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December 5, 2019

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2019-Dec-05 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Thursday 5 December 2019 Jeudi 5 décembre 2019

Orders of the Day

Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur les services provinciaux visant le bien-être des animaux

Introduction of Visitors

Wearing of hats

Wearing of buttons

Anniversary of Montreal massacre

Oral Questions

Health care funding

Climate change

Teachers’ labour dispute

Teachers’ labour dispute

Long-term care

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Expenditure control

Workplace safety

Consumer protection

Government advertising

Christmas Cheer Breakfast

Legal aid

Public transit

Social assistance

Food safety

Notice of dissatisfaction

Members’ Statements

Trucking industry

Anti-bullying initiatives

Constituency staff

Layoffs at Bombardier

Climate change

Christmas concert

Education funding

Highway tolls

Introduction of Bills

Defibrillator Training and Access Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur l’accès et la formation aux défibrillateurs

Hot Docs Act (Tax Relief), 2019

Rebuilding Consumer Confidence Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 visant à rétablir la confiance chez les consommateurs

Motions

Private members’ public business

Private members’ public business

Petitions

Winter highway maintenance

Food safety

Assistive devices

Affordable housing

Affordable housing

Long-term care

Child care workers

Education funding

Long-term care

Education funding

Long-term care

Affordable housing

Private Members’ Public Business

Stop Cyberbullying in Ontario Day Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur la Journée pour l’élimination de la cyberintimidation en Ontario

COPD Awareness Day Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur la Journée de sensibilisation à la BPCO

Northern Health Travel Grant Advisory Committee Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le Comité consultatif des subventions aux résidents du Nord de l’Ontario pour frais de transport à des fins médicales

Stop Cyberbullying in Ontario Day Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur la Journée pour l’élimination de la cyberintimidation en Ontario

COPD Awareness Day Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur la Journée de sensibilisation à la BPCO

Northern Health Travel Grant Advisory Committee Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le Comité consultatif des subventions aux résidents du Nord de l’Ontario pour frais de transport à des fins médicales

Royal assent / Sanction royale

Orders of the Day

Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour mieux servir la population et faciliter les affaires

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers/Prières.

Orders of the Day

Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur les services provinciaux visant le bien-être des animaux

Resuming the debate adjourned on December 4, 2019, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 136,

An Act to enact the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 and make consequential amendments with respect to animal protection / Projet de loi 136, Loi édictant la Loi de 2019 sur les services provinciaux visant le bien-être des animaux et apportant des modifications corrélatives concernant la protection des animaux.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate?

Hon. Bill Walker: It’s truly a pleasure to be here today to speak to third reading of Bill 136, the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019, or as we like to refer to it, PAWS, for short. Mr. Speaker, for 100 years, the enforcement of animal welfare laws in the province was the responsibility of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; however, the OSPCA, a private charity, as that agency is, pulled out very abruptly.

I want to commend the Solicitor General and her team, her PA, for all of the work they’ve done to actually, in a very short period of time, put legislation together that I believe is very important to protect our animals, the welfare of our animals, and to respect the owners of animals, Mr. Speaker. I think at the end of the day we always need to find a balance. For many people, a pet is like a child. Many people sadly can’t have children, or they make a choice not to, and their pet becomes—at the end of the day, we want to make sure we have that ability.

A couple of really key points, Mr. Speaker, are that we launched 1-833-9-ANIMAL, a new toll-free number for the public to report cruelty to animals. I think that’s a very important piece of this legislation to make sure that people know that they have access. We have appointed a number of inspectors to ensure that that will happen, so that we can have timely, responsible action for people who feel there is cruelty being done to animals.

In many cases, Mr. Speaker, in my riding what I heard was a lot of misinformation, where people who may not understand animal welfare, particularly in the case of a farm, would be driving by and would stop and maybe see a cattle beast or a horse or whatever the animal may be on a farm and they would make an assumption that they didn’t look healthy. They would intervene. They would make all kinds of allegations of mistreatment and cruelty—that is unfair; many animals actually frankly may look that way—but there aren’t.

I know the farmers, particularly the farmers and the people who care about their animals in my riding, take great pride in their animals. Many of the farmers I know can name every single one of their cattle, Mr. Speaker. You walk through the field with them and they know them by name. That isn’t someone who is going to mistreat or abuse their animal. So we want to make sure that there is a true sense of ability to be able to respect the animal owner, but, most importantly, the animals.

I’m going to devolve for just a second, Mr. Speaker, if you’ll indulge me. This is about my pet. We have a little dog. Poppy is her name. We got her on November 9, the year I got elected, and that’s why she’s named Poppy. She is a pug and a Jack Russell, so she is a jug, really. But why I’m telling you this story, Mr. Speaker, is my kids, when they were young, always wanted a dog. I always was the guy who said no because they played a lot of sports, we weren’t around, and I didn’t think that would be fair to the animal.

So my wife said, “If you’re going to go down this path and you’re going to run for office, we’re getting a dog.” I said, “Well, how about we make a deal? I’ll get a dog if I win.” Well, what they did is they went and got the dog after I won the nomination, not the election. I said, “No, no, no. This just isn’t right,” to my family. “You can’t do this.” They said, “Sorry about your luck. It’s democracy: three to one,” and at end of the day, they got the dog.

I bring a personal sense to this piece of legislation, because, of course, our family would never abuse our dog. But we want to make sure that no one does and that there is the opportunity for us to enforce if there is a need, if someone is. We’ve heard examples where people have mistreated animals, where people, again, have 80, 90 cats in one house, without the proper ability to feed them, house them. We, again, have to have enforcement there. We want to make sure we do that, that we:

—protect animals across the province;

—provide the appropriate powers and tools for inspectors;

—start to rebuild that trust in the public by increasing responsiveness, accountability and transparency compared to the previous model; and

—introduce the strongest penalties in Canada for offenders.

What we had heard at times was the exact opposite. In my riding, I had a number of people come to me saying that the OSPCA, in some cases—very limited, perhaps, but in some cases—had overstepped their bounds of enforcement. They were going in and taking animals. If you asked what they did, they could not even sometimes answer. It might have been a very high-end animal. It may have been someone who was a breeder stock.

But they’ve gone in and they’ve actually taken—we don’t know whether they euthanized it, we don’t know whether they let it go, because they didn’t actually ever have to come back and tell the people what they did. I know there were people in my riding who came to me with those types of concerns, even before the OSPCA deemed to step away from doing this.

I know one of the key pieces of this legislation is ensuring that there are better response times. Again, if you feel that there is distress, if there’s a challenge, you can call this line and you will have an inspector who will be there to be able to be properly trained—and that’s key. They have to be properly trained. They have to understand the attributes of different animals, so that they understand whether they are being, in fact, cared for in a proper way. There will be, in fact, increased coverage province-wide.

There are going to be more inspectors. That was one of the things, I think, we certainly heard some feedback on. People wanted to ensure we had the proper model, the proper resources in place. The Solicitor General has ensured, from a budget perspective—in fact, there’s going to be more money in the budget than there was previously, to ensure that we have a proper number of inspectors to be able to deal with these in a timely manner.

We know that what we were hearing, again, in a riding like Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, is that a lot of this had fallen to police officers. At the very outset, they were getting called to go out and be dispatched to go and do these types of things. That was a case where the police were coming and saying, “We’re stretched, at times, as it is, particularly in our busy summer tourist season, to be able to go out and do these types of calls.” Again, they weren’t necessarily fully trained to be able to do these types of calls. They were very pleased to see this type of legislation, I believe, come through, so that they actually had time to go back and do the job that they were truly trained to do.

So we want to know that, at the end of the day, I believe, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association—they, again, are key components. People can report that way and make sure that we understand. They, again, will work with the inspectors to make sure of proper training so that our people know exactly what they’re doing when they’re there.

We hear of things, sadly, each year: Pets dying from heat exhaustion, because they were left in a parked vehicle while the owner popped into a store, or left the car for longer periods, with the windows barely cranked down. How can anybody do this? At the end of the day, we want to make sure that we have that. We’ve heard of dogfighting and those types of things. Again, our inspectors will be very in touch with what’s going on out there. They’ll be accessible. At the end of the day, they will definitely have an ability.

With those things like that, when we hear about pets dying from exhaustion, the dogfighting, or puppy and kitten mills, where dogs and cats are mass-produced, often under the cruelest of conditions—Mr. Speaker, there wasn’t a significant penalty that people had to pay if they were caught doing that.

Madam Speaker: I will change my thought process now. Welcome.

In many cases, what we were hearing was the penalty was not fitting the crime. We are proposing to change that and increase penalties to be the strongest in Canada to address serious offences and repeat offenders. Individuals who are convicted of training animals to fight; harming law enforcement animals, such as horses, or service animals, such as seeing-eye dogs; or contravening standards of care would be subject to penalty of up to a maximum of $130,000 and/or a maximum of two years in jail for a first offence. This is a 116% increase on the penalty currently on the books.

For individuals convicted of a subsequent offence, the maximum potential penalty that the court may impose doubles to $260,000 and/or a maximum of two years in jail.

A corporation convicted of similar offences could receive up to a maximum penalty of half a million dollars for the first offence and up to $1 million for each subsequent offence.

In addition, the proposed Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019, would update prohibitions and obligations such as barring the return of dogfight equipment to an individual who has such equipment. Frankly, I’m shocked that they are allowed to ask for it back in the first place.

Madam Speaker, I think that at the end of the day, we’ve done a good job of striking a balance. We’ve ensured that there are adequate inspectors. We’ve ensured that there’s a call line. We’ve made sure that the animal is first and foremost our biggest concern, and we respect the rights of that animal owner as well. At the end of the day, we want to make sure that we have more inspectors and better province-wide coverage. We’ve increased the number of inspectors, so that should give people pause for thought—pardon the pun. We want to make sure that, no matter where you are in our great province of Ontario, you have the resource that you need when you need it.

A one-window public complaints process and, as I say, the toughest penalties: That’s what we heard from the public in consultation as we did this. We took direct action, fairly quick action, to put this together. But we did that because we couldn’t bear the thought of an animal out there suffering because we weren’t moving fast enough.

So I think, in this case, we’ve got a great enforcement model that is within our reach. It’s what our stakeholders have asked for and what the public wants, and I again want to thank our members for doing this.

I’m going to reiterate again that the protection of the animal is absolutely the most critical component of this legislation. It’s making sure that the animal and the rights of that animal, the thoughts of the animal owner, are taken into account. We don’t want to be that frivolous. No one will ever object—if someone has a serious complaint and you actually see something, we want that reported. We want that person to step up and take the action on behalf of the animal.

But what we don’t want is people going—and particularly in the case of our agricultural sector, where people who know nothing about livestock, who know nothing about how to take care of animals—and I believe one of the members, from Timiskaming–Cochrane was talking yesterday about his dairy cattle, and his wife has a horse. In fact, I think he might have said that she liked the horse better than him, but we’ll leave that to have a discussion off-line at some point.

