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February 21, 2023

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2023-Feb-21 vol. A (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Tuesday 21 February 2023 Mardi 21 février 2023

Members’ Statements

Hazel McCallion

Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Brantford Bulldogs

International Mother Language Day

Cataract surgery

Cystic fibrosis

Police services

Boards of directors nomination policy

Skills development

Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala

Leader of the Opposition

Tabling of sessional papers

Introduction of Visitors

Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala

Earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria

Hon. David C. Onley

Question Period

Government accountability

Public Order Emergency Commission report

Health care

Automotive industry

Health care

Electricity supply

Public transit

Public Order Emergency Commission report

Child care

Public Order Emergency Commission report

Health care

Public transit

Fire services / Services d’incendie

Child and family services

Gender-based violence

Independent members

Visitors

Introduction of Visitors

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Introduction of Government Bills

Your Health Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 concernant votre santé

Introduction of Bills

Making Psychotherapy Services Tax-Free Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 pour des services de psychothérapie exempts de taxes

Farmland and Arable Land Strategy Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur la stratégie en matière de terres agricoles et de terres arables

1753461 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2023

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Black History Month

Human trafficking / Traite des personnes

Black History Month

Human trafficking

Black History Month

Human trafficking

Petitions

Emergency power generators

OPP detachment

Firearms control

Private members’ public business

Orders of the Day

Michael Charles Ray

Barbara Sullivan

Drummond White

Charles Morris Godfrey

Bob Huget

David Caplan

Marietta L.D. Roberts

Gary Fox

The House met at 1015.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Good morning. Let us pray.

Prayers.

Members’ Statements

Hazel McCallion

Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta: Today I stand in this House to reflect on the incredible life of my friend and mentor the fearless, courageous and one-of-a-kind Hazel McCallion. With the passing of Hurricane Hazel, Mississauga, Ontario and Canada have lost a visionary, a trailblazer, a mover and shaker and a force of nature. Today, I join thousands of Canadians in mourning her passing and send my sympathies to the McCallion family who are currently grieving the loss of their mother and grandmother.

Hazel was a remarkable lady who held many titles, including politician, businesswoman, athlete and one of Canada’s and the world’s longest-serving mayors. She was known as Hurricane Hazel because of her fearless political stance. During her tenure as mayor of Mississauga, from 1978 to 2014, Hazel McCallion oversaw the city’s development from a bedroom town to the sixth largest in Canada. She led the charge to transform Mississauga from farmland into a thriving world-class city with its own identity. As the member from Mississauga Centre, I am delighted that the city became well-known for its robust economy, flourishing diversity and first-class public services under her leadership.

She was a tenacious teammate who had a powerful political influence that helped Mississauga grow into a thriving metropolis. We were friends, not just political colleagues. Her energy was as bright as ever, and I was delighted to just have had the opportunity to have her at my wedding.

She would always say, “Do your homework,” and “Every day is a great day,” before going to sleep, and I strive to do well and bring flourishing ideas to Mississauga Centre as Hazel McCallion had. She will be remembered as a pioneer who inspired us all with her political career and community involvement, but above all, I will cherish her as a close friend and confidant. Her legacy will live on forever. Rest in peace, dear Hazel.

Northern Ontario School of Medicine

MPP Jamie West: Today I want to talk about the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Most people call it NOSM University. Last week I met with Dr. Verma. She’s the president of NOSM. She took the opportunity to brag about her students. Speaker, 100% of NOSM’s graduating class passed the provincial exam, 100% secured residency placements and over 57% of the graduating class chose family medicine. In fact, NOSM generates more family doctors than any other Ontario medical school. As well, NOSM has continuously proven to attract and retain medical doctors in northern Ontario: 87% of NOSM graduates stay to practise medicine in the north.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine, NOSM, contributes to care in northern Ontario’s urban, rural and remote communities. That’s a northern Ontario solution that we can all be proud of and we can all support.

Brantford Bulldogs

Mr. Will Bouma: Speaker, it’s good to see you and good to see all of my colleagues in the House today.

It’s my pleasure to rise in the House today to speak about an exciting development in my riding of Brantford–Brant. As you all know, Brantford is no stranger to hockey, being the birthplace of the Great One, Wayne Gretzky. We have a deep and successful tradition with the sport.

It was recently announced that the Hamilton Bulldogs will be relocating to Brantford for a minimum of three years as their home arena undergoes major renovations. Rebranded as the Brantford Bulldogs, this OHL team will bring a re-energized level of hockey excitement to the area. Their new home will be the Brantford and District Civic Centre, which will undergo some much-needed upgrades as a result of this venture.

Attending today—I don’t know if they’re all here yet in the gallery, but I am grateful to Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis, as well as councillors Rose Sicoli, Richard Carpenter, Mandy Samwell, Gino Caputo, John Sless, Greg Martin, Dan McCreary and key staff; also, members of the senior leadership team of the Bulldogs organization, Jeff Elia and Peggy Chapman. Without unanimous council approval we would not be here today. Thank you to you all.

As the Brantford Bulldogs take the ice for the 2023-24 season, I am confident the residents of Brantford–Brant will welcome them with enthusiasm and support, as we have seen the unprecedented interest in season’s ticket sales and reservations. Go, Brantford Bulldogs!

International Mother Language Day

Ms. Doly Begum: Around the world the 21st of February, or Ekushey February, is recognized as International Mother Language Day, to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to uphold multiculturalism. It is also an important day to reflect on the sacrifices made to preserve Bangladeshi and Bengali people’s unique cultural identity. On this day, 71 years ago, language martyrs, or bhasha shohids, lost their lives protesting the oppressive regime that prohibited Bangla from being used as an official language. Their sacrifice, their fight and the movement for their mother tongue was heard across the world, sparking International Mother Language Day.

As the MPP and long-time resident of an incredibly diverse and multilingual community, I know how important language access is to our community members and how empowering and essential it is for people to have information and services in their native languages.

I would like to thank the United Committee for Observance of Ekushey and International Mother Language Day, who put together an incredible commemoration at Dentonia Park last night at midnight. I also want to thank the Language Access Coalition, who are currently hosting their annual Language Advocacy Day conference to continue championing this issue.

Let’s all work together to preserve our languages and continue advocating for language access across Ontario and build an equitable province for all.

Cataract surgery

Mr. Anthony Leardi: I have more great news from the riding of Essex. We have two wonderful doctors in our region—their names are Dr. Tayfour and Dr. Emara—and they do cataract surgery, giving sight back to those who are losing it. They’re modern-day miracle workers. They do these surgeries at a clinic and they have served literally thousands of people in our region.

Now, we know that the opposition doesn’t support this, but thanks to the progressive and compassionate policies of this government, Drs. Emara and Tayfour will now be allowed to continue this practice and give sight back to people who are losing it, serving thousands of people in my riding and in the region. Best of all, they’ll pay for this with their OHIP card, not their credit card.

I would like to thank the Minister of Health for providing us with this policy—this compassionate and progressive policy—which will serve thousands of people in the riding of Essex and in the surrounding region, giving them health care where and when they need it.

Cystic fibrosis

MPP Jill Andrew: I want to highlight an incredible not-for-profit in my St. Paul’s community that I’ve met with, Cystic Fibrosis Canada. CF is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting children and young adults in Canada. Ontario has an estimated 1,500 people living with CF. There is currently no cure.

CF mainly affects the digestive system and lungs. It causes chronic lung infections which destroys lung function, and eventually leads to death for most people with CF.

The drug Trikafta has been a game-changer for people with CF. At list price, it costs approximately $300,000 per patient per year. Ontario provides the drug for free through OHIP+ to those 24 years and younger who don’t have private insurance.

However, many parents are faced with a dilemma that must be fixed: If you have private insurance that won’t cover Trikafta, your child cannot access the drug through OHIP, so you can either pay two deductibles, one for private insurance and one for the Trillium Drug Program, or remove your child from your private insurance to access the drug through OHIP, leaving your child without dental coverage, paramedical supports and other important pieces. This is a decision no family or single parent should have to make.

Cystic Fibrosis Canada is calling on the Ontario government to create a new deductible-free specialized drug program for drugs for rare diseases so all who need them can get them, and to coordinate with private insurers and drug manufacturers to immediately reduce the financial burden Ontarians face in accessing life-saving medicine.

I hope this government will listen and help save lives in my community and across the province.

Police services

Mr. Kevin Holland: It’s great to be back. Although I’m glad to be back, I was grateful for the time to meet with the constituents in my riding during the break. It was indeed a busy time.

Speaker, I was invited to the Thunder Bay Police Service’s exemplary service awards ceremony this past Thursday where members of the Thunder Bay Police Service were recognized for 20 years and 30 years of service. It was my honour to represent our government and bring greetings and recognition on behalf of Premier Ford. The individuals recognized at this event have served their community and the people of Ontario with distinction, dedication and commitment.

Policing is not an easy job. In fact, I would say it’s not a job at all, but rather a calling and a commitment to serve your community. This career is dangerous and emotional. It can also be a very satisfying experience as well. Many times, all of these feelings are experienced in a single shift.

At the event, we heard stories of such risk, but none as telling as that of Constable Craig Town, who, while on duty in September 1991, was shot twice. He sustained life-threatening injuries that have left him with paralysis from the neck down. His life was saved that evening by his supervisor, Sergeant Mel Vilcek. Constable Town received his 30-year exemplary service medal on Thursday evening.

I also wanted to recognize and thank the family members of those who have served in the police services. The wide range of emotions experienced by police officers can, and often does, impact on family life. You provide the love and support needed as your spouse, parent or sibling deals with the demons following a difficult shift, while at the same time, you deal with the fear and worry every time they are on duty. That cannot be forgotten and I want to thank you for being an unsung hero.

Boards of directors nomination policy

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: Good morning, Speaker and colleagues. Today I rise to speak about my first private member’s bill, Bill 50, Building Better Business Outcomes Act. This bill would amend the Securities Act to require that publicly traded corporations develop and make publicly available their policy respecting their director nomination process to identify board candidates who are women, Black, Indigenous, other people of colour, persons with disabilities and LGBTQ+.

Good business policy is progressive policy and research shows that increased diversity on boards leads to better business outcomes. Diverse experiences and perspectives help businesses generate a broad array of solutions, manage risks and therefore be more successful.

I am happy to say this bill has the support of a wide range of stakeholders and organizations, and a number of MPPs have also already offered their support. If any of my colleagues are interested in learning more or meeting some interested stakeholders, I will be holding a Bill 50 social tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. Please contact my office for more information.

