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May 30, 2017

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2017-May-30 (PDF)

L087 - Tue 30 May 2017 / Mar 30 mai 2017

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Tuesday 30 May 2017 Mardi 30 mai 2017

Grey Cup in chamber

House sittings

Orders of the Day

Safer School Zones Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la sécurité accrue des zones d’école

Grey Cup in chamber

Introduction of Visitors

Oral Questions

Government spending

Energy policies

Energy policies

Energy policies

Sexual violence and harassment

Employment standards

Women’s health services

Autism treatment

Affordable housing

Agri-food industry

Northern Ontario

Hospital funding

Energy policies

Visitors

Correction of record

Deferred Votes

Time allocation

Protecting Patients Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la protection des patients

Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la modernisation de la législation municipale ontarienne

Safer School Zones Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la sécurité accrue des zones d’école

Member’s anniversary

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Canada sesquicentennial

Rolly Marentette

Sports volunteers in Beaches–East York

Hike for Hospice

Lyme disease

High-speed rail

Healthy eating

Paramedics competition

School safety

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Government Agencies

Standing Committee on Justice Policy / Comité permanent de la justice

Standing Committee on General Government

Introduction of Bills

Transparency in Government Bills Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la transparence des projets de loi émanant du gouvernement

Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 visant à bâtir de meilleures collectivités et à protéger les bassins hydrographiques

Motions

House sittings

Member’s anniversary

Petitions

School closures

Pesticides

Water fluoridation

Aggregate extraction

Environmental protection

Nanjing Massacre

Hospital funding

Services for the developmentally disabled

Abuse awareness and prevention

Air quality

Long-term care

Anti-smoking initiatives for youth

Annual report, Environmental Commissioner

Orders of the Day

Budget Measures Act (Housing Price Stability and Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Tax Credit), 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur les mesures budgétaires (stabilité des prix du logement et crédit d’impôt de l’Ontario aux personnes âgées pour le transport en commun)

Royal assent / Sanction royale

Budget Measures Act (Housing Price Stability and Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Tax Credit), 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur les mesures budgétaires (stabilité des prix du logement et crédit d’impôt de l’Ontario aux personnes âgées pour le transport en commun)

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Grey Cup in chamber

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Point of order, Speaker.

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

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I believe we have unanimous consent to put forward a motion without notice regarding the Grey Cup.

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

Government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I move that, notwithstanding any standing order or practice of the House, at 10:30 a.m. an RCMP officer shall be authorized to enter the chamber with the Grey Cup and place it on a table near the Hansard desk; and

That the Grey Cup shall remain in the chamber for the duration of this morning’s sitting.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Mr. Naqvi moves that, notwithstanding any standing order or practice of the House, at 10:30 a.m. an RCMP officer shall be authorized to enter the chamber with the Grey Cup and place it on a table near the Hansard desk; and

That the Grey Cup shall remain in the chamber for the duration of this morning’s sitting.

Do we agree? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

House sittings

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Point of order, Speaker.

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

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I believe we have unanimous consent to put forward a notice without motion regarding the House schedule.

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

Government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I move that, notwithstanding standing order 6(a), when the House adjourns on Thursday, September 14, 2017, it shall stand adjourned until Wednesday, September 20, 2017.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Mr. Naqvi moves that, notwithstanding standing order 6(a), when the House adjourns on Thursday, September 14, 2017, it shall stand adjourned until Wednesday, September 20, 2017.

Do we agree? Agreed. Carried.

Motion agreed to.

Orders of the Day

Safer School Zones Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la sécurité accrue des zones d’école

Resuming the debate adjourned on May 29, 2017, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 65,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act in respect of speed limits in municipalities and other matters / Projet de loi 65, Loi modifiant le Code de la route relativement aux limites de vitesse dans les municipalités et à d’autres questions.

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

Mr. Steve Clark: I am pleased to join in the debate on Bill 65,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act in respect of speed limits in municipalities and other matters. This is a bill, Speaker, that has been in this House since it was given first reading back—surprisingly—on November 15, 2016. So this is a bill that’s been on the order paper since last November. The government, even though we sat for another month, basically, after this bill was tabled for first reading, and even though the House came back in February 2017—this bill didn’t see light of day until April 11, 2017.

It had a bit of a debate here, it went to committee and now it’s back for third reading. But some interesting things happened along the way.

I want to say right at the top that our party and our leader, Patrick Brown, and the Ontario PC caucus support 100% that we want to keep our children safe, especially when they go to school.

You know what happened, Speaker, when this bill moved through the legislative process? At one point, this government—again, a government that governs by closure motions and time allocation—actually sent a bunch of press releases out to members’ ridings after they voted against this bill at second reading because it needed considerable amendment. It was a pretty cheap stunt, I have to say, by this government—a really cheap stunt. I know it was sent out to a number of members; some of them were reported.

In my riding of Leeds–Grenville, the great riding of Leeds–Grenville, I don’t think any of the media picked it up. Even if they did, I think the public sees these partisan attacks as the nonsense that they are. I think rather than putting their time into these ridiculous press releases, the government should be listening to Ontarians and listening to some of their comments. My wife, Deanna, and I raised five kids together. I don’t think the suggestion that I somehow want children’s safety to take a back seat is going to get too far in my riding with anyone who knows me.

If the Minister of Transportation wants to talk to the press about road safety, I have a few issues for Minister Del Duca to talk about. I would ask him to speak to some of my mayors, like Mayor Brett Todd from the town of Prescott, who is extremely frustrated with the Ministry of Transportation, trying to get them to the table to speak about safety issues regarding our 400-series highways. We had a significant accident in my riding during the March break. There was some acid that spilled. Some of the first responders had to deal with that. Our communities came together.

These mayors in Leeds–Grenville and the members of county council have asked for a meeting, and MTO has been spinning their wheels.

If the minister wants to talk about road safety in Leeds–Grenville, I would invite him to talk to residents in Front of Yonge township and the township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands. They’d certainly like to talk about the traffic chaos being created by a bridge construction project at Highway 401 and Highway 137. There are some significant delays. This government can’t even organize a road project that wouldn’t extend past the July 1 weekend. We’ve got a situation in our riding: We’ve got Canada’s sesquicentennial, we’ve got a major access to the US and we’ve got chaos every time we have a long weekend.

If the government wants to expend some time to talk about road safety, there are two issues, Speaker, that they can follow up on in my riding.

The suggestion from this government that if you’re not 100% in lockstep with them then you’re on the wrong side of this issue just, again, speaks to the arrogance of the Wynne government. We saw that over and over and over again with Bill 65.

The bottom line is that we felt the approach the government was taking on photo radar was too open-ended. The issue wasn’t arguing against using it as a tool. Our critic, the member for Kitchener–Conestoga, has been crystal clear that we would have been 100% supportive if they had kept it to school zones. But they wouldn’t. So, obviously, as Her Majesty’s loyal opposition, we’re going to push for some amendments. We’re going to push for some limitations on how and where photo radar should be implemented.

Putting some parameters in place to ensure any legislation we pass is going to be effective doesn’t mean—it doesn’t mean—that we’re against protecting children. It means we’re interested, as we always are on the side of this House, in getting legislation correct.

We’ve seen this before with this government. They continually rush through legislation. I mentioned at the start of my speech this morning that this government has been dealing with legislation by closure motions, they’ve been dealing with legislation by time allocation. They’ve been trying to choke off our democratic right and our constituents’ democratic right to speak to these bills, and they’ve pushed ahead with this bill without proper consultation or listening to the concerns and the suggestions brought forward by the opposition. Even a bill, Speaker, with the best intentions can have some unintended consequences if you’re not open to listening to and considering other points of view.

In the past, we’ve seen these unintended consequences forcing the government to table new legislation just to fix problems created by one of their own bills. We have seen this over and over again: There are bills before the House that this government tables, rushes through, and then they end up putting hundreds of amendments to their own bill in committee. We’ve seen that with other pieces of legislation.

What we wanted to do was to improve this bill by protecting students who travel on a school bus. We wanted the government to support our amendment and adopt the excellent bill, Speaker—you know it better than anyone—brought forward by yourself in your capacity as the MPP for Chatham–Kent–Essex. We’ve had a lot of interest right across this province for the measure to use cameras as a deterrent to stop school bus blow-bys. I want to commend you, sir, for all your advocacy. This has been a tremendous bill, one that I think is getting momentum across the province.

Speaker, I’ll tell you a little story. When I was young, my father was a railroader. He worked for Canadian National. He got a one-year transfer up to the Peterborough area. I’ve told the member for Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock this story very well. I lived on the highway to Lindsay as a six-year-old kid, right beside the Central Smith ice cream factory. As a young six-year-old, that was—

Mr. John Yakabuski: So that’s what happened.

Mr. Steve Clark: I’m not going to engage the member for Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke about my size and living by an ice cream factory as a young boy.

It was the first time that I had ever taken a school bus to school—because we lived out in the country and we went to a little school, Bridgenorth public school. Actually, the first school that I had attended briefly when we lived there was in a one-room schoolhouse, and then there was a new school that was under construction.

I remember being on the school bus. My mother was home, and she would wait at the window for me to get off the bus. My brother was getting ready to start school the following year. I remember walking across when the lights were flashing on that school bus. It was in the winter, so I appreciate that it could have been slippery. I stepped out to cross the highway, and a car blew by the bus. It was so close to me that when I moved back, I could feel the side mirror brush against my winter coat. To say the least, I was shocked. My mother—I can remember it like it was yesterday—came running out of the house, so distraught that she just about saw me get hit by a car.

So this issue in your bill is very important to me. I lived through a blow-by, and I’m obviously glad that I wasn’t hit. But I don’t want another child to be hit. I don’t want a situation where blow-bys occur and we could be putting safety measures in place. So I was so disappointed that, like so many ideas that the opposition brings forward to help Bill 65, this government turned its back on your bill, sir, such an excellent bill that could have been included and could have helped save lives. I hope that the government considers the error of its ways.

I always talk about the fact that we could open this bill up with the Committee of the Whole House and we could make that change right here on the floor. I don’t think there’s any political will by the government to do so. I think the Clerks always get jittery when I start talking about moving to Committee of the Whole House. But I wanted to say to you, sir, that that’s a tool that we could use.

Again, I want to commend you for bringing that initiative to the floor. I hope that one day your bill will be passed and we can have cameras that would potentially save young children’s lives.

I did go back and have a look at our critic’s hour lead at third reading. Speaker, it was not just your bill and your amendment—but it was amazing to me, the amendments that this government shot down.

