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April 21, 2004

38th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2004-Apr-21 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Wednesday 21 April 2004 Mercredi 21 avril 2004

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

CALABRESI CANADIANS

BSE

HOSPITAL WORKERS

BEACHES EASTER PARADE

BRUSH-A-MANIA

SMALL BUSINESS

INTER-CULTURAL

NEIGHBOURHOOD SOCIAL SERVICES

HIGHWAY TOLLS

VISITOR

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE

ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

LOI DE 2004 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO /

ONTARIO HERITAGE

AMENDMENT ACT, 2004

ONTARIO RECREATION FACILITIES

ASSOCIATION ACT, 2004

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

LOI SUR LE

PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO /

ONTARIO HERITAGE LEGISLATION

ROUGE PARK

ONTARIO HERITAGE LEGISLATION /

LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO

ROUGE PARK

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS JERSEY

LEGISLATIVE PAGES

ORAL QUESTIONS

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

TRANSIT SERVICES

PUBLIC HEALTH

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

SERVICES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

MID-PENINSULA HIGHWAY

FABRY DISEASE

ENERGY CONTRACTS

PHOTO RADAR

RENT REGULATION

HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT

ONTARIO YOUTH

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

WATER QUALITY

HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

LEVEL CROSSINGS

CERTIFICATS DE NAISSANCE

PETITIONS

TILLSONBURG DISTRICT

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

ONTARIO BUDGET

HOSPITAL FUNDING

HIGHWAY 518

ONTARIO BUDGET

TAXATION

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE FUNDING

TAXATION

ONTARIO BUDGET

LANDFILL

SENIOR CITIZENS

TAXATION

GO TRANSIT SERVICE

WATER SERVICES

ONTARIO BUDGET

LANDFILL

ORDERS OF THE DAY

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS AMENDMENT ACT

(FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE), 2004 /

LOI DE 2004 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LES NORMES D'EMPLOI

(CONGÉ FAMILIAL

POUR RAISON MÉDICALE)

The House met at 1330.

Prayers.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Mr John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): I would like to take this time allotted to me today to draw your attention to the issue of

children's mental health. Children's mental health services in Ontario are simply not meeting the requirements that exist; 18% of children under 19 have a diagnosable mental health disorder. We

only have the capacity to serve about one in four of these children. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-olds in Canada. This tragedy must be addressed. When children

with mental health disorders go untreated, the problems don't go away. They only get worse as the child grows into adulthood.

The Phoenix Centre for Children and Families in the city of Pembroke in my riding of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke is currently facing a funding crisis as it tries

to cope with the growing demand for children's mental health services in Renfrew county. Because of a lack of funding, the waiting times for children and youth to access services has become so long

as to essentially deny them the help they need when that need is most critical. Without new investments now, more and more children will fall through the cracks today. Sadly, many will resurface as

adult cases tomorrow.

Our party pledged significant new investments in children's mental health services last year. I call on the new Minister of Health and the Minister of Children's

Services to commit to adequate funding in the upcoming budget. Our children are depending on you.

CALABRESI CANADIANS

Mr Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence): As you know, a great number of the Italian immigrants who helped build this province have come from the

Calabria region in southern Italy. In fact, we have four or five members in the Legislature who have their roots in Calabria, including the Minister of Finance, the member from Thornhill and

others. This is a very special week for Calabresi who are here in Toronto and the GTA. This weekend in Woodbridge, we are going to see La Fontata for the first time in Canada. It is an Easter time

celebration that takes place in small villages in Calabria. It is going to be brought to Woodbridge this Saturday. It's going to involve Immaculate Conception Church and St Margaret Mary Church in

Woodbridge. I invite all Ontarians to partake in this wonderful festival.

We also have another group, from Vibo Valentia in Calabria, who are here as professional interpreters and are going to be visiting the Legislature today. They're

BSE

Mr Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): As I rise in the House today, I would urge all members to look on their desks to find a copy of this

statement with an "I Love Canadian Beef" bumper sticker attached. You'll see it here.

A couple of weeks ago, while driving to Toronto from my riding, I noticed that although these bumper stickers have been in circulation for quite some time, very

few cars and trucks have them on their vehicles. This was especially disappointing as I drove through Grey, Bruce and Dufferin counties, three regions that are highly dependent on their agriculture

industry. As I approached vehicles on the highway, I expected to see the stickers as a sign of support for our ailing agriculture industry, but they were very few and far between.

I know that some people might be of the attitude that this is a just a sticker and is not going to help solve the BSE situation, but what it can do is raise

awareness and act as a conversation starter. This issue needs to be kept on people's minds. People need to continue to pressure their federal member of Parliament to get the border reopened. Today

I would like to put out a challenge to all members to take the sticker that has been provided and place it on your bumper or car window.

Further to this topic, on May 7 from 11 am to 5 pm, I will be hosting an event at Barry's Service Centre in Rockford. At this time, the president of the Grey

county cattlemen's association, Mr Ross Laycock, and I will be cleaning people's windshields and offering to place these stickers on their bumpers. The local 4-H club will also be on hand grilling

up burgers. I would challenge all other rural members to hold a similar event.

These stickers are also available in my constituency office in Owen Sound. I will personally take the time to apply a sticker on any constituent's vehicle if I'm

in the office when they come in.

HOSPITAL WORKERS

Mr Ernie Parsons (Prince Edward-Hastings): Hospital workers in this province had a very difficult time over the last eight years. There's no

question that they were overworked and unappreciated by the previous government. We heard nurses described as Hula Hoop workers and no longer necessary, yet they continued to do their job with

pride, even with lower numbers. The service provided to this province is probably best exemplified by their service to us during the SARS crisis.

We've seen lab technicians toil through the eight difficult years, where the results that they determined from tests were of vital importance to our

citizens.

Quality health care requires good building maintenance. We've seen our maintenance staffs in our hospitals ensure that the oxygen flows and the heat's on in the

building.

Health care is so much more than just doctors and nurses. Clerical staff, the first encounter you often have in the hospital, are a tremendous service.

Food preparation: Quality health care requires food that's nutritious and attractive. We've seen that delivered.

Cleaners: In our hospitals it is a fundamental fact that the buildings need to be cleaned. They're often unsung heroes who ensure our hospital are in the

condition that they are.

There are other support staff whom I omit inadvertently, but we have been truly blessed with the quality of people in Ontario who serve in our hospitals and

provide the front-line service to our patients. So I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of myself and our government to say "thank you" to the hospital workers in Ontario.

BEACHES EASTER PARADE

Mr Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): It is indeed my privilege and honour to stand here today to talk about a cultural institution in the

Beaches, the Beaches Easter Parade. This year was an absolutely terrific year. It is the brainchild of the Toronto Beaches Lions Club.

There were tens of thousands of people who lined Queen Street, from Victoria Park all the way to Woodbine Avenue. The parade was led off by our very own grand

marshal, Frances Lankin -- no stranger to this House. She was well received by all of the crowds and is truly an inspirational person in our community. The parade director was Douglas Ferguson, who

masterminded the entire parade and saw that it went off without a hitch.

There were floats, bands, marching groups, bagpipers and travelling minstrels. There were assorted politicians as well, and they didn't get booed all that badly.

There was, of course, the Easter bunny, and lots of chocolates for the kids.

It took over two hours to traverse the entire parade route and people lined up literally for hours to make sure their children got a good seat. Tens of thousands

of people watched it. I will tell you, it is a showcase for our wonderful Beaches community. People come from Toronto and indeed some from other places in Ontario just to experience the very unique

flavour of the Beaches community.

I thank the Toronto Beaches Lions Club for another job well done, and to all of the people who came out, please come back again next year. It keeps getting

better and better.

BRUSH-A-MANIA

Mr Brad Duguid (Scarborough Centre): Wednesday, April 21, 2004, has been proclaimed Oral Health Day in the city of Toronto. This will be the

fourth year that the Toronto Academy of Dentistry has worked with the Rotary Club of Toronto -- Don Mills to organize Brush-a-Mania.

Each year an Ontario Dental Association member dentist and a Rotarian have gone to a local elementary school to talk to the students about oral hygiene. All of

the students across Toronto then brush their teeth simultaneously for three minutes. The students record each time they brush their teeth for three minutes over the following six weeks and receive

a Brush-a-Mania Club member certificate upon completing 100 brushings. Over 85 schools and 30,000 students will be participating this year.

I'm sure all members will join me in wishing Dr Raffy Chouljian, chair of this year's event, and all the volunteer dentists and Rotarians great success in the

2004 Brush-a-Mania.

There's no question the children of Toronto will have brighter smiles on their faces today, in part due to Brush-a-Mania and in part due to the great victory of

our Toronto Maple Leafs over the Ottawa Senators last night. Bring on the toothpaste and bring on the Philadelphia Flyers. We'll clean our teeth, we'll clean their clocks and our children's smiles

will be bigger and brighter in Toronto as the Toronto Maple Leafs go for the cup. Brush, kids, brush, and go, Leafs, go.

SMALL BUSINESS

Ms Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): My statement today involves the ability of small businesses in Ontario to continue to grow and

prosper. This government in six short months has cancelled $4 billion in tax decreases that would have benefited both individual taxpaying citizens as well as many of Ontario's small business

owners. This government's economic position seems to be that higher taxes on small business create jobs and prosperity.

As I know this House is aware, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has strongly opposed the elimination of Bill 140, which allows municipalities to

increase small business taxes all over Ontario. It seems that this government's position is that the CFIB is wrong on this issue and that your higher-taxes-lead-to-economic-growth strategy is

better thought out than their lower-taxes-lead-to-economic-growth strategy.

The small businesses in my community and around Ontario want to know that in the budget of May 18 this government is not going to develop a pattern of raising

taxes on the backs of small businesses to pay for their many campaign promises. The future of Ontario's economy depends on your answers.

INTER-CULTURAL

NEIGHBOURHOOD SOCIAL SERVICES

Mr Bob Delaney (Mississauga West): During National Volunteer Week, I congratulate the volunteers of ICNSS, Inter-Cultural Neighbourhood Social

Services of Mississauga.

Each year, ICNSS has more than 360 volunteers contribute more than 40,000 hours of volunteer work. The agency and its volunteers serve newcomers to Canada

throughout Mississauga and Peel region.

ICNSS staff and volunteers help immigrants and refugees settle and feel welcome in Canada. The ICNSS client base is now at more than 30,000 clients, 85% of whom

are immigrants and refugees. That number continues to grow through the benefits of the efforts of ICNSS volunteers.

Newcomers gain experience in a Canadian work environment and integrate into the Canadian cultural mosaic. Programs and services offered through ICNSS include

Peel Community Mediation Services, job search workshops, multicultural settlement and education partnerships, the host program, day programming for seniors and preschool programming.

Volunteers come from across the spectrum in our community, and I have personally had the opportunity to volunteer my own time with ICNSS.

I extend the Legislature's thanks to all volunteers at ICNSS for their hard work, dedication and compassion to others.