I look forward to speaking more about my bill next week. I am confident that growing our economy and improving and promoting diversity and inclusion is important to each member in this House because it’s a business issue, it’s a societal issue—not a partisan issue. I hope we can move forward together on this.

Skills development

Mr. Vincent Ke: Today, I focus on our government’s support of workers. Career training and skill development opportunities change life for the better.

Ontario invests in workers to provide job prospects, career training and education options such as the PSW training fund program. This investment reaps rewards. Karen, a constituent in my riding of Don Valley North, received financial support from the $54.7 million in funding our government invested in the PSW training program. Karen is grateful for the help, and today, she contributes as a working PSW in health care.

People like Karen who benefit from paid training programs also strengthen our health care system by addressing a shortage of PSWs in the province. Together, we work hard to inspire optimism and promote excellence in Ontario’s workforce. We rely on the skilled workforce to deliver the services we need, especially as we rebound post-pandemic.

As Ontario continues to stimulate and fuel the resilient economy, we will continue to invest in workers and their promising future and ours.

Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: I rise with a heavy heart to commemorate the life of OPP officer Greg Pierzchala. The 28-year-old was fatally shot on December 27 while responding to the call of duty. He saw a vehicle in a ditch near Hagersville and wanted to help. That is the kind of person he was. It was Officer Pierzchala’s first official day on the job, and it was his childhood dream since he was five years old to be a police officer. His whole life was dedicated to service.

His memory will always be alive and well in Barrie, Ontario, where he attended St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School. There, he participated in numerous teams because he believed in teamwork and helping everyone reach their full potential on his team. His mindset and discipline were driven by his love for martial arts. He served in the Canadian military; he was a member of the Grey and Simcoe Foresters. He served as a Polish Highlander. He will always be remembered as someone who had a strong sense of duty for his country and community and was an exemplary police officer.

We have never lost so many police officers in this province in such a short period of time. The death of Officer Pierzchala could have been avoided, since the two individuals who murdered him were out on bail for heinous crimes and should have been behind bars. That is why our Premier joined the Ontario police and Premiers from across the nation in a plea for the federal government to address our country’s failed bail system.

I want to ask all members of this Legislature to not forget Officer Pierzchala, who was the embodiment of putting service above self, was a true hero in life in everything he did. My sincere condolences to his family, friends and the Polish community who will always remember his acts of kindness and his deep sense of duty.

Leader of the Opposition

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I beg to inform the House that Marit Stiles, member for electoral district of Davenport, is recognized as the leader of His Majesty’s loyal opposition.

Applause.

Tabling of sessional papers

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I also beg to inform the House that during the adjournment, the following documents were tabled:

—a request by the member for Davenport, Marit Stiles, to the Integrity Commissioner for an opinion pursuant to

section 30 of the Members’ Integrity Act, 1994, on whether the member for Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, Steve Clark, has contravened the act or Ontario parliamentary convention;

—a report entitled Costing Climate Change Impacts to Public Infrastructure: Linear Storm and Wastewater from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario;

—a report concerning the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, and the Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, from the Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario;

—a request by the member for Whitby, Lorne Coe, to the Integrity Commissioner for an opinion pursuant to

section 30 of the Members’ Integrity Act, 1994, on whether the member for Thunder Bay–Superior North, Lise Vaugeois, has contravened the act or Ontario parliamentary convention;

—a report entitled Ontario’s Credit Rating: Winter 2023 Update from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario; and

—a report entitled Economic and Budget Outlook: Winter 2023 from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to the Honourable David Onley, the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery this morning are Mr. Onley’s wife Ruth Ann and son Robert. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Also joining us in the Speaker’s gallery today are members of the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Marit Stiles: It’s a real pleasure to welcome to this House members of the Ontario Federation of Labour executive: Patty Coates, Ahmad Gaied, Janice Folk-Dawson and Rob Halpin.

I’d also like to recognize members of Greenbelt Promise who are joining us here today—it’s a long list: Brad Merrill, Lilly Noble, Katie Krelove, Marilyn Osborne, Janet Patterson, Dave Pearce, Brody R., Karen Rathwell, Wendy Roberts, Lisa Schumph, Catherine Scott, Sharon Sommerville, Robert Spence, Marta Stiteleler, Carolyn Stupple, Michelle Tom, Peter Varty, Elizabeth Ward, Roz Vincent-Haven, Marijan Vranic, George Wheeler and Nelly Young. Thank you, and welcome to our House.

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: I’d like to introduce my new legislative assistant Daniel Jolic. I’ve known him since 2017. I’ve watched him grow into an exceptional young man. He’s now in his first year of law school at U of T and I know he has a very bright future ahead of him. Welcome to the Ontario Legislature, Daniel.

Mr. Joel Harden: I want to thank our friends from the Lung Health Foundation that met us this morning. Charmaine, it’s nice to see you particularly from Ottawa Centre. You left behind your kit, so we’ve got to get that back to you, because it’s got information I think you need for the rest of the day.

Also, I want to thank my very good friend Fred Hahn for being here in the House. You play a big role in giving us the best advice. Thank you, Fred. We love you, CUPE.

Mr. Brian Riddell: I’d like to welcome Michael and Lorraine Harris, sitting over here. Their organization is My Place in This World, which is a school program to celebrate Black excellence and achievement in our society. Thank you for coming today.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I would like to introduce Émile Maheu and Anne Vinet-Roy from AEFO to Queen’s Park today.

I’d also like to welcome Janine Le Forestier, mother of my friend the late environmental activist Jenni Le Forestier, to Queen’s Park today, as well as Deborah Martin-Downs, a respected Canadian aquatic biologist and former chief administrative officer for the TRCA and former member of Ontario’s Greenbelt Council, and all the people who are here today as part of the Greenbelt Promise coalition.

Ms. Catherine Fife: I’d like to welcome members from the architectural conservancy: Richard Longley, Diane Dent, Kae Elgie, Diane Chin, Shannon Kyles, Mary Walton, Susan Ratcliffe, Alysson Storey, Alison Creba, Charlotte Mickie, Deb Crawford, Catherine Nasmith, Doug Evans, Paul Farrelly, Marlee Robinson, Michelle Bullough, Zoe Goluch, Justine Tenzer and, finally, Kanika Kaushal.

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: I’d like to welcome Heart and Stroke delegates to Queen’s Park. They will be meeting with MPPs throughout the day to discuss their policy recommendations and will be hosting a dinner reception at the legislative dining room from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Welcome.

Ms. Chandra Pasma: I’d like to welcome Karen Littlewood, president of the OSSTF, along with Dan Earl, Kaitlyn Reed and Munib Sajjad, ainsi que nos amis de l’AEFO, Anne Vinet-Roy et Émile Maheu. Bienvenue.

Mr. Dave Smith: I’d like to introduce my new executive assistant, Jenna DePaiva. Today is her very first day here in the chamber.

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: Before I do my introductions, I’d like to share with the House that today is Losar, Tibetan new year, and I’d like to wish Tibetans in Ontario and across the world a very happy new year. Losar Tashi Delek.

Speaker, in the galleries I have my OLIP intern, Téah U-Ming; placement student from University of Toronto, Alex Boross-Harmer; and my new constituency assistant, Margarita Tsetsekas.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Good morning, everyone. It’s lovely to see you and be back here with you, and I’m looking forward to building a better Ontario with you. Hope you had a great break.

Today, I would like to introduce some more crusaders for the vital greenbelt, and I don’t have all their names, but I have their ridings, so that you are well aware of who’s here, because they’re your lovely constituents. They’re from the wonderful ridings of Kitchener Centre, Wellington–Halton Hills, Guelph, Cambridge, Parkdale–High Park, Mississauga Centre, Kitchener–Conestoga, Don Valley North, Don Valley East, Willowdale, St. Catharines, Dufferin–Caledon, Oakville North–Burlington, Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry and beautiful Beaches–East York.

Also in the chamber is a former Liberal MP for King-Vaughan, Deb Schulte. She was also a cabinet minister and Greenbelt Task Force member.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Unless there’s an objection, I’ll continue with introduction of visitors.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and it’s good to see everyone again.

I would like to take the opportunity to welcome a constituent of my riding, Mrs. Pam Spence. Pam is a stroke survivor whose passion and dedication for stroke and cardiac rehabilitation programs have made her a leader within the community. In December, Mrs. Spence received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee award for her work. Thank you to her and her husband, Dave, for being here today.

M me France Gélinas: We have a few guests for the Chronic Disease Awareness Day, starting with Sarah Hobbs, who is the chief executive officer of Alliance for Healthier Communities, as well as Kim Fraser, the chief executive officer for Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre.

Also from Alliance for Healthier Communities, we have Marie-Lauren Gregoire Drummond. She is the director of communications. We have Zakaria Abdulle, who is the government relations and policy lead, as well as Sanya Budhiraja, who is the communications and event planner. I also want to wish Angela Preocanin, first vice-president of ONA, a welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Michael D. Ford: From my riding of York South–Weston, I would like to welcome the Early Development Childhood Initiative for all the work that they do in York South–Weston, but particularly during Black History Month and all the work they do elevating our Black community in my riding and across Ontario.

Mr. Vincent Ke: I’d just like to introduce my new staff, Wendy Wei. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Chris Glover: I’d like to welcome the executive from the OFL and OSSTF, and I’d like to give a special welcome to Ronnie Blackburn who is an intern in my office and has been doing some great research work for us.

Mrs. Robin Martin: I just wanted to welcome the members of the AED Foundation and CARE who are having an MPP reception at lunch in room 230. I would like to see everybody come out and thank them for all the great work they do for cardiac in Ontario.

M. Stéphane Sarrazin: J’aimerais souhaiter la bienvenue à ma fille aînée de 18 ans, Vanessa Sarrazin, qui est ici avec ma ravissante conjointe, Chantal. Vanessa profite du congé de relâche pour venir me visiter à Queen’s Park, puis explorer la ville de Toronto. Donc, bienvenue à Queen’s Park.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I want to just join everyone in welcoming those who are here from the Greenbelt Promise. We certainly stand with you.

I’d also like to welcome the members of the Ontario Federation of Labour who are here, as well. I know that Rob Halpin is here.

Also, I see my very good friend Karen Littlewood from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation. Welcome all to Queen’s Park today.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I will remind members not to make political statements during the introduction of their visitors.

The Attorney General.

Hon. Doug Downey: I want to welcome François Aubin and Adam Hoerdt who are here with the AED Foundation and CARE reception, as well. But when you’re at the reception, ask Adam about his ride across Canada on a bicycle to raise awareness for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, ARVC.

Hon. Greg Rickford: I see Laura Stone back in the press gallery. Welcome back, Laura.

Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I understand the Solicitor General has a point of order.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: If you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the House to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Provincial Constable Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala of the Ontario Provincial Police who was tragically killed in the line of duty on December 27, 2022, in Hagersville, Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Solicitor General is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Provincial Constable Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala of the Ontario Provincial Police who was tragically killed in the line of duty on December 27, 2022, in Hagersville. Agreed? Agreed.

Members will please rise.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I understand the member for Scarborough Southwest has a point of order.

Ms. Doly Begum: I seek unanimous consent for the House to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of the earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Scarborough Southwest is seeking the unanimous consent of the House for a moment of silence for the victims of the earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye. Agreed? Agreed. Members will please rise.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Hon. David C. Onley

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the government House leader on a point of order.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance of the late Honourable David Onley, 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, with five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The government House leader is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to make statements in remembrance of the late Honourable David Onley, the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, with five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government. Agreed? Agreed.

I recognize the leader of His Majesty’s loyal opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, I am truly honoured to rise today to pay tribute to the late Honourable David C. Onley, who served faithfully as the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 2007 to 2014. Mr. Onley was, among many other things, the first provincial Lieutenant Governor with a physical disability and the second-longest serving since Confederation, a father, a grandfather, a husband, a change-maker, a broadcaster, a public servant and an advocate.

I’d again like to welcome Mr. Onley’s wonderful family: his wife Ruth Ann and Robert his son who are joining us here today. Thank you for being here.

David Onley is remembered as one of the most extraordinary figures in Ontario’s rich political history. He contracted polio at the age of three, which made walking a mammoth task. As his family shared with us recently at his funeral, that also left him with a lifetime of pain. Yet when he was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor, he walked up the stairs in front of us today and sat in the Speaker’s chair. That determination and grit transcended to all areas of David’s life. When David saw closed doors, he opened them, and when they couldn’t be opened, he made sure they were made accessible—not just temporarily, not just for him, but for everyone who passed through after him.

Former Toronto mayor David Crombie and I were speaking recently about Mr. Onley, and he reminded me of his son’s reflection at his father’s disability and desire to live a full life. He said, “He lived a life of courage every day,” something we should all aspire to.

I was speaking with disability advocate Sarah Jama yesterday—she’s a disability justice advocate who, yes, is running for a seat in this House—and I couldn’t help but ask her what stood out for her about the legacy of David Onley, as somebody who is a disability justice advocate and also a person who uses a mobility device. She said she felt it incumbent on all of us not to let his incredible work pass with him.

She says, “We owe him and the millions of disabled people in this province the implementation of every single one of his 2019 recommendations.” Tough words—and she’ll have tougher words too, but I leave her to bring them to this place. And I would say that, if she were to take her seat among us here, or the next person who sits here with a physical disability, she will have been well served by the path that he forged.

I want to share, Speaker, that I was honoured to attend Mr. Onley’s funeral just a few weeks ago. It was an extraordinary event. It was held in the very church where Mr. Onley and his wife Ruth Ann met and was attended by a who’s who of leaders of all levels of government, past and present; former colleagues in the media; of course, his beloved family; but also hundreds and hundreds of disability advocates, people with disabilities.

I spoke yesterday with Anthony Hylton, his chief of staff when he was Lieutenant Governor, about the time and effort necessary to ensure that that church and service would be truly accessible for this occasion: larger font in the programs, an area for people in mobility devices, the book of condolences had to be accessible to everyone, programs in Braille, screens with captioning and on and on.

Mr. Hylton called David Onley “one of the greatest people I ever met”—and he’s met pretty great people—and he shared that he would receive a call from Mr. Onley every January 30, the anniversary of the day he asked him to be his chief of staff, becoming the first Black person to fill this role anywhere in Canada.

Anthony Hylton also remarked that Mr. Onley was a deeply religious man. His family and his pastor talked about this throughout their service. It was fitting, then, that his coffin was led out of the church by his pastor, now himself needing a mobility device, on David’s scooter.

As Mr. Onley had said often, most people are one fall or one accident away from really understanding how inaccessible places were for him. He lives on in his immortalized words in Hansard, in the results he achieved for the people of Ontario and in the lives and memories of his loving family and the friends who had the pleasure of knowing him. Thank you for sharing him with our province.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Scarborough–Guildwood.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: It is an honour to rise and to pay tribute to the Honourable David Onley. David Onley served as Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor from 2007 to 2014. Named to the Order of Canada in 2017, he was a symbol of dignity and an inspiration to many throughout his years of service.

It would be impossible to overstate the influence that he has had in Ontario. Raised in Scarborough, David Onley had a long career as a television newscaster, starting with Citytv in 1984, where he was a science and a weather specialist. He was also a newscaster for Cable Pulse 24, CP24. Even then, as a broadcaster, he appeared on camera in his mobility device. He was an advocate on disability issues just by doing his job.

A tireless advocate for a more inclusive society, David Onley was devoted to the service of people in a way that set him apart and set examples for all. He made Ontario and Canada a more welcoming place, and the legacy of his efforts and advocacy for improved access to employment and opportunities for people with disabilities will indeed be lasting.

David was someone that I worked with at Queen’s Park when I was first elected in 2013, and he is very well-known as a graduate and champion of the University of Toronto Scarborough campus, where, following his tenure as Lieutenant Governor, he returned to teach and to develop courses on the role of the crown in the Canadian political system and on the politics of disability in Canada.

On behalf of the residents of Scarborough–Guildwood, I want to thank him for his service. To his family: Thank you for sharing him with us. My deepest condolences to his wife Ruth Ann; to their sons, Jonathan, Robert and Michael; and to their extended families.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I am honoured to rise today to pay tribute to the late Honourable David C. Onley, Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor. I welcome his family here today and express my sincere condolences for your loss.

I had the honour of attending Mr. Onley’s funeral and there is no question that he was so loved and cherished by his family, was a valued member of his spiritual community and a truly respected member of the disability community.

Mr. Onley was an extraordinary person and a real champion for people with disabilities. The barriers he broke for people with disabilities, the path he paved, the expectations he left government—this House—with were groundbreaking, inspiring and, I believe, must be honoured by all who serve in this place to carry on his legacy.

I look forward to the implementation of all the recommendations from the Onley report and I’m so thankful for the work he did to advance the rights of all Ontarians, especially those with disabilities.

The great David Onley will be missed, but he will never be forgotten. May Your Honour rest in peace.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Premier.

Hon. Doug Ford: I rise today to pay tribute to the Honourable David C. Onley. I share my deepest condolences to David’s family: to his wife Ruth Ann; his sons, Robert, Michael and Jonathan; along with his friends and former colleagues.

As Lieutenant Governor, David served the province with honour and distinction. He worked tirelessly to uphold the principle that every person should be allowed to reach the heights demonstrated by their potential and expanded the reconciliation efforts with Ontario’s Indigenous peoples, paving the way for work that continues today.

As I said last month, he was a true leader and set an example for others. Those who knew him described him as generous, compassionate and determined. He leaves behind a wonderful lasting legacy for the people of Ontario. His contributions to our province will never be forgotten.

May God bless our 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, David C. Onley.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We give thanks for the life and public service of David Onley.

Question Period

Government accountability

Ms. Marit Stiles: My question is to the Premier. Standing here today in this seat, I’m feeling the weight of the important role that we in the official opposition have in this province. A lot of people are counting on us. People are struggling. People aren’t voting, because they’ve been told over and over again by this government and governments before them that this is as good as it gets, that this is all they can expect.

When a government as rich and powerful as this one makes decisions that favour developers over farmers, shareholders over sick people, we have a problem.

To the Premier: Since this House rose, more concerns have been raised about his relationship with developers profiting from his greenbelt carve-up and their attendance at family events. Can the Premier explain to Ontarians how they are supposed to believe that these developers weren’t given a heads-up about his plans for the greenbelt?

Hon. Doug Ford: First of all, I welcome the first question from the Leader of the Opposition.

Regarding any family matters, my family is separate from the political process. They aren’t involved.

I had an opportunity to speak to the Integrity Commissioner, Mr. Speaker. I asked him for his opinion, and he found there was no violation. Again, this event was cleared by the Integrity Commissioner.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, I want to be clear: This is not about the Premier’s family; it is about the Premier’s behaviour. It’s about accountability and the integrity of the office that he holds. Sources told reporters they felt pressured to attend, and some were asked for additional donations of up to $1,000. Did anyone in the Premier’s office or any other government staff have a role in making the invitation list for this family fundraiser?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: The Premier has already responded to that, and the commissioner also responded to that, Mr. Speaker.

But at the same time, we are continuing to move forward as a government to ensure that we continue to build a strong, prosperous Ontario, and it is seen throughout the province of Ontario. Whether you travel to the north, the south, the east or the west, the province of Ontario is moving in a very good direction. We are seeing thousands of jobs being created. We are seeing investments come back to the province of Ontario.

That is what we continue to fight for, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we’re also fighting to ensure that young families can afford to get their first home, something that almost everybody in this place has enjoyed. The reason why families and people came to this province, to this country, for generations is because they wanted the dignity, the hope and the optimism that they could also enjoy that first home. We are going to do everything in our power to make sure that all Ontarians can enjoy that type of optimism and success for the future.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The final supplementary.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, it really should not be too much to ask for the Premier of this province to answer the questions that Ontarians have. This is going to be how it is again? Right.

Well, the Premier has a close relationship with developers. We know that; he has acknowledged it. But when the guest list for a family event includes the very developers who later benefited from this government’s MZOs and greenbelt sale, something doesn’t sit right. The government has a history of very specific land decisions that somehow end up benefiting their friends and their donors.

Does the Premier understand how bad this looks, not just for the Premier, but for the integrity of his government?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, again, the commissioner has responded, as well as the Premier.

Yes, we are making decisions that will put more of the valuable resources of the province of Ontario available for families and for young Canadians who want to be able to buy that first home, but we didn’t just start last week. We started from 2018, Mr. Speaker, and at every step of the way the opposition has been opposed to that.

When we brought on transit-oriented communities to build housing around the transit infrastructure—which, by the way, Mr. Speaker, is the largest investment in transit in the history of this province, if not the country—we brought in rules to build transit-oriented communities, they voted against it, so it is no surprise that they are against building more homes for people.

It is that hope and optimism that we have been fighting for since we were elected, since the Progressive Conservative government was even formed. We knew that the people of this province wanted a prosperous province, but they also wanted the hope and dignity of having their first home. We are going to do everything in our power to make sure that that is affordable for everybody.

Public Order Emergency Commission report

Ms. Marit Stiles: You want affordable housing? Don’t build luxury urban sprawl. Let’s start there.

