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April 24, 2017

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2017-Apr-24 (PDF)

L070 - Mon 24 Apr 2017 / Lun 24 avr 2017

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 24 April 2017 Lundi 24 avril 2017

Introduction of Visitors

Oral Questions

Housing policy

Opioid abuse

Pharmacare

Pharmacare

Ontario budget

Hydro rates

Ontario budget

Ontario budget

Mental health services

Artificial intelligence

Ontario budget

Hospital funding

International trade

Ontario budget

Health care

Special report, Ombudsman

Order of business

Visitors / Visiteurs

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Rail safety

Tenant protection

Grandview Children’s Centre

Armenian genocide anniversary

Hamilton Community Food Centre

Financial literacy

Oak Ridges moraine

Armenian genocide anniversary

Fiscal responsibility

Yad Vashem

Introduction of Bills

Rental Fairness Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur l’équité en location immobilière

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Volunteers

Petitions

Road safety

Komoka Provincial Park

Water fluoridation

School closures

Grandview Children’s Centre

Hydro rates

Long-term care

Employment standards

Elevator maintenance

Hospital funding

Privatization of public assets

Water fluoridation

Orders of the Day

Medical Assistance in Dying Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne l’aide médicale à mourir

The House met at 1030.

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

Prayers.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize a constituent of mine from Harrington, Harry Jongerden. He is here today at Queen’s Park and I want to welcome him.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: Good morning, Speaker, it’s nice to see you after the break. I would like to welcome Michellyne Mancini here, with Greendoor Financial. Michellyne is here as an independent financial adviser. She is also the daughter of former MPP Remo Mancini. It’s nice to welcome her here today.

Hon. Jeff Leal: I’m not sure which gallery she’s in, but I’d like to welcome Linda Gratton here today. She is employed with London Life in Peterborough and is here as part of the Advocis lobby day group.

Mr. Lorne Coe: I’d like to introduce Louisa Majoros, Irene Walsh, Ronald Fennell and Karen Low from the region of Durham. They’re here, Speaker, for the Financial Advisors Association of Canada’s lobby day. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: We have a number of people here today from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario from my area: Jim Hudson, Jane Holmes, who is the chair of the board, Pam Belgrade, Michael Bertuzzi, Bonnie Ruddock and Donna Lee Rosen. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: On behalf of myself and the Minister of Community and Social Services, I’d like to introduce Cindy Scott in the members’ gallery, who is visiting the Legislature for the first time today. Welcome, Cindy.

Mr. Randy Hillier: I would like to welcome Sean Lawrence from Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington, with Advocis, down to see us here at the Legislature today.

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: Speaker, I am pleased to introduce one of our page captains today, Eesha Rehan from my riding of London–Fanshawe, who is starting with us. I would like to welcome her and hope her experience is educational and as enlightening as her brother’s was. He was a page here before.

I also would like to recognize her parents who are here today joining us, and give a warm welcome to Eesha’s parents, Nazish and Rehan Malik. Welcome to the Legislature today.

Mr. James J. Bradley: I’d like to welcome the son of Harold William Walker, a member of provincial Parliament for Welland from 1948 to 1951—his son, Don Walker, is here today, along with grandson, Finley Walker, in the east members’ gallery.

Miss Monique Taylor: I am so pleased to welcome the guest of another one of our page captains today, Claire Le Donne—I’ll welcome her to the House, as I haven’t had the ability to do so. But joining us today is her father, Dino Le Donne, and her sister, Gabrielle Le Donne, who you will know was also a former page here at Queen’s Park. The family is back. Welcome back to the Le Donnes.

Mrs. Cristina Martins: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. It gives me pleasure to introduce Peter Tzanetakis, who is here in the gallery. He is VP of government and corporate relations with Advocis, here for their lobby day today. Welcome, Peter.

Mr. Steve Clark: Speaker, I want to introduce to you, and through you to members of the Legislative Assembly, two constituents from my riding of Leeds–Grenville who are here with the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario: Bonnie Ruddock, who is the executive director of RTO Region 9, the Great Waterway, and Kathrine Christensen from the 1000 Islands Accommodation Partners. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I am very pleased to welcome some folks from Advocis who are here from my riding: Chris James, Curtis Luckovitch and Angel Georgijev.

Mr. Joe Dickson: I would like to introduce the guest of page Charlene Rocha: her father, Cilbur Rocha, who is in the gallery this morning.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, if I may, I’d like to introduce members from the Durham region Advocis group. They are Chris Hudson, Irene Walsh, Brent Holmes, Sarah Smith, Ron Fennell, Louisa Majoros and Karen Low.

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: I’d like to welcome to the Legislature David McGruer from Ottawa, who is a financial adviser and a member of Advocis.

Mr. Granville Anderson: I would like to welcome Brent Holmes, who is here today with Advocis and from my riding of Durham. Welcome.

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I would like to welcome Will Britton, Ed Bettencourt, Greg Gies, Josh Decaire and David McGruer of Advocis, as well as, of course, Jane Holmes from Colleges Ontario. Welcome.

Ms. Soo Wong: Coming in very shortly are students from my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt. I want to welcome both the teachers and students from Tam O’Shanter public school. Welcome

L’hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Deux annonces aujourd’hui. La première : je suis fière de présenter et de remercier Anick Tremblay, qui travaille pour moi dans mon bureau de commettants à Ottawa–Orléans, pour son excellent travail. Elle est ici avec nous durant notre période de questions.

Also a constituent of mine, Mr. Kris Birchard, who is also the chair of the government relations committee at Advocis.

Mr. Norm Miller: I’d like to welcome Beth Potter, who is in the east members’ gallery, who is here for Tourism Day at Queen’s Park.

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: I’m pleased to recognize a group of individuals who are here in spirit, the Ottawa Senators, for their big victory; and to the Toronto Maple Leafs, for exceeding their expectations.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I want to welcome many friends who are here on behalf of Advocis to meet with members. I want to welcome Greg Pollock, who is the president and CEO; Wade Baldwin, who is the chair of the board of the directors; a good friend of mine, Kris Birchard, who is the chair of the government relations committee; and Linda Gratton, who is the chair of the provincial advocacy committee.

I invite all members to come to the Advocis reception in the dining room today, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Ms. Sylvia Jones: Please join me in welcoming Michele Harris from the Hills of Headwaters Tourism who has joined us. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further introduction? Seeing no further introductions, it is time for—

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Point of order.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): A point of order from the government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I defer, Speaker.

Oral Questions

Housing policy

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. The Ontario PC caucus called for action, and we’re happy to see the Liberals introduce some of our ideas in their housing plan. But the plan is missing a very important part, and it’s failing to address the underlying problems. On Saturday in the Globe and Mail, economic expert Sean Speer put it best: The plan “will ... do nothing to address the underlying supply issues affecting affordability.” Let me repeat that: The plan will do nothing to address the supply issue.

Mr. Speaker, why have the Liberals ignored the underlying issues for so long? To the Minister of Finance: Is there any—any—goal of the government to address the supply issue?

Hon. Charles Sousa: I appreciate the question from the man with no plan. Here we have a party that is talking—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. I’m going to interject. I’m going to hold to the tradition and the convention that we respect each other by naming either each other’s riding or title. That is going to stay.

Carry on.

Hon. Charles Sousa: The Leader of the Opposition has put forward no plan, Mr. Speaker. Instead, he’s going on about what it is that we should still do—a lot of talk, but no action.

We have put forward a 16-point plan that is actionable, that talks a lot about addressing demand and addressing supply. It is why we have put measures in place to inspire and promote more supply into the mix. Vacancy and vacant lots are an issue. We’re addressing that in this plan, as well as discounting development charges and other things to try to promote more purpose-built into the mix, Mr. Speaker.

It has been endorsed by economists and endorsed by the Bank of Canada, which recognizes how important it is to put these measures into place. The member opposite and his party have offered nothing, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Minister of Finance: The Minister of Finance is proud of his plan—taxes, taxes, taxes and more taxes—but the economic experts are saying that it doesn’t address the issue of supply. At a minimum, a detailed review of policies related to zoning and development should be part of the plan. I think we already know what that review would tell us: too much red tape is suffocating the system.

In the last 10 years in the GTA, we’ve seen the result of Liberal red tape. At the end of January 2007, there were 18,400 new ground-oriented homes available for purchase for families in the GTA. By January 2017 that number had shrunk to 1,500—from 18,000 to 1,500, and they say there’s no supply issue.

I will ask again. Rather than attacking others and hurling insults, my question is: Will they deal with the supply issue that’s causing spiralling house prices?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, we’re taking actions on the supply mix. We’ve actually pointed out a number of them. They include surplus provincial lands. We’ve empowered municipalities and cities to provide and expedite vacant properties. We’re looking at reducing multi-residential apartment buildings’ tax positions. We’re investing $125 million in a five-year program to encourage construction of rental properties. A housing supply team is being established, dedicated to this very issue.

I have to say this, Mr. Speaker. I have a quote here. It says this: It “looks like the government listened and are” caring about people who are going to be exempt “from the tax who would contribute to our economy or help our health care system.” That is from Tim Hudak, Mr. Speaker. He recognizes that we are doing what’s necessary for the people of Ontario.

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

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Minister of Finance: The Minister of Finance likes sharing quotes. He just said that he believes there is a supply issue, and they’re acting on it.

The Liberal Premier of Ontario—your boss, Minister of Finance—on October 19 said that the housing supply problem is a myth. So I’m glad at least the Minister of Finance recognizes and says that supply is an issue because, do you know what? All of the independent experts are saying that it’s a big issue.

The Toronto board of trade said they question whether this Liberal scheme does anything to address the lack of supply to buy or rent in the face of unprecedented demand. I’ve got a quote here from Jan De Silva of the board of trade: “We’ve got 80,000 people a year moving into the city. We should have 30,000 new rental units a year coming on stream. Right now”—there are very few—“the average has been 1,500.”

This is not helping supply, but we know the government is going to collect a lot of new money. Maybe the Minister of Finance can tell us what all these new taxes are going to result in. How much money will the government get? Because one thing—

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

Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, let’s put it in perspective. What we’re talking about is encouraging supply. The very taxes that he’s talking about, that we shouldn’t do—again, no plan—are actually curbing and not encouraging supply.

TD Economics says that “the tax on non-residents and ‘paper flipping’ should together help stem speculative behavior, and cool demand for properties in the greater Golden Horseshoe.”

The National Bank of Canada says, “You could do nothing,” as is being proposed over here, or “you could take action in the face of pronounced risks, implementing policies designed to both tame speculation and spur needed development, thereby placing the resulting housing market on a more sustainable footing. Ontario’s finance minister has opted for the latter course of action, and it’s a decision we applaud.” That is Warren Lovely from the National Bank of Canada.

Opioid abuse

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Minister of Health. Since I can’t get an answer from the Minister of Finance on supply, I’m going to hope that the Minister of Health will share with us an answer on a very important topic.

