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November 20, 2017

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2017-Nov-20 (PDF)

L122 - Mon 20 Nov 2017 / Lun 20 nov 2017

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 20 November 2017 Lundi 20 novembre 2017

Introduction of Visitors

Royal assent / Sanction royale

Wearing of pins

Trans Day of Remembrance

Oral Questions

Labour dispute

Hydro rates

Labour dispute

Labour dispute

Mental health services

Labour dispute

Immigrant services

Wind turbines

Hydro rates

Anti-bullying initiatives

Employment standards

Mercury poisoning

Organisation internationale de la Francophonie

Mercury poisoning

Visitors

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Violence against women and children

YMCA Sprott House

Military Heritage Park

Lindsay Shepherd

Labour councils

Paul French

Volunteer firefighters

Toronto Argonauts

Robin Kennie

Petitions

Wind turbines

Injured workers

Public transit

Long-term care

Long-term care

Public transit

School closures

Long-term care

Public transit

Provincial debt

Pharmacare

Public transit

Driver licences

Anti-smoking initiatives for youth

Orders of the Day

Cannabis, Smoke-Free Ontario and Road Safety Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le cannabis, l’Ontario sans fumée et la sécurité routière

Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017 / Loi de 2017 pour un Ontario plus fort et plus juste (mesures budgétaires)

The House met at 1030.

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

Prayers.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): This being our first sitting Monday of the month, I ask everyone to join in the singing of the Canadian national anthem.

Singing of O Canada.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Bill Walker: It’s my pleasure to make an introduction on behalf of the member for Kitchener–Conestoga and congratulate page Davis Gates, who is page captain today, and welcome his parents, dad Jeff Gates and mom Jacqueline Armstrong; sister Victoria Gates, a former page; and grandparents Scott and Sharon Gates and Sandra Armstrong.

Mr. Michael Mantha: It’s with pleasure that I introduce our friends from OPTrust. We’ll be having a reception this evening, meeting with several MPPs today: Hugh O’Reilly, James Davis, Reg Swamy, Audrey Forbes, Tim Shortill, John Walsh, Darcy McNeill, my friend Claire Prashaw, and Michael Rychlewski, who are going to be enjoying the day here.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: It’s my pleasure to welcome to the House today a number of trans activists from across Ontario who have joined us or will be joining us: Freya Perry, Madison Richard, Davina Hader, Andrew Fraser, Boyd Kodak, Christine Newman, Bri Gardner, Susan Gapka, Eva Simone, Max Denley, Leon Tsai and Homa.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: While we were busy at work getting students back to school on Saturday, the Western Mustangs set a Uteck Bowl record. They won 81-3 over the Acadia Axemen. I know all members of the Legislature are going to want to join me in wishing the Mustangs the best of luck in the Vanier Cup this Saturday.

Mr. Paul Miller: It’s my privilege to introduce the page captain today from my riding, Erion Keka. His parents, Silvia and Besim Keka, are here to watch their son in action.

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: I would like to welcome Henry Spiteri and Mike Douglas, who are here today with the Ontario Real Estate Association.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: On behalf of the member from Glengarry–Prescott–Russell, I am pleased to rise and welcome the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance to Queen’s Park today. In the members’ gallery are George Gilvesy from the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, Ralph DeBoer from Flowers Canada (Ontario) and his daughter Madeline, and Jan VanderHout, president of the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance. They represent an important part of the province, Speaker. And on behalf of myself, welcome to the members of OREA from Northumberland–Quinte West.

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I would like to extend a warm welcome to Barb Guiden, Christianne Elizabeth Newton, Sylvie Marie DesHaies and Colleen Marie Emmerson, all from the Ontario Real Estate Association.

Mr. Arthur Potts: It would ill behoove all of us not to recognize that the Argonauts made a big comeback win yesterday, going to the Grey Cup on Sunday. Congratulations. Go, Argos, go!

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: I have the pleasure of introducing today, from the gallery, Deanna Jane Gunter, Randy Wayne Mulder, Carolyn Bones-Poley and Stephen Oliver, who are with the Ontario realtors’ association.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: It’s my pleasure to introduce my brother, Michael Horwath, who is not quite in the seat yet but will be joining us very shortly.

Royal assent / Sanction royale

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to assent to a certain bill in her office.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Mr. William Short): The following is the title of the bill to which Her Honour did assent:

An Act to resolve the labour dispute between the College Employer Council and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union / Loi visant à régler le conflit de travail entre le Conseil des employeurs des collèges et le Syndicat des employés de la fonction publique de l’Ontario.

Wearing of pins

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I believe the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has a point of order.

Hon. Laura Albanese: I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent that members be permitted to wear pins to recognize and celebrate Albanian Heritage Month.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The minister is seeking unanimous consent to wear the pins for Albanian Heritage Month. Do we agree? Agreed.

Trans Day of Remembrance

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Parkdale–High Park on a point of order.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent for a moment of silence this international Trans Day of Remembrance, for the thousands of trans, non-binary and two-spirited persons who have died due to transphobia.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Parkdale–High Park is seeking consent to pay a moment’s silence for the death of those individuals. Do we agree? Agreed.

I would ask all members of the House and the galleries to please rise for a moment of silence to pay respect.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Pray be seated.