Speaker, the government doesn’t like it because they know that their integrity is in question, and the Premier doesn’t like to answer questions because he knows where it leads.

On Friday, the Public Order Emergency Commission published their report on the use of the Emergencies Act, and the findings are very distressing. When Ottawa residents were being harassed in their communities last February, while small businesses were being forced to close, the Premier, the Solicitor General and the Minister of Transportation all chose not to help. In fact, it was only when protests moved to other parts of this province that they were forced to do something.

What does the Premier have to say to Ottawa residents now that we know the extent of his government’s failure to act?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I think what the report did highlight is the important work that was being done by the OPP for many months leading up to that. Of course, where there are lessons to be learned with respect to better coordination, whether it’s the Parliamentary Protective Service, the OPP, the RCMP or, in this instance, the Ottawa Police Service, we’ll do that.

But, Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward and we are looking ahead. We are building an economy that is stronger coming out of COVID than it was before. That is what we are continuing to focus on, whether it’s the thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investments that the Premier and Minister of Economic Development have brought to this province or whether it is the groundbreaking transit system that the Minister of Transportation is bringing in. The Minister of Infrastructure, who is bringing, for the first time, broadband services to the entire province: Do you know what that means, Mr. Speaker?

That means that every part of the province—north, south, east and west—can participate in the economic advantage that Ontario used to have, that was lost under the Liberals but that we are rebuilding. That’s what we’re doing, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question?

Ms. Marit Stiles: No answers there.

Speaker, witnesses told the commission that this government was “trying to avoid responsibility for a crisis within its borders.” While federal and municipal officials were meeting regularly to try to navigate this crisis, Ontario’s Premier and the ministers responsible ghosted the people of Ottawa. The report’s

chapter on the provincial response is actually titled, “Ontario’s Absence.”

Why was the Premier absent? I really hope the Premier will answer this question for the people of Ontario and the people of Ottawa. Why was the Premier absent when the people of Ottawa needed his help?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Again, I think the report is very clear that the OPP had resources on the ground for many months in advance of this and were sharing information with police services, not only in Ottawa but across the province. But, as I said, if there are lessons to be learned with respect to better coordination of emergency services on the ground in Ottawa and how they communicate, we will take a look that the.

But we are moving forward, Mr. Speaker. We are moving beyond COVID to build an Ontario economy that is stronger than it was going into COVID. We have not stopped on that. As I just said, billions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs are being created in the province of Ontario. We’re cutting taxes for the lowest-income Ontarians so that they can participate. We’re putting billions of dollars in investments into northern Ontario, because for far too long the north was ignored.

Now, the opposition can continue to look backward. They can continue to forget about the economy. They can continue to vote against these investments that we’re making, but we are looking forward because that’s what the people of Ontario want. They want a stronger economy and that’s what we’re doing every day, building a stronger, more prosperous Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The final supplementary.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Ontarians across this province right now are going to be shaking their heads after hearing that, not even getting the decency of having the Premier respond to the questions that Ontarians have about these very important issues. The very integrity of their government is at stake here, but they won’t answer the questions.

When the people of Ottawa needed help, the Premier sat on his hands. But when wealthy developers wanted to turn a profit on protected greenbelt land, suddenly the law was changed, like that. Is this how our province works now: one set of rules for the Premier’s friends and associates and another for everyone else? That’s how it is?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Actually, the way the province works is that this government is working every single day to build a more prosperous, strong Ontario. It’s not just about the economy. In order to have a strong economy you need a better health care system. We’re building it—billions of dollars of investments there. We needed a better education system. Our Minister of Education is doing that.

The Minister of Energy, who inherited a file that was in chaos, has brought stability back to our system, which has allowed the Minister of Economic Development and this Premier to bring thousands of jobs back to Ontario—billions of dollars of investments. The biggest part of that is that we are not ignoring the north. We’re bringing them into this, Mr. Speaker.

At the same time, the Minister of Labour has been working very hard with our partners in labour to ensure that all of these thousands of jobs that remain unfilled can be filled by the people of the province of Ontario, that they have the skills that they need to help us continue to build a more prosperous, stronger Ontario, a better Ontario than we inherited and a stronger one than we had going into COVID.

Health care

M me France Gélinas: Ma question est pour le premier ministre. In the last 12 months, Ontario emergency rooms have closed at least 158 times. This is the equivalent of 184 days when the urgent medical needs of Ontarians were not being met in their communities. These closures are unacceptable. They put people’s health and lives at risk. Why hasn’t the Premier acted to address the crisis in our emergency rooms?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The one thing that the member opposite and I can agree on is that in fact it is not acceptable. However, I think that the numbers show that, through the use of Ontario Health, making sure that we fully utilize emergency department locums, we’ve actually avoided almost 2,000 of these emergency department closures.

We are building, through your health plan, capacity to add emergency physicians, primary care physicians and nurses. We have now a plan that actually gives us an opportunity to serve the people of Ontario through their primary care physicians and through their hospital networks, ensuring that when people need the care they deserve and expect in the province of Ontario, through a fully provincially funded system, we will be there with that support.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

M me France Gélinas: I never thought I would see the day when Ontario’s emergency rooms would close so frequently. In Perth and Smith Falls, their ER was closed for three weeks straight. In Chesley, their ER was closed for 50 long days and nights. These closures constitute a crisis and are being driven by staff shortages, but the situation cannot be fixed if this government continues to cap the wages of nurses and health care workers.

When will the government finally prioritize the health of Ontarians, respect our health care workers and keep our ERs open?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Premier.

Hon. Doug Ford: Thank you for that question. Mr. Speaker, we know, after 15 years of neglect, how we had hallway health care. We’re fixing health care and you’re blocking health care every step of the way. The opposition wants to have endless debates about our health care system, but the people of Ontario just want to make sure they see action happening, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We have 203,000 backlogged surgeries, and we have a plan to make sure we lower that.

We have a plan by making sure we give pharmacists—now able to treat more patients with common illnesses: just in the month of January, just in one month, 40,000 assessments being completed with 65% of pharmacies across the province providing their services. That is 40,000 people who aren’t going to the primary care doctors, 40,000 people not going to the emergency room.

Paramedics are now able to make sure that they take care of the people—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The next question?

Automotive industry

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. For over a decade, the Liberals chased hundreds of thousands of auto and manufacturing jobs out of the province, including in my riding of Newmarket–Aurora. They simply left the people of Ontario unprepared for the EV future. That’s why we have taken action to rebuild the province’s auto sector, all while growing the economy and creating good jobs.

In a sector that employs hundreds of thousands of workers, will the minister explain how the government is attracting new investments and ensuring that Ontario is open for business?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Ontario has again become the top auto jurisdiction. To build on this, our government is transforming Ontario’s automotive supply chain to build the cars of the future. We’re doing this because we lowered the cost of doing business by $7 billion annually and, as a result, we have attracted $17 billion in transformative auto investments in two years. Last week, Magna International announced a historic investment of almost half a billion dollars into six of their Ontario plants. With $23.6 million coming from the province of Ontario, Magna is creating more than 1,000 well-paying jobs here in Ontario.

This is how we’re bringing new life to our auto sector, Speaker. There are now 600,000 new jobs created since we first took office.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: Thank you to the minister for his answer. It’s great to hear that the government is focusing on the province’s auto sector and attracting significant investments to the province. We understand these types of investments are only possible because the government is following the Driving Prosperity plan to make Ontario an important part of the EV revolution, especially in southwestern Ontario.

Speaker, with Magna’s historic investment and expansion plans in the province, can the minister please elaborate on how this project will help create jobs in my great riding of Newmarket–Aurora, as well as across the province?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: This game-changing investment by Magna will create over 1,000 well-paying jobs in communities all across the province. This includes the opening of a $265-million EV battery enclosure facility in Brampton, creating approximately 560 new jobs in that region.

But Magna is expanding their manufacturing facilities elsewhere: In Belleville, a $35-million investment will create up to 100 new jobs; in Windsor, they’re creating 110 jobs; in Penetanguishene, 15 new jobs; in Guelph, a $140-million investment will create 175 new jobs; and in the member’s riding, a $24-million investment in Newmarket is creating approximately 75 jobs. These jobs are being created all across the province, because we are building all of Ontario.

Health care

MPP Jamie West: My question is for the Premier. This morning, the Ontario Federation of Labour, the Ontario Nurses’ Association and many other representatives of Ontario’s workers put the Conservative government on notice that they’re fed up with being ignored. They’re saying, “Enough is enough.” ONA nurses and Ontario health care workers are demanding the Conservative government finally show the respect that nurses and other front-line health care workers deserve.

My question is: When will the Premier finally listen to Ontario’s demands for more public funding for public health care, for an end to the staffing crisis, for the full repeal of Bill 124 and for decent wages and working conditions for all workers in our health care system?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: With the greatest of respect, a $14-billion increase in health care spending since 2018 suggests quite the opposite: that we have in fact invested in our health care professionals. We are investing in our primary care beds. We are investing in our home care and our hospitals. We are doing that because we understand and appreciate that the status quo is no longer an option.

We will continue to make those investments, and while the negotiations happen with the Ontario Hospital Association and ONA, we will continue to invest, because that is what a government does when they understand the people of Ontario deserve a publicly funded health care system, and they will get that under Premier Ford.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question?

MPP Jamie West: Back to the Premier: It seems it’s Groundhog Day again, because Conservatives love to pretend that they care about health care workers and front-line workers and nurses. They used them as photo ops during the pandemic, all while underfunding health care, freezing their wages and making working conditions worse.

This Thursday, there will be thousands of public health care workers and supporters joining in solidarity to echo and amplify Ontario’s nurses’ demands for better staffing, for better care and for better wages. Nurses in Ontario are saying, “Enough is enough,” and so are New Democrats.

My question is: Will the Premier and Minister of Health be visiting those demonstrations with New Democrats on Thursday, or are they too afraid of what they will hear from Ontario’s front-line health care workers?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: When the House rose in December, many members of our party, our Premier and myself went around and spoke to their constituents, to their stakeholders. I’ve had an amazing opportunity to meet front-line professionals who are innovating, who are making sure that the service that their patients want and deserve is available.

They are telling us that the investments that they are seeing in their local hospitals, whether it’s an investment in pediatric beds at CHEO; whether it is an increase of 50 different hospital builds in the province of Ontario, whether they are new hospitals, expanded hospitals or renovations—it’s unprecedented, the amount of money. We are making sure that the people of Ontario get the health care they need in their community in a timely way.

Electricity supply

Mr. Will Bouma: My question is for the Minister of Energy. As Ontario’s population continues to grow, we must address our future energy infrastructure needs today. The previous government, supported by the opposition, created a mess in our energy system. This mess led to the people of Ontario facing some of the highest bills in North America. For our economy to grow and our province to continue to prosper, we need to support innovative and bold solutions that meet our ongoing energy needs.

