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December 13, 2017

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2017-Dec-13 (PDF)

L136 - Wed 13 Dec 2017 / Mer 13 déc 2017

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 13 December 2017 Mercredi 13 décembre 2017

Orders of the Day

Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur le renforcement de la protection des consommateurs ontariens

Introduction of Visitors

Oral Questions

Mental health services

Energy policies

Hospital funding

Hospital funding

Long-term care

College students

Mental health services

Victims of crime

Emergency preparedness

Access to justice

Highway improvement

Long-term care

Child care / Services de garde d’enfants

Correction of record

Visitors

Notice of dissatisfaction

Deferred Votes

Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur le renforcement de la protection des consommateurs ontariens

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Gin-Cor

Gregory MacLean

Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day

Homecoming

Family councils in long-term-care homes

Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day

Sam Young

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Ron Brennan

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Introduction of Bills

Education Amendment Act (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), 2017 / Loi de 2017 modifiant la

Loi sur l’éducation (ensemble des troubles causés par l’alcoolisation foetale)

Speaking Out About Workplace Violence and Workplace Harassment Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la dénonciation de la violence au travail et du harcèlement au travail

Motions

Private members’ public business

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day

Petitions

Organic products

Energy policies

Anti-smoking initiatives for youth

Highway improvement

Long-term care

Employment standards

Wind turbines

Hospital funding

Lyme disease

Gasoline prices

Guide and service animals

Anti-smoking initiatives for youth

Orders of the Day

Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017 / Loi de 2017 pour un Ontario plus fort et plus juste (mesures budgétaires)

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur le renforcement de la protection des consommateurs ontariens

Resuming the debate adjourned on December 6, 2017, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 166,

An Act to amend or repeal various Acts and to enact three new Acts with respect to the construction of new homes and ticket sales for events / Projet de loi 166, Loi modifiant ou abrogeant diverses lois et édictant trois nouvelles lois en ce qui concerne la construction de logements neufs et la vente de billets d’événements.

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

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Thank you very much, Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to speak on Bill 166, the Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act. I’m very happy to continue debate on this bill that, if passed, would strengthen protections for consumers and bring more fairness to the marketplace.

First of all, Speaker, I would like to take the time to thank the Minister of Government and Consumer Services for her tireless work on this file. She has been shepherding this file and championing the protections that exist in this file, and I want to take this opportunity to thank her for the work that she has done.

Today I would like to focus on our proposed Ticket Sales Act, 2017, that would help deliver on this and put fans first in Ontario. I’m sure, Speaker, you can, and many others can tell stories about some great entertainment shows that you have seen in your community, or in my case, in my hometown of Ottawa, from great world-class acts, but also great sporting events, like watching my beloved Ottawa Senators, a great hockey team.

Hon. Jeff Leal: Did you get the tickets for the outdoor game?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: As the member from Peterborough just mentioned, we’ve got the NHL Winter Classic happening in my riding of Ottawa Centre this coming Saturday. It’s a very important game, Speaker, for the fact that it’s celebrating the 100th anniversary of the NHL. It’s replicating the game that was played 100 years ago between Ottawa and Montreal at the same location where it’s going to be played outdoors this Saturday, right next to Aberdeen Pavilion.

Hon. Jeff Leal: Is Jim Watson going to be there?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Of course our very good mayor, Jim Watson, will be there. He’s been a great champion of making sure that 2017, in particular, is a banner year for the city of Ottawa as we celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary of joining Confederation, and of course Ontario is very much part and parcel of that. So we have had great celebrations.

We just had the Grey Cup between the Toronto Argonauts—who won the Grey Cup; Go, Argos—and the Calgary Stampeders, which also highlights a great football team that we have in Ottawa in the Ottawa Redblacks, who were the Grey Cup champions last year. It just goes to show, from a quality of life perspective, how important these teams are and how important these entertainment shows are. Whether they are happening at TD Place in my riding of Ottawa Centre, taking place at the National Arts Centre, which is also located in my community of Ottawa Centre, or happening at the Canadian Tire Centre where the Ottawa Senators play, all of these venues are important venues.

We want to make sure that families and members of our communities have an opportunity to be able to watch these sporting events, like the Ottawa 67s, who will also be playing outdoors on Sunday, actually. I’m taking Rafi, my son, to that game. It’s going to be great. He’ll love it. It’s outdoors so it’s going to be cold, but we’ll wear our snow pants and all that good stuff.

It’s going to allow us an opportunity to really make sure that our families have an opportunity to enjoy. That’s why this legislation is important, because what we need is to level the playing field when it comes to buying and selling event tickets in Ontario. By now we have all heard about the challenges the fans are up against when they go to buy tickets to see their favourite show, team or musical act.

It was fascinating working on this file because, of course, you hear stories anecdotally. Your friends tell you the challenges when they get online for a concert they want to watch of a favourite band or artist, and they log on and they keep trying to refresh their computer or their screen so they can have an opportunity to buy those tickets—and all the frustration that goes along with it.

As we were consulting on this proposed bill, we also heard direct stories from Ontarians. We did an online survey. I’m going by memory, but I think over 30,000 people participated in that survey. We got responses; it was overwhelming. It was probably the largest survey ever done by the government of Ontario. It showed there was this great need and demand for the government to address this particular issue. The consultations I’ve had, working along with the MPP from Kingston and the Islands—a big shout-out to her for the work she did on her private member’s bill that is part of Bill 166—were tremendous in that respect.

These challenges that we heard about all start with ticket bots. Although online ticket sellers have put measures in place to limit the number of tickets that any one person can buy, people have developed software to get around these security features and cheat the system. These bots can buy hundreds of tickets at once the moment they go on sale, while regular fans wait in line and hope to get what’s left. This is currently a clear source of unfairness in the ticket industry as people are getting around the rules, cheating the system and being rewarded handsomely for it, because there’s a lot of money involved and a lot of money gets made through that system.

That’s where the ticket resale market comes in. In many ways, the creation of accessible, user-friendly online ticket resale sites has been a great thing for fans. It gives people a place to turn when tickets are sold out from a primary seller or when they need to sell tickets that they no longer need. At the same time, these platforms have allowed a predatory ticket market to grow and flourish. Once resellers have used bots to unfairly scoop up hundreds of tickets, online ticket reselling platforms give them an easy way to sell the tickets off at whatever price they choose.

For major events, you might see tickets posted on resale sites for up to four or five times the original price. Again, we know the stories; we’ve heard those stories from our constituents, loved ones, family and friends.

It is important to draw a distinction here between ticket pricing in the primary market and the resale market. I believe that artists, venues and promoters should be allowed to price tickets as they see fit. Ontario’s entertainment industry creates jobs, contributes greatly to our economy and promotes tourism. One of our objectives with this legislation is to help make sure that this important industry continues to thrive. The people who have a hand in putting on these events work hard, and they deserve to be fairly compensated for that work.

What I have a real problem with is when we see unreasonable markups in the resale market. These markups hurt fans and artists alike. But these are not the only challenges that fans encounter when they try to buy tickets. When they do resort to the ticket resale market, they are often confronted with a process that can be convoluted and confusing. Important information is not always available or apparent up front. Key information is often missing, such as the original value and exact location of the tickets they are purchasing, whether the price is listed in Canadian or American dollars, or whether the listed price of the ticket includes fees and taxes.

You see this all the time. These are things that people deserve to know before spending their hard-earned money on a ticket or bunch of tickets. With all of these obstacles standing between fans and their tickets, there is a real feeling that the system is rigged. I heard that again and again. The word “rigged” came up in conversation often when we were consulting.

We saw that in action last year during the Tragically Hip’s Man Machine Poem national tour. As we were all learning at the time, this wasn’t just another tour; it was a farewell tour for a group that had, over the past several decades, become a Canadian institution. More importantly than that, it was a tribute to Gord Downie, who, as we know, has passed away. It is a huge loss for Ontario and for Canada. But it was an opportunity for people to really enjoy the talent, the voice, the values of Gord Downie. This was an opportunity for them to say thank you.

But many did not have an opportunity to do so because of what took place in the marketplace, which made it all the more difficult to swallow when the shows sold out within seconds and tickets began turning up on the resale market at outrageous markups. We heard the stories: $5,000 was, at times, what people were charging for those tickets. Some people were able to spend that extra money to get their seats, but for many of them, this was the difference between being able to see the band they love for the last time or not.

I think we all recall a lot of communities doing street parties to watch the shows live, especially the one that was the last show that was broadcast on CBC. In my community in Ottawa Centre, in Parkdale Park in Hintonburg, the community organized to put a screen up. The park was full. It was amazing. It was a beautiful night. People brought their blankets and lawn chairs and sat and watched the live performance, which was quite moving.

That feeling of unfairness, the feeling that the system is rigged, is completely understandable and even justified. The bottom line is that the current rules around buying and selling tickets online are simply not doing enough for fans. We want to change that.

But before going into what this proposed legislation would do, I would like to take the time to thank my colleague the member from Kingston and the Islands, as I said earlier, who took the initial action after the Tragically Hip tour. As a representative for the Hip’s hometown of Kingston, that issue hit especially close to home for her constituents. Her tireless work on this issue has led to the legislation that is before us today.

I really want to thank the member, because she took the time not only to do her research—to talk to the industry, artists and others alike in crafting the legislation—but she also engaged me in the file from the get-go. It really captured me, because I was sort of scratching my head too to see what can or cannot be done. I really want to thank the member, because it’s that collaboration that results in something very substantial and transformative.

As we see with Bill 166, in fact, the rules that we are putting together really make Ontario a leader, I would say globally, because all major jurisdictions are grappling with these issues and we here in Ontario are taking the lead and showing action.

The proposed Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017, would introduce tough new rules to fight unfairness in the ticket marketplace. Our bill would create a new Ticket Sales Act, 2017, which would modernize Ontario’s ticket laws in four ways.

First, if passed, this legislation would take a major step towards ending unfair pricing in the ticket resale marketplace by capping the markup of tickets in the resale marketplace at 50% above face value. This would have several effects. In addition to making tickets on the resale market more affordable for fans, we believe that a markup cap could actually stem the use of bots and other methods of selling large numbers of tickets.

It is clear that people are buying tickets for the sole purpose of reselling them, at an excessively inflated price in many instances. Limiting the markup of tickets on the resale market would effectively decrease their profit margins and reduce the incentive to engage in these activities in the first place. It’s going to act as a huge disincentive, by virtue of the fact that we’re putting this cap on markups on resale tickets. We hope that this will help keep more tickets available on the primary market for fans to buy at face value.