I just want to take a few minutes to let you know some of the things that this government said no to.

We said that if the idea is to enhance safety in a school zone, then you really should make fines equal in those zones to community safety zones. That makes a lot of sense. This government said no.

We asked that radar speed signs—which are an excellent initiative being used in a number of communities, including in Leeds–Grenville—be rolled out across the province by giving municipalities more resources. It’s a great suggestion. The government said no.

We tried to get more clarity around the definition of a community safety zone. I’m sure you can guess, Speaker, what happened. This government again said no.

These were all worthwhile amendments. I can’t understand—other than the fact that this government can’t fathom that anybody else but them could have a good idea. It just shows—I’ve said it many times. The Premier said, in her throne speech, when we first started that she was going to put partnership over partisanship. We didn’t see that in Bill 65 at all. We saw many, many good ideas rejected. Again, when it comes to road safety and Bill 65, when it comes to suggestions from the opposition, the government doesn’t want to hear it—it’s this “my way or the highway” attitude.

I also want to take a few moments to highlight that even without Bill 65, we’re seeing municipalities and police services across the province take some extremely proactive steps to protect students on their way to and from school.

In my own riding of Leeds–Grenville, in the city I live in, Brockville, we have a number of school crossing guards that the city and our Brockville Police Service still support. They’re very visible in our communities.

I want to tell the members about something that happened in 2013. There was a terrible accident in 2013 on Laurier Boulevard in Brockville, very close to where I grew up, in the north end of the city. A very popular crossing guard, Andy McNish, was struck by a vehicle at a crosswalk. Andy was wearing his bright orange vest, and he even had his stop sign held up, but he was hit and was seriously injured.

It’s interesting, in light of the debate on Bill 65, that the area where this terrible accident happened wasn’t designated as a community safety zone. After the accident, there were some calls for that to happen. Right after Andy was hit, there were a number of folks who felt that was the course of action. But the city of Brockville, working with our outstanding Brockville Police Service, decided that it wasn’t necessary. Instead, they took an approach that involved placing bright neon signs in the middle of the road. They organized a public awareness campaign. They stepped up enforcement by police officers.

That was the decision in Brockville. They’ve also used radar speed signs in the area. It’s a real wake-up call to drivers when they see their speed flashing. You see them now, in Leeds–Grenville anyway, used in a number of areas. I was just in the town of Prescott on the weekend and saw one that was very effective in front of South Grenville District High School and intermediate school. So I see that all the time.

By all reports that I’ve received from the Brockville Police Service and the city of Brockville and other municipalities within Leeds–Grenville, this comprehensive approach has worked. At the end of the day, it’s certainly my goal—and I think I can say that most members will agree—that students are safer as they head to and from school.

I wanted to put that coordinated approach on the agenda today and make sure people know that there are some examples where that exists. I’m not sure that we would have seen the same results in this situation if the approach was taken to just put up a photo radar unit on the side of the street.

Photo radar is a very—people have very strong opinions about it.

The final story I want to tell is about my late father-in-law, Dave Roberts. He was an OPP officer. He had many positions; I think my wife, Deanna, said the first posting he had was in Parkhill. He spent time in Brockville and retired living in Newmarket. After he retired he actually applied to be a photo radar tech. He was a photo radar tech and he was in one of those white vans that were very recognizable.

He would tell me some very interesting stories about people who would honk the horn and people who would make—

Ms. Soo Wong: And do this.

Mr. Steve Clark: Yes, the member from Scarborough–Agincourt. Yes, there would be the odd gesture which drivers would make to them. They wouldn’t be very “parliamentary,” I guess would be right term to use.

It was a very interesting conversation with him to talk about how that system really polarized people. Really, people had very strong negative connotations.

The government, obviously, has made some amendments. There are a number of members across who have talked about the reasons why. I think we need to put our heads towards safety, but every time I hear the term “photo radar”—I know the member for Ottawa South has another way to call it and maybe he will provide a two-minute question and comment where he’ll use the new term that this government is using rather than “photo radar.”

But I remember my father-in-law very directly—this was something that provided him some extra income. When Mike Harris cancelled it, my father-in-law, Dave, being a good Conservative—I thought he might be a little mad at the government, that he took away the job that Bob Rae gave him after his retirement, but he actually felt that it had run its course and that it was a good decision by the Harris government to stop it.

There are a lot of good ideas on how to deal with school safety. There are a lot of ideas that I have talked about today. As someone who, as a young child, just about got hit as a driver went around a school bus, I wish that they would have incorporated your bill, Speaker. I think your bill and the pilots that have been going on—I want to commend those who are pushing those. I want to commend the support that you’ve received. I hope that this government realizes that there are some good ideas out there; that there’s not just a monopoly on a good idea from the government.

I’m very pleased to join in the debate this morning. I look forward to other members providing comments.

Again, sir, to represent your constituents with the best intentions, I want to again thank you for your private member’s bill. I look forward to continuing to support it. I want to see the day when our kids are protected in every way, and I think the government was extremely short-sighted in not approving your bill.

Thank you, sir. I’m glad to provide these comments this morning.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Questions and comments?

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: I’m pleased to add my voice to the debate. It’s important to stand up and not only reflect upon the debate we just heard from the member from Leeds–Grenville, but we have a responsibility to our constituents from every riding we represent in this House to stand up and have our voices be heard. I would never pass up this opportunity like we’ve seen earlier today from other parties.

Setting that aside, I feel that the member from Leeds–Grenville was spot on in his remarks today because he made the situation very real by sharing examples of comprehensive approaches and initiatives from Leeds–Grenville that show that speed signs, when partnered with community initiatives, are very effective. We do need that comprehensive approach and holistic, high-level planning and appreciation in order to filter down exactly how we can best keep our school zones safe in our own respective communities.

In particular, Speaker, I totally agreed with the member from Leeds–Grenville when he recognized the value and the work that went into your own private member’s bill—where we needed to accept the fact that there are people blowing by school buses. Children’s lives are at risk, as I’ve shared in my past debate. My own neighbour was hit by a car that was blowing by a school bus. We don’t accept the fact that this government has voted down a good idea such as cameras on school buses.

I can tell you, standing right here on behalf of the constituents of Huron–Bruce and of people who sincerely care about safe school zones, we’re going to work very hard to make sure the reality of cameras on school buses is realized.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions and comments?

Ms. Sylvia Jones: I think we need a little bit of a civics lesson on the point of questions and comments. My colleague the honourable member from Leeds–Grenville just spent 20 minutes talking about what the government and many legislators believe is a very important piece of legislation, and yet not a single member of the Liberal caucus has chosen to stand up and either defend the legislation or explain what was different, in terms of an

interpretation, from my colleague from Leeds–Grenville’s debate and discussion. I think that we’re missing the point of the back-and-forth, the point of the Latin motto “Hear the other side.” The point of debate means that there has to be interaction. There have to be people paying attention to the debate, and there have to be people either defending or justifying or explaining why their side is more important and more valuable. We’re missing that today in this morning’s debate. I would not in any way want to prescribe why that is happening, but it does suggest to me that there is a bit of mischief going on.

We need to have proper debate in this chamber. It is our responsibility as legislators to have that debate. So when we’re going to stand up and participate in doing 20-minute rotations, talking about what is good about a piece of legislation and what needs to be improved, it is incumbent on the government to participate on the other side and explain why they are defending their position and not allowing our amendments to go through. I hope that will continue today.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions and comments? Further questions and comments? Further questions and comments?

Back to the member from Leeds–Grenville for final comments.

Mr. Steve Clark: Well, thank you, Speaker. It looks like it’s the Ontario PC Party show this morning at Queen’s Park.

Mr. John Fraser: It’s all about you.

Mr. Steve Clark: Pardon me?

Mr. John Fraser: It’s all about you.

Mr. Steve Clark: It’s all about me? Oh, okay. Well, I would have liked to have had some feedback from the government on some of the things I said—especially your bill, Speaker, which I feel was a great addition. As most people know, we felt, as I said at the start of my speech, that there were a number of areas that could have been improved in this bill. We voted against this bill at second reading because of that. I think there are still some measures that need to be included, like your private member’s bill for cameras on school buses. I certainly support the legislation as presented. I’m glad that the bill was amended in committee and there were a number of changes that were made.

But, again, I just think that the government missed an opportunity of hearing other voices as part of this situation. Too many times, we operate our legislative agenda without touring the province and without hearing other voices in all corners of the province. I think this bill is one of the ones that missed that. I gave you some examples this morning, fellow members, from my riding. I gave you an exceptional private initiative by the member for Chatham–Kent–Essex that could be included.

I think if we would have been serious about including those other voices and touring, we could have made the Safer School Zones Act even stronger. I think we could have done a better job for our young children in ensuring that safety is a paramount concern of legislators.

I am pleased to support this bill, but I think we could have made it better.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Mr. John Fraser: It’s a pleasure to speak to Bill 65 at third reading. Bill 65, if passed, would provide municipalities—which they have been asking us for—automated speed enforcement or photo radar or speeding cameras—whatever you would like to call them—as well as reduced default speed limits and the red-light camera program to expand across Ontario.

This is something that municipalities have been asking us for for some time. As I hear the members opposite say as well, municipalities are a mature form of government, and I think that our working in collaboration with them to ensure the safety of our children on our streets is critical.

Speaker, the debate was allowed to go past the six and a half hours of second reading debate to nine hours at second reading. The member from Dufferin–Caledon mentioned mischief. So I’d like to know whether she would define mischief as 300 amendments to an eight-page bill and half of those amendments listing random streets across Ontario. Random streets. Three hundred amendments.

Interjections.

Mr. John Fraser: I’m just asking you. That’s the question that I’m asking you—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): We have a point of order from the member for Leeds–Grenville.

Mr. Steve Clark: I just want to remind the member that only 40 amendments were debated in committee.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Back to the member from Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: Thank you very much, Speaker. I think I got the response that I wanted from the members opposite.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: The correction, you mean.

Mr. John Fraser: No, the response that I wanted.

Speaker, now we’re at six hours of debate on third reading, two hours of which—and the member from Dufferin–Caledon is right. They have been debating each other.

We’ve heard from the members opposite. I know that members opposite know this bill is important. I don’t know why there’s delay.

We have heard from the member from Sarnia–Lambton: “I support safer schools, safer school zones and safer roads. I think this is a good debate.”

Then we heard from the member for Niagara Falls: “Their message at the end of the day at committee was clear. The bill will protect the public, and it will protect our kids. Overall, I understand and support the purpose of this bill: to make our school zones as safe as they possibly can be.”

