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May 2, 2005

38th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2005-May-02 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Monday 2 May 2005 Lundi 2 mai 2005

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM FUNDING

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

REGIONAL CENTRES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

KASHECHEWAN FIRST NATION

ARBOUR DAY

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

POLICE OFFICERS

LAPS FOR LUNGS

FIRE IN COBOURG

VISITORS

ROYAL ASSENT /

SANCTION ROYALE

MOTIONS

COMMITTEE SITTINGS

VISITORS

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

EDUCATION WEEK /

SEMAINE DE L'ÉDUCATION

AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

EDUCATION WEEK

DEFERRED VOTES

PRIVATE SECURITY AND

INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES ACT, 2005 /

LOI DE 2005 SUR LES SERVICES PRIVÉS

DE SÉCURITÉ ET D'ENQUÊTE

MEMBERS' ANNIVERSARIES

SEXUAL ASSAULT

PREVENTION MONTH

BUDGET SPEECH

ORAL QUESTIONS

MUNICIPAL FINANCES

OBSTETRICAL CARE

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

EDUCATION FUNDING

FOREST INDUSTRY

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

GREENBELT

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

EDUCATION

</A>ELECTRICITY RESTRUCTURING

EDUCATION FUNDING

ELECTRICITY GENERATION

PETITIONS

JUSTICE SYSTEM

ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK

REGIONAL CENTRES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

GO TRANSIT TUNNEL

REGIONAL CENTRES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

ANTI-SMOKING LEGISLATION

MUNICIPAL PLANNING

REGIONAL CENTRES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK

ORDERS OF THE DAY

MUNICIPAL AMENDMENT ACT, 2005 /

LOI DE 2005 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LES MUNICIPALITÉS

ADOPTION INFORMATION

DISCLOSURE ACT, 2005 /

LOI DE 2005 SUR LA DIVULGATION DE

RENSEIGNEMENTS SUR LES ADOPTIONS

MUNICIPAL AMENDMENT ACT, 2005 /

LOI DE 2005 MODIFIANT LA LOI

SUR LES MUNICIPALITÉS

(CONTINUED)

The House met at 1330.

Prayers.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM FUNDING

Mr. Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): Last week I had the pleasure of driving across this great province. I stopped to meet with business

people, councillors and industry representatives from across the north. One issue that was raised over and over by municipal councils right across the north was this government's Canada-Ontario

municipal rural infrastructure fund. I was astonished to hear the circumstances of two communities where COMRIF applications were rejected: Rainy River and Iroquois Falls.

Rainy River is under an environmental caution for their sewer system. In fact, the situation is so grave that the community can't add another house to their

existing system. This government turned down their application.

Iroquois Falls also made a COMRIF application for improvements to their water and sewer system. The water system is so bad that when the Iroquois Falls fire

service truck responded to a garage fire they found that the filters on the truck got plugged from corrosion from the water system. The garage burned down. Thankfully, no one was injured. Iroquois

Falls's COMRIF application was also rejected.

These are just two of the communities that are disappointed by this program. In fact, only two communities in northwestern Ontario received funding. Many

councillors I spoke with at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association remarked that it looked as if COMRIF funding stopped at North Bay.

Northern communities are struggling with antiquated water and sewer systems, but this government doesn't seem to be listening to their cries for help. I'd like

to ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing why he has turned his back on the communities in northern Ontario.

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

Mrs. Carol Mitchell (Huron-Bruce): I'm very pleased to rise today to make everyone aware of the upcoming Organization of Small Urban

Municipalities' conference, commonly known as OSUM. This year it is being held in the beautiful town of Goderich, Ontario, in the new state-of-the-art building called the Maitland Recreation

Centre. This year's theme is Strong Partnerships -- Strong Communities, and I think this is an excellent theme. It represents not only the strong partnerships between small urban municipalities but

their strong partnership with the provincial government.

OSUM is an important part of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. I am proud to be part of a government that is listening to the concerns of small urban

municipalities. The new Ontario municipal partnership fund is an example of how we have consulted with AMO to come up with a formula that all municipalities can understand and that treats all

municipalities with fairness and equality.

I wish to thank all of the organizers and volunteers for this 52nd annual OSUM conference and welcome all of the delegates. I know they will enjoy the town of

Goderich, and I encourage all members to come to this event within the beautiful riding of Huron-Bruce.

REGIONAL CENTRES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

Mr. Robert W. Runciman (Leeds-Grenville): In recent months we've heard the Minister of Community and Social Services defend the Liberal

government's plan to close the three remaining centres in Ontario that are home to over 1,000 adults with severe developmental disabilities. These are centres that the minister has declined to

tour, and she has forged ahead with a cold and calculated decision driven solely by financial considerations.

The de-institutionalization and closure of the three facilities -- Southwestern Regional, Huronia and Rideau Regional -- had been brought to a virtual standstill

by the previous Progressive Conservative government, and for good reason. That good reason was a determination that in the cases of the most severely disabled, the ones who are still in these

excellent facilities, their needs are best met in their current environment.

In her defence of the closures, Minister Pupatello talks about the provision of community services, but thousands of Ontarians are already waiting for those

services to materialize. Before the Liberal government starts moving people out of their homes -- facilities such as the Rideau Regional Centre -- I implore them to provide an individual service

plan that will satisfy the concerns of family members who believe their loved ones are now receiving the best care available. I believe that family members are in the best position to assess the

care model that meets the needs of their loved ones, and their beliefs should not be ignored.

KASHECHEWAN FIRST NATION

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay): That's a statement I totally agree with.

I want to bring to the attention of the Legislature the situation in Kashechewan. You will know that last Wednesday, both myself and Minister Kwinter went to

Kashechewan to visit the flood that happened there this spring.

I want to paint a bit of a picture for you of what this community has to face. They are basically a community that is built inside a dike. About 10 years ago,

the federal government built a dike around the community, about 20 feet high, made of dirt, to protect the community from possible floods from the Albany River. Well, Mr. Speaker, you will know

there are not many things that stand up to Mother Nature and, sure as things are the way they are, that particular dike is starting to have some engineering problems. As the minister who was with

me knows -- and he was so gracious to come along -- we recognize that we have a very serious situation where we have to make a decision either to replace the dike and rebuild it or to try to move

the community away.

In the words of Monte Kwinter, the minister who was with me, it's a really difficult situation for that community. Imagine living in a dike, and what that has to

do with how you feel as an individual living in a community like that, where when you walk out your door in the morning, all you see is a big berm of sand and dirt.

I want to thank Minister Kwinter for having come last Wednesday. I notice that he is sending me over some information about it as we speak. I look forward to

working with him and pressuring our federal government, along with the province, to do what needs to be done to resolve the situation in Kashechewan.

ARBOUR DAY

Mr. Bob Delaney (Mississauga West): I rise today to recognize Arbour Day in the city of Mississauga. The observance of Arbour Day, which

originated in 1872 in Nebraska, has spread to Canada and other countries around the world, and it's been adopted by schools and organizations as a tree-planting and environmental cleanup day.

The city of Mississauga celebrates Arbour Day annually with a tree-planting ceremony. This year's celebration was held Friday, April 29, at St. Edith Stein

Elementary School near my home in Mississauga West. Students prepared for the special day by tracing and colouring their own handprints, which, once collected and assembled, formed a vibrant

multicoloured mural of trees titled Helping Hands for Earth.

Friday's celebrations brought student representatives from each class together to join in singing It's a Wonderful World, followed by a reading of The Giving

Tree. My parish priest, Father Leo Huard, who in June will celebrate his 40th anniversary of ordination, then blessed the 20-foot sugar maple tree planted at the school.

I'd like to recognize and congratulate St. Edith Stein's principal, Cathy Saytar; vice-principal, Julie Rienzo; and ward 9 councillor Pat Saito and her

representative, Teresa Martin-Greer, as well as the entire St. Edith Stein student body for raising awareness about environmental protection in Mississauga and making 2005 Arbour Day celebrations a

success.

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

Mr. Tony C. Wong (Markham): Being able to celebrate and take pride in our cultural diversities and heritage gives Ontario its strength. I stand

here today to proudly announce that May is Asian Heritage Month.

Asian Canadians have greatly enriched our province over the years, and their contributions have helped to shape our community. We need only to look at the world

of literature and the names of Joy Kogawa, Paul Yee, Michael Ondaatje, Anita Rau Badami, Shauna Singh Baldwin, Wayson Choy, and Rohinton Mistry. They remind us of how lucky we are to have such

great writers, who tell their wonderful and compelling stories about their experiences and heritage.

Asian Ontarians have also excelled in many other areas: in the medical community, in the sciences and in government.

Our current Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, and the Honourable Vivienne Poy have made significant contributions, not only to our province but also to our

country. In the medical community, Toronto's own Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui was a major contributor to the international project in mapping the human genome. In the financial community, Christopher Ondaatje

has contributed significantly with his generous donation to the ROM. Mr. Ondaatje has stated that his contribution is a manifestation of not only his love of the ROM and his pride in his own South

Asian heritage but, most importantly, his love and appreciation of Canada.

Our province is fortunate to have Asian immigrants call Ontario their home. Their contributions have helped shape our province, making Ontario the place to be. I

ask all of you to join me, along with all Ontarians, in celebrating Asian Heritage Month, and to celebrate the diversity and strength of our province.

POLICE OFFICERS

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): Yesterday, May 1, I had the honour of representing our caucus and our leader, John Tory, at the sixth annual

ceremony of remembrance at the Ontario Police Memorial here at Queen's Park. This year, the names of Constable Tyler L. Boutilier of the Grenville OPP, Constable Christopher Garrett of the Cobourg

police, and Constable Michael Siydock of the Port Credit OPP were added to the wall of honour.

The spouses of the officers, family members, and thousands of police officers from police services from across our province, and even officers from the United

States of America were present. It was a beautiful service, with the Ontario Provincial Police choruses and various pipes and drums providing music.

The ceremony of remembrance is organized each year by the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation. I would like to thank the board of directors of the foundation:

Richard Houston, president; Robert Welsh, vice-president; Frank Parkhouse; Charlie Green; Timothy Zayack; Joan Whalley, and David Brown for their commitment in seeing that this important event is

carried on year after year.

But in particular, I'd like to thank the families of Tyler, Chris, and Michael for allowing their special heroes to serve the citizens of our great province.

They will always be heroes in life, not death.

LAPS FOR LUNGS

Mrs. Maria Van Bommel (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex): I rise today to talk about Laps for Lungs. Laps for Lungs is a new, school-based health

promotion and charitable activity that is organized by the Lung Association. It is aimed at helping to educate students about asthma, as well as supporting schools with their fundraising

strategy.

Laps for Lungs works in four ways: It provides asthma education and information for students from junior kindergarten to grade 8, their teachers and their

parents; it promotes physical fitness among students; it gives back 30% of the net proceeds of each registered school as they raise it; and it provides vital funding for the Lung Association to

ensure the continuation and development of its programs, research and other education initiatives.

I applaud the Lung Association, the schools and the students that participate in this important event, as it helps to bring awareness to a condition that affects

more and more people every year. We must all do our part to ease the suffering that asthma causes.