Speaker, what is our government doing to provide affordable and clean energy solutions for the people of my riding, both now and into the future?

Hon. Todd Smith: Thanks to the member opposite from Brantford–Brant for that great question this morning.

Ontario has a world-class electricity system. It’s 90% emissions-free. We get over 60% of our power from our nuclear fleet emissions-free. We get about 25% from our hydro fleet emissions-free. There are about 33,000 other generators across the province: wind and solar and biomass facilities. Many of those facilities are still producing power at night, though, when demand is low, at off-peak times. Under the former Liberal government, what we had happen was this surplus power was sold to neighbouring jurisdictions at a loss.

We’re bringing that to an end, thanks to our government’s work on the Oneida battery storage project, one of the largest battery storage projects in the world. We’re partnering with the Six Nations of the Grand River to build this. We’re making full use of Ontario’s clean grid by drawing and storing the energy at off-peak times and then dispatching it at times when we’re on-peak, when we need that power. Making our—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The supplementary question.

Mr. Will Bouma: Back to the Minister of Energy: The Oneida Energy Storage Project is a milestone for Ontario’s energy storage sector. It will make our province’s electricity grid more efficient, stable and reliable. This project will help to generate employment opportunities and significant revenue for the people of my riding and our First Nations partner at Six Nations. Battery storage projects like these are instrumental for our economy, our environment and helping to promote reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

Can the minister please elaborate on how this project will help advance plans for improving the entire electricity grid system?

Hon. Todd Smith: Thanks to the towering member from Brantford–Brant.

Our population is growing. As we heard from the Minister of Economic Development earlier, our economy is continuing to grow, with huge investments in our province. That means our demand for clean, reliable and affordable electricity is continuing to grow too. When the Oneida battery storage project goes online in 2025, it’s going to more than double the amount of energy storage that is currently on Ontario’s grid, from 225 megawatts to 475 megawatts.

The announcement is another milestone in our plan to build and strengthen our electricity grid. We’re going to continue to support innovative and bold technologies like the small modular nuclear reactor program, where construction has started over the holidays, as well. This also includes Canada’s largest procurement of clean energy storage that is in the field right now and of course Canada’s largest energy storage project, the Oneida project, which we announced a couple of weeks ago with the Premier in this member’s region. We’re making our grid more efficient. I must say, when it comes to energy, Ontario is leading the way.

Public transit

Mr. Peter Tabuns: To the Minister of Transportation: Recently, the Toronto Star revealed that the minister’s office overruled Metrolinx in their effort to inform the member for Toronto Centre and myself about tree removals in our ridings. Even though we were blocked on instructions from her office, local MPs and city councillors were informed. Why does the minister think it’s legitimate to block MPPs from carrying out their duties as elected officials?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: To the member opposite: When the incident was brought to my attention, I made it clear that it was not acceptable and not direction that I support. Why not? Because it’s actually not consistent with the way Metrolinx has engaged with communities and consulted with people on its transit projects since the beginning. The member opposite himself has had 17 total engagements with Metrolinx, 11 engagements specifically on the joint corridor in the past year, in 2022, 37 email correspondences with his office regarding questions about the Ontario Line in his ward.

Building large public transit infrastructure projects in the country’s most densely populated city is disruptive, and that is why we believed so firmly, from the beginning, in the need to make sure that we were working closely with our partners, including our municipal partners, on how we get transit built in the city. That is why we sought the support of Toronto council, which we received.

The reality is, failure to move forward with this transit is not what the city needs. What the city needs is to make sure we build the—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The supplementary question: The member for Toronto Centre.

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: To the Minister of Transportation: Two winters ago, this government sent bulldozers into Toronto Centre to try and tear down the foundry buildings. Thankfully, my community organized and we fought to save them. Now, my colleague and I are being intentionally left off notification lists regarding transit projects right in our community.

The minister has an obligation to explain why Metrolinx was instructed to hide that information and what else is being hidden from our communities or members of this House. Will she apologize for this omission, and when will we expect that? When can we get that?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: As I’ve said, this incident is not reflective of the way Metrolinx has been engaging and consulting with members of affected communities since the beginning. Metrolinx has and will continue to meet with community members, including elected officials.

To date, the member opposite has participated in over 30 engagements with Metrolinx in the last two years, at least eight of which were specific to the work at Moss Park. Since 2020, there have been 17 meetings between Metrolinx and the law society, and over 100 engagements with the city of Toronto, that Metrolinx continues to meet with on an ongoing basis.

Mr. Speaker, it’s no secret that the member opposite voted against our current plan for new transit in the city of Toronto when the member was a city councillor. The member is against building generational transit for the people of Ontario. Every time the NDP say no to the Ontario Line, they’re saying no to taking 28,000 cars off the road each day. The opposition can continue to try to disrupt and delay our plans, but we are moving ahead with the hard work of making sure that Toronto gets the transit that it needs and deserves.

Public Order Emergency Commission report

M me Lucille Collard: My question is to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, it has been a year since the freedom convoy descended on Ottawa to protest—a protest that turned into an occupation that lasted three long weeks, during which the residents of Ottawa lost their right to live peacefully and without fear. Truly, it was nothing but a nightmare.

People turned to their governments, asking for help, because clearly the local police were overwhelmed by the massive trucks and growing number of protesters encouraged by the lack of law enforcement. The Rouleau report, just released following the federal inquiry, clearly indicates that it didn’t have to be this way. If the provincial government had put the same energy into coming to the rescue of the people in Ottawa as it did defending economic interests when the Ambassador Bridge was blocked, the peace could have been restored much sooner.

How can the government justify its inaction, turning its back on the people of Ottawa? I’m asking about people—people who can’t trust this government anymore that they have their back.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To respond, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: As I mentioned earlier, the report highlights, of course, the incredible work that was being done by the Ontario Provincial Police in providing information to the Ottawa Police Service. As I said, if there are lessons to be learned in how we coordinate with the Parliamentary Protective Service, the OPP, the RCMP and the Ottawa Police Service or other forces, we will take a look at that.

We are continuing to make enormous investments across this province because what we want to do, coming out of COVID, is to build an Ontario economy that is stronger than the one that went into it. We are hearing the results of all of this hard work—and that includes the people of Ottawa. We are seeing thousands of jobs being created across the province of Ontario, whether it is in the automotive sector, which is being rejuvenated in this province, in all parts—and to be clear, when we succeed in the auto sector, it is not only good for the GTA; it’s good for all of Ontario, it’s good for all of Canada.

We have the backs of the people of this province, because we are building a stronger, safer, more prosperous Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question?

M me Lucille Collard: The commission has conducted an in-depth analysis of what happened and why it happened, and provided lessons learned. This important analysis was possible because of the transparency of the commission process and the numerous civil servants and political leaders who came forward and provided valuable testimonies.

However, there was one political entity missing in action, and that was our provincial government. Our government was missing in action during the occupation, despite numerous calls from myself and several colleagues here on this side of the House. And our government remained missing in action during the inquiry, refusing to appear to provide useful evidence in order to avoid another disaster of the sort. Our government invoked parliamentary privilege to shield itself from transparency. But Ontarians and the people in Ottawa deserve a response.

Why did the government refuse to participate in the inquiry? How are the people supposed to trust a government that is hiding from its duty and responsibilities?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Again, there were significant representations from the province of Ontario—including, as I mentioned before, the deputy minister. The OPP commissioner was there as well.

I’d remind the member as well that the province of Ontario, and this Legislature, of course, had a select committee which was reviewing the state of emergency here in the province of Ontario throughout the time that the convoy was in Ottawa. That also included the independent members.

But we are looking forward to building a better economy. The world economy has suffered because of COVID, but we know that there are opportunities. That’s why we’re building not only just transit corridors, but we are building roads and highways across the province of Ontario, because as the Minister of Economic Developments brings more jobs and economic opportunity to Ontario, that means we’ve got to get our product to market faster. That’s why we’re building roads, Mr. Speaker. And all the people of the province of Ontario want to participate in a better, stronger, more prosperous Ontario, and we will continue to be focused on doing that as we move forward and—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much.

The next question.

Child care

Mr. Nolan Quinn: Dedicated parents in my riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry are working harder and longer to keep up with the rising cost of living. One cost in particular that has risen over many years in this province is the cost of child care. The previous Liberal government did nothing for nearly 15 years as child care fees, on average, rose over 400% across Ontario—that’s inexcusable. Affordable and accessible child care is needed to support families and maintain consistent economic growth. Nearly a year ago, our province signed an agreement with the federal government to bring urgently needed financial relief.

Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Education: Are parents in my riding and across Ontario achieving actual cost savings that will make a difference in their lives?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I do want to thank the member for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry for his advocacy as a father and a fighter for affordable child care in this province.

We recognize that, under the former Liberals for over 15 years, child care became totally inaccessible and unattainable. It increased by 400% for an average family in the province. We knew when we came to power, under our Premier’s leadership, that we had to act to make life more affordable for working parents. We signed a deal—a better deal—with the federal government, and I’m proud, Speaker, to confirm that, as of January 1 of this year, child care fees have been reduced by 50%, on average, saving anywhere between $6,000 to $12,000 a year per child.

That is a massive step forward to the affordability program and agenda our government has undertaken for the coming year. We know there’s more to do; it’s why we continue to provide relief.

Mr. Speaker, we’re going to increase spaces while we decrease costs and help families across this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Speaker, back to the Minister of Education: What is our government’s plan to increase access to affordable child care for parents in Ontario?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Again, thank you to the member for this question. We know that we need to build more spaces to meet the rising demand in our province for families who are looking for affordable child care in their communities. In too many small towns, rural communities, remote parts of our province in the north and, increasingly, even in suburban communities and urban communities, families under the former government have had to wait years on a wait-list—unacceptable.

Our government undertook a plan, which we’ve implemented, to make fees much more affordable—a 50% reduction to date as of January 1—with a commitment to build spaces. We’ve announced, together with the Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, a plan to build 53,000 net new spaces. That’s going to mean, in Peel, 7,000 more spaces; in Simcoe, 3,000 more spaces; in the member’s riding, another 465 for Cornwall; another 827 for Hastings; and 715 for Brantford. We are making this a reality by building spaces and reducing fees, helping families across this province.

Public Order Emergency Commission report

Ms. Chandra Pasma: Last week, the Public Order Emergency Commission confirmed what Ottawa residents already knew: that in the midst of the crisis last year, the Premier and his ministers abandoned us. One

section of the report says it all, Speaker: “Ontario’s Absence.”