HIGHWAY TOLLS

Mr Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): Dalton McGuinty promised to roll back tolls on Highway 407, a promise that was echoed by the Minister of

Transportation and the Minister of Finance. They specifically promised that regular weekly users of the 407 would save between $160 to over $1,100 a year as a result of this Liberal promise. Ask

Minister Takhar today how things are progressing on that promise. We all know the answer. He is not progressing, and it won't happen. The fact of the matter is, he's hired a number of outside

lawyers because he didn't believe the answer that his own civil service was giving him. So we ask the minister, where are those loopholes that you say are in the contract?

Mr Takhar wasn't willing to negotiate in good faith, and as a result of his tough-guy approach there was actually a toll increase. And as a result of this

minister's mishandling of this file since I last raised this issue, users of the 407 are paying $1.8 million more for that highway. Not only will the Liberal promise to roll back the tolls not be

taken, the fact of the matter is that Dalton McGuinty and his Minister of Transportation will be remembered for increasing the tolls on Highway 407. Shame on them; one more broken promise that they

can point to and the people of Ontario will not forget.

VISITOR

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): Members may observe that in our east gallery we have the Honourable David Peterson, former Premier of this

great province, MPP for the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments. We welcome you.

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE

ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): I beg to inform the House that today the Clerk received the report on intended appointments dated April 21,

2004, of the standing committee on government agencies. Pursuant to standing order 106(e)9, the report is deemed to be adopted by the House.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

LOI DE 2004 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO /

ONTARIO HERITAGE

AMENDMENT ACT, 2004

M me Meilleur propose la première lecture du projet de loi suivant :

Projet de loi 60, Loi modifiant la

Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario / Bill 60,

An Act to amend the Ontario Heritage Act.

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Minister?

L'hon. Madeleine Meilleur (ministre de la Culture, ministre déléguée aux Affaires francophones): Je prends la parole à

l'Assemblée aujourd'hui pour dire que le patrimoine de l'Ontario est menacé et que le gouvernement McGuinty compte prendre des mesures pour remédier à la situation.

I stand in the House today to say that Ontario's heritage is at risk and that the McGuinty government is proposing to do something about it.

The Speaker: It's my understanding that you will make your statement as a minister later on.

ONTARIO RECREATION FACILITIES

ASSOCIATION ACT, 2004

Mr Brownell moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr4,

An Act respecting the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association.

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Pursuant to standing order 84, this bill stands referred to the standing committee on regulations and private bills.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

LOI SUR LE

PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO /

ONTARIO HERITAGE LEGISLATION

L'hon. Madeleine Meilleur (ministre de la Culture, ministre déléguée aux Affaires francophones): Je prends la parole aujourd'hui

devant cette Assemblée pour dire que le patrimoine de l'Ontario est menacé et que le gouvernement McGuinty compte prendre des mesures pour remédier à la situation.

I stand in the House today to say that Ontario's heritage is at risk and that the McGuinty government is proposing to do something about it.

The current Ontario Heritage Act is weak and outdated. For the first time since the Ontario Heritage Act was introduced in 1975, the provincial government is

proposing comprehensive amendments to bring Ontario's heritage legislation in line with leading jurisdictions in Canada and around the world.

Aujourd'hui, nous présentons des modifications à la

Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario qui changeront sensiblement la façon dont l'Ontario

perçoit et protège son patrimoine.

Des bâtiments et des lieux patrimoniaux uniques et irremplaçables disparaissent à un rythme alarmant sur les assauts des bulldozers et des

boulets de démolition.

We pay the price in lost economic potential and the erosion of the cultural identity that defines and enriches the quality of life in our province. Without

strong and expanded heritage protection laws, valuable heritage resources and the opportunities they represent will continue to be lost.

In Ontario's communities, our heritage is reflected in landmark buildings, small-town main streets, historic neighbourhoods, scenic landscapes, archaeological

sites and many other unique and special places, including aboriginal sites.

Le patrimoine de l'Ontario constitue le riche héritage que nous ont légué les générations passées pour que nous le

protégions dans l'intérêt des générations futures. Notre patrimoine exprime notre expérience et nos valeurs collectives. Il reflète ce que nous sommes et montre

ce que nous pouvons faire.

The McGuinty government values and is committed to conserving Ontario's heritage for the enjoyment and benefit of present and future generations. A stronger

Ontario Heritage Act will prevent the demolition of Ontario's precious heritage land mass. A stronger act will also provide more tools and flexibility to protect local and provincial heritage and

would make Ontario one of the leading jurisdictions in heritage conservation.

Nous avons écouté les avis des intervenants du domaine et les modifications que nous proposons reflètent ces avis. Voici certaines des

principales modifications que nous proposons aujourd'hui à la

Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario.

Some key amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act we are introducing today include new municipal powers to prevent demolition of heritage buildings. This most

important change will give municipalities tools to prevent rather than delay the demolition of heritage properties. This amendment will also ensure that increased demolition controls will be

balanced with the landowner's right to binding appeal.

Une autre modification importante que nous proposons à la loi conférera à la province de nouveaux pouvoirs lui permettant de répertorier et

de désigner les lieux patrimoniaux d'importance provinciale ainsi que de prévenir la démolition de ces lieux.

The proposed amendments also provide for clear conservation standards and guidelines to be established for provincially owned heritage property.

Other proposed amendments will provide greater clarity in the municipal designation process and provide better planning tools for protection of heritage

conservation districts.

La loi modifiée accroîtra la protection accordée par la province aux lieux patrimoniaux maritimes les plus importants et vulnérables.

The amended act will increase provincial protection for the most significant and fragile marine heritage.

There are also enhanced provisions to conserve unique archaeological resources, such as increasing fines for the illegal alteration of sites.

The amended act will also update provisions for the province's heritage agency to give them greater ability to deliver their mandate.

Les modifications proposées à la

Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario stimuleront la fierté des citoyens et des citoyennes ainsi que le

développement économique local.

These proposed amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act will help build strong and vital communities and improve the quality of life for all the people in

Ontario.

ROUGE PARK

Hon David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources): For the second day in a row, it is my pleasure to stand in the House to affirm that this

government is acting on its commitment to increase green space in the province, protecting more of our priceless natural heritage and contributing to a cleaner, healthier natural environment for

the people of Ontario.

I'm proud to announce today that the province is transferring more than 1,400 hectares of provincial lands for the expansion of Rouge Park. With this transfer

of land, we can say now with certainty that Rouge Park is the largest natural park in an urban area in North America: 50 square kilometres in area; home to hundreds of plant species, some of them

rare; an important habitat for bird and other wildlife; rich in historic and cultural significance -- and all of this right on the doorstep of millions of Ontarians.

The ambitious plan to assemble these lands into an urban natural area known as Rouge Park was launched in 1990 by former Premier David Peterson and

then-Natural Resources Minister Lyn McLeod. So, Mr Speaker, as you have already acknowledged, it is very appropriate for me, 14 years later, to acknowledge the contribution of David Peterson and

welcome him back to our Ontario Legislature.

Hon James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism and Recreation): He looks just as young today.

Hon Mr Ramsay: He does, to the member for St Catharines, absolutely.

Since 1990, the vision of what this park could be has attracted the support of all levels of government, numerous agencies, groups, organizations and

surrounding communities.

The wide-ranging local interest and support for protecting this special area is reflected in the composition of the Rouge Park Alliance. The alliance is a

voluntary partnership involving the municipalities in the Rouge River watershed, the province, the Toronto Region Conservation Authority, the federal government, the Toronto zoo, the Waterfront

Regeneration Trust and Save the Rouge Valley System Inc. I want to acknowledge today the dedication and hard work of the alliance members. They've shown what can be accomplished when different

groups and interests pull together to achieve common goals. My ministry remains committed to continuing its strong support and contribution as a key partner in the Rouge Park Alliance.

This government understands the important role of green space and natural areas to our quality of life, particularly here in densely populated southern

Ontario. As I said in the House yesterday, we know that natural areas contribute to cleaner air, cleaner water and a cleaner environment. We know they contribute to healthier and stronger

communities and a healthier and stronger economy.

The Greenbelt Protection Act, introduced last December, would provide us with the means to protect increasingly precious green space in an area of southern

Ontario that includes Toronto, Durham, York, Peel, Halton, Hamilton, the Oak Ridges moraine, the Niagara Escarpment plan area and the Niagara tender fruit and grape lands. As a key component of

that proposed greenbelt, this unique natural area known as Rouge Park will be a permanent, sustainable legacy and a source of great pride for future Ontarians.

Mr Jerry J. Ouellette (Oshawa): I'm very happy to rise today to speak about one of the jewels of Ontario, the Rouge Park. For those in the

Legislature who are not familiar with it, it actually has a long history that all parties recognize. As a matter of fact, it was 1967 when the first 157 acres were donated to the Rouge Park. Not

only that, but it was a partnership, one of the first partnerships established with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to manage that land. All governments have contributed to it.

The enlarged park opened officially in 1995. People should know that in 1999 there was a significant contribution added to the park. There were 668 hectares

added and another 32 hectares at the mill dam, with a total value of over $26.3 million in that contribution alone to that specific site. That amounted to a total of over 11,600 acres in that

particular area.

The lands were transferred to the Toronto Region Conservation Authority with the understanding that it would be a protected area and they would remain with the

management as long as it was under their authority and that it could not be sold off.

As well, I'm sure all of you would like to know that in November 2000 -- I think we're seeing some of the response from that of the funds being utilized --

there was $100 million through the Living Legacy fund established for just such acquisitions. That fund from November 2000 was to be used to enhance protected areas for conservation, for youth and

stewardship programs -- all you have to do is look at the Rouge Web site to see the number of schools participating in that to know its benefit -- to regulate areas and, most importantly, to

acquire more natural areas such as the ones announced today. The acquisition would probably have been done through ELAP, the ecological land acquisition program, which the previous government had

started.

Another program which was announced in 2000 as well was the natural areas protection program, where $20 million was established for sites such as specifically

the Rouge, the Lynde Marsh and a number of others, for which I hope we'll hear about programs later on.

Some of the things I hope the minister is looking at are: resolving problems such as the ones between the mountain bikers and the hikers in that area;

establishing more funds for managing that specific site.

Lastly, one of the key things to do that would assist the Rouge is to move forward with the healthy waters, healthy fish program and protecting the headwaters

of the Rouge. We're very thankful that there are another 1,400 hectares added to that site.

ONTARIO HERITAGE LEGISLATION /

LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO

Mr John O'Toole (Durham): It's a pleasure to respond today to the amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and, I would say to the minister,

preserving our heritage and our history. On this side of the House -- it all began basically under the Conservative government, as you would know, in 1975. In fact, it continued throughout our

mandate. In 2002-03, there was a broad policy that gave tax relief to people in applying to improve their properties that were historically designated. In fact, the amount was over $6 million.

In my time on local council, I actually served on the local architectural conservation advisory committee. In fact, today I'm working with a group protecting

old neighbourhoods in the community of Bowmanville. My riding is, of course, a historic part of Ontario.

The members of the committee, the LACAC committee -- Janie Dodd as well as Mavis Carlton and, today's chairman, Vic Suppan -- would all be impressed by this.