According to the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, this province has more than two people who die each day from an opioid overdose. That’s unacceptable. How many more days are we going to have to bear this tragic statistic in the province of Ontario? Can the Minister of Health please tell us how he’s going to deal with this crisis?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: We are taking action, on this side of the Legislature. In fact, last fall, we introduced the first opioid strategy in this province’s history.

In fact, we are at the leading edge, if not in front, of the rest of the country when it comes to the measures we’ve put in place to tackle the opioid crisis, which, as we all know, is a national crisis, including here in the province.

We’re investing more in our 17 pain clinics. We’re investing more in treatment centres for those who face addictions. We’re making naloxone available—we have made it available for almost one year—free of charge through pharmacies. More than 1,000 pharmacies in the province are providing this, and they’ve distributed more than 28,000 life-saving naloxone kits that can literally save a life at that moment of need. We’re working on improving prescribing with our front-line health care professionals. There are a whole set of measures.

I hope the member opposite understands that this can’t be a partisan issue. This needs to be an issue where we all work together to end this epidemic.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Minister of Health: Last week in Ottawa, there were 15 overdoses in 72 hours. Obviously, this is a crisis. Obviously, we’re not doing enough.

Too often, opioid pills are cheap and easy to get, and they’re dangerous. A lethal dose of pure fentanyl is as little as two milligrams, the weight of seven poppy seeds. Young people don’t realize how dangerous this can be.

The Premier and the minister must crack down on this scourge that is hurting our youth, that is hurting families, that is hurting people in Ontario.

My question to the Minister of Health is: Will he support the official opposition’s call to cancel the hydro vanity ads and use the limited advertising budget the province has to raise public awareness on this issue?

Young people are dying, and there is not a proper appreciation for how dangerous this fentanyl is.

Interjections.

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

Minister.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite thinks it’s as simple as simply launching a public awareness campaign, he’s dead wrong.

There are so many measures that are required to address this. They include the investments we’re making this year in more treatment centres for youth in Ottawa. They include the fact that more than 80 pharmacies in Ottawa are providing, free of charge, life-saving naloxone—available over the counter, with training from the pharmacist—that can save lives.

I’m as concerned as the member opposite about the availability of illicit fentanyl, carfentanil and other narcotics on our streets. We all need to work together to end this scourge. It’s something that we’ve been doing for many years. We have a strategy to address it.

I’d like to know, other than fancy ads to increase awareness, what’s in his plan?

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

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Minister of Health: There are multiple ways to tackle this crisis. The fact is—

Interjections.

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

Mr. Patrick Brown: On such a serious issue, they attack rather than want to work together. The member for Nipissing had a great idea on fentanyl patches, the MPP for Kitchener–Conestoga had a great idea on illegal pill press machines—but they attack. They don’t understand that there are many ways we can attack this issue, and one of the ways is to stop spending the government’s advertising budget on vanity ads supporting the Liberal Party—rather than actually raising awareness for young people. This is not a partisan issue.

So I’m asking again: Will the Minister of Health support our request to use the limited advertising budget to actually make young people aware of how dangerous this is? When I was in Ottawa, I heard about 14-year-old Chloe Kotval and 19-year-old Teslin Russell who died because—

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

Interjections.

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

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Davenport, come to order.

Minister of Health.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, since April 1 of this year, every hospital in this province is reporting, on at least a weekly basis, overdoses that they see in their ERs. We’ve named the first-ever provincial overdose coordinator. We’re working with the coroner to expedite and improve the data that’s available for important decision-making. We’re doing everything we can imagine.

In fact, the pill press idea, which is a good idea—that the federal government is working on, because that’s a federal issue. I’d like to hear more ideas, because in the 10 years when he was a member of a government in Ottawa, I can tell you what he did on the opioid crisis that we’ve known about for a decade, Mr. Speaker: He did nothing.

Interjections.

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

New question.

Pharmacare

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is to the Acting Premier. There are 2.2 million people in Ontario who don’t have drug coverage. I don’t think those people should have to empty their wallets just to get the kind of medications that they need or, worse, go without the medications that they need.

Does the Liberal government think the same, Speaker?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I applaud the member from the third party for her advocacy on this important issue.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: You can’t cross the floor; we won’t take you.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Timmins–James Bay.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: That member and the third party know that for at least the past three years, our government, myself and the Premier have been strong and relentless advocates in advocating for a national pharmacare program. In fact, I would argue that we have been the largest and strongest political voice nationally on this issue for the last three years.

Mr. Speaker, it’s important to all of us in this Legislature—and outside—who believe in the importance of a national pharmacare program and access to medicines. As a health care professional myself, I understand just how critically important that is. It’s important we all work together to hopefully meet that vision.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, part of the problem is that there’s lots of talk, but there’s no action.

Today in Ontario there will be people who go to a doctor or a nurse practitioner and they’ll get a prescription, and they’ll leave that appointment knowing that they can’t afford to fill that prescription. That means they won’t take the medication that they need.

I don’t think that that’s right. Does the Liberal government?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: There’s no distance between myself and the leader of the third party on this issue. We both agree on how critically important it is that the estimated one out of 10, perhaps more, families across this country that are unable to access medicines because of their socio-economic status—we agree on this.

Even more so, as a practising physician, particularly practising since graduation with lower socio-economic groups, refugees and immigrants primarily from Africa, I know just how vitally real, how absolutely real this challenge is and how important it is that this unfinished business of medicare that was envisioned 51 years ago—that we all work together—

Mr. Paul Miller: Thanks to Tommy Douglas.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Thanks to Tommy Douglas; there’s no question, thanks to Tommy Douglas. It’s unfinished business, and I have been championing this issue for three years.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: In fact, there is a big distance, because we would actually implement universal pharmacare in the province of Ontario, not just talk about it.

Today in cities and towns all across our province, there are people who will get a prescription filled, and when those people get home, they’ll sit down at their kitchen table and they’ll take their pills from that prescription bottle and they will split each and every one of those pills in half because the medication is so expensive. In fact, one in four Ontarians right now is forced to do exactly that.

I think people should be able to take the medication they need at the dosage that their physician has prescribed. Does the Liberal government?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Of course we do, Mr. Speaker. Of course we believe the issue of health equity and access is vitally important. That’s why in 2014 I met with the then federal Minister of Health, Rona Ambrose, and our provincial and territorial health ministers and I advocated for national pharmacare. In 2015 I hosted a conference here in Toronto on national pharmacare. In 2015 I advocated again at the federal, provincial and territorial level. In 2016, when we hosted that same group of federal, provincial and territorial ministers, I called for it again.

The member opposite—

Interjections.

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

Hon. Eric Hoskins: The member opposite knows how important this issue is. I just wish she had been there three years ago, two years ago, one year ago, side by side with me, advocating for this important vision.

Pharmacare

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is for the Acting Premier, Speaker, but I can tell the Minister of Health that we were there telling them to back off increasing seniors’ prescriptions. That’s the only thing they did, was increase the cost of prescriptions for seniors.

Tommy Douglas absolutely was the founder of Canadian health care in our country, and we all know that. He famously said, “Let’s not forget that the ultimate goal of medicare must be to keep people well rather than just patching them up when they get sick.”

Keeping people well means ensuring that they have the medicine that they need to stay healthy. It means universal pharmacare for everyone. It means lower costs for families, less worry for working people and better health care for Ontarians.

Does the Liberal government believe that our health care system should be keeping people healthy, or just patching people up until the next time?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I’m proud of the fact that our drug benefit system in this province is one of the strongest, most generous in the entire country if not the most generous. I’m proud that in last year’s budget we announced that an additional 170,000 seniors would no longer have to pay an annual deductible, and their co-payment was reduced from $6 down to $2.

We need to, all of us, be proud of the efforts that we’ve made over the past decade to expand the availability of drugs. Just recently, after introducing a virtual cure for hepatitis C, we’ve announced the expansion of that program, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to the treasury, but we’re doing that because we know just how critically important it is to provide these life-saving medications.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: As I recall, it was the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, it was seniors across the province and it was New Democrats who forced them to back down from increasing prescription costs for seniors. That’s what was in their initial budget, Speaker. I think the minister forgets.

Canada needs a universal pharmacare program. I’m glad that the minister agrees and talks a lot about it. But just because the federal government is dragging its feet, it doesn’t mean that the people of Ontario should have to empty their wallets for the medications that they need or, worse, go without them.

Does the Liberal government understand that the people of this province need universal pharmacare?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: We did hear from our stakeholders with regard to our efforts to expand the availability and reduce the cost of drugs. We introduced that in our budget. It led to 170,000 more seniors paying no annual deductible and reducing their co-payment. Mr. Speaker, the third party voted against that measure. They know they did.

But pharmacare is too important to make it a partisan issue. I’m proud of the fact that our Premier and myself, for many years now, have been advocating across this country. We have been the strongest political leadership advocating for pharmacare.

I do not recall having these conversations with the third party three years ago, two years ago or even one year ago, but I’m glad that they’ve finally come to the table.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: We’ll proudly vote against budgets that starve hospitals and cut autism services off for kids over five.

More than 2.2 million Ontarians don’t have any drug coverage whatsoever, and the problem is getting worse, not better. As work becomes less stable and less secure, it’s harder for people to find jobs with benefits.

I believe that parents shouldn’t have to empty their wallets or reach for a maxed-out credit card when their daughter or son is having an asthma attack and they need to go to the pharmacy to get an inhaler. Working people shouldn’t have to skip their heart medication because they lost their jobs or their benefits got cut off.

Ontario should be a leader. This province should be a leader. Will universal pharmacare be in this week’s budget on Thursday, or will the people of this province be left waiting and suffering yet again by this Liberal government’s lack of action?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Universal access to drugs is a gap nationally in our medicare system, and it needs to be addressed. That’s why, in 2015—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Minister?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: That’s why, in 2015, I convened a round table of some of the leading experts nationally and internationally to get their—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Finish.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: And then in January 2016, I discussed the issue again at the FPT level, leading to the creation of a pan-national working group to look specifically at the issue of pharmacare.

The member opposite knows that this is not a simple issue. I raised it again last fall at the FPT level, and our advocacy continues unrelenting.

Ontario budget

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. Last week I wrote to you specifically about northern Ontario, with four budget recommendations: End your hydro crisis, make cap-and-trade revenue-neutral, save our rural schools and take action on the growing debt.

Interest payments on that debt are crowding out the services that people in northern Ontario depend on. You’ve cut staff at the hospitals in Atikokan, Espanola, Lake of the Woods, Timiskaming, Sudbury, the Soo, Timmins, Thunder Bay and more.

The almost 400 front-line health care workers you’ve cut in North Bay, including 100 nurses, is having a severe impact on patients’ health care.

Will you commit to immediately paying down the province’s debt, laying out a long-term debt plan, and stop trying to balance your budget on the backs of patients in northern hospitals?

Hon. Charles Sousa: I do appreciate the question from the member opposite. He has just gone on about how we should not borrow, and invest in hospitals and in schools, because he wants to do across-the-board cuts. That has been their recommendation.

On this side of the House, we don’t ascribe to that. We’ve taken a very balanced approach. We have done a very thoughtful approach to invest to stimulate growth, to invest in those programs and services that Ontarians care for and rely upon.