I went over to him afterwards. He was talking about cruelty to his animals. He said if he walks into his dairy barn at night, he leaves music on, and all of the cattle, typically, are pretty relaxed and content and that’s when they produce the best milk. He was thinking of cruelty to animals and how you would do that. I said, “Well, if we took one of Minister Yakabuski’s CDs and put it in that barn and played that at night, that might be deemed cruelty to animals.” Minister Yakabuski wasn’t here, but I may allude to that with him when he comes back into the House, Madam Speaker.

It’s common knowledge that 60% of people across Canadian households have at least one pet. Again, I know that many of my colleagues talk very, very lovingly about their pets. Many of my colleagues—certainly, many of my constituents—come from the agricultural sector. As I say, I know friends of mine who can walk through the field and lovingly name every cow that they have in their field, and they know that, so they’re going to do their utmost to do that. We have to strike the balance to make sure that they can do their job.

This is, in some cases, a livelihood, but in some cases, it truly is a case of how they’ve grown up on a farm, they’ve grown up around animals, and you don’t need someone coming in, making allegations that are totally inappropriate, where they could lose—and many people have lost—their animals. They’ve had them confiscated in past regimes, with no thought process—really overbearing power, to be able to come in and confiscate an animal. Again, the concern we had in many cases—or certainly, that I heard anecdotally—was that you didn’t even have any recourse. The animal was gone.

They didn’t know what happened to it. Those people, again, suffered significant—not only monetary but harmful mental effects because of losing that loved pet.

We want to ensure, as always, with this type of thing, that we have the proper oversight framework. As I say, we’ve got a 1-800 number. I’m just going to repeat that again, Madam Speaker, for those who might have just tuned in: 1-833-9-ANIMAL, a new toll-free number for the public to report cruelty to animals. We want to make sure that at any time, people who feel that they have a need—that they see an animal in true distress—again, I know that’s a judgment call. But we have the resources there. We have inspectors who will go out and do this type of thing to be able to help them.

We’ll have that oversight framework. We’ll have the single number. We’ll have an actual complaints process so it’s standardized and everybody knows that everybody gets the same treatment, so, again, it’s consistent across the province.

Oversight mechanisms to ensure public trust: One of the things we truly heard, that I as a legislator had heard, is that people had lost faith in the old regime, in the old way of doing things with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Many people were concerned that they had overstepped and that they were allowing too many frivolous actions to take place. So I think we have struck a good balance to do that.

As I said earlier, we’ve strengthened the fines. We’ve made it very significant. If someone is going to take action to be truly, purposely cruel to an animal, they’re going to pay the piper at the end of the day. They are going to know there is a significant retribution in place if they get caught doing that type of thing, particularly for those dogfighting kennels and those types of things, or people who are amassing numbers and numbers of animals—puppy and kitty mills, as we call them—with no thought process to how they’re going to take care of them, how they’re going to make sure that they’re healthy and active. We’ve done that.

At the end of the day, we think we’ve struck a good balance. We have many of our stakeholders who have said that they are onside with us. I think it’s always something that, in a couple of years, we’ll take a look at again and review and see if there are ways that we can enhance it even more.

I believe there is an advisory committee that has been struck, as part of our process, so that they can always review and ensure that we have the proper disciplines in place. Yes, a multidisciplinary advisory table will inform regulatory development and provide ongoing advice on emerging and specific issues.

We know that all legislation, if it’s going to be the best that it can be, needs regular review. We want to make sure that we look at it and we have the proper people around the table to be able to do that.

We think, at the end of the day, that we have struck a good balance. Certainly in my riding, I’ve had good feedback from people saying, “I like what’s proposed. I like what’s being debated.”

We have put the people—proper, law-abiding, loving animal lovers—we have taken their concerns. As I said as I started off my remarks, many people treat their animals, their pets, like a child. It truly is part of the family. We want to make sure that we do that.

We’ve looked at the agricultural community, where it actually is a livelihood, in many cases, and they have a business that they’re running. So we again have to respect and do that.

I want to do a bit of a shout-out, a little bit off topic, but very close, Madam Speaker, so I hope you’ll indulge me. The Minister of Agriculture introduced legislation as well about protecting livestock, and people trespassing on farms and creating farm safety issues. I think that is a brilliant piece of legislation that has struck the right balance. We’ve protected the people who earn their livelihood. We’ve protected the workers who are, in many cases, transporting their livestock to market or to wherever they may be going, while also allowing people—if they have a true concern, there is a process.

If they go and get permission from a farmer to be on their land, that’s a whole different story. But if not, then we have to treat it that way. I had a lot of my agricultural community coming and saying they were starting to get very concerned about the safety of their food, the safety of their families and their workers. I think that is a great piece of legislation.

We did not pause on the PAWS Act. We made sure we went straight to it. We did it very quickly; we did it very diligently. We did a lot of consultation. We had a lot of stakeholders come to the table who wanted to do it.

We modernized this legislative framework. Like many things that we found in our great Legislature, a lot of things—we have a lot of laws. We have to review those. We have to keep up with the 21st century.

I think, at the end of the day, by increasing the ability for having timely inspectors, qualified inspectors, a timely response, making sure that people know that there is a very onerous penalty structure in place, that they may think twice before they abuse or are cruel to an animal—I think that has done a great thing.

We are always, of course, respectful, and value our great veterinarian community across the province, so we’ll work with them to make sure that they have input at all times to be able to help us.

I think, Madam Speaker, that we have done a good job of making sure we have gone out to the pet owners. First and foremost, we’ve put the pet right in our thought process. That was the first thing. Then we go to the pet owners and think, “What do they need? What are they expecting from us as legislators?”

We have looked at the other side. We said, “Who are the ones that are doing purposeful damage to our pets, to our livestock, to our animals across our province?” We have said that we will not accept that. We will make sure that we come down hard on those who maliciously harm an animal, a pet, livestock, whatever that case may be, and we will make sure that we do that in a consistent manner.

I’m very, very pleased. The Solicitor General and, as I say, her team—her PA, I believe, is Christine Hogarth, the member from Etobicoke—

Ms. Christine Hogarth: Lakeshore.

Hon. Bill Walker: Etobicoke–Lakeshore. I know you would have known that quicker, Madam Speaker.

I think they’ve done a great job. I think people across the province, forgetting partisan political thought processes, are going to like this piece of legislation. I think they’re going to agree that we’ve done a good job to consult and make it balanced, fair and respectful. Most important, Madam Speaker, it’s accountable and it’s responsive to the pet owner, taking the pet as our concern at every single step of the way.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Questions and comments? I recognize the member from Niagara Falls.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s always a pleasure to stand up and talk—

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Sorry to interrupt the member. It’s not questions and comments; it’s further debate. My mistake.

I again recognize the member from Niagara Falls.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Well, that’s great. I get to talk for five minutes on Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound’s 20 minutes of whatever he was doing there on Bill 136, the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019. To the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound: He had a really good idea yesterday about having tiny homes for pets. Has anybody heard of that? I don’t know if he remembers that from yesterday, when he sent that over to me. Tiny homes for pets, I think, would be really good as well.

My mother, long passed, who I have spoken about here—she used to love her cats. We were actually known, on William Street in St. Catharines, as the cat house, just because my mom had so many cats. They would go out, meet a cat friend and end up having more cats. We had so many cats in our house. I always thought—because this is a true story. When we were growing up, we didn’t have a lot, but I always thought—we always had food for the cats, but we never had enough food for the kids.

This is what this is all about—

Hon. Bill Walker: You could have been a six-footer, Gatesy.

Mr. Wayne Gates: I know. We had a big house back then, not a tiny house.

But I think this is what this is all about. It’s about our pets and how we love our pets, sometimes, more than we love our children, quite frankly.

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: They don’t talk back.

Mr. Wayne Gates: They don’t talk back. My dad had a poodle, which—

Interjection: Hated the cats.

Mr. Wayne Gates: No, my dad loved the poodle, too. It was hilarious. My dad took the poodle everywhere. He told me to walk, but he always took the dog in the car.

These are true stories. I mean, you live through this when it comes to your pets. So the fact that we’re coming up with a bill that we think is going to be beneficial to cats, dogs and your pets—whatever your pet is. I had a goldfish. I had a goldfish that—unfortunately, they don’t live that long when you win them at the carnival, but the kids loved the goldfish, fed the goldfish.

This is a great story. I really want my colleagues to listen to this. It’s too bad my buddy from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound is gone, but this is a true story. I had—

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Stop the clock.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Okay, I apologize.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): No, when I stand, you don’t. Thank you.

A reminder to all members that we don’t make reference to those who are here or not here.

Mr. Wayne Gates: I appreciate that, Madam Speaker. You’re absolutely right. I didn’t mean to do that. I didn’t realize that he had left. So—

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): I’m going to interrupt the member again, and I ask that you respect what I have said. Thank you.

I return to the member.

Mr. Wayne Gates: I apologize again.

I had a pet called Hammy Hamster. I’ll never forget this. This is a really funny story. A lot of people here don’t know I was goaltender. I played goal for a number of years until about—

Interjection.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Just shoot.

He was called Hammy Hamster. He used to lay on my chest all the time. He used to fall asleep on my chest, and then you’d put him back in the cage. He had that wheel. He’d run around and get his exercise.

One day, he got away. This is a true story: He got away and we couldn’t find him anywhere. We were looking all over the house—because I actually liked Hammy Hamster. I enjoyed his company, right? If your wife gets mad at you, you’ve got to have friends. I had Hammy Hamster.

Hammy Hamster, I couldn’t find him. I looked all over the house for a week. When I finally went to play hockey a week later on a Sunday morning, at the Thorold arena—the old Thorold arena, which I think they’re going to tear down soon to build another arena, which is great for Thorold. My colleague from Niagara, he knows this.

So I take my hockey equipment out, and who comes running out of the bag? Hammy Hamster. He just wanted to go to the hockey rink with me; I didn’t know that. That’s kind of how our pets are.

But I’ve got a good story for my colleague here from St. Catharines. They only gave me five minutes on the bill. I could talk for hours on pets. But she had a cat—

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Still do.

Mr. Wayne Gates: —still does—and her cat disappeared. I have to put my glasses on, because she gave me some of the notes. It was Family Day. A terrible day for your pet to go missing is Family Day; we can all agree to that, right? We want to enjoy our pets on Family Day. The cat was 18 years old. It had nine lives—that’s why he was 18.

Interjection.

Mr. Wayne Gates: No, that’s true—nine lives. But he disappeared on Family Day. When he was a little kitten, a baby kitten, they put in this thing called a microchip that I’m sure a lot of people who talked on this bill are familiar with. When he was a kitten, they put in this microchip. Six months later, she gets a call from the Welland county humane society, which is almost in Port Colborne. To walk to it as a human is four hours. I don’t know what it is for cats or for Poppy; I don’t know how long it takes to go there. But think about this: They found this cat—am I right?