The second part of our plan would aim to confront the issue of ticket bots head-on. If passed, this bill would put a complete ban on ticket bots. When we consulted the public earlier this year, we heard an overwhelming consensus: 89% of respondents said ticket bots should be illegal, and I agree with them, Speaker. Unlike ticket resale sites, which Ontarians regularly use for perfectly valid reasons, there is no justification for using ticket bots. They exist solely to cheat the system. Under our proposed changes, it would be illegal to use ticket bots, sell ticket bots or sell tickets that were purchased using the bots.

One concern that often comes up when we look to regulate technology like this is that the technology will simply evolve to get around the rules that we have put in place. That’s why we have taken care to draft legislation that is technology-neutral, or agnostic when it comes to technology, so that we can address the fundamental structural issues, as opposed to letting technology get around some of the solutions that we are putting in place. This means that instead of targeting bots as we understand them now, we have taken an outcome-focused definition of what we are banning rather than fixating on the bots themselves.

In the future, this bill would prohibit any technology that tries to get around security measures or other restrictions that are working to increase fairness in the ticket-buying process. Whether that is a bot as we know it today, or something entirely different that we have not seen yet, this bill would give police the authority to address it. This is an important point around ticket bots, because you will find among Ontarians and all the stakeholders in this industry unanimity, a consensus in banning ticket bots. But then people don’t know how to go around doing that.

We often heard, “Yeah, yeah, we agree and we support you banning ticket bots, but how effectively can you do that? It’s a technology that continues to evolve.” That is why the first thing that we are doing is putting a cap on the resale price in the resale market. It’s very important, because what it is doing is taking a financial incentive away. It’s the combination of the two that really makes these measures that much more effective. That’s why we really strongly think that they go hand in hand.

Speaker, third, we are proposing measures to address the lack of transparency in the resale market, and to bring some additional transparency to the primary market as well. Under our proposed legislation, all ticket sellers, whether they are in the primary or resale market, would be required to disclose the all-in price of a ticket up front, so you know exactly what you’re paying, everything included.

In addition, all ticket offers would have to clearly indicate what currency the price of the ticket is listed in, so you won’t find yourself in a situation where you think you’re paying in Canadian dollars but in fact you paid in American dollars and now your bill is much higher because of the currency exchange. Speaker, that means no more hidden fees and no more surprise currency exchanges.

In addition, the bill would require primary sellers to print the face value of the ticket on the physical ticket, so you know what the real price of the ticket is, and require that ticket resellers and online resale platforms disclose the original face value of the ticket. It would also require that all ticket sellers disclose the precise seat location of the ticket being purchased.

This is a meaningful change that will help fans make more informed decisions when they are dealing with ticket sellers and resale platforms. You just want to be able to know, when you buy a ticket and spend a lot of money, exactly where you are sitting, to know exactly what you are paying, to know if you are paying in Canadian dollars or US dollars. This way, you can make a better-informed decision whether you want to spend that money or not, as opposed to what happens now.

As we all know, you see a ticket price and by the time you are ready to check out and pay—remember, the clock is running on the site, so you are getting all nervous because you finally found those two, three or four tickets that you wanted to purchase and you may lose that—you see all these additional charges go on. At times, it almost doubles the ticket price, which is extremely frustrating. You are at a point where you say, “Oh, well. Shucks, I’ll just go ahead and buy these tickets.” We’re saying that that’s not right. That is unfair. That’s not transparent.

The consumer needs to know exactly what they are paying. They should have that all-in price in the appropriate currency indicated so that the only thing they need to figure out is the HST that they have to pay, which we are all accustomed to, adding that 13%.

Speaker, there are also new measures proposed in this bill that would apply specifically to the primary or resale market. First, the primary market: If passed, this bill would require primary ticket sellers to disclose the distribution method of all of the tickets to the event that they will be selling, even those that are not made available to the general public. This means that presales for members of fan clubs or reward programs, for example, would be more visible to fans who are looking to beat the resellers and buy their tickets early. We are also proposing new transparency rules for the resale market.

In cases where a ticket is being sold by a commercial reseller, that reseller’s name, location and contact information would also have to be disclosed.

Finally, our bill takes on the issue of enforcement. In addition to creating a number of new rules and requirements, our changes would help make sure that these measures are actually being followed. To ensure a practical and effective enforcement regime, I have worked closely with my colleague the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Her ministry has immense expertise and a stellar track record of protecting consumers in Ontario.

If passed, our bill would give the police the authority to enforce provisions related to the illegal sale and use of bots in ticket transactions. The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services would also gain new inspection and investigation powers to help protect Ontarians and to ensure greater transparency when they buy a ticket. Through Consumer Protection Ontario, the ministry could also receive and mediate complaints from consumers, take proactive steps to help ensure that fans in Ontario know their rights, and encourage them to buy their tickets in situations where those rights are protected.

At that point, if the rules are still being violated, the ministry would be able to enforce the law through various new tools, including administrative monetary penalties and compliance orders. These options would allow the ministry to evaluate situations and enforce the law as appropriate.

Another aspect of our enforcement plan focuses on self-regulation within the industry. Now the government absolutely needs to be working to enforce the law, but in our consultations with the industry, we saw that ticket sellers also want a legal avenue that they can pursue when individuals or businesses attempt to use their platforms to break the law. This is why we are proposing new private rights of action, which would give ticket businesses the right to sue if they suffer a loss as a result of someone not playing by the new rules.

These rights of action would also extend to ticket purchasers, so Ontarians who purchase tickets would also have the ability to sue if they suffer losses as a result of illegal activity.

In addition, to help make sure that the rules can be enforced, we would require any business selling tickets in Ontario to be incorporated in either Ontario or Canada, or to maintain an address in Ontario. That means that whether or not they are physically located in the province, businesses can more easily be held legally accountable for their actions if they do break the law.

As this House is aware, following second reading, this bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy. Several amendments were made to the bill in committee, and I would like to speak briefly to one of them in particular.

A decision was made to remove the requirement that primary sellers disclose the number of tickets going on sale at the time of general sale. I can understand how, on the surface, this may appear strange for a bill dedicated to putting fans first, which is why, admittedly, I struggled with the decision. So I want to explain our thinking behind that amendment.

We drafted this bill with two clear objectives in mind: to give fans more access and more information. What we heard across the board is that this

section of the bill did not achieve either of those objectives. We heard from small and medium venues, organizations that support local and Canadian music, and film festivals, sports venues and artists, and they all voiced their concerns about this

section in the bill.

They told us that tickets for general sale do not all go on sale at the same time. It’s a dynamic and flexible number, and requiring disclosure at the time of general sale only captures a snapshot in time and may not accurately reflect the ticket availability.

They also told us that providing the information of how many tickets are going to be up for sale would provide an incentive to those using bots to be cleverer and try to scoop up tickets more strategically.

Importantly, we are still requiring primary ticket sellers to provide information about venue capacity and presales, which will provide fans a more realistic picture of how many tickets are available for a show.

We heard pretty clearly that this

section did not meet its intended objective of providing the full picture and more information to fans, but we still had to weigh whether it would increase access to tickets. What we heard was unanimous: that requiring this disclosure might actually reduce access to tickets; that it might create a disincentive for big acts to travel to smaller and regional markets like Niagara Falls, Windsor, Kingston, Ottawa and Thunder Bay—markets that are equally important and where we want to flourish our cultural and artistic enterprises.

We listened to small and medium film and music venues, artists and local arts and cultural organizations that help tourism thrive in all corners of our province, and they told us that this

section would not give fans the information they need or bring fans any closer to seeing their favourite shows or artists.

We introduced new rules for tickets in Ontario with one simple goal: to make it easier for fans to see the artists they love. The

section in question would not have helped achieve that, but the bill we’re debating today does. This legislation gives fans more information and increases access, while keeping Ontario a strong market for entertainment.

Finally, before I finish, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge everyone who had a role in getting this bill here today. Tens of thousands of Ontarians took the opportunity to have their say on this issue over the past year through our online survey—the most participated-in online survey ever for the province at that time—through our fan round tables and through letters and e-mails. I want to give a big thank you to each and every one of them for taking the time in providing us with their feedback and input.

We have also seen great co-operation from our partners in the ticketing business and the entertainment industry, which has been very helpful as we developed these new rules.

Of course, I would like to express my deep appreciation for my colleague the MPP for Kingston and the Islands. It has been a pleasure working together to develop the legislation before us today with her hard work, thoughtfulness and co-operation.

If passed, these measures would make Ontario a world leader in ticket sales regulation. We have taken a sophisticated and multi-pronged approach to combatting bad actors in this market and giving consumers the information they need to make informed choices about these purchases.

The other pieces of this legislation, the proposed Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017, aim to protect Ontarians when they make big purchases like for travel or buying their first home. While event tickets may be of a different magnitude in terms of cost, I have seen first-hand how close to home this issue hits for many, many people in our province.

At the end of the day, it is the government’s role to protect consumers, to step in when it feels like the system is rigged against them, whether they are buying a new home or concert tickets. This is a case where we have an opportunity to do just that. If this legislation passes—and I hope all members support this important piece of legislation—I’m confident that consumers will see a real difference in their ticket-buying experience.

Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this bill. Given that we are one day removed from the end of our sitting, I want to take this opportunity to wish all members happy Hanukkah—that just started last night—a very merry Christmas, season’s greetings and best of the new year. I’m sure we are all looking forward to spending time with family, with our loved ones and with our constituents in our communities. I wish everybody a lovely holiday season and look forward to continuing to work with them in the new year.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate?

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Thank you, Speaker, and good morning. It’s great to see you in the Christmas season— wonderful.

I get to speak for under 10 minutes on Bill 166. There are a couple of areas of concern on this bill that I think we should be speaking about right away. As you know, and I have spoken in this Legislature many times on this bill in the past, there are many amendments that the PC Party brought that would have corrected this bill, strengthened this bill, made this bill something that it could have had the potential to be.

Sadly, those amendments were not accepted by the Liberal government, so we ended up with a far different bill; in fact, an even farther—and I’ll talk about it in a moment—bill compared to the original bill that was put forward by the Liberals. They have made amendments on their own that have watered this bill down. I’ll talk about those in a moment. But we did get one PC amendment passed that added a line protecting consumers. We’re grateful for that opportunity to at least have one of our many, many strong amendments accepted.

The bill fails to implement the most sweeping and meaningful areas of Justice Cunningham’s recommendations, to allow new home warranties to follow a competitive market model, as in the case of Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan. We definitely feel that this was crafted in secret and in an incredibly unaccountable way. It was a hand-picked working group. It was a secretive working group, whose sole purpose was to countermand and second-guess Justice Cunningham’s recommendations. For that, I think the government should be embarrassed.

