that when it comes

to elective angiography, waits are now 40% shorter. They've dropped from 23 days to 14 days. Finally, I'm proud to say that radiation treatment waits are 16% shorter. They've dropped by one week.

I'm proud to say that, in sum, we're making progress.

Mrs. Witmer: The Premier did not respond to the question regarding cancer surgery wait times. Unfortunately, Ontarians today are paying more.

In fact, they recently filed their income tax forms and they had to pay the awful, dreaded health tax that you implemented and had promised not to.

But I want to talk to you about your site. You have advertised all over the province, in newspapers and in the Internet, and it says, "Wait Times: What are my

options?" The ad is currently running, as you know, on the National Post website.

So I ask you today, Premier, what are the options for cancer patients at Toronto East General Hospital who are waiting 35% longer for cancer surgery than they

were last July?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: When it comes to cancer cases, 92% of those are now being done within the priority wait time target. The member will also

know that we have funded an additional 4,600 cancer surgeries.

Let me just tell you of one anecdote recorded in the Guelph Mercury March 18 of this year and how useful these wait time websites can in fact be: "In the short

time it's been operational, it does seem to be working to help patients find the care they need where they can get it quickest.

"One Guelph woman recently used the website to find the quickest CT scan after being told she'd have to wait two months for the service at Guelph General

Hospital. She found a six-day wait at Hamilton's Health Sciences Corp. on the province's website, and, once she got there, found no one else in the waiting room and was done in five minutes.

"It is stories like these that speak to the success of the website as a useful tool for people to manage their own health care." The website is working.

Mrs. Witmer: I would suggest to you that wait times for cancer patients in the province of Ontario are going up. I indicated Toronto East

General Hospital, where people are waiting 30% longer than last July; Mount Sinai Hospital, 8% longer than last July; University Health Network, 13% longer than last July; in the central LHIN,

cancer surgery wait times are up 68% compared to July of last year.

Premier, the truth is that people are waiting longer all over the province for cancer surgery. This is yet another broken McGuinty promise. I want to ask you,

what are the real options for patients facing increased wait times due to your broken promise?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: Again, the facts simply do not support the representations being made by the honourable member opposite. Cardiac bypass

wait times are down; they're 50% shorter. Angiography waits are down; they're 40% shorter. Radiation treatment waits are down; they are 16% shorter. The member opposite may not find that the

websites are of any value, but 500,000 Ontarians claim otherwise.

Understand that the intention of the member opposite's party is to address the wait times challenge before all of us by taking $2.5 billion out of Ontario's

health care system. I fail to see how taking $2.5 billion out of our health care system is somehow going to further reduce wait times.

We have a plan. We are moving ahead with that plan. We're making information transparent for the first time ever and we're getting real results for the people

of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): New question. The member for Kitchener-Waterloo.

Mrs. Witmer: I would say to the Premier, he should check his website. The numbers I am using today are straight from the ministry's own

website for cancer surgery. He obviously doesn't like the numbers.

I say to you, what are the options for people like the patients at North York General Hospital who in January 2006 were waiting 64 days for cancer surgery,

compared to waiting 88% longer now?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: We expect that as a result of making this information available for the first time ever, there are going to be some

fluctuations. There is going to be some up and down in the wait times. But we are also very confident that the long-term trend will show definitively that those wait times are coming down. It's not

just the responsibility of our government to tackle these wait times single-handedly; we are counting on our health care partners and individual hospitals. By making this information apparent and

transparent, some are doing better than others. Working together as a team, we will make the necessary funding available. We will make sure that the transparency remains there so Ontarians can

observe the progress that we're making together. Again, I'm confident that over time, we will get more and more of our wait times down.

Mrs. Witmer: The only thing the people in the province know for sure is that they are paying more for health care and getting less. You

continue to make excuses and bogus explanations when you can't explain what the options are for people in this province who are waiting longer for cancer surgery.

Why should the patients at Markham Stouffville believe you when you say you're reducing wait times when they're waiting 48 days for cancer surgery in January

versus 37 days last July, an increase of 30%; or North York General Hospital, where wait times are up 88% since last July; or Toronto East General at 35%? What are the options for these people who

are waiting and paying more?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The member maintains that somehow the people of Ontario are not getting additional value for these many new investments

that we're making on their behalf. I'll remind the member opposite about the over 3,000 new nurses that we are funding now. We have expanded medical school spaces by 23%, including the construction

of a new medical school. We have new vaccination programs in place for our children. We have a newborn screening program in place for our children. We're putting in place funding for new community

health centres and expanding existing community health centres. Our budget just recently funded insulin pumps for children for the first time in Ontario. So the member may see everything as being

dark and sombre and hopeless, but we see a different Ontario and a different air of optimism that's been injected into public health care. One aspect of that alone is getting our wait times

down.

Mrs. Witmer: I would say to you that your government is very good at making announcements and re-announcements. We know how many times you've

announced the family health networks. You are nowhere near creating 150 family health networks. In fact, we would be lucky if one or four are up, totally running. As far as 8,000 nurses, you are

nowhere near keeping that promise. As far as your announcement last week and the $50 million for pharmacists, that was first announced by Tony Clement, reannounced by your minister, and it's still

not working.

I would say to you today, how can the people at Southlake Regional Health Centre trust you when they're waiting 24% longer in January for cancer surgery than

they were in July? I would say, Premier, people in this province have had enough of broken promises. Why are you continuing to break your promise on reducing cancer surgery wait times?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: As this is the last of the six in a row, I think it's a good opportunity to compare and contrast.

Under the Conservatives, thousands of nurses were fired, emergency rooms were closed, thousands were cut off home care, long-term beds were closed, wait times

grew longer, community mental health was chopped, there were no vaccines for our children that were being funded, and every single MRI machine was ripped out of our hospitals.

Now let's compare with what we've been doing: We have more nurses, more doctors, shorter wait times, more home care, higher standards in our long-term-care

homes, new vaccines for our children, insulin pumps for children with diabetes, and it's pretty hard to find a community in Ontario where there's not some kind of hospital expansion or new

construction taking place for the first time.

They want to take $2.5 billion out of the progress that we are making. We will continue to defend public health care and improve the quality of services for

all Ontarians.

HOSPITAL SERVICES

Mr. Peter Kormos (Niagara Centre): A question to the Premier, but first, a heartfelt benvenido a Anthony.

Premier, an outbreak of Norwalk flu in Hamilton has left emergency rooms 20 deep in patients waiting for beds. At Henderson hospital, up to 40 patients are

lying on stretchers in crowded emergency rooms and hallways. Why in the midst of this very serious health crisis are you forcing Hamilton Health Sciences to close 28 desperately needed hospital

beds?

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

Hon. George Smitherman (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): I want to say, of course, we're very conscious of the challenges that the

Hamilton Health Sciences family of hospitals is facing at the moment related to the Norwalk virus outbreak. At any time in the province of Ontario in any of our institutions, there is, of course,

the possibility of an outbreak of this nature, and it can have serious complications, obviously, for those individuals who are directly affected and for others who are in the system.

In this case, of course, it has put more pressure on beds, and this has created some backlog in those hospital emergency room environments. But I would remind

the honourable member that what we have sought to do in each of the instances with our hospitals in Ontario is have them operating within the resources that are available. We have confidence in the

people of Hamilton to be able to address the circumstances which are occurring there at present in the same fashion that they always do: with professionalism and dedication to patients. This too is

something where circumstances will improve as the outbreak is diminished.