I'm proud to say that we are doing our part. Last week we announced the closing of the Lakeview generating station. It was physically shut down this weekend.

Closing Lakeview is the equivalent of removing 500,000 cars from the road -- that's half a million vehicles. Not only will this help our environment by eliminating over two million tonnes of

greenhouse gas emissions and help us in our efforts to achieve Canada's Kyoto targets, but by shutting down Lakeview and eliminating those emissions, we are also insuring that all Ontarians can

breathe cleaner air.

FIRE IN COBOURG

Mr. Lou Rinaldi (Northumberland): It is with extreme pleasure that I rise in front of the House today to update my colleagues on the status of

the dreadful fire that occurred one week ago today at Horizon Plastics in my riding of Northumberland.

I had the opportunity this weekend to meet with Brian Read, the president of Horizon Plastics. He was thankful for the support that was offered by the community

and ministry officials. Mr. Read expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Labour staff for their much-needed support and guidance during these difficult

circumstances.

We've always known that Northumberland is a wonderful community to live in, but only when circumstances like these present themselves is it clearly evident how

thoughtful and considerate these citizens really are. So many people pulled together to offer their unselfish and generous help to everyone and anyone in need of assistance.

Generously, a local community college offered temporary office space to Horizon Plastics, which permitted them to be back up and running on Tuesday, April 26,

less than 24 hours after the day of the horrific fire. Mr. Read proudly let us know that he never missed a day of shipping.

Mr. Read has stated that this is one reason that he continues to operate his large-scale operation in Cobourg. We often take for granted how wonderful life is in

small-town Ontario, until something as devastating as this happens. Mr. Read was astounded at the way people went out of their way to help his company get back and running. I'm happy to say, along

with Mr. Read, that the company is 100% in operation today.

VISITORS

Mr. Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I had the pleasure of having lunch with Page Taylor Mercer today, and I

wanted to introduce his family, because he has four generations here today; they're in the west members' gallery. His mother, Lauralynn Mercer, his grandmother, Barbara Mercer, and his

great-grandmother, Mildred Caines, are here listening today.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): That's not a point of order, but it's a very interesting point.

ROYAL ASSENT /

SANCTION ROYALE

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): I beg to inform the House that in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, His Honour the Lieutenant Governor has

been pleased to assent to a certain bill in his office.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Mr. Todd Decker): The following is the title of the bill to which His Honour did assent:

Bill 60,

An Act to amend the Ontario Heritage Act / Projet de loi 60, Loi modifiant la

Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario.

MOTIONS

COMMITTEE SITTINGS

Hon. David Caplan (Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal): I believe we have unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice

regarding the standing committee on general government and the standing committee on the Legislative Assembly.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): Do we have unanimous consent? Agreed.

Hon. Mr. Caplan: I move that, in addition to their regularly scheduled meeting times, the standing committee on general government be authorized

to meet the morning of Wednesday, May 4, 2005, for the purpose of considering Bill 3,

An Act to protect anaphylactic students, and the standing committee on the Legislative Assembly be authorized

to meet on Wednesday, May 11, 2005, for the purpose of considering Bill 133,

An Act to amend the Environmental Protection Act and the Ontario Water Resources Act in respect of enforcement and other

matters.

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

VISITORS

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I'd like to take this time to draw the members' attention to

a visitor from my hometown of Barry's Bay here today: Wilmer Matthews, a former principal at several high schools in the riding. It's good to have him here today.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): The member knows that's not a point of order, but welcome.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Hon. David Caplan (Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal): It is indeed my great pleasure to inform the House that last week the

Canada-Ontario affordable housing agreement was officially signed and Ontario's new affordable housing program has been launched.

This is an historic occasion in this province. Ontario is back into affordable housing in a meaningful, significant way, after almost a decade of neglect by the

previous government. I want all members of this House to know that that decade of discontent is over. Thousands of new units and housing allowances will become available for the neediest, most

vulnerable members of our society.

This momentous agreement occurred through precedent-setting co-operation among all three levels of government, each committing to finding a long-term affordable

housing solution.

Over the past many months, ministry staff and I have worked closely with Canada's Minister of Housing, Joe Fontana, as well as other federal ministers

responsible for housing -- Andy Scott and Steve Mahoney -- and their staff to develop the best new affordable housing program possible.

This new program also affirms the effectiveness of this government's approach to negotiating with its municipal partners and stakeholder groups. By choosing

consultation over confrontation and co-operation over conflict, we were able to reach this historic agreement. Our government consulted with and listened to our municipal partners and stakeholder

groups, who told us that the old program designed by the previous government simply did not work. They told us they needed more flexibility to meet local housing needs. They told us about the

growing affordability problems in northern Ontario and in rural communities. They told us that they wanted to try innovative approaches.

Well, the McGuinty government listened. We agreed and, most importantly, we have acted. Ontario demanded and fought for flexibility and innovation. To their

credit, our federal partners listened.

I also want to acknowledge the work of my colleague Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Gerretsen and his valued insights and contribution.

Our government truly believes that in an age of affluence, in one of the richest jurisdictions in the world, there is no justification for turning our backs on

those who suffer misfortune. That is why, despite an extremely challenging fiscal situation, the McGuinty government is investing $301 million in this affordable housing program, matching the $301

million contributed by the federal government, for a grand total of $602 million. We are keeping our election commitment to fully match federal dollars in this critical area. This brings the total

amount invested in affordable housing in Ontario by the federal, provincial and municipal governments to $734 million over the life of this program. It's an investment that will create more than

15,000 units of affordable housing and provide housing allowances for some 5,000 lower-income families.

Through the affordable housing program, there will be: more affordable rental units; more support for those needing housing assistance in northern Ontario; a

major expansion of new supportive housing for victims of domestic violence and persons suffering from mental illness; and $80 million directed toward 5,000 housing allowances in communities right

across the province, providing immediate relief to low-income Ontarians.

The program establishes the Ontario mortgage and housing partnership, fulfilling another key commitment of our government. This will help housing providers

access stable, long-term, low-cost financing to help build more units faster.

The program will also help make home ownership possible for those who thought it was beyond their reach. We are introducing the home ownership market entry

fund, or HOME, a new initiative that will offer a capital grant for the creation of new affordable housing. This grant will help to support the development of at least 4,500 units, which would then

be purchased by Ontarians with low to moderate income at below the average market selling price for any given area. If appropriate legislation is passed, it will become permanent. If the unit is

sold, the grant will be repaid to the fund, along with a share of the capital gains. This money would then be used to help more low-income families realize the Canadian dream of home ownership.

Shelter is a basic human right, a basic human need. Because a house is more than a home, a home is a catalyst for stability in our lives, a necessary precondition for education and for employment.

By investing in housing, we are investing in our people. By investing in our people, we are investing in stronger communities. In the days ahead, and in a continuing spirit of co-operation, our

government will be working with our federal and municipal partners on the implementation and successful rollout of this important initiative.

We will be announcing further details as we move forward. Affordable housing is a key priority for our government. The new affordable housing program is a key

component of our comprehensive housing strategy for this province. In this and in many other ways, we are taking action to protect and support Ontario's neediest, weakest and most vulnerable. We

are helping to create the caring, compassionate civil society of which we can all be justly proud. I thank all members of this Legislature for supporting this important initiative.

EDUCATION WEEK /

SEMAINE DE L'ÉDUCATION

Hon. Gerard Kennedy (Minister of Education): I rise today to recognize the many schools across Ontario that are celebrating Education Week.

There is a great deal to celebrate about our publicly funded schools in Ontario, and today I encourage all my colleagues to see for themselves what is happening in our local schools. It has been 34

years, on average, since MPPs have been students in the schools, and suffice it to say that a lot has changed since then. I've once again issued, as I did for the last five years as critic, and now

as minister, a non-partisan challenge to all members of this House by encouraging them to reconnect with Ontario's students, teachers, education workers and principals by spending a full day back

in the classroom this month.

Une fois de plus, comme je l'ai fait au cours des cinq dernières années, je lance un défi non partisan à tous les membres de cette

Assemblée et je les encourage à rétablir des liens avec les élèves, le personnel enseignant, les travailleurs d'éducation et la direction des écoles de l'Ontario,

en passant une journée complète en salle de classe ce mois-ci.

As a government, we have worked relentlessly to help all students get the education they deserve. Our education partnership approach has paved the way for an

environment of peace and stability, a necessity if we are to achieve our shared goals for students. If members decide to visit an elementary school this year, they may well see the results of our

$90-million investment to help bring the average class size down, ultimately capping it at 20 in JK to grade three. They might meet one of the 1,100 new primary teachers who were hired through that

funding. Students in almost 1,300 schools have benefited; that's one in three schools that are seeing and feeling that improvement.

This morning I met with Mrs. Marie Braz, a grade 3 teacher, and her students at Indian Road Crescent Junior Public School. The school has hired a new teacher

with funding that we provided to reduce class sizes. With our investment, the school estimates that there would have been 32 students in Mrs. Braz's class otherwise; there are now 23. That is a

result we all can be proud of and one that has been repeated 1,300 times in school after school right across Ontario.

We have also focused on providing our high school students with more opportunities to succeed. We recognize the need for a new, imaginative program to lower

the dropout rates in Ontario high schools. That's why last June we announced an additional $100-million initiative to fix curriculum issues, improve technological education and provide other

alternatives for struggling students.

Today, if you visit the schools, you have a good chance of seeing the results of 105 innovative projects for 3,000 secondary students who are most at risk as

part of an $18-million investment we made in January designed to give them new opportunities to succeed in school. For example, in the Honourable Jim Watson's riding, Ottawa West-Nepean, 11

students in the Ridgemont High School's renovation project took on the task of completely renovating a house. A grade 12 student enrolled in the program said it was a struggle for him to get up in

the morning and go to school, but now he's excited about the work ahead. I met him when I travelled to Ottawa to visit the project myself, and he said to me and to Minister Watson, "When I see the

completed house that I worked on, I will feel more satisfaction than I ever have with a book of notes." That's a change in attitude that we can be proud of, more of which will be usual in the

schools across the province.

Les écoles de toute la province sont maintenant plus accessibles aux groupes communautaires. En juillet dernier nous avons accordé 20 $

millions, avec le ministre de « Tourism and Recreation », aux conseils scolaires pour ouvrir les portes de nos écoles et créer ainsi des centres communautaires où

toute la population de l'Ontario peut appendre et s'épanouir.

As a result, non-profit community groups that run activities for children and youth no longer have to pay rental fees, for example, to the Limestone District

School Board. Minister Dombrowsky, the member representing Hastings-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington; Minister Gerretsen, the member for Kingston and the Islands; and Mr. Sterling, the member for

Lanark-Carleton, may well see those results when they visit schools in their communities. Those schools will be available to community groups for 7,000 more hours a year. That's 3,500 more

basketball games or 5,000 Brownie meetings, thanks in good part to the hard work of my colleague the Minister of Tourism and Recreation -- a significant result for local students, parents and

members of the community.

The McGuinty government believes that all students, including those in small rural communities, should have an equal opportunity for quality education. By

investing $31 million to help keep good schools open, 1,149 rural schools will benefit. The St. Clair Catholic District School Board has hired full-time secretaries at 19 of their schools and

recommends that 15 elementary schools be assigned a full-time principal instead of part-time.