But that’s what we have seen from this government over and over and over; it’s either the lack of consultation or consultation in secret with hand-picked groups. That’s all we seem to see from this government. I have been here six years now, and that’s all we’ve seen in the little over six years that I’ve been here. That’s sad, and very unfortunate for the people of Ontario that that’s how this government continues to work.

Here’s an example. I know that the Attorney General said he admits he struggled with this one part that they changed. I can tell you why he obviously struggled, because at one time, in the original bill that was crafted by this government, under

part III, it said, “Ticket business transparency; disclosure,” the primary seller to disclose tickets “At least seven days before making any tickets to an event available for sale, a primary seller shall ... disclose, on its website or otherwise, the following information”—this is key: “The total number of tickets to the event that will be made available for sale by the primary seller”—the total number of tickets.

The government came in with their own amendment and took that transparency away. This bill does not increase the transparency that this government talks about. It may have had an original intention to increase transparency when the bill used to say, “The total number of tickets that will be available for sale will be advertised.” The government took that out of their own bill, in one of their own government amendments, so this bill now removes transparency. You now don’t have to tell the total number of tickets.

That’s shocking, Speaker, that they call this a bill all about increased transparency, when what they’ve done is gone in and removed transparency. It’s typical of this government. They’re great with aspiration, but pretty bad with implementation. That’s what we see happen yet again. They came out with a great story; it sounded good to everybody; and then, when it came down to the final days, they put an amendment of their own in to take the transparency away. That boggles the mind.

We all saw a letter from StubHub that came out—this was this morning. “In advance of today’s third reading of the Ticket Sales Act, StubHub respectfully notes its opposition to the legislation in its current form.” That’s their right to oppose. What they’re saying is, “Watch out for the unintended consequences.” What they’re saying in their letter here is that they support the provisions of the Ticket Sales Act that prohibit the use of bots—these are robots—to procure tickets, as the use of bots provides an unfair advantage over the average fan. They talk about why this bot—robot—provision is strongly supported.

But with the law of unintended consequences, as we see with almost every Liberal bill that’s ill-thought, the way they’re doing it now, this will drive more tickets to the black market, where the profits are. That’s what’s going to happen. It’s not going to put up more tickets for sale to the general public. It’s not going to provide the transparency that they alleged would happen—and actually, the earlier version started to go down that path. What we’re going to see is more tickets on the black market, where the profits are made. We no longer need to know the total number of tickets that will be made available.

That was the original intent of this bill. That has been carefully removed by the government. After announcing it was there, they’ve carefully removed that provision. So what people believe will be passed may not be the actual—well, it won’t be the bill that will be passed by this government, I can guarantee you that, because they have taken that out.

Again, it’s in the typical fashion of this government to have done that. This bill is all-encompassing, the Ontario consumers act. It covers Tarion and home building, it covers ticket buying—it covers a whole myriad. It covers new home warranties, real estate and business brokers, the Travel Industry Act, the Ticket Speculation Act, and there are some consequential housekeeping amendments.

They’ve piled a whole bunch of disparate issues into this one and then put together a secretive committee of hand-picked people to go against the recommendations of Justice Cunningham, on the one hand; and then they’ve gone, on the other, and promised something to the public, who were accepting of it and said, “Yes, that sounds like a good bill. We like what you’re doing,” and then, at the last second pulled out the real issue, pulled out the transparency and took that away. Now you’ve got this bill that—it satisfies somebody. We’re not really sure who it’s going to satisfy.

It will probably satisfy people involved with the Liberal Party; there’s no question about that. There’s absolutely no question in my mind about that. That’s exactly what this is intended to do, because it certainly isn’t intended to help the general public.

The total number of tickets was promised, and the total number of tickets was taken away. Justice Cunningham brings his recommendations on home warranties and they throw his recommendations away. It’s very, very sad, but again, we have seen this time and time and time again: heavy on aspiration, awful on operation and implementation. We have seen this from this government. They have an agenda, and they present one thing to the public and then, in the final version, it’s not what they promised. It’s not the real deal.

Quite frankly, that’s exactly what is not fair to the people of the province of Ontario. It is simply not fair, Speaker.

Thank you very much for this opportunity to speak.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate?

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I’m pleased to rise in the Legislature on behalf of Minister Tracy MacCharles for the third reading of Bill 166, the Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017. I am also happy to speak on this bill particularly because of the aspects of the bill that pertain to the Ticket Speculation Act.

I would also like to thank the Honourable Yasir Naqvi, our Attorney General, for his leadership and guidance on the parts pertaining to the Ticket Speculation Act.

Bill 166 represents comprehensive legislation that, if passed, would better protect consumers in the marketplace.

Before I begin with the majority of my remarks, I do want to just comment on some of the remarks made by the member from Nipissing regarding work in secret and there being no consultation.

I can say 100% for certain that there were consultations done on the Ticket Speculation Act, and that this bill in particular has the highest level of online engagement in Ontario’s history. Within the first 24 hours, we had over 20,000 hits on our online consultation process.

Specifically, this bill, Bill 166, would introduce new rules to better protect consumers buying travel services and event tickets, as well as those purchasing, selling or leasing real estate, including new homes.

Our government is committed to ensuring that consumers can have confidence when they engage in the marketplace in this province. We know that Ontarians work hard for their money, and we want them to be very well informed and protected when they’re spending it in the marketplace. Our government wants them to be protected when they’re booking travel services for a well-deserved vacation. We want them to be protected and have confidence when they are buying, selling or leasing a home. And there is no question that Ontarians want and expect fair access to their favourite entertainment or sporting event.

We want Ontarians to be able to count on a marketplace that is safe and fair, and where they are protected.

I know that Minister MacCharles is proud that Bill 166 has reached the stage of third reading.

The Standing Committee on Social Policy hearings were recently concluded on Bill 166. During this process, the committee heard from a range of stakeholders in person, through public hearings or by written submissions. During the clause-by-clause review, a number of amendments were accepted, which our government believes has strengthened the overall bill.

The passage of Bill 166 will enhance consumer protection in ways that will make a difference in the lives of Ontarians engaging in the marketplace.

Madam Speaker, I was motivated to introduce a private member’s bill, Bill 22, the Ticket Speculation Amendment Act, 2016, in September of last year. As most of you in this House know, in August 2016, the Tragically Hip held their last-ever concert in their hometown, Kingston, which of course is in my riding. News of their final concert tour sent devoted fans across Canada into a frenzy, desperate to get tickets for perhaps one of the most important moments in modern pop culture history. Many spent hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on tickets. During my work on Bill 22, the highest price paid for a ticket that I learned of was $5,500. Just think about that for a moment: $5,500.

The talent of the late Gord Downie and bandmates Rob Baker, Paul Langlois, Johnny Fay and Gord Sinclair brought us timeless music that celebrated the uniqueness of Canadian identity. Along the way, they built a loyal fan base from coast-to-coast. Their poignant lyrics spoke to the core of who Canadians are, but, even beyond that, who we are as human beings, as lovers, as family members, as observers in life in modern times. That passion and central appeal to who we are as human beings quite likely explains in part, at least, their local and dedicated fan base. That’s why it was so important for everyone to have access to those tickets.

Kingston is the hometown of the Hip and there is no doubt that we have a very special place, in the hearts of Kingstonians, for the Hip, and that will always be there. In fact, their last official act as a band, their very last concert, was a true gift to Kingston. It was our chance to shine to the music world, to show what we were made of as a city and to welcome the world through the televised concert with open arms. For that, Kingstonians will always be indebted.

When tickets went on sale, they literally sold out in minutes—thousands of transactions in mere seconds or minutes. I don’t know of anyone who was nimble enough to purchase their tickets through direct access to the primary seller, but I’m sure that some did. Many paid exorbitant prices through secondary selling. I heard from local constituents and fans from across the country who were shut out of the ticket-buying process without even one single chance.

They were even more angry to see that despite tickets being sold out, they were popping up on secondary selling websites for double, triple, quadruple the original face value—and more. This rendered tickets inaccessible to many fans who simply could not afford that extravagant markup.

But this experience unfortunately is not unique to just my constituents or this particular concert. While many Tragically Hip fans were resigned to watching the concert from Kingston’s wonderful Springer Market Square or from the comfort of their own homes online, there were fans from across Ontario who shared this experience and frustration when purchasing tickets for high-profile events.

Ontario is home to world-class entertainment. Consumers have many opportunities to enjoy memorable concerts, sporting events and renowned musicals. I know from the groundswell of anger and frustration around that last Hip concert that we had reached a tipping point in the entertainment industry with this incredible abuse of the system. It was time for government to better protect consumers when engaging in ticket buying and selling.

My private member’s bill sought to ensure a fairer process by banning the use of ticket bot technology. I am grateful that the government adopted the spirit of my private member’s bill into this piece of government legislation, Bill 166. If passed, Bill 166 would strengthen consumer protection for people trying to buy tickets to entertainment or sporting events. This includes providing enforcement tools which will help make sure that ticket selling and reselling businesses are following the rules.

In a few moments, I will talk a little bit more about some of the different aspects of the bill, but I wanted to just say that, if passed, Bill 166 would help better protect individuals when they are trying to purchase tickets to those cultural events that are so important to them. There was nothing like this last Tragically Hip concert to bring that forward so poignantly. I’m incredibly pleased and proud to see that ticket speculation is included in the bill.

I just want to expand for a little moment on the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002, in addition to my comments on the Ticket Speculation Act.

While I’m pretty sure that life revolves around Kingston and the Islands, Kingstonians and the ticket speculation part of this bill, I know that there are many other very important key measures, starting with real estate.

As we know, buying a home is typically one of the largest purchases that most people will make in their entire lifetime, so our government is proposing stronger protection for consumers, whether they are buying or selling real estate in Ontario, by amending the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002.

Bill 166, if passed, would enable the creation of stronger rules and professional standards in the real estate sector. It would also allow regulatory changes to be made to address the concerns about instances where the same real estate brokerage or real estate professional represents more than one party in the same transaction. This practice is known as multiple representation.

If Bill 166 is passed, the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services will consult on the regulatory changes as well on the measures to improve clarity and transparency for consumers involved in the buying, selling or leasing of real estate.

There are also numerous sections regarding the home sector. If passed, it would also strengthen consumer protection in the new home sector as well.

I want to thank everyone for being present today, for all who have commented on this very important piece of legislation. I’m proud to support it and I look forward to the opposition members also supporting this very important bill.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Further debate?