Mr. Kormos: Minister, I know that you know that when seniors and kids come down with the Norwalk virus, they can become very seriously

dehydrated and they have to stay in the hospital for monitoring of their conditions. There just simply aren't enough beds to go around, and you're asking them to cut 28 more. Hamilton needs more,

not fewer, hospital beds. Why are you forcing Hamilton's hospitals to cut 28 beds and rely on hallway medicine to get through this health crisis?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: I want to remind the honourable member that our record as a government with respect to hospital funding stands in very

stark contrast to the one of the government that he was part of. It has a record of additional resources each and every year for every Ontario hospital. What that's meant for Hamilton Health

Sciences since our government came to office is fully $145 million of additional operating funding for Hamilton Health Sciences alone. This speaks to our commitment.

It's important to mention that while the honourable member seeks to cause even greater concern, no surgeries have been cancelled related to this outbreak, and

Hamilton Health Sciences has appropriately developed flex beds. These are beds that can be put into motion directly to affect the challenges, in this case one with an outbreak of Norwalk.

Accordingly, we do see pressure placed on the health care system to deal with the Norwalk virus, and as is the case always, the people who work in health care,

the quarter of a million people on the front lines, are responding with professionalism and with dedication to patients. This is what we expect, and I want to thank them for their hard work.

Mr. Kormos: Minister, patients are being forced to wait in parked ambulances for hours as city hospitals struggle to find space for them. That

means that these ambulances are stuck and can't get to other emergencies and other people in medical trauma. Pat MacDonald, local 70 president of the Ontario Nurses' Association, calls the

situation "a nightmare." She says, "Patients are sleeping on stretchers for days." And you want to cut 28 more beds from this overstretched system.

When are you going to give Hamilton's hospitals the resources they need to keep that city healthy, or is Pat MacDonald simply wrong?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: Yes, I do think that it's very easy, in a time when a specific circumstance has occurred, to overreact. Language like the

honourable member wishes to repeat is rather inappropriate in the circumstance.

Across the breadth of the province of Ontario, we have 154 hospitals and we have more than 600 long-term-care homes. At any time, it is quite possible that an

outbreak is going to challenge the system. This is occurring in Hamilton. We appreciate that there are challenges there for patients. We want to thank them for their patience in the circumstances

and recognize that it is very difficult to fashion a health care system of a size and scale that is able to respond to every outbreak or circumstance that might occur.

In Hamilton, we have flex beds. We've had $145 million of additional operating budget on the part of our province since we came to office. Accordingly, we

believe that we are offering a very appropriate level of support to those very fine hospitals and to the incredibly dedicated people who work within them.

One more time: To the patients in the Hamilton area and also to those workers on the front line of health care, we thank them for their patience in trying

circumstances and we appreciate their dedication, especially --

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

LONG-TERM CARE

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. One year ago today, a coroner's inquest

reported on the tragic events at Casa Verde nursing home in North York, where a 74-year-old resident suffering from dementia killed two other residents. The landmark inquest found, and I quote them

directly, "Nursing homes are in dire need of more funding, stiffer regulations and better-trained workers."

I want to ask you about the first recommendation they made: new funding for better services for seniors in long-term care. You yourself personally promised

$6,000 per resident. You have delivered only $2,000 of that, one third of the promise. Why?

Hon. George Smitherman (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): Perhaps by way of supplementary, the honourable member will show me where it

is that I made such a personal commitment. I believe that to be an inaccurate statement, but I'll look forward to the honourable member answering it.

Across the breadth of long-term care, we have responded. In fact, proactively, even before the Casa Verde inquest came out, we had already sought to move

forward the nearly $200-million ongoing investment, done in one year, to enhance the level of care that was provided. We've moved forward with a series of changes in the long-term-care sector that

have been designed to influence the quality of care for patients. Just last week, in a conference with the Ontario Long Term Care Association, I had the privilege of announcing further funding --

$2.4 million -- for an initiative designed to enhance training and education for those workers who are dealing with our patients in long-term care who have dementias. We recognize that this is an

ongoing challenge, and that's why we're spending on-mark with dollars to enhance the training for those individuals.

Mr. Prue: The Casa Verde inquest said that nursing homes need "stiffer regulations," but today your government, the McGuinty government,

refuses to set minimum hours of personal care for seniors, meaning there is no standard for the amount of care seniors get. The inquest also said that we need "better-trained workers," but homecare

providers say that most homes will have difficulty keeping the staff they hired last year, let alone hire the 2,000 new workers you promised.

The Casa Verde inquest gave you a blueprint for change. Why have you failed to act in totality on those recommendations?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: I note that the honourable member had an opportunity to retract his earlier statement and chose not to, but I believe

he'll have one more shot at it.

In retrospect, the honourable member maybe ought to recognize that our government didn't wait for an inquest; we didn't sit here wondering and waiting for a

response. Rather, we sought to act proactively.

Across long-term care, as a result of the terrific work of my parliamentary assistant, Monique Smith, the member from Nipissing, we've been able to see a

dramatic improvement. We've worked to build family and resident councils. We have increased funding quite dramatically and have put 2,000 additional staff on the front lines of health care. We've

renewed the commitment around 24/7 registered nurses.

To the honourable member's point, both in terms of regulation and in terms of training, our government has already made this response across long-term care. We

recognize that dementias are occurring at a greater rate and there is more work to do. That's why we've recently made this investment in the education of those who work on the front lines to assist

them in dealing with our clients who have dementias.

Mr. Prue: Just to assure the minister, this is my information and I believe it to be correct. On December 8, 2003, you and your government

promised a revolution in long-term care. I'm not sure whether it was you or the Premier, but one of you wiped away tears and said, "This is a sub-par performance ... this is not Ontario's

standard." You can tell me which one of you said it.

Minister, you promised minimum hours of care; you promised $6,000 per resident; you promised a new long-term-care act, more funding, stiffer regulations and

better-trained workers. Broken promise, broken promise, broken promise. It has been two and a half years since you promised the long-term-care revolution; it's been one year since the Casa Verde

inquest results. When are you going to keep your promises to the seniors in long-term care?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: That is broken and unfounded rhetoric. Firstly, the honourable member can't back up the comments he is attributing to me,

and then he adds a few more to the list. I think this is highly inappropriate behaviour.

With respect to the work that is being done in long-term care, I believe the honourable member's question diminishes the reality that thousands and thousands

of people who work on the front line of health care, working with those who we agree are some of the most vulnerable in our society, have made tremendous strides to enhance the quality of care that

is being provided. Only the honourable member, with one brush of his hand, can diminish the efforts that have been made to build a new sense of community, to move from the use of the word

"facility" to "home," to create environments that work on that basis, to create a long-term-care system that can respond to the individual needs of people.

The honourable member wants to say that you need a certain amount of time and that the health care system should have no capacity invested in the workers to

determine who needs what care. We believe in the front line workers. Why doesn't --

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

SCHOOL BOARDS

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): To the Minister of Education: The Ottawa Citizen profiled your predecessor this weekend with this headline:

"Don't Let Kennedy's `Success' Fool You: Liberal Leader Hopeful Has Left Schools a Mess." By now you've had your briefings and you must realize that another Kennedy legacy was the fact that he

ignored school boards and their appeals to match his spending announcements with the appropriate funding. In fact, two of Ontario's largest school boards have now hired a lobbyist, at the cost of

$100,000, so that they can get the ear of the Ministry of Education regarding their funding crisis.

My question to you is, first, do you believe it's appropriate that school boards are using education tax dollars to lobby you, and second, will you change the

modus operandi, sit down with these school boards and have a working meeting so that they can get the matching funding --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The question has been asked.

Hon. Sandra Pupatello (Minister of Education, minister responsible for women's issues): I appreciate the question. I will say that a lot of

your friends -- Tory consultants -- are paid an awful lot of money today by a number of people who are investing in lobbying the government, so many of your own friends benefit from that. Even in

two and a half years of being a member of the McGuinty cabinet, I have seen that, and yes, it's disturbing to me.

I worry that hard-found funding is spent on consultants when the reality is that, especially in education, if there is one thing our Premier is, it's the

education Premier. We have seen an unprecedented investment in education.