I encourage my colleagues -- the member for Chatham-Kent-Essex, Pat Hoy; the member for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, Maria Van Bommel; and the member for

Sarnia-Lambton, Caroline Di Cocco -- to spend time with some of those secretaries when they spend a day in school this spring. If they do, they'll see the difference a full-time secretary makes to

a school and its students, and the support that that provides to the principal and teachers throughout the school.

These are just some of the results of our education investment. Clearly, we acknowledge that there is much more that needs to be done. Our government firmly

believes that excellence in education is critical to our students' and to our province's future. We will continue to invest wisely in Ontario's publicly funded system.

Il ne s'agit que de quelques-uns des exemples du fruit de notre investissement en éducation. Il reste toutefois du pain sur la planche.

Notre gouvernement est fermement convaincu que l'excellence dans le domaine de l'éducation publique est vitale pour l'avenir des élèves et de la

province, et nous continuerons à investir de façon judicieuse dans le système d'éducation financé par les deniers publics de l'Ontario.

By going back to the classroom, we, the legislators of this province, can all reconnect with teachers and students and see the McGuinty government's investment

at work, producing results. Constituency week is just around the corner, so the timing for this commitment in Education Week couldn't be better: smaller class sizes, resources and respect for

teachers, more opportunities for high school students, and peace and stability in our schools.

Réduction de l'effectif des classes; ressources pour le personnel enseignant et respect envers lui; augmentation du nombre des possibilités offertes

aux élèves des écoles secondaires; paix et stabilité dans nos écoles.

To my colleagues I say that Ontario schools are better this year. Please go back to your local school and see for yourself.

Thank you. Je vous remercie.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): Responses?

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): I am pleased to rise on behalf of the official opposition to acknowledge and celebrate Education Week in

Ontario. The public boards are celebrating this week with the theme Read to Succeed, and the 2005 Catholic Education Week theme is Being the Body of Christ.

For the Catholic board, this annual promotion celebrates the distinctive contribution that Catholic schools make to students, the community and society. The

foundational belief of Catholic education is that spiritual and moral formulation are critical to the development of the whole person and to the realization of the fullness of life.

As we set aside this week to mark the importance of education and to honour those who work with our children in the education system, we focus on building a

brighter, successful future for our children. The two themes chosen for 2005 speak eloquently to that goal.

Read to Succeed has been a central theme in education across Canada for many years. Almost daily it seems we see celebrities, athletes, corporations and

non-profit organizations espousing the necessity of reading skills as a key to success.

The Minister of Education's press release today emphasizes that collective agreements and infrastructure loans are what we should be celebrating. While no one

disputes the importance of renewing our schools and classrooms, it is equally important to ensure that those who teach our children have the skills and resources to provide the best possible

education. Doretta Wilson, of the Society for Quality Education, made the point just recently that children can't learn if they can't read. We need to implement proven, effective phonics reading

programs in order to successfully teach Ontario's children. There are hundreds of thousands of parents who share those sentiments. We need to remember that some of the basics that we were taught

remain valid and valued in today's Ontario.

As we mark Education Week, I want to champion the dedicated teachers in our children's classrooms, the parents who get involved with their child's school

council, those in rural Ontario who are struggling to keep their schools open, the students who do peer tutoring and mentoring, those students who participate in student government and the

principals and all of the support and administrative staff who strive daily to provide a nurturing, caring environment before, during and after school for all of our students. We must recognize

that the education system is made up of dedicated individuals who, by their actions, have a profound impact on our children each and every day. The success of our children is undeniably tied to

those who work in our schools and classrooms. As we celebrate this specific week, let's work with our partners in the education system to make every week a celebration of student success.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): I'm pleased to respond to my friend and colleague the Minister for Public Infrastructure Renewal's announcement.

While we would like to see the Liberals actually keep a campaign promise, I'm going to remain a bit skeptical here until we actually see some spades in the soil. I can't help but say that it looks

a lot like pre-election goodies for their federal Liberal cousins. We hear in here day after day from the Liberals what a lousy job the federal Liberals are doing and how they're not standing up

for Ontario. But now that we're getting close to an election and they've got cameras there, they couldn't get up-close and personal enough for those TV cameras.

I think when members look at the details --

Ms. Marilyn Churley (Toronto-Danforth): Jack Layton --

Mr. Hudak: There may be credit due to Jack Layton as well for pushing those federal Liberals along. These guys certainly aren't doing a good

enough job pushing the federal Liberals, because now they're buddies again,

whereas last week they were sworn enemies.

When you look at some of the details here, it looks a lot like a reannouncement of the deals that were signed by the Mike Harris and Ernie Eves governments in

2002 and 2003, except they're giving themselves until 2010 to come through with the funds. It's the same pool extended a number of years.

We certainly think that there are a number of things in here that we want to encourage, including, as the minister said, encouraging home ownership. We

believe, as Conservatives, in that principle of encouraging people to own their own homes. We think that's a good initiative and would like to see more of that in that housing deal. Lowering taxes

on individuals will go a long way to helping them invest in their own family homes.

It's important to encourage the building of rental units. A punishing tax regime exists. More regulations from the McGuinty government and strained signals on

the Tenant Protection Act are discouraging the building of rental supply to help address this issue from the private sector.

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): I have to remind myself of the old phrase "third time lucky." This is the third time I've heard this

announcement, and I hope that this time the people of Ontario are lucky.

We acknowledge in the NDP that there is an absolutely huge need for affordable housing. There are 65,000 families in this city alone who are on a waiting list

of anywhere from three years to 14 years, depending on the housing they need. There are 150,000 families in Ontario in exactly the same predicament.

There has been virtually no affordable housing built in this province for 10 long and very sad years. After the NDP there just was none. In eight years of the

Conservatives and, I have to tell you, nearly two years of this Liberal government, nothing has been built. In the year 2003-04, your own deputy minister has said you built 21 homes in all of

Ontario. The year 2004-05, when we get those figures, will be pretty much the same.

I live in hope, and so do all of those families who need affordable housing. I have to say that the log-jam was broken and the announcement was made only after

a deal was struck in Ottawa; not the deal between the minister and his federal counterpart, but the deal between Jack Layton and the federal Liberals. All of a sudden, there's money for housing;

all of a sudden, there's money for social programs and post-secondary education. We could only be so lucky for all of our political lives to have such a situation.

I have to tell you that I remain somewhat sceptical. We have heard it all before. So have the champions of housing in this province. Mr. Shapcott, Cathy Crowe

and Charles Catto have heard it all before and listened to this. But there were smiles on their faces last week, and I suppose we all must smile too. The real test will come not with the

announcement today but at some time in the very near future, if we actually see those 150,000 families in their brand new homes.

EDUCATION WEEK

Mr. Rosario Marchese (Trinity-Spadina): I'm happy to stand as a former teacher to celebrate and honour the work of all the men and women

teachers that we have in the system. I was listening to the minister, desperately looking for something to celebrate with him as he made this announcement, desperately wanting to praise him and his

government. I just don't know how to do it.

So I look at all the things the government has done. I look at the special ed problem we have in our system. Last year, he announced $100 million in July and

then clawed back $100 million in August. He gives it in one month, takes it away the next month, and he leaves 43,000 students who are waiting for special ed -- the very ones he defended before he

was in government -- waiting again for another year without one cent of special education dollars that would help those kids to learn to read.

So I wonder, where is this government and this minister when it comes to the special ed promises? Where is this government when we talk about closure of small

schools? He is the minister, and this is the government that says, "We're not going to allow small schools to close; in fact, we've got a moratorium on small school closures." And yet, as we speak,

in a matter of weeks the Fourway School and six other northern Ontario schools are scheduled to close, in spite of the moratorium imposed by this government and in spite of all that big heart

Gerard Kennedy and the Premier have about saving small schools.

We talk about transportation. These people were going to bring in an equitable transportation system -- which now leaves 30 boards with less money than ever

before. They were going to correct the Conservative transportation system, but now, come this September, 30 school boards will get so much less money that many children will have to travel for more

miles than ever before. This is under a Liberal government that has a heart for education. This heart couldn't get any bigger, and yet we suffer these problems.

We've got capital school announcements where he's going to spend $3 billion or $4 billion in capital improvements, and I'm telling you, there ain't no money.

There isn't any money that's going to flow.

We talk about this new deal with elementary teachers and secondary teachers where we're going to see 1,300 at the elementary level and 1,300 at the secondary

level -- all inventions. They're manufacturing an illusion, and it's my job to demystify those mysteries. As I do that, I hope that the teachers, in spite of the broken Liberal promises, will

continue to do what they always have done, and that is to teach our young men and women to be the best that they can be.

DEFERRED VOTES

PRIVATE SECURITY AND

INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES ACT, 2005 /

LOI DE 2005 SUR LES SERVICES PRIVÉS

DE SÉCURITÉ ET D'ENQUÊTE

Deferred vote on the motion for second reading of Bill 159,

An Act to revise the Private Investigators and Security Guards Act and to make a consequential

amendment to the Licence Appeal Tribunal Act, 1999 / Projet de loi 159, Loi révisant la

Loi sur les enquêteurs privés et les gardiens et apportant une modification

corrélative à la Loi de 1999 sur le Tribunal d'appel en matière de permis.

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

The division bells rang from 1414 to 1419.

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

Ayes

Arnott, Ted

Arthurs, Wayne

Bartolucci, Rick

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bisson, Gilles

Bountrogianni, Marie

Bradley, James J.

Broten, Laurel C.

Brown, Michael A.

Brownell, Jim

Bryant, Michael

Caplan, David

Chambers, Mary Anne V.

Chudleigh, Ted

Churley, Marilyn

Craitor, Kim

Crozier, Bruce

Delaney, Bob

Di Cocco, Caroline

Dombrowsky, Leona

Duguid, Brad

Duncan, Dwight

Dunlop, Garfield

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fonseca, Peter

Gravelle, Michael

Horwath, Andrea

Hoy, Pat

Hudak, Tim

Jackson, Cameron

Jeffrey, Linda

Kennedy, Gerard

Klees, Frank

Kormos, Peter

Kular, Kuldip

Kwinter, Monte

Levac, Dave

Marchese, Rosario

Marsales, Judy

Mauro, Bill

McMeekin, Ted

McNeely, Phil

Miller, Norm

Milloy, John

Mitchell, Carol

Mossop, Jennifer F.

Munro, Julia

O'Toole, John

Orazietti, David

Ouellette, Jerry J.

Parsons, Ernie

Patten, Richard

Peters, Steve

Peterson, Tim

Phillips, Gerry

Prue, Michael

Pupatello, Sandra

Qaadri, Shafiq

Ramal, Khalil

Ramsay, David

Rinaldi, Lou

Runciman, Robert W.

Ruprecht, Tony

Sandals, Liz

Sergio, Mario

Smith, Monique

Sterling, Norman W.

Takhar, Harinder S.

Tory, John

Van Bommel, Maria

Wilkinson, John

Witmer, Elizabeth

Wong, Tony C.

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yakabuski, John

Zimmer, David

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Claude L. DesRosiers): The ayes are 76; the nays are 0.

The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.

Shall the bill be ordered for third reading?