They opted for 100,000 job cuts in their last election. We didn’t do that. We’re balancing the books. We’re investing in things that matter to the people of Ontario. I’ll have more to say about that on April 27.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member from Niagara West–Glanbrook.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: My question is to the Minister of Finance. I also wrote to the minister last week. Nurses and doctors in Niagara tell me the same sad story. Front-line health care in the Niagara region is a major concern, but this government has cut over 1,500 nursing positions over the past year. In some cases, there is only one registered nurse taking care of over 200 seniors in a long-term-care facility. This is unfair to our nurses, unfair to our seniors and unfair to the people of Niagara.

While blaming this situation on funding restrictions, this government keeps wasting money on layers of bureaucracy and duplication of services, which only feed frustration.

My question to the minister: Will this government stop wasting the taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars on the growth of senseless bureaucracy, and will this budget invest in the front-line health services that actually serve the people of Ontario?

Hon. Charles Sousa: I’m very proud of the work and the increases that we have put in budgets for health care, for front-line services. We have more nurses than we did before. I remind the member opposite, who’s new to this House, that they actually wanted to cut 100,000 people on the front lines.

We will continue to invest in our hospitals. We’ll continue to invest in our education. We’ll continue to build more schools and more hospitals. We’re going to continue hiring more doctors and more nurses, as we have year over year.

The people of Ontario rely on those services. We opted to invest in those services, not make the cuts that they’ve been advocating for.

Hydro rates

Mr. Peter Tabuns: My question is to the Acting Premier. Hydro bills at the Sault Area Hospital have jumped nearly $1 million in recent years. It’s become clear that the hospital, along with manufacturers and other medium-sized businesses, will not see any bill reductions, despite the Premier’s promises.

Late last Friday, the Ontario Energy Board revealed that no one will see the full reductions that the Premier promised would be in place this summer. The summer hydro rates that were just posted by the Ontario Energy Board do not include all of the reductions promised by the Premier.

Why do the Premier’s hydro promises keep falling short?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I’m very pleased to rise to talk about the 25% reduction that everyone will see come this summer. The OEB rate that was announced last week is an additional 9%, so everyone, on May 1, will see a 17% reduction. When you take the 8% that started in January plus the 9% that’s coming, that’s 17% with more to come. That’s great news for all families right across the province.

I know it’s very hard to understand that when it comes from a party that has no plan, no real substance, when it comes to reducing rates. They’ve got pie-in-the-sky ideas. They want to form a committee and maybe have that committee someday come up with a solution.

Our solution is working, so much so that the OEB already brought forward a 9% reduction on top of the 8%. We’re going to see a 25% reduction by summer. That’s good for all families, for farms and for 500,000 small businesses right across our province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Back to the Acting Premier: Starting May 1, hydro disconnections will resume. Thousands of Ontario families will lose their power because they can’t afford their soaring hydro bills.

The Premier could bring Hydro One back into public hands so that ratepayers don’t have to pay the 20% increase that Hydro One’s private investors are demanding. The Premier could renegotiate her overpriced, privatized power contracts. Instead, she’s spending up to $40 billion to get herself out of a political jam while doing nothing to rein in the underlying costs of hydro.

Why won’t the Premier put families and businesses first in Ontario instead of the political needs of the Liberal Party?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: It’s families, small businesses and farms that have been put first in this, giving them an average of a 25% reduction come summer—that’s putting them first.

For low-income individuals, we’ve increased the OESP program by 50%, including more families and more individuals who qualify, putting them first. You know where they were in their plan, Mr. Speaker? The last page.

Not even mentioning First Nations—we are making sure we’re helping First Nations. We’re helping small businesses. We’re helping farms.

When it comes to putting families first, when it comes to putting small businesses first and farms first, that is something we do. On the other side of the House, they put them on the last page and forget about them. We have no time to look at pie-in-the-sky ideas like they do. That’s why we’re acting by summer with 25%.

Ontario budget

Mr. Arthur Potts: My question is to the Minister of Finance. A couple of weeks ago, the minister, in a speech to the Empire Club, confirmed that Ontario is one of the fastest-growing provinces in Canada and that our economy continues to outpace Canada and all other G7 nations. We have created almost 700,000 new jobs since the recession, and unemployment is at a 10-year low.

Speaker, these numbers are important. They show that we’re on the right track. They show that we are prudent fiscal managers of Ontario’s economy. Our government has taken a responsible approach to eliminating the deficit while continuing to invest in key public services. In my own riding of Beaches–East York, we are continuing to invest in critical new investments that will strengthen our community and other parts of Ontario.

Could the minister provide an update on our fiscal plan in advance of the 2017-18 budget?

Hon. Charles Sousa: I’d like to thank the member from Beaches–East York for the question. I am happy to formally announce that this Thursday, April 27, I will deliver the 2017-18 Ontario budget, and it will be a balanced budget.

When the global recession hit, we made a choice to invest in our economy while protecting vital public services like health care and education. Ontario met this challenge head-on. We made a decision to put Ontario first. Our government set a realistic and responsible approach to return to balance by 2017-18 and, this week, our government will deliver on that commitment.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Arthur Potts: That is incredibly great news, and I want to thank the Minister of Finance for his continuing excellent stewardship of our province’s economy.

I know I speak for everyone when I say that we are anxiously awaiting the budget this Thursday because we know that a balanced budget means the government will no longer need to borrow to pay for its ongoing operating costs. It means that an important commitment we made in the 2014 election is being delivered on. It means a promise made has been a promise kept. We know that a strong economy, together with a balanced budget, is positioning Ontario for long-term fiscal sustainability.

In my own riding of Beaches–East York, we are already seeing the benefits of our government’s increased fiscal flexibility. Would the minister then explain exactly what a balanced budget will mean for the province of Ontario and, particularly, what it will mean for my constituents in Beaches–East York?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, it’s simple. The member from Beaches–East York noted a balanced budget means more money to invest in health care, education and things that matter most to the people of Ontario. We’re no longer working to eliminate the deficit, but our principle remains the same: build Ontario up in a balanced way, to protect our economy, to promote jobs and security.

Because of our balanced budget, there will be new investments in public education, in child care, in transit and in business support. Because of our balanced approach, there will be more investments in health care as well.

The people of Ontario have worked hard to achieve a balanced budget and build a stronger Ontario. We’re working with the people of Ontario.

Ontario budget

Mr. Michael Harris: My question is to the Minister of Finance. Over a decade of Liberal budgets have meant that Waterloo region residents are working harder, but getting less, as provincial debt interest crowds out services and promised vital infrastructure improvements we all depend on. Patients in Waterloo region are waiting longer for vital procedures. All-day, two-way GO is now not the promised five, but another 10 years away, and promised high-speed rail has hit a speed bump.

From what I heard around the region last week, Liberal caucus members aren’t the only ones airing frustrations about lacking Liberal leadership.

Speaker, I wrote the Minister of Finance to tell him that we can’t afford to be left behind by yet another Liberal budget. Will the minister commit today to immediately pay down the province’s debt in his upcoming budget to move forward on service and infrastructure investments we require, or will he continue down a budget path that leaves us stuck in reverse?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, let’s be clear what the member is asking. What the member and the Leader of the Opposition are asking, and what all of them are alluding to: They’re asking us to invest more in education, invest more in public transit and invest more in hospitals. But they’re asking us to actually do the opposite. They want us to cut our borrowings, all of which is going to do exactly what is going to make us competitive in the long term.

Our debt-to-GDP is strong, and it’s improving over time. It actually outpaces—we are leading Canada, we’re leading the United States and we’re leading the G7 in our economic growth because of the investments that we’re making.

The member opposite is asking us to actually make cuts to the very things that he’s wanting us to invest in.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member from Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock.

Ms. Laurie Scott: My question is also to the Minister of Finance. Last week, I wrote to the minister, calling on him to address the real concerns of Ontarians in his budget and not his government’s self-serving political priorities.

In my area, the cost of servicing the province’s massive debt is hurting hard-working people. We’ve seen reduced access to health care, including overcrowded hospitals and wait-lists for long-term care that have grown to 4,500. Our communities have been hit by unwanted school closures like that of Lakefield secondary school. Businesses like Cedarvilla Holsteins have seen their hydro bills triple due to the ongoing hydro crisis.

The government’s 2017 budget needs to address these failures in management that are making life harder for families in Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock and Peterborough. Can we expect the government to stop focusing on their own political pet projects and address the real concerns of Ontarians?

Hon. Charles Sousa: It astounds me that the member opposite is asking a question about investing in health care in her community, when we did. We increased it by 10% in her very community. It astounds me that the member opposite belongs to a party where their interest on debt represented 15% of their budget. Today, it’s 8.9%. We’ve locked in a rate for 30 and 40 years so that we can minimize the volatility of interest rates and invest in the very things that they’re asking for.

Mr. Speaker, they’re sucking and blowing on this one.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I would—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): That’s not helpful either.

I would ask the member to temper his comments.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Should I withdraw, Speaker?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I would like you to.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I withdraw, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I would ask all members to relax a little bit.

New question.

Mental health services

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Acting Premier. Last week, London Health Sciences Centre mental health ER was at 146% capacity, with 18 patients waiting for beds. This was not an isolated spike. As this Liberal government knows, this has been the reality in London for years, yet the ministry continues to sit on a pilot project proposal that was submitted by my community last fall to allow ambulance transfer of non-acute mental health and addiction patients directly to the crisis centre instead of the hospital emergency room.

I understand that there was a meeting last week with ministry staff at which several options were discussed. What was not discussed was the pilot project proposal itself. What my community wants to know is: Is this pilot project on or off the table as a solution to the mental health crisis in London?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Well, Mr. Speaker, we love the pilot project; we just want to support it without breaking the law.

Earlier this year, we put together a proposal, which was rejected by the local community, that if the centre came under the corporate structure of the hospital, we would be able to implement that pilot project immediately.

I know that, later this week, the member opposite will be briefed by my ministry on all options within existing legislative opportunities on how we might proceed with what we all agree is an important project that needs to be further supported.

I’d remind the member opposite that it was this government, two years ago I believe, that invested $1.2 million to create the crisis centre that she is talking about in the first place. We’re committed to it. We’ve demonstrated our commitment, and we’re continuing to work with that centre and the LHIN.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Again to the Acting Premier: As the capacity crisis at the hospital keeps getting worse, patients are suffering more, off-load delays are getting longer and the costs associated with the ambulances having to wait at the hospital are increasing. The pilot project could divert as many as 3,000 people a year from the hospital ER, generating savings of $2.5 million. Instead of waiting six hours or more to be seen at the hospital, a patient could access care at the crisis centre in as little as 20 minutes.

This pilot project could be in place within a month, providing an immediate solution to ease some of the pressure on the hospital ER. Will this Liberal government commit to doing whatever is necessary to allow the pilot project to proceed?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: There’s no argument in terms of the value of what is being proposed. However, the regulatory fix that the member opposite has promulgated just doesn’t work within the confines of the existing legislation. Were we to take a legislative approach, it could take many months for that process to reach its conclusion.