I have to say that the member opposite will know more than most about the hole we are digging out of in the area of education. We have a long way to go, but we

have made significant strides. We can't be driven by headlines; we have to be driven by good, solid education policy.

Mr. Klees: The hole that school boards are digging themselves out of is the announcements her predecessor made regarding education, and the

lobbyist who is skimming precious education dollars to lobby you is none other than Warren Kinsella, who is a key member of the Liberal election campaign team. Minister, because you agree that it's

fundamentally wrong for education tax dollars to be used to pay lobbyists to lobby you, will you step in and ensure that that contract is cancelled?

Hon. Ms. Pupatello: I think many people know this individual you speak of, and I think he does very well. Whether he should be doing this is

up for discussion.

Let me tell you this: When I talk about the hole that we're climbing out of, your government, you in particular, sat at a cabinet table that removed over $2

billion from the education system. We watched it. In fact, I watched it from your seat when you pulled that money out of the system. Ottawa school boards are looking after hundreds of schools that

represent thousands of children, and I think they are doing a tremendous job in the face of what they have watched for many years.

We finally as a government want to step forward as a partner with our boards, a partner that in the end is going to focus on some significant benefits for

kids. Those benefits are around smaller class sizes; they're about better test scores on numeracy and literacy; they're about having a lower dropout rate. Those are things that matter, and I am

going to watch you in particular and how you intend to vote on Bill 70.

AKWESASNE INTERNATIONAL POWWOW

Mr. Jim Brownell (Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh): My question is to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. As you know, my riding of

Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh is deceptively diverse. While the perception is that the population is generally of British descent, with a significant francophone community, such is not the case.

My riding is home to thriving Pakistani, Greek, Chinese and many other cultural and diverse groups, all representing the values of multiculturalism that are so important to the Canadian

identity.

While immigration has enhanced the cultural fabric of my riding, one of the richest cultural heritages in the region predates all the waves of settlers: the

Akwesasneron, the Mohawk people who inhabit Akwesasne in my riding and parts beyond. These people have proud traditions and a remarkable heritage, which they share with the public through their

annual powwow, one of the great events my riding hosts every year.

Minister, can you tell us what your ministry has done to support this heritage celebration?

Hon. Mike Colle (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration): I want to thank the member from Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh for his question.

As my ministry supports newcomers to Ontario -- and we get 125,000 who choose Ontario every year -- we must also invest in the celebration and the honouring of our founding peoples. First to be

honoured should be our First Nations people. That's why my ministry, under Ontario's Community Builders project, is honoured to invest $20,000 in the Akwesasne International Powwow that will be

held September 9 and 10 this year. I think it's a great way of acknowledging the incredibly rich history that the Mohawk people have left this great province.

Mr. Brownell: Nyawen, Minister. That's "thank you" in the Mohawk language.

Chief Larry King of Akwesasne said of the funding, "The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the Akwesasne International Powwow Committee are extremely grateful for

the $20,000 provincial grant that will assist in addressing the operating costs of the Akwesasne International Powwow. The basic theme of the powwow remains a time of friendship, sharing, unity and

a great deal of spirituality. We welcome everyone to celebrate First Nations culture with us."

Minister, through Ontario's Community Builders program, you have provided much-needed support to a number of important events and ethnic communities that make

Ontario great, like the powwow of Akwesasne. Can you tell the members of this House a little more about the parameters of the program and the investments the McGuinty government is making to

recognize and honour the contributions of the province's diverse communities?

Hon. Mr. Colle: I also want to congratulate Chief Larry King of Akwesasne and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne for the wonderful work they're

doing in celebrating the rich heritage of First Nations people of your great riding.

As you know, with Ontario's Community Builders program, we recognize the contributions of founding pioneering cultures and groups that have come to Ontario,

whether it be the blacks who came to the Chatham-Kent area and founded North Buxton or whether it be the Scots who are celebrating their Highland Games again this summer in Glengarry. We must not

forget the great contributions these early peoples made to Ontario, and especially our First Nations people.

Chief Larry King is saying to the whole world to come to your riding, and Akwesasne at Cornwall, on September 9 and 10 to celebrate this rich, rich heritage of

our First Nations people.

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): My question is for the Minister of the Environment. For nearly six months now, the Ontario

trucking industry has been pleading with your government to make it mandatory for all trucks operating in Ontario to have their engines electronically speed-limited to prevent the truck from going

any faster than 105 kilometres per hour. According to the Ontario Trucking Association, it's supported by groups like Pollution Probe, the Lung Association and Fleet Challenge Canada. One of the

chief benefits of forcing all trucks to limit their speed is a significant reduction in emissions, particularly greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, they estimate that over 140 kilotonnes of

greenhouse gas emissions would be eliminated each year if this proposal was adopted.

Minister, I know this issue is under consideration by the Minister of Transportation, and has been for quite some time now, but he has not acted on it, despite

the obvious environmental benefits. I want to know if you and your ministry have looked into the environmental benefits of this proposal, and do you personally agree with all of these groups that

reducing speeding by trucks will reduce air pollution coming from trucks?

Hon. Laurel C. Broten (Minister of the Environment): I'm so pleased to have an opportunity to answer a question from the opposition about

greenhouse gases and climate change because our government believes that it is critical in this province that we start recognizing that climate change is the challenge of our generation and we need

to step up to the plate and do something about it.

Let me tell you what our government is doing about climate change. We are the first jurisdiction in North America to say no to coal and stop burning coal. That

is 30 megatonnes of greenhouse gases which will be eliminated in this province. Another critical element in our plan to stop greenhouse gases is 5% ethanol content in gasoline by 2007, and a great

deal more public transit in the province. Those are some of the challenges we're taking in the Ministry of Environment in a cross-ministry approach to tackling greenhouse gases.

I know the Minister of Transportation will be pleased to answer your question specifically with respect to the trucking industry's perspective, which they

brought forward when I had a chance to meet with them. I know --

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

Ms. Scott: I don't believe we heard a yes or a no to that, but I'm kind of surprised that the minister has been provided with so little

information about the effects of speeding trucks and their undeniably reducing air pollution if that's implemented. Every day, trucks are needlessly spewing out emissions that can and should be

avoided simply because your government has refused to act. The trucking industry is demanding that you help them eliminate these emissions, the environmental groups are asking you to eliminate

these emissions, and safety groups ranging from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, the CAA and the insurance bureau are telling you that it will not only save our air but save lives by making

our roads safer.

Can you offer up one credible reason why your government continues to allow speeding trucks to pollute our air and endanger our lives, and if you cannot, will

you give us a commitment today that you will personally intervene to get the Minister of Transportation to act now and introduce legislation, it being Earth Day on the 22nd of this month?

Hon. Ms. Broten: To the Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I am actually very pleased to answer this question. I have met with the Ontario Trucking

Association not only once, but a few times. In BC, there is some --

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): Where?

Hon. Mr. Takhar: Come and talk to me later.

There is some merit to this issue, but there are other issues that we still need to resolve before we can even make any decision on this issue. The Minister of

the Environment has been working very closely with me. The issue is that trucking is an interjurisdictional issue. We can't put speed limiters just in Ontario, because these trucks go outside

Ontario -- they go to Quebec, they go to the United States. So we want to make sure that our industry stays competitive when we look at these proposals, and we will work closely with the Ontario

Trucking Association and the Ministry of the Environment.

NUCLEAR WASTE

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth): A question for the Minister of Energy: You're planning to waste approximately $40 billion on nuclear

power plants. That will be a financial disaster. But there's also a compelling environmental argument against more private nuclear power. In addition to private nuclear power being expensive and

unreliable, there are serious concerns about nuclear waste. Minister, what is your plan to dispose of the high-level radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants?