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Yes.

Mr. Wayne Gates: It was one of the happiest days of her life. She had thought the cat, at 18 years old, might have had a heart attack and died under a branch or something—and the cat is still alive. This is a true story; it’s still alive. There you go: microchips, our pets, Family Day—she was so happy.

It was one of the happiest days of your life when you reunited with your cat. And what’s it called?

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Freakster.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Freakster—

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: The freakiest day of our lives.

Mr. Wayne Gates: It was the freakiest day of her life.

Madam Speaker, thanks for allowing me five minutes to speak on this wonderful bill.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Pursuant to the order of the House dated November 25, 2019, I am now required to put the question.

Mr. Calandra has moved third reading of Bill 136,

An Act to enact the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 and make consequential amendments with respect to animal protection.

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

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

Third reading agreed to.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Orders of the day? I recognize the Associate Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Kinga Surma: No further business, Madam Speaker.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 10:30 this morning.

The House recessed from 0927 to 1030.

Introduction of Visitors

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Good morning. I would like to welcome to our House—to their House—Taylor Downes and Francesca Delano. Welcome.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: I have the privilege of welcoming to the Legislature today His Worship Mayor Junkin of the town of Pelham; Councillor Bob Hildebrandt; the CAO of the town of Pelham, David Cribbs; as well as a good advocate for the town of Pelham, Gord Marasco. Welcome to the people’s House today.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I’d like to welcome to the Legislative Assembly for the first time Mark McQueen and his daughter Molly McQueen. Welcome.

Mr. Stan Cho: Good morning. It’s my privilege to welcome members of the Ontario Korean Businessmen’s Association: OKBA’s chair, Shin Young Ha; chief operating officer Shim Kiho; Peterborough

chapter president Lee Kyung Suk; and Chung Bong Jae. Welcome to the Legislature.

Mr. Aris Babikian: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. It is my great privilege and honour to welcome a group of friends from Canada and Armenia.

First of all, I would like to welcome Mheir Karakachian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Canada from Montreal; Mr. Sevag Belian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada’s office in Ottawa; Houri Najarian, board member of the Armenian National Committee of Canada; and Harout Matossian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Toronto.

We have a special guest from Armenia, Mr. Ishkhan Saghatelyan, the chairman of the Dashnak Party in Armenia. He’s here to learn about our democratic process so that they can improve on their system.

Miss Monique Taylor: I would like to welcome some anti-poverty groups who are here today from Hamilton. From the Campaign for Adequate Welfare and Disability Benefits, we have chair Elizabeth McGuire; from Hamilton’s social work action committee, we have chair Sally Palmer; with them we have guests Ursula Samuels, Josie D’Amico, Jay Cruz, Katelyn Williton, Elizabeth McGuire, Tim Button, Joanne Johnson, Alana Baltzer, Tze Chan, Sally Palmer, Bryan Russell, Daren Taylor, Liz Lamb, Carole Szytlo, Anne Delina, Kelly McCormick, Gail Powless, Simon Kerr, Chris Labenski and Jeffery Paul. Welcome, all of you, to Queen’s Park.

I’d also like to do my daily welcome of autism advocates who are here with us in the House today: Michau van Speyk is joining us here from the Ontario Autism Coalition. Welcome back to Queen’s Park, Michau.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I wanted to welcome the students of a school in my riding, St. Nicholas of Bari. Welcome to your House.

Ms. Jill Andrew: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome McMurrich Junior Public School’s grades 5 and 6 gifted classes and teachers Devon Marshall and Samantha Barkin. Thank you very much for coming out to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario—your House. You are welcome to be here all the time.

I’d also like to introduce Nella Li, a constituent of ours and a lover of fashion who is celebrating her birthday today. Welcome to Queen’s Park and happy birthday.

Wearing of hats

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Carleton has informed me that she has a point of order.

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: Speaker, I seek unanimous consent from the House for the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries and myself to wear hats during our questions during question period.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Carleton is seeking the unanimous consent of the House on behalf of herself as well as the Minister of Heritage to wear hats during question period during their questions. Agreed? Agreed.

Wearing of buttons

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that if you seek it you will find unanimous consent for members to wear a button with respect to taking action on violence against women on December 6.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The government House leader is seeking unanimous consent of the House to allow members to wear a button with respect to taking action against violence against women. Agreed? Agreed.

Anniversary of Montreal massacre

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Once again, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for this House to observe the 30th anniversary of the Montreal massacre, which took place on December 6, 1989, with the independent members speaking for up to five minutes, followed by the official opposition speaking for up to five minutes, followed by the government speaking for up to five minutes, followed by a moment of silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The government House leader is seeking unanimous consent of the House to observe the 30th anniversary of the Montreal massacre, which took place on December 6, 1989, with the independent members speaking for up to five minutes, followed by the official opposition speaking for up to five minutes, followed by the government speaking for up to five minutes, followed by a moment of silence. Agreed? Agreed.

I will recognize first the member for Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I rise today with a heavy heart and firm resolve to recognize the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Thirty years ago, 14 women were murdered at l’École Polytechnique. They were murdered simply because they were women. All Canadians were profoundly affected by this horrific act of violence on December 6, 1989. My heartfelt thoughts go out to the victims, their families and friends.

But, Mr. Speaker, thoughts and prayers are not good enough. Gender inequality and gender-based violence still persist, and we cannot ignore it. I especially want to challenge people like myself, who identify as male. We have a special responsibility to be allies and advocates, to follow the lead of women in the effort to eradicate gender-based violence.

According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, every six days a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner, Indigenous women are killed at six times the rate of non-Indigenous women and over 6,000 women and children sleep in shelters on any given night because it isn’t safe to sleep at home. These statistics are unacceptable, and we can all play a role in changing them by funding shelters and rape crisis centres, increasing legal aid support for women escaping abusive relationships, ending human trafficking and fighting for pay equity.

I urge all Ontarians to take action today, and every day, to have the courage of survivors and to stand strong against the attitudes that lead to violence against women.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the member for Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: Tomorrow, December 6, is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and also the 30th anniversary of the 14 women whose lives were lost in what has come to be known as the Montreal massacre. Their lives were cut short by a tragic event that unfolded as a result of gender discrimination, a senseless act, and we honour and remember them here.

We must end gender-based violence. We must condemn hate, violence and abuse that disproportionately affects women. We must actively condemn it, not just with our words, but with our actions. Our deeds must follow our words.

I’m having a bit of a hard time right now following my words because I read a story on the CBC website last night by Loreen Pindera and I can’t get the image out of my head. It’s important that we remember. This anniversary is important. I suggest that you all read it if you get a chance. She tells the story of Police Lieutenant Pierre Leclair, who arrived on the scene and gave a very brief scrum and said, “I’ll be back.” He walked through all the carnage at École Polytechnique, went to the third-floor classroom and found his daughter. We forget these things. I forgot that.

I can’t get it out of my head—because we have daughters, sisters, mothers. I have a daughter. I can’t imagine it. It’s senseless.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Next I’ll recognize the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s.

Ms. Jill Andrew: Tomorrow, December 6, 2019, is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. I stand today, since the Legislature does not sit on Fridays, to denounce gender-based violence and all forms of violence against women and girls.

December 6 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Montreal massacre, a day of terror, when 14 women engineering students were killed inside l’École Polytechnique de Montréal by a man who hated women and who indicated in his notes his belief that women were stealing men’s jobs.

On December 6, we reflect on the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the often forgotten victims, names, faces of what Judge Marion Buller, the chief commissioner of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, referred to as a “deliberate race, identity and gender-based genocide” right here in our province of Ontario and our country.

According to the 1,200-page final report, First Nations, Métis and Inuit women and girls are 12 times more likely to be murdered or to go missing than members of any other demographic group in Canada, and 16 times more likely to be slain or to disappear than white women. The inquiry includes 231 imperative changes—not recommendations, but direct calls to justice necessary to implement.

YWCA Toronto tells us that every single night in Canada, over 3,000 women, along with 2,900 dependent children, live in emergency shelters to escape gender-based violence. The YWCA reports that violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women. To quote them: “The crisis of affordable housing in Toronto and across the country remains one of the most significant barriers for survivors to move into security and safety.” They say women are literally running for their lives and finding nowhere to go.

Keri Lewis, the executive director of Nelson House in Ottawa, describes a reality where survivors must often choose between sleeping in freezing cars and the streets, or having to return home to abusive partners and more violence because of shelter bed shortages.

The Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability reported in 2018 that a woman or girl was killed every 2.5 days in Canada and that a former or current partner killed a woman every six days.

Every stat I have come across is worse for Indigenous, Black, racialized, Muslim, poor, sick, marginalized, queer and trans women and girls, including seniors, disabled and deaf women and girls.

I heard from students from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance that they’re worried about campus safety and need us to do more for sexual violence education and prevention, bystander intervention and campus security training, as well as program evaluations on campus.

Statistics Canada suggests a rate of 73 incidents of sexual violence per 1,000 students.

I ask of all of us today, especially the government side: When you get home tonight and unwind, maybe watching a favourite show, indulging in a hot bath and then climbing into your comfortable, warm bed with your human or fur babies, think of the women and girls who simply cannot. Think of the women and girls who must live like prey, consistently looking over their shoulders in their own homes, with partners—mostly men—wondering if this day will be their last. See and listen to these women. Step aside and make space for these women. Travel to the communities where you feel the most uncomfortable, unwelcomed, and listen. Share power. Do not hoard power.

You must take bold action on violence against women across your ministries, through an intersectional gender equity lens that addresses the root causes of violence—the stench of inequity and injustice that has trapped too many women and girls inside cycles of violence for years—for decades.

Recognize women’s need for pay equity and access to secure, unionized jobs, and their right to economic justice as integral parts of a much-needed provincial gender-based-violence strategy.

Recognize women’s access to post-secondary education without debt, to affordable housing, to a legal system that works, to fair ODSP, to the ability to access health care in her community—rural, northern, or urban—as an integral part of a gender-based-violence strategy.

These are not women’s issues, Mr. Speaker; they are our demands. At the very least, consider women and gender equity as a more dignified ministerial portfolio name, since we don’t have a stand-alone ministry. Name the fight, instead of perpetuating 19th-century stereotypes of women’s hysteria. Remember: Words have power.

Please dedicate your time here in government to actions rooted in community allyship, so all women and girls can actualize the right to live free of violence—all violence—including political violence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues.

Hon. Jill Dunlop: Exactly 30 years ago tomorrow—December 6, 1989—a gunman walked into École Polytechnique de Montréal and killed 14 female engineering students, not because they were students, not because they were potential engineers, but because they were women. Let us take a moment to remember and acknowledge the names of the 14 lives tragically lost: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault and Annie Turcotte.