Justice Rouleau noted that the situation could have been resolved earlier, but the Premier refused to engage and repeatedly tried to shift his responsibility to others. Will the Premier finally take responsibility now, a year later, and apologize to the people of Ottawa?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: As I’ve said on a number of occasions, the report is quite clear that the OPP were on the ground and were prepared to assist, and, in fact, were providing information to the Ottawa Police Service. But I think there are some lessons to be learned with respect to how we communicate with each other, be it the OPP, the Parliamentary Protective Service, the RCMP and the Ottawa Police Service, in the future.

Again, we are looking forward. We have not stopped doing that, really. We’re building a bigger, better, stronger Ontario for all of the people of the province of Ontario. I look at the investments, in particular, that we are making in Ottawa, the health care investments that the Minister of Health has brought to Ottawa: the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario; the Civic. These are billions of dollars of investments to bring Ottawa’s health care system up to date.

Add on to that the investments that we’re making in long-term care in Ottawa. Go further than that, Mr. Speaker: the investments that the minister of colleges is making, and the fact that we have brought back thousands of jobs in the automotive sector, which means that the high-tech sector of Ottawa can participate in building the cars and vehicles of tomorrow. Good news for Ottawa—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The supplementary question: The member for Ottawa Centre.

Mr. Joel Harden: Back to the Premier—I really hope the Premier himself will answer the question that my colleague just posed.

Look, I think one of the biggest things we can do in politics sometimes—and it’s not easy—is to admit when we’re wrong, and we now have a federal commission that said a few embarrassing things about this government. It said that the Solicitor General said, in response to the public safety minister requesting a meeting, “You’re not my effing boss.” That was act number one.

The mayor of Ottawa asked the Premier, “Will you please come to these meetings with your political colleagues?”, and the Premier said, “It’s not worth my time.”

And then, to add insult to injury, when Justice Rouleau asked this government, asked the Premier, asked then-Solicitor General Jones to come to Ottawa to appear before the commission, they invoked parliamentary privilege and ran and hid.

Now is your opportunity to turn the page. It’s our first day back. Acknowledge you made a mistake. Apologize to the people of Ottawa.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Speaker, again, the report highlights quite effectively the work that was being done by the Ontario Provincial Police to help provide information. In fact, the OPP had started a couple of years earlier accumulating information and providing that information, not only to the Ottawa Police Service but to many other police forces around the province of Ontario.

I know many of the opposition members seem to be suggesting that there should be greater debate with respect to who directs the police in times of emergencies, whether it should be politicians or it should be the police themselves. That is a debate that the opposition is welcome to bring forward.

But we are moving forward in building a better Ontario. Many of the people of this province suffered during COVID, and we want to make sure that, as we put COVID behind us, we build a strong economy, where all Ontarians can participate. Whether that is building thousands of new houses so that people can afford to buy their first home, whether it is the work that is being done by economic development—the agriculture minister who, for the first time, is putting agriculture to the top of the list, because we understand—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The next question.

Health care

Mr. Stephen Blais: It’s nice to finally be back. My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, perhaps the most important priority any government should have is the health of the citizens that it represents, and a critical element of maintaining good health is regular access to your family doctor or other primary care professionals. Right now, here in Ontario, there are 2.2 million Ontarians without access to a family doctor. That’s almost 15% of the population, and it’s up from 1.8 million just a few years ago. Too many of our neighbours, parents and grandparents, fathers and mothers, don’t have access to primary care. Too many children don’t have access.

We’re hearing a lot of talk about big plans to reform the health system. What we haven’t heard is how this is going to help Ontarians access primary care. So what is the Premier’s government going to do to ensure that these 2.2 million Ontarians can access the important and often life-saving care from family doctors, nurse practitioners and other front-line health practitioners?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I absolutely agree: Primary care is the foundation of our health care system here in Ontario. I want to remind the member opposite that since 2018, we have in fact added 1,800 family doctors to the province of Ontario.

Now, we are not done, of course, because if we were done, we wouldn’t be building two new medical schools in the province of Ontario: one in Scarborough and one in Brampton. That is a historic investment, and an acknowledgement, frankly, that we need to build a health care system that is going to be there for an expanded population, for an aging population, to make sure that they get that foundation of a primary care physician. That will ultimately add to all of the clinical pieces we are building to make sure we have sufficient surgical units, that we have sufficient diagnostic units, that we have sufficient nurses and personal support workers.

We get it. We are making the investments, and you see that as recently as last month, when—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much.

The supplementary question.

Mr. Stephen Blais: My supplementary is also for the Premier. Since 2018, more Ontarians are lacking access to a family doctor, not fewer Ontarians. Like every other part of the province, the shortage of family doctors is having a profound impact on my own hometown, in Ottawa. Ottawa Public Health estimates that some 150,000 Ottawa residents don’t have access to primary care, and OPH admits that this number could be wildly underestimated.

The problem is only getting worse. In the first six months of the pandemic, twice as many family physicians stopped work completely compared to trends from the previous decade. In Orléans, several family doctors have announced that they are closing their practices later this spring. Some of these are very young doctors, Mr. Speaker. They’re not closing due to retirement; they’re closing because of the challenges within the health care system and the lack of support from this government. This is leaving potentially thousands more residents in the lurch without primary care.

A group of community leaders and not-for-profit groups are coming together to explore the creation of a community health centre for Orléans and for east Ottawa. Will the government support the creation of a new community health centre in east Ottawa to provide primary care to these residents?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I look forward to the proposal being brought forward for a community health centre. There is no doubt that we have seen a very successful model where clinicians—whether they are dietitians, mental health workers, nurses, nurse practitioners or physicians—coming together in those multidisciplinary clinics actually works very well, so I look forward to that proposal.

But I have to ask, with the greatest of respect: Did the member opposite vote for or against building two new medical schools in the province of Ontario? Did the member opposite vote for or against capital investments of over 50 new or expanded hospitals? Did the member opposite vote for or against when we actually have expanded primary care clinics and nurse practitioner-led clinics? Did the member opposite vote for or against? I know the answer.

Public transit

Ms. Patrice Barnes: For far too long, Ontario’s transportation network was neglected under the previous Liberal government. Ongoing failures under their leadership led to increased costs for riders and less service in accessing communities in our province. This is unacceptable. Our government needs to take urgent action to make public transit easier and more convenient for the people in my riding.

As a government, we need to ensure that we are helping individuals and families get to work, school and appointments easily, more safely and more reliably. Can the Associate Minister of Transportation please share with the House what our government is doing to make it more convenient to take transit?

Hon. Stan Cho: Thank you to the member from Ajax for the question and for her endless work on behalf of her constituents.

I’m glad to inform the member that unlike the Liberals, our government is delivering for riders by bringing Presto into the modern era. Our government introduced the credit card tap payment feature on Presto for GO, Brampton, MiWay and Oakville transit riders in August of last year, and it was met with terrific success.

I’m pleased to inform the House that just last month, on January 23, we extended this credit card tap payment feature for riders in York, Burlington, Hamilton and in the member’s own riding of Durham. The credit card tap system is fantastic news for transit riders, because Presto is simply a game-changer when you modernize it. The fact is that eight participating agencies means that 700,000 taps have been used with credit cards on these transit agencies, and achieving this milestone so quickly, Speaker, demonstrates that our government is delivering transit improvements that riders want and enjoy. By improving this Presto system, we’re getting it done for riders.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question.

Ms. Patrice Barnes: Thank you to the associate minister for his response. It was a pleasure to join you for that announcement.

The people of my riding were left behind under the previous Liberal government when it came to transit investments. Making public transit more accessible for the people of Ajax and all residents of Durham region and beyond needs to be a priority for our government. As a government, we need to ensure that transit is easier to take, more flexible and convenient for everyone. Reducing barriers to getting on the bus, especially for new users, means greater transit use, less emissions and a greener province.

Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Transportation elaborate further on what our government is doing to deliver on transit?

Hon. Stan Cho: The member is right. After 15 years of zero action from the NDP and Liberals, our transit system is not where it needs to be. That’s why our government is improving the rider experience with a refined Presto system.

Our government is now building on our introduction of credit card tap features across the rest of the 905. In fact, Speaker, we are working to implement debit tap card payment capabilities at each of these 905 transit agencies that currently accept the credit card payment feature.

What’s more, Speaker, Metrolinx, on behalf of our government, is working with the TTC to update Presto devices so that both credit and debit payments can be brought to the largest transit agency in our country for Toronto riders.

We’re not going to stop until we connect the whole grid with these payment options so that commuters can conveniently get to work, to school, wherever they need to be. Unlike the opposition, Speaker, our government is turning Presto around and providing a modern fare system that works today and for generations to come.

Fire services / Services d’incendie

Mr. Guy Bourgouin: Ma question est pour le premier ministre. On January 28, the community of Weenusk tragically lost its fourth resident due to a house fire. Sadly, this time it was a 10-year-old child. My sincere condolences go out to the family and the community.

This tragedy occurred because the community does not have proper firefighting equipment and no fire department. How is this even possible? This is a fundamental necessity to protect and save lives.

The community is asking the government for help. They have a fire truck waiting in Winnipeg. They need infrastructure. Monsieur le Premier Ministre, what will your government do to help this community to ensure history does not repeat itself?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Minister of Northern Development.

Hon. Greg Rickford: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and we pay our respects to the community and the event there. Similarly, Shoal Lake 40, a First Nations community in my riding, had an experience, a fire that occurred in the community on February 11.

There is no question, Mr. Speaker, to the member’s point, that fire preparedness and readiness has been a long-standing issue on reserve. I have notified the Chief in Shoal Lake 40 of our preparedness to support them moving forward and to take a look at options that the province can do to support efforts by the federal government to ensure that fire safety and the equipment necessary to enforce that or to bring that to a community is put in place. It’s time.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Mr. Guy Bourgouin: I appreciate the minister’s response. But two years prior to this, the same community had a fire and we brought it to his attention. My colleague from Kiiwetinoong has mentioned many times fires in communities. I ask again the question: What will your government do to protect these communities—these isolated communities—so that it doesn’t take a tragedy to make sure that we address the fundamental needs of a community to protect?

In Kiiwetinoong, the house was at the corner where the fire station would be. We have a sitting fire truck in Winnipeg. And we say we talked to the federal—well I think we have a responsibility as a province to make sure that we protect the First Nations community. So I ask again: What will your government do to protect these communities?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Solicitor General.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: Our hearts go out with communities that have lost loved ones. This is absolutely the case. But the Office of the Fire Marshal will support enhancements to public safety in all of Ontario, particularly northern Ontario.