However, I asked the ministry to brief me on this issue last week. They did. I then asked for them, when several suggestions for promoting it had come forward, to brief the proponents in the field, together with the LHIN. They’re doing that this week. The member opposite is being briefed tomorrow. I’m confident, if we work in a participatory way without thinking that there’s some quick fix to this, particularly given the absence of workable ideas that she’s brought forward, that we can actually support this.

Artificial intelligence

Mr. Han Dong: My question is to the Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. All over the globe, developed economies are starting to embrace new technologies that will transform many of our most important business sectors. A number of these new technologies are remarkable sectors that have the potential for incredible growth. One area that comes to mind is artificial intelligence, a powerful resource that Ontario is a competitive leader in. If artificial intelligence can be managed properly, it has the incredible potential to keep Ontario firms globally competitive.

Can the minister tell the members of this House how he is ensuring businesses in Ontario will stay ahead in the innovation economy in regard to AI?

Hon. Reza Moridi: I want to thank the member from Trinity–Spadina for that very good question. The member is absolutely right: Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a business sector capable of massive expansion.

It is my honour to inform the House of the recent announcement on the creation of the Vector Institute. Supported by an investment of $50 million from our government, backed by the federal government and with over 25 private sector investors, we are certain this institute is the first step towards encouraging Ontario as a leader in artificial intelligence. The Vector Institute will collaborate with industry partners from sectors such as health care, banking, accounting, insurance, retail and telecommunications. The opportunities are limitless.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Han Dong: I want to thank the minister for his response. It’s great to hear that our government is investing in the tools and resources Ontario firms need to remain globally competitive. It’s more important than ever that this government take these steps to stay ahead when it comes to research and development of experimental technologies. Investments like these will help diversify our economy and create the jobs of the future that will be increasingly in demand.

Could the minister please speak a little more about this exciting initiative and how his ministry expects the Vector Institute to improve AI in Ontario?

Hon. Reza Moridi: Again, I want to thank the member from Trinity–Spadina for that question.

Staying ahead of the competition in a world of great economic change requires us to work harder and to work smarter. Artificial intelligence can help us do that. The Vector Institute will help coordinate Ontario’s existing artificial intelligence resources, direct investment for research and development, and create highly skilled jobs. An institute of this calibre will attract top artificial intelligence researchers from all over the world, as well as keep homegrown Ontario talent right here in the province of Ontario.

Through the Vector Institute, we will be able to provide Ontario businesses with made-in-Ontario AI tools and to promote the exportation of Ontario technology worldwide.

Ontario budget

Mr. Jeff Yurek: My question is to the Minister of Finance. I, too, wrote to the minister last week. People across London and southwestern Ontario are struggling. They’re working harder and paying more, but falling further behind.

The province’s debt continues to cause staffing and service cuts to London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Hospital. The hydro crisis has caused businesses like North Star Ice to see their hydro bills increase by 50% in two years. And, after 14 years of scandal, waste and mismanagement, we’ve created a fast-tracking of school closures, which is gutting rural Ontario, in the Thames Valley District School Board region.

We need a firm commitment from this Liberal government, not pre-election propaganda such as the high-speed rail project promised in 2014, which they have since backtracked on.

Will the Minister of Finance commit to the people of London and southwestern Ontario and include their needs, that I have outlined, in this year’s budget?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Budget—

Interjection: Mr. Budget?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker.

Interjections.

Hon. Charles Sousa: This budget will speak to the needs of London, Ontario. It will speak to the needs of the people in Windsor, and from Windsor all the way to Kenora, all the way to Cornwall, all the way to Kapuskasing, Thunder Bay, North Bay and everywhere in between.

It’s about investing in the people of Ontario. It’s about investing in hospitals, investing in education and investing in schools. It’s not about cutting, as has been proposed by the member opposite in the past. This is about investing to stimulate growth.

We have over 700,000 net new jobs in the depths of the recession. That’s not by accident; that’s because we invested.

We believe in Ontarians, and we will continue to support them.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member from Chatham–Kent–Essex.

Mr. Rick Nicholls: My question is to the Minister of Finance. I have written to the minister as well.

Massive cap-and-trade costs are causing havoc in the greenhouse industry that is so vital to my riding of Chatham–Kent–Essex.

Gerry Mastronardi, owner of TG and G Mastronardi greenhouses, has said that his family business will be lucky to survive, after their natural gas bills were doubled by the Wynne government.

Matt Marchand, president of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce, noted that the result of this scheme is that we’re going to export jobs into other jurisdictions, like Ohio, and import their pollution.

Minister, your government’s cap-and-trade scheme is ludicrous. To prove this, Carl Mastronardi of Sunrite Greenhouses said that he would have paid less in government fees, had he not installed $2-million worth of energy-saving curtains in his greenhouses. His company could have qualified for savings that are available to larger natural gas users. He said there’s no incentive to save energy.

The only green this government is concerned about is money, not the environment. Will the Liberals stop the cash grab and make cap-and-trade revenue-neutral?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Despite the challenges that we’ve had in our economy as we have got out of and recovered from the recession, we have invested.

The agri-food industry and agri-food processing—we are proud in this country for the tremendous amount of GDP that agriculture brings to Ontario. We invested $19 million just in the greenhouse industry.

We know we lead in foreign direct investment in this province, among all other jurisdictions. Again, it’s not by accident; it’s because of our encouragement for that economic activity. We’ll continue to support, and we’ll continue to invest.

The member opposite makes reference to the fact that jobs are important. They’re critically important. That’s why we have to embrace the new economy. He’s turning his back on that new economy. He doesn’t want to go to clean tech. He wants to actually turn around and put his head in the sand.

As the rest of the world leads, Ontario will always lead, Mr. Speaker.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. Order.

New question.

Hospital funding

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Acting Premier. Jamie-Lee Ball is a young woman who found herself in excruciating pain. She was suffering from internal bleeding and complications from surgery, so she went to the emergency room at Brampton Civic Hospital to get some help. But instead of getting a hospital bed, Jamie-Lee was put on a stretcher in a hallway. She was labelled “Hallway Patient Number 1” and she spent five long days and nights waiting for a real hospital bed.

Why does this Liberal government think that hallway medicine is good enough for Jamie-Lee and other patients in Brampton?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I appreciate the leader of the third party raising this. It had been raised earlier in the Legislature as well, and at that time I was able to express my deep concern, and certainly my sympathy and empathy, for this young woman. It’s not acceptable that an individual should have to spend that length of time under those conditions. I know that the hospital also is extremely concerned about it and working on the issue, and working with the family as well.

It’s important that we find ways, as we increase our investments to hospitals—including significant increases over the last year to the Brampton Civic and the associated hospitals, in the order of $25 million in new funds last year—that we find those solutions so that unfortunate, unacceptable situations like this do not happen in the future.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, they don’t want sympathy. They want change. That’s what they want. This government has starved hospitals for years in this province. That’s why we’re in such a crisis.

Ontario’s hospitals have been pushed to the breaking point by this minister and by this government. Hospitals are seriously overcrowded. Surgeries are being cancelled. Patients like Jamie-Lee in Brampton are being forced to spend days, in a situation of complete indignity, in hospital hallways on stretchers.

According to officials at Brampton Civic, the new Peel Memorial actually reduced patient volume for about 10 days—10 days. But now, the civic hospital is back to severe overcrowding that is putting patients in Brampton into hallway medicine, when they deserve so much better.

When will this Liberal government stop the cuts to hospitals, admit that they’ve created a gridlock crisis and do something about it?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: The member opposite knows that the Peel region is one of the fastest-growing parts of this country. That’s why we’re responding with the level of funding that we are. For the William Osler Health System, that Brampton Civic is part of, we actually increased their funding last year by 6.5%, or more than $30 million, so that they would be able to address the increased capacity, the volume issues, that they’re seeing.

I was very proud to be with the Premier a couple of weeks ago at Peel Memorial. The member opposite seems to discount the importance of that centre to the community population. An incredible facility, the Peel Memorial wellness centre—which we opened just a couple of weeks ago—is providing a whole myriad of services: cataract surgery, emergency care, a whole set of comprehensive outpatient care.

We know, from talking directly with the patients, the clients and the staff, that that is making a tremendous difference in the region.

International trade

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: My question is to the Minister of International Trade. As the trade landscape around the world is in constant motion, it is important that Ontario continues to position itself in a way that leverages the strength of our growing sectors.

The minister has long emphasized the importance of diversification in both the markets that we trade and the sectors we promote within those markets.

In the past year, Ontario has conducted a host of successful trade missions to countries like India, South Korea and Japan, promoting sectors spanning from agri-food and financial tech to ICT and clean tech.

Given the success of these missions, I was excited to hear that last week the minister led a mission to China, a priority market for Ontario’s exports.

Speaker, can the minister please tell us about the important relationship that Ontario has with China and how businesses and workers stand to benefit from these relationship-building efforts?

Hon. Michael Chan: Thank you for the question, and I want to thank the honourable member from Barrie for asking it. Our future economic growth relies on our ability to compete globally, and that’s a fact. China is Ontario’s second-largest trading partner. From 2012 to 2016, two-way trade between Ontario and China has increased by a whopping 35%.

The purpose of my latest mission to China was to support Ontario companies in signing new business agreements, strengthening trade and economic partnerships and encouraging investment in Ontario. Expanding the reach of Ontario exporters by connecting them to foreign buyers allows for Ontario-made innovative goods and services to get the exposure they deserve.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: As jurisdictions around the globe aggressively promote their economies on the world business stage, it is reassuring to know that Ontario has taken the steps necessary to not only compete globally, but to lead the charge. It is encouraging to know that our government has made strides in making exporting easier for Ontario’s up-and-coming businesses.

As the minister has mentioned, the relationship between Ontario and China in regard to trade and investment is growing yearly. However, it is important to note that developing lasting global partnerships is not something that can be done overnight. It requires regular and meaningful interaction over multiple meetings to develop the kinds of relationships that see significant economic returns.

Speaker, through you to the minister: Can the minister speak to the inroads made by Ontario companies in China?

Hon. Michael Chan: Speaker, thank you for the opportunity again. The member from Barrie is correct: We have made significant inroads in making exporting easier for everyday Ontarians. Last week, in Guangzhou, a city in southern China, I witnessed the signing of an agreement between Ontario-based OTT Financial and Tencent’s WeChat Payment. The signing creates an immediate and instant connection between Canadian merchants and Chinese customers, bringing our jurisdictions closer through tourism and trade.

As the mission moved to Shanghai and Jiangsu province I had the privilege of speaking at the official launch of United Power, a company that uses Ontario technology to produce materials and parts for EV batteries. Seeing Ontario companies make connections and partnerships that will help them scale up and succeed in global markets is a testament to this government’s commitment to position Ontarians for the economy of the future.

Ontario budget

Mr. Lorne Coe: My question is for the Minister of Finance, who I also wrote to last week.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. Member from Beaches–East York, come to order.

Carry on.