Hon. Donna H. Cansfield (Minister of Energy): I thank the member for the question. No decisions have been made on the Ontario power supply mix

that will be coming shortly. For those nuclear plants that are operating and have nuclear waste, there is a provision for on-site containment of that waste. They work very closely with the federal

government, which has the overall responsibility for nuclear waste, and there is a continuing financial commitment that has been put into not one but two funds for the containment of that

waste.

Mr. Tabuns: Minister, your government's reckless plan for more private nuclear power raises serious questions about the environment and who's

accountable when something goes wrong. Nuclear power is risky power. There are risks of catastrophic accidents, routine radioactive emissions, and storing cancer-causing radioactive waste that

remains poisonous for millions of years. In whose backyard are you going to be burying this radioactive waste that you are so eager to produce?

Hon. Mrs. Cansfield: As I indicated to the member, in fact, the nuclear waste that's currently on-site is contained on-site, and as I said, no

decisions have been made about Ontario's future supply mix at this point. There is a federal responsibility that is involved, and we work very closely with the federal agencies and with our own

Ontario Power Generation.

We've always said that we would maximize our existing assets, that we would maximize our existing transmission assets as well as generation, that we will build

new, which we indicated today -- a brand new renewable wind farm. We will continue to build a culture of conservation in this province. Those are the commitments we've made to the people of

Ontario, because one of the things we will do is keep the lights on.

WATER QUALITY

Mrs. Maria Van Bommel (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex): My question is for the Minister of the Environment. Minister, could you explain to the House

the level of consultation that took place prior to the introduction of Bill 43, the Clean Water Act, and any discussions you may have had with stakeholders since that introduction?

Hon. Laurel C. Broten (Minister of the Environment): First, I want to thank the member from Lambton-Kent-Middlesex for her advocacy on behalf

of her community, the agricultural sector and rural Ontario in general. It's a pleasure to work with her and have her as a colleague.

As members of this House know, Bill 43 is ground-breaking legislation for Ontario. It builds on the vision that Justice O'Connor had for our province of

protecting drinking water from source to tap. Because the legislation itself is so complex and so critical to future generations to protect our drinking water from being contaminated or depleted,

we have, over the last three years, undertaken extensive consultation and essentially had a comprehensive approach to that consultation. We considered the recommendations of Justice O'Connor. We

released a white paper. We undertook province-wide consultations. We posted the draft text of source water protection legislation on the EBR and received public comments. We've had two expert

committees -- a technical experts committee and an implementation experts committee -- to help us and advise us of any difficulties we might have with respect to the implementation of the white

paper. We've undertaken a series of sectoral round tables, touching with industry, agriculture, and a variety of other fronts. I'd be pleased to, in the supplementary, talk a little bit more about

some of that sectoral-specific consultation.

Mrs. Van Bommel: Thank you, Minister. Having heard your response, I would like to ask you if you could explain why a member of the opposition

is claiming that this government has not been consulting with the agricultural sector.

Hon. Ms. Broten: That's such an important issue raised by the member for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, Ms. Van Bommel, and I want to thank her for

asking this question, because it is important for Ontarians, and in particular those in the agricultural sector, to have an understanding of the work that's been done by the advisory committees on

their behalf.

Dr. John FitzGibbon, Dave Armitage, John Maaskant and Allen Gardiner all represented the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition, the Ontario Farm Animal Council

and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. They deliberated for nearly a year on the details of source water protection planning and had a say in the final recommendations of those committees. MOE

itself has had a number of sectoral-specific committees, meeting at least three times with the leadership from the agricultural community. Personally, I have had an opportunity to travel with my

colleague from Perth-Middlesex to his community and meet agricultural leaders in that community, again on a number of occasions, both in Kitchener and Toronto, meet with the leaders from the

agricultural community, to hear their concerns and receive their input with --

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

CORONER'S INQUESTS

Mr. Cameron Jackson (Burlington): My question is to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Minister, in the last two months, four more

children have died at the hands of a parent with a well-documented abusive past. Additionally, these children were under court-ordered supervised -- and in some cases unsupervised -- access.

Minister, your responsibility is child welfare and child protection. Do you personally believe that there should be some circumstances in this province where, when a child dies, there would be an

automatic coroner's inquest?

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): As a matter of fact, the coroner is engaged in these types of issues and

reviews a lot more cases than the public tends to necessarily know about. I believe the coroner has a very important role to play. My ministry has been working very closely with the coroner; the

coroner is very pleased with our relationship.

Mr. Jackson: Minister, if you've been working closely with the coroner, maybe you should check the coroner's website, because currently there

are 15 coroners' inquests going on in this province this month for criminals who have died while in custody, yet we cannot find any in this province's history where a child, while under a custody

order themselves, dies at the hands of an abusive parent.

My question to you, Minister: As the minister responsible for child protection, do you not feel that children who are victims of abuse and who die should,

under certain circumstances, get an automatic coroner's inquest? Criminals enjoy that privilege in this province. Do children not deserve similar benefits and rights to have a voice from the dead

so that this abuse that's going on to these children and these children who are dying -- that we can lessen the impacts and lessen the number of children dying in our province?

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Hon. Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services): I'd like to respond to the member and just tell him what the

situation is. The coroner had announced just last week that he has directed his coroners to automatically conduct a review of any death of any child while under the care or supervision of a

children's aid society. He will then, at the end of the year, file a report on his comments and recommendations.

To relate to the situation where you mention the website, all of these criminals -- the reason is not necessarily limited to criminals. Under the Coroners Act,

for anyone who dies within a correctional facility, or in the custody of a police officer, or in a mine accident, it is mandatory that that particular situation be investigated by an inquest.

Coroners have the authority to call an inquest any time they want to, but that will only be done on the coroners' determination, and it isn't in our role to interfere with that because they're

arm's length, they are professionals --

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

TOWING INDUSTRY

Mr. Peter Kormos (Niagara Centre): A question to the Premier. Sir, Ontario's towing association says that outlaw bikers and other renegades

are racing around our highways in tow trucks because the province permits a free-for-all in the industry. When are you going to stop passing the buck to municipalities and ensure that tow trucking

is properly regulated at the provincial level?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): The Minister of Community Safety.

Hon. Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services): Municipalities have the responsibility for municipal licensing of

tow truck drivers. You should know that the vast majority of tow trucks are run by legitimate operators, and they do a job. There is also a legitimate group of people who are bikers. So just

because you're a biker or you're a tow truck operator doesn't mean you're criminal. It's only when you add the third component, and that's criminal activity, that you get a problem with criminals,

bikers and tow truck operators. We have a bikers' group in the OPP that monitors what is happening, but it is still the responsibility of the municipality to grant a licence for a tow truck

operator. They have to do criminal checks to make sure that they don't have a criminal record that would prohibit them from operating a tow truck. We also have bikers who are legitimate

organizations that do their work. It would be unfair for us to label everybody as a criminal because they happen to be involved in either one of those activities.

Mr. Kormos: Regulations are not to protect the public from the good guys or from legitimate operators; regulations are to protect the public

from outlaw bikers driving tow trucks or other members of organized crime.

How much more evidence do you need? The Provincial Towing Association of Ontario has spent years lobbying your government in trying to get some rules in place

to protect the public. It says that municipal licensing of tow truck drivers simply doesn't work. The association wants the province to step in, protect the public and keep outlaw bikers and

organized criminals off the highways and from behind the wheels of tow trucks. You've refused to take the steps needed to protect the public. Why is that?

Hon. Mr. Kwinter: I have responsibility for enforcement; I don't have responsibility for creating the regulations to do this.

I have a copy of the application form from the city of Toronto when they grant a licence to a tow truck operator, in which they specifically ask: Do you have a

criminal record? Have you ever served time in jail? Have you done any of those things? Not only that, but they have to sign a waiver that allows the municipality to do a criminal check. That is

their responsibility and they have the tools to do it. If there is more that they require, then the association should make representations to the proper licensing authority.