I have remained in close contact with Indigenous provincial and federal partners to ensure that First Nations communities across our province have the support they need. Pour moi, en tant que solliciteur général, rien n’est plus important que la sécurité de notre province.

Child and family services

Mr. Kevin Holland: My question is for the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. All women and children in Ontario deserve to live without the threat of violence. Sadly, incidents involving human trafficking in women fleeing abuse occur in our province. Many women who leave these circumstances often face challenges in finding support. These obstacles are more pronounced in rural and remote parts of Ontario, where distances make accessing resources extremely difficult.

Everyone has the right to be safe. As a government. we are responsible for directly addressing this issue. What is our government doing to support these women and children?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: I’d like to thank the member for Thunder Bay–Atikokan for the question—a very important question. Our government believes that everyone has a right to feel safe and to be safe, and we believe that no matter where you live, access to support and services should be available for the victims of gender-based violence and sexual exploitation, so we acted. We invested up to $6.5 million in support so survivors can access the services and supports they need to heal and rebuild their lives, and to get their children access to the early intervention they need to heal from experiencing and seeing violence at young age.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): And the supplementary question.

Mr. Kevin Holland: Thank you to the minister for her response. All governments must respond to the reality that victims of violence and human trafficking from smaller communities face unique challenges. That difference is especially stark in northern Ontario, where support services may be a great distance from where victims live. Despite this, access to these supports and timely and effective care in rural, remote and northern communities should not be overlooked. All governments need to take action to break down barriers, so women who have experienced violence can receive the help they need, no matter where they live in Ontario.

Speaker, how is our government ensuring appropriate funding for women in rural, remote and northern communities?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you to the member for Thunder Bay–Atikokan for the supplementary question. This funding includes up to $3.6 million dedicated to front-line agencies in rural and remote communities, so they can strengthen culturally responsive supports for Indigenous women and reduce barriers for survivors of violence and human trafficking, for example by providing transportation to and from counselling and legal appointments. This includes supports for First Nations organizations like the Ontario Native Women’s Association, and for community-based organizations like New Starts for Women in Red Lake and le centre pour femmes Ellevive in Timmins.

Under the Premier’s leadership, we are ensuring that timely intervention and diverse care is available to help survivors where and when they need it.

Gender-based violence

MPP Jill Andrew: In September 2015, Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kukyk and Nathalie Warmerdam were murdered by a man in Renfrew county. The perpetrator knew all three women.

Their tragic murders led to the Renfrew county inquest, which last June made 86 specific and concrete recommendations to prevent intimate partner violence. The very first recommendation is to identify the problem and declare intimate partner violence an epidemic. Will the Premier accept the first recommendation from the Renfrew county inquest and declare intimate partner violence an epidemic?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Solicitor General.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I want to thank the member for the question. My thoughts continue to be with the victims’ families and friends, and all those who were impacted by this tragedy. Everyone has a right to live safely and with dignity and free of intimidation and threat of violence.

Over the past six months, provincial ministries have reviewed the jury’s recommendations. The work needed to understand, assess and plan for the recommendations is complex and must be done with care and attention. As the relevant ministries work to provide the Office of the Chief Coroner with an update on these recommendations, we’re committed to breaking the cycle of intimate partner violence and supporting survivors to help keep our communities safe. I look forward to a completed review and recommendations before the summer.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question?

MPP Jill Andrew: The government did not answer the question. One murder is too many. Since 1990, nearly 1,000 women in Ontario have been victims of femicide. Indigenous, Black, trans and rural women are disproportionately vulnerable. Some 68 of the inquest recommendations are for this province, therefore the government’s responsibility. These are key to supporting rural communities, where supports for victims of intimate partner violence are desperately inadequate.

I’ll ask the government again: Will they implement the first recommendation and name intimate partner violence what it is, an epidemic? And furthermore, will they do recommendation number 4 and create the role of an independent survivor advocate to advocate on behalf of survivors and their experience in the justice system?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity to reply.

Hon. Charmaine A. Williams: The member opposite is right: One death is too many. That’s why I’m proud that our government recently endorsed the release of Canada’s first National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Ontario led the approach in forwarding the national action plan to the FPT forum of justice ministers with a written request that they commit to taking further action to improve justice system responses, including holding perpetrators and offenders accountable.

In addition, our government has recently invested up to $3.6 million this year to support survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence in rural and remote communities. On February 10, the government provided

part 1 of Ontario’s response to the Office of the Chief Coroner, and this response reflects the progress made so far.

We will continue to work across government to provide an update and comprehensive response in the future.

Independent members

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ottawa–Vanier has a point of order.

M me Lucille Collard: I am seeking the unanimous consent of the House that, notwithstanding standing order 40(e), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to respond to the ministerial statements this afternoon.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ottawa–Vanier is seeking the unanimous consent of the House that, notwithstanding standing order 40(e), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to respond to the ministerial statements this afternoon. Agreed? Agreed.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Mississauga–Malton has a point of order.

Mr. Deepak Anand: Mr. Speaker, with utmost pleasure, I want to share the joy of something I have been waiting for for over four years: to welcome my brother, Shalinder Anand, and his lovely wife, Sweety Anand, visiting for the first time this House of responsibility. Remarks in Punjabi . Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): There being no further business this morning, this House stands in recess until 3 p.m.

The House recessed from 1209 to 1500.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We have with us today, in the Speaker’s gallery, a delegation of first- and second-tour officers from the United States Consulate General in Toronto, led by Ms. Susan Crystal, who is the consul general for the United States in Toronto. Please join me in warmly welcoming our guests to the Legislative Assembly today.

Ms. Chandra Pasma: Speaker, I would like to welcome three Western students to the House this afternoon: Chanel Parikh, Basma Mustafa and Opeyemi Dinah, who are participating in the Women in House initiative and are shadowing me this afternoon, along with Karissa Singh, an OLIP intern in my office and an integral part of my office for the past few months.

Welcome to the people’s House.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Introduction of visitors? The member for Windsor–Tecumseh.

Mr. Andrew Dowie: Thank you, Speaker—and I might be jumping ahead a little bit, but I do want to welcome the family of former MPP Mike Ray to the House. I know you’ll be identifying them later on.

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: I would like to welcome Lara Suleiman and Sofia Ouslis from Western University, my alma mater, who are joining me today from the University Students’ Council’s Women in House initiative that sends students to shadow a female MPP. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta: I, too, would like to welcome three students from the Women in House program, Gia, Iris and Sarah, who are here to learn about our parliamentary democracy and who will be shadowing me today. Welcome to the House.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Haldimand–Norfolk.

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: Thank you, Speaker. There’s a bit of a theme. I’d like to welcome Joy Chen and Shreya Menon from Western University Students’ Council’s Women in House, who are also shadowing me this afternoon.

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs and move its adoption.

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Valerie Quioc Lim): Your committee begs to report the following the bill without amendment:

Bill 46,

An Act to enact one Act and amend various other Acts / Projet de loi 46, Loi visant à édicter une loi et à modifier diverses autres lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed? Agreed.

Report adopted.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I beg leave to present a report on Value-for-Money Audit: Condominium Oversight in Ontario, 2020 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and move the adoption of its recommendations.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Rakocevic has presented the committee’s report and moves the adoption of its recommendations.

Does the member wish to make a brief statement?

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I do, Speaker.

As Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, I’m pleased to table these four reports today.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the permanent membership of the committee and substitute members who participated in the public hearings and report-writing process. The committee extends its appreciation to officials from all of the ministries and agencies who participated in these respective hearings. The committee also acknowledges the assistance provided during the hearings and report-writing deliberations by the Office of the Auditor General, the Clerk of the Committee and legislative research.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Rakocevic has moved the adjournment of the debate. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Debate adjourned.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I beg leave to present a report on Value-for-Money Audit: COVID-19 Economic Response and Supports for Businesses, 2021 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and move the adoption of its recommendations.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Rakocevic presents the committee’s report and moves the adoption of its recommendations.

Does the member wish to make a brief statement?

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I do not. I move adjournment of the debate.

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

Debate adjourned.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I beg leave to present a report on Value-for-Money Audit: COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment Supply, 2021 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and move the adoption of its recommendations.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Rakocevic has presented the committee’s report and moves the adoption of its recommendations.

Does the member wish to make a brief statement?

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I move adjournment of the debate.

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

Debate adjourned.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: As you all sit expectantly on the edge of your seats, I beg leave to present a report on Value-for-Money Audit: Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council, 2021 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and move the adoption of its recommendations.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Rakocevic presents the committee’s report and moves the adoption of its recommendations.

Does the member wish to make a brief statement?

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I move adjournment of the debate.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carryx? Carried.

Debate adjourned.

Introduction of Government Bills

Your Health Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 concernant votre santé

Ms. Jones moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 60,

An Act to amend and enact various Acts with respect to the health system / Projet de loi 60, Loi visant à modifier et à édicter diverses lois en ce qui concerne le système de santé.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): It is the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I will invite the minister to make a brief statement explaining her bill.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: This legislation will support the implementation of the Your Health plan by first establishing a new legislative framework to support the expansion of surgical surgeries in the community. It will also enable Canadian registered health professionals to practise in Ontario immediately, without waiting for registration with the relevant college. It will allow pharmacists to independently initiate prescriptions based on the pharmacist’s own assessment of a patient’s health when providing medication therapies.

And, finally, it will enhance privacy obligations for external data indicators and facilitate safe interaction of de-identified health administrative data across the system.

Introduction of Bills

Making Psychotherapy Services Tax-Free Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 pour des services de psychothérapie exempts de taxes

MPP Andrew moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 61,

An Act in respect of the tax treatment of psychotherapy services provided by certain practitioners in Ontario under the Psychotherapy Act, 2007 / Projet de loi 61, Loi concernant le traitement fiscal des services de psychothérapie offerts par certains praticiens en Ontario en application de la Loi de 2007 sur les psychothérapeutes.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): It is the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll invite the member to make a brief statement explaining the bill.

MPP Jill Andrew: Mental health care is health care, and it should be part of medicare. It must be made accessible to all those in need of it when they need it, regardless of their financial situation, especially as we’ve seen spikes in depression, anxiety, eating disorders, evictions and other mental health challenges during the pandemic and as a response to the pressures of the affordability crisis and the trauma of systemic discrimination. Here in Ontario, every Ontarian should be able to access mental health supports with their health card and not their credit card.

My bill, Making Psychotherapy Services Tax-Free Act, 2023, co-sponsored by our fantastic health critic, the MPP for Nickel Belt, will immediately remove the 13% HST tax from registered psychotherapy services as a critical, cost-saving first step and an immediate change this government can make to move our province in the right direction towards mental health care being fully incorporated into our publicly funded health care system.