But what is really missing here -- once again, there is a lot of fanfare on this, but, quite honestly, there's nothing in their platform. It's a complete surprise. The only platform material I was

able to find was that in 1999 they had a small page that said they would fund up to $2 million of museum and heritage programs in Ontario.

What is completely failing in this commitment by the minister today to do the right thing is that she's not providing any resources to do the right thing. In

fact, I put it to you that if you look at the history -- and history is the greatest teacher -- in this particular case, you should know that under the Peterson government, under their regime, Bill

Wrye, Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations, authorized the complete destruction of original land records, from 1947 to 1968. This was held in very serious concern by members of the

heritage community at that time. So your legacy is lacking.

In the current statement the minister made today, there is no substance in terms of any funding for local advisory committees. The minister should know that at

the end of the day this is a property rights issue. To force people and neighbourhoods into conformance without the appropriate tax policies is completely the wrong message to be sending. If you

want to protect heritage, don't exempt the property rights of individuals; work with the community. I'll be happy to work with you, but, Minister, there's got to be some money in the budget. Speak

to Mr Sorbara.

Mr Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): This is indeed good news -- I'm talking about the heritage. Demolition control has been requested by

municipalities for years and years.

C'est une bonne nouvelle. Notre expérience à Toronto et dans toutes les autres villes de cette province est une expérience de frustration. We

have been frustrated as we helplessly watched our heritage, our history, being demolished and razed to the ground. We have been powerless. All we could do is delay; we couldn't stop. Today there is

the first inkling that we will actually be able to stop the demolition of our heritage.

I want to commend the minister, and I want to tell you that if this had been in place when we were going through all the machinations around the first

Parliament, it wouldn't have taken a year; it would have taken a few minutes in order to save that priceless property.

There are two things I want to bring to your attention, and I hope they are not only in the bill when we finally see it but also in the regulations. First, you

have said there is a right to appeal; you haven't said to which body. If that is to the OMB, I do have some frustrations with that body, and I want to tell you that probably many members in this

House do. If it is not -- and even if it is -- you have to have the strongest possible provincial policy statement that will override all the other statements that are before the OMB, because if

they are to be mixed, then I will tell you they will pick the developer over our history. The second thing we need to have is some commitment to money in the budget, because the cities have been

downloaded unmercifully. They do not have the money to be equal partners, to pay to protect our heritage and to adopt standard designation procedures which should be uniform across this

province.

Madam Minister, we salute your first step. We are hoping the additional steps will make this a bill we can all support and of which we can all be proud.

ROUGE PARK

Ms Marilyn Churley (Toronto-Danforth): I rise to respond to the Minister of Natural Resources' announcement and, with all of us here, to

welcome former Premier David Peterson to the House. I'm sure he would agree with me that former Premier Bob Rae should be seated by his side today in the gallery. You will recall that in 1990, just

before the election, the then Premier Peterson announced a plan to acquire this land. Then there was an election -- remember? -- the Bob Rae government won, and we proceeded to buy up that land and

turn it into a park. I just wanted to remind you. I thought that was conveniently left out today.

Indeed it is true, and it is good to see that the present Liberal government is following on the work we did on the park and extending it today, and I

congratulate them on that. It's more green space that will benefit all of us.

The minister mentioned the greenbelt legislation, and I want to come back to that. I asked him a question in the House on the Castle Glen development in the

Niagara Escarpment area. I want him to talk to his colleague the Minister of Municipal Affairs, because he will not respond any more to questions about this development, the first new town to be

built on the Niagara Escarpment since the 1970s, when protection was brought in for the Niagara Escarpment. It's going to be built. It's before the OMB, and not only that, but maybe for the first

time in history -- I don't know -- the OMB has decided to deal with this particular development plan in a piecemeal fashion, which is just beyond the pale. It is absolutely outrageous and shouldn't

be allowed.

The minister says he can't comment because it's before the OMB. He indeed can comment. He can bring in a minister's zoning order to stop all development, to

stop the hearing and, in fact, to bring the Niagara Escarpment into the greenbelt legislation. I'm a little confused about a line in the statement today, because right now it isn't a part of it,

otherwise this development wouldn't be allowed to go ahead.

I'm calling on the minister today, if this commitment to the greenbelt and to expanding parks across this province, which I applaud -- I think it's great, I

think it's good, I want to move forward and get that greenbelt legislation passed so we can make necessary amendments and move on with it. It's very important. But there are some real problems with

it. That Castle Glen development is one. As you know, some leapfrog development in the Simcoe area is another. New highways are being built. There are certain things we have to look at. I hope the

minister will stop that Castle Glen development dead in its tracks.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS JERSEY

Mr Ernie Eves (Leader of the Opposition): On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I know there have been many rulings that you have made about

decorum in this House and what is and isn't appropriate to be worn, and I know there are many difficult days. Trust me, if anybody knows that, I do, as Premier of Ontario. But none could have been

more difficult for the incumbent Premier of Ontario than last evening's hockey game, so I decided to lend a little bit of class to these proceedings.

On a point of clarification, Mr Speaker, I know the Premier will want to know that this is a gift from Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and does not

contravene the Members' Integrity Act.

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): Is this on the same point of order?

Ms Marilyn Churley (Toronto-Danforth): I would like to ask for unanimous consent for the Premier to put on the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey

shirt.

The Speaker: First, the rule is that it not be a prop, and then I'd ask if we have unanimous consent that the Premier wear it.

I heard a no.

Hon Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): On the same weighty matter, I propose that by way of unanimity we

introduce a bill in this House that will compel the amalgamation of the Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators. With that firepower and that goaltending, we could take on the world.

The Speaker: I'm sure the Premier will prepare that bill and present it to us a little later on.

LEGISLATIVE PAGES

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): I would like to ask all members to join me in welcoming this group of Legislative pages serving in the first

session of the 30th Parliament: Jennifer Barrow from Brampton West-Mississauga, Jessica Collins from Simcoe-Grey, Joanna Concessao from Don Valley East, Jordan Edwards from Timmins-James Bay,

Michael Fattori from Durham, Kirsty Flemming from Barrie-Simcoe-Bradford, Conner Hodes from Perth-Middlesex, Conor Kyte from Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, Lachlan Montague -- I'm sorry if I

pronounced your name improperly -- from Cambridge, Natasha Persaud from Eglinton-Lawrence, Sameer Rabbani from Scarborough Centre, Evgeniya Serdetchnaia from York North, Maggie Shi from

Kenora-Rainy River, Joseph Singh from Scarborough East, Kristina Siversen from Etobicoke Centre, William Stransky from Algoma-Manitoulin, Adrianna Swart from Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant, Cassandra

Weston from Trinity-Spadina, Kevin Wiener from St Paul's, and Sammy Woldeab from Beaches-East York.

They will be serving five weeks, from April 19 to May 21. Let us all welcome them.

ORAL QUESTIONS

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): My question is to the Minister of Transportation. On Monday I asked you a very serious question on a matter that

has to do with a very important issue of public safety related to the repair, inspection and maintenance of Ontario's bridges. On that occasion, you responded with a very glib, partisan and

incorrect response, with the same look on your face as you have now, as though it's not important. I'm going to give you another opportunity to take on the responsibility you have as Minister of

Transportation for the safety of Ontario's public and to stand in your place today and tell the House: Do you or do you not have a policy to deal with the safety of Ontario's bridges?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): Safety is our number one concern. I'm surprised the member for Oak Ridges is asking me

this question. His was the government that actually downloaded the bridges on to the municipalities without giving them any tools to deal with it. Not only that, but they had absolutely no plan.

They did the same thing with GO Transit. They took over GO Transit because they didn't have a plan to start with. That is what their government's record is. We are absolutely committed to working

with the municipalities to give them the tools to deal with these issues.

Mr Klees: The minister should read his briefing notes. The fact of the matter is that there were 684 bridges downloaded and there are some

24,000 bridges in the province. I'm asking you to stop playing political games about downloading. I'm asking you to stop laughing about this very serious issue of safety in Ontario. What are you

going to do to ensure that the safety of the people of Ontario is taken to heart? You may be playing to your front-benchers and backbenchers on this issue. If a bridge collapses tomorrow, it'll

wipe that smile right off your face. Tell us in this House today, do you or do you not stand for the safety and protection of the people of Ontario? Do you have a policy to deal with this matter in

the province?

Hon Mr Takhar: I am surprised at the tone of this question. I want to know if these bridges started falling apart in the last six months, or

have they been falling apart for the last eight and a half years? That government didn't do anything at all. We are absolutely committed to working with the municipalities and giving them the

tools. We are going ahead and examining all the bridges to see what needs to be done.

Mr Klees: That's precisely why I'm putting the question to you, because as a result of consultation over the last number of years with

municipalities across this province, we fully understood the problem. We fully understood that there was a safety issue and we agreed that we would put in place a policy that would deal with this

issue. Rather than sit there and say it's not your responsibility when that first bridge collapses and there are deaths in this province -- then it will be too late -- stand in your place, assume

the responsibility you have as the government and as the minister and commit to us now that you will deal with this issue. Tell us today, rather than playing this partisan glibness with this

important issue.

Hon Mr Takhar: I want to assure the member for Oak Ridges that we take our responsibility seriously, but they never did it for eight and a

half years. There was absolutely no consultation with the municipalities. When we met with them, they told us that they downloaded these bridges without giving them any tools to deal with them. We

are working with them, and we will provide them with the tools to deal with it.

TRANSIT SERVICES

Mr Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): My question is for the Minister of Transportation as well. The House will recall that about three weeks

ago, with great fanfare and self-congratulatory enthusiasm, the government announced provincial funding for transit for the city of Toronto -- a special deal for Toronto.

For some time the region of Waterloo has been planning and promoting a visionary light-rail transit project which would have enormous economic and

environmental benefits for the 21st century in our area. My question is, why has the government cut a special deal for transit in Toronto and has yet to announce support for Waterloo region's

LRT?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): Mr Speaker, I will ask the minister of infrastructure to address this issue.

Hon David Caplan (Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal): We make no apologies for supporting municipal transit in this province. I think

you will see --

Interjections.

Hon Mr Caplan: No, GO Transit. We're in negotiation and discussions with the federal government on a range of transit options. In fact, I can

tell you it's not just transit but will be a full transportation picture. Part of our plan is a greater Toronto transportation authority to coordinate the kind of investment we need.

I have met with officials from the region of Waterloo, I'm meeting with officials from Ottawa and we are coming up with a comprehensive transportation vision

for this province. Unlike your government, sir, which downloaded transit on to municipalities and completely abandoned a provincial role, our government is taking a proactive approach to insuring

that we get people in this province moving.

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): Supplementary.

Mr Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): Mr Arnott put that question to the Minister of Transportation. Apparently we have a new Minister of

Transportation. I'd like to go back to the original one on the same issue of the imbalance of Liberal regional transportation commitments.

There is a region in this province that is crying out desperately for funding that was committed by the previous government, and it has to do with the proposed

expressway linking the Queen Elizabeth Way to the Lincoln Alexander Parkway. Minister, I'd like to ask you this question: Will you honour the 75% commitment of funding that we made so this

important project can get on and actually come to fruition? Will you confirm that today?