Oral Questions

Labour dispute

Mr. Lorne Coe: My question is for the Premier. I was pleased to see earlier today the government announce details of the college student support fund. It’s the right thing for colleges to give the net strike savings back to the students caught in the middle the last five weeks. But the government let this college strike drag on and on, and it’s time for the Liberal government to right their wrong. Will the government commit today to matching the college student support fund, dollar for dollar?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I appreciate the question from the member opposite, and I know that the minister is going to want to speak to the specifics of the college fund. But let me just say this: Our focus all along has been on students, Mr. Speaker. We are very pleased to see the students back in the classroom as of tomorrow.

I think that on a number of issues, there are questions that need to be asked about the process, particularly about the way the process unfolded and the authority of some of the bodies involved.

We are going to ask those questions in order to make sure that students don’t get caught in this way again and that collective bargaining can take place. But we do have questions that we need to ask about the process as it unfolds at this time.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Lorne Coe: Back to the Premier: For the five weeks students were shut out of the classroom, they had a long time to think, Speaker. Let me tell you, I’ve heard from countless students that they’re disillusioned. They’ve lost faith in the democratic process. The government needs to put money where their mouth is. Once again, will the government today commit to matching the $500-per-student fund, dollar for dollar?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know that the minister will want to speak to the specifics of the fund, but I have to recognize that this question is coming from a member of a party that really doesn’t support collective bargaining. The fact is we do support collective bargaining, Mr. Speaker. We believe it’s an important part of our democratic—

Interjections.

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Start the clock. Evidence is presenting itself that I may have to pick up where I left off. I will, and quickly.

Mr. John Yakabuski: She lies about us.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): If that’s a challenge, I’ll be up to the challenge. If it continues, I’ll start.

Premier.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Mr. Speaker, we believe that collective bargaining is an important part of our democratic process. The action that we took was a last resort because there was no foreseeable agreement. We are very pleased that students will be back in class tomorrow.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We are in warnings. You asked; I will give it to you.

Final supplementary.

Mr. Lorne Coe: Back to the Premier: For five weeks, students weren’t getting the schooling they were paying for. For five weeks, students missed out on potential earnings. For five weeks, students were forced to sell their personal belongings to make ends meet. For five weeks, students were put through unmeasurable financial stress.

Speaker, will the government do the right thing today? Will the government commit to matching the college students’ fund dollar for dollar?

Interjections.

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

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I was pleased this morning to be able to announce more details of the hardship fund. Full-time students will be able to receive up to $500—

Mr. Steve Clark: Yes, yes, we read the rules.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Leeds–Grenville is warned.

Carry on.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: —for unexpected costs that they have incurred, such as additional child care fees, rebooked train or bus tickets and January rent. Students can start applying for that later this week.

In addition, for students receiving OSAP, if they’re having their winter semester extended past the normal end date, they will receive additional OSAP for the length of the extension.

While it is our sincere hope that students will remain enrolled in their programs, there will be some students who will withdraw. We will refund their tuition, and there will be no academic penalties.

Hydro rates

Mr. Todd Smith: My question this morning is for the Premier. Last week, Premier Wynne’s $4.5-million man, Mayo Schmidt, the CEO of Hydro One, was back in the news again. As he delivered remarks at the Empire Club, the $4.5-million man was calling for higher hydro rates once again. In fact, Hydro One is requesting higher hydro rates right now.

Will the government promise that they will stop this proposed hydro rate hike now?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Let me talk about something that I’m sure the member from the opposition hasn’t read. It’s called the fair hydro plan. In the fair hydro plan, he should be aware that, no matter the outcome of the application brought forward by Hydro One, the rate application will be held to the cost of inflation for the next four years. That’s to make sure that we can keep rates as low as possible.

We’ve reduced them by 25%—and I’m sure that he hasn’t heard that as well, Mr. Speaker—because that is helping every single family in this province. We’ve reduced rates by 25%, and as I mentioned, we’re making sure that we’re holding these rates to the cost of inflation for the next four years.

Hydro One and its application are being brought forward. It’s being brought to the OEB. The OEB is going to review the application, but the costs will stay at the rate of inflation.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Todd Smith: It sounds to me, Speaker, like the government is prepared to let that 5% increase in hydro rates go ahead. They’ll just borrow billions of dollars more to make sure that it doesn’t appear on bills now. But we know, because we have read the unfair Liberal hydro plan, that the rates are going to skyrocket after the next election. That’s according to their own cabinet documents.

The Hydro One CEO makes $4.5 million. Then he gives a speech at a swanky downtown Toronto hotel, and what does he tell the audience? How this is justifiable when Hydro One service has become less reliable but more expensive.

The auditor says that because of aging equipment, we have a higher risk of failing infrastructure. That really just goes to show how out of touch this government has become.

If the government won’t stop the rate hike—it looks like they’re prepared to borrow billions of dollars more to pay for it—will the Premier at least tell the people of Ontario that she doesn’t support this rate hike?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: As usual, it’s “say one thing and do another” from the other side. When the Hydro One executive was awarded the OEA’s—

Interjections.

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

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: When the Hydro One CEO was awarded the Ontario Energy Association’s leader of the year award, which he attended, he stood and applauded with everyone else, Mr. Speaker. Now he stands in here to slam the CEO—the CEO who has found $75 million in savings, the CEO who is actually changing the company to make sure that they’re more customer-focused.

Let’s talk about what Hydro One is doing to ensure that they can continue to operate and be customer-focused. They’ve voluntarily ended winter disconnections. They’ve voluntarily returned security deposits, Mr. Speaker. They’re doing a great job as a company and making sure that they keep the lights on—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Niagara West–Glanbrook is warned.