Pursuant to the order of the House dated November 5, 2017, I’m now required to put the question.

Mr. Naqvi has moved third reading of Bill 166,

An Act to amend or repeal various Acts and to enact three new Acts with respect to the construction of new homes and ticket sales for events.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?

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

All those opposed to the motion, please say “nay.”

I believe the ayes have it.

A recorded vote will be required and it will be deferred until after question period today.

Third reading vote deferred.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): Orders of the day? I recognize the Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Hon. Michael Coteau: Madam Speaker, no further business.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Soo Wong): The House will be recessed until 10:30.

The House recessed from 0953 to 1030.

Introduction of Visitors

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: It’s that time of year when staff from across our constituencies come to Queen’s Park to celebrate with their peers, and today is no exception for my staff. I would like to welcome Patricia Sloan, Rebecca Hubble and Kayla Fernet, all up from my constituency—they’re here today—as well as Valerie, who is here with me every day. Thank you to Valerie Cickello. Thank you all.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: It’s my honour to welcome today, in the members’ west gallery, the fire chief for the town of Amherstburg, Bruce Montone; deputy chief Lee Tome; Dan Monk, who is the executive assistant to Chief Montone; Avori Cheyne, who is the communications strategist for the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs; and Shawn-Patrick Stensil, who is a senior energy analyst with Greenpeace. I want to welcome them here to Queen’s Park today.

Hon. Brad Duguid: I’m looking forward to joining Katrina Yee, our page captain, for lunch later today. Her father, Jing Yee, is here as well, somewhere in the galleries. I just wanted to introduce them, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. John Yakabuski: I’d like to welcome to Queen’s Park, in the gallery today, Daisy Wai, who is our nominated candidate for the riding of Richmond Hill. Welcome, Daisy.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Hon. Jeff Leal: I’d like to welcome two people here today. They’re with Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. Will Adams, who is the son of the former federal member from Peterborough, Peter Adams, who served from 1993 to 2006; and Doug Wagner are with us today. We welcome them to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Laurie Scott: In the members’ gallery, I would like to welcome, from my constituency office of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock, Rebecca Farrow-Harrison and Erika Robinson. Welcome to Queen’s Park, ladies.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: It’s my honour, first of all, to welcome page Andrew Stevenson’s mother, Jennifer Atkinson, to Queen’s Park today. Welcome, Jennifer.

Also, I’m delighted to welcome Martin Buckle and Bronwen Morgan. Bronwen and Martin are both on the board of the Toronto Humane Society. Bronwyn is the chair of the board of the Toronto Humane Society. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Mr. John Fraser: I’d like to welcome, from my constituency office, Fatuma Hussein and Carolyn Kropp. They haven’t quite made it in here yet, but I wanted to make sure to introduce them.

Mrs. Gila Martow: I’m so excited that Rebecca Engelberg, from my constituency office, is here from Thornhill. Welcome, Rebecca.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Speaker, I am delighted that three members of my constituency office are joining us today. Please welcome Adam Waugh, Carolyn Lott and Brad Dudley. These are people who, as you know, work very, very hard every day serving our constituents.

Mr. Jeff Yurek: I’m also blessed with amazing office staff. Whitney McWilliam is here, and the general, Penny Rice.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: It’s my pleasure to welcome Laurent Carbonneau, who is the legislative assistant to MP Charlie Angus, from Timmins–James Bay; and my assistant, Sara King. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: The minister has already introduced Doug Wagner. We have a delegation here from the greatest farm show in the world, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, in Oxford. We have Doug Wagner, Coral Defayette and Carol Carson. They’re here with Glacier FarmMedia, which runs Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, a great event that takes place in my riding each and every year. We want to welcome them to Queen’s Park. We wish them well and hope that everyone gets an opportunity to talk to them about the greatest show on earth.

Mr. Ted Arnott: I wish to welcome my guests who are here today from the great riding of Barrie: my sister Debbie Jackson and my first cousin Cindy Wallwin.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I’d like to introduce Udara Gurusinghe and Bandula Widyalankara, the parents of page Vanditha Widyalankara, who are here today from Halton.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: I would like to introduce my executive assistant from my North Bay constituency office: Andrea Stoppa.

Mr. John Fraser: I’d like to introduce Randy Lee, the assistant general manager of the Ottawa Senators—for all you Leafs fans.

Mr. Todd Smith: I also would like to welcome Randy Lee. He’s not just the assistant general manager of the Ottawa Senators in the NHL; he is the general manager of the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League.

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: J’aimerais accueillir Camille Marcil et Sarah Laliberté de mon bureau d’Ottawa–Vanier. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park.

Hon. Mitzie Hunter: I’d like to extend a warm welcome to a group of 48 grade 10 students and their teacher Permell Ashby from my great riding of Scarborough–Guildwood, from West Hill Collegiate Institute.

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Speaker, I always thought I was the same age as the member from Peterborough. As it turns out, he’s beating me today. Let’s all wish him a happy 63rd birthday.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Happy birthday to the minister.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I’d like to welcome Samantha Smitiuch, who is the head of my operations, to the gallery. Welcome, Sam.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further introductions? Seeing no further introductions—

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Point of order.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I recognize the leader of the third party on a point of order.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I seek unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice regarding the immediate second and third reading passage of Bill 188, Protecting Hydro Consumers Act (Prepayment Meters), to ban the use of prepayment—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The leader of the third party is seeking unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice. Do we agree? I heard a no.

Oral Questions

Mental health services

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Premier. I’ve said many times around the province that the part of the People’s Guarantee I’m most excited about is our commitment on mental health. It is the dirty little secret in Ontario’s health care system. No matter what spin or rhetoric we hear from the Liberal government, we’re not doing enough.

I wanted to give the Premier a chance today to respond to whether the Liberal government will match the $1.9 billion in additional new funding for mental health that our party has put forward to make sure we close the gap on mental health services in the province of Ontario.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I certainly agree with the Leader of the Opposition that there is much more that needs to be done on mental health. Mental health care in this province is an area where we’re catching up. Over the last decade to 20 years, there has been increased awareness of mental health concerns. That has meant, rightly, that there are more people who are presenting with mental health issues, and those need to be dealt with.

But, Mr. Speaker, the remedy that the opposition party is putting forward is inadequate. That’s the reality. Over the last 10 years, we have invested $10 billion. What they are proposing, going forward, is $1.9 billion over 10 years. That is not enough. We are going to commit to more than that, because there is more that is needed.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): You told me what you want. We’re in warnings. No, don’t look at me; look at yourselves.

Supplementary.

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: Maybe the Liberal research bureau took a day off; maybe the government’s own public accounts have an error in them. But I think we all know the reality, and that’s that they haven’t invested in mental health, because the horrifying stories we hear across the province wouldn’t be happening if we had a government that made this a priority.

The CEO of Children’s Mental Health Ontario, Kimberly Moran, told me that children are waiting as long as 18 months for mental health care—18 months. The Premier says she has done all this investment. It doesn’t show in the government’s public accounts. It doesn’t show in the care and treatment that’s available in the province of Ontario.

I want to ask the Premier, is waiting 18 months adequate for a young person who has the courage to come forward and say they need help? Is that adequate in the province of Ontario?

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

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Well, I’m happy to meet with any member of the PCs, including the leader, to go through in detail their erroneous calculation. We know that this party has a history of getting the math wrong and they’ve done it yet—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Dufferin–Caledon is warned. I’m serious.

Finish.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: We know that that party has a history of getting the math wrong, and they’ve got it wrong again. In fact, if you look at their commitment for the next 10 years of an additional $1.9 billion, that is in stark contrast to our very real and delivered investment of new funding using exactly the same methodology of more than $10 billion over the last decade. They need to correct the record. It is not historic that they’re proposing—

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

Final supplementary.

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: Clearly, the Premier and the Minister of Health haven’t actually looked at their own public accounts where it shows the allocations on mental health. The reality is, it’s easy to attack the opposition and say you disagree with these assertions, but I’m quoting a stat from Kimberly Moran—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’m getting a troll over here. If you’d just stop.

Mr. Patrick Brown: I’m quoting a stat from Kimberly Moran, the CEO of Children’s Mental Health Ontario. You’re disagreeing with her assessment. The Globe and Mail just this week wrote an

article that is shocking, horrifying: In cases of a young person who has tried to take their own life, they don’t get to see a psychiatrist for six months—six months. That’s a Globe and Mail article.

I know it’s convenient to pass this question off to a minister. I want to know from the Premier: Do you think waiting 18 months is adequate? Do you think waiting six months for a psychiatrist is adequate? Do you accept these wait times for mental health care in the province of Ontario?

Interjections.

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

Minister?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: That’s absolutely not acceptable. That’s why this government has made the largest mental health investment in Canada’s history, not what they’re proposing. What they’re proposing falls far short, and I’m happy to share the math with them. Now I understand why the Globe and Mail characterized their proposal as “fiscally risky, economically dubious.”

The math doesn’t add up. I’m beginning to feel sorry for that party, as eventually, over time—and I’m happy to assist them with this—they will realize that their calculations are so bad and they are so far off the mark that it represents roughly one fifth of the new investments that we’ve made in mental health over the last decade. This results in a dramatic flattening of the curve of the increased investments that this province has made. Mental health is critically important, much more important than they’re giving it—

Interjection.

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

New question.

Energy policies

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Premier. We all know that Goreway was among the companies that gamed the system for over $260 million of ineligible expenses, and Goreway executive Rob Coulbeck has been at the centre of this latest scandal. Rob Coulbeck’s December 1 resignation letter states he is resigning as the co-chair of the Market Renewal Working Group, not as a member. According to the IESO website, he remains a member.

Why is an executive from Goreway allowed to remain on the boar, given the scandal of inappropriate expenses? The same people who gamed the system should not be the ones rewriting the rules.

So, directly to the Premier: Will this be addressed, and addressed immediately?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: As we’ve said over the last week since the auditor brought forward her report, any abuses of the system are completely unacceptable. That’s why we’re pleased that the system operator has investigated those market participants. Where significant wrongdoing was present, compensation has been recovered and returned to the ratepayers—$168 million of the $200 million in ineligible costs.

As also mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition, there have been resignations from the market renewal committee. The two chairs have moved off of that committee.

Moving forward, looking at Goreway: Goreway also made changes after they found that they weren’t complying with the system. They were fined a record $10 million, and $100 million of that money was recouped by the IESO.

We’re making sure that we have a system that is going to be rebuilt—

Mr. Steve Clark: It’s not “found”; it’s “caught.”

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Leeds–Grenville is warned.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: They have made significant changes, and the IESO is constantly monitoring as well.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: My question about why that individual is still a member was not answered, but I’ll try a different angle.