It’s been 30 years, yet I can still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard about the tragedy at École Polytechnique, and I know I’m not the only one. After 30 years I can still remember the absolute devastation it caused to families and communities. After 30 years, the shock waves of this heinous act are still present.

Today, we remember the 14 women who were murdered. These women were primarily young engineering students, working toward careers in a field where women were and still are underrepresented. Their choice to pursue this field made them trailblazers in the eyes of friends and family, but made them targets in the eyes of a hateful, misogynistic killer. We mourn their lost lives and lost potential. We think yet again of the families and friends they left behind, and we hope and pray that days such as these evoke a changing of attitudes, condemning all violence against all women.

Thirty years later has allowed time for real change to happen, but we all know in our hearts that not enough change has happened. The sad reality is that women are still fighting for equal opportunities and, in many cases, for basic human rights and freedoms. We know that one in three women will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. We know that women are three times more likely to be stalked and four times more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence. We know that Indigenous women, newcomers, members of the LGBTQI2S community and women with disabilities are at an even greater risk of experiencing violence.

Today we commemorate 14 women. We mourn them, we honour them and we remember them. We also think of others. We remember the calls to justice from the national conversation around missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. We must continue to change attitudes and behaviours and eradicate misogyny so that women and girls can live in peace and safety.

We must challenge each generation of men to be better than the generation that proceeded them—to speak out against things they know in their heart to be wrong, and speak up for their mothers and sisters, their wives and their daughters, for their peers, and, perhaps most importantly, for complete strangers.

Every year, we host vigils, we place roses and we light candles to pay respect to these 14 women, who are the symbol of our fight to combat violence against women. We are backing up that belief in communities across Ontario by providing supports for victims, raising public awareness and holding offenders accountable.

This year, our government is investing more than $166 million in supports for survivors and violence prevention initiatives. We are funding vital services like emergency shelters, counselling, 24-hour crisis lines, safety planning, and transitional and housing supports, and boosting support for rural, front-line agencies to increase collaboration and reduce geographic and transportation barriers. We are also funding 18 Indigenous agencies that provide emergency shelter, counselling, child witness programs and other supports both on and off reserve. And we are fighting the trafficking of women and girls in every corner of this province.

Speaker, talking about violence against women year-round is key to raising awareness and encouraging women to come forward with their stories. We must not let our vigilance wane. We must continue to educate boys and girls, and men and women, about healthy, equal relationships. We must continue to change attitudes and behaviours so that women and girls can live in peace and safety.

Today, I ask all members of this House to join me in wearing a rose button to remember women whose lives have been cut short by violence, and to recommit ourselves to taking action on violence against women and girls.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll ask the members now to rise as we observe a moment’s silence in memory of the 14 young women who lost their lives that tragic day in Montreal 30 years ago this week.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

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

Oral Questions

Health care funding

Mr. John Vanthof: My question is to the Acting Premier. In 2013, the Ministry of Health issued a policy statement directing emergency medical services, hospitals and other stakeholders to work together to ensure that “no patient with a life- or limb-threatening condition shall be refused care.” In other words, when a patient is in danger of losing their life, they should always be able to transfer to the hospital that can provide the specialized care they need to save their life.

Can the Acting Premier tell us how many patients in a life- or limb-threatening situation were unable to make that transfer over the last three years?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. This is a very serious issue. It isn’t something that just happened overnight. This has been growing for years and years, as you will know.

With 15 years with the previous government, we now have hallway health care. We now have hospitals that are operating at over 100% capacity. We are trying to deal with that. We made a commitment to the people of Ontario that we would end hallway health care. We are working on that right now. Some ambulances do have to be diverted to other locations, unfortunately, because of that. But we have a plan to eliminate hallway health care.

We want to keep people out of hospitals in the first place. We want to make sure that we can, in some cases, divert them to other locations, because hospitals are not always the best place for patients to receive care. If it’s life and limb, obviously, yes, but not always, depending on their situation.

We want to integrate care to improve patient health and, of course, we are going to improve capacity by investing $27 billion over 10 years, to build new hospitals but also to build up community care facilities as well.

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

Mr. John Vanthof: With all due respect, when someone is in a life- or limb-threatening situation, a hospital is the place they need to be. A specialized hospital is the place they need to be.

Yesterday, the Auditor General revealed that between 2016 and 2019, 748 patients in a life- or limb-threatening situation could not transfer to the hospital they needed to be in because the overcrowded hospital had no beds available to receive the patient. Ten of those patients died, waiting for that transfer.

Why are patients in life- and limb-threatening situations literally dying while they wait for spaces in overcrowded hospitals now?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Of course patient safety is our utmost concern, and any loss of a patient, any patient death, is one too many in a situation where it could perhaps have been avoided.

But the reality is that we inherited a situation where many hospitals in Ontario are currently operating at over 100% capacity. We recognize that and we have a plan to deal with that.

But it’s not a simple solution. There are many reasons that contribute to that. One is the fact that we don’t have enough long-term-care spaces. There are many patients who are alternate-level-of-care who remain in hospital but don’t need to be there. That is something that my colleague the Minister of Long-Term Care is working on very hard.

We also know that many patients come back into hospital because of chronic mental health and addiction issues. They don’t necessarily receive the care that they need in the hospital, so they go in and out of hospital emergency departments.

That is why we are coming forward with our $3.8-billion, over 10 years, mental health and addictions plan. That should help ensure that people get the care that they need in the community.

We are working—

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

The final supplementary.

Mr. John Vanthof: Ten patients died waiting for transfers to hospital beds that they desperately needed, because the hospitals they needed to be in didn’t have a bed available.

In rural Ontario, we have small hospitals without specialized care. It’s personal to me. In 1993, I had one of those accidents. They took me to Englehart hospital. I woke up five hours later in Toronto Western, and that’s the only reason I have any use of this arm. We know how important it is in rural Ontario.

The Auditor General’s report yesterday showed that, under the Liberals, the availability of acute care hospital beds decreased. The Financial Accountability Office confirmed that the Ford government plans to cut $2.7 billion more health care funding.

The auditor’s report confirms that cuts to health care are putting patients’ lives at risk. Why does this government continue to make them?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Through you, Mr. Speaker: It’s necessary to paint the true picture of what is happening in health care. We are increasing our contributions to health care by $1.9 billion this year over last year.

We know that we need to continue to work on reducing the overload in Ontario hospitals created by the previous government. We have a plan to do that. We’re working on that on many fronts.

We recognize and appreciate the work that has been done by the Auditor General. We have already started to work on this problem because, as I said before, patient safety is our utmost concern at the Ministry of Health. Any patient death in a situation where it could have been avoided is one too many, and it’s something that we are going to continue to follow the recommendations, both of the auditor and our own plan, to reduce the number of patients receiving hallway health care and reduce the overcrowding in our hospitals.

Climate change

Mr. Peter Tabuns: To the Acting Premier: On Monday, the Premier told the Legislature, “We have an incredible policy moving forward to meet our target, the Paris accord, of 30%. We’re well on our way. We’re actually going to exceed that goal.”

The Premier was almost certainly briefed on yesterday’s report by the Auditor General ahead of time. Why would he knowingly say something that was days from being completely and utterly refuted by the Auditor General?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Minister of the Environment.

Hon. Jeff Yurek: We, on this side of the House, appreciate the work of the Auditor General. We take her recommendations seriously, and we are going to be working on them. What she also did say, that the focus of her recommendations, as the provincial auditor, is that actions are needed to improve the existing plan as Ontario works toward reducing emissions.

We have an evolving plan, going forward. We are listening to others as we change and infuse new technologies and new ideas towards achieving our targets. Mr. Speaker, I’ll tell the Legislature right now, we will obtain our targets of 30% by 2030 in order to meet our agreement with the Paris agreement. We are going to be making those changes, make sure our modelling is what the Auditor General is working for.

But the member opposite has yet to have his party table a plan for climate change. I’m looking forward to them bringing forward a plan. We will work together with the party once they have ideas and see how we can work together to improve our—

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

Supplementary question.

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Thanks to the Ford government, Ontario isn’t just missing crucial targets for greenhouse gas reduction. It’s clear they never had any intention of hitting them.

One of the Premier’s first acts in office was to go to court with electric vehicle makers—one of the first acts. He spent $231 million tearing down wind farms and ripping up clean energy contracts. Yet the Ford government somehow managed to count both of these cancelled initiatives towards their greenhouse gas reduction goals. Was this incompetence or was this ignoring reality?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Thank you again to the member opposite for that question. Listen, the Auditor General also said the climate change plan that was put out is an estimate of what the emissions are today and what the reductions will be. We’re saying that more work needs to be done to develop the ways in which emissions can be reduced further.

We moved out with an ambitious plan last November. We have listened to the Auditor General. This plan is going to evolve. It’s going to change year to year. That is what’s going to make us reach those reductions and targets.

Mr. Speaker, we need to move away from the partisanship the members opposite like to play with the climate change issue and work together in order to get our climate change—we’re looking for ideas from the other side of the House. We’re going to be touring the province and listening to people across the province. We’re going to continue to work with stakeholders, listening to the Indigenous communities, working with the Green Party. We’d love to work with the NDP, but we want to attain those targets. It’s too little, too late to wait for them to come up with a plan. We want action now. We’re going to make sure it happens.

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

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Again, to the Acting Premier: The terrible reality is that Ontario does not have a real plan to confront the climate crisis. Around the world, national leaders and everyday people are pushing governments to take action on the climate crisis—around the world, every day. The stakes could not possibly be higher, and the Premier couldn’t take them any less seriously.

When is the Premier going to stop the cuts, stop attacking efforts to clean up our energy system, stop citing climate-denial blogs, stop wasting money on stickers that don’t stick and lawsuits that can’t be won, and put together an honest plan to tackle the climate emergency that we face? At the very least, when will he be able to hit the climate reduction targets the government says they plan to hit?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Well, we will hit our climate change emissions targets by 2030, as we’ve said over and over. One of the solutions that we have out there is expanding transit in this province and building $28 billion worth of transit in Toronto. Unfortunately the members opposite don’t agree with that. They’ve been vocal against the building of the Ontario Line. Those are clear solutions.

We are moving towards 15% renewable content in our fuels. We have our Ontario emissions performance standards waiting for approval from the federal government. We have a green bond, $1.7 billion raised to go towards improving transit not only here in Toronto but in Ottawa, in Hamilton and in London, and building new roads up in northern Ontario to get them around.

We have a new advisory council on climate change to give us the best information, so people will become resilient and adapt to the changes in climate that are happening today. We’re making sure that people can be protected.

We want Ontarians to be participatory in our climate change plan. They need to make changes. We need to make changes. We’re going to work together and get this deal done. We will reach our 30%—

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. Order.

Start the clock. Next question.

Teachers’ labour dispute

Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, schools are thankfully open today after the first province-wide strike by education workers in 22 years. Those teachers and education workers were not alone. They were joined on the picket lines by parents, by students and by community members.