“On the bill itself”—this is from the member for Parkdale–High Park—“there’s no question: The vast majority of this House is in support of this bill. This is about children’s safety. That’s what it is about.”

So it’s about giving municipalities the tools that they have asked for. It’s about protecting our children in school zones. We have spent two hours—this party opposite debating themselves. Speaker, as a result, I move that the question be now put.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Mr. Fraser has moved that the question be now put. I am satisfied that there has been sufficient debate to allow the question to be put to the House. Is it the pleasure of the House the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour of the motion that the question be now put, please say “aye.”

All those opposed to the motion that the question be now put, please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

A recorded vote being required, this vote will be deferred until after question period today.

Vote deferred.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Orders of the day.

Hon. Bill Mauro: No further business, Speaker.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): There being no further business, at this point in time I declare the House recessed until 10:30.

The House recessed from 0934 to 1030.

Grey Cup in chamber

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): As agreed to earlier today, in a moment we are going to be bringing the Grey Cup into the chamber. I just want to remind all members that taking photos here in the chamber, with your smart phones or any other devices, is not permitted. Please refrain from doing so, despite the cup’s celebrity status. I do know that the cup has already been here for a while this morning and will be here after deferred votes, so there have been and will be opportunities outside of the chamber for those photos to be taken.

Can I ask, please, that the Sergeant-at-Arms be allowed to enter with the Grey Cup.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): On behalf of all members of the assembly, I am pleased to receive the Grey Cup here in the chamber. Of course, we celebrate having it here because an Ontario team, the Ottawa Redblacks, are the most recent winners of the Grey Cup and are now defenders of the CFL championship.

However, even more important is the overall level of success Ontario’s football teams have had in winning the Grey Cup since the founding of the Canadian Football League in 1958. In those 59 years, on my count, three Ontario teams, Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton, each have won the cup six times. Pre-CFL, each city’s team has also won the cup many, many more times.

I’m not going to make any other comment about any other professional team.

Congratulations and welcome to the Grey Cup, and thank you to our RCMP officers who are escorting the cup.

Applause.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Bill Walker: In the members’ gallery today, I’d like to introduce Bognor Bill, who some people in this House will know as my predecessor, along with my executive assistant, Ana Sajfert, a very dedicated, loyal and talented executive assistant who worked for both Bill and myself.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Oops.

The member for Parkdale–High Park.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: As a founder of the Ontario Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, I am honoured to have His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, in the Ontario Legislature today. He is the embodiment and head of the oldest Buddhist lineage, dating back to the year 1110—a world leader. This is his first visit to Canada.

On behalf of Parkdale–High Park, Andrea Horwath and the New Democratic Party and all here at Queen’s Park, I would like to welcome His Holiness to the House.

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn: I also want to rise, on behalf of the government caucus and the Ontario Liberal caucus, to welcome His Holiness the 17th Karmapa to the Ontario Legislature. With him are many residents of the Tibetan Canadian community and many from Etobicoke–Lakeshore. Welcome to our House.

Mr. Patrick Brown: On behalf of the official opposition and the Ontario PC caucus, it is a pleasure to also welcome His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, to the Ontario Legislature.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: It’s a tough act to follow, but I have a friend here from London, Colleen Wake.

And we have a special guest who is a city councillor from Campbell River, BC, on her way to the FCM meeting in Ottawa.

Please welcome Michele Babchuk to the Ontario Legislature.

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to welcome Karen Madho and the Deafblind Coalition of Ontario to Queen’s Park this morning.

Make sure to drop by their reception after question period today in rooms 228 and 230.

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: I’d like to welcome members of the Donegal Christian school and their principal, Roland Sauder.

Mr. Mike Colle: I would like to welcome an old teammate of mine from the Carleton Ravens football team, John Ruddy, who is one of the owners of the Ottawa Redblacks and one of the persons responsible for bringing football back to Ottawa. Welcome back, John.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: I’m proud to welcome two local historians from the riding of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex: the Stewart sisters from the former East Williams township, Libby McLachlan of Strathroy and Mary Daniel of North Middlesex. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: It is a very exciting day today to welcome the Grey Cup and with it the Ottawa Redblacks, who won the Grey Cup in 2016—a great story, because this was their third year in the franchise and they were able to win the Grey Cup in just three years.

Speaker, I also want to thank Staff Sergeant Major Rob Akin and Constable Terry Russel of the RCMP for bringing in the Grey Cup.

Thank you very much for bringing this piece of history to the House.

Ms. Sylvia Jones: Please join me in welcoming—formerly from Dufferin-Caledon and formerly a Queen’s Park staffer and colleague—Bianca Lankheit. Welcome back.

Mr. Ted McMeekin: I’d like to introduce Jacob Rudolph, who is back. It’s his one-year anniversary of his being a page here, and he’s delighted to be back—same smile. His dad, Mark Rudolph, is here as well. I look forward to Jacob one day sitting in this chair. Thank you.

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: Joining us in the east gallery is a group of dedicated officials from Infrastructure Ontario. Welcome to Queen’s Park, and thank you so much for your service to the province.

Mr. Bob Delaney: On behalf of the member for Scarborough Southwest, I am pleased to introduce a guest of page captain Hayden Cox. His mother, Irit Hartman, is in the public gallery this morning.

On behalf of the member for Brampton West, I’m pleased to introduce a guest of page captain Noah Hatton. His father, Brook Hatton, is also in the public gallery this morning.

Please welcome them.

Mr. Arthur Potts: It’s a pleasure to welcome Sam Medland to the House. He’s a second-year political science student at Concordia. Courtesy of Dennis Mills, he’s wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

Mr. Yvan Baker: It’s a pleasure to welcome Jacqueline Krikorian. She is a constituent of mine from Etobicoke Centre and the aunt of page Kate Winterton. Welcome to Queen’s Park, again.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: It’s my pleasure today to have two special guests coming to the chamber later on: Eric Lindros and Tim Fleiszer. Both are well-known athletes. They will be in my office from 3:30 to 4:30. All members are invited to room 451 to celebrate one year of passage of Rowan’s Law.

Mr. James J. Bradley: I’m introducing this person as a local person, but the person has already been here in uniform. He is Constable Terry Russel of the RCMP, a graduate of Grantham High School in St. Catharines, a wonderful institution, I might add. We welcome him here as a former resident of St. Catharines.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound is begging for forgiveness because, as is the typical happening, the Speaker wants to introduce former members in the House. We would like to welcome the former MPP from Grey in the 35th; Grey–Owen Sound, 36th; Bruce–Grey, 37th; and Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, 37th, 38th and 39th Parliaments: Mr. Bill Murdoch.

Also, in the Speaker’s gallery, we have some very special guests. This delegation is the consular corps representing the entire Caribbean. I would like to introduce them one at a time, and then we will receive them: Ms. Ann-Marie Layne, the consul general of Antigua and Barbuda; Mr. Haynesley Benn, the consul general of Barbados; Mr. Derrick James, the consul general of Grenada; Ms. Candida Daniels, the deputy consul general of Guyana; Dr. Winston Isaac, the honorary consul general of St. Kitts and Nevis; Mrs. Cheryl Francis, the consul general of St. Lucia; Mr. Fitzgerald Huggins, the consul general of St.

Vincent and the Grenadines; and Ms. Cherrone Mokund, the acting consul general of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Welcome, to our delegation.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I would like to extend a very warm welcome to grade 8 students from Sir Isaac Brock Public School in London West, who are here today with their five dedicated teachers. Welcome.

Oral Questions

Government spending

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Was a giant rubber ducky really worth $120,000 of hard-earned taxpayer dollars? Yes or no?

Hon. Eleanor McMahon: Thank you to the honourable member for his question. I guess this really does point to the differences between that party’s approach to investing in Ontarians and ours. Here’s precisely what we’re doing. I want to use this opportunity to get some facts on the record, because I know facts don’t matter over there, but on this side of the House, they do. So here we go.

It’s interesting that the party opposite is not taking an interest in investing in tourism. Here’s why that’s important: Tourism in this province generates $30 billion a year in economic activity; it’s 4% of our GDP; and it’s 300,000 jobs. If that’s not enough for the Leader of the Opposition, here’s what we’re doing in his own riding. Here’s a message that I got from Warden Gerry—I’ll use that in the supplementary, because I look forward to speaking as to why these investments are important.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, again to the minister: When I think of Canada, I think of compassion, unity, respect, family and responsibility. I think of freedom of speech, worship and assembly. I think of the rule of law. When I think of Canada, I think of hockey, poutine, maple syrup and our beautiful outdoors. What I don’t think of are rubber ducks—never have, never will. That’s not part of—

Interjections.

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

All right. Both sides have had their opportunity. I will move, in my next inkling, to warnings if it’s necessary.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We might jump right away.

Interjection.

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

Please finish.

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, putting all this government Liberal spin aside, what does a rubber duck have to do with celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday?

Hon. Eleanor McMahon: For the past three years, our government has supported the Redpath Waterfront Festival. This year, we’re granting them $121,000. It’s an annual summer event that provides on-land and on-water programming. This grant has been enormously successful.

Let’s talk a little bit about what it has done, Speaker. In 2015, the festival enticed tourists to spend nearly $6 million.

I also want to point out that not only are we contributing to this, but two other important groups are.

Number one, the city of Toronto has given the festival a $75,000 contribution. That’s also very important.

But I want to close with something closer to home that the member opposite might appreciate. Warden Gerry Marshall of Simcoe county said, “I spent $60,000 to bring these four tall ships, and we saw $1 million in tourism spent. Bring it on.”

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

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, again to the minister: The minister says she cautions against focusing too much on the duck. Well, of course she does, because the Liberals are embarrassed. They’re embarrassed that they signed off on $121,000 for a giant rubber duck. That doesn’t promote tourism. They can hide behind all their lines, but they know it’s wrong.

Mr. Speaker, there is a pattern with this government. They waste taxpayer dollars, and then they come up with PR to explain why they wasted Ontario’s precious taxpayer dollars.

Do the right thing. Just apologize for wasting $121,000 on a rubber duck.

Interjections.

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

Minister?

Hon. Eleanor McMahon: Speaker, I can tell you soundly and clearly that on this side of the House we will never apologize for investing in tourism and economic development—ever. We will never do it. I’m not interested in doing that. We will never be interested in doing that.

Speaker, this is a festival—I spoke a moment ago, in my original response, about the $6 million that it generated in Toronto. Here are a few other places that this touring festival would be going. I think the member opposite might find this interesting. The member from Owen Sound might find it interesting because the travelling festival is going there. Sault Ste. Marie, Midland—interesting, in the Leader of the Opposition—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound is warned.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We’re in warnings.