Hon. Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services): Mr. Speaker, can I refer it to the standing committee on justice

policy?

The Speaker: So ordered.

MEMBERS' ANNIVERSARIES

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy, Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, I believe we have unanimous consent for each party to speak for

up to five minutes on the 20th anniversary of the election of you, Mr. Speaker, Minister Ramsey, Minister Kwinter, Minister Cordiano and Mr. Jackson as MPPs.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): Do we have unanimous consent? Agreed.

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism and Recreation): Since I've had the privilege of serving with all of these individuals, I would

like to pay tribute to them all, collectively and individually.

First of all, I think what you have to consider is that if a person is elected consistently over the years, both when the tide is coming in and when the tide

is going out, that speaks well of the individual within the constituency itself, because that does happen in politics. Each one of these individuals was elected at a very significant time in

Ontario history. While this wasn't the end of the 42-year reign -- a very impressive reign of 42 years -- by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, it did nevertheless represent a

significant change, in that a minority government was elected and ultimately a change of government took place.

Each of these individuals, you will notice, when the tide has come in -- and it has, because the Liberal Party won an overwhelming victory in 1987, the NDP in

1990, the Conservative Party came in very strongly in 1995, and the Liberal Party came back in 2003 -- with these sweeps, as they are referred to, each of these individuals survived. What is most

difficult, by the way, is not only surviving when another party is being elected rather substantially, but surviving when your own government is heading out the door. That is the ultimate

difficulty and challenge when that's happening, and each one of these individuals has been able to do that.

Each came from a different background, and it's interesting to see. Joe Cordiano, for instance, came from a business background, was an entrepreneur in the

private sector, and now he has an opportunity, with an economic portfolio, to fulfill and bring to that portfolio the expertise and intuition he developed as an entrepreneur. He has also been in

opposition, the deputy leader of the official opposition, and was at one time the parliamentary assistant to former Premier David Peterson.

Again, each of the individuals being honoured today has played a significant role both in government and in opposition, and my contention is, though I sit on

the government side today, that the opposition in our democratic system plays an exceedingly important role. Each of these individuals was a key person, or perhaps continues to be a key person, on

one side of the House or another, playing that particular role on behalf of their constituents and all the people of Ontario.

You, Mr. Speaker, were elected in the riding of Scarborough North, I remember it was, now Scarborough-Rouge River. I know of your background in the community

college system and your dedication to literacy, for instance. You, I remember, were the Minister of Housing at one time under the Peterson government and the Minister of Skills Development. I know

as well that you were the president of World Literacy of Canada from 1981 to 1984, on the board of directors of the World Hunger Project, and you recently received an award from the government of

Jamaica, the Order of Distinction, with the rank of commander. Again, you come from an educational background and you've been able to utilize that as a member of the Legislature.

Cam Jackson comes from a business background as well, and an education background, having served on the Halton Board of Education. He was involved in a number

of activities within his own community -- and still, as a member of the Legislature, is involved in those activities -- and has held significant portfolios as an opposition critic. Of course, he

has been Minister of Long-Term Care with responsibility for seniors, Minister of Tourism, Minister of Citizenship and Minister of Tourism and Recreation -- again, a long and distinguished career,

not only in this House but preceding this House.

Monte Kwinter -- a rather impressive educational background, Monte. I didn't know you had gone to so many different schools and had such a background. He was

elected from Wilson Heights, a very challenging riding. He served as Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations, Minister of Financial Institutions, Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology,

and has been very much involved in his own community, particularly in Toronto.

David Ramsay, elected in Timiskaming in 1985, was the Minister of Northern Development and Mines; he was Minister of Correctional Services, Minister of

Agriculture and Food, and is now Minister of Natural Resources.

Each of these individuals, if you look at where they came from, never forgot where they came from, and the people of their communities appreciate the job that

they've done. I join other members of the Legislature in congratulating the 20-year club, the five members honoured today.

Mr. Norman W. Sterling (Lanark-Carleton): Mr. Speaker, as you are one of the celebrants today, I'd ask you, are going to recognize me first

for petitions today? I just want to get that straight before I start my remarks.

Before the proceedings started today, Mr. Bradley came over and talked to me about what we were going to say. We both agreed that we'd still call the group of

five that are being celebrated today as johnny-come-latelies, because we only consider people over 25 to be seniors in this place. Isn't that right, Mr. Bradley? Mr. Bradley and I will be

celebrating our 28th anniversaries very shortly.

I've had a long and pleasant association with each and every one of the five celebrants today. Of course, only Mr. Jackson sits in my caucus. Mr. Bradley

talked about the tides coming in and out, and only Cam and I and 14 others in 1987 survived a tide that was really going out at that time. So we do all understand the ebbs and flows of politics as

we go along.

I think that all the five members we are talking about today have worked well with all members of the Legislature. I can remember working with David Ramsay

when he was the Minister of Agriculture and I chaired the committee on agencies and boards and commissions of the Legislature. At that time, even though he was sitting in opposition as the Minister

of Agriculture, David and I came together with the committee, and out of that particular process emanated what was to be the predecessor of committee bills for this Legislature. It was because of

David's willingness to work with a member of the opposition to try to get this place to work a little differently. That particular offer resulted in a twigging of the rules some years later, when I

became the House leader and was able to do it, so that we then had a new process where committees can create legislation in the committee and add to the legislative process.

I know Monte Kwinter and his wife, Wilma, very, very well. Monte served at one time as the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations. As you know, Mr.

Speaker, at that given time that minister was responsible for the LCBO. I always thought that that was one of the most wasteful appointments that David Peterson ever made, because Monte does not

imbibe at all. I only want to ensure Monte and anybody else who ever wondered that his successors made up for his lack of appreciation of the finer things in life.

I understand that Minister Joe Cordiano is in Japan today representing Ontario's interests. I have always been interested in working with him, because Joe in

some ways represents a more closely fitted political philosophy of myself than perhaps some of his colleagues. I consider that he is serving in the right portfolio. Joe, as you know, ran as a very

strong candidate for the Liberal Party leadership, and I think that his support and his work led to the considerable support that he received in that as well.

Mr. Speaker, of course you have been an eminent member of the Legislature, and now have been honoured by being elected from among your peers as our leader. I

think that speaks more than anything else of the recognition you have gained, over your 20 years, as someone who can be trusted and has integrity in our Legislature.

Lastly, I would like to talk about my good friend Cam. When Cam was elected here very, very early, I can remember Cam standing over to your right, Mr. Speaker,

with his daughter Amy, and it was probably the only time a young child like that appeared on the floor of the House. I don't think the Speaker saw that Cam was with Amy at that time, but the

interesting part was that it was the time that Mr. Nixon was delivering his first budget. Amy is now 19 years old, so it was in that first year. The picture from the Speaker's gallery came down

and, lo and behold, on the front page of the paper the next day it wasn't Robert Nixon with his budget -- he was relegated to page 2 -- but it was Cam and Amy who had the front page.

Hon. Mr. Bradley: Cam always knows how to do it.

Mr. Sterling: Cam always knows how to do it, as Mr. Bradley says. I congratulate Cam. He has been a tremendous advocate in his own community

of Burlington. He always has something going on: a blood clinic, or a seniors' seminar, whom he has represented here many times, either in opposition or in cabinet.

I want to say to all of the members, congratulations. The average stay around here is six years; 20 years is a long time away from the average.

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay): Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate you on 20 years in this House, along with your colleagues Mr.

Jackson, Mr. Kwinter, Mr. Ramsay and Mr. Cordiano.

I've got to say, normally we do this as you are leaving, and I'm wondering if there's some other announcement a little later on this afternoon, or are we just

wishing you well while you are here? I have to wonder.

I want to say to all of you, being elected for 20 years is not easy. We know that the job as representatives, provincially or federally, can be fairly

difficult at times. All of these individuals have sat both in government and in opposition, so you all understand the challenges of opposition along with the challenges of government, and the good

and the bad that go with both sides. To be able to survive for 20 years is quite something. Very few people are going to get the opportunity to choose their exit out of this Legislature. Obviously

Interjection.

Mr. Bisson: I'll tell you, it is very true. Most people don't get to choose; it's the people who choose when you're out of here.

I have to say that 20 years of service in this Legislature, being elected at least five times, says something about the ability to be prepared in elections,

doing your jobs and making sure that the people back home say, "Yes, I give you the confidence for yet another election."

I also want to say, on a bit of a personal note to some of you -- and I don't want to go through all of it, because I know my colleagues before have gone

through it -- I had an opportunity just this week to fly up to Kashechewan with Minister. Kwinter. We had an opportunity on the flight up -- I paid for the charter, by the way, everybody should

know --

Ms. Marilyn Churley (Toronto-Danforth): What?

Mr. Bisson: Yes, I'm allowed, as a member, to travel across Ontario.

Anyway, we had an opportunity to not only discuss what happened in Kashechewan but to talk about why he got into politics. It was quite interesting in that

particular discussion, given the work that he had done, mostly at the federal level -- that he had decided in the end to run provincially, at the behest of David Peterson, the then Leader of the

Opposition. I'm glad to know, from this discussion that we had the other day, that after 20 years he said, "You know, I made the right choice." Because, at the end of the day, provincial politics

is actually rather interesting, and you're much more engaged in the local issues than you would be on the federal side.

To my good friend Mr. Ramsay: Well, you've had a chance to be on both sides and then some. I'm sorry, David. I had to take a shot. But I want to say with all

respect, at times we've been on the same side of some issues, fighting on behalf of northerners, and other times we've been on the opposite side. The one thing I will say is at least we've always

kept our sense of humour about us. Specifically, we've never taken any of this personally. I think that says something about you as a member. One of the reasons you've been able to survive 20 years

is remembering, at the end of the day, that politics is about the art of the possible. At times you need to take the positions that sometimes are not popular and respect the other side, so I give

you credit for that.

To my good friend Mr. Curling, the Speaker: I've had an opportunity to serve with you on a number of occasions at the BOIE, and on other occasions I've sat on

committees with you -- always a good approach when it comes to representing your constituents. It's interesting that the Speaker is probably more independent than most Speakers when it comes to

isolating himself from party politics at times. That's one of the things that I want to give you credit for. You've always understood it's the people back home, and sometimes we don't want to get

too involved on the political side of what happens here in the Legislature. I think that says something about you being elected for those 20 years -- always remembering at the end of the day that

you're here to do a job, and that job is to represent the people back home.

To my good friend Mr. Jackson: I've got to say Cam is one of the more interesting people in the Legislature, because he's one of the more complex people I've

had to deal with, in the sense that --

Hon. Sandra Pupatello (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for women's issues): You could describe it like

that.

Mr. Bisson: Well, it's interesting. This is coming from a New Democrat. He's much more of a social democrat than he makes out to be.

Interjections.

Mr. Bisson: No, I've got to say this in all honesty. Listen, everybody, I'm giving him a compliment. He's to the left of the party, I want to

tell you.