But, Mr. Speaker, Ontarians should not have to take to the streets to defend our schools from cuts. They shouldn’t have to fight tooth and nail to make sure that kids have the supports they need to learn. Will the Premier finally admit that his plan is hurting students and go back to the bargaining table with a serious offer that protects the quality of their education?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Minister of Education.

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Mr. Speaker, this government unequivocally stands against escalation by teacher union leadership. We opposed it yesterday and we oppose it in the coming days, given that they have been pre-positioning the fact that they want to further escalate, impacting our kids most.

Mr. Speaker, we have been reasonable and focused on getting deals. We want a deal that keeps kids in class. We’ve lowered the classroom average from 28 to 25 and we’ve reduced online learning from four to two, but the insistence by the union is a $750-million increase from taxpayers. We’re offering 1%; they want 2%. That $750 million could pay for 7,500 new mental health workers. It could pay for 92 more schools being built in this province.

The bias of this government, of every member of this Progressive Conservative team, is to invest in our kids. That’s what we’re asking all parents: to stand with this government against escalation and stand with us as we invest in the future of our province.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: Mr. Speaker, it is beyond disappointing that this minister is still looking to cast blame anywhere but where it belongs: with this Premier and this government. How can this minister possibly believe that he could cram students into overcrowded classrooms, move them out of classrooms and into untested online courses, and hand pink slips to 10,000 teachers without a fight?

Speaker, they thought they could take a wrecking ball to our education system, divide teachers and parents, and save money on the backs of our kids. Yesterday Ontarians proved they are more united than ever against these cuts. Will the minister listen this time?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Speaker, let me affirm to the families of this province that we want children in class. We are prepared and working hard at the table, through the mediator, to get a deal. We are the political party working hard that got a deal with CUPE just a month ago, with labour in this province. We’ve made reasonable moves because I believe being reasonable must be reciprocated by all parties at the table. But, Mr. Speaker, what is unreasonable is a demand for another $750 million more, which could pay for 23,000 more child care spaces, which could heat every public school in this province for a year and a half.

The priority of parents is for government to invest in their kids, and that’s who we stand with: with parents, against escalation and for investments in their children.

Teachers’ labour dispute

Mr. Parm Gill: Mr. Speaker, the media coverage of yesterday’s one-day strike by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation made it sound like it was all a test of wills between the government and the union. The real story was that across the province, parents and students had their lives interrupted by this irresponsible strike.

Many parents in my riding have contacted me to voice their displeasure about the OSSTF’s one-day walkout. They’re frustrated that despite our government’s reasonable efforts at getting a deal, unions continue to escalate. Parents and students deserve a deal, Mr. Speaker.

My question is to the Minister of Education. Can he share with the Legislature what our government is doing to reach an agreement?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Thank you very much for that question. Speaker, it is not fair that the teachers’ union leadership has decided to escalate, hurting our children, particularly the most vulnerable kids, kids with exceptionalities who were out of class yesterday and who may be out of class in the future should the teachers’ union decide to escalate further, as they have pre-positioned in the news.

Mr. Speaker, the government has been reasonable and focused on the investments in our kids. We made a decision to move from a provincial average of 28 to 25. We moved online learning from four to two. We’ve made investments—the greatest investment ever noted in the history of Ontario by this Progressive Conservative government.

It is not fair that they’re out of class. Unions can’t have it both ways. They cannot outright reject every proposal made by the government but bring no new innovative options since the first day of our negotiations.

We’re going to work hard, in good faith, to get a deal that keeps children in class.

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

Mr. Parm Gill: Thankfully, students are back in school this morning, but many students and parents aren’t in a forgiving mood towards OSSTF for their irresponsible one-day strike.

Today, the Halton District School Board’s Human Rights Symposium—Rights of the Child, was supposed to take place, Mr. Speaker. The human rights symposium is an important learning initiative for the board to bring educators and community partners together in a meaningful way. Unfortunately the symposium was cancelled because of job action by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and the OSSTF.

Mr. Speaker, could the minister please share with the Legislature how these unions are putting students, families and communities at a disadvantage due to their actions?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Thank you to the member from Milton for the question. This one-day strike obviously created numerous headaches for families and parents in the province. We unequivocally call on the union to cease from escalation. Teachers and students should be in class.

Mr. Speaker, when you hear of the example of the Halton board cancelling a human rights symposium because of this needless escalation, it only underscores the point that this is not about our students. It is increasingly about compensation and benefits at the table. The focus for this government is investing in our students. However, we’ve made it clear that we want to provide a fair increase of $750 million. Apparently, that is an unacceptable increase for the OSSTF, which has said, “We will potentially further escalate if we don’t get a $1.5-billion increase in compensation and remuneration.”

It is disappointing that they’ve made these moves, but we stand with parents against escalation. We’re going to focus on keeping students in class.

Long-term care

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: My question is to the Premier. The Auditor General’s report is the fourth this year that paints a grim picture of Ontario’s long-term-care system. Decades of chronic underfunding under the Liberals, maintained by this Conservative government, have created a system so strapped for cash and so lacking in adequate resources and staffing that some long-term-care homes have resorted to feeding residents, our loved ones, expired food. That is beyond egregious, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Premier tell us why his government is still planning to cut $34 million in long-term-care funding when homes are so cash-strapped that they are literally serving our residents and loved ones expired food?

Hon. Christine Elliott: To the Minister of Long-Term Care.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you for that question. Our government is very, very pleased to receive the recommendations and observations from the Auditor General’s report on food and nutrition in long-term-care homes. We say in medicine that socialization, mobilization and nutrition are absolutely key to healthy aging and the care for our seniors and elderly in long-term care.

Each day, there are 234,000 meals served in our long-term-care homes. That equates to a little bit less than 85 million meals every year in long-term care. Food-related incidents really amount to 0.01% of incidents related to the food and nutrition in homes. So this is a key part. We understand this.

We’re committing to creating a 21st-century, modern long-term-care system that treats our residents with the respect and dignity that they deserve. Any suggestion that there are cuts in long-term care is inaccurate.

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

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: My question is back to the Premier. Ontarians are getting tired of the government’s predictable responses. The Auditor General made it clear that the government’s current approach in our long-term-care system is not working. The level of funding is simply not keeping up with the pace of demand.

In fact, because of the lack of proper staffing, the Auditor General found that long-term-care residents have made nearly 500 avoidable trips to the emergency room because they were dehydrated.

The Premier knows there’s a simple solution to this. It begins with increased funding so that there’s enough long-term-care-home staff to care for our residents and our loved ones.

Can the Premier explain why he spends three times more money to cancel green energy contracts than investing in our long-term-care-home system?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you again to the member opposite for the question. Our government is absolutely committed to reviewing all the issues surrounding the problems in our long-term-care sector. We’ve been meeting with our sector operators since the very beginning of a dedicated Ministry of Long-Term Care.

We know the challenges inherent in the long-term-care sector. I look back at the last 15 years and ask, where was the government then? Where was the voice of the opposition then?

We’re dealing with the reality—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: We’re dealing with the reality—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: We are dealing with the reality that is facing us, and working in a collaborative way with our sector. We know this is absolutely critical. We’ve been hearing from them, and we represent a government that is committed to making sure that the long-term-care sector is treated in the way it needs to be treated: with attention, due-course process, and respect and dignity for all residents.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Minister of Health. Seven thousand Ontarians will have a heart attack this year. About 85% of those heart attacks will occur at some place other than home and in a public space. We know that access to portable defibrillators, AEDs, that are administered within a few minutes of a heart attack increases the chance of survival by 50%.

I was here this morning talking with representatives from CARE and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. I’m introducing a private member’s bill this afternoon that will increase access, maintenance and training, and establish a registry for AEDs in Ontario.

In fact, there are two private members’ bills that are already in front of the House that establish a registry and have other measures, from the member from Eglinton–Lawrence and the member from Nickel Belt. As well, the member from Mississauga–Streetsville introduced a motion saying that we need to do a better job of educating people about CPR and AEDs.

So my question to the Minister of Health is, does the government have a plan for AEDs in this province?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. You’re absolutely right that we lose far too many Ontarians because of cardiac issues and problems. Time, of course, is of the essence when you’re dealing with a 911 call from someone who’s had such an event. Despite the heroic efforts of our paramedics, we know that it will take eight to 10 minutes, generally speaking, for them to arrive. During that time, many other events may have happened. Without CPR or a life-saving shock from a defibrillator, those lives may be lost. We want to make sure that we save as many Ontarians as possible.

I know that there have been other efforts—from the member from Eglinton–Lawrence, with Bill 141, the Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act; and the bill from the member for Nickel Belt, Bill 140, a related bill.

I look forward to hearing what your bill has to say, because there are lots of components that I believe we can pull together to bring forward that comprehensive plan.

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

Mr. John Fraser: I thank the minister for that answer. The fact is, a registry is going to save lives. It’s something that we all know in this House—members from three parties know this. We have four measures before this House. It’s a public health and public safety issue. We had a lot of momentum before 2010 on this issue, and then it seemed to slow down.

Here’s what I’m going to suggest: We need to take action. Can we bring forward the member from Eglinton–Lawrence’s bill to committee? Can we do a thorough consultation on that? Can the minister commit to doing that and to passing a piece of legislation by this time next year?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Certainly, I can commit to bringing this matter forward because it is a very important issue. There’s clearly all-party support. I hope that the member from the Green Party also agrees, but I expect that he will, because this is something we will all have heard about from our constituents in our community offices. It is something we have heard from our important stakeholders the heart and stroke association as well. We want to save lives in Ontario.

So I would be very happy to make a recommendation that that come forward to committee and that we hear input from all interested parties to develop a very strong system in Ontario for this registry and to make sure we can work on other cardiac issues as well. Thank you for bringing it forward.

Expenditure control

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: Last week, our President of the Treasury Board announced an important fiscal accomplishment made by our government. For 15 years, Ontarians have put up with a government that has wasted their hard-earned tax dollars with little attention placed on fiscal responsibility. We were elected on a mandate to stop this irresponsible behaviour, find efficiencies and restore fiscal balance.

To accomplish this, our government introduced several smart initiatives, like making more services available online, such as renewing driver’s licences and vehicle registrations. Another example of our government’s fiscal responsibility is placing restrictions on travel, meals and hospitality expenditures for our public sector employees.

My question is for the President of the Treasury Board. Could the honourable member please explain how expenditure restrictions on travel, meals and hospitality have benefited Ontario taxpayers?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: I would like to thank the very hard-working member from Perth–Wellington for this question—all the way over there, a long way away.

Let’s be clear, Mr. Speaker: Our government is leading by example. That’s why we introduced smarter expenditures for public sector employees on discretionary spending in 2018 to ensure that tax dollars go out the door more effectively, more efficiently, and, most importantly, to the front lines and the front-line workers of Ontario. That’s why, unlike the Liberals, this government has stopped catering cabinet and committee meetings. It saved $77,000. But there’s more.