Finish, Minister.

Hon. Eleanor McMahon: Thank you, Speaker.

The travelling festival is also going to enhance jobs and economic development and, by the way, promote fun in Amherstburg and Brockville. So—

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

Energy policies

Mr. Patrick Brown: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the government House leader.

I’m going to quote the head of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Mr. Smokey Thomas. He said—

Interjections.

Mr. Patrick Brown: It’s important that the government actually listens to this. He said, “Bill 132 is terrible”—terrible—“legislation, and I urge you to stop it.” Mr. Speaker, will the government do just that? Will they stop their $93-billion unfair hydro scheme?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Our objective on this side of the House is to cut hydro rates for hard-working Ontarians. That is why our government and the leadership of our Premier is focused on cutting hydro rates by 25%.

Of course, from the opposite side, we have heard that they have no plan whatsoever when it comes to energy. They kept talking about how they’re going to have a hydro plan. They keep telling Ontarians that somehow they will be able to magically cut hydro rates for Ontarians, but we have seen no plan whatsoever.

Speaker, what we have done through the Fair Hydro Plan Act is put forward a concrete plan by which hydro rates will be cut by 25%. The only reasonable and sensible thing for the opposition to do is to support that plan, to support that legislation, so that Ontarians can have the relief they deserve so much.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the government House leader: I know that one of the Liberals’ favourite pastimes is attacking the non-partisan independent watchdog, our esteemed Auditor General. But she too has had an interesting comment I’d like to share. She said, “We would recommend the government reconsider Bill 132.”

Mr. Speaker, I’ll give the government another chance to take the AG’s advice. We’ve got civil service workers saying this is a big problem. You’ve got the Auditor General saying this is a big problem. Ontarians are concerned their bills are going to skyrocket because of this. Will you do the right thing, take the AG’s advice and reconsider this unfair hydro scheme?

Interjections.

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

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: The Minister of Economic Development and Growth.

Hon. Brad Duguid: Yesterday the Leader of the Opposition said something that I think was historic in this Legislature. He actually made a policy declaration. What he said yesterday was, “I will not invest in energy infrastructure.”

Mr. Speaker, we’ve heard that line before, and we saw the impacts of not investing in energy infrastructure. Mike Harris and Ernie Eves said exactly the same thing and they did exactly the same thing. They had no plan to invest in energy infrastructure, and they left this energy system in a mess.

Not only do we have a clean and reliable energy—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Simcoe–Grey is warned.

Finish, please.

Hon. Brad Duguid: Not only do we have a clean reliable energy system; we’re moving now to make that system more affordable for everyday Ontarians by reducing costs by 25%. That Leader of the Opposition won’t support that either.

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

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the government House leader—and the minister is right; I will not invest in bad Liberal contracts. It’s not right. The people of Ontario are paying too much because of these bad contracts. The Liberals have benefited too long, and it has hurt the people.

So let’s hear another assessment on this unfair hydro scheme—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The President of the Treasury Board is warned.

Finish, please.

Mr. Patrick Brown: CUPE’s Fred Hahn also made some interesting comments about Bill 132. He said the following to this government: “I want you to know the people of Ontario will not be fooled.... They will remember in the long term what you have done ... to mess up our electricity future in the province of Ontario.”

The unfair hydro scheme will not fool anyone. Hydro rates are going to skyrocket. Every independent assessment says that very clearly. We can’t afford our hydro bills. It’s not right.

One more chance for the government House leader to come clean and say, “This is going to cause hydro rates to spike, and we’re going to stop it.”

Hon. Brad Duguid: If the member really believed what he just said, he wouldn’t have started out his question period talking about rubber ducks. He wants to talk about ducking? Let’s talk about ducking questions on sex ed. Let’s talk about ducking questions on the carbon tax. Let’s talk about ducking questions on the energy plan that we’re still waiting to hear. All he does is duck every time anybody asks him a question on the energy plan. Let’s talk about ducking questions about his own caucus members. Let’s talk about ducking questions about just about anything of substantive policy.

We’re moving forward with a clean, reliable energy plan that is going to ensure it’s more affordable for everyday Ontarians. We’re proud of that plan. No wonder you don’t want Ontarians to know about it. That might be bad politics for you, but it’s good for the people of Ontario.

Interjections.

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

Be seated, please. Be seated, please. Thank you.

New question.

Energy policies

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Acting Premier.

Last week it became clear just how far the Premier is willing to go to try to revive her personal and political fortunes. She’s planning to force utility companies to deliver political inserts containing a message aimed at saving the Liberal Party.

Does the Premier believe that forcing, by regulation, private companies to campaign on her behalf is above board and honest?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the President of the Treasury Board.

Hon. Liz Sandals: I do need to start by reminding people that Ontario is the only jurisdiction in Canada that actually has a law that outlaws partisan advertising. No other province in Canada has that. We are unique. Anything that we publish, any advertising, is compliant with that law. Now, if you want to look at getting information—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Dufferin–Caledon is warned.

Carry on.

Hon. Liz Sandals: If you want to look at information that’s inserted in hydro bills, one of the experiences I have in my constituency office—and I’m sure lots of other folks do, too—is that people don’t understand their hydro bills. They call the local distributor. They call Hydro One. They call the constituency office. They’re trying to figure out their hydro bills. They want information in their hydro bill that explains—

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The Premier is doing nothing more than looking out for her own best interests with these political inserts, and everybody knows it. By forcing companies to carry these ads during an election campaign, she is playing sneaky political games and trying to manipulate the very election laws that we’re talking about.

Will this Premier and the Liberal Party admit that mandating politically motivated, politically convenient inserts to be included in people’s hydro bills during an election campaign is just too far to go even for the Liberals?

Interjections.

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

Minister?

Hon. Liz Sandals: Another thing we’ve discovered in my constituency office is that a lot of people who would qualify for the OESP, the Ontario Electricity Support Program, don’t know about it.

Do you know, Speaker, what’s in that “partisan advertising,” what she wants to call partisan advertising? It is information about the Ontario Electricity Support Program. We actually think it’s important that people all over Ontario get information about the Ontario Electricity Support Program so that if they qualify, they can get more than 25% off their hydro bill. They can qualify for more money off if they are lower income. We want people to know that because we want to help the people of Ontario.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The next election is just over a year away. That’s the same time frame, coincidentally, that the Premier is mandating these political inserts appear in every household and every business in our province.

Do the Premier and the Liberal Party really think that the people of this province don’t see what they’re doing?

Hon. Liz Sandals: I think that what the people of Ontario want to know is when they qualify for help. They want to know that if they’re ever in a rural or remote part of Ontario that they can get extra help off their hydro bill. We recognize that if you live in rural or northern Ontario you need extra help, and you could qualify for up to 40% to 50% off your hydro bill.

We think that people who are Ontario hydro consumers deserve to know that they should apply for the OESP. We don’t think that’s partisan; we think that’s just giving people all over Ontario the information that they need to reduce their hydro bills to the maximum.

We have a fair hydro plan so that we can reduce rates all across this province.

Energy policies

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is for the Acting Premier.

I think what people want to see is a government that stops using precious public dollars to promote the Liberal Party and Kathleen Wynne. That’s what I think people want to see.

Clearly the electricity companies who will be forced to deliver this politically motivated message on behalf of the Premier didn’t think it was necessary or else they would have provided the information themselves, on their own.

Does the Premier know something that every electricity company in the province somehow doesn’t know? Is there something that they’re aware of that every electricity company isn’t aware of?

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Before I go to the Deputy Premier, the Minister of Finance is warned.

Carry on.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I’m glad we’re having the chance to talk about hydro prices today. I’m particularly disturbed to hear that yesterday it was announced that the NDP will not support—in fact, will repeal—the bill that will bring hydro relief to people across this province.

They announced yesterday that they will actually increase hydro prices, that they will take the 25% back and that the 40% relief that many people in rural and northern Ontario will get will be rescinded under the NDP. They said that the Ontario Electricity Support Program that provides energy relief for the most vulnerable in this province will be repealed.

It’s no surprise that the opposition is asking about our insert in an envelope, because they are not prepared to talk about their plan to repeal this whole bill.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: We’d replace it with a plan that actually creates systemic change and brings Hydro One back into public hands and creates savings for the long term for people of Ontario.

It’s really shocking, actually. We announced this almost a month ago and the minister just realized yesterday that this was the NDP’s position? Shame on her.

When the Premier forces electricity companies to do something that they deem unnecessary, it’s a political tactic, plain and simple. That tactic is meant to harness the power of the Office of the Premier for political gain. There is no way around that fact. It’s time the Premier takes responsibility for this manipulation.

Will she revoke the regulation now and apologize to the people of Ontario for misusing the power of her office?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Speaker, let’s be really clear: The NDP wants to cancel the decreases in hydro prices for the people of Ontario. That, in my opinion, is a shameful position for the third party to be taking. They claim they will replace it with something. but they have no idea what they are going to replace it with.

What we do know for sure is that it will take away relief from the people of this province. They will also take money from health and from education because part of their plan is to buy back the shares in Hydro One.

Let’s just be really clear: Anyone who is watching, anyone who is paying attention to this, the NDP want to increase your hydro bills. They want to take away the support for the most vulnerable people. They want to take away eliminating the delivery costs for on-reserve First Nations—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Excuse me.

The member from Essex is warned.

Final supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, I think you can bet your bottom dollar that every person in Ontario is watching the mess these Liberals have made of our electricity system and what it’s costing people today and for generations to come.

The FAO, the Financial Accountability Officer, an independent officer of this Legislature, says that the Premier’s $45-billion hydro borrowing scheme will cost Ontario families and businesses more money and that it will actually drive bills up. That’s not me, as a partisan, saying that; that’s the Financial Accountability Officer.

There is no hiding this fact, even though it’s conveniently excluded from the Premier’s regulation forcing companies to promote her and her political party. The Premier has decided to use her position, her office as Premier, to mandate that the Liberal Party’s politically motivated description of this scheme is delivered to Ontario doorsteps regularly now and throughout the next election—

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

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation is warned.

Deputy Premier.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: For months in this House, the third party came with examples of people who were really suffering with high electricity prices. Speaker, we heard those stories in our own ridings, too.

What we did is, we went to work. We rolled up our sleeves and we developed a plan that will provide immediate relief: a 25% reduction on electricity bills, and more than that for people who are paying the highest rates. We have a plan. We’ve been very transparent about that plan. It’s a plan that reduces electricity bills.