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. He passed it on to --

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. The minister passed the question on to the minister of infrastructure renewal. Maybe the minister could respond.

Hon Mr Caplan: I would say, to be fair, that the first question was about municipal transit and the supplementary doesn't have anything to do

with the original question. But I will answer it because we are frankly very interested in talking about these issues. Unlike the previous government, which did download a lot of the problems on to

municipalities and did not give them the ability to do it, we are committed to the Red Hill Creek Expressway. We have been very clear about that, and there should be absolutely no doubt in

anybody's mind that this government remains committed to it.

I would say that we have incredible advocates in our caucus for Hamilton, and I would say to the member opposite that they could take a page out of the book

from some of the members, past and present, in this government.

The Speaker: Second supplementary.

Mr Norman W. Sterling (Lanark-Carleton): When I was the Minister of Transportation, I can remember delivering cheques to Mayor Bob Chiarelli:

$13 million for new buses; $19 million for new park-and-ride stations; $45 million for new arterial roads in the city of Ottawa.

It's embarrassing in the city of Ottawa. The city of Toronto has received significant help for their transit system. We have the minister, Jim Watson, saying

"It's our turn now." Then he says, "It's coming soon." Then he says, "I'm not sure it's coming soon." When is Ottawa going to get its fair share?

Hon Mr Caplan: It is amazing that that member would even ask that question, given the history and the lack of support for the city of Ottawa

when you were minister, my friend. That is an absolute joke. I want to assure you that I'm not going to pre-empt any announcements that are coming up, but there will be something very soon about a

transit announcement for the city of Ottawa. I'm very proud that that's going to be happening. We are in negotiations and discussions. I've got to tell you, we will be there.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. It doesn't seem like the opposition is prepared to listen to the answer, so I'm going to ask for a new question.

PUBLIC HEALTH

Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My question is for the Premier. This is the report of the honourable Mr Justice Archie Campbell, the

SARS Commission interim report. In it, Mr Campbell says that the government of Ontario was asleep at the switch on SARS. He said that it was a devastating breach of the trust that the people of

Ontario put in their government.

Now, you have promised to move on some of the recommendations, but some isn't good enough. Mr Justice Campbell says that local public health units need your

funding share for public health programs to increase from 50% to at least 75% of the cost of the programs.

Will you do the right thing today and commit your government to increasing your share of the cost of public health programs to at least 75%?

Hon Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): I want to thank the leader of the NDP for the question and take the

opportunity as well to thank all those who have presented reports to the government. Let me say that we look forward to fully considering the very sound advice found within those reports.

We have not been sitting on our hands. We have, with respect to ensuring we have a more vigorous and robust public health care system in the province of

Ontario, done a number of things. First of all, we've enlisted the leadership of Dr Sheela Basrur, who's performing remarkably well, as expected. We have launched Canada's only mobile acute care

unit, the first of its kind in the country. It can respond anywhere in the province within 24 hours. We have also created five rapid response teams that can be deployed anywhere in the province. We

are finalizing a provincial pandemic plan, and the Minister of Health tells me that within the next couple of months, he will be putting forward a more comprehensive plan to help revitalize public

health for all Ontarians.

Mr Hampton: Well, I did not hear an answer. This is what Mr Justice Campbell says: "Increase the funding to 75%." This is what the report,

which was received in December, says -- this is the expert panel's number one recommendation -- "Increase the funding to 75%."

This is not a difficult question. Mr Campbell says that this is not a debatable issue, that issues like SARS and other serious public health problems can arise

again very quickly, because the system is so desperately underfunded.

I ask you again, Premier, will you commit to doing the right thing: Will you increase your government's share of public health programs to at least 75%? Make

that commitment now.

Hon Mr McGuinty: I know the member would want to ensure that all the information, by way of the recommendation, was made available to the

House. In that same report, it in fact reads beyond what the member has referenced. It reads as follows, "Implementation of the new cost-sharing agreement should be phased in within two to five

years."

Justice Campbell has made it clear that public health has been neglected for at least a generation in the province of Ontario. The solution is going to take

hard work and determination. It is going to take a little bit of time. We have already made significant steps forward. We look forward to taking all of these recommendations into consideration. As

I said, we look forward over the next couple of months to putting out a comprehensive plan to revitalize public health for all Ontarians.

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE

Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): To the Premier: Ontario drivers are discovering that your motto "Choose change" means having their

pockets picked by big insurance. They don't understand the McGuinty math when you tell them they should be getting a 10% decrease in their auto insurance premium, but then they open up the notice

from the insurance company and it's a 15% to 20% increase. You said that notices after April 15, insurance that is renewed after April 15, will contain these reductions, but it's not happening. Can

you explain the McGuinty math where your promise of a 10.2% reduction turns into a 15% or 20% increase in someone's auto insurance rate?

Hon Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): To the Minister of Finance.

Hon Greg Sorbara (Minister of Finance): The only person in this room who lacks credibility on auto insurance is the member from Kenora-Rainy

River. He is the leader of a party that once proposed public automobile insurance, was elected to power and immediately abandoned it for all the right reasons. Once again, in the last election

campaign, he proposed public automobile insurance. That was uniformly rejected, appropriately, by the voters of this province.

I want to tell him once again that what we said during the campaign was that we would bring forward measures to reduce rates, as we inherited them, by on

average 10%. As of April 15, a few days ago, 55% of the market has reported rate reductions. The average from that 55% of the market is precisely 10.15%.

Mr Hampton: I don't think the Minister of Finance is any better at McGuinty math than the Premier is. Yesterday, Premier, you stood up and you

told people that those who have insurance policies with Pilot Insurance would get a 10.2% reduction. Well, here's Mr Keith Simpson of Simcoe. He heard your notice of a 10.2% reduction. Then he gets

his renewal notice from Pilot Insurance and they say that, even though his insurance isn't going to be renewed until May 24, surprise, surprise, "You get a 17% increase in your rate." To add insult

to injury, the renewal notice reads, "The insurance company has had a premium increase through no fault of your own," Mr Simpson, no fault whatsoever.

I ask you again, Premier: This is what you promised. He heard your 10.2% promise, but he gets a renewal notice saying a 17% increase. How does this math

work?

Hon Mr Sorbara: I would be delighted if my friend from Kenora-Rainy River would send me over the details of that case. What the Premier said

yesterday, and what I said yesterday, was that on October 23 we inherited responsibility for government. That date represented a high-water mark in insurance premiums after years of increases under

the previous administration. We took action that day. The result of those actions means that virtually all of the market will be reducing their rates from what they were on October 23 by 10%. After

that, in the second phase of our reforms, with greater competition in the market and the ability of consumers to customize their premiums, we expect yet another 10% reduction in insurance premiums.

So we will have the best possible system on the continent.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): My question is to the Minister of Transportation, if he'll answer the question. If the minister had looked in his

briefing notes, he would have seen that Ontario had its largest expansion of road construction and maintenance in many years under our government. In fact, he will have seen the commitment of $1

billion a year for 10 years, $10 billion of commitment to Ontario road construction, and we were two years into that program.

I'd like the minister to tell us today, after having completed dozens of major projects around this province and initiated many dozens more, whether he knows

of decisions within his ministry to either terminate or intentionally delay any of those projects that have been currently underway?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I am not aware of any projects that are underway being delayed. But we are reviewing all

the programs of the ministry, and we're going to set the priorities that are right for the province.

Mr Klees: Really? Well, I think the minister should spend a little more time with his briefing notes because there are many of those projects,

as we understand, around the province where direction has been given intentionally to slow down progress. I'm going to give him one: Oakville and Third Line and the QEW. In fact, there are some

problems with the contractor as a result of an imposition of conditions put in place by MTO that will extend that project being completed by two years.

Minister, if you don't know about this one, how many other projects in your ministry don't you know about? What is the implication here to construction, what

is the implication to the road-building industry in the province of Ontario, and what is the implication to gridlock in the greater Toronto area and right across the province?

Hon Mr Takhar: There are two things that are really important to us. One is safety on the highways. We're going to make sure that highways are

designed safely, that any intersections are designed safely. We're just not going to go ahead in a piecemeal approach to this issue. The other is, we are going to handle gridlock, but we're going

to handle it in a region-wide approach, and we're going to set up the GTTA to handle those issues.

SERVICES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

Mr John Milloy (Kitchener Centre): My question is to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. As the minister is aware, there are many

pressures facing programs and services for children and youth in Ontario. One such pressure that's threatening to affect thousands of children in my riding and area is the pressure our local

region's children's treatment centre, KidsAbility, is under to continue providing needed services to children with disabilities.

I understand that years of funding deficiencies for these types of children's services under the previous government and the overarching budget deficit facing

the province have created a great deal of pressure on your ministry, but can the minister tell the Legislature what actions she is taking to ensure that KidsAbility and other children's treatment

centres can continue to provide the programs and services offered to children with disabilities in this province?

Hon Marie Bountrogianni (Minister of Children and Youth Services, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration): I'd like to reassure the member

from Kitchener Centre that children's treatment centres are extremely important to the province. Our ministry acknowledges that. I would also like to thank him for his tenacity in pursuing this

issue and other issues in his riding. In fact, my ministry is in conversation and discussion with KidsAbility in order to enhance the programs that are offered there. We will get back to you very

soon about the results of those discussions.

Mr Milloy: I'd like to thank the minister for her comments. KidsAbility is not alone in terms of organizations dealing with children who

suffered under the cutbacks imposed by the previous government. With your new mandate and ministry, can the minister tell the Legislature what steps she's taking to help children and children's

organizations throughout the province?

Hon Mrs Bountrogianni: We have short-term and long-term goals. In the short term, we just relieved the children's aid societies of their

$80-million deficit. In exchange, we have letters of agreement that they will improve their accountability and their services to children. We're working with them to do that. We had given, for the

first time in 10 years, the federal money that was intended for the last 10 years for child care to child care. As well, we have increased the spending for children with autism by $40 million a

year.

In the long term, we have to integrate the children's and youth services across all of the different programs across the province. Children's mental health, as

you mentioned in the first part of your question, is part of this. The experts across the province are saying, "Yes, money is one issue, but lack of coordination and lack of integration is

another."

If we can meet our goal of increasing domestic adoption from the children's aid societies, we can solve a lot of problems, because a lot of those children end

up in our youth justice systems, and we can solve a lot of the problems on that end as well.

MID-PENINSULA HIGHWAY

Mr Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): A question for the Minister of Transportation: On September 26, 2003, your Liberal candidate in Erie-Lincoln,

Vance Badawey, told voters that the mid-peninsula corridor had to be built immediately. Is that a true statement?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): Actually, I couldn't hear the question. Can he repeat it again, please?

Mr Hudak: My apologies. I think there was some heckling. I'm glad to repeat the question. Your candidate in 2003, Vance Badawey, campaigned

for the Liberal Party, saying that the mid-peninsula corridor had to be built immediately. Was that a true statement?