One of the companies in the Auditor General’s report, amidst this scandal, was government-run OPG. Yesterday, the minister told us that OPG repaid all of their ineligible expenses by 2015. We know that the former CEO was given a half-a-million-dollar bonus the following year. Why was he given this half-a-million-dollar bonus? Was it to keep quiet on the scandal?

By the way, Mr. Speaker, it wasn’t that the government found this; they got caught. That’s how it came out. They didn’t find it; they got exposed by the Auditor General.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: The innuendo that’s coming from the opposition continues to fester. It just shows that they really don’t understand how this system is working.

OPG actually stepped forward when they recognized that they were claiming ineligible expenses. They worked with the IESO. That’s why there was no fine imposed by the IESO on OPG at the time—to make sure that they actually recouped those costs, making sure that they could understand the rules moving forward.

As OPG said, the audits did determine that there were differences in understanding what constituted eligible costs under the program. In respect of some of what were thought to be eligible costs, OPG repaid certain claimed amounts after discussions concluded on what constituted eligible costs. That’s what both OPG and the IESO had come to a conclusion on way back in 2015.

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

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: The Minister of Energy says that we don’t know how it’s working. Well, I know exactly how it’s working. This government has allowed power executives to expense raccoon traps and scuba gear. It’s ridiculous. It’s disgusting.

While nearly tens of millions of dollars have—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Essex is warned.

Carry on.

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, there are still tens of millions of dollars of inappropriate expenses that have yet to be repaid.

So my question to the Premier is—and hopefully the Premier will actually answer this time—can we get a guarantee that the tens of millions of dollars of inappropriate expenses that have not been retrieved by the taxpayers—that we’ll get a commitment that the taxpayers will get those funds back by December 31? Yes or no?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: The important thing to understand—and I think we can all agree—is that any abuse of the system is completely unacceptable. That’s why we were pleased to see the IESO act on the recommendations not only from the Auditor General, but from the market surveillance programs and committees that are done both by the OEB and by the IESO. They’ve brought forward new practices and new principles to make sure abuses like this don’t happen again.

On this side of the House, we want to ensure that we continue to bring forward programs that help ratepayers lower their bills, and that’s what we have done as a government. We’ve brought forward the fair hydro plan, which brought forward a 25% reduction, helping all families right across the province, and many, many other programs. But when it comes to these two programs, Mr. Speaker, the IESO has put in place new changes that are making sure things like this will not happen again.

Hospital funding

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Premier. Ontario’s hospitals have been underfunded for decades. Ontario families have been coming forward with heartbreaking stories of suffering in overcrowded hospitals for months now, while the Liberal government has called any criticism fearmongering. But the Ontario Hospital Association says that that criticism is called for. The OHA says hospitals are on the brink of a crisis.

Will the Premier for once listen to the experts and take the actions that the OHA is calling for?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: We are taking this issue very, very seriously, Mr. Speaker, and I do take what the OHA says very seriously. I think it’s extremely important that we listen to people on the front line who know what is happening in the hospitals, and that we combine that with our own capacity and our own knowledge and that we come up with solutions—which is exactly why we are expanding the number of beds in the system. It’s exactly why we’ve put a 3% increase for hospitals in our budget. It’s why we have put an infusion of cash into the system, understanding that there are needs.

I believe that in that same report, the association calls for increased home care funding, increased long-term care-funding—all of which we are doing. So we take that very seriously.

We are in the process of expanding capacity in the hospital system, particularly at this time of year, and we will continue to work with stakeholders.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The fact is that this Premier and her health minister have arrogantly ignored the experts repeatedly when it comes to hospital care. They shorted the system $300 million in the last budget. She refuses to listen to patients and their families, she refuses to listen to doctors and front-line health care workers and she refuses to listen to the Ontario Hospital Association, which has been ringing alarm bells about overcrowding and hallway medicine since the last budget.

Will this Premier now finally admit that she was wrong to freeze hospital budgets for a decade, and actually invest in the quality care that Ontario families deserve?

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

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Well, Mr. Speaker, the leader of the third party knows that our health care and hospital budget has continued to increase year over year. We invested this year, between the budget and the fall economic statement, an additional $600 million into the hospital system and $1.3 billion over the next three years to decrease wait times.

I applaud the hard work and the advocacy of all of our hospital officials, front-line workers and leaders, including the OHA. I’m gratified that they’re coming forward tomorrow to present as part of the pre-budget consultations. Their input and our close relationship are critically important to getting this right, and get it right we will. We make decisions, like the additional 1,200 beds, the equivalent of six community hospitals, that we’ve infused into the system. That’s almost 10% of new beds into the province. We make decisions like that in concert and in consultation with the OHA to make sure we are taking the right steps.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, it’s hard to believe they can get it right when they’ve gotten it wrong for over a decade.

The OHA’s pre-budget submission says, “An increase of 4.55% in hospital funding ... will ensure that hospitals have the resources needed to avoid a significant capacity crisis in Ontario’s health care system.” A significant capacity crisis: This is what the Liberals have delivered to Ontarians.

We know that there are already thousands of patients lining the hallways of our hospitals across our province, and the OHA is saying that without this investment, it will only get worse. Will the Premier stop ignoring this crisis, start listening to the experts and make the investments necessary to end hallway medicine in the province of Ontario?

Interjections.

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

Minister?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Speaker, we are listening and we are taking this seriously. What we won’t do, though, is take lessons from a party, and the leader of the third party who represents the party, that committed in the last campaign to eliminate $600 million out of health care and out of education. When they were in power in the 1990s, they closed 24% of all acute care beds. They closed 13% of mental health beds. In total, 9,600 beds were closed under them.

Here’s what the OHA has to say in their pre-budget submission:

“Ontario hospitals appreciate the Ontario government’s leadership and continued investments in hospitals—including an increase in the 2017 Ontario budget and the winter ... plan to assist hospitals and the home and community care sectors in addressing high patient volumes. These investments will improve the health system’s ability to manage the significant influx of patients expected during the flu season over the” next number of months.

This is the kind of co-operation that we endorse and we support, and that enables us to make the right investments to build a strong system.

Hospital funding

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier. The Premier’s chronic underfunding of our hospitals, on top of years of Conservative cuts, has created an overcrowding and hallway medicine crisis in Ontario.

Today, the NDP released new information showing the extent of the damage that this Liberal government has caused in my hometown of Hamilton. Between June 1 and October 1, 2017, medical beds at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton were operating at over 105% capacity every single day. Temporary beds will not solve this crisis.

When will the Premier finally do something to help people in Hamilton who are lying on stretchers suffering because of her budget freezes?

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

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, we are making the necessary investments to ensure that our hospitals are able to address their what are often complex and multifactorial challenges when it comes to capacity. In some parts of the province, like Peel, for example, or Mississauga or Halton, it’s because there is a significant growth of the population.

In Hamilton, we’re making the correct investments—I wish I had the figures in front of me—in terms of the additional beds that we’ve added to Hamilton Health Sciences, to St. Joseph’s as well, to Juravinski on the mountain, to the entire community, so that they are able to provide the care that is required, and the highest quality of care that they provide on an ongoing basis.

That is in addition to the $500 million in funds that we have infused into the hospital system this year alone, on top of $500 million last year. We’ll continue to invest in our hospitals.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, this new information shows that on any given day in the St. Joseph’s emergency room, there are between five and 31 people waiting for an in-patient bed. They wait in unconventional spaces without even a call button to push if they need a nurse, and without proper access to washroom facilities.

When will this Premier get serious and make sure that the people of this province actually have reliable, quality health care when and where they need it?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, we added 24 additional in-patient beds to St. Joseph’s in Hamilton. We added 30 additional beds to Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, and in addition, three neonatal intensive care unit beds, three additional bassinettes to care for those tiny, most vulnerable individuals. We are making the correct investments.

We know as well when we look, from third-party information we’ve received, that our wait times in hospitals and emergency rooms continue to go down, despite an increased population. We’re seeing that objective third-party data. In fact, as I referenced last week, the report from the Fraser Institute says that Ontario has the best wait times in the country.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: On August 10, 2017, St. Joseph’s hospital reached the alarmingly high occupancy rate of 139%—139%. The OHA says that this is not uncommon in our hospitals. In fact, it says that half of Ontario’s hospitals were operating above 100% capacity this summer.

These numbers represent real people in my community and all across Ontario who have been forced to get medical care from a hospital that is severely underfunded and overcrowded. Temporary beds, many of which are not in place yet, are simply not enough to begin fixing the decades of damage done by Conservative and Liberal cuts, and the OHA agrees, Speaker.

Why is this Premier letting the people of Ontario down? Why is she letting them continue to suffer in overcrowded hospitals?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Many people believe that the best illustration of a party’s actions is to look at their actions in the past and look at their record. It’s there for all to see. From 1990 to 1995—those were awful years for Ontario’s health care system, because they closed a quarter of all the acute care beds in this province. I am even embarrassed for them, to say as well that they closed 13% of the mental health beds in the province, collectively coming close to a PC record when they were in power, when the PCs closed 10,000 hospital beds. The NDP, in five short years, were responsible for closing 9,600 beds.

We have added beds to the health care system. We have done that over the past years. We continue to do that this year. We’ll continue to make those important investments going forward.

Long-term care

Mr. Bill Walker: My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. The Auditor General’s 2017 report states that the backlog of complaints and critical incidents in long-term-care homes requiring inspections keeps increasing. This year, the backlog jumped to 3,370 from 2,800 last year.

Minister, despite promises to fix the critical incidents backlog, we are not seeing improvements. Sadly, the backlog has actually increased by 80%. I want to know: Is the fact that you’re not acting on critical inspections a sign that our seniors’ safety and security is not a priority for your government?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, it absolutely is a priority for this government. Apparently, it’s not a priority for that party because, just yesterday, they voted against our legislation that will be creating enhanced oversight and accountability, inspection and fines—all of those measures which are critically important to ensure that our loved ones and Ontarians who call long-term care their home, who are residents of long-term care, receive the highest-quality care and the best supports.

They voted, just 24 hours ago, against a whole set of measures that will—fortunately, it passed despite their opposition—dramatically enhance the inspection powers and the punitive measures that we can place on those most egregious homes that need to improve the care that’s being provided.

They did no inspections at all of long-term-care homes. Every single year, we inspect 100% of our homes.

Interjections.

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

Supplementary?

Mr. Bill Walker: Back to the Minister of Health: There must be an election looming in the near future because, for 14 years, you’ve done nothing for that sector. Delays in complaint inspections and critical-incident inspections can place seniors in long-term-care homes at risk.