Final supplementary?

Mr. Todd Smith: Speaker, I’m going to say this really slowly and very, very clearly: We are not criticizing the CEO of Hydro One. We’re criticizing this Premier, and this government, who gave him a salary of $4.5 million, 10 times what his counterparts are receiving in other provinces of Canada.

The government sits across from us and claims that they’ve rebuilt the system—what a crock—because the CEO at Hydro One is standing up before an audience downtown, saying the reason he has to come to them now looking for a nearly 5% increase is because of aging infrastructure. The government hasn’t repaired what they said that they have repaired. They haven’t modernized the system. If they’d done what they claimed, the $4.5-million man wouldn’t be asking for more money to do just that, would he?

Mr. Speaker, why is the Premier’s $4.5-million man trying to hike hydro rates to apparently rebuild the system if the Liberals already have rebuilt the system?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I’m always pleased to talk about and remind the opposition about the fair hydro plan in which rates are being held to the cost of inflation for the next four years. We’ve also seen a 25% reduction for every single family and household right across the province. On top of that, Mr. Speaker, we’ve got families that live in rural and northern parts of our community that are seeing anywhere between 40% and 50%.

I know, Mr. Speaker, we’re getting up to and close to around 300 days since they said they might talk about a plan, maybe show us something, even an iota of what they would do, but they don’t because they have no idea—no idea on what to do to help those folks who are suffering right now with higher energy bills. That’s why we brought forward the fair hydro plan, that’s why we voted in favour of it, and that’s why they’ll continue to vote against anything that will help the people of Ontario.

Labour dispute

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Premier. This weekend, the Liberal government teamed up with the Conservatives and passed legislation to trample on the rights of college faculty. The Premier has underfunded colleges for years, Speaker, laying the groundwork for this strike in the first place. But instead of getting involved, which the law gives her every right to do, she refused, letting down students and letting down faculty members. Now she has forced faculty back to work with no plan to fix the mess that she has created in our colleges.

Why didn’t the Premier exercise her legal right to direct the employer and avoid this strike in the first place, Speaker?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: The leader of the third party is wrong on a number of fronts, Mr. Speaker, including what I had the authority to do or not do. I just said in a question earlier to the opposition party that there are many questions that have come out of this process, and one of them is exactly what those authorities should be and how we can move to make the process more rational so that collective bargaining can take place, but that students would not be caught in a situation like this again. Those are questions that need to be answered.

But, Mr. Speaker, the leader of the third party is just wrong that those authorities are in place at this point. We supported the collective bargaining process. We wanted both parties to reach agreement at the table. When the final offer vote was not accepted, Minister Matthews and I brought both parties together and it was very clear that there was not going to be an agreement reached by the parties.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, if the Premier had no authority, how did she have the authority to bring the parties back together on Thursday of last week? Sections 4 and 5 of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act allow the government to get involved to facilitate bargaining if it is deemed to be in the public interest.

The Liberal government, for example, had the legal authority to direct colleges to reduce the number of part-time, precarious employees they hire, removing one of the single biggest obstacles to getting an agreement. Why didn’t the Liberal government do this, Speaker?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Again, the leader of the third party is just wrong. That is not the issue that was the roadblock to an agreement, Mr. Speaker. That issue had been taken off the table and was going to be discussed separately.

The leader of the third party does not understand how the law works in this instance. We left it until the last moment. The minister and I invited the parties to come and talk to us, and only when we understood that there was no possibility of an agreement did we tell them that we were going to move forward with legislation—and that’s what we did. The solution of the third party would have been to let that bargaining go on forever and keep those students out of class indefinitely. Unacceptable; not a solution; not what we have would have done.

Interjections.

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

Final supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: It’s not information to anyone in this that the Liberal government left this to the very last minute. Everybody had to pay the price for the fact that the Liberal government left this to the very last minute.

Speaker, “public interest” is defined in the act as “the quality of education and training services provided to students.” It’s not too late for the Premier to take responsibility and use her legislated authority to help—

Hon. Brad Duguid: Yes, we saw how you cared about—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. The Minister of Economic Development and Growth is warned.

Carry on.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: It’s not too late to have her authority used to help improve college education in Ontario, and this clearly falls within the definition of “public interest” under the law. Will the Premier direct the employer to include in their submission for the arbitrator a plan to reduce the number of part-time, precarious employees that they hire?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I understand why the leader of the third party would now want to focus on what actually rests in the hands of the parties and the arbitrator, because she doesn’t want to acknowledge that she had no solution for getting those students back into the classroom, short of having a collective bargaining process that would go on forever, Mr. Speaker.

She also doesn’t want to acknowledge that the students could have been back in class today. They could have been back in class today, if the NDP had not chosen to take their route. We left it till the very end of the process. We believe in collective bargaining. When there was no option, when it was clear that there was going to be no resolution, then we acted to get students back as quickly as possible. The NDP stood in the way of that expedited process. But the students will be back in class tomorrow, and that’s as it should be.

Labour dispute

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier: New Democrats are glad the colleges are open today, but I’m disgusted—I’m disgusted—that the Premier allowed—

Interjections.

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

Leader.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I’m disgusted that the Premier allowed the strike to drag on for five weeks—

Interjection.

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

Please finish.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: —while doing nothing at all. Students paid the price for the Premier’s inaction: They paid academically, emotionally and financially. Today we’re hearing that the Premier is capping the hardship fund that she promised students. Does this Premier believe that $500 is enough to fix the chaos that she created in students’ lives?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Speaker, some days, sitting in this House is a surreal experience, and I think we just saw one of those moments.