To think that the NDP will stand in their place day after day after day after day to complain about a problem and then, when we develop a solution, say no to that without coming up with their own—is just not okay.

We’ve got a plan. We’re delivering on the plan. It will have the impact for the people of this province.

Sexual violence and harassment

Ms. Laurie Scott: My question is for the Minister of the Status of Women. As we come to the end of sexual assault awareness month, we see the government paying lip service to sexual assault victims while ignoring victim service organizations like Hope 24/7, a sexual assault centre in Peel that struggles to help its clients because of this government’s mismanagement.

Organizations tell me that the government’s so-called review of the ineffective funding formula for victim services is taking place under a cloud of secrecy. The government refuses to commit to sharing the details of the review or even to consult affected organizations like Hope 24/7.

My question is: Does the minister think it’s acceptable to exclude sexual assault centres—the real experts—from the conversation about the future of services for victims of sexual assault?

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I want to thank the member opposite for the question.

I want to make sure that people understand that our government takes the job of supporting women and their children who have experienced domestic violence very seriously because violence against women is something that has a huge impact on families, on our communities and on our society.

Essentially, violence-against-women agencies provide crucial services in our province, like emergency shelters, counselling, transition and housing supports to help women and children rebuild their lives. For women facing violence, a shelter is often the first step to rebuilding their personal and financial independence.

Our government funds 96 emergency shelter agencies across Ontario that operate more than 2,000 beds a year. We’ve increased our investment in violence-against-women services by 61% since 2003.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Laurie Scott: The truth is that this government has been stalling on this file for almost five years. In 2013, the Auditor General reported that the government has made little or no progress in meeting the demand for victim services in our province. And here we are in 2017, and nothing has changed. They refuse to consult, they refuse to act and they’re continuing to hide behind band-aid solutions and decades-old funding formulas. Meanwhile, victim services organizations and survivors are suffering.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister: What does this review actually entail and when can we finally expect to hear the results?

Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris: Attorney General.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Let’s put some facts on the table on this very important issue, Speaker. First of all, we obviously appreciate the work that Hope 24/7 does. We have provided them funding for over 20 years now.

Since 2003, our funding for all sexual assault centre programs has increased by 45%. In 2015, we increased Hope 24/7’s budget by over $31,000 as part of our It’s Never Okay action plan to increase funding to all sexual assault centres by 7%. In fact, Hope 24/7 currently receives almost $500,000—that’s half a million dollars—the sixth-highest funding allocation in all of Ontario.

Now we are committed to reviewing counselling services across the province, and we have asked Hope 24/7 to be part of this conversation. There’s also a provincial working group of sexual assault centres that is currently reviewing the program, and I look forward to the findings of their review.

Employment standards

Ms. Cindy Forster: My question is to the Acting Premier. After 14 years of Liberal government inaction, hard-working Ontarians want real change now: like the one in 10 in this province who struggle on minimum wage; like the majority of new job holders who struggle to make ends meet part-time; and like the majority of women who are juggling multiple jobs, which has increased by 20% under the Liberals’ watch.

Union jobs are good jobs, and New Democrats believe that it should be easier for workers to join a union, not harder.

Will the Acting Premier commit to implementing card-based union certification and first-contract arbitration for all workers in Ontario who wish to join a union? If not, why not?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I thank the member opposite for the question.

The reality is that our economy in Ontario is growing. It’s the leading jurisdiction in the country. Our growth is strong, but not everyone is sharing in that growth. It’s become very clear that in this new economy, there are those who are doing very well and others who are struggling just to prevent themselves from falling back, which is exactly why we are introducing the Changing Workplaces legislation.

We are very proud of the work that has been done and the action that we are taking that the Premier has announced today with the Minister of Labour. We will be hiking the minimum wage. We will be assuring that part-time workers are paid the same as full-time workers. We’re introducing paid sick days for every worker. We’re stepping up enforcement of employment laws. This is a very big day in the province, Speaker, and I look forward to the NDP supporting these changes.

Interjections.

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

Be seated, please. Thank you.

Supplementary?

Ms. Cindy Forster: If you’re a Bay Street trader or you’re the head of a big bank here in Ontario, you’ve had a lot to cheer about over the last 14 years. But if you’re one of the hard-working “little people,” to quote the labour minister this morning, you’ve earned your disillusionment.

The Premier gave a campaign speech this morning, but millions of part-time, temporary and multiple job holders are still struggling to support their families. Three weeks of vacation after five years is a bit of a stretch. It’s one of those Liberal stretch goals—an impossibility for many Ontarians who may not have a job after five years with the same employer.

Will the Acting Premier guarantee that in fact there are paid sick days for all Ontario workers under this plan that was announced today and that in fact every Ontario worker will get that three weeks of vacation?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Speaker, we really have been paying attention to all of the people in this province, including most particularly those who are struggling the most. There has been a lot of good news recently on that front: free tuition for one third of our post-secondary students and better-than-free tuition for many; OHIP+, free drugs for children. These are big initiatives that we are very happy to champion.

Today’s announcement builds on that, because we are absolutely determined to make sure that we live in a society and that we build a society where every person has the opportunity to achieve their full potential, to contribute to and participate in a wonderful life in Ontario. We need to do better, Speaker. This legislation takes us a big step in that direction.

Women’s health services

Mrs. Cristina Martins: My question this morning is to the Attorney General. Yesterday, I was very pleased to see the AG defending the principle that every woman in this province has the fundamental right to make her own decisions about her health care. I am certain that every member in this Legislature would also agree that women have the fundamental right to access health care without fear for their safety, privacy or dignity.

I speak for my constituents when I say that I was terribly disheartened to hear of the acts of harassment and intimidation directed at Ottawa women exercising their right to choose. Speaker, that kind of hatred and aggression toward women is absolutely unacceptable. That is why I was very pleased to hear that the government intends to introduce legislation that would create safe access zones outside abortion clinics and ensure that women across Ontario have safe access to health care services.

Can the Attorney General inform this House about the government’s planned legislation to be introduced this fall?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I really want to thank the member for asking a very important question. This is an important issue to me as both a citizen of Ottawa and as a person who has always been a strong believer in a woman’s fundamental right to choose. It is also my steadfast belief that every woman in Ontario has the right to make decisions about her own health care, and she deserves to do so freely, without fear—without fear for her safety, privacy or dignity; without fear of being judged or publicly humiliated because of her choice; without fear of being threatened with violence, harassment or any form of intimidation.

Speaker, no woman should have to take such things into account when making her own health care decisions. That is why, this fall, our government will introduce legislation that would propose to create safe access zones around specified health care facilities to protect the safety and security of patients, staff and visitors.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mrs. Cristina Martins: I would like to thank the Attorney General for his response. I know that many people across this province would agree that this is an important issue that touches every woman and goes beyond economic, cultural or geographic differences. All women across this province have fought and laboured hard throughout the years to build up this country and province we can now call home. A woman’s fundamental right to choose is one that should be enshrined and protected under the law. In fact, I understand that Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia are among the few jurisdictions that have legislated safe access zones to ensure protection of health care centres and women.

I believe that our government will introduce strong protections that guarantee much-needed protections for health care centres across this province. My hope is that the members opposite will support the government’s actions to ensure women in Ontario can continue to exercise their fundamental right.

Can the Attorney General inform this House of our government’s next steps?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: The member is correct. British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the province of Quebec have implemented similar laws in their provinces over the past decades. These laws provide for protection to all women and health care providers in those jurisdictions.

Over the summer months, my ministry and I will continue to look at laws passed in other jurisdictions, and we will consult with legal and health care experts, advocacy groups and local clinics to determine the details of the proposed legislation. Speaker, we have a lot of work ahead of us on this very important issue over the next few months. I believe that policies like this are more important than ever.

I commend and salute all champions of women in this House. I know that they all believe that this is not a partisan issue. I know that they all believe that women have a right to choose, to make decisions about their own health care. I am confident and I hope that all members will support this very important legislation when it’s tabled in the fall.

Autism treatment

Mrs. Gila Martow: My question is to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Autism is widely considered the fastest-growing neurological disorder in Canada. It now impacts an estimated one out of 68 children. Individuals with autism and their families face unique challenges over their lifespan, often leading to families in crisis situations. That is why, today, in the federal House of Commons, there will be a vote to increase support for families and children with autism.

Mr. Speaker, have the government members been calling on their cousins in Ottawa to support the Canadian autism partnership?

Hon. Michael Coteau: I’d like to thank the member for the question. As the member knows, we have a new autism program here in the province of Ontario that will begin implementation in June of this year; that’s in a few days from now. We will have full implementation of the program in 2018.

This plan is going to create 16,000 new spaces here in Ontario over five years and increase the amount of spaces for ABA during the transition period. It’s going to ensure that we have a wait-list of six months or less. We’re also going to increase diagnosis; we’ve opened up five new treatment centres. We’re going to make sure that if a young person here in the province of Ontario needs any type of autism treatment, regardless of age, they will get the treatment that they deserve.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mrs. Gila Martow: Mr. Speaker, provincial plans are wonderful, but we need to support the federal plans for autism as well. This motion is simple. It calls on the federal government to grant $19 million over—

Interjections.

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

Mrs. Gila Martow: This motion is simple. It calls—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The minister is warned.

Carry on.

Mrs. Gila Martow: The motion is simple. It calls on the federal government to grant $19 million over five years, as requested by the Canadian Autism Partnership Project working group, a self-advocates advisory group, and the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance in order to establish a Canadian autism partnership. It would go a long way to support families, and it would address key issues such as information-sharing and research, early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

Will the minister personally make a phone call to Ottawa? Why not call one of your Liberal friends and guarantee Liberal support of this important motion?

Hon. Michael Coteau: There seems to be a difference of opinion between the caucus and their leader. And I’ll tell you why, Mr. Speaker—because the Leader of the Opposition, the leader of the official opposition, when he was in Ottawa, I believe for his nine-year period, had an opportunity to stand up and advocate for a national program. There was an actual vote that was presented in the House of Commons to create a national autism program. Maybe the member doesn’t know her leader’s record on this issue, but he voted against that.

So, Mr. Speaker, instead of picking up the phone, maybe she can walk two or three rows up and talk to her leader about his record when it comes to a national autism program here in the province of Ontario.

Interjections.

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

New question.