I think it’s completely unacceptable that you are not meeting your promised goals, especially in light of the high-profile cases of abuse and the public inquiry into murders in long-term-care homes. Families with loved ones in care have a right to expect that the safety and care of their patients will be your utmost priority. They want to see increased scrutiny. They want to see you making a difference, Minister.

Will the minister address the lingering questions around the safety, security and well-being of seniors by appearing before the public inquiry into long-term care?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: The justice—and I am, again, gratified that she met and heard from the families and loved ones of the victims of this horrible tragedy just yesterday, and will be making her decision over the coming month or so in terms of their participation in this inquiry.

But, Mr. Speaker, I have to get back to their bad math. We’ve budgeted, for 5,000 beds over the next four years, $380 million. They’re proposing to create three times as many long-term-care beds, but they’ve only budgeted $77 million—three times as many beds; one fifth the amount that it’s going to cost. It costs about $60,000 per long-term-care bed per year, to operate that bed. They’ve budgeted a measly $5,000—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Elgin–Middlesex–London is warned, and I’m not happy with what he said.

Do you have a wrap-up sentence?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, again, the math of their proposals is so bad. I’m going to be happy to reveal it to them, and I’m happy to explain it to them, because they need to understand the lack of their commitment.

College students

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Premier. Throughout five long weeks of the college strike, this Liberal government assured students that they would not lose their semester. Yesterday, we learned that more than 25,000 full-time college students—about one in 10—have not only lost their semester; they have lost their dreams of a college education after being forced to drop out to get their tuition refunded. We know that more students will likely drop out after attempting to complete the condensed semester.

As I have stated before, sections 4 and 5 of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act allow the government to intervene in college affairs when it is in the public interest.

Why did this government refuse to act to prevent the lives of more than 25,000 full-time students from being completely derailed?

Interjections.

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

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know that no one in this Legislature is happy that there are students who have made the choice to leave college, Mr. Speaker. I say to the 90% of students who are back in the classroom—I know that they’re working hard, and I hope that it goes well for them.

I also say to the students who felt that they needed to withdraw and have received support by getting their tuition refunded—which I think we can agree is the fair thing to do—I hope they will work with their college, and I hope that they will find a way back into the system. Certainly, it would be my expectation—our expectation—that colleges will be reaching out to those students and helping them to see the path back.

To the 90% of students who are back in college: I wish them well. To the rest: I hope that they will find their way back in January.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Again to the Premier: The regular retention rate for a college term is 98%. In other words, just two out of 100 students choose not to complete their semester. After the delay of the release of the tuition refund numbers, we now know that one in 10 full-time college students won’t be completing their term. What we don’t know is the number of part-time students who have opted to drop out, raising questions about how much worse the part-time numbers might be.

Speaker, Ontarians deserve to know the total number of students who have been forced to put their lives on hold or give up their dreams because of this government’s inaction.

Will the Premier tell the people of Ontario how many part-time students have received a tuition refund, and what the plan is to get both full-time and part-time students back on track?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Well, Speaker, I just have to say, every step of the way in getting students back into the classroom was blocked by that party.

Those of us who were in this House debating back-to-work legislation remember the NDP House leader, every chance we had to get students back—do you remember what he said? “No.”

Interjections.

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

Hon. Deborah Matthews: So, Speaker, whether it was not supporting free tuition for one third of our students—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Etobicoke North is warned.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: —or whether it was getting students back to school after the strike, all we heard from that party was—

Interjections: No.

Mental health services

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and considers this government’s extraordinary commitment and developments in mental health.

Speaker, as a physician himself, I know that the Minister of Health has a deep and abiding understanding of what mental health is all about.

In medical school, one of the first things we’re ever taught in Latin is “mens sana in corpore sano,” “a sound mind in a sound body.”

I know from my many, many corridor consultations with the minister—and the fact that we sit at the same table, by the way, in caucus—that he has personally treated patients with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder and so many other disorders. I know that he has the background, history, stamina, partnerships and the dedicated workforce to deliver on the type of health care that Premier Wynne, herself the daughter of a physician, demands for the people of Ontario.

My question is this: Can the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care please inform this House about the important investments our government is making in mental health across the province?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: As Minister of Health, I believe that physical and mental health are two sides of the same coin. There can’t be one without the other.

I want to start off by saying how proud I am in how far we have come as a province. All parties in this Legislature have pushed past the stigma, and we all agree that together we need to do more. It’s important to take a moment to appreciate how all Ontarians will benefit from that.

The Conservatives have come to the table offering an average of $191 million a year over the next 10 years, Mr. Speaker, but they forgot that before you announce an increase, you have to replace the base from the previous year.

I know, as a province, we can do better. We can work together to truly build the system, reduce wait times and offer more services. While the party opposite has come forward with $1.9 billion over 10 years, this team has put $10 billion more into the system since 2008, and a Liberal government will put more than $1.9 billion forward in investments in mental health over the next 10 years.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: Once again, I thank the Minister of Health for not only the answer today, but for his abiding commitment to mental health, along with physical and emotional health.

Speaker, as you will know, he’s a physician who has dealt with these issues on a one-to-one basis; as a public health physician, on a system-wide basis; as a public health physician, recognized internationally for his efforts in Africa with War Child for 10 years—and now running the entire show in the province of Ontario.

Gail Czukar, CEO of Addictions and Mental Health Ontario, was quoted in the Globe and Mail today: “Excellent mental health care is available from health professionals other than psychiatrists. Social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists and mental health and addiction counsellors work across Ontario in publicly funded, community mental health and addiction agencies....”

Speaker, we are a long way from hula hoops.

Minister, can you please tell this House again: What is our government doing to further—under your stewardship—build up the mental health system of the province of Ontario?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, we’re working with experts and stakeholders and persons with lived experience and their loved ones across the province to ensure that we’re putting our investments in mental health where they are most and truly needed.

A key role of mine as Minister of Health, in working with the Premier and this caucus, is to put those necessary resources forward—those resources like cognitive behavioural therapy, which will provide more than 100,000 Ontarians living with conditions such as anxiety and depression with more access to community-based structured psychotherapy services; or our youth wellness hubs, where young people aged 12 to 25 can find walk-in, one-stop access to mental health and addiction services and other health, social and employment supports—or creating more supportive housing.

This year, up to 1,150 additional supportive housing units will be added on top of the 1,000 new units added over the last three years to help reduce homelessness and improve supports.

Victims of crime

Ms. Laurie Scott: My question is to the Attorney General. Victim service organizations across the province are absolutely overwhelmed with requests for their services. Many are struggling to keep up with the sheer numbers, all while dealing with more complex cases, including victims of human sex trafficking.

Kawartha/Haliburton Victim Services in my riding received just $18,000 to hire someone under the Victim Quick Response Program last year. That was barely enough to hire even half a person. They made the most of it and helped dozens of trafficking victims.

Unfortunately, this paltry amount was only one-time funding. They won’t be able to continue their important work next year without a clear commitment from this government.

My question to the minister is, will he assure Kawartha/Haliburton Victim Services that they will have the funding they need to help human sex trafficking victims in the new year?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: This is an important question, and I want to be very clear that the Ontario government is very much committed to helping victims of crime when they need it the most.

Since 2003, our government has invested over a billion dollars in vital services to support those who have been harmed by crime and, as part of our government’s strategy to end human trafficking, we will invest $1.93 million over four years to expand the benefits available under the Victim Quick Response Program to better serve victims of human trafficking. We are also investing $6.65 million over four years to enhance the Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario Program so that our community-based service delivery partners can provide better support and case coordination for victims of human trafficking.

Further, as part of the government’s sexual violence and harassment plan, in 2015 we increased funding to sexual assault centres by $1.75 million per year.

There is definitely more to do, and I remain very much committed to supporting victim services across the province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Laurie Scott: I’m glad to hear the minister is committed, but you seem happy to throw small pots of money at the problem, hoping that it will go away. It just shows that you’re not taking the concerns of victim services organizations seriously.

What I hear is that they are exasperated; they have not heard anything from the government in response to their call for a review of the current funding formula. Several of my colleagues on this side of the House have raised these concerns over the past several months from all across our ridings—Hope 24/7, for example—but this government is not listening. There is still no action.

Will this government finally commit to a review of its victim services funding formula in consultation with providers, to ensure that it meets the needs of victims in a sustainable way?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: This government has done more to support victim services than any other previous government. The work this government and this Premier have done in terms of putting an end to human trafficking and in terms of combatting sexual violence and harassment—there is no example of any government in the history of Ontario that equals the amount of investments and policy work that has been done by this government.

I’m very proud of being part of a government that takes these issues seriously because it goes to building an inclusive economy.

What worries us the most is the $12-billion cut that the Conservatives have outlined in their platform that’s going to gut exactly these kinds of programs. It’s okay for the member opposite to stand up and ask for more investments, but her own platform is going to cut all victim services and all this important funding for her community and communities across the province.

Emergency preparedness

Mr. Taras Natyshak: My question is to the minister of corrections and community safety. The Auditor General’s report made it alarmingly clear that this Liberal government is not prepared to manage a major emergency in this province. The AG highlighted that emergency management plans haven’t been updated since 2008, and that provincial nuclear emergency preparedness planning hasn’t been updated since 2009. Communities like mine in Amherstburg that are within the fallout of the Fermi 2 nuclear plant in Michigan are left vulnerable, with no support for a potential disaster from this government.

We’re joined here today in the gallery by Fire Chief Bruce Montone and Deputy Chief Lee Tome from the town of Amherstburg. They’re here on behalf of our community to listen to your answer to this important question. The question is the same one that this town has been asking since 2015: When will the Liberal government provide the same level of support to the town of Amherstburg as it does for other designated municipal areas that receive assistance in Ontario?

Hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Thank you very much to the member for his question. I want to say welcome to our Legislature to the chiefs here today.

The Auditor General agreed that Ontario can respond and will respond to any emergency. Her findings were actually very consistent with those of our earlier independent review.

Our response could be more efficient. This is exactly why we are launching our new emergency management action plan, which includes the release of an updated Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan, in the coming weeks.

We’re going to expand our emergency management capacity through agreements with our neighbouring provinces and states, to share supports and resources; and also support our municipalities by making it easier to access critical supplies and resources; and by improving information and resource sharing.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Taras Natyshak: Speaker, with all due respect, none of that answer addresses the issue that the town of Amherstburg is in right now.

The province has been aware since November 2015 that, in the event of a nuclear accident at the Fermi 2 facility, the town of Amherstburg does not have the equipment, the personnel, the expertise or the capacity to appropriately respond to such an event.