Yesterday, the NDP made it very clear that they would not have legislated—

Interjections.

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

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Speaker, we can check Hansard: Yesterday, the member from Welland made it very clear that the NDP would never have legislated them back, that they would never have imposed the end of the strike. Now, to hear the leader say she’s pleased that students are back, that colleges are open, when they are not—they could have been. If they had decided on Thursday or on Friday to support the legislation that ordered those workers back to work, the students would be in the classroom. They’re not, and there’s only one person responsible for that.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, what New Democrats would never have done is allow our colleges to be so underfunded that they fell to the back of the pack in all of Canada when it comes to per-student funding.

The Premier promised this assistance, this fund, to students weeks ago. Today, she’s letting students down once again. Students deserve to be compensated fully for the costs they incurred as a result of this Premier’s inaction for more than five weeks.

Will the Premier take full responsibility and get rid of the cap that she has imposed on the student support fund?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Of course, had the strike gone on longer, those costs would have been higher, but let me repeat some of the highlights of what we have announced today.

Full-time students will be eligible to receive up to $500 for unexpected incremental costs associated with the strike. That could be child care. It could be an extra month’s rent. It could be rebooked travel plans to get home for Christmas. Colleges will be opening applications for that fund later this week.

Another issue we heard from students—these are all initiatives driven by consultation with students. Some students have been very concerned that they have missed the withdrawal date, that if they did choose not to complete the semester, they would have a zero on their transcript rather than a withdrawal. There will be no academic penalty and a full tuition refund, including the deposit, for students who make the choice to withdraw after the strike.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Students were forced to put their lives on hold for five weeks because the Premier and her Liberal government sat on their hands and watched the faculty strike escalate. Now today, after promising relief, the Premier is offering nothing but further confusion, chaos and hardship.

Will the Premier and her government be requiring colleges to provide enhanced—

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: You wanted her to interfere with collective bargaining. Is that what you like?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The Minister of Infrastructure is warned.

Carry on.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Will the Premier and her government be requiring colleges to provide enhanced mental health and academic counselling services to help students cope with the mess they’ve left them in?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: It’s wonderful to hear the NDP talking about students for once. I think in the speeches yesterday there was only one mention—the member from Welland—of the word “student,” and that was when she was quoting Minister Flynn.

In consultation with students, with student leaders across the province and with colleges, we have responded to the concerns of students. I’m pleased with the package. I think our students will be pleased with this package. There has been tremendous uncertainty. They are happy that there is now certainty, that classes will resume tomorrow. But I’m not sure they will ever forgive the NDP for blocking a return to school.

Mental health services

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Premier. The government has made a commitment on mental health, but I’m hearing from mental health service providers that you’ve ignored the treatment. There are so many who need counselling who can’t get it. The government is failing them.

If a child in this province breaks a leg, they are treated immediately, yet kids with serious mental health issues—some are even suicidal—are left waiting for treatment. Why is the government turning a blind eye to the real needs of our young people who face a mental health challenge? Why are these delays allowed in the province of Ontario? Can the Premier enlighten us?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: We are absolutely committed to providing the highest quality mental health services for all Ontarians, regardless of where they reside in this province, regardless of their age.

Miss Monique Taylor: Well done.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Hamilton Mountain is warned.

Finish, please.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, as recently as this spring’s budget, we announced an additional $140 million for mental health services in a variety of ways: $140 million that that member voted against. It includes the creation of up to 10 new youth wellness hubs to provide those wraparound supports that young people require at various times as they grow into successful adults. It included $72 million for structured psychotherapy, so we’re the first province in all of Canada to provide programs for cognitive behavioural therapy, and I’ll talk more about that in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: For the last 10 years, Assia Messaudi has struggled to get help for depression and anxiety issues. She spoke to CBC and Global to tell her story in the hopes that this wouldn’t happen to other young people in the province of Ontario. I told the family that we would raise this directly with the Premier. In fact, Assia has attempted suicide a number of times. The reality is, Assia, like tens of thousands of youth in the province, can’t get mental health treatment when they need it.

I know the Minister of Health and the Premier say everything is rosy, but it’s not good enough. In some parts of the province, kids are waiting 18 months to get publicly funded counselling. They say everything’s fine? Imagine having the courage to come forward with a mental health issue and being told, “Come back in 18 months.” That’s not the Ontario I know; that’s not the Ontario that we should be.

My question, directly to the Premier—I hope that it’s not passed off—is this: To a young Ontarian like Assia, are you going to continue to let them down? Can I count on the government to actually invest in mental health—

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

Interjections.

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

Minister?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: To the Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Hon. Michael Coteau: I appreciate the question from the Leader of the Opposition.

Earlier this year, we passed Bill 89. The Leader of the Opposition and his party voted against that bill. In that specific bill, it lays out our Moving on Mental Health strategy by putting forward 33 lead agencies in Ontario to work on youth mental health.

We don’t know why the Progressive Conservative Party voted against that bill. We do have some clues. There were some members who were on the record saying that they voted against Bill 89 because the Campaign Life Coalition told them to do so.

I want to know from the members opposite—and that was the member from Niagara West–Glanbrook who said that—why did you vote against Bill 89, a piece of legislation to support the well-being of children and youth here in the province of Ontario, specifically around mental health?