Affordable housing

Mr. Peter Tabuns: My question is to the Acting Premier. Nearly 20 years ago, the Conservatives downloaded responsibility for social housing to the municipalities; they had no way to pay for it. This action created a permanent crisis for affordable housing, most acutely in Toronto. Instead of fixing this crisis, the Premier made things worse by cutting $129 million per year in annual funding for Toronto’s housing programs. Half of Toronto Community Housing homes will reach “critical status” within five years due to a lack of funding for capital repairs.

The NDP has repeatedly urged the province to fund one third of those capital repair costs. Will the Premier do that and undo at least part of the damage her cuts have caused?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Housing.

Hon. Chris Ballard: Every Ontarian deserves to have an affordable and safe place to call home. We know that people’s lives are better when they do. That’s why this government has invested $1.4 billion in the city of Toronto for affordable and sustainable housing. That’s $1.4 billion, Speaker.

We’re continuing to build on these investments. Over the next five years we’re investing an additional $173 million in social housing repairs and retrofits in the city of Toronto; things like $43 million for repairs and retrofits to social housing, another $130 million in additional funding for social housing repairs in Toronto over the next 40 years.

Speaker, this government gets how important this housing is to residents of the city of Toronto. We’re on it.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Again to the Acting Premier: By 2019, Toronto city staff estimates that provincial funding for Toronto’s housing programs will have been cut by nearly 60% from 2011. This Premier is responsible for most of these cuts. The Premier’s cuts mean that thousands of Toronto families risk losing their homes due to disrepair. No other government in Canada or the developed world ignores its social responsibility to fund social housing programs the way this Premier has.

Will the Premier stop, reverse her funding cuts, and fund the province’s fair one-third share of TCHC’s capital repair costs?

Hon. Chris Ballard: I enjoy this opportunity to get up and talk about the importance of social housing and affordable housing in the city of Toronto, and to reiterate time and again the significant, massive investments that the province has made in the city of Toronto. I’ll just name the high-level one again, Speaker: $1.4 billion. That’s not anyone walking away from their responsibility to the city of Toronto.

I welcome Toronto council’s 10-year commitment of about $200 million in funding and tax exemptions. That’s good to go towards this. It’s also good to have the federal government at the table, through the national housing strategy. They’ll be allocating $11 billion over 11 years across 13 provinces and territories.

What we’ve done, Speaker, is we’ve continued to invest. In fact, we’ve just announced $100 million in land in the city of Toronto.

Agri-food industry

Mr. Mike Colle: I’ve got a question for the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

I know, Minister, how excited you are, because our farmers are back in the fields for the growing season.

Very soon we will be celebrating Local Food Week whereby we can pay tribute to our $36-billion agriculture economy, which supports 800,000 jobs in this province. From June 5 to 11, we’re going to be celebrating our wonderful, locally grown, safe, reliable, tasty and affordable Ontario local food. What are you going to do to celebrate, Mr. Minister?

Hon. Jeff Leal: I appreciate the question from the member from Eglinton–Lawrence, who is a champion for local food.

Local Food Week is a nice opportunity to highlight the great work our partners are doing to promote local food for Ontarians.

We have the Greenbelt Fund, which is providing $3.8 million to support 77 local food projects.

I also want to highlight the work of the Dietitians of Canada and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association for Fresh from the Farm, the only school fundraiser selling Ontario-grown fruit and vegetables. Starting this October, schools can apply.

And, of course, the Culinary Tourism Alliance has been delivering the Feast ON program to encourage restaurants to use more locally sourced ingredients, wines, beers and ciders on their menus.

We’re lucky to have so many local food champions that are helping to bring farmers, food makers and consumers together so that they can help us enjoy the good things that are grown in Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Mike Colle: As you know, Minister, this afternoon Ontario beef farmers are going to be having a barbecue on the front lawn. They’re going to be featuring succulent locally grown beef. I get tired of people who say, “Well, I’m going to go get some Alberta beef or Texas beef.” Why don’t more people ask for Ontario beef when they go to a restaurant?

Forget that expensive, imported foreign beef. Forget that expensive, foreign cauliflower. Buy local. Eat local. Shop local. Save local.

Interjections.

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

Minister?

Hon. Jeff Leal: I appreciate the supplementary from my good friend the member from Eglinton–Lawrence.

Yes, today is the Beef Farmers of Ontario annual barbecue. I encourage all members and their staff to get out and enjoy it.

Ontario has the most culturally diverse population in Canada, from more than 200 countries. With more than 200 foods grown in the province, Ontarians can already bring home the world by shopping at their local farmers’ market or finding the Foodland Ontario logo.

We’ll be working to get the word out throughout this summer about the tremendous opportunity world foods bring. With this in mind, Foodland Ontario is partnering with the Culinary Tourism Alliance for a wonderful pop-up clinic at Yonge-Dundas Square this Thursday, June 1. I suggest everybody take the opportunity to go there. This event will feature Feast On-certified restaurants who are partnering with Ontario farmers to showcase the diversity of recipes that can be made with Ontario-grown foods.

I invite you all to this picnic. Come taste the home advantage.

Northern Ontario

Mr. Norm Miller: My question is to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. In 2011, this government announced the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, promising to “create a stronger, more diverse and sustainable northern economy.”

Northern Ontario lost 5,000 full-time jobs and more than 6,000 part-time jobs between 2011 and 2016. During the same time, the value of building permits issued in northern Ontario declined by 25%. The minister’s own quote in the 2011 news release was that this plan would “help ensure the development of northern communities as places where people will want to live, work and play for future generations.” But after the first five years of this plan, there are 10,000 fewer adults living in northern Ontario. Based on those statistics, how would the minister characterize the success of the government’s Growth Plan for Northern Ontario?

Hon. Bill Mauro: I want to thank the member for the question. I think it is fair to say that northern communities and rural communities, just like all communities that are small and rural right across Canada and right across North America, are facing a unique set of circumstances and challenges. It is not only in Ontario where small, northern and rural communities are facing these challenges. They exist in all jurisdictions, I would say, certainly in Canada. It’s been a consistent problem.

But I would say absolutely, I would say unequivocally that our government, since being elected in 2003, has provided support to northern and rural communities across a broad range of policy investments that I can speak to more in the supplemental. The member knows that. He would suggest and stand in his place and try and say these problems just occurred. There has been some population reduction, but I would say the situation in northern communities would have been much greater had it not been for the investments we’ve been making since forming government some years ago.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Norm Miller: Mr. Speaker, the challenges he’s talking about are the ones his government has created. I recognize this is a 25-year plan, but we’re five years in, and so far, it’s a dismal failure.

The population of northern Ontario is declining. Employment is declining. Less is being built. Businesses like Great Lakes Graphite are leaving. One of the promises of the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario was to immediately “develop a long-term strategy to create a more integrated transportation infrastructure system for air, rail, road and water.”

That promise was made six years ago, and the most recent document is still a discussion paper. Where’s the strategy, and when will we see shovels in the ground on new roads, new rail lines, new shipping docks or new airstrips?

Hon. Bill Mauro: Speaker, by way of example, one of the investments we’ve been making in northern Ontario for quite some time now is to reverse a decision that was made by the Conservative Party when they were in government and that had been started by the NDP, and that is providing support for forestry companies in northern Ontario through a forestry roads access program. Since bringing this project back into investments in the province of Ontario since 2005, we’ve invested about $700 million in primary and secondary forestry roads in the province of Ontario to support forestry companies—primarily a northern-based operation.

As well, since coming into government, we are investing now somewhere between $500 million and $600 million annually through a northern highways program. When they were in government for all eight years, from 1995 to 2003, the high-water mark for northern highways was $200 million to $250 million in any one given year. We’re going to be doing $650 million this year. That’s only one more example of the major investments we’ve been making in northern Ontario since forming government some time ago.

Hospital funding

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question’s for the Acting Premier. Health care should be there when you need it, but cuts and underfunding by both Liberals and Conservatives have pushed the Sault Area Hospital to the brink. It’s now the second most overcrowded hospital in the entire—

Interjections.

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

Please put your question.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: It is now the second most overcrowded hospital in the entire province. Experts tell us that occupancy rates over 85% put patients at risk, but the Sault Area Hospital has been forced to run at an average occupancy of 106% for the past five years.

Instead of fixing the problem, the Premier’s budget shortchanges Ontario’s hospitals by over $300 million.

Why is this government forcing people and seniors in Sault Ste. Marie to pay the price for Liberal cuts?

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

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I have to admit that I’m absolutely mystified at this question—

Interjections.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: That’s really classy, some of the comments that we’re hearing.

Mr. Speaker, the reality is, with the Sault hospital, that both the leader of the third party and the official opposition went specifically to the Sault area to criticize the fact that the government is providing a 5% increase to the operating costs of that hospital this fiscal year.

On the one hand, consistently, the third party has said, “We need to invest more in our hospitals.” Then, they go out of their way—during a by-election, I might add—to the Sault hospital, and the leader of the third party was critical and suspicious of the fact that somehow a 5% increase to the budget of that hospital—over $6 million, I should add—is unnecessary or inappropriate. I fundamentally disagree.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: There have been nine years of cuts and frozen budgets by this Liberal government. That’s something that this health minister and the ones prior to him need to fess up to.

The people in Sault Ste. Marie know exactly what’s happening to health care: Folks are waiting longer than ever. Admitted patients are waiting up to 53 hours in the emergency room to get a proper bed. People who need a CT scan are waiting three times longer than the provincial target. The Sault Area Hospital is so overcrowded that they’ve actually stopped using their code for gridlock; it’s now meaningless, because they were using their gridlock code every single day.

When will this government stop making excuses and actually repair the damage they’ve done to hospitals in Sault Ste. Marie and right across the whole province, Minister?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): To the Chair, please.

Carry on.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I am almost without words. I’m not sure what the leader of the third party wants. Does she not want us to provide 6.6 million more dollars to the Sault hospital, an increase this year alone of 5%, or does she? Consistently, her party has advocated for more funding, but it confounds me that they also voted against the budget that provides a 5% increase to the budget of the Sault hospital. They voted against a budget that provides over half a billion dollars more to the operating costs of budgets across this province. They voted against a budget that adds an additional $9 billion in capital infrastructure. I don’t understand where their policy is, but I know where we stand.

Interjections.

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

New question.

We’ve come a long way to make our province more inclusive, and we are working hard to reach our goal of an accessible Ontario by 2025. Could the minister tell us more about National Access Awareness Week and provide an update on some of the great work that we are doing to make Ontario accessible?

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: I want to thank the member from Barrie for this very important question. It being National Access Awareness Week makes the question all the more important because this week is, of course, a chance to show what we’ve done and to focus on what we can do to empower businesses, enlighten communities and embrace inclusion.