ENDANGERED SPECIES

Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn (Oakville): My question today is to the Minister of Natural Resources, and it's regarding the Endangered Species Act.

Many organizations and interest groups in my own community of Oakville and across the province have questions regarding the updating of the Endangered Species Act. It's their belief that Ontario's

Endangered Species Act is currently outdated and is not doing the job of protecting Ontario's many endangered species. Scientists have currently identified 190 endangered species in Ontario, of

which only 43 are currently protected by the act.

Minister, would you tell the House what you are doing currently to ensure that Ontario's species are protected from harm, and how the Endangered Species Act

will be updated in the near future?

Hon. David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources, minister responsible for aboriginal affairs): I know the member from Oakville is always very

concerned about environmental issues, and I applaud him on his work on this and in regard to the Trafalgar moraine.

I would like to assure him that our government is committed to bringing in a new species-at-risk act so that we can strengthen our protection for endangered

species. Our new act that is going to be put in place will have very effective measures to protect species at risk, especially a science-based listing process that is going to be very important --

it's going to help them recover -- and meaningful protection for habitats. I don't have to remind the speaker that if we don't protect the habitats, then we really haven't gone far enough to

protect the species themselves. So we're going to be doing that.

I'd also say to the member that we've actually nominated an advisory panel that's going to help us with this legislation. I'm sure the member will be

interested to know exactly what that advisory panel is going to do for us.

Mr. Flynn: Thank you, Minister -- an excellent answer. I'm pleased to hear that you're undertaking a review of the Endangered Species Act.

Ontario is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. My own community of Oakville is home to those same plants and animals. It's part of the unique

character, and it's something I feel that we as a government have a duty to protect.

The primary concern of many organizations and interest groups on this issue is a loss of habitat. Loss of habitat appears to be the leading reason that species

ended up being classified as endangered in the first place. It appears that habitat is being gobbled up by humans on a daily basis through a variety of activities, including urban sprawl. Minister,

will you tell the House how this new act will protect that crucial habitat for plants and animals and in turn protect Ontario's endangered species?

Hon. Mr. Ramsay: I'm very happy to have that question, but I would like to address the advisory panel a little more for the member, because I

know he really is interested, even though he didn't directly ask me that question in the House today. I think it's very important that we have this panel take a look at what we are proposing and

that we have a full consultation with them. We have designed a paper that we want to make sure they have a good look at, and that they go out into the community and start to pick up the information

we need in order to strengthen our act.

What's going to be especially important is the recovery plans that are initiated in order to make sure that species at risk survive and flourish. That's going

to be a very important part of it.

In the end, I would say to the member that we want to make sure that the piece of legislation that does come forward will be the best in this country.

WINE INDUSTRY

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): A question to the Minister of Economic Development and Trade: Your deputy minister, Don Black, recently sent out

letters with cheques in them to Ontario wineries, and here's a response from one of those wineries: "We learned that there are many wineries that received between $45,000 and $100,000 in

assistance. We also have learned that there are several wineries that have received support ranging from $500 to $5,000," including this particular winery. It goes on to say, "I know that we sell

two to three times as much VQA wine" -- again, 100% Ontario wine -- "as some of the wineries that received $45,000," and up. Minister, how is that possible, and can you explain the formula you used

to hand out these cheques?

Hon. Joseph Cordiano (Minister of Economic Development and Trade): In this year's budget, we announced $3 million for small and medium-sized

producers of Ontario Vintners Quality Alliance wine in 2005-06. It's a recognition that this year, they did in fact face a short crop. They did face that difficulty. It's a recognition that the

small wineries are facing these challenges, and these were funds designed to assist the small vintners to overcome those challenges. So this is how it was allocated, with a view to assisting the

small vintners.

Mr. Hudak: I appreciate the minister's answer, but again, I'd ask for the specific formula that was used, because it was in fact the smallest

craft wineries that received the lowest amount of funding. As this writer talked about, he's wondering how it could be that his grant was much lower when he sells more wine than others.

I ask you, instead of giving out mystery cheques at the end of the year, wouldn't it be better to actually improve shelf space at the LCBO and also develop a

parallel system of wine stores like the Ontario VQA wine stores, to give better market access to these small craft producers?

Hon. Mr. Cordiano: It's interesting that this member, while he was in government, did very little to that effect. In fact, he was the minister

responsible, and time and again, they completely ignored the industry, completely ignored this question. I'd like to know what he did when he was the minister -- absolutely very little.

The fact is the program, as I said, was designed to help small and medium-sized VQA wine producers, and it was allocated on the basis of where the need was

greatest. This is precisely what we tried to do: to recognize that these vintners are indeed facing a challenge as a result of the short crop this year. Getting over that difficult circumstance is

what this is all about, and we're very proud to help the wine industry in Ontario.

YOUNG OFFENDER FACILITY

Mr. Peter Kormos (Niagara Centre): A question to the Premier: Kennedy House is a young offenders' facility in Ajax. Its workers have been on

strike for three weeks now, and every inmate has been moved out of that facility for those three weeks. Can you explain why your government continues to provide full funding to Kennedy House Youth

Services Inc. even though it's empty?

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

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): Funding is being provided to this centre so they can care for the kids

whom they're responsible for. The fact that their workers may not be on the job does not mean that these kids are not being cared for, and Kennedy has taken the appropriate steps to ensure that

these kids are placed where they can be cared for.

Mr. Kormos: That's the point, Minister: All the inmates have been shipped out; the place is empty. The workers aren't being paid because it's

a work stoppage; it's a legal strike. The workers are concerned because -- and you do know this -- their wages and working conditions are way out of line with other Ontario facilities and it's

hurting the young people they are trying to help. These workers are off the job because they're trying to improve working conditions and conditions for those inmates, and you're making it harder

for them by paying their boss, their employer, big bucks to operate an empty facility. Why would your government spend money -- taxpayers' money -- to maintain and fully fund an empty facility that

doesn't contain any inmates and isn't paying any of its staff?

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: I can tell the member that I have personally visited Kennedy House. It's a beautiful facility, actually, and the kids

there are very well cared for. As it happens, I actually know some of the staff. It is my desire that the wonderful staff at Kennedy House and their management will be able to come to a

satisfactory conclusion of their negotiations as soon as possible, because it is a good facility and the kids there are well cared for. I have a lot of respect for all parties concerned.

The kids are being cared for, even though they're not in the facility right now, and that does entail a cost, which my ministry will continue to provide.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Mr. Mario G. Racco (Thornhill): My question is for the Minister of Transportation. My riding of Thornhill is rapidly expanding. Gridlock is

not an acceptable way of life for my constituents. The investment our government has made in public transit and highways to the region of York is essential, especially the subway extension to the

Vaughan Corporate Centre.

Minister, I know that the province has brought in $670 million, which is in the bank earning interest for the people. What have the feds done in this

matter?

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I am actually very proud of the fact that we made a very substantial investment in

public transit in our recent budget. This investment was required to address some of the congestion issues that the member from Thornhill has raised. Out of that, $838 million was to provide public

transit in York, Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto -- to proceed with their projects -- and the $670 million that the member talks about is for expansion of the subway up to the Vaughan Corporate

Centre. We have actually allocated one third of our share that is required to finish this project. I want to encourage the municipality, the municipal government and the other level of government,

the federal government, to match those funds so we can move ahead, start this project and complete it on time.

Mr. Racco: Minister, the people of the region of York are very pleased with the money that you have allocated for the Spadina subway

extension, plus the monies that were given for the second phase of Viva, and certainly we are looking forward to the third phase of Viva coming in the near future.

But the question I have for you is, considering that the feds have not come to the table at this time, and considering that the people of Thornhill, Vaughan

and vicinity want the subway today and not five years from now, what would you suggest that I do in my riding so that my constituents of Thornhill and vicinity will be able to assist us to get the

feds to the table to bring the money they haven't brought yet?