Labour dispute

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Premier. While some students are relieved to be back in their classes this week, many are not. After five weeks of this government doing nothing to end this strike, many students would rather lose their semester than have to cram five weeks of content into two. This will be difficult for even the strongest students, and almost impossible for students with special learning needs. Many students want a fresh start in the new year, with the complete semester they paid for, and they are demanding a full tuition refund.

Will the Premier direct the colleges to provide a full tuition refund to every student who requests it and not just to students who are withdrawing from college completely because of the strike?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.

Hon. Deborah Matthews: As I said earlier, if students do make the choice—and we hope that not many will, but we do respect if students want to make the choice to withdraw as a result of the strike—there will be a full tuition refund, including the deposit, and it will be recorded as a withdrawal on their transcript; there will be no academic penalty.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I’m not talking about students who withdraw from college. I’m talking about students who want to start again in January with a new semester.

Many students are in an absolute panic. They are not only stressed about the academic pressure of a compressed and accelerated semester; they’re also worried about having to relearn content they were taught back in September.

The crisis in campus mental health means that students struggling with anxiety and depression will be returning to campus without adequate supports to help them. They face the gruelling prospect of a high-pressure year, a shortened Christmas break and no spring break to recharge.

Will the Premier commit today to making emergency and enhanced mental health supports available for the college students whose mental health and well-being has been jeopardized because of this strike?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I think it’s important that people in positions of leadership, like every single person in this House, actually support students. The colleges are doing a very good job working to make sure that students can successfully complete their semester. They have recovery plans. To suggest that they’re cramming five weeks’ work into two weeks just simply isn’t accurate. It’s our job to support those students to complete their semester, to get on with their lives.

I have to say it’s pretty rich hearing this coming from a party that said they would not ever order workers back. This strike has to come to an end. It was the right time. We had exhausted all other options. Students will be back tomorrow, and that’s a very good thing.

Immigrant services

Mr. Han Dong: My question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. My riding of Trinity–Spadina and our province as a whole have a very diverse population. In fact, Canada’s 2016 census showed that more than half of Torontonians identified as visible minorities.

This diversity makes us a stronger and more successful province. However, we must recognize that many diverse and newcomer communities continue to experience barriers to inclusion that must be overcome to ensure that all Ontarians have the opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of life in our province.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the minister: Can she tell us what her ministry is doing in helping community-based organizations that are in a unique position to help newcomers, refugees and ethnocultural communities get involved in our province’s civic, cultural, social and economic life?

Hon. Laura Albanese: I’d like to thank the member from Trinity–Spadina for his question and his advocacy towards newcomers.

Community-based organizations work at the local level to improve the lives of individuals. In June of this year, our ministry launched the Multicultural Community Capacity Grant Program to help ethnocultural organizations advance diversity and reduce barriers to inclusion.

I was very pleased to have the member from Trinity–Spadina and the member for Beaches–East York join me recently at the Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre in Toronto, where we announced the first recipients of the Multicultural Community Capacity Grant Program. Just over $3 million in grants, ranging from $1,000 to $8,000, were awarded to 465 worthy organizations across Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Han Dong: I want to thank the minister for her answer. It was wonderful to see the microcosm of society represented at the Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre last week. There was a group of truly worthy organizations looking to promote diversity and inclusion, including a group from my own riding. Our riding had 20 successful multicultural community capacity grant applicants. I’m proud to represent a riding where so many are passionate about growing their community.

Can the minister speak to the influx of applications for the program and how her ministry will attempt to support the numerous groups from across the province who wish to help promote diversity and inclusion in Ontario?

Hon. Laura Albanese: Once again, I’d like to thank the member for his question. Our ministry was extremely pleased to see the high level of interest in the Multicultural Community Capacity Grant Program. While we were able to help many organizations like the ones highlighted by the member from Trinity–Spadina, there are many more valuable projects out there.

That’s why I was pleased to also announce that the application process for the 2018-19 call for proposals is now open for eligible not-for-profits. This grant is an excellent opportunity for organizations to facilitate community engagement, social integration, volunteerism and to promote social connections and employment networking. These modest grants support valuable and innovative projects that promote intercultural understanding and reduce barriers to participation in community life. By working together, we make our organizations stronger and more inclusive.

Wind turbines

Mr. Monte McNaughton: My question today is for the Minister of Energy. In my riding of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, your ministry is pushing ahead with two new industrial wind turbine developments, the North Kent 1 and Otter Creek wind farms. These wind farms will generate electricity we don’t need and contribute to pushing hydro bills even higher than they already are.

These developments include turbines almost 200 metres high with foundations that require pile driving into black shale bedrock, rock containing heavy metals. This bedrock carries water of the aquifer. Since the start of construction on the North Kent project, 14 water wells have become turbid and undrinkable.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve seen the impact of pile driving into black shale from the North Kent project. Why is the minister allowing construction to continue there, and why is he jeopardizing the drinking water of another community by going forward with the Otter Creek project?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: To the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Hon. Chris Ballard: I’m happy to speak in some generalities around the need for wind turbines, and the very vigorous process that our government puts in place to make sure that the turbines are sited safely and that there is good, strong consultation with the community.

Speaker, we take the concerns regarding the environment and human health very seriously. I’ll say that we adhere to a very strict renewable energy approvals process.

Thanks to clean air and clean energy—and let me speak to the fundamentals for a second—Ontario has saved more than $4 billion in annual health and environmental costs because of this government’s commitment to clean energy.