I’ll speak more to our government’s recent developments and how people can get involved when I speak in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: Thank you to the minister for her answer.

National Access Awareness Week helps to raise awareness and continues to promote a cultural shift. We need communities, businesses and individuals all across Ontario to understand that inclusion is important for building a strong society and developing a dynamic economy.

The Martin Prosperity Institute report outlined that an inclusive Ontario would result in a $7.9-billion increase to the GDP. More than $150 billion is lost in tax revenue annually due to the limited inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workforce.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: Again, thanks to the member from Barrie for the question.

I would like to encourage everyone to be part of National Access Awareness Week, because it’s important.

Energy policies

Mr. Bill Walker: My question is to the Deputy Premier. Peter and Jacqui Knipfel and Gail and Rob Fullerton run independent grocery stores in Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound. They, along with other small businesses, are hurting under this Liberal government’s failed energy plans. Their electricity costs have skyrocketed, mostly as a result of your Liberal ideology, waste and incompetence.

On February 23, your Premier assured the House that small business grocers would receive the 8% rebate as part of your Fair Hydro Act announcement. Sadly, it turns out that this was pure Liberal electioneering.

I want to know, through you, Mr. Speaker: Is it fair to break a promise, Deputy Premier? Is it fair to exclude small-town family grocers from the Premier’s supposed fair relief scheme?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I’m pleased to be able to stand here and talk about the fair hydro plan, which is going to be reducing bills by 25% for small businesses and farms and every residence right across this province, Mr. Speaker.

When it comes to grocery stores, we have the Save on Energy program. The saveONenergy program specifically targets and works with grocery stores. We had Loblaws come to Sudbury to make an announcement that their large stores and their small stores are actually saving up to 22% on their bills if they participate in the saveONenergy program. What Loblaws is doing is working with all of their local retailers—their franchisees—to make sure that they take

part in this program. It’s this program that this government has brought forward, on top of the fair hydro plan, that is going to continue to help small businesses right across the province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Bill Walker: Back to the Deputy Premier: Maybe, Minister, you should come to Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound and talk to these small, independent owners and get a real taste of life.

Family grocers are an integral part of the fabric of small communities across Ontario. We want and need them to stay in rural Ontario. But like 60% of all stores in Ontario that are independent small businesses, the two local family grocers in my riding are finding it harder and harder to stay in business. Unlike your ideology, you see, they can’t turn freezers and fridges off overnight to qualify for the 8% rebate your government promised them.

Through you, Speaker: Is it fair that you arbitrarily exclude small-town family grocers from relief from exorbitant rates caused by your mismanagement and your ideology?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: When I was in the Bruce and Owen Sound area, and I did talk to small business owners, they all recognized that this fair hydro plan is going to help them. Also, Francesca Dobbyn, the executive director of the United Way, is applauding this plan. Maybe he should talk to his own people and see what they think about this plan.

Mr. Speaker, when we’re talking about plans, I find it very interesting that a question comes from a party that doesn’t have an approach to energy, doesn’t have an approach on how to lower energy bills for families, and doesn’t have an approach on how it’s going to lower bills for small business—nothing for farms; nothing for long-term-care homes; nothing for greenhouses.

We’ve acted. We’ve heard. We’ve listened. We’ve helped greenhouses now, remote customers—conservation programs that will continue to help others. The list is endless. That’s what happens when you have a plan. We have a plan, Mr. Speaker. They don’t. We’re—

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

Interjections.

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

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Niagara West–Glanbrook on a point of order.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: I didn’t have the opportunity earlier, but I wish to welcome from my riding the Reverend Peter Holtvlüwer and his wife, Erica Holtvlüwer. Welcome to the Legislature.

Correction of record

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Housing on a point of order.

Hon. Chris Ballard: I just wanted to correct the record. I misspoke when I said that the $130 million of additional funding for social housing repairs in Toronto was—I said, “over 40 years.” It’s actually over four years.

Deferred Votes

Time allocation

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We have a deferred vote on government notice of motion number 33 relating to allocation of time of Bill 89,

an Act to enact the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017, to amend and repeal the Child and Family Services Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.

Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1147 to 1152.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All members, please take your seats.

On May 29, 2017, Ms. Sandals moved government notice of motion number 33 relating to the allocation of time on Bill 89.

All those in favour of the motion, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sousa, Charles

Takhar, Harinder S.

Thibeault, Glenn

Vernile, Daiene

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bisson, Gilles

Brown, Patrick

Campbell, Sarah

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

DiNovo, Cheri

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

Forster, Cindy

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Hatfield, Percy

Jones, Sylvia

MacLaren, Jack

MacLeod, Lisa

Mantha, Michael

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

Miller, Norm

Miller, Paul

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Sattler, Peggy

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 52; the nays are 40.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Motion agreed to.

Protecting Patients Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la protection des patients

Deferred vote on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 87,

An Act to implement health measures and measures relating to seniors by enacting, amending or repealing various statutes / Projet de loi 87, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre des mesures concernant la santé et les personnes âgées par l’édiction, la modification ou l’abrogation de diverses lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We have a deferred vote on the motion for third reading of Bill 87. Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1156 to 1157.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): On May 29, 2017, Mr. Hoskins moved third reading of Bill 87,

An Act to implement health measures and measures relating to seniors by enacting, amending or repealing various statutes.

All those in favour of the motion please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Barrett, Toby

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bisson, Gilles

Bradley, James J.

Brown, Patrick

Campbell, Sarah

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

DiNovo, Cheri

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Forster, Cindy

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Hatfield, Percy

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Jones, Sylvia

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

MacLeod, Lisa

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Mantha, Michael

Martins, Cristina

Martow, Gila

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McDonell, Jim

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Miller, Norm

Miller, Paul

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sattler, Peggy

Scott, Laurie

Sousa, Charles

Tabuns, Peter

Takhar, Harinder S.

Taylor, Monique

Thibeault, Glenn

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Vernile, Daiene

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

MacLaren, Jack

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 92; the nays are 1.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la modernisation de la législation municipale ontarienne

Deferred vote on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 68,

An Act to amend various Acts in relation to municipalities / Projet de loi 68, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne les municipalités.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We have a deferred vote on the motion for third reading of Bill 68. Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1159 to 1200.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): On May 29, 2017, Mr. Mauro moved third reading of Bill 68,

An Act to amend various Acts in relation to municipalities. All those in favour, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bisson, Gilles

Bradley, James J.

Campbell, Sarah

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

DiNovo, Cheri

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Fife, Catherine

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Forster, Cindy

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hatfield, Percy

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Mantha, Michael

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Miller, Paul

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Natyshak, Taras

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sattler, Peggy

Sousa, Charles

Tabuns, Peter

Takhar, Harinder S.

Taylor, Monique

Thibeault, Glenn

Vanthof, John

Vernile, Daiene

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Brown, Patrick

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Fedeli, Victor

Hardeman, Ernie

Jones, Sylvia

MacLeod, Lisa

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

Miller, Norm

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Scott, Laurie

Thompson, Lisa M.

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 69; the nays are 23.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

Safer School Zones Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur la sécurité accrue des zones d’école

Deferred vote on the motion that the question now be put on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 65,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act in respect of speed limits in municipalities and other matters / Projet de loi 65, Loi modifiant le Code de la route relativement aux limites de vitesse dans les municipalités et à d’autres questions.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We have a deferred vote on the motion for closure on the motion for third reading of Bill 65.

Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1203 to 1204.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): On May 10, 2017, Mr. Del Duca moved third reading of Bill 65,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act in respect of speed limits in municipalities and other matters.

Mr. Fraser has moved that the question now be put.

All those in favour of Mr. Fraser’s motion, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sousa, Charles

Takhar, Harinder S.

Thibeault, Glenn

Vernile, Daiene

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bisson, Gilles

Brown, Patrick

Campbell, Sarah

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

DiNovo, Cheri

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

Forster, Cindy

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Hatfield, Percy

Jones, Sylvia

MacLaren, Jack

MacLeod, Lisa

Mantha, Michael

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

Miller, Norm

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Sattler, Peggy

Scott, Laurie

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 52; the nays are 40.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Mr. Del Duca has moved third reading of Bill 65,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act in respect of speed limits in municipalities and other matters. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour of the motion, please say “aye.”

All those opposed to the motion, please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1206 to 1207.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Mr. Del Duca has moved third reading of Bill 65,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act in respect of speed limits in municipalities and other matters.

All those in favour of the motion, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Barrett, Toby

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bisson, Gilles

Bradley, James J.

Brown, Patrick

Campbell, Sarah

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

DiNovo, Cheri

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Forster, Cindy

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Hatfield, Percy

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Jones, Sylvia

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

MacLeod, Lisa

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Mantha, Michael

Martins, Cristina

Martow, Gila

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McDonell, Jim

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Miller, Norm

Miller, Paul

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sattler, Peggy

Scott, Laurie

Sousa, Charles

Tabuns, Peter

Takhar, Harinder S.

Taylor, Monique

Thibeault, Glenn

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Vernile, Daiene

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

MacLaren, Jack

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 92; the nays are 1.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

Member’s anniversary

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I would like to draw your attention to an event that is happening at 6 o’clock, after the afternoon sitting. We are celebrating 40 years of service for Mr. Jim Bradley.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): There will be plenty to say this afternoon, but the one thing I will relay to you is that Harry Nixon from Brant is the record holder, with 42 years. That’s all I’m saying.

There are no further deferred votes. This House stands recessed until 3 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1211 to 1500.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Okay, who stole the Grey Cup?

Laughter.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Sorry. Introduction of guests?

Mr. Yvan Baker: I’d like to welcome to the Legislature Charmaine Saucedo, a constituent of mine from Etobicoke Centre who has been a great advocate on abuse awareness and education for students, and who has worked very hard on the petition I plan to introduce later this afternoon. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Members’ Statements

Canada sesquicentennial

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: I rise today to share a statement. Before I go into it in depth, I want to reflect on what we heard this morning during question period. Our leader, Patrick Brown, stood in this House and said, “How can this government waste $120,000 on a six-foot rubber duck? How does that attract tourism to Ontario?” I share that with you because I absolutely agree with him.

What I’m going to do now is read a poem by a grade 5 student from Teeswater, Ontario. His name is Cameron Hogg, and we met with him at STEAM, an initiative hosted by the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board. I really tip my hat to Cam, because this is what we need to be thinking about when we’re celebrating Ontario this summer. He puts it in a Canadian perspective. He said, “My mom and dad read it and gave me the idea to send it to you. I hope you like it.” I say I hope you like it as well:

Canada the Place to Be

Hockey, the greatest game

Canada has all the fame.