Hon. Mr. Takhar: This is an important project for us to address the congestion issues, not just in York, but also in Toronto, Mississauga and

Brampton. That's why our government made major investments in public transit projects in our last budget. I want as well to thank the Minister of Finance for taking care of those issues.

I would encourage the members to talk to their federal counterparts to encourage them to actually match these funds so that we can start and move ahead with

some of these important projects.

PETITIONS

CONVENIENCE STORES

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): On behalf of the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association, I have a petition to the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association (OKBA) represents 3,000 family-owned and -operated small convenience store businesses across Ontario who

are being driven out of business by the McGuinty government; and

"Whereas the McGuinty government has hurt OKBA members by hiking WSIB rates, hiking commercial hydro rates, and dumping the high costs of implementing Bill 164

on these small family-run businesses;

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

"Convenience stores are the last family-run businesses in every neighbourhood throughout Ontario and are in urgent need of both compensation and help from the

government to allow replacement categories for tobacco products."

This is a good petition. I support it and I affix my name to it.

COMMUNITY MEDIATION

Mr. Bob Delaney (Mississauga West): I have a petition to the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and I'd like to thank Shabnam Bhagat for gathering

some signatures for it. The petition reads as follows:

"Whereas many types of civil disputes may be resolved through community mediation delivered by trained mediators, who are volunteers who work with the parties

in the dispute; and

"Whereas Inter-Cultural Neighbourhood Social Services established the Peel Community Mediation Service in 1999 with support from the government of Ontario

through the Trillium Foundation, the Rotary Club of Mississauga West and the United Way of Peel, and has proven the viability and success of community mediation; and

"Whereas the city of Mississauga and the town of Caledon have endorsed the Peel Community Mediation Service, and law enforcement bodies refer many cases to the

Peel Community Mediation Service as an alternative to a court dispute; and

"Whereas court facilities and court time are both scarce and expensive, the cost of community mediation is very small and the extra expense incurred for lack

of community mediation in Peel region would be much greater than the small annual cost of funding community mediation;

"Be it therefore resolved that the government of Ontario, through the Ministry of the Attorney General, support and fund the ongoing service delivery of the

Peel Community Mediation Service through Inter-Cultural Neighbourhood Social Services."

This is an excellent petition. I agree with it completely, and I'll ask page Andrew to carry it for me.

CONVENIENCE STORES

Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): I have here a petition from the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association that was presented to me today on the

front lawn here at Queen's Park. It is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association (OKBA) represents 3,000 family-owned and -operated small convenience store businesses across Ontario who

are being driven out of business by the McGuinty government; and

"Whereas the McGuinty government has hurt OKBA members by hiking WSIB rates, hiking commercial hydro rates, and dumping the high costs of implementing Bill 164

on these small family-run businesses;

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

"Convenience stores are the last family-run businesses in every neighbourhood throughout Ontario and are in urgent need of both compensation and help from the

government to allow replacement categories for tobacco products."

I affix my signature as I agree with it. I will give it to Justin to bring to the table.

CHILD CARE

Mrs. Liz Sandals (Guelph-Wellington): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas provinces and territories negotiated agreements with the federal government to ensure Canadians would have access to early learning and child care

programs that are high-quality, affordable, universally inclusive and developmental;

"Whereas parents in Ontario have demonstrated a high demand for greater access to high-quality early learning and child care programs;

regulated child care spaces in the first three years;

"Whereas Ontario's early learning and child care agreement represents a $1.9-billion investment over five years in high-quality early learning and child

care;

Ontario's early learning and child care agreement, for the sake of the thousands of Ontario families who would benefit from it."

I agree with this petition and I will ask Raelene to bring it to the table.

LONG-TERM CARE

Mr. Ted Chudleigh (Halton): I'm presenting a petition from Mount Nemo Christian Nursing Home. Andrew Sturroch from my riding is here to accept

it for me.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas long-term-care funding levels are too low to enable homes to provide the care and services our aging seniors and parents who are residents of

long-term-care homes need, with the respect and dignity that they deserve; and....

"Whereas those unacceptable care and service levels are now at risk of declining;

"We, the undersigned, who are members of family councils, residents' councils and/or supporters of long-term care in Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly

of Ontario to increase operating funding to long-term-care homes by $306.6 million, which will allow the hiring of more staff to provide an additional 20 minutes of care per resident per day over

the next two years...."

I agree with this and I'll affix my signature.

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

Mr. Ernie Parsons (Prince Edward-Hastings): "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas it has been shown that crossing control arms on school buses reduce or virtually eliminate instances of students being struck by their own bus;

and

"Whereas 91% of all front-bumper fatalities involve buses not equipped with crossing control arms; and

"Whereas the safety of the children of Ontario is our number one priority;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to require that all future school buses be equipped with crossing control arms and that all

existing school buses be required to be immediately retrofitted with crossing control arms."

I am in agreement and am pleased to sign this petition.

CONVENIENCE STORES

Mrs. Julia Munro (York North): "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association (OKBA) represents 3,000 family-owned and -operated small convenience store businesses across Ontario who

are being driven out of business by the McGuinty government; and

"Whereas the McGuinty government has hurt ... members by hiking WSIB rates, hiking commercial hydro rates, and dumping the high costs of implementing Bill 164

on these small family-run businesses;

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

"Convenience stores are the last family-run businesses in every neighbourhood throughout Ontario and are in urgent need of both compensation and help from the

government to allow replacement categories for tobacco products."

As I am in complete agreement, I have affixed my signature.

SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING

Mr. Kuldip Kular (Bramalea-Gore-Malton-Springdale): This petition is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the spending on most social services has been frozen since the early 1990s under both the Rae and Harris governments; and

"Whereas the population of the region of Peel has approximately tripled in that time period and the social risks have increased;

"Whereas demand for services has exploded as a result of population and other social changes;

"It is now noted that the people of the region of Peel receive 50% less funding on a per capita basis than the average provincial per capita funding for social

programs and that other high-growth regions in the province such as York region are similarly affected;

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

"That the Ministry of Community and Social Services correct this imbalance in their new programs and through the reform of the funding formulae for its old

programs within a three-year time frame;

"That the Ministry of Children and Youth Services continue to correct this imbalance in their new programs and introduce fundamental reform of their funding

policies to correct this imbalance within the next three years as well."

I support this petition and I affix my signature as well.

CONVENIENCE STORES

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): I have a petition that was presented to me by the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association, many of whom were in

the front yard of Queen's Park today, from Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill and Markham, and it reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association (OKBA)represents 3,000 family-owned and -operated small convenience store businesses across Ontario who

are being driven out of business by the McGuinty government; and

"Whereas the McGuinty government has hurt the OKBA members by hiking WSIB rates, hiking commercial hydro rates, and dumping the high costs of implementing Bill

164 on these small family-run businesses;

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

"Convenience stores are the last family-run businesses in every neighbourhood throughout Ontario and are in urgent need of both compensation and help from the

government to allow replacement categories for tobacco products."

I'm pleased to affix my signature, as I agree with them, and I will present it to page Meghan.

SPRING BEAR HUNT

Mrs. Carol Mitchell (Huron-Bruce): I have 228 signatures on the petition and I would just like to state that it is for the reinstatement of

the spring bear hunt.

"Therefore,

be it resolved that we petition the government of Ontario and the Ministry of Natural Resources:

"In the interests of public safety and scientific wildlife management, the government should immediately return a spring bear hunt to Ontario."

I am affixing my signature to this petition.

CONVENIENCE STORES

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener-Waterloo): On behalf of the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association (OKBA)represents 3,000 family-owned and -operated small convenience store businesses across Ontario who

are being driven out of business by the McGuinty government; and

"Whereas the McGuinty government has hurt [these] members by hiking WSIB rates, hiking commercial hydro rates, and dumping the high costs of implementing Bill

164 on these small family-run businesses;

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

"Convenience stores are the last family-run businesses in every neighbourhood throughout Ontario and are in urgent need of both compensation and help from the

government to allow replacement categories for tobacco products."