Unlike the PCs, we can’t sit idly by. Renewable energy projects are a necessity and a crucial part of our low-carbon carbon switch, and we’re not going to back down from our—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. I stand, you sit.

Supplementary.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Back to the Minister of Energy: These wind farms will forever end food production on some of the best agricultural land in our country. And we are talking about an environmentally sensitive area, home to 24 species at risk, and within a major flight path for migratory birds. It is fragmenting the bedrock, turning clear, clean water into dirty, undrinkable swill, yet the project is going ahead even though the government has suspended the large renewable procurement II process because there is no need for additional electricity.

When the minister made that announcement in September 2016, I said that North Kent 1 and Otter Creek should be cancelled as well. Had the minister cancelled these two projects, the long-term savings would amount to $570 million. If stopping turbine construction makes economic, environmental and public health sense, why would the Minister of Energy sign off on continuing to build industrial wind farms in my riding of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex?

Interjections.

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

Minister?

Hon. Chris Ballard: Thanks for the opportunity to follow up on the North Kent wind farm. Again, I’m going to reiterate that our government takes these concerns regarding groundwater quality very seriously. The renewable energy approval process, in fact, requires these proponents to undertake extensive consultation with municipalities, indigenous communities and the public. Additionally, we have taken a very cautious, science-based approach when setting the standards for renewable energy projects in order to protect the health of the Ontario people.

Speaker, the proponent in this case has done extensive monitoring prior to construction, and we’re going to require them to continue to monitor the vibration data closely during construction and operation of the wind turbines. We require the company to conduct additional water quality assessments and we’re keeping an eye on this.

Hydro rates

Mr. Peter Tabuns: My question is to the Premier. Last week the CEO of the privatized Hydro One defended the sharp rate increases he’s seeking to benefit investors. He told the Empire Club that the rate increases were needed for capital investments to keep the system reliable, but the Ontario Energy Board didn’t believe this. They told Hydro One to reduce its revenue demands. Hydro One has basically refused, and came back with nearly the same demand.

Let’s be clear: Hydro One is not seeking this money to improve service. It wants this money so it can build an empire, including its ridiculous $6-billion purchase of Avista. Why is the Premier allowing Hydro One to expand its monopoly at ratepayers’ expense?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: When it comes to Hydro One’s ask and to the OEB, it is just that: It’s an ask, and the OEB will do its due diligence and, again, review this application.

But let’s be clear, Mr. Speaker: The fair hydro plan talks about the 25% reduction that we’ve brought forward for all families right across this province, all residences, and then, of course, 500,000 small businesses and farms. That 25% is taking effect, and then the cost will rise only by the cost of inflation for the next four years.

Hydro One is looking at what its needs are. It put forward its plan to continue to make our system reliable. We spent $70 billion making sure that we could rebuild this system, and we need to continue to maintain it. That’s what this ask is about. The OEB will review it, always making sure that it keeps the best interests of customers in mind.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Again to the Premier: Two years ago, the Premier promised that Hydro One would lower hydro rates after it became a private corporation, but the privatized Hydro One refuses to lower rates, even after the Premier gave it a $2.6-billion tax cut. In fact, Hydro One is taking the Ontario Energy Board to court so it can keep 100% of that tax break and leave nothing for ratepayers. It’s refusing to be regulated by the OEB, and is demanding sharp rate increases in order to expand its monopoly, while doing nothing to improve its performance for Ontario families and businesses.

Will the Premier finally admit that her sell-off of Hydro One has been a complete failure?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: The ownership of Hydro One does not change how rates are reviewed by the OEB. It also does not change the fact that rates will only go up by the rate of inflation, not by the fear-mongering coming from the NDP.

But let’s look very clearly at what has happened with Hydro One rates, Mr. Speaker. Hydro One urban customers have seen a 25% reduction, just like every other family right across the province. On top of that, the rates for Hydro One R1 and R2 customers have dropped between 40% and 50%. That is a huge reduction for those families.

On top of that, Hydro One has voluntarily stepped forward and cancelled winter disconnections. They stepped forward and voluntarily ended security deposits. When it comes to seeing a company grow, they’re actually growing and becoming more customer-focused and making sure that we can use the money we got from the broadening of the ownership to build infrastructure right across the province.

Anti-bullying initiatives

Ms. Daiene Vernile: My question is for the Minister of Education. November 19 to 25 is Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. Our government is taking steps to address and prevent bullying in Ontario schools, including in my riding of Kitchener Centre.

In 2012, we passed the Accepting Schools Act, which requires school boards to introduce measures to prevent and address inappropriate student behaviour. This very important piece of legislation is intended to make every school in Ontario a safe, inclusive and accepting place to learn, while at the same time supporting every student to have the right supports to reach their full potential.

Speaker, could the minister please tell this House how we are supporting safe schools during the school year, and especially during Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week?

Hon. Mitzie Hunter: I’m pleased to rise in the House this morning to recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, which begins today. I want to thank the member from Kitchener Centre. I know that when the Premier first appointed me as Minister of Education, I had an opportunity to visit a brand new school, Vista Hills Public School, in your riding, and how thrilled was I in that safe, accepting and inclusive school environment, where all school leaders were focused on a safe and accepting school environment.

Our government believes in supporting student achievement and well-being with a safe, inclusive and accepting learning environment for all students. As Minister of Education, I try to visit at least one school a week. I have seen students, educators and families across Ontario working together to make our schools welcoming for everyone. In January, I visited l’école secondaire publique De La Salle, and I saw how a student-led initiative was under way, including a gender neutral washroom.