Despite clear letters to this minister, and submissions to the provincial nuclear emergency preparedness plan, highlighting the danger to our community, the minister has effectively ignored all of our concerns.

Will the minister tell this House when the people in Amherstburg and the entire region of Essex county can expect the same resources and assistance, so they can plan to be as safe as other designated communities in Ontario?

Hon. Marie-France Lalonde: I’m very happy to respond again to the question. Mr. Speaker, our nuclear power has been the backbone of Ontario’s energy supply for 40 years, providing clean energy that helped us to get rid of dirty coal and meet our GHG reduction goals.

When you look at what we are providing for our municipalities such as Amherstburg, OFMEM, which is our agency, with help from both our government and our other partners, in support with the municipalities, will help strengthen its nuclear emergency management program. What we do, Mr. Speaker, is help to work together, enhancing the planning, the training, our public education and emergency exercises, to ensure that the community has the continued ability to respond to emergencies and nuclear.

We also took note of the letter that was sent during the public consultations, and our expert panel has—

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

New question.

Access to justice

Mrs. Cristina Martins: My question this morning is for the Attorney General. My constituents in Davenport are accessing more services and getting more things done on just their smartphones than ever before. They are shopping online, resolving their disputes, banking and setting up mortgages, all on their tablets. They expect that level of convenience in all aspects of their lives.

In the ever-evolving world around us, the justice system has just not kept pace. Mountains of paper, endless filing, and mandatory in-person attendance for things that just do not need to be in person, all make for a system that is sorely out of date.

That is why I was so pleased to see the Attorney General last week announce new measures to bring the justice system into the 21st century. These new measures, which the Attorney General has called Putting Justice Within Reach, are incredibly important.

Can the Attorney General please explain how this plan will actually put justice within reach for my constituents?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I want to thank the member from Davenport for asking a very timely question.

Speaker, in order to maintain access to justice, Ontario’s justice system must continue to adapt and evolve, to continue meeting the needs of the people it serves every day. That is why the Ministry of the Attorney General is committed to making the justice system simpler, faster and more affordable for all Ontarians. We are developing and delivering user-centred, consumer-focused digital services that are faster, easier to navigate, and low- or no-cost to the people who use them.

In the next year, new online 24/7 paperless options will be available for getting more important tasks completed more easily and conveniently. One example of this plan will be that Ontarians can use new digital tools for potential jurors, for example, to complete questionnaires online and receive summonses by e-mail.

By introducing modern technology and developing data systems that allow information to be shared with the click of a button, Ontario is reducing waste and ineffeciency.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mrs. Cristina Martins: I would like to thank the Attorney General for his response.

It is very exciting that my constituents can expect a modernized justice sector. However, we have heard many promises to modernize our justice system before. While the news is exciting, I do point to how far behind the justice system has fallen in terms of modernization, and I wonder what the Attorney General will be doing to ensure that this actually happens this time.

This is a necessary change and we have a long road ahead, but this is a step in the right direction. However, the systems in place have been around for so long. What makes the Attorney General think that he will be able to change the system that has been operating the same way for such a long period of time, a system that is inherently known for sticking to tradition? Can the Attorney General please give clarity to this chamber on why this modernization will actually happen this time?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: We have to modernize our justice system. It’s something that I’ve identified as a priority for our government and for our ministry.

We are taking steps that are practical and prudent in making sure that we are bringing digital options for users of our justice system across the province, whether it’s e-filing in our small claims court or for civil matters, or in the spring, very soon, we will have joint divorces that could be filed online as well. These are just some practical examples of things that we are already doing. That is why we have also outlined all our priorities in a digital justice action plan, so that Ontarians have a road map available to them with timelines so that it can keep us accountable.

What worries me is when I see the opposition Conservatives’ platform, where there’s no talk about how we will modernize the system. We need to be mindful of that.

Highway improvement

Ms. Sylvia Jones: My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Twelve years ago, the GTA West Corridor was identified in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Since then, the minister has consistently dragged his feet on the environmental assessment of the GTA West.

Two years ago, the minister took the unprecedented move of suspending the environmental assessment. My freedom-of-information request shows that the Ministry of Transportation has spent over $14 million studying the highway corridor, with nothing to show for it. This week will mark the second anniversary since the minister suspended the environmental assessment. Why the delay?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I thank the member from Dufferin–Caledon for her question. She may not be aware of this: A number of days ago, on the ministry’s website, we posted that there will be an update regarding this particular project that will be taking place within 60 days of that notice going up on the website.

I’m extremely proud to be part of a government that has literally invested billions of dollars in highways in every corner of the province. Just the other day, I joined with members from the government caucus in Brampton, where we announced and officially opened up lanes for the widened Highway 410 in that neighbourhood. A few days later, I was standing in the brisk weather alongside the member from Etobicoke Centre and the Minister of Housing and minister responsible for poverty reduction, as we opened lanes on Highway 427 in northern Etobicoke.

On that same day, out in Durham in the Clarington area, standing alongside the Minister of Agriculture and the member from Durham, we announced that starting in January, Highway 407 East, Phase 2a, will be open to vehicular traffic.

I look forward to providing more—

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

Supplementary?

Ms. Sylvia Jones: The only thing the minister has done on the GTA West Corridor is to continue to kick the can down the road. You announced it two years ago, you announced it a year ago and now you’re saying another 60 days. What’s the delay?

The reality is that the land along the supposed route of the GTA West has been frozen for years. Peel and York regions and municipalities around the GTHA have been calling for the minister to finish the environmental assessment. Residents and municipalities have no faith that this minister will finally make a decision on the future of the project. After all, the minister has committed in the past to provide “updates,” only to find another reason to delay.

After $14 million spent, will the minister commit today to restarting the environmental assessment of the GTA West Corridor?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: As I mentioned a second ago, our government’s record when it relates to highway construction is unprecedented. We are literally, again, investing in highways in the GTHA and in every corner of the province of Ontario.

What I will not accept, and what I will not contend with gracefully in this chamber, is a member of Ontario’s Conservative Party. Let’s not forget, this would be the party that first tolled and then sold Highway 407 to a Spanish consortium.

I will not take lectures from a member from Patrick Brown’s Ontario Conservative caucus when it comes to highways that are needed here in this province.

We know all about their People’s Guarantee, and we know one thing, Speaker: What’s guaranteed in their plan, should they ever come to power, will be less infrastructure investment, less public transit, fewer highways where they’re needed, less money for cycling infrastructure—

Mr. Bill Walker: Less taxes, less scandals.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I consider it a test, so I’m going to pass. The member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound is warned.

New question.

Long-term care

Ms. Catherine Fife: My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. My office is working with Patricia and Don Deighton. Patricia and Don have been married for 64 years, but they are currently forced to live apart because they have differing health needs. Patricia is in the dementia unit at University Gates, a long-term-care facility, while Don is living at the Westhill retirement home. Every morning, Don takes a cab to visit Patricia at her long-term-care facility so that they can have breakfast together. It breaks his heart to leave her each day.

Our seniors should not have to go to such great lengths to be together, especially at a time when they need each other the most.

Currently, Don and Patricia are on a very long reunification wait-list at the Waterloo Wellington LHIN. Speaker, what will this government do to reunite Don and Patricia as soon as humanly possible?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I believe I understand the question correctly: One individual is currently in a retirement home and the other is in a long-term-care home. I’m not sure if the first individual has been assessed and is eligible for long-term care or not; perhaps the member could address that in the supplementary.

We are, in fact, making important changes; I would, quite frankly, call them dramatic changes. One of the member’s colleagues—I have to acknowledge that the member from Niagara was instrumental in encouraging us and helping us to look to this issue of reunification of elderly couples. We’re making changes—I need to be careful; I’m not sure if the regulation is still posted—proposed changes that will make it much easier for our long-term-care homes and for those individuals to be reunited.

Perhaps the member, if she doesn’t mind, could just indicate whether the individual in a retirement home is eligible for long-term care.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Catherine Fife: I will tell the minister that there is a letter in his office with the details. But, Speaker, we needed a dramatic change in long-term care almost a decade ago; otherwise we would not be in this position today.

Retirement should not be marked by stress and uncertainty. Don and Patricia’s story is just one of the many stories of seniors in my community who are forced to live separately. The waiting time for Don and Patricia to be reunited is currently estimated at more than 1,000 days. These numbers are truly heartbreaking. Couples like Don and Patricia, who have been together for 64 years, shouldn’t have to wait three years to be reunited.

The Deightons’ experiences exemplify a broken and fragile long-term-care system that is struggling to accommodate our aging population. Will the minister please tell Don and Patricia, and every single family affected by the shortcomings of the long-term-care system, why it is acceptable that they wait years to be reunited with their loved ones?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: That’s precisely why we’re making these changes. I’m still not sure if the first individual is eligible for long-term care; obviously, if he is not, that would make it more challenging.

Mr. Speaker, we are—again, I’m going to say “proposed,” because I’m not sure if it will be in the reg or if it was in the legislation yesterday—actually creating a separate category specifically to enable our long-term-care homes and LHINs and families to reunite those sorts of individuals who are both eligible for long-term care, who want to—appropriately, and we should encourage this and facilitate this—live those remaining years together as a couple.

We’re precisely addressing it. Again, I have to give credit to my collaboration with the member from Niagara, because we looked at this and how together we might actually evolve a system where improvements are required. I believe we’ve got it fixed and we’ve got a solution which will address precisely what the member is asking for.

Child care / Services de garde d’enfants

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: Ma question est pour la ministre responsable de la Petite Enfance et de la Garde d’enfants. I know first-hand how important access to daycare is. I had four children who were attending daycare at different parts of my life, so I know that affordability and suitability to needs are very important to all, including families.

Now in the riding of Ottawa–Vanier that I have the privilege of representing, there are many new families that are arriving and are very anxious to know the daycare options that are available to them. The anxiety relates to cost and to the suitability of the options that are available to the variety of their needs.

I want to ask whether the minister can tell us what the government is doing to meet this very important need in our different communities.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: Thank you to the hard-working member from Ottawa–Vanier for this very important question. She has been a strong advocate on this issue.

We know families across this province are facing challenges when it comes to finding child care. That’s why our government is working tirelessly to help Ontario families find affordable, accessible, quality child care options.

In fact, this week, we announced that more than 8,400 children will benefit from the opening of 493 new child care rooms in close to 200 schools across the province. It’s amazing news. Local schools are being renovated and retrofitted for these spaces. This investment is part of our five-year commitment to help 100,000 more children to access spaces. As part of this investment, we announced $200 million in the 2017 budget, which created 24,000 spaces; 16,000 of those are subsidized.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: Merci à la ministre.