I had an opportunity on many occasions, when he was minister of the various ministries that he was responsible for, to deal with him. I specifically remember

the very open-door policy that Cam Jackson had, not only when it came to me but when it came to First Nations. He is one of the few ministers in the years that I have been here who really had a

soft spot in trying to do something right on behalf of First Nations. I'll always remember a number of meetings that we've had together. For example, Chief Leo Friday in Kashechewan, who has a lot

of difficulties in that community -- open-door policy. You made the impossible happen, in funding the arena project up in Kashechewan. He overturned his ministry to make it happen. I give you full

credit for that, and that was a job well done.

To my good friend Joe -- and I'm running out of time -- I do want to say it has been really interesting, because over the years we've sat on committee together

on one of the issues that was very important to all of us, and that is economic development as it relates to our communities. I wish you well in your time and your portfolio as Minister of Economic

Development and Trade. I know that if I was with you in Japan, I would be telling you many good stories about what we can be doing with Japan in order to enhance trade here in Ontario.

The Speaker Let me, on behalf of the five, thank the two deans and the possible dean in the future for the wonderful and kind words that they

have said about my colleagues. We intend to stay here another 20 years.

Mr. Bisson: On a point of order, Speaker: I just wonder, does that mean you now qualify for your pensions after 20 years?

The Speaker: I'll tell you later.

Mr. Sterling: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I did mean to mention, and I know all members of the Legislature want me to thank on their

behalf, Cam Jackson's wife Elaine, and his children Amy, Lauren and Michelle; David Ramsay's wife, Kathleen, his daughters Erin and Danielle, and his stepson Michael and his 2-month-old grandson

Issah; Joe Cordiano's wife, Rose, and daughters Lara and Natalie; Monte's wife, Wilma, and his children Richard, Robert, Lisa and Cathy; and your children, Mr. Speaker, Deone, Nicole and Tyrone.

All members of the Legislature recognize the sacrifice the families make, and we should thank them as well on this 20th anniversary.

SEXUAL ASSAULT

PREVENTION MONTH

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy, Government House Leader): I believe we have unanimous consent for each party to speak for up to five

minutes on Sexual Assault Prevention Month.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): Do we have unanimous consent? Agreed.

Hon. Sandra Pupatello (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for women's issues): May is Sexual Assault Prevention

Month in Ontario. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on the devastating impact that sexual violence has on victims, on our communities and on our society. It also reminds us of the need for

collective action on this issue.

I'd like to share some statistics with my legislative colleagues today. Children and young people under the age of 18 accounted for 61% of sexual assault cases

reported to police in 2003. Those at the highest risk of sexual assault are girls aged 11 to 17. In cases reported to police, 80% of sexual assault victims knew their accuser. More than one third

of Canadian women reported that they have experienced sexual violence. Fewer than 10% of sexual assaults are even reported to the police.

These statistics show the alarming reality that sexual assault continues to be a pervasive social problem in our society, and one for which we must

collectively find an answer. The McGuinty government is committed to doing just that, and in fact we have already started.

Earlier this year we announced the first funding increase to sexual assault centres in 13 years. Our $1.9-million investment will provide an 8% increase in

funding -- annualized operating funding -- to 36 sexual assault centres and help sexual assault victims with better community supports. The funding will also help French-language centres attain

equal funding with other centres and to address gaps in service to French-language communities. Last December, we released our domestic violence action plan, which includes, importantly, $5.9

million to train professionals and front-line workers, including those who work in shelters and in our justice system. These dedicated women and men on the front lines do talk about sexual

violence. The new funding will help equip them with more training and resources to provide even better support to those who have been abused.

Our plan promotes and champions healthy, equal relationships, because part of the solution is early intervention. We're doing this by encouraging a shift in

attitudes about relationships, particularly in younger generations. This is especially important given that girls and young women are at the highest risk of sexual assault.

We are investing in a four-year public education and prevention campaign aimed at mobilizing communities across Ontario to promote healthy, equal relationships

among youth; to encourage youth to adopt positive social skills and values; to help equip parents and adults alike who influence youth with tools they need to change behaviours and attitudes.

The strength of our province lies in our people and in our communities. Sexual violence compromises that strength and the safety of our communities. It has a

devastating impact on the people victimized by this horrendous crime and their families. It is simply unacceptable. It commands all of us to play a role in ensuring the safety of our sisters, our

mothers, our daughters, our friends. By raising awareness of sexual violence prevention and by talking to children and youth about the importance of equality and respect in relationships, we are

moving forward in our mission to make our communities safer for everyone.

I'd like everyone to reference a resource at the Ontario Women's Directorate Web site. It does help us talk about sexual violence. The Web site has information

on the warning signs of sexual violence, advice on prevention and links to people who can help. It can be found at www.ontariowomensdirectorate.gov.on.ca.

I want to give you just a couple of samples of those warning signs: Has your friend's appearance changed significantly, a major change in weight, for example?

Has her schoolwork been suffering? These could be signs of depression, which often indicate abuse. Does your friend have a history of feeling anxious, distrustful or unsafe? Is your friend giving

up things that used to be important to her? Is your friend's boyfriend extremely jealous and possessive? Does your friend's boyfriend call her demeaning names and put her down in front of other

people? Has your friend stopped expressing her own opinion? I urge parents and student alike to visit our Web page. Read the kinds of things that may become apparent when you're looking at your own

circle of friends and family.

I'd like to share an important campaign that ties into Sexual Assault Prevention Month and Mother's Day, the Daisy of Hope campaign. We're very proud to say

today that Joy Freeman, the executive director of Nova Vita, launched this in the great riding of Brant. Once again, this initiative started in Brantford: Nova Vita Women's Services, in Dave

Levac's riding of Brant. We're very proud once again to say that through the daisy pin, women's shelters across the province can raise awareness of domestic violence and profile the services that

shelters provide to abused women and their children. All political parties in Ontario have recognized this campaign since 2001.

Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I'd like to ask my colleagues to recognize this campaign by wearing the Daisy of Hope pin during the month of May. You'll be

showing your support for strong, safe communities that are free of sexual violence. By wearing this pin you will recognize the invaluable work of shelters in providing women and their children with

support and care.

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener-Waterloo): I'm pleased to rise on behalf of the Progressive Conservative caucus to speak to this Sexual

Assault Prevention Month in the province of Ontario. It's a time when we have the opportunity to shed some light on a crime that most people don't want to talk about, and that, of course, is the

crime of sexual assault.

This month has been recognized in Ontario since 1988. It's a way to create public awareness of sexual assault and improve the prevention of violence against

women and all members of society.

As we know, sexual assault can take place between intimates, dating partners, friends, acquaintances or strangers. Rapes committed by acquaintances of the

victims are the most common form of sexual assault, followed by sexual assaults by dating or other relationship partners. Sexual assaults, unfortunately, occur much more frequently than we know,

because they are not always reported. In Canada, it's estimated that one out of every four women and one out of 10 men over the age of 18 will be sexually assaulted sometime during their lives.

This is from Statistics Canada in 2001.

It is important, as we speak today about sexual assault and violence, that we recognize that men and children are also too often the victims of sexual assault.

The unfortunate reality is that these children are also the victims of abuse. If we have been following the story in the Toronto Star these past few days, it tells the disturbing story of the

serial pedophile who, over the course of many years, sexually assaulted numerous young boys. According to the article, in 2003, 4,807 children between the ages of 6 to 13 were victims of sexual

assault. Unfortunately, most of the abusers were relatives. Further, most children who suffer sexual assault are destroyed emotionally by it. They often end up involved in drugs, in prostitution,

in violence and in crime.

As lawmakers, we have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that the appropriate measures are put in place to protect these children. The Canadian Panel on

Violence against Women found that 38% of sexually assaulted women were assaulted by their husbands, their common-law partners or their boyfriends. The violence against women study conducted by

Statistics Canada in 1993 revealed that one third of all women polled had actually experienced sexual assault, and that one quarter of all women reported being sexually assaulted by their spouse or

partner. This finding suggests that for the sampled women, the sexual assault by a partner was even more likely to occur in their relationships than was physical assault or abuse.

However, as I said before, underreporting of these crimes presents a formidable obstacle to understanding the nature and the real extent of this problem. For

example, researchers at Statistics Canada estimate that fewer than 10% of sexual assaults of people over 15 years of age are ever reported to Canadian police agencies, and only 1% of all

date/acquaintance rapes ever come to the attention of law enforcement. So it is extremely important that we do what we can to influence social attitudes among young people in order to encourage

them to inform their parents and certainly the law about sexual assault.

The youth of today deal with many issues surrounding sexual violence. Their issues are real, just as women's and men's issues are real. It is important that we

give all victims of sexual abuse and violence the resources, the support and the solutions. We need to give them a voice. By focusing on these young people early, in particular, we have the

opportunity to protect future generations. Together, I would encourage those in this House to do what we can in order to prevent sexual assault and violence.

The Speaker: From the minister's statement, I take it that you are asking for unanimous consent for the wearing of the buttons. Is that it? I

think we do have it. Thank you.

Ms. Marilyn Churley (Toronto-Danforth): My colleagues have cited many statistics about sexual violence in Canada and Ontario, but we are so

inundated with numbers that we sometimes fail to see these numbers as real women: our sisters, our daughters, our wives, our mothers. I think of my good and brave friend, Jane Doe, who was sexually

assaulted many years ago as she lay sleeping in her bed in her apartment building. And 25 years ago, Barbra Schlifer was returning home after celebrating her call to the bar of Ontario. It had been

a day of dreams fulfilled and marked the start of a fulfilling and exciting career. Committed to social justice, she and her friends planned to open a law practice together that would provide

representation to people who were abused, oppressed and marginalized. But that night, Barbra Schlifer was brutally sexually assaulted and murdered in the basement stairwell of her apartment

building. Those are two very visible and well-known examples of women who have been sexually assaulted right here in our neighbourhoods: one who survived and one who died. Today we stand, I think,

partly in remembering these women who were victims of such brutal crimes.

You apply this statistic, and you will see that one in every four Canadian women is sexually assaulted in her lifetime in our immediate setting. That

translates into the fact that there are those among us here in this chamber right now and in the offices and hallways of this Legislature who have been or will be victims of such violence. I want

to underscore that one in four does not capture the extent of the crisis, because sexual violence remains one of the most underreported crimes in this nation.

As we know, only one in 10 sexual assaults is reported. Victims are reluctant to inform the criminal justice system about acts of sexual violence, in part

because of the stigma they feel personally and the stigma they or others receive from the system itself and society as a whole. Then, sexual assault, by virtue of how it is defined, does not

capture all the kinds of sexual violence that take place. For example, sexual harassment is not, by definition, seen as a form of violence; misogyny, sexism. The limitations on what constitutes

sexual violence in the eyes of the law lend to why we do not have accurate figures on how prevalent sexual violence is in our communities, in our workplaces, in our province and in our nation.

For reporting to increase, there needs to be an action plan to reform how our institutions and communities respond to sexual violence of any kind, and such a

plan is critically important if the rate of violence is to start decreasing.

The current state of affairs, instead of being a deterrent, expresses leniency toward those who commit sexual violence and too often treats victims with

indifference and, sometimes, hostility.

Examples that illustrate how the system perversely favours the perpetrators rather than the victims are also abundant. They range from audits of court

proceedings that reveal that only 4% of cases tried -- 4% -- lead to convictions, and that, in too many cases, acts of sexual violence are reduced to lesser charges, like misdemeanours. Many

victims have some sort of relationship with the assaulter. After sensing that their credibility is being questioned because they may have known the accused, victims frequently withdraw the

charges.