Hon Mr Takhar: I think this question has been addressed in the House several times. We are committed to building the mid-peninsula highway,

but we're going to go through full environmental assessment. This member has submitted those questions, and we have given him answers in writing as well.

Mr Hudak: The problem people in Niagara have is that your candidate said one thing during the election campaign and now, after the election,

you're saying something entirely different in the Legislature. Does the Minister of Transportation believe that there is a demonstrated need for the mid-peninsula corridor?

Hon Mr Takhar: Actually, it's strange. There are two colleagues who sit there next to each other, and they both have different opinions about

whether this highway should be built or not, but the whole purpose of the environmental assessment is to make sure whether this highway is needed, when it's needed and where it's needed. That's why

we are going ahead with the full environmental assessment.

FABRY DISEASE

Mrs Liz Sandals (Guelph-Wellington): My question is for the Minister of Health. Minister, I have a constituent who has a son who suffers from

the rare Fabry disease. For the last 90 days, young Fabry patients have been receiving treatment free of charge from the company which provides Fabrazyme, the necessary drug, due to an arrangement

with Ontario's hospital system. Unfortunately, the 90-day period is about to expire on April 25. This treatment would be extremely expensive for the parents to provide out of pocket, and I know my

constituency office has been working with your ministry to try and resolve this situation.

The Kitchener-Waterloo Record reported that you would provide an answer within 48 hours, and the 48 hours are up. I wonder, Minister, what is going to happen

with this drug?

Interjections.

Hon George Smitherman (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): With all due respect for your instinct for partisanship, my answer was, of

course, going to acknowledge that on this issue, as I said to the member from Kitchener-Waterloo, I clearly think that the region has been very well served by political representation from a

variety of stripes.

What I'm pleased to be able to tell the House today is that we're also served by an active, good corporate citizenship in the announcement that I'm able to

make, which is that the manufacturer of the drug has agreed to extend the period of compassionate provision without charge of the drug until reviews are completed. I'm pleased to be able to say

that to the House today and to thank the four members who have all been very active on this file.

Mrs Sandals: Thank you, Minister. That's great news for my constituent and for the constituents of a number of other members. I'm sure the

follow-up question I will be getting is, "What are the next steps in the approval process?" because they're going to want to know where this goes long-term.

Hon Mr Smitherman: The subject of this drug, Fabrazyme, as well as Renagel, another drug that is giving support to people with Fabry disease,

is currently under an expedited review. We recognize that these drugs are providing extraordinary benefit to people in Ontario, but the scientific tests are of course crucial to the integrity of

our process. I can tell the member and all members who are interested that we are reviewing it on an expedited basis and are looking forward to the opportunity to be able to have a product that

will continue to provide relief to people who are challenged with Fabry disease.

ENERGY CONTRACTS

Mr Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My question is to the Premier. Your hydro announcement the other day promises to bring back to Ontario

one of the most unloved parts of the Conservative hydro scheme. That is the door-to-door electricity marketers, the shady hucksters who swept like locusts through Ontario, knocking on people's

doors, trying to manipulate them into signing electricity contracts where the price was going to be much higher. If you remember, Premier, when you were on this side of the House, that's when we

started receiving complaint after complaint of people being fed deceptive information, people being lied to, people actually having their signatures forged on hydroelectricity contracts. Premier,

why you want to bring these hucksters, these manipulators, back to go after the people of Ontario once again?

Hon Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): The Minister of Energy would like to speak to this.

Hon Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy, Government House Leader): The plan is to have a regulated price that uses the assets associated with

the original hydroelectric and nuclear to keep the price regulated. It is the studied view of those who have looked at this that there will be no opportunity for those retailers with small

consumers. Where they will have an opportunity is with mid-sized businesses, small businesses and farmers, many of whom have advocated openly to have this kind of opportunity of arbitrage.

The second point the member should bear in mind is that we've also undertaken to look at the consumer protection aspect of this for those mid-sized businesses.

I would suggest that the real lack of integrity on the question and the way it was put and the real huckster on this is the member opposite, who put the question in a way that completely ignores

the announcement.

Mr Hampton: Coming from that minister, I consider that comment a compliment. Minister, I remember Jean-Marc Lalonde, the member for

Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, standing in this Legislature pointing out how people in his riding had actually had their signatures forged on these contracts. I remember that. I remember other

members. I remember the Conservative Minister of Energy of the day saying, "Oh, our consumer protection laws are going to make sure this doesn't happen." This was rife across Ontario: people being

lied to, people being fed deceptive information and people having contracts forged.

Can you tell us, what is the possible rationale for inflicting this kind of hucksterism and dishonesty on the people of Ontario once again?

Hon Mr Duncan: The member likely wasn't aware of the announcement. We are going back to a regulated price for small consumers. We're getting

rid of the wholesale spot market for small consumers, unless that consumer chooses to stay on it. Therefore, there will be no opportunity for the kind of arbitrage that occurred under the previous

regime with small consumers. There will be an opportunity for larger consumers -- and when I say "larger," I mean small businesses and others -- who may want to take advantage of arbitrage and

plans that can be offered for those larger consumption volumes, to take advantage of that. This government has proposed a regime and will bring forward legislation that has a regulated price, a

default price for small consumers that will be stable, predictable and will ensure a reliable supply of energy, something that party never had the courage or the foresight to do.

PHOTO RADAR

Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): My question is also for the Minister of Transportation. Your trial balloon on the NDP tax-grab photo radar

is still floating around out there. Can you tell us today your position on photo radar?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): We are always interested in improving the safety of highways, so we are always prepared

to look at any measures that will improve safety on highways. That's where this issue falls.

Mr Dunlop: I think I need to refresh the minister's memory on what two of his closest friends had to say about photo radar. On December 17,

1994, Monte Kwinter, your seatmate, and now the minister responsible for community safety -- what I mean by "community safety" is the policing of school zones, construction zones, hospital zones

and our highways and streets. This is what Mr Kwinter had to say in the Toronto Sun: "All it's really done has made the coffers of the treasury swell with amounts of money that are starting to

verge on the obscene." And just this year, your Ottawa Senators Premier, Dalton McGuinty, told reporters on the cabinet scrum, "It's a revenue generator, absolutely." Do you agree with your cabinet

colleagues that photo radar is just another way for you to pick the pockets of hard-working people in this province and that it's not about community safety?

Hon Mr Takhar: As I said before, we consider highway safety a top priority. I want to quote from what Mr Runciman said once: "Maybe we should

take another look at photo radar in those areas to monitor that sort of thing, because police can't be there 24 hours a day and that's part of the problem." So I'm sure if he's going to listen to

his colleagues, I am very delighted to listen to my colleagues.

RENT REGULATION

Mr Shafiq Qaadri (Etobicoke North): My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable John Gerretsen. During

the October 2003 campaign, we made a strong commitment to bring forward a real protection for tenants, a commitment that was especially welcome in my own riding, the district of Etobicoke North.

Yesterday, the minister made an important announcement regarding changes to the Tory rent control system, including the suspension of the 2% component of the annual rent guideline. Can the minister

tell us why he has taken this step and how this will benefit Ontario's renters?

Hon John Gerretsen (Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, minister responsible for seniors): Yes, the member is correct: We will be

introducing legislation that will, in effect, eliminate or suspend the automatic 2% base into formula that would normally go into effect in August of this year, during the time while we're going

through consultation of the new tenant protection legislation that we want to introduce, and that consultation will take place in a number of forums, with stakeholder meetings, through e-line and

town hall meetings. It's important to note, however, that this 2% time out -- as we like to refer to it -- will be in effect during the time that the consultation takes place. It does not affect

the rent control index, which will still remain in effect for landlords to implement in the year 2005.

Mr Qaadri: The minister will know that this announcement was welcome news in many quarters. Even the members of the third party -- as yet

unrecognized -- congratulated the minister on this initiative. There has, however, been criticism that the real issue is the lack of affordable housing. What measures is the government taking to

deal with the broader issues of tenant protection and housing?

Hon Mr Gerretsen: We are certainly encouraged that the third party will be supporting this legislation, because we realize that they feel it's

a very important step as well. Rent control review is only one aspect of our comprehensive housing program. We're also looking at the 20,000 new housing units that will be brought on-line through

the minister of infrastructure. We're looking forward to that. We will also be implementing, during our term of office, housing allowances for 35,000 needy families. We also introduced some time

ago the rent bank of $10 million, which will help needy families as well who are involved in emergency situations.

This government is committed to making sure there is affordable housing available for everyone, and the rent control legislation consultation process we're

going through right now is only one part of that.

HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT

Mr John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): My question today is for the Minister of Transportation. You will be well aware, Minister,

that the design and engineering studies have been completed on the provincial highway between Arnprior and Renfrew. Would you commit now to a construction

schedule for that provincial highway to

Renfrew and beyond?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): As I answered before, we are looking at all our priorities. We will look at that highway

as part of those priorities and determine whether it needs to be done.

Mr Yakabuski: I would certainly expect a little bit more of a timetable from the minister; however, that's been about what we've been getting

lately. But will you commit that that highway, when extended -- if extended -- by your government, will not be a toll road?

Hon Mr Takhar: We have already made commitments to the effect that we have issued some criteria with regard to tolls. We have said that we

will not toll any highway that doesn't have an alternative route and we will take tolls off if the highway is paid off. We have also said that it has to be cost-effective and economically justified

before we would put on any tolls.

ONTARIO YOUTH

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Mr Kuldip Kular (Bramalea-Gore-Malton-Springdale): My question deals with the important role that education and training programs play for

troubled youth. These are youth who may encounter systemic problems of poverty and unemployment if a solution to their alienation is not found. I therefore have a question for the Minister of

Training, Colleges and Universities. It is a sad and frustrating fact that there are many youth who do not comfortably fit into the secondary education system. These same youth either drop out of

high school before they graduate or have no desire to advance to college or university programs.

I was reminded of this as I toured the Carpenters and Allied Workers Local 27, which is part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

During my tour, I was excited to hear about our government's commitment to apprenticeship training programs. This is just one example of the many programs that are available to exceptionally

talented high school and college students in our province.

Minister, could you briefly explain what our government is offering youth who may not feel that a traditional education system is beneficial to their future

goals?

Hon Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities): I thank the member for Bramalea-Gore-Malton-Springdale for that

question, because I think it's really important that our young people recognize that there are programs for them, whatever their choice of career should be. We do have the Ontario youth

apprenticeship program in place, and there are 13,000 young people in high schools in this program right now. They are involved in 70 different skill trades. The most popular are cooks, carpenters

and early childhood educators. I'm pleased to say I have visited some of these schools and I've also seen young women who are in auto body mechanic work. We have a $7-million budget for those

programs this year. I would encourage all the young people of Ontario to see these as viable opportunities.

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

Mr Kim Craitor (Niagara Falls): My question is also to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. The help of our government in

providing for youth to fulfill their potential is an important initiative, but if our economy is going to thrive we must help our internationally trained professionals reach their full potential.

The issue of access to trades and professions for internationally trained individuals is not going to go away. These individuals need to be able to access their profession of choice for the benefit

of themselves and for our economy.