I here affix my signature.

COMMUNITY MEDIATION

Mr. Wayne Arthurs (Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge): The petition is to the Ontario Legislative Assembly.

"Whereas many types of civil disputes may be resolved through community mediation delivered by trained mediators, who are volunteers who work with the parties

in the dispute; and

"Whereas Inter-Cultural Neighbourhood Social Services established the Peel Community Mediation Service in 1999 with support from the government of Ontario

through the Trillium Foundation, the Rotary Club of Mississauga West and the United Way of Peel, and has proven the viability and success of community mediation; and

"Whereas the city of Mississauga and the town of Caledon have endorsed the Peel Community Mediation Service, and law enforcement bodies refer many cases to the

Peel Community Mediation Service as an alternative to a court dispute; and

"Whereas court facilities and court time are both scarce and expensive, the cost of community mediation is very small and the extra expense incurred for lack

of community mediation in Peel region would be much greater than the small annual cost of funding community mediation;

"Be it therefore resolved that the government of Ontario, through the Ministry of the Attorney General, support and fund the ongoing service delivery of the

Peel Community Mediation Service through Inter-Cultural Neighbourhood Social Services."

I'll affix my signature to it and send it off with page Raelene.

CONVENIENCE STORES

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): I'm pleased to present a petition on behalf of the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association and congratulate

them for their very successful rally today. It reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association (OKBA) represents 3,000 family-owned and -operated small convenience store businesses across Ontario who

are being driven out of business by the McGuinty government; and

"Whereas the McGuinty government has hurt OKBA members by hiking WSIB rates, hiking commercial hydro rates, and dumping the high costs of implementing Bill 164

on these small family-run businesses;

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

"Convenience stores are the last family-run businesses in every neighbourhood throughout Ontario and are in urgent need of both compensation and help from the

government to allow replacement categories for tobacco products."

In support of the association, I affix my signature.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

PROVINCIAL PARKS AND

CONSERVATION RESERVES ACT, 2006 /

LOI DE 2006 SUR LES PARCS

PROVINCIAUX ET LES RÉSERVES

DE CONSERVATION

Mr. Ramsay moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 11,

An Act to enact the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2005, repeal the Provincial Parks Act and the Wilderness Areas Act and make

complementary amendments to other Acts / Projet de loi 11, Loi édictant la Loi de 2005 sur les parcs provinciaux et les réserves de conservation, abrogeant la

Loi sur les parcs

provinciaux et la

Loi sur la protection des régions sauvages et apportant des modifications complémentaires à d'autres lois.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): I'm pleased to recognize the Minister of Natural Resources for his leadoff speech.

Hon. David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources, minister responsible for aboriginal affairs): It's a pleasure to rise in my place today and

address the House in regard to the second reading of Bill 11, the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act. This legislation, if passed, would ensure that our protected areas stay strong and

healthy, to be enjoyed by Ontarians now and into the future. Bill 11 would make ecological integrity the first priority in the planning and management of parks and conservation reserves, and it

would ensure that our provincial parks are permanently protected.

In September 2004, we launched a major review of the provincial parks legislation for the first time in 50 years. The last time the Provincial Parks Act was

reviewed, there were only eight provincial parks. Times have certainly changed, and so has our park system, for today we have 319 provincial parks as well as 280 conservation reserves and 10

wilderness reserves or areas across the province. This adds up to an astounding park system that provides places for people to enjoy the outdoors. In fact, more than 10 million people make visits

each year to the Ontario provincial park system.

As a society, we now appreciate how important protected areas are to the health, vitality and economic prosperity of Ontario. We know much more about

conservation science, including what we should be protecting and how we should be going about it. Given all that has changed, a thorough review of our protected areas legislation was long

overdue.

To begin the review, we outlined eight legislative proposals and carried out far-reaching consultations on those proposals. The proposals addressed the

following topics:

-- the principles that should guide the management of protected areas;

-- the goals and objectives to be included in the legislation;

-- the classification and zoning of parks;

-- the assessment of wilderness areas;

-- making management direction for all parks mandatory and requiring regular reports on the state of protected areas;

-- prohibitions on major industrial uses in parks;

-- continuing to address non-industrial uses in parks policy; and finally

-- administration and enforcement in the parks themselves.

We asked for public input on these proposals, both through the Ontario Parks website and through nine open houses right across the province. Many people

responded, including more than 1,500 who completed an online survey. We received more than 140 written submissions from aboriginal organizations, provincial stakeholders and other interested groups

and individuals, as well as more than 1,100 letters and faxes.

I also wanted to hear from people who were knowledgeable about our system of parks and protected areas. I'm very pleased that the board of directors of Ontario

Parks examined the legislative proposals, met with stakeholders, reviewed all the comments we received and provided me with very thoughtful advice. I want to thank all those who shared their ideas

and recommendations with us.

The honourable members may be interested to know that 75% of the comments we received supported our proposals. In fact, I'd like to read to the honourable

members from the comments on Bill 11 submitted by the Wildlands League, a division of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. They said:

"We applaud the government of Ontario's efforts to set out on a new path toward meaningful, long-term ecological stewardship of parks and conservation reserves

in Bill 11. With its strong commitment to put nature first in parks and conservation reserve management, the proposed Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act takes Ontario from the back to

the front of the pack in terms of protecting parks, wildlife and wilderness -- natural assets that for far too long have had only paper-thin protection in the province."

The new Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act that I am introducing for second reading today responds to the need for updated legislation. If passed,

it would help guide the course of our protected areas through the 21st century. Bill 11 advances the protection of Ontario's parks in a number of important ways.

First, the new act would make ecological integrity a first priority when planning and managing parks and conservation reserves. This means we would ensure all

the many elements that make up healthy ecosystems in parks are maintained intact for future generations. Ontarians are celebrating the introduction of groundbreaking new legislation that will help

protect over 600 provincial parks and conservation reserves in the province. On October 25, 2005, the new Parks and Conservation Reserves Act received its first reading in the Ontario Legislature,

laying the groundwork for a brighter future for natural spaces across the province. Protecting these special places by strengthening the ecological integrity is a key objective of the proposed act

and supports the goals and objectives of Ontario's biodiversity strategy. It also complements our natural spaces program, the Greenbelt Act and the government's focus on a healthier environment for

the people of Ontario.

Second, Bill 11 would for the very first time consolidate in one act the legislative direction for the provincial parks and conservation reserves, and we will

be conducting a review of whether the legislative direction for wilderness areas would also be included. Right now, the provincial parks are governed by the Provincial Parks Act. The conservation

reserves come under a regulation of the Public Lands Act, and wilderness areas come under the Wilderness Areas Act of 1959. The existing legislation is out of date and does not provide the level of

protection that Ontarians expect for these treasured natural spaces. Putting most or all of the legislation in one act would enhance transparency and ensure that these areas receive a consistently

high level of protection. While conservation reserves and provincial parks would be governed by one act, the key differences between these types of protected areas would be maintained.

Third, the proposed act would recognize important objectives for provincial parks and conservation reserves. Provincial parks and conservation reserves would

be dedicated to the people of Ontario for their inspiration, education, health, recreational enjoyment and benefit. At the same time, the intention would be that the ecological integrity of parks

and conservation reserves would be maintained and left unimpaired for future generations.

The objectives of the provincial parks would be to protect natural heritage, to facilitate scientific research, to provide places for compatible outdoor

recreation and the benefits associated with recreation, and to provide opportunities for natural heritage education.

The objectives for conservation reserves would be to protect our natural heritage, to facilitate scientific research, and to allow ecologically sustainable

land uses, including recreation and the benefits associated with those land uses.