Despite the rising rate of violence against women, it is still not regarded as a priority area for many police units. For example, even in the aftermath of the

Jane Doe audit and its own statistics that show one third of all calls they receive involve a transgression against a woman, commonly police still do not list violence against women as an area of

strategic importance.

We still have a lot of work to do. I urge the Ontario government to come up with a comprehensive plan to measure and resolve the shortcomings toward sexual

violence on every front.

BUDGET SPEECH

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy, Government House Leader): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I beg leave to inform the House that the

Minister of Finance will be presenting his budget in this place, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, on May 11, 2005.

ORAL QUESTIONS

MUNICIPAL FINANCES

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): My question is to the Premier. Premier, last week mayors from across northern Ontario met in Kenora

to discuss, among other things, your new so-called fairer program for our cities and towns.

Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield says your new program is "easier to understand, [but] it's not very palatable.... we have to tell the government that this doesn't

work."

No wonder he is saying that, because Kenora is set to lose $2.1 million, or 42% less each year, as a result of your "good-news program," as you described it

last week.

Who should the residents of Kenora believe? Should they believe the mayor, who says your new program doesn't work, or should they believe you, who claims it is

good news?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): I want to remind the leader of the official opposition what it is that

we are doing here and why we are so very proud of our new model, which is both fair and transparent. This is all about cleaning up the downloading mess created by the previous government.

I'll remind my friend that the Provincial Auditor, in his 2001 annual report, said that the Conservative downloading and subsequent community reinvestment fund

caused municipalities "a significant, negative fiscal impact." He went on to say that the unfairness that the policy created has been growing over time ever since downloading first took place. So

this is about a government taking responsibility for cleaning up yet another mess left by the previous Conservative government. It is fair, it is transparent, it needed to be done, and we are proud

to have done it.

Mr. Tory: I think it's time for the Premier to take responsibility for what is happening to people like the Kenora taxpayers. You are not

cleaning up anything in Kenora; you are cleaning out the pockets of the taxpayers in Kenora. That's what you're doing.

Ignace Mayor Bryan Brown says that his town will not be able to handle more cuts. He was quoted this weekend as saying, "We've virtually used up all of our

resources and we've laid off probably more people than we're legally allowed to. You just don't get it."

Premier, Ignace is in line for a 12.5% cut in annual funding under your new program that you call "good news for all." Who should the residents of Ignace

believe: you, who says this is good news, or Mayor Brown, who says they just can't cut any more? How is that cleaning anything up?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: I know that the leader of the official opposition will be very interested in hearing what Mayor Bill Enouy from Kirkland

Lake had to say. He sent us a letter and said, "I have been presenting our case since the mid-1980s and this is the first time that the government of the day has listened and taken action. Without

your understanding and timely moves, our town would be facing huge tax increases, little, if any, capital works and a desperate future.

"Once again, thank you for your good work."

We're pleased to hear from Mayor Enouy, and we're pleased to hear from other mayors from across the province.

Mr. Tory: I just don't understand how the Premier can stand here and talk about how thankful people are, when in fact it's coming out of the

pockets of other cities and towns in the province of Ontario.

Pickle Lake Mayor Roy Hoffman said that each household in his town pays $2,076 in taxes already. He says that his town is going to have to raise taxes as a

result of your changes in funding. Pickle Lake, according to your own Ministry of Finance Web site information, is set to lose 30% in annual funding under your so-called fairer program.

In the Kenora Daily Miner and News, Mayor Hoffman said on Friday, "Our community has a financial crisis. We're just going to have to throw the keys to the

province."

Premier, who should the residents of Pickle Lake believe? Maybe he should have a meeting with the mayor of Kirkland Lake and they can decide how to sort this

out together. They're in a crisis as a result of your 30% cut. How do you answer them?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: We have told the people of Ontario where we stand when it comes to developing a better program, one that is both fair and

transparent. I've yet to hear Mr. Tory's alternative. Apparently, he's going to supply additional funding to all of those who claim that they are somehow getting less. Just to be clear, he's going

to take $2.4 billion out of health care; he's going to fund private schools in the province of Ontario; and now -- another very expensive financial commitment on his part -- he is going to be

providing additional monies, apparently, for some of those communities who claim that they're getting less.

One more thing I want to make clear: Last week, my friend made reference to the community of Belleville. He said that they'd be coming up short. I know that

he'd want to hear what some people from Belleville have to say. I quote from the Belleville Intelligencer: "City treasurer Brian Cousins says programs continue to be delivered and services are

remaining at the status quo despite claims by provincial Conservative leader John Tory that the city will have to make cuts.

"John Tory also said the province's new deal would leave municipalities in a crisis situation. Cousins said he would not agree with that statement."

OBSTETRICAL CARE

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): We'll ask Mr. Cousins again in a year and see what he has to say at that time about the people

you're giving the short end of the stick to.

My question is to the Premier. Three weeks ago, your Minister of Health stood in the House -- actually, he was outside the House -- and he mused, "It is not

necessarily sensible to have an obstetrics program if a hospital only has a volume of 50 or 60 births a year."

Three weeks ago, I posed a question to that same minister, asking him which communities would lose their childbirth services as a result of your apparent

change in policy. Premier, can you tell us today, after all this time we've had to study this, based on whatever the criteria are that the minister is applying at a given moment, which hospitals

and which communities will lose their birth programs?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): I'm pleased to speak to this on behalf of the Minister of Health, who

could not be here today. And I'll speak to the higher principles; I don't have the specifics that the member opposite seeks.

I have said that we are determined to find efficiencies in a way that does not compromise the quality of services that we are delivering at present to

Ontarians. Furthermore, by way of our wait-time strategy, for example, we are seeking to improve the quality of services that we provide to the people of Ontario. Mr. Tory may be trying to have

Ontarians believe that we are about to compromise the quality of care, but I can assure you that our intention is to ensure that we get the very best value for the limited dollars, the precious

dollars, that we receive from Ontario taxpayers. We want to do that in a way that not only does not compromise the quality of care, but in fact enhances the quality of their care.

Mr. Tory: The Premier said that he didn't have specifics at hand. He might well undertake to get those, because in fact there are 18 hospitals

that serve countless numbers of communities across the province that fall under that new cut-off. I'll just give you some examples and perhaps ask you to respond to these: Manitoulin Health Centre

in Little Current only performed 56 births in 2003 -- that's the last year for which numbers are available; Red Lake memorial hospital performed 47; Lady Minto Hospital in Cochrane, 46; Kirkland

and District Hospital in Kirkland Lake -- you were talking about them a moment ago -- performed 36.

Premier, these northern communities are deserving of some special consideration. Can you stand in your place today and guarantee those residents in and around

Little Current, Red Lake, Cochrane and Kirkland Lake that their local childbirth services will not be cut by your government? Can you guarantee that?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The leader of the official opposition is being selective in his recollection of statements that I made in this House. I

specifically said that we would have to give special consideration to remote communities and to northern communities. In some cases it simply will not make sense to provide for consolidation,

because of the low number of services in communities that are very remote. It just doesn't make any sense because that would, in fact, compromise the quality of care. So I say it again: We have a

responsibility -- and I believe Mr. Tory shares this sentiment -- to give the best value for those dollars that we're receiving from our taxpayers. We want to do that in a way that does not

compromise quality of care for Ontarians.

Mr. Tory: It would be so simple if you wanted to come into this House any day of the week and then say, based on a threshold your minister

articulated, that those communities, I think all the ones I have mentioned and the ones I'm about to mention, are not going to suffer any withdrawal of those services. That's all you have to do to

actually answer a question. So let me just add to the list, and I will request that the Premier come back and tell us that these places are not losing their childbirth services: Wilson Memorial

General Hospital in Marathon, 24 births; Lady Dunn Health Centre in Wawa; Wingham and District Hospital, which is not in the north, 32; McCausland Hospital in Terrace Bay, 11.

Would you please just stand in your place today or undertake to come back and tell us that these services will not be withdrawn, pursuant to your own statement

that these kinds of communities will be given special consideration --

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): Thank you. Order. The Minister of Community and Social Services needs to be quiet. I wasn't able to hear the

last part of the question because of the interruption. If you need 10 seconds just to finish --

Mr. Tory: I can repeat it. Will the Premier stand up and guarantee all of the communities I've asked about today, pursuant to his own

commitment that remote and northern communities will be given special consideration, will keep these childbirth services in their local communities? It's easy to stand up and say, "Yes, I'll give

that guarantee." Please do it.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The leader of the official opposition is engaging in unhelpful speculation and scaremongering. It's outright

scaremongering. Nobody at any time, as a representative of this government, has ever suggested that we would remove those programs from those hospitals. I think it's important to keep in mind, as

an interesting contrast here, that we've been on the job for close to 18 months. We've invested close to $3 billion more in our public health care system. We've also invested in that $1.7 billion

in our hospitals. Now, if people want to be concerned about what the future holds, they might ask themselves, "What would happen to our health care system when that leader, in that prospective

government, takes $2.4 billion out of Ontario's health care system?" If there's something to worry about, I would suggest that would be it.

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): My question is to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Minister, last week the Ombudsman announced

a special investigation into special needs agreements for children with severe disabilities. He said the current situation is absolutely unconscionable. You said: "When it came to my attention that

there were more families that were still considering giving up their children" -- and some actually did give up their children -- "to receive services, I immediately acted." But, Minister, the

Office of Child and Family Service Advocacy warned you three months ago that 30 families were at imminent risk of losing custody of their severely disabled children in order to obtain the services

that they needed desperately. That report is dated February 9 of this year. Why did you tell Ontarians and the press that you immediately acted, when the report from the child advocate's office

shows that's not the case?

Hon. Marie Bountrogianni (Minister of Children and Youth Services, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration): I thank the honourable member for

her question. It gives me a chance to clarify. The report was written in February, it was given to me in March, and I did indeed immediately act. Those 30 families were given the services they

needed, following the process of the communities solving the problems and finding the resources for those children, and they didn't have to go to the courts to give up custody of their

children.

The Ombudsman is saying that this is still going on. I welcome his work; I welcome the work of my ministry, which actually precedes the Ombudsman's work. When

the reports are given to me, I will look at the recommendations, because I truly believe, as we all do in this chamber, that no parent today should give up their child in order to get them the help

they need.

Ms. Horwath: The child advocate's report from February 9 is just the latest in a long series of reports that are condemning the government's

inaction on special-needs agreements for severely disabled children. Here are two other reports that are on my desk from the child advocate, one from June 2000 and one from January 2001. They

include victim impact statements like this one: "I am the mother of a nine-year-old girl with special needs....

"The stress of having a child with special needs indirectly led to the breakdown of my marriage, isolation from friends and at times even relatives, numerous

health problems, depression and eventually despair....

"I did what any desperate person would do, even though my heart knew it wasn't right: I placed the custody of my child in CAS.... We should never have been

forced to give up custody in order to get service for our child."

Minister, that heart-wrenching story was written in June 2000. How can you tell us in April 2005 that you acted immediately to help these families and their

children?