Thank you very much to the minister as well for her absolute commitment to this essential aspect of life for Ontario families.

It is very important for the future of Ontario to have good daycare and to have access to all of the care spaces that are needed. Indeed, I think we know that there’s a lot of work that needs to be done and that families want to know as well how the system will operate. There are some governance issues. People want to know where the spaces are going to be allocated.

Je sais que dans mon comté, particulièrement, la question se pose de façon régulière : comment est-ce que les places vont être allouées partout en province?

I think it’s important for all Ontarians to know exactly what the future of daycare will look like in Ontario. I wish, s’il vous plaît, that the minister would comment on how these 100,000 spaces will be allocated.

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I’m pleased to answer the member’s important question. Absolutely, people need to know where the spaces are going.

We are investing $1.6 billion in new capital funding, which supports the creation of 45,000 new spaces in schools, public spaces and communities across the province.

As I mentioned, we’re building over 8,400 new spaces in 188 schools in Ontario. This includes 45 projects in French-language schools; 81 projects in Catholic schools; and 50 child care projects in rural and northern school boards, creating 1,800 new child care spaces in that region.

Speaker, these investments in close to 200 schools are helping us to fulfill our commitments. It’s a historic investment, one that will benefit all of Ontario, and you will hear more about where these spaces are going in the coming weeks. We’re helping families with access to quality child care, and we’re building.

Correction of record

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on a point of order.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: When I was commending the member for good collaboration on spousal reunification in long-term care, I actually should have said the member from Niagara Falls.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All members have a right to correct their record, and that’s true.

The member from Thornhill on a point of order.

Mrs. Gila Martow: This Sunday, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station is opening. My riding of Thornhill is where it’s going to be opening. My constituents are very excited. The constituents in York region are very excited. Unfortunately—

Interjections.

Mrs. Gila Martow: They are excited—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

Although it’s not a point of order, I’ll let the member finish quickly.

Mrs. Gila Martow: Thank you, Mr. Speaker—it’s their taxpayers’ money.

I’ve asked to be invited to the grand opening. Please don’t be petty and—

Interjections.

Visitors

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

Mr. Han Dong: Thank you, Speaker. I would like to welcome a very active member of the Filipino community, Ms. Melinda Manlapaz. She is here with us in the members’ gallery. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: During question period, I noticed that my able assistant from my Woodstock constituency office, Shelley Ratelband, is here sitting in the audience. I’d welcome her to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Notice of dissatisfaction

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Pursuant to standing order 38(a), the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound has given me notice of his dissatisfaction with the answer given to him during question period by the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care concerning the Auditor General’s report on long-term care. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m.

Deferred Votes

Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur le renforcement de la protection des consommateurs ontariens

Deferred vote on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 166,

An Act to amend or repeal various Acts and to enact three new Acts with respect to the construction of new homes and ticket sales for events / Projet de loi 166, Loi modifiant ou abrogeant diverses lois et édictant trois nouvelles lois en ce qui concerne la construction de logements neufs et la vente de billets d’événements.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1141 to 1146.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All members, please take your seats.

On December 6, 2017, Mr. Naqvi moved third reading of Bill 166,

An Act to amend or repeal various Acts and to enact three new Acts with respect to the construction of new homes and ticket sales for events.

All those in favour, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Jaczek, Helena

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Moridi, Reza

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sousa, Charles

Takhar, Harinder S.

Thibeault, Glenn

Vernile, Daiene

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

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

Nays

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bisson, Gilles

Brown, Patrick

Campbell, Sarah

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

DiNovo, Cheri

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Hatfield, Percy

Horwath, Andrea

Jones, Sylvia

MacLaren, Jack

MacLeod, Lisa

Mantha, Michael

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norm

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Romano, Ross

Sattler, Peggy

Scott, Laurie

Smith, Todd

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Walker, Bill

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 50; the nays are 43.

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

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

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

The House recessed from 1150 to 1500.

Introduction of Visitors

Ms. Soo Wong: I have many guests who are visiting Queen’s Park today for Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day, and I want to thank all of you for being here today.

I know very shortly Consul General of the People’s Republic of China He Wei will be here, along with his consuls Yang Baohua and Chen Zhishan.

We have Peter Lan, Bob Lan and everyone from the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations;

Eric Xiao and Andi Shi and the rest of the leadership from the Chinese Professionals Association of Canada;

Dr. Joseph Wong, Flora Chong, Alissa Wang and everyone from ALPHA Education; and

Lucy Fukushima and Yusuke Tanaka with Japanese Canadians for Social Justice.

Jeannette Chu, and I believe some of my students from the Toronto District School Board and students from Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute, the principal, Sandy Kaskens, and Superintendent Louie Papathanasakis will be arriving very shortly, Mr. Speaker.

I want all of us to recognize my parents, Park and Bik Wong, and my sister, Soo Ching Wong-Kikuta. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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

I’m not sure if the member from Toronto–Danforth is standing to introduce. No? Okay. I didn’t want to put you on the spot. I just saw you standing. I’m alert.

Seeing no further introductions, it’s therefore time for members’ statements.

Members’ Statements

Gin-Cor

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Thank you and good afternoon, Speaker. It’s my pleasure to once again rise and celebrate the latest success of a tremendous business in our riding, based in Mattawa. The company is Gin-Cor. They recently announced the purchase of Cross-Country Trailers in Blenheim. Gin-Cor says it plans to maintain jobs, invest in the site and actually increase the workforce as they bring Cross-Country into their fold.

Gin-Cor began with a single facility some 40 years ago in the town of Mattawa. They are best known for work vehicles like dump vehicles and snowplows and other service equipment like cranes and pup trailers. The Gin-Cor name is ever more visible as you drive the highways across the province. Just listen to the amazing success Gin-Cor has had in the past five years. They were ranked as one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies three years in a row with Profit 500. This year, they entered the top 200.

Their staff numbers have grown from 40 people to almost 500 with the inclusion of their newest location, and in June they acquired DEL Equipment, which added seven new locations, giving Gin-Cor a coast-to-coast presence, from BC to New Brunswick.

On behalf of the residents of Nipissing, we offer our congratulations to Gin-Cor Truck and Trailer Works, as they are now known, and wish them continued success and good fortune.

Gregory MacLean

Ms. Catherine Fife: This past weekend, I attended the funeral of Gregory James MacLean, son of Debbie and Jim MacRury, grandson to Joyce MacLean, best friend to Katie and a good friend to a group of young men known as “The Boyz.”

Gregory James MacLean died by suicide. To bear witness to the pain that follows suicide is a humbling experience. To learn of the darkness that tormented Greg was heartbreaking. For his loving family and friends, mental illness has become a harsh reality.

Speaker, there is no doubt that having Greg as a son changed the life of my friend, and I watched in amazement as she transformed her grief into compassion for those who are left to live without Greg. They will need support and courage. She told Greg’s friends at the funeral, “Put your phones down. Look at each other, ask if they are doing okay. Ask for help if you need it. We need to care more for each other.”

Speaker, Greg’s life will not be defined by his death. He had so much love in his life with his girlfriend, Meghan, and The Boyz and his beloved family, but sometimes love is not enough. Professional mental health supports are needed.

I don’t know how you move forward after suicide, after losing a child, but I do know that my friend will turn her grief into something positive, fighting for stronger mental health resources in our communities, particularly in the Armed Forces. Just as she did to honour her dad, Jim, who succumbed to prostate cancer, I believe that it will be a legacy of advocacy and compassion which will honour the life of Gregory James MacLean.

Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day

Ms. Soo Wong: Point of order.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Point of order, the member from Scarborough–Agincourt.

Ms. Soo Wong: I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent that members be permitted to wear purple peace flower pins to recognize the first Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day in Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Scarborough–Agincourt is seeking unanimous consent to wear the pins. Do we agree? Agreed.

I’ll call upon the member to make her statement.

Ms. Soo Wong: Mr. Speaker, a point of order.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Point of order.

Ms. Soo Wong: I’m seeking unanimous consent that we observe a moment of silence in remembrance and to honour the over 200,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): As I have done in the past, I will seek unanimous consent to have a moment of silence, but we will defer it until after the statements by all members. Do we agree? Agreed.

The member from Scarborough–Agincourt for a statement.

Ms. Soo Wong: I rise today on a sombre and reflective note. Eighty years ago today, Nanjing, then the capital of China, marked the beginning of one of the truly horrific episodes in human history: the Nanjing Massacre. For six weeks, the Japanese army slaughtered over 200,000 soldiers and civilians, before resorting to arson, rape and the murder of over 30,000 prisoners of war.

On October 26 of this year, the House unanimously passed motion 66, designating December 13 of each year as Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day in Ontario. The reason we are able to remember, recognize and reflect on these events here today and throughout the province is due to the hard work of many stakeholders and over 100,000 Ontarians who signed petitions in support of Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day in Ontario.

This is a seminal day for many Ontarians, some of whom are either survivors or families of the victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

This is also an important day for millions of Ontarians with Asian heritage. Throughout World War II in Asia, thousands of women were used as sexual slaves, known as comfort women. This horrific practice has left physical, psychological and emotional scars across generations.

Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day is about education, reaffirming Ontario’s values and, more importantly, standing with survivors and victims’ families in sombre memorial of these atrocities.

I’m proud to stand with my colleagues and Ontarians today in remembrance of the Nanjing Massacre.

Homecoming

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: Homecoming is always a time for people to come together, celebrate and just have a heck of a lot of fun. People usually associate homecomings with college or university football, but for the communities of Belmore and Clifford, homecoming is so much more.

In late June and early August, each town, respectively, hosted nearly 15,000 people at their events. Considering that Belmore is maybe a hamlet of 100 people, this is pretty significant.

I will note that on June 25 Belmore saw its amazing community spirit very early that morning, as people rallied together to contend with a historic flood when the mighty Maitland jumped its banks. This amazing effort set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

I have to say that at the Clifford homecoming, the whole weekend was wrapped up by epic fireworks that no one will forget.

But, overall, people remember the weekend of homecoming as full of camping, parades, dinners, meet-and-greets, music, children’s games, choirs, and so much in the spirit of being proud of where you call home.

In the spirit of giving, I really think it’s important to recognize that the small, rural communities do so much. Clifford raised a profit of over $100,000, and all of it was donated to 31 different community organizations. Belmore, the hamlet of approximately 100, raised over $96,000, and they paid that forward to the Belmore Chamber of Commerce to use to sustain priority projects fo