The proposed act would recognize that a wider array of traditional land use activities may occur in conservation reserves. For example, sport hunting would

continue in conservation reserves unless regulations were put in place to restrict it. Including these varied objectives in the act would make two points very clear: first, that maintaining

ecological integrity is the priority of maintaining protected areas, and second, that protected areas serve other purposes as well. They play an important role as benchmarks for scientific

research, especially as we experience the effects of climate change on ecosystems and species. They are great places to educate people of all ages about nature, and many protected areas, especially

provincial parks, are used extensively for outdoor recreation.

As I said earlier, Ontario's provincial parks host more than 10 million visitors annually. Parks also contribute more than $380 million to the Ontario economy.

The proposed act would recognize the importance of recreation for the health and enjoyment of all Ontarians, and would recognize the economic benefits that nature-based recreation and tourism

provide for communities right across this province.

Another important advance in Bill 11 is that we are proposing greater accountability and transparency under this new legislation. The new act would require the

minister to report to the public every five years about the health of our protected areas system. People would be able to learn how good a job we are doing in maintaining ecological integrity,

ecological representation, economic benefits and a range of other indicators of the health of our parks.

I also want to recognize that Bill 11 includes important new requirements about planning for protected areas. Currently, parks planning is directed by policies

and not by legislation. Under the proposed act, the province would have to prepare formal management directives for provincial parks and conservation reserves. The planning process would have to

include consultation, and there would be an annual review to decide whether a park's management direction should be reconsidered when it is 10 or more years old.

The sixth point I would like to make about Bill 11 is that provincial park and conservation reserve boundaries would be established by cabinet regulation under

the proposed act. This would continue the current practice. Ontarians want to be sure that protected areas continue to be protected for future generations. We are therefore proposing that the

Legislature would have to approve any significant deletion for a provincial park or conservation reserve. A significant deletion would mean more than 2% or 100 hectares, whichever is less, or the

elimination of an entire area.

To provide administrative flexibility, some exceptions would not need the approval of the Legislature. Cabinet could delete up to 2% or 100 hectares, whichever

is less, from a park or a conservation reserve. Cabinet could also proceed without the Legislature's approval if all or part of a protected area were to be deregulated to fulfill a treaty

settlement, become part of a national park or for a land exchange that would enhance protection.

Another critical feature of the new act is that our provincial parks and conservation reserves should be available for the benefit of the public and not

reserved for private use. The new act would prohibit the granting of new leases and land use permits for solely private use. However, the act does allow for some flexibility. It would provide for

those who currently hold leases or land use permits to have them continued. New commercial uses could be considered, since they may be necessary to support the nature-based tourism industry. Of

course, privately owned land next to protected areas will not be subject to the proposed act.

The legislation would also prohibit industrial uses, such as mining, logging, aggregate extraction and electric power generation, in our parks and protected

areas, with some carefully planned exceptions such as in Algonquin Provincial Park: Logging could continue on Algonquin Park's recreational utility zone.

I want to emphasize that industrial activities have been banned by our parks policy for many years. We want to ensure that industrial activities continue to be

clearly off-limits in provincial parks and conservation reserves throughout the 21st century, a prohibition that is consistent with accepted international standards for protected areas. In the case

of Algonquin Park, the wood supply from Algonquin plays a critical role in supporting the region's economy. The logging that does take place is carefully managed by the Algonquin Forest Authority,

in accordance with the Algonquin Park management plan and a forest management plan approved under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act.

In addition, I am committed to ensuring that the ecological footprint of such logging is as small as possible. I have asked the board of directors of Ontario

Parks to advise me if and how the ecological footprint of logging in Algonquin Park can be reduced.

This proposed act would also include provisions to require that a minimal amount of aggregate is used for logging roads.

The new act would grandparent existing operations in protected areas, including three hydroelectric facilities and some licensed aggregate pits.

I also want to ensure that protected areas do not unduly restrict resource development in surrounding areas. That's why the new act would allow some timber or

mining access roads through protected areas to be considered, subject to certain conditions.

I consider it important to allow remote communities the possibility of ending their reliance on diesel generators, where there is a potential for hydroelectric

development. The act therefore would include a provision that permits the Lieutenant Governor in Council to allow hydro development that will serve communities not currently connected to the

provincial grid for electric power distribution.

Finally, Bill 11 would provide enhanced tools for the administration and enforcement. My aim here is to ensure that our provincial parks and conservation

reserves can be adequately protected. To accomplish this, the act would provide a range of powers for the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations that would protect plants, animals and

property, and for the purposes of public safety. The minister would be able to make regulations for the sound administration of these areas.

As part of the government's plan to strengthen parks legislation, we also propose to implement a recommendation from the Ontario Parks board of directors. The

board had recommended that we assess Ontario's 10 wilderness areas, and through the assessment, we will determine if these areas, which cover about 900 hectares, should become provincial parks or

conservation reserves, or be returned to crown land status. Once the process is complete, we intend to repeal the Wilderness Areas Act. Of course, we will consult before making any final decisions

about how the 10 wilderness areas are dealt with.

As well as developing a new parks act, the government is seeking non-legislative ways to support our plan to protect Ontario's provincial parks and

conservation reserves. We therefore intend to develop for consideration by cabinet a non-legislative policy aimed at ensuring activities on crown land next to protected areas do not affect the

ecological integrity of those areas. The policy would continue to support and promote sustainable resource and community development, and would be subject to consultation.

I want to conclude by saying that the public supports Bill 11, the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act. In fact, when we introduced Bill 11, Ontario

Nature said, "Ontarians are celebrating the introduction of groundbreaking new legislation" that is "laying the groundwork for a brighter future for natural spaces across the province."

Ontarians recognize that this act, if passed, would strengthen the permanent protection and ecological integrity of Ontario's provincial park and conservation

reserves. Bill 11 is part of our commitment to build a stronger and healthier and more vital Ontario for today and for the future.

As I take my seat now in the House, I would like to say that I am going to be sharing my time with my parliamentary assistant, the member from Sault Ste.

Marie.

Mr. David Orazietti (Sault Ste. Marie): It's my pleasure this afternoon to follow some of the comments made by the Minister of Natural

Resources with respect to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act. I'm pleased to rise in the House today to support the Minister of Natural Resources on second reading of

Bill 11.

In the speech from the throne last October, our government committed to introducing legislation that would ensure our precious provincial parks are protected

forever. We introduced this legislation later in the same month. This legislation, if passed, would strengthen the permanent protection and preservation of Ontario's provincial parks and

conservation reserves. It would make ecologically sensitive areas protected under the act, and it would make ecological integrity the first priority in parks planning and management. This bill is

just one of the steps this government has taken to conserve Ontario parks, green space and environmental lands, as well as agricultural lands and recreation and resource lands, to ensure our

communities are strong and healthy for generations to come.

As this House knows, we've passed the Greenbelt Act. We have strengthened the provincial policy statement by setting clearer ground rules for how Ontario

communities will grow and prosper, and we have developed the greater Golden Horseshoe growth plan and the proposed central Pickering development plan. We have also passed the Duffins Rouge

Agricultural Preserve Act -- all working to strengthen important resources in our province. We have put in place Ontario's biodiversity strategy. We have also established the natural spaces program

and, in partnership with Nature Conservancy Canada, we have launched the Great Lakes conservation blueprint for biodiversity. All of these initiatives are vital steps towards a healthy environment

and a great quality of life that will ensure that Ontario is the place to be now and in the future.

Ontario's biodiversity strategy, for example, is intended to conserve our natural heritage and ensure our province's natural resources are used in a

sustainable fashion for the benefit of all Ontarians. The term "biodiversity" refers to every living thing and all the processes through which living things interact. Human beings depend on

biodiversity for survival. Natural processes clean the ai