Mr. Lorne Coe: Thank you, Speaker. Due to this Liberal government’s reckless financial policies, hard-working families in the region of Durham are struggling. Interest payments on the government’s massive debt are crowding out funding for public services, particularly patient care at Lakeridge Health and the Ontario Shores mental health centre. Local businesses are closing their doors due to the excessive hydro costs, as well as the government’s cap-and-trade tax-grab scheme. As well, Epsom Public School in Scugog and Thorah Central Public School in Brock are being considered for closure to balance the government’s budget.

Speaker, when will this minister address Ontario’s massive debt and stop balancing the budget on the backs of hard-working families in the region of Durham?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Speaker, I think it’s the last question of the day in this respect. Here is the gist of all of their letter campaigns in a nutshell. They’re saying this: “Give me more money in my community. Pay for my hospital. Cut everywhere else.”

That is not what we’re doing. We represent all of Ontario on this side of the House. We’re taking a balanced approach that ensures that every community benefits from the prosperity of our—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke could actually get himself warned if he carries on like that again, if not named.

Wrap up, please.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I’ll wait for the supplementary, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member from Thornhill.

Mrs. Gila Martow: Our Ontario school boards are forced to make unpopular decisions because they need every dollar they can find to fund special needs.

In the suburbs north of Toronto, schools such as Our Lady of Peace in Maple are being shut down, even though they are 90% full. Stornoway Crescent Public School in Thornhill is being considered for closure, even though the community is shut off from all other schools by major thoroughfares.

Four out of five school boards are spending more on special needs than they are getting. This is at the expense of other programming. Will the minister please tell us what his new budget will do to help our schools properly fund special needs programming?

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, let’s be clear: We’re balancing the budget, and because we’re balancing the budget, we’re investing more. We’re building more new schools. We’re investing more front line. We’re supporting more individuals, people and students, especially those with disabilities and learning disabilities. We’re taking leadership in this respect. Furthermore, we are investing in and supporting rural Ontario. We’ve provided predictable funding throughout the past four years, more so than ever before.

We recognize the importance of all of Ontario as we move forward, not just any one particular community.

Health care

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: My question is to the Acting Premier. The Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors and the Ontario Community Support Association have asked you to protect public health care. Instead, you dropped the requirement that only not-for-profit organizations are eligible for provincial funding to provide community support services.

Minister, you know that privatization costs more, has less oversight, and ultimately Ontario families pay the price. The Wynne government didn’t have a mandate to privatize Hydro One and the Wynne government doesn’t have a mandate to privatize our public health care system either.

Acting Premier, will you protect Ontario seniors so they shouldn’t have to empty their wallets to get the community supports they need? What will it take for the Wynne Liberals to stop public health care dollars from going to profit?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: We’ve been listening to our stakeholders as we moved through the implementation of the Patients First Act. It’s critically important, the advice that they provide, the experience that they give. That’s why today, I wrote a letter to all LHINs across the province, asking them—because we’re not making any changes; we’re actually maintaining the status quo, and that was important to all parties. But in the interim, as we further consult with all stakeholders over the next several months, I’ve asked our LHINs not to engage in any new contracts with new community care providers.

In fact, I’ve requested that they implement a moratorium so we can have this consultation. We’ll have the consultation with all of our stakeholders to find out the results of that—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from London–Fanshawe—you asked the question.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): No, no. It’s over.

Special report, Ombudsman

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that the following report was tabled: The report from the Ombudsman of Ontario concerning an investigation of the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Order of business

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Point of order, Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Point of order, the government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent to move a motion without notice regarding Yad Vashem.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The government House leader is seeking unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice. Do we agree? Agreed.

Government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I move that, following the routine proceeding members’ statements today, Monday, April 24, 2017, up to five minutes be allotted to each caucus to speak to recognize Yad Vashem, at the end of which the member for Thornhill will recite a prayer in ancient Hebrew.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Mr. Naqvi moves that, following the routine proceeding members’ statements today, Monday, April 24, 2017, up to five minutes be allotted for each caucus to speak to recognize Yad Vashem, at the end of which the member for Thornhill will recite a prayer in ancient Hebrew. Do we agree? Agreed.

Visitors / Visiteurs

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Ministry of Community Safety on a point of order.

Hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I beg your forgiveness. On behalf of the Ottawa caucus—au nom du caucus d’Ottawa, j’aimerais reconnaître la présence, here in this Legislature in the east gallery, of Michael Crockatt, the president and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. Welcome, Michael. Bienvenue.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke on a point of order.

Mr. John Yakabuski: Yes, thank you, Speaker. It’s not a point of order, but I’d like to wish my granddaughter, Lilli Coburn, a happy fifth birthday today.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): It is not a point of order, but you’d better have done it.

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport on a point of order.

Hon. Eleanor McMahon: Thank you, Speaker. I’d like to welcome to Queen’s Park today members of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. In fact, 15 members are in the House joining us today, including Beth Potter, the CEO; Johanne Bélanger, the president and CEO of Tourism Toronto; and several board members.

I’d like to invite all members of the House to join us at a reception this evening in rooms 228 and 230.

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

Ms. Harinder Malhi: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to make an introduction. We have a group of grade 9 and 10 students here visiting us from India today: Vijay Singh Dhanda, Rushal Bansal, Paramnoor Singh Harpalpur, Prabhsimran Birdi, Moksh Gupta, Vijay Singh Sidhu and Deep Satra, and their coordinators, Rajesh Bhatia and Sangita Malik, as well as our local coordinator, the president and CEO of CIAS, Ms. Gursharan Kandra.

Also, my good friend, Ninder Thind, is here supporting her son today, who is a page.

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

Mr. Jim Wilson: Yes, Mr. Speaker. Totally against her wishes, on behalf of all members of the House, I’d like to wish the member for Dufferin–Caledon a happy birthday. I’m not sure what number it is, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): That’s a good wish, and also a very smart move.

There are no deferred votes. This House stands recessed till 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1147 to 1300.

Introduction of Visitors

Mrs. Julia Munro: I’m very pleased to be able to have many representatives of STORM, Save the Oak Ridges Moraine—Debbie Crandall—joining us today, as well as a long list of supporters of the Oak Ridges moraine: Kevin O’Connor, Gloria Reszler, Susan Binnie, Susan Walmer, Josh Garfinkel, Joyce Chau, Josh Wise, Amber Ellis, Felix Whitton, Shelley Petrie, Lauren McVittie, Cindy Sutch, Graham Whitelaw, Klaus Wehrenberg, Joseph O’Neill, Michele Donnelly, Art Weis, Erin Shapero, Susan Swail, Ruth Hunt, Richard Hunt, Robert Messervey, John Hassell and Kathy Mills.

Mrs. Cristina Martins: It gives me great pleasure to welcome everyone here in the galleries today for this occasion where we’re going to be remembering those who perished in the Yad Vashem. In particular, I want to introduce the Consul General of Israel, who’s joining us here today: Ms. Galit Baram. Welcome.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Further introductions?

Hon. Chris Ballard: I would like to recognize a couple of constituents from my riding of Newmarket–Aurora. We have Klaus Weinberg, who is here, and Susan Walmer, who is here. Thank you very much for being here today.

Mr. Toby Barrett: There’s a reception paying tribute to Holocaust survivors. I wish to introduce and pay tribute to Mrs. Gelbard and her son, Richard Gelbard.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Members’ Statements

Rail safety

Mr. Monte McNaughton: This is Rail Safety Week. Every year, this week serves as an important reminder for both pedestrians and motorists to be aware and vigilant around railway tracks, especially at crossings.

Our railways are critical infrastructure and an important part of our history, but unfortunately more than 100 deaths or serious injuries occur each year in Canada as a result of collisions or trespassing incidents. Whether you’re on foot, in a car, on a bike or a snowmobile, a collision with a train will not end well, so education and mindfulness about rail safety are critical for everyone.

In my riding of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, there are, I believe, more unprotected level crossings of the CN and CP main lines than anywhere else in Ontario. Unprotected crossings do not have barriers or lights and bells where rural roads meet railway lines, a situation that can be made even more dangerous at times when brush may be high, blocking sightlines.

Tragically, there have been a number of fatalities at these crossings in Lambton–Kent–Middlesex in recent years, which is why I also urge all levels of government to be aware of the danger of inadequate sightlines at crossing as they develop and maintain properties along rail lines.

Trains today are quite quiet and are often moving much more quickly than they appear to be from a distance. Remember: Always obey railway signs and signals, and be vigilant at unprotected crossings and along tracks.

Tenant protection

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Last week, the Liberals announced a number of changes to rent control legislation in this province. Unfortunately, there was no mention of a very large loophole in the legislation, and that’s called vacancy decontrol.

In my riding, tenants report that they deal with landlords who cut services, consistently push for above-guideline rent increases, and carry on incredibly disruptive construction as a way of demoralizing tenants, discouraging them and getting them to move out. Unfortunately, those tactics are successful. They do happen, and people see units that friends and family lived in being rented out to a new person at 30% to 40% above what they were paying previously. This is a huge loophole, one which, if not closed, will result in more and more tenants being pushed out as landlords see the opportunity to cash in on the real estate bonanza that’s going on in the GTA.

Tenants worked very hard. They pushed very hard to get protection. They were able to push the Liberals to move some distance, but this loophole still has to be dealt with. This fight is not over. Tenants need the law changed so that their homes will be secure and so they won’t be driven out just so that someone can make a killing.

Grandview Children’s Centre

Mr. Granville Anderson: Last Friday, I had the pleasure of visiting Grandview Children’s Centre, located in Oshawa. While I have visited there many times before, this visit was extra special, because I had the opportunity to meet with five mothers whose children attended Grandview Children’s Centre. Each parent had a different story to tell of how Grandview helps with their child’s development and unique needs.

Grandview Children’s Centre is the only children’s treatment centre in Durham region that provides specialized programs, outpatient clinical treatment, and support to thousands of children and youth with special needs and their families. Two of Grandview’s satellite locations are located in my riding of Durham, and I see first-hand the great work that is being done to support our children. In fact, Grandview Children’s Centre has repeatedly stressed how they want to do more but can’t due to space constraints.

I’m pleased that the Minister of Children and Youth Services is committed to making Grandview’s capital requests one of their top priorities. It is my hope that the five parents whom I met and the many other parents like them will soon see a larger Grandview for their deserving children.

I’d like to thank the Grandview staff at the children’s centre for all that they do in our community, as well as their families for their ongoing commitment and dedication to their children.

Armenian genocide anniversary

Mr. Michael Harris: Today, I rise on behalf of our leader, Patrick Brown, of the Ontario PC caucus, to speak to again recognize the very tragic day of remembrance for the Armenian community. April 24, 2017, is the 102nd anniversary of a horrifying eight-year period of systematic deportation and mass extermination of Armenians by the Turkish government at the time.

Beginning with the arrest and murder of many prominent members of the Armenian community, this genocide saw 1.5 million Armenians die through state-sanctioned action that included forced conscriptions and deportation death marches toward the Syrian desert. Men, women, children and the elderly—none were spared by what has been recognized as an attempt to exterminate Armenians in Turkey.