Before the election and since forming the government, we have raised the issue of barriers that internationally trained individuals face, but now it is time to

take action. Minister, what action are we taking to address this important issue?

Hon Mrs Chambers: Again, I'm very eager to let the people of Ontario know what programs are there for them. In January, I made an announcement

of $4 million for programs that will help to bridge the requirements that internationally trained individuals come to this wonderful province with against those requirements that the regulated

professions and trades have identified.

We have approximately 120,000 people choosing Ontario as their home every year. Of those new immigrants, approximately 70% are coming in with post-secondary

education. We don't want to lose those skills. Under my leadership, my ministry has been working with the 38 regulated professions, all the skilled trades, and we are committed to a report card

within the first year of this initiative and we are committed to a variety of written programs for these individuals.

WATER QUALITY

Ms Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a question to the Minister of the Environment. Minister, on April 5 I faxed you a letter regarding the

Pine Grove Trailer Park, which is a private trailer park in the unorganized community of Cartier in my riding. Your ministry officials have met with the owner, Judith Stojanovic, regarding her

obligations under regulation 170. She has called me because she can't afford the tens of thousands of dollars to install a new water system, a treatment system and to pay for ongoing monitoring.

The tenants in the 11 residential trailers that she has are on fixed incomes, so she can't afford to pass the costs on to them. She has no choice but to close down the trailer park and evict the

tenants because she can't afford to meet the costs of the regulation.

My question to you, Minister, is this: Is your government going to pay the costs of the water upgrades in rural trailer parks so that tenants can stay in their

homes?

Hon Leona Dombrowsky (Minister of the Environment): I always take this opportunity, first of all, to say that this government is committed to

ensuring that there are regulations in place so that Ontarians know when they turn on the tap that the water is safe. With respect to the particular situation in the Cartier community, I am

familiar with it. It is a system that relies on surface water as opposed to groundwater. If it was groundwater, they would have an additional year in order to comply. They do fall under regulation

I've indicated on a number of occasions in this Legislature that regulation 170 is flawed. I've indicated that I have directed staff at the Ministry of the

Environment to provide me with recommendations so that people in Ontario will be able to comply with provincial regulations and yet access safe water.

Ms Martel: Minister, your staff may be reviewing this matter, or you may be, but I can tell you that your staff are still asking trailer park

owners to comply, and they're asking her for a response now. This is a really serious issue across northern and rural Ontario. We have owners who cannot afford to pay the costs associated with this

regulation. Some may want to try to pass those costs on to the tenants, but given how high those costs are, we don't want them to do that. Many tenants in small trailer parks are on fixed incomes,

so it's impossible for them to find an affordable place to live. Many of them have trailers that are fixed so they can't be moved to another location even if the tenant could find another location.

This is an urgent issue for people in the Pine Grove Trailer Park. Is your ministry going to cover the cost of upgrades so these tenants are not evicted and can stay in their own homes?

Hon Mrs Dombrowsky: Ensuring that Ontarians have access to safe and clean water is an urgent issue for this government and we don't intend to

turn away from that. I have asked staff at the Ministry of the Environment to bring me a plan that will enable people across rural Ontario and northern Ontario to be sure that the water they access

is safe. We're talking about surface water. Surely I don't need to remind the member opposite what can happen when people don't access safe surface water. We are not going to turn our backs on the

responsibility to ensure that water sources in this province are safe. The ministry will provide recommendations that will ensure that constituents like yours will be able to meet those

regulations.

HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT

Mr Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): My question is for the Minister of Transportation. For more than 20 years there has been talk of a new

provincial highway between the cities of Guelph and Kitchener, replacing the existing one. This new highway is needed immediately for reasons of safety and the efficient flow and movement of

traffic. It's an important part of our Waterloo-Wellington transportation action plan. Minister, I know you've got a copy of it because I had a page send it over to you just a few moments ago. This

plan is supported by our local municipal councils in Waterloo region and Wellington county. My question is, when will the minister commence construction on this new highway that we need so

badly?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): The honourable member is right. He just sent me these details, and I think it takes about

10 years to construct a highway. But let me tell you, I had the chance to go and visit the Kitchener-Waterloo area. I went there on January 28 to open the transit terminal in the honourable

member's riding, but he wasn't there. I had the chance to discuss these issues --

Interjections.

Hon Mr Takhar: Actually, he was invited but he wasn't there.

I had the chance to discuss regional transportation issues with the council members there. We are having discussions with them. As time goes on, we will have

our study formed on that front.

Mr Arnott: Another important feature of the Waterloo-Wellington transportation action plan is the need for immediate repairs and upgrading of

the provincial highway between Fergus and Mount Forest through my home town of Arthur. Again, I have twice raised the need for these highway repairs in this House since last October. Surely the

minister is aware of this important issue. The county of Wellington passed a resolution months ago calling for the ministry's action to fix this stretch of provincial highway. Will the minister

inform the House, when exactly will he fix this highway?

Hon Mr Takhar: I will check the

schedule and get back to the honourable member.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Mrs Maria Van Bommel (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex): My question is for the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. Over the last six months, you

have made substantial announcements in regard to affordable housing, and that has been good news for the communities that have benefited from that. But over the last week, we've seen

article after

article talking about the need for affordable housing, not just here in Toronto but throughout the province. When can we expect to hear more about affordable housing from your ministry?

Hon David Caplan (Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal): I want to thank the member for the question because affordable housing is a

pressing issue and a pressing need in this province. After practically a decade of inaction, I was very pleased a couple of weeks ago to be here with the federal infrastructure minister, the

Honourable Andy Scott, who heads up CMHC for the federal government, to have an announcement that was long overdue: some $56 million in new projects in 13 communities, upwards of 2,300 units of

affordable housing.

I have some details. There were 102 affordable housing units in London, 105 affordable housing units in Kingston, 94 in Wellington county. Those dollars were

languishing in the provincial treasury for many, many years. We unlocked them. We're taking responsible action to ensure that needy families have access to affordable housing. I'm working with my

colleague the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on other programming as well. It is an exciting time for affordable housing in the province of Ontario, and I thank the member for the

question.

Mrs Van Bommel: Thank you, Minister, for that answer. It is true that a lot of needy families have had to fend for themselves while the

previous government virtually ignored affordable housing. I know that our government has made a very strong statement regarding affordable housing. Minister, could you tell me what that would mean

to the Ontarians who need that kind of housing?

Hon Mr Caplan: I'm delighted to, and I concur with the member's observation that it was a provincial disgrace that the former government had

decided to abandon affordable housing entirely. In fact, those announcements that I just talked about, that commitment, is about eight times more funding and support for affordable housing than we

saw over the last number of years.

Right now, my ministry is working with housing providers, with municipalities. We are prepared to work with members of the opposition who I know care

passionately for the construction of affordable housing to turn that around, because this government is back in the affordable housing market. My colleagues and I are working with our federal

colleagues to enhance the Canada-Ontario affordable housing agreement. The province will match, over time, the federal contribution. We look forward to being a full partner with --

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): Thank you. New question.

LEVEL CROSSINGS

Mr Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Minister, recognizing that you do not invite the sitting members

when you visit a riding, I'm not sure whether you have visited the town of Ingersoll in my riding.

The town of Ingersoll is divided by the train track running through the centre of town, with only level crossings to get across from one side to the other, so

when a train goes through town and it stops or a mishap occurs, the emergency vehicles cannot get from one side to the other to help people in need.

The county of Oxford has sent you a business plan outlining the provincial financing needed in order to build an overpass over the railroad track to protect

its citizens. Minister, can we count on your support for this project to protect the safety of the residents of our community?

Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I'm sure this need didn't just arise in the last six months; this need has existed there

for the last eight and a half years. But safety is of paramount concern, and we will be prepared to look at anything favourably that improves safety in the province.

Mr Hardeman: We thank you very much for that comment. I do want to point out that this project has been on the books for many years and the

community has been working on it for some time.

Minister, 43 trains go through Ingersoll every day, so the residents find their safety in jeopardy frequently. As I said, this project has been on the books

for many years. As time goes on, the people get more and more concerned that more lives will be lost because of the level crossings and no overpass over the tracks. Are you willing to let public

safety suffer while you're taking your time deciding whether you are going to help the people?

Hon Mr Takhar: I am glad the member admitted that this project has been on the books for several years and they have ignored safety for eight

and a half years, but what I said is that safety is our paramount concern and we are prepared to look at any project that will make the city safer.

CERTIFICATS DE NAISSANCE

M. Phil McNeely (Ottawa-Orléans): Ma question est pour le ministre des Services aux consommateurs et aux entreprises. On a rapporté

francophones de ma circonscription ont exprimé leur inquiétude à ce sujet.

Monsieur le Ministre, que comptez-vous faire afin de vous assurer que le Bureau du registraire général puisse délivrer des certificats de

L'hon. Jim Watson (ministre des Services aux consommateurs et aux entreprises): Merci à mon collègue le député

L'ancien gouvernement a mis en place un système afin de produire des certificats de naissance, et c'est incroyable que le système était

incapable de fournir les accents sur les noms. Le gouvernement McGuinty ne pense pas que c'est acceptable, et je suis très fier aujourd'hui d'annoncer que mon personnel au ministère a

corrigé le problème.

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): Thank you.

Applause.

L'hon. M. Watson: Maintenant, quand les francophones demanderont un certificat de naissance, ils pourront le recevoir avec les accents. Notre

gouvernement est en train de corriger les autres --

The Speaker: Thank you. I want to give the member a chance to ask his supplementary, because I had stood up before the clapping.

Supplementary?

Mr McNeely: Merci, monsieur le Ministre. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm satisfied with that response, and I have no further question.

PETITIONS

TILLSONBURG DISTRICT

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Mr Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): I have a petition signed by hundreds of my constituents and by constituents from ridings around mine.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital has asked for ministerial consent to make capital changes to its facility to accommodate the replacement of

a satellite dialysis unit; and

"Whereas the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has already given approval for the unit and committed operational dollars to it; and

"Whereas the community has already raised the funds for the equipment needed;

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

"That the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care give his final approval of the capital request change from the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital

immediately, so that those who are in need of these life-sustaining dialysis services can receive them locally, thereby enjoying a better quality of life without further delay."

I affix my signature to this petition.

ONTARIO BUDGET

Ms Kathleen O. Wynne (Don Valley West): "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the parliamentary tradition in Ontario of presenting annual budgets in the House of the Legislative Assembly has existed for decades; and

"Whereas the previous government in 2003 showed disrespect for our public institutions and the people of Ontario by presenting a budget inside a private,

for-profit auto parts factory; and

"Whereas the previous Speaker of the Legislative Assembly condemned the actions of his own party's government;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to uphold parliamentary tradition and hold a public presentation and debate of the 2004

budget, and every budget thereafter, by our publicly elected members of Parliament inside the legislative chamber."

I'm happy to affix my own signature.