I’m pleased to say that smarter spending on travel, meals and hospitality resulted in a 34% reduction across government, representing $25 million in savings. That means our government spent $9 million less on accommodations, $7 million less on travel and—

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

Supplementary question.

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: I’d like to thank the minister for his response.

Spending tax dollars smarter allows for more money to be directed towards front-line services like health care and education. One critical aspect of smarter and more responsible spending is the culture around it. Complicated rules, use of outdated technologies and unclear instructions do not just burden public sector employees with unproductive tasks but impede them from achieving savings.

My question goes back to the President of the Treasury Board. Could the honourable member please explain what has been done to build a stronger culture around responsible spending in our public sector?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: I’d be happy to, Mr. Speaker. As I was saying, that means our government spent $9 million less on accommodations, $7 million less on travel—you would agree that that’s a good thing—and $2.5 million less on meals than under the previous Liberal government.

Mr. Speaker, we owe it to Ontarians to continuously look for efficiencies and better ways to spend smarter, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.

These changes build on our government’s commitment to foster a culture of fiscal responsibility, by enhancing accountability and oversight, modernizing travel rules and practices, and increasing clarity and alignment. Examples of these updates include promotion of digital processes, such as allowing e-receipts—what a concept: e-receipts—less paper, more efficiency, to reduce costs and make it more efficient.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight that every dollar saved on hospitality bills is a dollar that can go to pay a hospital bill.

Workplace safety

Mr. Wayne Gates: My question is to the Premier. Yesterday’s Auditor General’s report shows that years of Liberal, and now Conservative, governments turning their backs on health and safety comes at a terrible price for workers. There were nearly 230 reported deaths from injury or work-related illness in 2018, and that’s an increase from the year before. In fact, the number of workplace deaths has been on the rise since 2014. There has been a 21% increase in industrial injuries, when we should be seeing less. This government, quite frankly, should be ashamed.

Does the Premier believe it is acceptable that the number of workplace fatalities in Ontario is rising, not declining?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Minister of Labour.

Hon. Monte McNaughton: I commend the member opposite for this very important question.

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking the Auditor General for all of her work in preparing the report.

As Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, my number one priority is the health and safety of every worker in this province. When people go to work during the day, they deserve to come home safe at night.

While the Auditor General said that Ontario’s record is the best in the country, I agree that there’s always more that we can do as a government and as a province. That’s why we raised, as a government, the number of workplace inspections. We are inspecting 79,000 workplaces every single year. That’s 1,500 inspections every week. That’s 300 workplace inspections every single day.

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

Mr. Wayne Gates: Maybe the minister will listen to this one line: Only 1% of Ontario workplaces are inspected each year.

At the same time, this Conservative government cut health and safety standards and resources for inspections. There were 62,000 lost-time injuries last year alone—and we know that a lot of these go unreported.

More shocking was that there was nearly a 30% increase in injuries to health care workers—our nurses, our doctors, our PSWs—who care for our loved ones each and every day.

Speaker, no family should have to go through the anguish that companies like Fiera Foods have caused the Miranda family and four other families. Injuries and deaths like that are preventable.

Again to the Premier: Our province is getting more dangerous and, quite frankly, less safe. Workers are getting injured or killed. Why won’t you admit that your cuts hurt workers, and actually put out a plan that protects them so that they can go home to their families?

Hon. Monte McNaughton: Mr. Speaker, again, the number one priority of our ministry is to ensure that when people go to work in the morning, they come home safe and healthy at night. One death, one injury, is one too many.

I do want to highlight a number of the things that the Auditor General brought forward in her report: “Compared to other Canadian jurisdictions, Ontario had ... the lowest worker lost-time injury rates” of any province in Canada since 2009.

Another quote: Ontario has “the lowest or second-lowest lost-time injury rates in the construction, health care, and industrial sectors.”

Another quote: Of the records sampled, “inspectors confirmed that employers had corrected ... hazards ... 92% of” the time.

We always know that there’s more to do, but I’ll tell you, Mr. Speaker, what’s shocking: it’s the member opposite, the caucus opposite, that voted last week against a bill called the Occupational Health and Safety Day Act—

Interjections.

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The House will come to order. The next question.

Consumer protection

Ms. Christine Hogarth: A little shout-out to Gloria and Oleg, who are stuffing envelopes today.

My question is for the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. As we all know, the Auditor General released her value-for-money audit on Tarion. Even before this report, it was clear that Tarion is not doing nearly enough to protect Ontarians as they buy a new home. Many families in this province have struggled to get the support they need from Tarion. New home buyers in Etobicoke–Lakeshore and across this province would like to see this issue addressed.

While our government has committed to introducing legislation before the end of the year to bring changes to the new home warranty program in Ontario, I’m sure the people of this province would be interested to know what actions have been taken to date. Minister, what is our government doing to ensure new home buyers are protected in our province?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke–Lakeshore for this very important question, because it’s important that Ontarians across this province know that our government has already taken decisive action so that Tarion is more transparent and protections for consumers are strengthened.

But I can tell you, Speaker, that this is just the beginning. We’ve supported the establishment of a separate regulator for new home builders and vendors, known as the Home Construction Regulatory Authority. In September, we increased transparency at Tarion by requiring, for the very first time, the public posting of board and executive compensation. In October, new measures were put in place to help educate and inform prospective buyers of preconstruction condominium projects.

These are just some of the changes our government has made to ensure that Tarion is more transparent and that protections for consumers are strengthened.

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

Ms. Christine Hogarth: I want to thank the minister for that answer. I know the people in my riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore will be very glad to hear that our government has already taken decisive action to right the wrongs of the previous Liberal government on this file.

Our government must ensure that Ontarians can trust in their home warranty system. Buying a home is one of the largest and most significant investments that people make, and as the member from Humber River–Black Creek previously stated, there was a complete lack of oversight over Tarion from the previous Liberal administration.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister: How is our government going to ensure that Tarion is positioned to do its job and protect new home buyers in Ontario?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: Thank you very much to the member for Etobicoke–Lakeshore for recognizing the decisive action we have already taken. We’ve done so because our government recognizes that Tarion Warranty Corp. hasn’t been doing nearly enough to protect new home buyers. They haven’t protected consumers and they left many homeowners with considerable physical, mental and financial hardships.

At the end of October, I accepted, wholeheartedly, recommendations from the Auditor General in her special audit of Tarion. We are working to address these recommendations, especially to introduce proper oversight. Just last week, I ordered that Tarion’s board be reduced in size and that the board not represent one party more than another. Since receiving my letter last week, Tarion’s CEO and board chair have stepped down to make way for a new leadership team that will be committed to implementing our new mandate focused on consumer protection.

Government advertising

Mr. Taras Natyshak: Speaker, through you to the Deputy Premier: Yesterday, the Auditor General revealed that the Premier’s anti-environment carbon tax ad campaign cost the people of Ontario $4 million. That’s $4 million in public dollars that could have gone to repairing schools, building hospitals, supporting front-line workers in those hospitals and even a novel idea like actually fighting climate change.

We suppose the Premier will just ask Ontarians to throw the sum on top of the $231-million tab of squandering public money on his regressive crusade against climate change.

How does the Premier justify wasting four million more dollars on these political ads?

Hon. Christine Elliott: President of the Treasury Board.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Thank you to the member opposite for that important question. Mr. Speaker, we have an obligation in this province, as any government does, to make the public aware of the issues of the day. Obviously, the environment is a very important issue. We put out ads throughout the year, as any government would, and we’ll continue to do that. I would point out, however, Mr. Speaker, that we spent the least amount of money since 2005 on public advertising, so we are being very wise about how we are spending taxpayer money, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.

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

Mr. Taras Natyshak: With all due respect to the President of the Treasury Board, only this Conservative government would pat themselves on the back for wasting half as much money as the Liberals did over the last 12 years.

Speaker, the Auditor General was quite clear in her report. This is an ad that would never have seen the light of day if the ban on partisan advertising were still in place. It looks like the Premier’s promise to respect the taxpayer is as empty as his plan for climate change.

If the Ford government isn’t going to really deliver a serious plan for climate change, can they, at the very least, not force the people of Ontario to pay for their blatantly partisan advertising?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Mr. Speaker, through you, thank you again for that question. It’s important that members in this House have their earpieces on, because I think this morning I just talked about how we saved $25 million for meals, travel and accommodation. We cut telephone land lines and we saved $2.7 million. We ended March madness, the practice of use-it-or-lose-it at the fiscal year-end: $153 million. These are important numbers, and we will continue to do that.

Let me point out also that centralized procurement may not be the flashiest thing, but systems procurements and supply chain management will save the taxpayer a minimum of $1 billion within five years. Does the opposition not think these are meaningful savings on behalf of the people of Ontario?

Christmas Cheer Breakfast

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: My question is for the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

’Twas some weeks before Christmas in the city of Ottawa,

We were hit with bad news, shocking and raw;

That the Christmas Cheer Breakfast, a yearly event,

After 68 years would be cancelled—oh lament!

Then all of a sudden, there arose such a clatter,

Some possible good news was the media chatter;

The Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture,

Was stepping in to help—she’s a real mover and shaker!

She spoke a few words, and went straight to work,

And secured the Shaw Centre, a responsibility she would not shirk!

So through you, Mr. Speaker, to the fantastic minister:

Can she please explain how she saved Christmas Cheer?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: CTV News was disturbing, there’s no Christmas Cheer,

That can’t happen on my watch, not after 68 years;

No venue to hold it, that left me quite raw,

We built it, we own it, we gave them the Shaw.

With a venue secured, a really good start,

Together we’ll show them, our city has heart;

Another main sponsor, now that would be great,

And then Lockheed Martin stepped up to the plate.

Christmas Cheer is so special, we can’t let it end,

Get your tickets, support it, was the message to send;

The good folks, they got it, they answered the call,

The tables sold out, now we’re filling the hall.

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

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: So many Ottawa charities rely on Christmas Cheer,

Like the Ottawa Food Bank, that feeds families every year;

And others who focus on giving just a little more,

To the people of Ottawa, who have just a little less.

Such wonderful news for all of Ottawa’s citizens,

Who are looking forward to attending, to help raise thousands;

We are happy we didn’t lose the chance to attend,

While enjoying a great breakfast with colleagues and friends.

So, Mr. Speaker, can the minister please let us know,

How teamwork saved Christmas, and she helped save the show?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: Great things, they can happen when the people believe

And we all know it’s better to give than receive.

The food bank needs our help—now, that’s nothing new,

And helping those with little is the just thing to do.

It’s really fantastic when caring people step up.

Everyone is a winner of the Charity Cup.

So stop by tomorrow with friends for a bite.

Merry Christmas to all, and good cheer and good night!

Legal aid

Mr. Gurratan Singh: My question is to the Attorney General. Yesterday, the Auditor General showed Ontarians what we already knew: Our court system is in crisis. We have a growing backlog in our criminal courts, which increased by over 27% under the previous Liberal government and which will only get worse with the Ford government’s cuts to legal aid.