To date, over 28 nations have publicly acknowledged the genocide. Even today, more and more evidence of this terrible crime is uncovered. Just last week, a Turkish historian working out of the USA deciphered Turkish government telegrams providing details on the deportation and murder of Armenians in eastern Turkey. Despite constant denials and refusals from some camps to characterize these actions as genocide, we will continue to recognize and remember these events for exactly what they were.

I stand in solidarity with the Armenian community in commemoration today as we ensure these heinous acts are not forgotten, and we continue to push all governments to acknowledge the genocide so that meaningful reconciliation can occur. I know yesterday, the Armenian communities here in Toronto as well as Cambridge held services. I, again, on behalf of our leader, Patrick Brown, and the Ontario PC caucus, want to recognize what is now the 102nd anniversary of this horrific act.

Hamilton Community Food Centre

Miss Monique Taylor: I have spoken a number of times in this chamber about the importance of healthy food. Last Friday, I had the great privilege to attend the grand opening of the Hamilton Community Food Centre on Hamilton Mountain. This is a project of our Neighbour to Neighbour Centre, partnering with Community Food Centres Canada. I have to tell you, this is a fantastic addition to our community.

Neighbour to Neighbour plays a vital role serving my constituents. Over the years, they have expanded to provide a number of services that support those in need. Our community food centre is a welcoming and safe space, offering food-based programs that bring everyone together to grow, cook, share and advocate for good food.

People can take advantage of the after-school program. They can drop in for the global roots lunch or a family dinner. They can get fresh, affordable and nutritious fruits and vegetables offered every week at the good food market and café. The centre also offers a language exchange program and an intercultural community kitchen, as well as support and training advocacy and community action.

The Hamilton Community Food Centre has been two years in the making. It has received support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and many other contributors. I’m delighted to see the results of that work. It will be such an improvement and such a great hub on Hamilton Mountain that will play a huge

part in our lives.

I want to offer my congratulations and thanks to Neighbour to Neighbour’s executive director, Denise Arkell, her dedicated staff, and the hundreds of volunteers who do so much to make our community a better place.

Financial literacy

Mr. Yvan Baker: I rise today to speak about the importance of financial literacy. Teaching financial literacy is so important because it allows people to make the most of their money. It allows them to do important things in life, like go to university or college, to buy a home, to retire or to support their families.

Teaching financial literacy at a young age is that much more important, and that is why I have been an advocate, along with many of my colleagues, to make sure that we do more to teach financial literacy to young people in Ontario. That is why I’m so proud that our government is introducing financial literacy pilot programs in civics classes at 20 high schools across the province, a really important step in that regard.

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in two great events that do just that—teach young people about financial literacy—that welcomed students from my riding of Etobicoke Centre, but also from across the GTA. For the second time now, I joined the Jr. Economic Club of Canada for their A Day on Bay, where students had the chance to ask me anything about financial literacy. Like in November, when I took

part in my first A Day on Bay, I was once again impressed by the curiosity and passion of young students to learn about how to manage their money. I was also thrilled to speak at the Talk With Our Kids About Money event hosted by the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education two weeks ago. I was particularly proud of the first- and second-place winners, as they were from Hilltop Middle School in my riding of Etobicoke Centre.

At both these events, I saw students who were excited to learn about financial literacy and how to manage their money better. Seeing this reminded me of the importance of financial literacy and reminded me that our future is indeed bright.

Oak Ridges moraine

Mrs. Julia Munro: It is my pleasure to rise today to acknowledge an important milestone that has had a long-lasting impact on the protection and conservation of our important natural heritage and water resources in southern Ontario. This weekend was the 15th anniversary of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. I am pleased, as a long-standing member of this House, to have been here on December 13, 2001, when the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act received third reading by an all-party unanimous vote.

The Oak Ridges moraine, alongside the Niagara Escarpment, is one of the most significant landform features in southern Ontario. As the headwaters to over 65 river and stream systems and the drinking water supply for over 250,000 people, our government acknowledged that it was time to bring people together to come up with a long-term solution to protect the moraine and its important natural heritage and vital water resources.

In 2000, our Progressive Conservative government of the day announced that a $15-million fund would be established, which led to the creation of the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation. The foundation has provided essential support to many, many groups. I had the opportunity to introduce visitors today, but we have many more who are unable to join us.

On behalf of the countless numbers of community groups and individuals, I’d like to say thank you. To my colleagues in this House, I urge you to continue to build on the legacy laid down by our government 15 years ago.

Armenian genocide anniversary

Ms. Soo Wong: I rise today in solidarity with the Armenian community here in Ontario and across Canada to recognize the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide. This occasion is an opportunity for us to come together in reflection and to strengthen our resolve to reject intolerance and hatred in all of its forms.

On this very day 102 years ago, troops from the Ottoman empire were dispatched to massacre and remove Armenians from their homes. These innocent people were violently displaced from their communities and many were subject to torture, abuse and starvation. In all, it is estimated that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred during the genocide.

Despite this great tragedy, the Armenian people remained resilient, and many managed to escape this attack against their communities to find homes across the world. In my own riding of Scarborough–Agincourt, we witness the strength and determination of the Armenian Canadian community here in Ontario. Just yesterday, Minister Coteau and I attended the annual Armenian genocide commemorative event hosted by the Armenian National Committee of Toronto. This event not only allowed us to bear witness to the tragedy that struck the Armenian people between 1915 and 1923; it also enabled us to reflect, to remember and to celebrate the contributions of Armenian Canadians to Ontario.

The Armenian Community Centre, where the commemorative events were held, has been seen as a hub for Toronto’s thriving Armenian community since it was established in the 1960s. The people of Scarborough–Agincourt, Mr. Speaker, actually receive many, many supports from this exceptional hub.

On behalf of the Legislature, I would like to thank the Armenian community for reminding us of the significance of recognizing this past tragedy. As we celebrate Ontario150, we must keep in mind the importance of education on atrocities such as the Armenian genocide so that we may work towards shaping a more peaceful future and remain steadfast in creating a more just world.

Fiscal responsibility

Mr. Toby Barrett: Last year, Ontario became the first province in Canada to rack up over $300 billion in debt. Worse yet, there are plans to add more debt in the future, with no plans to cut taxes. To paraphrase a famous quote from Ben Franklin, in today’s Ontario, nothing can be certain except death, debt and taxes.

This government is mortgaging the future of a generation that really doesn’t have a running start due to fiscal mismanagement. It’s not only our children, but our grandchildren and future generations who will be burdened with paying off government debt through ever-increasing taxes.

Last week’s housing tax is no surprise, as the government solution to any problem seems to consist of taxes, taxes, taxes and more taxes. This housing tax will do nothing to address housing supply and the shortage of residential land.

I do question how many new taxes, like this housing tax, we have seen over the past 13 years of present government rule, and how many tax hikes have we seen under both Kathleen and Dalton, the debt doublers?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank all members for their statements.

Yad Vashem

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Pursuant to the order of the House earlier today under unanimous consent, I will now recognize three members, one from each party, to speak for up to five minutes to recognize Yad Vashem.

I will now turn to the member from Thornhill.

Mrs. Gila Martow: I want to first state that we remember, here on this side of the House, Ted Chudleigh. He was the former member for Halton. He passed Bill 66 in 1998:

An Act to proclaim Holocaust Memorial Day–Yom ha-Shoah in Ontario. We want to thank him for his great work.

It’s an honour and a privilege to rise each year and to speak before our distinguished guests. We have Galit Baram from the Israeli consulate here in Toronto, as well as many of the board members from the Yad Vashem society and Holocaust survivors, their family, their friends, and good friends of my family, Jocelyn and Jerry Cooper from my riding of Thornhill. Thank you for being here.

There is a movie out in the theatres now called The Zookeeper’s Wife. It’s based on a non-fiction book written by a poet and naturalist, Diane Ackerman. She’s drawing on the unpublished diary of Antonina Żabińska. It recounts the true story of how she and her husband, Jan Żabiński, director of the Warsaw zoo, saved the lives of 300 Jews who had been imprisoned in the Warsaw ghetto following the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939.

Basically, what happened was that the zoo had been bombed and damaged, and many of the animals were killed. This family with their son were obviously not Jewish, but they were fighting with the resistance against the Nazi occupation of Poland. What they began to do is, covertly, they began working with the resistance and bringing Jews who were trying to hide from the Nazis temporarily into the zoo.

I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I wanted to speak about it today because I want to encourage people to understand that there were many what Yad Vashem terms Righteous Among the Nations, who helped Jews escape and who saved Jewish lives. We always remember them on this day while we mourn those who were slaughtered.

I think it’s an interesting story for a lot of reasons—because they had sympathy for animals, and I like to feel that that translates into their sympathy for human beings. They even gave names of animals to the Jewish families that they were hiding. One family was called the squirrels, and things like that. They couldn’t keep it up for very long, for the simple reason that they had staff that came during the day who were suspicious about why so much food was being consumed. You could see all the challenges they faced. Their own lives were in danger. In fact, they were punished for what they had done.

The story revolves around the fact that she was a very established piano player, and there was a certain song which all the Jews knew meant “go into hiding” if she played that song. She played a different song when it was safe to come out. So we see the resistance that people have—how strong we can be in the face of adversity. I think that that is the message from the Holocaust.

We’ve also heard many statements today about the Armenian genocide. There are many in the Jewish community who feel that the Armenian genocide encouraged the Nazis to have their own genocide against the Jews. They felt, “Wow. The world didn’t care,” so they felt very comfortable with what they were doing. Just yesterday, as I believe one of the members mentioned, there was an

article in the Toronto Star about a professor who’s finding more data on the Armenian genocide. We keep uncovering, unfortunately, more data on the Holocaust as well.

I just want to say that Yad Vashem is an organization as well as a memorial in Israel and, with their beautiful garden, a testament to the Righteous Among the Nations. It’s a museum that’s—you really have to spend a whole day there, and even then, you haven’t touched on all the displays and everything there is to learn and to witness.

It’s difficult, but it’s important that we not just remember the horrific things that were done to those in the Jewish community, but that we try our best to ensure that this doesn’t keep continuing. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, we see what’s going on in Syria. We saw what went on in Rwanda. It’s very heartbreaking for people who went through the Holocaust to wake up in the morning and see that the world isn’t perfect—still. After everything that they suffered, I think they really thought, “Well, at least now the world will understand anti-Semitism and understand genocide.” Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further responses?

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Welcome to our distinguished guests, members of the Yad Vashem society and to the consul general. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I usually say, when I stand up, that it’s a privilege to rise in the House, but today I’m going to say something different: It’s a duty to rise in this House. It’s a duty because I’m not Jewish; I’m gentile. It’s a duty because I’m a Christian minister. It’s a duty because I’m an elected member of a Canadian government. And it’s a duty to say, among other things, “Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa—my sin, my most grievous sin,” to quote a Christian Latin phrase, because there’s lots to be sorry for.

First of all, our history in Canada: Right now, there are eight times more hate crimes against Jews than any other group. That’s right now, according to Stats Canada. My father regaled me with stories about anti-Semitism as I was growing up, and one of them was, during his lifetime, in the Beach, on the boardwalk, a sign that said, “No Jews, no dogs.”