This week, I am encouraging educators across the province to spend time talking—

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

Supplementary.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: I would like to thank the minister for her visit to my community recently. She was a big hit.

At an early age, Ontario students do learn how important it is to respect one another. This fosters a sense of success and belonging for all students. Schools are participating in Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, effecting positive change in student achievement and well-being.

For example, Collège catholique Mer Bleue in Orléans has undertaken a school-wide initiative. It’s focused on caring to increase kindness, empathy and emotional support throughout the year. They’re offering a series of classes for all teachers and students. In these weekly classes, they’re learning about self-acceptance and cyberbullying prevention. This is a great example of a safe, inclusive and accepting school in action.

Could the minister please tell us more on how we’re promoting safe and accepting schools, and how we can all play a

part in bullying awareness and prevention in Ontario?

Hon. Mitzie Hunter: By promoting respect for all students regardless of background, identity or personal circumstance, Ontario schools are fostering safe and inclusive places to learn.

As we recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, I am pleased to share with you that this year’s Premier’s Awards for Accepting Schools applications will be open. These awards showcase the initiative, creativity and leadership that safe and accepting school teams have shown. To recognize the work of a safe and accepting school’s team, I encourage all members of the school community to visit the Ministry of Education’s website tomorrow when the nomination period begins.

I also encourage every member of this House to participate in anti-bullying activities planned this week in your local schools and to promote the Premier’s Awards for Accepting Schools. Let’s work together to make our schools a safe and accepting place for all students.

Employment standards

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: My question is to the Minister of Community and Social Services. Last spring, the government introduced Bill 148, making drastic changes to employment and labour laws. They did no cost-benefit analysis, and now social service agencies face millions in new, unfunded costs.

OASIS, which represents nearly 200 agencies in the developmental services sector, told the government: “Without increased funding to the sector by the relevant ministries, Bill 148 threatens the sector’s ability to carry out this work. It cannot be overstated that it will have an impact on the lives of the people served by the sector.”

Why did the minister not speak up against a bill that threatens the very people she’s supposed to protect?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: We on this side of the House are extremely proud of Bill 148 and the types of protections that are provided in that bill for some of the workers in our province who are working for minimum wage at the moment, and also in precarious employment.

Of course, the provisions of this bill are extremely important to all vulnerable Ontarians. In particular, as it relates to the agencies that my ministry has transfer payment agreements with, we’re working with them and looking at the impact that that bill will have on services. That conversation continues, and we’re extremely aware of some of the comments that the agencies have made.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: The minister is not listening to OASIS and its members. It sounds like she’s just speaking up for the Premier.

Many agencies have not seen a core funding increase for nine years, and now OASIS estimates that Bill 148 will add at least $55.96 million in new costs. One example: Community Living Toronto expects a reduction of “80,000 service hours a year through the loss of 40-plus full-time positions.”

OASIS and others have made practical suggestions, but so far their efforts have been met with silence. I wrote the minister last summer about this issue, and she replied, “I have also heard the trepidation amongst agencies,” but she offers no solution to offset their costs. If the minister can really hear the trepidation, why won’t she do something about it?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Again, we are very proud of the provisions of Bill 148. We certainly stand behind our leader and we’re totally united, on this side of the House, in terms of those important provisions.

As it relates to the agencies, we’re working with them. We’re listening to them. We are obviously looking at the potential impact in some of the situations that do occur with these agencies caring for those with developmental disabilities and vulnerable people. Obviously, there are requirements for shift work for some urgent situations that need to be addressed.

We will continue to work with the agencies. I meet with them regularly. We certainly are listening on this side of the House, and it’s quite clear that we will continue to work together with them on a solution.

Mercury poisoning

Mr. Michael Mantha: My question is to the Premier. We recently learned that the Liberal government has confirmation that Grassy Narrows First Nation is still being exposed to mercury poisoning through the contamination of the Wabigoon River. But the Premier says that the report that confirms this, delivered to the government in September 2016, never made it to her desk. The Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation says that it wasn’t a communication breakdown and that the ministries don’t “keep the Premier of the day in the dark.”

But if the Premier is to be believed, that is exactly what happened. This is a glaring mistake that shines light on incompetence in the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and this Liberal government in general. Why didn’t the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation tell the Premier that he had confirmation of a systematic poisoning of an entire indigenous community?

Interjections.

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

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: This is an extremely important issue. What happened at Grassy Narrows decades ago has to be rectified.

When I was the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, I travelled to Grassy Narrows, I met with the community and I met with the chief. I came back to the ministry, and we worked to determine if there was science available that would allow us to—one of the things that we were concerned about was that the disturbing of mercury in the water system would actually make the situation worse.

As soon as I learned, through a meeting with David Suzuki and Dr. John Rudd, that there was new science, that there was the ability to clean up the system—that’s why there is $85 million that is set aside, that is at work. The scientists are there. That cleanup is beginning.

This has to be rectified, and we are the government that has acted on that.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Michael Mantha: Again to the Premier: The Premier is just one person. She has an entire team of staff and cabinet ministers working for her. It’s hard to believe that no one in the Liberal government thought that this information was important or that it would save indigenous lives. This report should have raised alarm bells throughout this entire Liberal government.

What disciplinary action is the Premier planning for her Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation for this potentially life-threatening oversight?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: There should have been alarm bells in the 1970s. There should have been alarm bells in the 1980s. There should have been alarm bells in the 1990s. The fact is that it has taken until now for this government to act because previous governments did not take action, Mr. Speaker.