The auditor showed that this backlog is hurting the most vulnerable Ontarians. I was shocked to learn that a quarter of child protection cases are delayed for between 18 months and three years. Three years, Mr. Speaker, is far too long and has, according to the auditor, the “potential to cause psychological and developmental issues....”

Will the Attorney General admit today that our courts are in crisis? And will he commit to fixing these delays?

Hon. Doug Downey: I want to thank the Auditor General for her report and for her recommendations. The recommendations in the audit will help inform our next steps. It’s very useful to have a peek behind the system that the Liberals let deteriorate and neglected, with the support of the NDP, who raised no concerns during their time there while the minister of the now party of five was unable to do anything productive—for 15 years of neglect, Mr. Speaker.

That’s why our government was elected: to make the system easier, to make it more accessible, to make it more fair. We’re going to move forward to protect the people of Ontario. That’s why they elected us. We’re going to do transparency. We’re going to do efficiency. We’re going to make it modern. We’re going to serve the people the way they expect to be served by their courts.

We’re just getting started. As I am working on some legislative proposals, I look forward to support from the NDP, the Liberals and the Green Party for these very progressive changes.

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

Mr. Gurratan Singh: Canadians have a constitutionally protected right to access to justice. Ontarians involved in the court system—civil, family or criminal—deserve to have their day in court. But instead of increasing access to justice, this government has moved ahead with callous and cruel cuts to legal aid, a system that was already chronically underfunded by the Liberals.

Now Ontario’s most vulnerable people are far less likely to have legal counsel, so they’re left to navigate the complex legal system alone. The result is longer case times, greater delays, higher court costs and less equitable outcomes.

Will the Attorney General admit that the government’s callous cuts to legal aid will not only harm Ontarians seeking access to justice, but will cause further chaos and delays in our courts?

Hon. Doug Downey: When I talk to people who are using the system, trying to access the system, people working within the system, what I heard was that the system is outdated, it’s complex, it’s hard to navigate, it’s expensive. There are all sorts of challenges with our system.

When we turn to protecting the vulnerable, whether they be victims or people accessing the system at the most vulnerable times of their life, whether they’re going through a family situation or a criminal law situation, we need to make sure that the supports are there for them, that the supports are sustainable, that they’re accessible and that they’re easier to navigate.

This is why we’re going to be bringing forward some proposals in the coming weeks and months, so that we can further protect the people, that we can serve the people who brought us here, and to make sure that we’re doing the things they expect us to do.

When I talk to clinic directors, and when I talk to people accessing the system, they’re excited about the kinds of change that we’re doing. It’s going to modernize our system throughout.

Public transit

Mr. Stan Cho: My question this morning is for my favourite Associate Minister of Transportation. Earlier this week, the Premier met with our provincial counterparts at the Council of the Federation to discuss many topics, from energy to infrastructure. The Council of the Federation promotes, above all, unity amongst our provinces. Just two weeks ago, the Premier met with the Prime Minister to talk about topics ranging from infrastructure to health care to economic development and, of course, transit.

Through you, Speaker, could the associate minister please tell us how we are working with the federal government to advance transportation and transit in the GTA?

Hon. Kinga Surma: Thank you to the member for the question. As I begin, I think it’s extremely important to note the great work that Minister Mulroney has done throughout the negotiations with the city and also with conversations with the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier has been very clear on more than one occasion that we need to work together with other provinces and all levels of government to represent the taxpayer. Earlier this year, we announced a very bold, historic transit plan to the tune of $28.5 billion that will create a single, unified transit plan in the GTA to get people moving. This is an opportunity to build a lasting legacy for the province of Ontario and for Canada. I know that Minister Mulroney and Minister Scott have recently met with the federal government to move those discussions forward. I am extremely proud to be a part of that team.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to urge all members of this House to encourage the federal government to finally make their financial commitments so that we can get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible.

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

Mr. Stan Cho: In addition to the Premier’s meeting with our provincial counterparts, the Premier and the Minister of Infrastructure are currently in Washington to talk trade and to promote Ontario’s landmark infrastructure and private-public partnership opportunities. In Ontario, we have a proven track record of using the P3 model to deliver large and complex projects for the people of Ontario.

Through you, Speaker, could the minister please explain how the P3 model is relevant to the historic transit plan that she mentioned earlier?

Hon. Kinga Surma: Thank you very much to the member for the question. I’m very happy to see our Premier and our Minister of Infrastructure go to Washington to showcase the great opportunities for infrastructure projects right here in Ontario. As the member mentioned, the P3 model promotes private sector design and innovation.

I know the private sector is very interested in projects such as the Ontario Line and other parts of our subway plan, which is why it’s so extremely important that we have a strong presence in global markets to let them know that Ontario is open for business and that we want to build Ontario. This is exactly what the people of this great province expect of us, Mr. Speaker.

As we head into the new year, Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with our partners as we prepare for these very important projects.

Social assistance

Miss Monique Taylor: Today in the gallery, we have a group of anti-poverty advocates here from Hamilton. They’re here to talk about the affordability crisis for people receiving ODSP and Ontario Works. We all know that the cost of living keeps rising. The recent Feed Ontario Hunger Report tells us that people on ODSP fall $500 short of affording basic needs each month, and people receiving OW fall $900 short a month. These are basics: food, shelter, hydro, clothing and personal hygiene. That is shameful.

This government is intentionally keeping people below the poverty line. Why does the government insist on leaving social assistance recipients to fall further and further behind?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Who are you referring your question to?

Miss Monique Taylor: To the Premier.

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: Oh, come on, Speaker. That’s not fair.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

The Deputy Premier.

Hon. Christine Elliott: Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Hon. Todd Smith: Thanks to the member opposite for the question this morning. We know that the system for social assistance is broken, and yesterday’s Auditor General’s report actually reconfirmed the fact that we do need to deliver social assistance in a better way.

Our government already increased rates by 1.5% to those on social assistance earlier this year. We know there’s a lot more to do. We have taken the steps to reduce red tape for those who work in the OW and ODSP sector to ensure that they’re able to spend more time with their clients and link them with employment where possible. Certainly, we understand that there’s more to do on this file.

The one thing that makes me scratch my head is that every time that we have presented policies in this Legislature that were going to drive down the cost of living in Ontario, the NDP have continuously voted against those types of policies. I can talk about some of those policies in the supplementary.

We realize there’s more to do in this sector, and that’s why we are reviewing the way we deliver Ontario Works and ODSP in Ontario.

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

Miss Monique Taylor: What blows my mind, Speaker, is that this government can cut a 3% meagre increase to people living on social assistance. It’s disgusting.

Our guests today know the impossible struggle of trying to get by on social assistance. It’s especially hard as housing becomes more and more unaffordable under the Conservatives. Just this week, we learned that 45% of Hamilton tenants are paying unaffordable rent. Hamilton’s shelters are bursting at the seams. There are 15,000 people waiting for subsidized housing just in Hamilton. How can we expect people on social assistance in Hamilton or elsewhere to be able to keep up? Why is this government pushing people with disabilities and those in poverty into homelessness?

Hon. Todd Smith: The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Hon. Steve Clark: I want the people in the gallery to know that strengthening our community housing system is a top priority of our government. That’s why, in April, I announced our Community Housing Renewal Strategy. We want to leverage every municipal, provincial and federal dollar in the system, and we want to work with non-profits. We want to make it easier to build more community housing.

I was on the phone yesterday with my federal counterpart, Minister Hussen. I think we share a common fight to ensure that we build more community housing, that we renew the existing stock we have.

We’ve made some early steps, Speaker. We’ve indicated to our service manager that we’re no longer going to penalize people in community housing who are receiving child support. We’re going to allow them to go to university, to go to college, to take that extra shift and not penalize them. These are the early steps we’re having to—

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

The member for Parkdale–High Park.

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: My question is to the Acting Premier. Yesterday, when I asked about funding consumption and treatment sites—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Pardon me. I apologize.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I apologize. The Speaker made a mistake—news flash.

The member for Kitchener–Conestoga has the floor.

Food safety

Mr. Mike Harris: My question is for the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Ontario’s farmers produce some of the best and safest food in the world. All of us benefit from their work. And yet, farmers are facing challenges with something as simple as feeling safe in their homes and their workplace.

In my riding, there was a story about Lloyd Weber, a dairy farmer. Let me tell you what Lloyd said: “I don’t know what to do ... I don’t know how they explain it. When they showed up I said, ‘I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t go into the barn,’ and they just walked right past me and they just kept going.” This is unacceptable, Mr. Speaker. Every day, the people of Ontario benefit from the great work done by farmers just like Lloyd.

Mr. Speaker, it’s time we supported our farmers. This week, the minister introduced legislation in this House. Will he please tell us how this legislation will deal with this issue?

Hon. Ernie Hardeman: Mr. Speaker, I thank the member from Kitchener–Conestoga for the question. No one in Ontario should feel unsafe in their homes or in their workplace, and farmers are no different. We’ve heard from farmers, municipalities and commodity groups loud and clear, and I’m proud to say that we’re taking action. We have proposed legislation which, if passed, would keep Ontario farmers and farm families, agri-food workers and farm animals safe by reducing the likelihood of trespassing on farms.

If passed, this legislation will deter trespassers, incurring fines of up to $15,000 for a first offence and $25,000 for a subsequent offence. If we expect farmers to provide some of the best food and safest food in the world, we must support them in the great work they do, and our government is doing just that.

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

Mr. Mike Harris: Thank you to the minister for his response. This has been an issue for some time. Farmers have been vocal about their concerns for their own safety, the safety of their families and, of course, their livestock.

Mr. Speaker, farmers make every effort to ensure that their livestock is well taken care of. Animal welfare is a serious issue, but maintaining sensitive biosecurity protocols is also important, both for the safety of the animals and for Ontario’s high food safety standards. And yet, trespassers coming onto farms unauthorized run the risk of harming the very animals they claim to protect and advocate for.

Will the minister tell us more about how this proposed legislation deals with this issue?

Hon. Ernie Hardeman: I thank the member for the excellent supplementary. Unauthorized trespassers threaten the delicate balance in the environments that they enter. Protesting is one thing, and we remain committed to the people’s right to do that, but interacting with animals brings many more problems.

Farmers know their animals. Farmers know what it means to keep them safe and healthy. The proposed legislation supports farmers and their efforts by creating animal protection zones on farms, processing facilities and other prescribed premises.

Our government has zero tolerance for animal abuse and I encourage anyone who suspects it to call law enforcement immediately. Our legislation is designed to provide law enforcement with the tools to deal with the issue. By supporting the good work farmers do, we are protecting animal welfare, animal safety and the integrity of our food supply.

Notice of dissatisfaction

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Pursuant to standing order 38(a), the member for Niagara Falls has given notice of his dissatisfaction with the answer to his question given by the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development concerning the Auditor General’s health and safety report. This matter will be debated Tuesday at 6 p.m.