Farmland and Arable Land Strategy Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur la stratégie en matière de terres agricoles et de terres arables

Ms. Brady moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 62,

An Act to provide for the development of a farmland and arable land strategy and an advisory committee on farmland and arable land / Projet de loi 62, Loi prévoyant l’élaboration d’une stratégie en matière de terres agricoles et de terres arables et la création d’un comité consultatif des terres agricoles et des terres arables.

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

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the member care to briefly explain her bill?

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady: The act requires the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to develop a strategic action plan that aims to protect Ontario’s farmland and arable land from development, aggregate mining and the effects of fluctuating commodity prices and the availability of vacant land. The minister is required to engage in consultations when developing the strategy and must prepare a report setting out the strategy within nine months after the act receives royal assent.

The act also establishes the Farmland and Arable Land Advisory Committee, whose mandate is to provide advice and recommendations to the minister that aim to prevent further land degradation in order to protect farmland and arable land for generations to come and ensure short-term and long-term food security for Ontario.

Farmland and arable land is productive, valuable and essential, but most importantly, it is finite and non-renewable. This is an important consideration in the face of increasing pressure to develop housing in Ontario.

1753461 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2023

Mr. Vanthof moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr14,

An Act to revive 1753461 Ontario Ltd.

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

First reading agreed to.

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Black History Month

Hon. Charmaine A. Williams: I want to thank my colleague the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, who is also going to be speaking about this very important topic.

I’m pleased to have the opportunity to recognize Black History Month in the House today. This is a time to celebrate the many contributions Black Ontarians have made to this great province and to have important conversations about issues affecting the Black community. I’ve been honoured to participate in numerous special events over the last few weeks to mark this month and bring greetings on behalf of our government. As a Black woman, Black MPP and Black member of cabinet, I am a voice for the community in my constituency, here in the Legislature and across the province.

The Black community is an integral part of the rich cultural fabric of this province and of our history. In fact, this province is home to more than half of the total Black population in Canada. While close to half of Ontario’s Black population were born in Canada, the other half hail from an astounding 150 different countries. What an incredible wealth of diversity this brings—from art and storytelling to music and dance, to food, traditions, history and academia, and so much more. African Canadian culture has truly contributed to Ontario’s cultural fabric at large. That is something we should be very proud of.

For the Black Ontarians born here, their perspectives are just as valuable. Whether descended from past immigrants who made the journey to this province from around the world or descended from the former slaves who found freedom here after arriving via the Underground Railroad, all are a part of our history and contribute to making Ontario the vibrant place that it is today.

Like my family, many Black people immigrated to Canada seeking employment opportunities and a chance to put roots down in this beautiful country and province we all call home.

As we reflect on the contributions Black Ontarians have made to this province, the examples are countless. There are, of course, the well-known icons, such as the Honourable Lincoln Alexander or Michael Lutrell, a.k.a. “Pinball” Clemons, for instance. But there are also many who are not well known. Yet those quiet contributions have made a difference in the lives of those around them and in their communities, like Myrna Adams, VP of CARP and seniors’ advocate, or Quentin VerCetty, a multi-award-winning Afrofuturist artist responsible for the bust of the Honourable Lincoln Alexander.

From Black youth workers and mentors to coaches and educators, to community volunteers and caregivers, there are a host of role models in communities across the province who are setting strong examples and inspiring Black children and youth each day, like Skye and Orlando Bowen, a power couple advocating for equity and inclusion and elevating the voices of youth, or Obioma Dike, who supports young people along their entire apprenticeship journey to ensure they are successful.

As we recognize all of these contributions, Black History Month is also a time to reflect on the injustices and inequities the community has faced throughout history, some of which continue to this day. Acknowledging that there is still a lot of work to be done in this province to overcome racism and discrimination is an important step to achieving equity for all Ontarians.

I am proud of the work our government is doing to combat racism and hate and remove barriers to create an equitable Ontario.

As the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, I see first-hand the barriers that many women face in achieving financial independence—and these barriers are even greater for Black women.

Mr. Speaker, as we near the end of Black History Month, I encourage all Ontarians to join members of this House in paying tribute to our fellow Black Ontarians. We do have much to celebrate. But we also must renew our individual and professional commitments to removing barriers so we can create an equitable Ontario that celebrates our differences and our vibrant communities.

Instead of seeing differences as a hindrance, we must draw strength from our different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Because when we work together, we are stronger.

I am a Black woman in a leadership role with a voice at the table. I am an example of what can happen when people are given opportunities.

I thank the Premier for his leadership and commitment to seeing this government reflect our province.

To every young Black person watching this today: If you can see me, you can be me. You are strong, and your voice is important, and you are powerful beyond measure.

Happy Black History Month.

Hon. Michael D. Ford: Thank you to my colleague the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity for her incredibly powerful words—and I truly can’t say it better myself here.

I am both humbled and appreciative for the opportunity to rise in the House today to celebrate Black History Month.

Black history is Ontario’s history. During Black History Month, we take time to pause, to recognize and celebrate Black history, culture and individuals whose achievements have played a vital role in making Ontario what it is today.

From the arts and sciences to sports, medicine, business and politics, Ontario has been home to generations of Black leaders who excelled in every field in communities right across our great province—as said earlier, from Lincoln Alexander to Jean Augustine, the first Black man and woman to be elected to the House of Commons and to serve in cabinet; to Doug Salmon, the first Black surgeon in our country; to Wes Hall, a renowned innovator, entrepreneur and philanthropist; to Tajon Buchanan, Derek Cornelius, Jonathan David, Junior Hoilett, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Cyle Larin, Richie Laryea, Kamal Miller and Dayne St.

Clair from the men’s national soccer team who proudly represented our nation on the world stage last year at the FIFA World Cup.

Looking around this room and in this Parliament, we have remarkable Black leaders on both sides of the aisle, including my government colleagues the associate minister from Brampton Centre and the members from Ajax and Scarborough Centre. Collectively, these members have served their communities in many different ways over the years and continue to use their voice to advocate for their constituents, for Black communities and for the people of Ontario here at Queen’s Park.

These are just some examples of Black Ontarians who have inspired their communities, myself and people across our great province.

But as the associate minister said earlier, there are also many who are not well known, yet whose quiet but mighty contributions have made a big difference in the lives of those around them and in their communities; for example, organizations like the Early Childhood Development Initiative in my riding of York South-Weston, who are doing incredible work to support Black children and families in our communities—and I was proud to have them in the Legislature today.

There is an organization in Windsor that is connecting Black youth to academic supports, career exploration and mental health resources.

There are historical societies that are actively preserving and showcasing the stories of Black Ontarians, from their journey to Ontario and their lived experiences upon arrival.

I also know an organization in Ottawa that is empowering Black entrepreneurs through mentorship, networking and supports.

Ontario’s strength is in our diversity. Ontario is stronger because of the hard work, dedication and resilience that Black Ontarians have shown and continue to show each and every day.

The theme of this year’s Black History Month is “Ours to Tell.” While we take pride in the many ways Black Ontarians have strengthened communities, schools, workplaces and all aspects of society, we have the responsibility to listen, learn and further our collective understanding of Black history and the lived experiences of Black Ontarians, both past and in the present.

Today, challenges and barriers that Black Ontarians face are still ever-present, and it’s important that we as a province and a society acknowledge that anti-Black racism and injustice still exist today.

There remains much more to do and much more to learn, but our government and I stand shoulder to shoulder with Ontario’s Black communities, to move forward and continue the ongoing work to recover, build bridges and fight anti-Black racism head-on, not just throughout Black History Month, but every day. The work does not stop on February 28.

Let us all recommit ourselves to being allies and partners in supporting the Black community, now and well into the future. I know that when we work together, we can do anything. Together, we will build a stronger Ontario and a better and brighter future not just for Black Ontarians, but for all Ontarians.

Human trafficking / Traite des personnes

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Tomorrow is Human Trafficking Awareness Day—a day dedicated to better understanding the warning signs and how we can help victims and survivors when and where they need it. This vicious crime creates lasting emotional, physical, spiritual and mental trauma for victims and survivors. We know that human trafficking poses a real and growing threat to the children and youth of our province.

That’s why, in 2020, our government released a comprehensive, five-year strategy to combat this crime. Our $307-million strategy includes actions across government to raise awareness, interrupt supply, protect victims, support survivors, and hold offenders accountable for their crimes. It is the largest total investment in dedicated anti-human trafficking services and supports in the country.

Today, with my colleague the Solicitor General, we will be sharing some of our government’s progress on delivering that strategy. A key focus is protecting children and youth from sex trafficking, as they are among those most vulnerable to being targeted by traffickers.

In 2021, as part of our strategy, we launched a new model of intervention called Children at Risk of Exploitation Units, or CARE units, with an investment of $11.5 million over three years. These specialized teams pair police officers and child protection workers to proactively identify children and youth at risk of being sex-trafficked and connect them to resources they need. These units have already had life-changing impacts on vulnerable young people. Over six months last year, CARE units had 319 interactions with children and youth suspected of being trafficked.

They supported 27 human trafficking investigations, and 77 criminal charges were laid as a result of this work. This new approach has resulted in successful interventions with children—some younger than 12 years old—who were at risk. The success of these units is based on their collaborative approach. CARE unit members have built relationships with children who sometimes have no one else who can understand their trauma.

Another highlight of our work over the past year has been the delivery of cross-sector anti-human trafficking training. This training is designed for front-line professionals most likely to encounter children and youth who are being sex-trafficked, who have been trafficked in the past, or who are at risk. It is an intensive training program that equips participants with the knowledge to better identify suspected instances of human trafficking, including how to respond and support victims.

It is also survivor-centred, involving individuals with lived experience at every stage, from development to delivery, as leaders of the training. And 95% of those who have taken this intensive training have said that they felt better equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand, identify and appropriately respond to human trafficking.

Finally, I’d like to mention another community-based service being delivered as part of our strategy and the difference it is making. The Ontario Native Women’s Association is one of the organizations being funded under our strategy to deliver community supports. Over the last year, they helped 316 individuals exit from being trafficked. They connected with more than 5,800 individuals to provide resources and support through street-based outreach work, and they have delivered training and educational programs to more than 5,600 people.

The examples I’ve shared today speak to the results that we have achieved by working with partners to deliver Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy. I am proud that these initiatives are having an impact, and I am grateful to everyone who is taking part.

But there is a role we can all play in stopping human trafficking.

I would like to encourage all members of this House to take the time to learn the signs of human trafficking and exploitation by visiting ontario.ca/humantrafficking. Tog