In my own riding, in Sunnyside, just by the lake, there’s Sunnyside pool, which everyone knows in my community. It had signs up where Jews were only allowed to swim at certain hours during the day.

We’ve had Prime Ministers, we’ve had Premiers, we’ve had elected members from all parties who have uttered anti-Semitic remarks in the House over the history of our country.

This was not a fringe aspect of Canadian society; this has been a part of Canadian society, and it’s one we have to acknowledge.

And certainly, we see it now. We see it in this last year, with bomb threats at the JCC not too far from here, with swastikas painted on people’s doors, and with a barrage of online hatred.

As a Christian minister, of course, I have a lot to apologize for too. In the history of the church, during Nazi times very, very few Christians actually stood up to Hitler. Most churches had swastika flags and had Nazis worshipping in their communities. There was a small minority of Christians who stood up, who were the Righteous Among the Nations: people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed—the Confessing Church, a very small minority. He said something very profound. He said, “The most important thing a Christian can say in these days”—this was back in the 1940s—“is that Jesus was a Jew.” For that, he was killed himself.

A particular story that I’ve used in my preaching many times, about a small town in the former Soviet Union: 90 children were holed up in a warehouse, where all of their parents had been killed, and the Nazis who were on duty complained about the crying of the children, that it was bad for their morale, that it kept them awake at night. The chaplains said something—yes, they objected. They didn’t object to their parents being killed, but they objected to that. Then, when that objection was overruled, they just went on with their jobs.

Again, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

I have had the privilege, and it is a privilege, to go to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, to walk through all of the rooms there, and there are many: the Hall of Names, the Hall of Remembrance, the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations—all of them profound, all of them moving. But the most moving is the Children’s Memorial.

When you stand in that room with five candles lit, magnified by a number of mirrors around that house, and you hear the names of 1.5 million children who were murdered during the Holocaust, continuously, it gives you just the beginning of a sense of the horror that was the Holocaust and that we remember today. Certainly, I think that is something that everyone should do, and I would invite everyone to do that: Go to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.

It’s not enough to apologize. It’s really something we have to continue to make sure never happens again, as my friend from Thornhill says—and that is, to put real life to those words “never again,” to put real meaning behind them, to make sure that in this day, at this time, wherever we are in all of our ridings, we are a testament to what happened to those who lost their lives, and a commitment to breathe life into the words “never again,” and to put everything we have into that sentiment.

In honour of those 1.5 million children, to the six million Jews—to the horror that was and that has been part of our own history that we need to acknowledge—I say again: Never again.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further statements?

Hon. Michael Coteau: It is an honour to join my friends from Thornhill and Parkdale–High Park as we welcome our distinguished guests and the consul general here to the Legislature. It’s an honour for me to rise in the House today to recognize Yom ha-Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. For 70 years, this day has been held in the memory of over six million Jewish people who were killed during the Holocaust.

There are no words that I or any person can say to do justice to describe the atrocities of the Holocaust and adequately honour all of its victims, but it is important that we try. It is important that we reflect on and remember what happened and how it happened, and understand its devastating effects.

In 1933, before the start of World War II, there were over nine million Jewish people in Europe. Only 12 years later, almost two thirds of all Jewish people in Europe had been killed.

Even in Canada, Jewish people were barred from entry to the country in 1939, when they were desperate to escape Nazi Germany during World War II. This is not a history that we, as Canadians, are proud of. Anti-Semitism also meant that Jewish people were routinely denied access to jobs and public services.

Although it has been 70 years since the tragedy of the Holocaust, anti-Semitism has persisted throughout history and continues today. The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s creed policy says, “Anti-Semitism can take many forms, ranging from individual acts of discrimination, physical violence, vandalism and hatred, to more organized and systematic efforts to destroy entire communities, and genocide.”

The Toronto Police Service’s most recent hate crime report found that 30% of all hate crime in Toronto in 2016 was against our very own Jewish community here in the city.

This is 2017, and this is Ontario. History shows us that the Holocaust started with hateful words and acts. It was nurtured by intolerance and exclusion, and by the willingness of ordinary people to go along with the systemic erosion of Jewish social and political rights, which led to genocide.

When we stand still and turn a blind eye, we are complicit. We risk repeating history when we ignore the hatred and the discrimination that is around us today. We, as a government, stand united in the elimination of racism and anti-Semitism here in Ontario.

There are no excuses. Anti-Semitism is unacceptable. Racism, bigotry and hate crime are unacceptable. So are the systemic barriers and unconscious biases that can perpetuate anti-Semitism and disproportionate outcomes for racialized people in our institutions.

So we, as a government, are taking action. Last month, the Anti-Racism Directorate released A Better Way Forward: Ontario’s 3-Year Anti-Racism Strategic Plan, which sets out a road map on how people in the province will combat systemic racism and build a culture of social inclusion and racial equity here in our society.

Mr. Speaker, together, government is working towards eliminating systemic racism. Our three-year plan includes public awareness and education, and initiatives to make people aware that any form of racism is unacceptable.

We have a responsibility, as Ontarians, to stand up and to be bold in the face of racism. Today we remember those who were tragically killed in the Holocaust, and we stand together with the Jewish community against anti-Semitism here in our province, across Canada and around the world.

We cannot be silent to any form of racism or racial discrimination.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank all members for their statements.

By the same unanimous consent, I now turn to the member from Thornhill to recite the ancient Hebrew prayer. I would ask that all who can please stand and show our respect.

Mrs. Gila Martow: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Normally, the mourners’ Kaddish, as it is called, is recited for a close relative. People come to visit—mourners—for a week after they pass away. We call it shiva. “Shiva” is from the Hebrew word for “seven.” For 11 months after a close relative, such as a parent, passes away, we recite it. Then we recite it on specific days, on specific holidays, in synagogues or wherever we may be.

Today, we’re standing to recite the Kaddish in memory of six million who perished in the Holocaust, who don’t have anybody to recite it for them, because not just families were wiped out; entire villages were gone.

Please join me. We’re going to break protocol, because normally people can’t talk in the galleries. Is it okay with you, Mr. Speaker, if people recite in the galleries? Thank you very much.

Prayer in Hebrew.

Introduction of Bills

Rental Fairness Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur l’équité en location immobilière

Mr. Ballard moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 124,

An Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 / Projet de loi 124, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2006 sur la location à usage d’habitation.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Is it the pleasure of the House that it carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member for a short statement.

Hon. Chris Ballard: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Rental Fairness Act, a bill to amend the Residential Tenancies Act. Our proposed package of reforms would, if passed, make all private rental units subject to rent controls, bring consistency to the province’s rental housing market and further strengthen protections for tenants.

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Volunteers

Hon. Laura Albanese: People across the country started to celebrate National Volunteer Week yesterday, April 23, and will continue to do so until April 29. This week is an excellent opportunity to thank and celebrate our volunteers, who have such a positive impact in communities in our province.

Almost five million Ontarians generously donate their time and talents every year to a variety of programs, services and causes. Ontario would be a much lesser place, Mr. Speaker, without the efforts of our volunteers to build community and support their fellow Ontarians.

Our volunteers support caregivers, welcome refugees and immigrants, help with teams, assist in school outings, support food banks, look out for our environment and advocate for hundreds of worthy causes. This is just a few of the examples that we could give. All volunteers deserve our recognition, support and heartfelt thanks.

In the coming days and weeks, I will have the honour of recognizing this year’s Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers and the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism recipients.

This year’s June Callwood awards will be especially exciting because we are celebrating the first-ever recipient of the new Excellence in Volunteer Management category. This category was introduced specifically to recognize outstanding volunteer managers in our province, Mr. Speaker. Volunteer managers provide positive and meaningful experiences that are valuable to both volunteers and organizations, and they are often the key to a great volunteer experience.

As many in this Legislature are aware, the annual volunteer service awards ceremonies have been held in communities across the province since March 13, and will continue until the end of June. Through the volunteer service awards, this year, more than 11,000 volunteers are being recognized at 55 different ceremonies, for their outstanding community service.

Speaker, I cannot stress enough how vital volunteers are to Ontario’s communities. As part of our Ontario celebrations this year, more than 360 community celebration events will mobilize thousands of volunteers. Several Ontario150 grant recipients are volunteer-led organizations, like the O’Hara Volunteers Association in Madoc, and the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington.

Many projects supported through Ontario150 will encourage youth volunteerism. This July, the North American Indigenous Games in Toronto will recruit and train 2,000 volunteers. The Invictus Games, taking place this September in Toronto, will mobilize and train 1,500 volunteers.

This year is also the 10th anniversary of our ChangeTheWorld campaign. The 10th ChangeTheWorld Ontario Youth Volunteer Challenge begins during National Volunteer Week and runs until June 3. Since 2008, more than 240,000 students have participated in ChangeTheWorld, donating 1.2 million hours. Through ChangeTheWorld, youth gain confidence through volunteering. They develop their talents and skills, expand their personal networks and build valued connections in their communities. This year, ChangeTheWorld aims to engage more than 39,000 young people.

Speaker, volunteers are the heart of our communities. They make our economy stronger. They touch people’s lives each and every day, and they are an essential part of life in Ontario. I invite all members of the Legislature to recognize the volunteers in their community this week. I also encourage everyone to attend the volunteer service awards ceremonies taking place in communities across the province over the coming weeks.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): It’s time for responses. The member for Scarborough–Rouge River.

Mr. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very happy and privileged to rise and speak on the subject of National Volunteer Week and the volunteer service awards. I’d also like to thank the minister for her excellent speech.

From April 23 to April 29, we celebrate the hard work, the tireless efforts and time given by our dedicated volunteers across Canada and our great province of Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, if someone asks me to define the characteristics of this great country of Canada and those of our great province of Ontario, it would be three words: freedom, diversity and volunteerism.

An inspirational volunteer to me has been the late Major Abbas Ali, who was the founder of the Muslim Welfare Centre in my riding of Scarborough–Rouge River. Although I’m a Christian, I consider Major Abbas as my mentor. He and his very caring, lovely wife have helped so many less fortunate people locally and internationally by serving food to thousands of families every year through the food bank; opening women’s shelters; medical clinics for new immigrants and refugees; building wells in remote parts of Pakistan; and running schools for underprivileged children.

This past weekend, I spent some time with great members of my community, helping clean our local parks and streets. It gave me great satisfaction, gave me a chance to connect with my local residents and was a great form of exercise.

I participated in the 10,000 Trees planting project in Markham. There were over 500 volunteers who attended, as well as a number of representative dignitaries. These volunteers are truly taking care of our environment.

I also had the opportunity to hand out awards at my local community centres, acknowledging and then thanking the hard work done by the many great volunteers in my community.

Many Christian churches, Muslim mosques, Hindu temples and Catholic churches, and many other religious organizations in my riding, provide excellent voluntary services such as through food banks, sport programs for youth, music lessons for children, care for the elderly, resource centres for newcomers, and good Samaritan programs for seniors. All of the above programs and many more are provided by our loving and unselfish volunteers.