HOSPITAL FUNDING

Ms Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It reads as follows:

"Whereas the Sudbury Regional Hospital is a regional referral centre, serving patients from across northeastern Ontario;

"Whereas the burden of raising money to pay the local share of the hospital reconstruction costs has fallen primarily onto local residents;

"Whereas city council and local residents have already committed more money to the project than we were required to;

"Whereas imposing a private mortgage scheme on the hospital to pay more costs at the local level would be disastrous for patients, hospital programs and

staff;

"Therefore

be it resolved that we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

"We call on the Liberal government to fund 85% of the capital costs of reconstruction at the Sudbury Regional Hospital."

I agree with the petitioners, and I have affixed my signature to this.

HIGHWAY 518

Mr Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): I have a petition from the constituents of Parry Sound-Muskoka. It reads:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas Highway 518 between Highway 69 and Highway 11 serves the residents of the communities of Haines Lake, Orrville, Bear Lake, Whitehall and Sprucedale;

and

"Whereas Highway 518 is in a deplorable condition; and

"Whereas the Ministry of Transportation has previously assured local residents of its intention to upgrade and improve Highway 518;

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

"We request that the Ministry of Transportation immediately proceed with the reconstruction of Highway 518 between Highway 69 and Highway 11."

I support this petition and sign my signature to it.

ONTARIO BUDGET

Mr Lorenzo Berardinetti (Scarborough Southwest): My petition is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and it reads as follows:

"Whereas the parliamentary tradition in Ontario of presenting annual budgets in the House of the Legislative Assembly has existed for decades; and

"Whereas the previous government in 2003 showed disrespect for our public institutions and the people of Ontario by presenting a budget inside a private,

for-profit auto parts factory; and

"Whereas the previous Speaker of the Legislative Assembly condemned the actions of his own party's government;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to uphold parliamentary tradition and hold a public presentation and debate of the 2004

budget, and every budget thereafter, by our publicly elected members of Parliament inside the legislative chamber."

I've signed my name to this petition, as I agree with it.

TAXATION

Mr Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): I'm pleased to present petitions from people at the Crystal Beach Tim Hortons. I know this issue has had some

developments, but I would like to still read their petition. It reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas every day, 1.5 million Ontarians, including seniors, health care workers and students, purchase a basic meal that costs less than $4; and

"Whereas a new 8% tax on such meals will disadvantage low-income Ontarians; and

"Whereas adding a tax for the first time on a glass of milk, a salad, a bowl of soup or a cup of coffee will affect a total of 1.5 million Ontarians each and

every day in restaurants and cafeterias across the province;

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

"Do not impose a new 8% tax on basic meals under $4."

Beneath Sharon Guilmette and Dan Knutt's signatures, I affix my own.

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE FUNDING

Mr Richard Patten (Ottawa Centre): I have a petition.

"Whereas the Ontario Liberal government has made a commitment to the Canadian Federation Of Students to freeze tuition fees for at least two years; and

"Whereas the Ontario Liberal government has also promised students that this tuition freeze will be fully funded; and

"Whereas the increases in federal transfer payments to the provinces for post-secondary education have not kept up with inflation and today comprise a smaller

portion of the Canadian health and social transfer fund than they did in 1995; and

"Whereas today federally-funded programs for post-secondary education is about $3 billion less than what it would have been had funding not been cut ...;

and

"Whereas the federal underfunding" -- this print is getting smaller -- "... makes improving access to and enhancing the quality of post-secondary education

...;

"We, the undersigned" -- these are over 2,000 students from Carleton University -- "call on the federal government to immediately inject $3 billion into the

Canada health and social transfer for post-secondary education and request that these monies be accounted for separately through a post-secondary education fund."

I affix my signature to this as well.

TAXATION

Mr Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and it reads as follows:

"Whereas every day, 1.5 million Ontarians, including seniors, health care workers and students, purchase a basic meal that costs less than $4; and

"Whereas a new 8% tax on such meals will disadvantage low-income Ontarians; and

"Whereas adding a tax for the first time on a glass of milk, a salad, a bowl of soup or a cup of coffee will affect a total of 1.5 million Ontarians each and

every day in restaurants and cafeterias across the province;

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

"Do not impose a new 8% tax on basic meals under $4."

It's signed by a significant number of my constituents, most of whom are residing in the New Hamburg area.

ONTARIO BUDGET

Mr John Wilkinson (Perth-Middlesex): A petition that I have to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the parliamentary tradition in Ontario of presenting annual budgets in the House of the Legislative Assembly has existed for decades," if not

centuries; "and

"Whereas the previous government in 2003 showed disrespect for our public institutions and the people of Ontario by presenting an budget inside a private,

for-profit auto parts factory" -- I believe owned by Belinda Stronach -- "and;

"Whereas the previous Speaker of the Legislative Assembly condemned the actions of his own party's government" --

Mr Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): Is that part of the petition, or did you just make that up?

Mr Wilkinson: I'm just clarifying, Mr Hardeman.

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to uphold parliamentary tradition and hold a public presentation and debate of the 2004

budget, and every budget thereafter, by our publicly elected members of Parliament inside this legislative chamber."

I'm very proud to affix my name to this petition.

LANDFILL

Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): I'm pleased to read this petition.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the county of Simcoe proposes to construct a landfill at site 41 in the township of Tiny; and

"Whereas the county of Simcoe has received, over a period of time, the necessary approvals from the Ministry of the Environment to design and construct a

landfill at site 41; and

"Whereas as part of the landfill planning process, peer reviews of site 41 identified over 200 recommendations for improvements to design, most of which are

related to potential groundwater contamination; and

"Whereas the Minister of the Environment has on numerous occasions stated her passion for clean and safe water and the need for water source protection;

and

"Whereas the Minister of the Environment has indicated her intention to introduce legislation on water source protection which is a final and key

recommendation to be implemented under Justice Dennis O'Connor's report on the Walkerton inquiry; and

"Whereas the Minister of the Environment has announced expert panels that will make recommendations to the minister on water source protection legislation;

and

"Whereas the Ministry of the Environment will now be responsible for policing nutrient management; and

"Whereas the citizens of Ontario will be expecting a standing committee of the Legislature to hold province-wide public hearings on water source protection

legislation;

"We, the undersigned, call upon the government of Ontario and the Ministry of the Environment to immediately place a moratorium on the development of site 41

until the water source protection legislation is implemented in Ontario. We believe the legislation will definitely affect the design of site 41 and the nearby water sources."

I'm pleased to sign my name to that.

SENIOR CITIZENS

The Speaker (Hon Alvin Curling): The member from Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot.

Mr Ted McMeekin (Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot): The riding with the longest name because our people have the biggest hearts and the

biggest hopes and the biggest dreams.

They keep coming in. The Joan Faria petition reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

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

"To immediately commit to action and funding to ensure the rights and protection for our senior citizens living in nursing homes and retirement homes in

Ontario."

I'm pleased, along with member Hardeman, to submit that.

TAXATION

Mr Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): I have a petition here and it's about the tax on $4 meals. I know the Premier has already announced that he's not

going to do it, but these people signed the petition with the expectation that I would present it here in the Legislature on their behalf. So I will do that, Mr Speaker.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas every day, 1.5 million Ontarians, including seniors, health care workers and students, purchase a basic meal that costs less than $4; and

"Whereas a new 8% tax on such meals will disadvantage low-income Ontarians; and

"Whereas adding a tax for the first time on a glass of milk, a salad, a bowl of soup or a cup of coffee will affect a total of 1.5 million Ontarians each and

every day in restaurants and cafeterias across the province;

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

"Do not impose an 8% tax on basic meals under $4."

All these people signed this because they're totally opposed to the tax.

GO TRANSIT SERVICE

Mr Bob Delaney (Mississauga West): I have a petition.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the city of Mississauga has, within a generation, grown from a linked collection of suburban and farming communities into Canada's sixth-largest city,

and tens of thousands of people daily need to commute into and out of Mississauga in order to do business, educate themselves and their families and enjoy culture and recreation; and

"Whereas gridlock on all roads leading into and out of Mississauga makes peak period road commuting impractical, and commuter rail service on the Milton GO

line is restricted to morning and afternoon service into and out of Toronto; and

"Whereas residents of western Mississauga need to `commute to commute,' driving along traffic-clogged roads to get to overflowing parking lots at the

Meadowvale, Streetsville and Erindale GO train stations;

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

"That the government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Transportation and highways, instruct GO Transit to allocate sufficient resources from its 2004-05

capital budget to proceed immediately with the acquisition of land and construction of a new GO train station, called Lisgar, at Tenth Line and the rail tracks, to alleviate the parking congestion,

and provide better access to GO train service on the Milton line for residents of western Mississauga."

I am especially pleased to affix my signature to this petition.

WATER SERVICES

Ms Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): I have a petition on rural community water testing.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the riding of Haliburton-Victoria-Brock is made up of many small communities; and

"Whereas not all citizens live in larger cities such as Toronto, where access to municipal water service is taken for granted; and

"Whereas smaller communities have little, if any, access to municipal water services; and

"Whereas Ontario's smaller villages and hamlets are home to many community buildings such as churches, community halls and arenas; and

"Whereas those responsible for halls, churches, arenas and other community facilities take pride in ensuring these buildings have access to the highest quality

potable water;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Parliament of Ontario as follows:

"That the implementation of regulation 170/03 as it relates to community halls and similar facilities be delayed; and

"That the province of Ontario ensure halls, churches, arenas and other public facilities on private wells comply with water safety standards that are

reasonable and appropriate."

This is signed by many people in my riding.

ONTARIO BUDGET

Mr Shafiq Qaadri (Etobicoke North): I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas the parliamentary tradition in Ontario of presenting annual budgets in the House of the Legislative Assembly has existed for decades; and

"Whereas the previous government in 2003 showed disrespect for our public institutions and the people of Ontario by presenting a budget inside a private,

for-profit auto parts factory; and

"Whereas the previous Speaker of the Legislative Assembly condemned the actions of his own party's government;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to uphold parliamentary tradition and hold a public presentation and debate of the 2004

budget, and every budget thereafter, by our publicly elected members of Parliament inside this legislative chamber."

In the spirit of parliamentary democracy, I'm very pleased to affix my signature to this petition also.

LANDFILL

Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): This is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas the county of Simcoe proposes to construct a landfill at site 41 in the township of Tiny; and

"Whereas the county of Simcoe has received, over a period of time, the necessary approvals from the Ministry of the Environment to design and construct a

landfill at site 41; and

"Whereas as part of the landfill planning process, peer reviews of site 41 identified over 200 recommendations for improvements to the design, most of which

are related to potential groundwater contamination; and

"Whereas the Minister of the Environment has on numerous occasions stated her passion for clean and safe water and the need for water source protection;

and

"Whereas the Minister of the Environment has indicated her intention to introduce legislation on source water protection, which is a final and key

recommendation to be implemented under Justice Dennis O'Connor's report on the Walkerton inquiry; and

"Whereas the Minister of the Environment has announced expert panels that will make recommendations to the minister on water source protection legislation;

and

"Whereas the Ministry of the Environment will now be responsible for policing nutrient management; and

"Whereas the citizens of Ontario will be expecting a standing committee of the Legislature to hold province-wide public hearings on water source protection

legislation;

"We, the undersigned, call upon the government of Ontario and the Ministry of the Environment to immediately place a moratorium on the development of site 41

until the water source protection legislation is implemented in Ontario. We believe the legislation will definitely affect the design of site 41 and the nearby water sources."