Hon. Mrs. Bountrogianni: I'd like to remind the member that we weren't the government in June 2000. I'd also like to tell the whole chamber

here that this is a problem that has been going on for decades. We will solve this problem.

For over a decade and a half, this area has had a lack of investment -- that's children's mental health and children's treatment centres -- for various

reasons. In our first year of government alone, we put in $74 million for children's mental health and children's treatment centres: $200 million, all in all, of new spending for children of this

province.

I'm not going to insult the intelligence of the member opposite or of anyone else in this chamber by saying that we're going to solve this overnight. We're

not. But we are well on our way and are meeting our goal of helping these children and their families.

Ms. Horwath: This week, Anne Larcade will come to Queen's Park on behalf of her severely disabled son Alexandre. She says that your ministry

failed to serve the needs of her son. She has launched a lawsuit saying that you failed to provide clear and consistent guidelines for special-needs agreements and failed to provide adequate

alternative services for her son.

We've heard this story before. In 2001, an MPP rose in this House and said that the "government is breaking the law, that your government has a legal

obligation to provide services to their special sons and daughters." Who said that? The chair of the Liberal caucus, Michael Gravelle. He knew this was happening four years ago.

Minister, can you guarantee to Anne and her son Alexandre, and to hundreds of other families with special-needs children, that this time you will follow the

law?

Hon. Mrs. Bountrogianni: I can commit to the member opposite that we're working as hard as we can and, for the first time in over a decade,

are investing significantly in services so that we can reduce the wait list. The answer isn't to bump one child off a wait list for another one who comes to this chamber. That would be unfair and

unethical. The solution is to build capacity so that all children can access these services. That's what we're doing. I wish we could do it overnight; it's just not possible. We're working very

hard, and we will meet the goal of helping these children.

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): New question?

Ms. Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a question for the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Let me remind you of what you said last

week: "When it came to my attention that there were more families that were still considering giving up their children -- and some actually did -- to receive services, I immediately acted."

Minister, you said in response to an earlier question that the 30 families that were on the list submitted to you by the child advocate all received the services that they needed through a

community process. I can tell you that that's just not true. Cynthia Cameron and her son Jesse were at Queen's Park on March 31. I was here, and I asked you to consider entering into a

special-needs agreement with Cynthia Cameron and her son.

On April 7, your government wrote to her and you said no. Jesse is still in a group home in Barrie, not in London. He is still on a wait list for a residential

placement in London, and he has been on that list for two years. Most importantly, his family is still at risk of losing custody because the CAS is still involved, even though this isn't a

protection issue. Minister, why would you tell this House that the situation of these 30 families was resolved, when that's not true?

Hon. Mrs. Bountrogianni: The family that the honourable member mentions has come to this chamber, and yes, we have written to this family. We

do not enter into special-needs agreements. Our solution is not to do one-offs, as has been done in the past. Our solution is to build capacity, so that all children who have severe special needs

will access these services, not just those who have the political astuteness to come to this gallery. That's unfair, that's unethical, and until we build capacity, we will not be doing these

unethical events.

Ms. Martel: Just to remind the minister, I wrote to her about the situation involving Cynthia Cameron in November 2004. Cynthia wrote to the

ministry earlier than that. She finally got a response to her situation after she was in here, and she got that response on April 7, Minister. That's how quickly you responded to her and her

needs.

But let me reiterate. You told this House that the 30 families got a solution that they wanted through a community process, and that is not true. Your

government could have used a community process to resolve Cynthia's problem and the problems of other families who, I suspect, are on that list and not resolved. You've got a document called

Decision-Making Guidelines for Specialized Support for Children/Youth with Complex Multiple Needs. The guidelines say that your ministry has to ensure that they look at the community resources to

be sure that families don't have to go to the CAS to get the care that they need. That was developed in July of 2004. It has never been implemented by your ministry. Minister, I ask you again, why

is your government not even using its own policy to ensure that families with special needs, who are in crises, are not forced to go to the CAS to get the care they need?

Hon. Mrs. Bountrogianni: The issue here, again, is the lack of resources. We are building capacity so that all children can access these

resources. Having said that, when this came to my attention that this was still going on, I directed my ministry to meet with all of the regional programs and all of the community agencies to

address this. They have told me they will give me a report and recommendations in June. The Ombudsman said he will give me one even sooner, in May, which I welcome. As soon as I get the

recommendations, I will act on them. In the meantime, we are building capacity to address the needs of all children, not just those who are brought into this gallery.

Ms. Martel: I don't apologize for bringing Cynthia Cameron here, because it was the only way she could get a response from this ministry and

this minister. That's the sad reality. This is not a new issue for the government. The matter of parents giving up custody of their children in order to get special-needs agreements was the subject

of the child advocate's report in 2000, 2001 and again in February 2005 under this government. Despite the minister saying that she acted immediately to respond to the needs of these children,

nothing has changed for Cynthia Cameron and her son Jesse. They were on that list that was given to you by Judy Finlay. Your government has done nothing to implement a policy developed in July 2004

to use mediation and to use a community process to ensure that families get the support they need without having to go to the CAS. Despite the fact that Judy Finlay also recommended to you that you

should bring forward legislation to ensure that families would get the services that they need without having to go to the CAS, you say you're not going to do that. Frankly, Minister, your handling

of this has been dismal. What are you going to do?

Hon. Mrs. Bountrogianni: The member is pretending that we are not following our own policies. That's not true. Those families did follow due

process and did get the help they need. If the honourable member is talking about one of the exceptions, I understand that there are families that are going to desperate lengths to get resources

for their children faster. That's not a solution. Special-needs agreements, which are nothing more but one-offs, is not the solution; building capacity is the solution.

I want to remind that member that when she was in government she cut funding to children's mental health. She cut it by $40 million in their second year. In

our first year alone, we put $25 million in. We put $50 million into children's treatment centres. We put $38 million this year into children's mental health. There has never been this

much investment in children in over a decade. We're proud of our record, and we will solve this problem.

EDUCATION FUNDING

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): To the Premier. Your Minister of Education has unilaterally negotiated contracts for teacher unions: four-year,

10.5% increases over the last few weeks. Premier, can you tell us how much the total package that your Minister of Education has negotiated will cost taxpayers?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): I'm going to give the supplementary to the minister, but let me just

say how proud I am of him and the work he has been doing.

We are close; we are on the verge of having an unprecedented situation obtain in the province of Ontario where we're going to have peace and stability in our

schools. We'll all be focusing on the job at hand, which is improving the quality of education for our children. I would ask you and Ontarians to compare our record that we're working hard to

develop with the previous government's record, when 24 million school days were lost as a result of the approach brought by that government to our teachers and our schoolchildren alike.

Yes, I am proud of the work that this minister is doing. I am proud of the environment we are creating in the province of Ontario, where learning is coming

first.

Mr. Klees: I do hope that the Premier will not deflect the supplementary to the Minister of Education, because my question to the Premier is

this: At no point during the election campaign did you ever promise a four-year, 10.5% increase to teachers, but what you did promise was that you would fund treatment for autistic children beyond

the age of six. You now have a court order telling you to do that and yet you're not prepared to do that.

I would like to know from this Premier how he can justify billions of dollars for teacher contracts and fail to keep his promise to autistic children in this

province.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: To the minister.

Hon. Gerard Kennedy (Minister of Education): The basic idea here, of course, is one that's very hard for the member opposite to understand.

The idea here, simply put, is that students win; teachers win; school boards win. There isn't a need to have people fighting one another in order for our school system to work properly. It's a very

tough concept, I understand, and it stands in direct contrast to what has happened.

In point of fact, there will be more special education resource teachers as part of what comes forward. In the high schools, it will be part of the resources

that will flow back in as part of the 1,300 new teachers announced so far.

What I would say about the cost of this arrangement is that it's less than 1% of the total cost of spending on education. The important

part is, the part that

is benefiting teachers is also benefiting students -- the very same teachers who will relieve some of the workload assignments that his government left gnarled up around silly numbers rather than

worry about kids. Those will be fixed. What we will get in their place is more people for phys ed, more for arts, more for music -- more help in the disgraceful dropout rate left to us by the last

government, and more help, ultimately, in smaller class sizes now in secondary to match the ones in primary.

FOREST INDUSTRY

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay): My question is to the Premier. Premier, you'll know that last Thursday more than 1,000 people in the

Kapuskasing area gathered in front of the Tembec mill in order to protest your government's inaction when it comes to good hydro policy that would allow Tembec to operate with a hydroelectric bill

that is reasonable and, at the same time, to protest your minister's response to what has happened in the community of Opasatika. Everybody at that rally had the same thing to say, and that is,

your government's plan is missing in action when it comes to dealing with the challenges that face us in northeastern and northwestern Ontario.

My question to you is simply this. We in northern Ontario have a number of issues we need to have dealt with. We're not getting the response from your

government. Will you agree today to meet with representatives from the Kapuskasing area in order to discuss the issues that are facing communities like Opasatika and Kapuskasing?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): Let me say that I've had the opportunity to meet with a number of

representatives from northern communities, including, in fact, just this morning, Mr. Buchanan from Buchanan Forest Products, and I was pleased to be able to do so.

Let me say to the member opposite that if you're really interested in setting up a meeting, you can just come over and talk to me; you can tell me that you

have an interested community, and I'll do my very best to ensure that we can make that meeting happen.

Mr. Bisson: Premier, I'm going to take that as a yes for the meeting, and I appreciate that. But I want to be clear on what people have to

say. A number of issues are facing us across northern Ontario when it come to the forestry industry.

Your Minister of Natural Resources is allowing forestry companies to become lumber barons, to decide that they're going to take wood from one community, divert

it to another, and shut down sawmills in communities like Kirkland Lake, Chapleau, Opasatika and others.

We have hydroelectric problems. If you look at what's happening in Kapuskasing right now, as across the north when it comes to all pulp and paper mills and the

mining sector, hydro prices are going through the roof. As we know, last week it was announced that one mill is going to shut down. Others are probably not far behind.

We're going to be coming to you specifically, because we believe your failed hydro policies and the forestry policies of your Minister of Natural Resources

have been a disaster. We're looking forward to your government changing direction on what is, quite frankly, an abysmal record.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The Minister of Natural Resources would like to speak to this.

Hon. David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources): The member knows that I have one of your mayors, Roger Sigouin, the mayor of Hearst, on my

forest sector competitiveness council. We've made sure that we're involving the communities, the municipalities, the First Nation communities. Labour is on that committee, as are the companies. You

know that we've been working very hard in the last few months. Within about two weeks, I will be receiving the final edition of that report. I want to assure the member that this government will be

acting on that report, because the McGuinty government believes in the forest sector and its contribution to the economy of this province.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Mr. Khalil Ramal (London-Fanshawe): My question is for the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. As you know, there is a substantial need

for affordable housing across Ontario. For eight years, the previous government sat by and watched as the list for affordable housing grew longer and longer. They watched as people who were already

struggling to make ends meet tightened their belts even further, having to decide what was more important, heat or food or clothes, because their rent was eating up their income.

I was pleased to see that you and your federal counterpart Minister Fontana announced a massive $602-million investment in affordable housing in Ontario last

Friday. Can you tell me what this announcement means for Ontarians in communities across this province, Minister?