Volunteering is a great way for Canadians and newcomers alike to become better connected with their neighbours and communities. It gives people the opportunity to meet new friends, help others and feel great while doing it.

Volunteering is such an essential part of what makes Ontario and Canada so great. We help our neighbours, our community, our province and our country by volunteering. It is in our identity as Canadians to help others. That is why National Volunteer Week and the volunteer service awards give us an opportunity to appreciate and acknowledge those who dedicate themselves to helping others.

Volunteers are the most beautiful, loving, and caring people, who are willing to give their valuable time and love in serving others in need. I think we could say Canada is a proud country, blessed with so many volunteers.

Therefore, I encourage all members of the Legislative Assembly to partake in some form of volunteering in their local communities this week as well as to acknowledge and appreciate the people in our province who have spent countless unpaid hours in volunteering in our communities. We owe them many thanks.

Volunteers are the foundation of any community, and they are the builders of nations. Canada is indeed a proud country of volunteers.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further responses?

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Today, I have the opportunity to rise and speak as the critic for citizenship and immigration, on behalf of Ontario’s New Democrats.

Citizenship is about civic participation and involvement. It’s about how people live in and join in activities in their neighbourhoods and communities. People choose to participate in so many different ways. They might get involved through their churches and faith spaces, their service clubs, their children’s activities. They join an interest group, engage politically or enjoy their public spaces and facilities. They work, they explore, they advocate, they enjoy, and, fortunately for the rest of us, they volunteer.

Here we are, discussing volunteerism and celebrating it. We are marking National Volunteer Week and taking the time here in the Legislature to say thank you.

Every year, we celebrate and recognize volunteers from across our communities at the volunteer service awards. As we have heard, more than 11,000 volunteers will be recognized at 55 ceremonies this year.

At these ceremonies across our communities, people come together and are recognized for their commitment, their time and dedication, their heart, their soul and their love of their community.

We gave out pins for years of service, to first-time volunteers, to youth who are just getting started on their volunteering journeys, and to others who have committed as many as 60 years, if you can imagine, to volunteerism, and everyone in between. I was there with some of my colleagues from the Legislature to enjoy this non-partisan evening. It was just such a celebration of community.

I want to tell you a little bit about it. We stood there in packed houses full of volunteers, their support networks and the paparazzi. One by one, we recognized volunteers from their community organizations. Their families, their friends and their organization’s community all came to the front to take pictures. It was a night of smiles, appreciation and celebration, and something very special to be a part of. It was also very nice to see them formally recognized.

It’s my privilege to be an MPP representing my community. We have a tremendous job. We get to meet with individuals, neighbours and organizations that make up the fabric of our communities, on a daily basis. We meet with organizations that serve our communities and make a massive difference, that we’ll never be able to measure, in the lives of people across our communities.

But often, we meet with leadership, or the face of the organization. Speaker, we often don’t really have a chance to know about all of the work and dedication, or to see what goes on behind the scenes. It’s everyone behind the scenes who make our province so great.

It’s the board members who love their libraries, art galleries, hospitals and community spaces. It’s the moms, dads and grandparents who get up early and stay out late to take the kids to dance and to hockey. It’s the volunteers who painstakingly complete the grant applications. It’s the mentors and role models who work with our youth. It’s the folks who make sure our seniors are healthy and comforted and engaged in their neighbourhoods. It is the advocates who protect our animals, our waterways, our forests and our trails. It is our helpers and friends of new Canadians and new neighbours.

It’s our coaches and our club leaders. It is our church families and support systems. It’s everyone who says, “I care, and I want to get involved, because I am needed.” Oh, we need them.

In the province of Ontario, we are talking about the sharing economy like it’s a new thing. It’s not. The sharing-and-caring economy has been around for a really long time. It is those individuals who care and who share that make us strong and make us richer. We will never be able to measure the work that they do. We need to recognize them all the time, not just today.

I’d also like to thank their support systems. When we were at the volunteer service awards, I asked everyone in the room to put up their hand if they loved a volunteer. Everyone in the room put up their hand, because everyone knows and appreciates those who get up every day and go out into their communities to make a real hands-on difference.

But those folks who support them, who make sure that dinner is on the table, that the kids are organized, that the volunteers are supported, that they have that shoulder to lean on—I don’t know whether we call those folks volunteers. But they are the volunteer supporters, and we thank them today as well.

As we know, the government has some great programs. We have great programs in the province of Ontario, but we cannot do it all. If it weren’t for the volunteers, our communities would not be nearly so strong.

We, as neighbours and community members, are inspired by volunteers. We’re supported, inspired and entirely better for the love and commitment that they pour into our communities.

So thank you, thank you, thank you.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank all members for their statements.

Petitions

Road safety

Mr. Ted Arnott: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and it reads as follows:

“Whereas there are currently no traffic signals at the intersection of Guelph Street (Highway 7) and McFarlane Drive/Hall Road in Georgetown;

“Whereas Guelph Street (Highway 7) is an extremely busy corridor and the town of Halton Hills mayor, council and staff, as well as area residents have expressed serious concerns about the safety at the intersection of Guelph Street and McFarlane Drive/Hall Road;

“Whereas existing residents of McFarlane Drive and Hall Road, including many seniors who live in the Sands condominium building, are required to turn onto Guelph Street (Highway 7) at McFarlane Drive/Hall Road to leave their homes;

“Whereas extensive new residential development on both the north and south side of Guelph Street is occurring and will be fully occupied by early 2018, which will only increase the volume of traffic turning onto Guelph Street (Highway 7) and McFarlane Drive/Hall Road;

“Whereas pedestrian volumes are increasing, with a large portion of both seniors and children with no ability to safely cross the intersection of Guelph Street (Highway 7) and McFarlane Drive/Hall Road;

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

“To fund and install traffic signals at the intersection of Guelph Street (Highway 7) and McFarlane Drive/Hall Road as soon as possible.”

It’s signed by hundreds of my constituents. I agree with it and affix my signature as well.

Komoka Provincial Park

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I have a petition signed by hundred of residents of London West that is called “Remove the New Fees from Komoka Provincial Park.”

“Whereas Komoka Provincial Park has long served residents and visitors to London, offering free access to beautiful views and numerous recreational hiking trails; and

“Whereas evidence has shown that access to the natural environment helps to reduce stress, improve mental well-being, and lower risks for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks and cancer; and

“Whereas new parking fees ranging from $5.75 to $14.50 for daily use of Komoka Provincial Park have been imposed without consultation and without additional amenities to justify the new costs, appearing to be simply a cash grab by the Liberal government; and

“Whereas the lack of bike lanes and bus routes connecting Komoka Provincial Park to London, and the prohibition on roadside parking, requires almost all visitors to drive to the park and pay to park their vehicles; and

“Whereas the new fees are likely to decrease park visits with negative consequences for community health and well-being;

“Therefore, we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“That the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry eliminate the parking fees introduced in August 2016 to ensure that Komoka Provincial Park remains accessible to residents of the city of London and all Ontarians.”

I fully support this petition, affix my name to it, and will give it to page Charlene to take to the table.

Water fluoridation

Mrs. Cristina Martins: If I can just get my glasses on, this would be great.

“Whereas community water fluoridation is a safe, effective and scientifically proven means of preventing dental decay, and is a public health measure endorsed by more than 90 national and international health organizations; and

“Whereas recent experience in such Canadian cities as Dorval, Calgary and Windsor that have removed fluoride from drinking water has shown a dramatic increase in dental decay; and

“Whereas the continued use of fluoride in community drinking water is at risk in Ontario cities representing more than 10% of Ontario’s population, including the region of Peel; and

“Whereas the Ontario Legislature has twice voted unanimously in favour of the benefits of community water fluoridation, and the Ontario Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care and Municipal Affairs and Housing urge support for amending the Health Protection and Promotion Act and other applicable legislation to ensure community water fluoridation is mandatory and to remove provisions allowing Ontario municipalities to cease drinking water fluoridation, or fail to start drinking water fluoridation, from the Ontario Municipal Act;

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

“That the Premier of Ontario direct the Ministries of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Health and Long-Term Care to introduce legislation amending the Health Protection and Promotion Act and make changes to other applicable legislation and regulations to make the fluoridation of municipal drinking water mandatory in all municipal water systems across the province of Ontario.”

I agree with this petition, will affix my name and send it to the table with page Rishi.

School closures

Mr. Bill Walker: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas under the current Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline (PARG), one in eight Ontario schools is at risk of closure; and

“Whereas the value of a school to the local economy and community has been removed from the PARG; and

“Whereas the PARG outlines consultation requirements that are insufficient to allow for meaningful community involvement, including the establishment of community hubs; and

“Whereas school closures have a significant negative impact on families and their children, resulting in inequitable access to extracurricular activities and other essential school involvement, and after-school work opportunities; and

“Whereas school closures have devastating impacts on the growth and overall viability of communities across Ontario, in particular self-sustaining agricultural communities;

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

“To place a moratorium on all school closures across Ontario and to suspend all pupil accommodation reviews until the PARG has been subject to a substantive review by an all-party committee that will examine the effects of extensive school closures on the health of our communities and children.”

I fully support this, affix my name and send it with page Matthew.

Grandview Children’s Centre

Miss Monique Taylor: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas Grandview Children’s Centre is Durham region’s only outpatient rehabilitation facility for children and youth with special needs; and

“Whereas Grandview Children’s Centre’s main facility was originally constructed in 1983 to serve 400 children and now has a demand of over 8,000 children annually; and

“Whereas growth has resulted in the need for lease locations leading to inefficient and fragmented care delivery; and

“Whereas it is crucial for Grandview Children’s Centre to complete a major development project to construct a new facility in order to meet the existing as well as future needs of Durham region’s children, youth and families; and

“Whereas in 2009 Grandview Children’s Centre submitted a capital development plan to the province to construct a new facility; and

“Whereas in 2016 the town of Ajax donated a parcel of land on which to build the new Grandview; and

“Whereas the Grandview foundation has raised over $8 million; and

“Whereas since 2009 the need for services has continued to increase, with over 2,753 children, youth and families currently on the wait-list for services;

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

“That the province of Ontario prioritizes, commits to and approves Grandview Children’s Centre’s capital development plan so that the chronic shortage of facilities in Durham can be alleviated.”

I couldn’t agree with this more. I’m going to affix my name to it, and I’m going to give it to the page, Gracin, to bring to the Clerk.

Hydro rates

Mrs. Cristina Martins: I have a petition here that is entitled “Support the Ontario Fair Hydro Plan,” and it’s addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas electricity prices have increased and in too many cases become unaffordable for Ontarians;

“Whereas Ontario is a prosperous province and people should never have to choose between hydro and other daily necessities;

“Whereas people want to know that hydro rate relief is on the way; that relief will go to everyone; and that relief will be lasting because it is built on significant change;

“Whereas the Ontario fair hydro plan would reduce hydro bills for residential consumers, small businesses and farms by an average of 25% as part of a significant system restructuring, with increases held to the rate of inflation for the next four ye