I'm pleased to sign my name to this.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS AMENDMENT ACT

(FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE), 2004 /

LOI DE 2004 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LES NORMES D'EMPLOI

(CONGÉ FAMILIAL

POUR RAISON MÉDICALE)

Mr Bentley moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 56,

An Act to amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 in respect of family medical leave and other matters / Projet de loi 56, Loi modifiant la Loi de

2000 sur les normes d'emploi en ce qui concerne le congé familial pour raison médicale et d'autres questions.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Bruce Crozier): Mr Bentley.

Hon Christopher Bentley (Minister of Labour): I will be sharing my time with the members from Kitchener Centre, Sarnia-Lambton and my

parliamentary assistant, the member for Oakville.

I am pleased to take

part in the second reading of the proposed Employment Standards Amendment Act, involving family medical leave. This bill would, if passed,

provide real, positive change for all of the people of Ontario. Specifically, it would provide positive change for Ontario families, for employees, for businesses, for those involved in giving care

and, of course, for those who are in need of care. It will allow employees to take up to eight weeks of unpaid but job-protected leave to look after a family member who is in the last stages of

life. This is a development that has not been seen in the legislative history of this province. It is an extremely important development and will provide a very positive change for those giving the

care and those most desperately in need of it.

Long ago, we stood as a society and said we were going to support people in the happy times of life; we were going to support them at the beginning of life,

with maternity and parental benefits. This is a statement by the McGuinty government that we are prepared to stand with people in the difficult times of life. We are prepared to stand with

employees and support their caregiving obligations; we are prepared to stand with those who need the care, and to support them at the most difficult time of life, the end of life.

This legislation would provide eight weeks of job-protected leave so that a caregiver could look after their mother, their father, their son, their daughter or

their spouse during the end of life. This legislation will protect people's jobs while they provide the care they must to those closest to them.

Comme j'ai dit l'autre jour, on ne devrait pas avoir à choisir entre perdre son emploi et demeurer au chevet de son père, de sa mère ou de son

enfant qui se meurt. Une société humaine et bienveillante n'imposerait pas un tel choix, et en tout cas, ce gouvernement ne le fera pas.

This bill would recognize that our society, which is unfortunately not becoming younger, must do more to support its citizens at the end of life, the difficult

times of life. It must support families by making it easier for family members to take the time to provide care or to support a loved one in their final days. Helping a dying loved one exacts a

heavy toll upon family members. There is a tremendous emotional burden, the burden of seeing your father or your mother or your child in pain, the burden of knowing that they will soon be lost to

you. That burden is made the greater when you are not able to take the time to be with your loved one during those last stages of life, not able to take the time because you cannot afford to lose

your job, not able to take the time because you are forced to make the impossible choice: your job or to be with your loved one.

It is not too much to ask that caregivers be relieved of the burden of having to worry about their job at that very difficult point in time. Choosing between a

job and caring for a loved one in the last stages of life is not a choice that a caring society asks people to make, and it is not a choice that this government will ask people to make.

Apart from the emotional burden, there is a very significant financial burden on people who are faced with this impossible choice between their job and looking

after their loved one. Taking care of a seriously ill loved one can put immense strains on people. There was a recent study of terminally ill cancer patients, a Statistics Canada report that look

at terminal cancer cases in 2002. What that study found was that 40% of the caregivers placed in that impossible position with that impossible choice had to quit their jobs; 40% of people faced

with a loved one in the last stages of life made the choice to be with their loved one. They chose the impossible choice. As well as the burden of losing a loved one, they were faced with the

burden of losing their job. That is unfair, that is not right, and that is not a choice that the McGuinty government will force people to make. That study also indicated that 25% of caregivers had

to give up all or most of their savings to look after a terminally ill loved one -- 25%, all or most of their savings. Once again, they lose everything. They lose their loved one. They lose their

job in many cases. They lose their savings. As I said before, a society that is prepared to stand with people at the happy times at the beginning of life must now stand and help people at the

difficult times, to support their decision to be with their loved one when the loved one is near the end of life. That is only right. It is just, it is proper, it is what we must do, and it is what

the McGuinty government, with this bill, will do and will accomplish.

Ontario leave is unpaid, much as other benefits in the Employment Standards Act which provide for leave are unpaid. But this leave has two aspects to it. It

was designed to dovetail with the changes to the federal Employment Insurance Act. As members are aware, the changes to that act, which came into force January of this year, provide up to six weeks

of employment insurance benefits for caregivers, following a two-week waiting period, to help ease the financial strain when they take time off work to be with their loved one who is in the last

stages of life. That eases the financial burden. But except for federally regulated employees, the federal Employment Insurance Act changes do not protect the job. So for most Ontario workers, we

have the financial benefit but no job protection. This act will make sure that job protection exists for those workers who would otherwise qualify for employment insurance benefits.

I might add that in designing this legislation, in determining the form it would take, we were certainly mindful of the requirements to qualify for employment

insurance benefits. We were mindful of the medical certificate that is required for employment insurance benefits, because doctor certification would qualify employees for employment insurance

benefits and the same certificate can be used for the job-protected leave under this legislation. There is a matching of the federal benefit with the leave that would be provided and protected with

this legislation. With respect to the medical certificate, that is a requirement of the leave, but if it's not available when the leave must be taken, it can be provided afterwards -- as soon as

possible, but afterwards, because there are going to be situations where leave must be taken on an emergency basis.

The question might be asked, does this apply to part-timers? The answer is yes. Every worker covered by the Employment Standards Act will be eligible for this

leave. Unlike the 10-day emergency leave provision in the Employment Standards Act, which only applies to those whose employer has 50 or more employees, this benefit applies to every worker in the

province covered by the Employment Standards Act.

The question might be asked, what if the worker doesn't qualify for employment insurance but is covered by the Employment Standards Act? This legislation would

protect that worker's job while they take time to be with their loved one in the loved one's last stage of life. So this has even greater inclusivity than the federal employment insurance benefits

legislation.

It's obviously good for employees. What about employers? What about the effect on businesses? In fact, this legislation will help businesses. What is not often

understood is the cost that businesses bear through absenteeism, absenteeism caused by caregivers who have to take time off work to look after terminally ill loved ones. What is that cost? It has

been estimated that the direct costs of absenteeism due to caregiver strain are $1 billion a year in Canada. Indirect costs are another $1 billion to $2 billion a year. Businesses are

already paying a very heavy price.

How do you relieve that price? It is thought, and it is sometimes suggested, that this will impose a burden of cost on employers, but in fact, when a worker

has to quit to look after a terminally ill loved one -- and the study cited shows that 40% do -- the employer loses that worker's training, knowledge, skill and their knowledge of the production.

There is an unplanned disruption of production.

This bill will encourage a more productive, long-term planning process. It will enable employers to do what the overwhelming majority either do or wish to do

anyway, which is to help people in difficult circumstances. So this, in fact, is good for businesses as well as employees.

What about caregivers? Obviously this legislation is good for caregivers because it relieves them of that terrible choice, that impossible choice.

What about those who need the care? What about those who, in their last difficult days, would want to have those nearest and dearest to them close at hand?

This legislation will make sure that can happen. Palliative care studies indicate that three quarters of people would like to be at home during their last difficult days but only a quarter are

actually able to be at home. This will provide a means to accomplish the person's wish.

It's estimated in studies that 36% of people in their last days have to go to institutions because they don't have the care available at home and they can't

remain at home. Our government is committed to making sure that, over the course of our mandate, we have greatly expanded home care. This will augment that and help people who are terminally ill be

where they wish to be during their last few days.

It is suggested, and it has been suggested by some opposite, that it doesn't do enough, that we should do more. I stand with those who suggest that the well of

compassion should never be full. But before the McGuinty government introduced this piece of legislation, there was no family medical leave benefit. Before the McGuinty government took this

initiative, there was no benefit. No such benefit was introduced during the past nine years. For those who would suggest that this bill somehow does not look after others, I again join with those

in saying that the well of compassion should never be full, but I also ask that all members listen carefully to the words of those who would criticize this bill because it might not do enough, and

to ask the ones who might speak those words, what did they do when they had the chance? Did they introduce a family medical leave bill? No. Did they look after anybody else? No. Did they show the

compassion they now seek from this government? No.

The fact of the matter is that words are easy, but words without action are like candles without wicks: They do not illuminate the way we must take. This

government will light the way with this legislation. This government will show a more compassionate side to the people of Ontario than they have seen in the last nine years. This government will

fulfill its commitment to look after employees when they're faced with that impossible choice of keeping their job or looking after a loved one. This government will stand with employees, employers

and those who need the care and deliver on its commitment with the family medical leave bill.

In conclusion, as the --

Interjection.

Hon Mr Bentley: No, no -- lots to say about this. There is so much to say about this and so many people who would like to speak in support of

this piece of legislation. I know some of the members opposite are very anxious to join in the debate and speak in support of this. I am looking forward to hearing what they have to say about this

piece of legislation, because once again, of course, it is legislation the likes of which we have not seen in this province. So those who would find it wanting might want to look first at their own

actions and answer the question, where were they when the call went out?

In conclusion, let me say that this bill will protect the jobs of employees so they can look after their loved ones in their loved ones' most difficult time of

need. It will look after the job that must be protected and not force the 40% of them who now must quit their job to give up their job to be with those they love dearest. It will support

businesses, in fact, by encouraging a more productive approach to this very difficult challenge that faces employees and employers. It will support those who need the care, because during the time

they need them most, they will have their loved ones beside them. It will support the people of Ontario as the McGuinty government works with the people of Ontario to build a more caring and more

compassionate society for the benefit of all.

I yield my time.

Mr John Milloy (Kitchener Centre): It's a great pleasure to stand here in this place and speak in favour of Bill 56. I want to begin by

congratulating the Minister of Labour for all the hard work that he has done on this, not only in terms of Bill 56 but in terms of what's happening with the whole labour portfolio and labour

issues. I think that to understand Bill 56 correctly, you have to put it in a bit of a broader context.

I want to speak of a recent meeting that I attended with the Minister of Labour because I think it provides the context to understand his approach to the whole

issue of the labour portfolio and the bill that has come forward. It was in my area -- actually, I was joined by my colleague the member from Guelph-Wellington. We had a meeting with a particular

union. There were about a hundred people there. The leadership of this union was from across a large region. They were there to welcome the Minister of Labour, who was going to come and speak with

them. Although I obviously have worked with unions in the past -- I had worked with them during the campaign and after -- I must admit that I went to this meeting with a little bit of trepidation.

The people there were mainly the leadership of the union, and of course they watch governments very closely. I wasn't 100% sure what their reaction would be. I want to tell members that when I

arrived I was quite relieved. I found out I had nothing to fear. I saw a group that was very anxious to hear about the government's plans and also to hear from the minister.

Then the minister arrived. I must say he was a bit of a celebrity. He came in, and people gathered around him. Do you know what? The minister went around

informally and shook hand