This House stands in recess until 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1156 to 1300.

Members’ Statements

Trucking industry

Mr. Guy Bourgouin: I rise in the House today to speak about the crisis that is currently affecting log truckers in northern Ontario. Log truckers are vital for the sustainability and development of the forest sector. They are the ones who transfer the primary resource from the boreal forests through forest access roads. A large portion of the log trucking companies in my riding are family-owned, which means that they are small, independent contractors.

Log trucking is, to put it bluntly, a family business that is passed on from generation to generation, but the current insurance regulatory framework is killing the industry. Ontario’s legislation imposes a three-year benchmark for log truckers, which means that young drivers, or anyone wishing to enter the business, must pay premiums that go as high as five times more than those paid by experienced truckers.

Speaker, these family businesses are simply shutting down because they cannot afford paying thousands and thousands of dollars for insurance premiums every year. The youth in the area are simply quitting their family business because they see how much effort and how little return their parents obtain.

I’m thus calling on the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to listen to the log trucking community. This issue is hurting hundreds of hard-working families in northern Ontario.

Anti-bullying initiatives

Mr. Kaleed Rasheed: Today I rise in the House to talk about an issue that is near and dear to me, which is bullying—more specifically, cyberbullying. Our province has seen an increase in the number of cases of cyberbullying, and sometimes the effects of cyberbullying can cost a life. As a father and parliamentarian, I want my children and everyone in this great province to be protected and empowered against all forms of bullying, especially cyberbullying.

I’m proud of the leadership of the great Minister of Education, who is taking proactive steps to ensure that we end bullying of all forms, including cyberbullying inside and outside of the classroom. Just last week, our government took action to root out bullying in our schools with one aim: keeping Ontario students safe.

On November 27, the Minister of Education assigned a former teacher, the member from Scarborough Centre, to advise the minister on matters with a focus on bullying prevention. This is the right step to stop bullying and cyberbullying. Our government is working to change the culture to one where everyone sees the inherent dignity and the value of a person, irrespective of their faith, heritage, orientation, race or income.

Mr. Speaker, together, we can stop bullying and cyberbullying in Ontario with more education, not just for our youth, but for all on its dangers.

Lastly, I want to thank the minister and our government for working hard to protect Ontarians and future generations.

Constituency staff

Mr. Jeff Burch: I want to take a moment to acknowledge the people who make all of this possible. I learned a long time ago that you’re only as good as your staff. My constituency assistants are in the House today: Mike Haines, Marie Chamberland and Matthew Mengia. Mike Haines became a constituency assistant in our riding back in 2006 with Peter Kormos. Marie started nearly 15 years ago with Kormos in the same office. We were fortunate to have Matthew join our team this year. They joined my excellent EA, Caitlin Hipkiss, and I to form a great team.

In Welland, we have people lined up in the morning, and a lot of the time that line doesn’t end all day. They consistently help the most vulnerable in our community navigate some very complex issues. Just this year, we advocated for Joe Seranni, whose four-year-old son has been waiting 10 months for government funding for ABA therapy. They’ve helped Peter Grampola, who was waiting months for home care services. After a man in our community was assaulted in a long-term-care home, they worked hard to get him relocated to a new home and reunited with his wife.

We’ve helped a person who needed a golf-ball-sized brain tumour removed; he was suffering seizures. Last month, he successfully had his surgery.

Today, I want to thank and acknowledge them for all the hard work they do to ensure that the people of Welland, Thorold, Port Colborne and south St. Catharines receive all they deserve from our government. I’m truly honoured to work with such a great staff.

Layoffs at Bombardier

Mr. Norman Miller: I’m pleased to rise in the House today to share what our government is doing to help families and communities impacted by layoffs at Bombardier in Thunder Bay.

The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development has been working with both Bombardier and union representatives to ensure that every worker gets the services they need to help them quickly rejoin the workforce. Our government has contributed more than $600,000 to support the Bombardier Transportation Action Centre. This centre will connect laid-off workers with local job and training opportunities. It will also provide practical assistance with things like resumé writing and counselling.

The goal of this one-stop shop is to provide laid-off workers with programs and services that are adapted to meet the unique circumstances of their situation. Supporting these workers involves collaboration. That is why our government is working with our federal counterparts, the local economic development corporation and other provincial ministries to connect affected workers to local and regional job opportunities.

I am hopeful that our government’s historic investments in transit will result in new contracts for Bombardier and the recall of these workers, but in the meantime I know that we are doing everything we can to help them access retraining for other jobs. Our government stands shoulder to shoulder with these workers during this difficult time. These workers and the community of Thunder Bay are resilient. We are proud to support them as we continue to build Ontario together.

Climate change

Ms. Catherine Fife: Yesterday’s Auditor General’s report confirmed that the Ford government is doing nothing meaningful to address the climate crisis. In the best-case scenario, the government’s plan will get them only 74% of the way to their target; in the worst case, they’ll only make it 36% of the way there. To add insult to injury, the Conservative government’s target is 30 megatonnes lower than the previous targets set by the last government. They’ve lowered the bar for themselves, and still they can’t reach it.

The Auditor General published a laundry list of issues where the Conservatives just don’t measure up. The number of species at risk is increasing. We haven’t met our national or international commitments to protect land. We’ve lost three quarters of our wetlands in southern Ontario.

What is this government doing about this? They’re cancelling green energy contracts, at significant costs to taxpayers. They’re ripping out electric vehicle charging stations. They’re slashing home retrofit programs. They’re fighting a price on carbon in court, a case that they will lose.

Ontario is warming twice as fast as the global average. Inaction jeopardizes our human health, our economy and our collective future. The Ford government needs to start listening to the science and put forward a real plan to tackle the climate crisis. The people of this province deserve so much better.

Christmas concert

Mr. Will Bouma: Once again, it’s an honour to rise in the House, and today I’m going to bring attention to a great event happening in Brantford. On Friday, December 20, Joan Minnery Enterprises, in conjunction with the Sanderson Centre, will be holding the Gold Box Christmas Concert for Our Homeless. This concert will feature incredible performances by great local talent, and all of these performers will be bringing their abilities to bring Christmas cheer to the community and help raise funds to help those who need it most. Admission to this event is by donation, and every little bit counts.

These at-the-door-donations will go toward Rosewood House, a local charitable organization which provides shelter for the homeless.

Homelessness and the lack of affordable housing is one of the most pressing issues that we are faced with in Ontario.

The money raised by this event will go towards helping those struggling with homelessness, housing and other challenges.

The Gold Box Christmas Concert for Our Homeless is Friday, December 20, at 7 p.m., at the wonderful Sanderson Centre, right in downtown Brantford. This is a great event, with the proceed going towards a fantastic local organization and for an admirable cause. I would encourage everyone, if they are able, to attend if they can.

Education funding

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I stand in this Legislature as a proud educator. I taught abroad and then for many years in Durham district. I started my career at R.A. Sennett Public School in Whitby, where I taught the kids from White Oaks and the neighbourhood. Many of our kids there were new Canadians, and while they learned math and French and social studies, they were also learning to make their way in the community.

Then I taught at Rosebank Road in Pickering. We had a great mix of kids and families, and that little school, much like Sennett, was a tight community. We made sure that the kids who didn’t have as many opportunities at home got them at school.

Finally, I taught at Glen Street Public School in south Oshawa. I taught grades 7 and 8 on purpose, because I love the spirit of that age. They believe in fairness and will fight for what they believe in—and, Speaker, so will I.

Every student deserves a path forward. Some have tough hurdles, and they need more from their classroom education. They need support, they need time with their teachers, they need small-group time, and they need resources. Through the years, my kids needed shoes and lunch and money for class trips. They needed backpacks and notebooks, and access to computers that worked.

I will always fight for strong public education.

This Premier wants to throw more kids in already full classrooms. Fewer teachers across schools means larger classes and fewer available courses, whether courses for post-secondary or hands-on trade courses. Cutting thousands and thousands and thousands of teachers is wrong and short-sighted.

Enough with the nonsense about investing more than ever in education, because that’s spin. You’re throwing teacher attrition money and child care tax credits into the education funding bucket to make it look like it’s full, and it isn’t. You’re planning to starve our public education system and cheat our kids out of the bright, hopeful future that they deserve.

Shame on you.

Highway tolls

Mr. Lorne Coe: I’d like to address the steps the Ministry of Transportation is taking to help the residents of Whitby and Durham deal with the tolls on Highways 412 and 418—tolls imposed by the previous Liberal government.

My fellow Durham MPPs and I have been long-time advocates for the removal of the tolls, or a reduction in toll rates, on these highway links. However, the Liberal tolls are difficult to reverse. Minor toll increases were cemented into the Liberal plan to build these highways and are part of their plan to toll these highways for the next 25 years.

Speaker, the Minister of Transportation has directed ministry staff to conduct a study to examine the economic impact of tolls on Highway 412 and the future Highway 418, including their reduction or removal. I’d like to thank the Minister of Transportation for listening to our constituents and undertaking this study. When completed, it will help shape our government’s next steps moving forward.

Ultimately, restoring fiscal responsibility to government finances is what we promised the people of Ontario, and we’re doing so while improving transportation options across the province, including the region of Durham.

Introduction of Bills

Defibrillator Training and Access Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur l’accès et la formation aux défibrillateurs

Mr. Fraser moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 158,

An Act to provide for public access to and training with respect to defibrillators / Projet de loi 158, Loi prévoyant l’accès du public et la formation aux défibrillateurs.

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

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the member for Ottawa South care to explain his bill?

Mr. John Fraser: We know that 7,000 people have a heart attack in Ontario every year and that 85% of those occur outside of their home. Access to defibrillators increases their chance of survival by 50%.

This bill provides for a registry, maintenance and training for public-access defibrillators.

Hot Docs Act (Tax Relief), 2019

Mr. Stan Cho moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr20,

An Act respecting Hot Docs.

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

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Pursuant to standing order 86, this bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

Rebuilding Consumer Confidence Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 visant à rétablir la confiance chez les consommateurs

Ms. Thompson moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 159,

An Act to amend various statutes in respect of consumer protection / Projet de loi 159, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne la protection du consommateur.

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

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the minister care to inform the House about her bill?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: First of all, I want to recognize that consumer protection is so important in this province and so many people have worked on this particular piece of legislation. I’d like to recognize Michèle Sanborn and her team from GCS, government and consumer services, and I’d like to thank my own team as well for everything they’ve done.

If passed, this act would amend several key acts, including the Consumer Protection Act, to strengthen protection and promote trust and confidence for the people of Ontario.

In particular, this act would help strengthen protection for new homebuyers and owners, and it would also enhance and harmonize key oversight, governance and transparency requirements for most administrative authorities that are responsible for delivering vital programs and services for the people of Ontario.

Motions

Private members’ public b