In Canada you see the moose,

And the Canadian goose.

We farm cows, chickens and goats,

And we gently row in boats

Down the Great Lakes many people fish,

Without a care or even a wish.

We have poutine fries,

And good pumpkin pies.

We mine diamonds, nickel, and gold,

All in the freezing cold.

Maple syrup comes from the trees,

Delicious honey from the bees.

From coast to coast

One hundred fifty years we boast

10 provinces and three territories, so much to see,

O Canada the best place to be.

Rolly Marentette

Mr. Taras Natyshak: Speaker, I’m both saddened and honoured to rise today to pay tribute to a working-class hero from my community who passed away last week. Rolly Marentette was a humble giant of the labour community and a fierce advocate for injured workers in Windsor and Essex county.

Rolly was a member of Unifor Local 444, and spent 35 years working for Chrysler Canada. It was in his early days working in the maintenance department and in the old engine plant that Rolly was exposed to the hazards that workers were forced to endure and to suffer without many of the legislative protections that we enjoy today. Rolly went on to become the regional ergonomics representative for all of Chrysler’s Windsor operations. In that role, Rolly was able to work with engineers and vendors to implement workstation design changes that led to dramatic decreases in injuries.

The list of Rolly’s community contributions is enormous and there is not enough time to list them all, but here are some of the highlights. He was a young worker awareness program director. He received Unemployed Help Centre of Windsor designations. He was a participant on the Windsor and District Labour Council health and safety committee, the Essex county district health council and the injured workers’ coalition of CAW Local 444. He was a recipient of the clean water alliance award, the Charles E. Brooks Labour Appreciation Award and the Ontario Federation of Labour’s Occupational Disability Response Team award.

Speaker, Rolly never took a step back. He was unwavering in his dedication to protecting vulnerable workers. We miss him. We love him. We thank his family: his wife, Sandy, and his sons, James and Scott. On behalf of the Ontario NDP, thank you, Rolly. We will continue the fight.

Sports volunteers in Beaches–East York

Mr. Arthur Potts: Today I’d like to celebrate and acknowledge the very important contributions of hundreds of volunteers who make summer sports a reality in Beaches–East York. We are so fortunate to have many options for aspiring athletes in the community. For baseball, there’s Stan Wadlow Park. There’s soccer at East York Collegiate, softball at Topham Park and lacrosse at Kew Beach.

Athletics, as we know, are crucial to the development of young minds and bodies in our community. It teaches them how to cope with adversity and learn about good sportsmanship and thus helps them become leaders in the process.

But none of these groups could happen or could function, and our kids wouldn’t benefit, if it wasn’t for the time and dedication of countless volunteers, like the president of East York baseball, Mike Clarke, as well as camp coordinator Andrew Pace and sponsorship lead Beverlee East; David Breech, who is the president of East Toronto baseball; the East York presidents for soccer, Dragan and Theo Zagar, along with sponsorship lead and my good friend Karen Somerville; Michael Teversham, the president of Beach community soccer; and Bolton Kirkof, the president of Topham Park softball; and, of course, great old Frank Ham, who is president of Toronto Beaches lacrosse.

I would ask the House to get up and join me in thanking these incredible individuals and all of their volunteers for their leadership, their dedication and their commitment to the future of our kids and of our province. Everybody have a great summer. Play safe; play hard.

Hike for Hospice

Mr. John Yakabuski: On Sunday, May 7, I was joined by over 900 walkers and runners in the 11th annual Hike for Hospice. Hike for Hospice is the largest fundraiser for Hospice Renfrew, a six-bed home that serves all communities in Renfrew county.

Some 10 years ago, I was honoured to be there when the supporters of compassionate end-of-life care had their dreams partially fulfilled with the ground-breaking for the Hospice Renfrew building. I want to thank that original group, particularly Jim MacKillican. From the time I was first elected, he was pushing hard to bring hospice care to Renfrew county. Since then, community support has been nothing short of amazing.

Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to tour Hospice Renfrew on numerous occasions and to meet with its board, and I speak with its executive director, Maureen Sullivan-Bentz, on a regular basis. I have never failed to be astounded by the level of care, compassion and understanding that its residents and their families are treated to as part of a loved one’s end-of-life experience.

This year, Hike for Hospice raised an amazing $150,000, with money still coming in. That’s over $50,000 more than last year’s record-breaking number. Congratulations and thank you to the organizers whose tireless efforts made those results possible. Thank you to the over 900 participants for your support of this amazing place. Last but not least, thank you to all the people who gave whatever they could to ensure that compassionate end-of-life care is available for those in need. Once again, you have demonstrated that your hearts are as big as the valley itself.

Lyme disease

Mr. Michael Mantha: We’re coming to the end of May, May being Lyme awareness month. I want to recognize some tireless advocates who have helped me understand and work towards trying to help those individuals who are fighting Lyme disease. I want to thank Rossana Magnotta for her tireless support, Dr. Nedi Eckler, Dr. Tim Cook, Ellen Hohs, Linda Kelso, Jeanne Pacey and Dr. Bev Bateman.

I also want to shout out to Lyme Out Loud Kids Canada’s Carrie Weiss and Joanna Petrakis, who introduced me to these worldwide-recognized doctors: Dr. Armin Schwarzbach, Dr. Christian Perronne, Dr. Simon Colla, Dr. Richard Horowitz and Professor Juergen Richt; Lyme Madness advocate Lori Dennis, who helped me immensely in understanding this grave illness; Sarah Bass, who spoke on my behalf over in Burlington this weekend; and Paige Spencer, who was with me and the minister in our Lyme focus group just last week talking about it, who has been in the hospital since then and is still in the hospital.

Listen, Speaker: The month is going to come to an end, but guess what? People with Lyme are still going to continue to suffer. We need to make sure that we create an environment of acceptance and acknowledgment, and we need to go into action. These people need care, and what they want is for us to challenge ourselves. I’m challenging everybody in this room: Take on the challenge, “Take a bite out of Lyme.” It’s very simple: Here’s a lime; take a bite out of it.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): You suffer that prop. Go right ahead.

Further members’ statements.

High-speed rail

Ms. Daiene Vernile: The tech sector in Waterloo region is always moving quickly, and the innovators driving this industry want and need a transit system that moves just as quickly.

Recently, I was pleased to welcome to the Google headquarters in my riding of Kitchener Centre our Premier, the transportation minister and the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. The Premier came to announce that the province is moving forward with a plan for Canada’s first high-speed rail. This includes preliminary design work and a $15-million comprehensive environmental assessment.

Phase 1 of the plan calls for upgrading existing track between Toronto and Kitchener and then laying down new dedicated rail between Kitchener and London. Phase 2 stretches from London to Windsor.

These trains are going to travel at 250 kilometres per hour. Leaving the station in Kitchener, you’ll be able to get to Pearson airport in just 32 minutes, and then on to Union Station and downtown Toronto in 48 minutes.

In my community, better connectivity is tied to economic success, not just for the tech sector but for other businesses, organizations, students and anyone who wants to avoid the 401, where precious time is lost while you’re stuck in traffic. Saving time means saving lost productivity dollars. Getting those cars off the road also supports our plan for a low-carbon economy.

In my community we’re all aboard for high-speed rail. It’s an idea whose plan has come.

Healthy eating

Mr. Toby Barrett: I just wanted to let people know that Norfolk county strawberries were out on the market this past weekend, and, of course, asparagus. I want to stress that a balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, is a cornerstone of good health. It’s important for managing weight and reducing the incidence of chronic disease, yet we consume fewer servings of these products than are recommended in Canada’s Food Guide.

Consuming seven portions of fruit and vegetables has been linked to a 42% reduction in the risk of death from all cases of chronic illness, a 25% reduction in the risk of cancer, and a 31% lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

Canada’s Food Guide recommends that men consume eight to 10 servings, and women should consume seven to eight servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Paramedics competition

Mr. Percy Hatfield: Speaker, as you know, the Windsor Spitfires won the MasterCard Memorial Cup on Sunday. Back in 2009 and 2010, they won back-to-back Memorial Cups.

I’m proud to stand here today and tell you about our latest back-to-back championship. This time it’s our gold-medal-winning champion EMS paramedics team from Windsor and Essex county. That’s right: They went back to the Czech Republic to defend their international title, and they won it again last weekend. EMS Team Canada East came away with the gold.

Congratulations to team captain Chris Kirwan, from my riding of Windsor–Tecumseh, and Lance Huver, Mike Filiaut and Shawn May.

The win speaks volumes to the calibre of paramedics that serve us all, from all across Ontario. Truly, Speaker, and Ontario’s paramedics have now proven it twice, they are the best on the entire planet. They beat 21 other teams from around the world.

The competition took place over a 24-hour period, deep in the Jesenik Mountains of the Czech Republic. Teams were scored on how well they completed mass-casualty simulations, how they dealt with complex medical cases with critical patients, rappelling, and intense scenarios on forest mountainsides in the dark.

It’s the first time in the competition’s 21-year history that a team has won back-to-back gold. Hungary came in second. Austria was third. Team Canada West from BC finished in a respectable sixth place.

Our gold-winning team are all members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and they deserve a tip of the hat and congratulations from all of us here at the Ontario Legislature.

School safety

Mr. Mike Colle: I want to thank all members of the House on both sides who voted today to pass Bill 65, the school safety zones act. This legislation enables municipalities, if they so choose, to install modern photo radar technology and other technical devices to make areas around our schools safer. Also, there are other areas they can call community safety zones. They can also do that, if the municipality so wishes.

This is an important day for our children and for safety. We have had three unfortunate deaths in the city of Toronto alone in the last couple of years. We had the young girl in Leaside killed near her school. We had another young boy in Scarborough killed in front of his school. On the weekend, we had a five-year-old on a bicycle, with his grandfather on the Martin Goodman Trail, killed.

I think parents are asking us to do what we can to make areas around schools or trails safer. This will help. I applaud all the members of the House and the Minister of Transportation for his great leadership on this, because this is

an act that will help protect our children around our schools and even our seniors around their places of residence, so that traffic will be slowed down.

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Government Agencies

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that today the Clerk received the report on intended appointments dated May 30, 2017, of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies. Pursuant to standing order 108(f)(9), the report is deemed to be adopted by the House.

Report deemed adopted.

Standing Committee on Justice Policy / Comité permanent de la justice

M. Shafiq Qaadri: Je demande la permission de déposer un rapport du Comité