Hon. David Caplan (Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal): I want to thank the member for the question. The new federal-provincial housing

agreement represents a giant leap forward for affordable housing in the province of Ontario. With this investment, together with our federal and municipal partners, we will create over 15,000 new

units of affordable housing, as well as housing allowances to provide immediate assistance for approximately 5,000 Ontario families in need, for communities right across our province. This means

the largest single affordable housing investment in a decade, and it means housing assistance for people suffering from mental illness, victims of domestic violence, the working poor and low- to

moderate-income families looking to purchase a home.

Our government believes that safe, secure, affordable housing is a basic human need, and with our $602-million investment, Ontario and the federal government

will address the need for some 20,000 Ontario families.

Mr. Ramal: Minister, it's good news. It's a good day for those who have long waited to hear that their government is back in the affordable

housing business after so long. Ontarians shouldn't have to choose between feeding their children or heating their homes; with last week's announcement, they won't have to.

Minister, now that we have committed to the affordable housing program, which is a partnership program between governments and the non-profit and private

sectors, we must ensure that we have strong relationships with these partners. Do you have plans to consult important partners in the municipal, non-profit and private sectors about the new

affordable housing?

Hon. Mr. Caplan: Again, I want to thank the member opposite, because he rightly points out the importance of developing that partnership.

We're proud of the approach we've taken to date in developing that partnership with federal partners, municipal partners, non-profit and with the private sector as well. We've listened to those

stakeholders during intensive consultations over the past 18 months, and we aim to develop the very best affordable housing program possible and we will do it again as we prepare for future

announcements about the details of the program design.

Those efforts to listen to and to collaborate with our key stakeholders are examples of why partners like the Association of Municipalities of Ontario are

saying, "This agreement is an excellent example of how all three orders of government are working co-operatively to serve our communities, province and country better." We're going to continue with

this approach because it has proven so successful as our government moves toward building even stronger communities.

GREENBELT

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): I have a question to the Premier. Premier, municipal leaders and other advocates of the greenbelt have said the

greenbelt municipalities should get special consideration under programs like the municipal partnership fund or the COMRIF program. Do you agree?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs): The Minister of Natural Resources.

Hon. David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources): We continually get these questions about the greenbelt from the opposition party. It was

the opposition party, over the years of the great tradition of Bill Davis, that established the Niagara Escarpment Commission and, as of late, the Oak Ridges moraine commission. If you add that up,

that's 800,000 acres. Maybe this is an acreage envy situation -- I don't know -- because we added a million acres with the greenbelt. Maybe that's what this is about. Why don't you get on board,

because you always have supported greenbelts, and support ours today?

Mr. Hudak: It's certainly very disappointing that the Premier takes the concerns of municipal leaders in the greenbelt so lightly that he

hands it off to the Minister of Natural Resources to give some other argument altogether. I'm sorry he has that disdain; maybe he'll accept the supplementary.

Premier, there's a series of municipalities, like Ajax, Stouffville and Scugog, that did not get their COMRIF grants, others that have had significant cuts

under the municipal funding program, and then there are those that are losers in both respects -- Pelham, Thorold and Lincoln -- that have had their funding cut and their capital programs

denied.

The Minister of Natural Resources probably doesn't know this, but you should, as should the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing:

Section 6 of the

greenbelt legislation gives you the authority, and I'd say the responsibility, to make sure that greenbelt municipalities are supported in other ministries' initiatives. Premier, surely you agree

that greenbelt municipalities should have special consideration?

Hon. Mr. Ramsay: I'd like to give a couple of quotes in the member's own area, first of all from Tim Rigby, the St. Catharines mayor: "While

this announcement's immediate and substantive effect is the continued and expanded enhancement of the Glendale-Merritt area, it is certain to have a ripple effect on the rest of St. Catharines as

it will be recognized that the vision does become a reality in our city." Also, from the mayor of Niagara Falls: "This is a very important project for the residents of Niagara Falls. We are very

excited to work with our federal and provincial partners to proceed as quickly as possible with these upgrades that will have such a positive impact on our residents."

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Minister, the residents of Weston are very concerned

about the environmental and safety implications associated with the proposed GO Transit air-rail link project. You yourself have the ability to increase the present class B environmental assessment

to a class C assessment if any one of three conditions exist: if there are more than 50 kilometres of rail; if there is something new that GO Transit does not normally do; or if there is serious

public controversy. In this case, all three of those situations are in existence. As a matter of fact, on the last one alone the residents had to have their meeting cancelled by the fire marshal

two weeks ago because of the size of the crowd. Last week's rescheduled meeting attracted 2,500 residents. If this does not reflect serious public controversy, we are at a loss to understand what

does. My question to you is, will you instruct GO Transit to bump up the class B environmental assessment of the GO air-rail link proposal to a full class C environmental assessment?

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I want to thank the member for asking this question. We are in the public information

sessions at this point in time. The purpose of these public information sessions is to get input from the public.

There have been some concerns expressed, and we are absolutely determined to address those questions for the public. If that requires that we adopt a different

environmental assessment process, we will look at that. But at this time, we are at the very initial stages of this process.

Mr. Prue: Minister, you're only going part way. I want you to go all the way here today. Given that one of the proponents of the project,

SNC-Lavalin, is also the company hired by GO Transit, to the tune of some $600,000, to undertake the environmental assessment, the people of Weston are well justified in their concern that the

process may not be carried out in a fashion in keeping with the interests of their community. Moving to a full environmental assessment of this project will provide Weston residents the open

inquiry that they demand.

In fact, your own colleague in government, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, stated in a letter to the community, "I have written to the

Ministers of Transportation and Environment to express my concerns over this proposed new rail service and request consideration for a more detailed and comprehensive evaluation of the impacts of

this proposal on our community."

My question to you is direct: Your own minister wants to do it. Will you do it? Will you do it today?

Hon. Mr. Takhar: Let me say this. The Minister of Economic Development has been very active on this file. He has talked to me about the issues

of the residents, and we are listening very carefully to what the residents have to say. They also have the option to bump up the environmental assessment process if it's required.

I want to assure the people of Weston that we are absolutely determined to have the proper consultations with the people of the Weston area. Whatever it will

require to address their concerns, we are absolutely committed to doing that.

EDUCATION

Mrs. Liz Sandals (Guelph-Wellington): My question is for the Minister of Education. Today is the first day of Education Week in Ontario. It is

a chance for everyone in Ontario to express their support for public education.

Public education took a beating in Ontario under the Tories. They created a crisis in our schools and took $2 billion out of the education system.

I know that our Liberal government is different. The Liberal government is putting money into the education system. I think we all know the results of the

horrific Tory record: lost teachers, poor student performance and crumbling infrastructure. Contrast their record with our record: groundbreaking agreements with Ontario's teachers, good outcomes

for every student and a plan for rebuilding education infrastructure.

Minister, as Education Week begins today, what are the government's long-term goals for education in Ontario?

Hon. Gerard Kennedy (Minister of Education): I would again enjoin everyone in this House to be part of Education Week, if they can, between

now and the end of constituency week: go back to school; visit their local ridings. We look forward to what they find there and also what they bring back.

The first stage of our plan is to reinvigorate the school system to bring around an attitude of respect, which can't be bought but really is about treating

people with respect. We're seeing the dividends of that now. Yes, there is an investment, because the basic replacement of things as fundamental as buildings has to be done. Everything we're doing

is to set up the system for progress. Peace and stability is for progress. The buildings that are there are to show the respect and the function for progress.

We've set goals for literacy and numeracy and for student success in high school. We intend to meet those, very significantly, in the next number of years. We

invite everyone in this House to do what has happened in other jurisdictions: Make education a true partnership. Let's work on making sure that we get an education advantage for our kids in

Ontario.

Mrs. Sandals: It is inspiring to hear what this government is doing for education in Ontario. It is inspiring to hear that we have a real,

tangible, long-term plan.

It is obvious that this government's long-term plan for education provides real benefits to our children, our educators and our society. I've talked to many

parents back in my riding. I've visited many schools and talked to many educators from all over Ontario.

The message was clear during the last election: Ontario flat-out rejects the Tory destruction of our education system and the stale, destructive policies of

the ill-fated Common Sense Revolution, which the member from Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey supported.

The people of Ontario voted for a new deal. They chose change, and the Liberals are delivering. Minister, how will the long-term vision for education in

Ontario benefit other children?

Hon. Mr. Kennedy: I appreciate the question. The challenge, of course, it poses to every party in this House is to be able to get a clear

accomplishment from this system. We believe it's there. Myself and the Premier of the province have taken a great, direct interest in this. We know that we have these ambitious goals for the

system, of taking it where it has never been before in terms of outcomes, in terms of a cohesive system. The good news is that, somewhere in the province, some of that is already happening.

We have a tremendous infrastructure in Ontario that needs to be built upon, and the leadership of that, frankly, should be shared in this House. It has been

rejected by the party opposite. In part, the voters rejected them, and for some reason they cling to this idea of private schools and private advantage.

We say, instead, that the essential Canadian and Ontario idea is about conveying an advantage, unlocking the potential of every single student in this

province. We will not deviate from that, and we enjoin everyone in this House and across the province to join us in that goal. People as diverse as the C.D. Howe Institute and people from across

the social spectrum agree that we should have in this province an education advantage, because our economic policy is our education policy, and our social policy is --

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

</A>ELECTRICITY RESTRUCTURING

Mr. John O'Toole (Durham): My question is to the Minister of Energy. Minister, unfortunately, most of the energy coming out of your ministry's

office is in the form of RFP announcements, appointments, re-announcements and yet more appointments. The typical Ontario consumer wants to know when this cascading series of announcements is going

to end so that you can get on with the business of managing Ontario's electricity system.

Minister, today you announced the appointments of board members for the Ontario Power Authority and the Independent Electricity Systems Operator. I noticed

that many of the appointments were from outside jurisdictions. On the other hand, I'm very disappointed that knowledgeable individuals from Ontario such as Jack Gibbons of the Ontario Clean Air

Alliance and Tom Adams from Energy Probe are not part of your energy plan for Ontario.

I have two separate questions, if you could answer them, please. What is the selection process for membership on the board, and can you tell the people of

Ontario what remuneration is paid, or is this just another raise for your friends in the electricity sector?

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism and Recreation): Where is this place called Lobby?

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy, Government House Leader): Lobby: That's where the Tim Hudak fundraiser is, at 192 Bloor Street East.

Tickets are $250 each; $1,000 for an executive circle.

I'll tell you what we're doing: We're cleaning up the mess that government left. In the last 10 years we've lost 5,000 megawatts of capacity, with nothing

being generated -- nothing. We've announced 5,000 new megawatts to replace that.

Number two: We've applied freedom of information and public disclosure on OPG and all of our entities so that we'll see no more contracts to Tory insiders,

like we saw under that government.

When we assumed office, Ontario's reserve capacity was 10% -- half of what it should be. We've doubled it, according to the IESO, for the year 2005. We're

safer, more secure, with lower-priced power than we were the day you left office. What are we doing? We're fixing the mess you created.

Mr. O'Toole: Actually, your announcement last week was an announcement made by Elizabeth Witmer back in 2001. In fact, the work done by the

energy conservation and supply task force is ye