Do you know what? The reality is that it was not clear exactly what the science was, exactly what action should be taken, but we have now taken action. This was a poisoning of a water system that should not have happened. What it does is it raises huge cautionary notes in terms of how we go forward, how we continue to work with indigenous peoples to make sure that such a thing never happens again. That is why the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation spends so much of his time working with communities, working with chiefs. We’re going to be meeting with the Chiefs of Ontario today, Mr.

Speaker, because we know that those relationships have to change so that something like this never happens again.

Interjections.

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

New question.

Organisation internationale de la Francophonie

M. Shafiq Qaadri: Ma question est pour la ministre des Affaires francophones, l’honorable Marie-France Lalonde. Il y a un an, l’Ontario devenait membre observateur à l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. C’était un moment historique pour tous les Franco-Ontariennes et Franco-Ontariens, et aussi pour l’Ontario. Je suis très fier de poser cette question parce que j’ai moi-même une communauté francophone très dynamique, engagée et active dans ma circonscription d’Etobicoke-Nord.

Monsieur le Président, est-ce que la ministre des Affaires francophones pourrait nous rappeler ce moment majeur?

L’hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Je veux vraiment remercier le député d’Etobicoke-Nord pour sa question.

Effectivement, le 26 novembre 2016, j’ai eu l’honneur de représenter l’Ontario et la première ministre à notre tout premier sommet de l’OIF, à Madagascar. Je tiens d’ailleurs à remercier le Québec, le Nouveau-Brunswick et le gouvernement fédéral, en plus des 83 pays membres de l’OIF qui ont soutenu notre candidature. Lors de ce premier sommet, moi-même ainsi que la première ministre, via vidéo, avons pu nous adresser directement aux représentants et chefs d’État des pays membres de l’OIF.

Notre participation à l’OIF représente des opportunités hors du commun pour l’Ontario; parmi les plus significatives, mentionnons la possibilité pour l’Ontario de rehausser son profil auprès des 83 États et gouvernements de l’OIF, dont l’espace économique représente plus d’un milliard de personnes. C’est là une occasion unique qu’a la province d’appartenir à un organisme international de façon autonome et de mettre en avant ses priorités.

Le Président (L’hon. Dave Levac): Merci. Question?

M. Shafiq Qaadri: Je remercie la ministre pour sa réponse. C’est un plaisir de constater la reconnaissance de la communauté franco-ontarienne à l’échelle internationale ainsi que le rôle joué par le Québec, le Nouveau-Brunswick et le gouvernement fédéral. Avec une possibilité d’interaction pour l’Ontario auprès de 83 États et gouvernements, il semble qu’il y ait plus d’opportunités que jamais auparavant pour la communauté franco-ontarienne et pour l’Ontario en général.

La ministre peut-elle nous en dire plus au sujet des retombées et des opportunités liées à notre appartenance à l’OIF?

L’hon. Marie-France Lalonde: Encore une fois, je veux remercier le député d’Etobicoke-Nord pour sa question, mais aussi souligner son engagement pour la francophonie et pour les Franco-Ontariens et Franco-Ontariennes.

Depuis que nous sommes devenus membre, nous avons rehaussé le profil de la province et de notre communauté dans divers événements d’envergure internationale, comme le Toronto Global Forum, la Conférence de Montréal et les événements de l’OIF. Nous avons pu exprimer notre intérêt dans deux domaines spécifiques au sein de toutes ces plateformes : l’éducation et la formation, ainsi que l’égalité homme-femme. D’ailleurs, nous avons récemment envoyé une délégation de six femmes d’affaires de différentes régions de la province à la Conférence des femmes de la Francophonie, en Roumanie.

Nous avons facilité la création d’un partenariat entre la Société Économique de l’Ontario et l’OIF. Nous avons eu des rencontres bilatérales afin de discuter d’opportunités de collaboration avec des représentants de dizaines de pays.

Notre appartenance à l’OIF montre qu’il y a un fort momentum pour la francophonie en Ontario.

Mercury poisoning

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know the Minister of Indigenous Relations will want to speak to this, but I just need to reinforce what I said in the previous answer: What happened at Grassy Narrows and the mercury poisoning in the water that we all know is a hugely problematic thing for the communities surrounding that area—that should not have happened in the first place. And then, decade after decade, Mr. Speaker, there was no action taken. Part of the reason for that was that it wasn’t clear exactly what the science was to get that mercury cleaned up.

We know now what has to be done. We have set aside $85 million. That $85 million is already working. There are scientists there who are getting ready to put the infrastructure and the mechanisms in place to get that water cleaned up.

There is more that needs to be done. We understand that. That’s why we have set aside that money. We are the government that is taking action on cleaning up what should never have happened in the first place.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: This is an issue about competency and trust. I’m going back to the Premier with this. This report, yes, is the foundation of an $85-million cleanup fund—an important part of reconciliation with Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong First Nation. Yet the Premier admits that she knew nothing about this plan just last week. This is very unsettling, Speaker. We would expect a Premier to have command of all of her files. Who is to blame for this incompetency? What is going to happen? Is it the Premier’s office or the minister? Who is going to be fired over this inaction?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Hon. Chris Ballard: It’s an opportunity for me to talk about some of the things that are happening in Grassy Narrows. Like my predecessor and the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, and indeed the Premier, our priority has been Grassy Narrows. It was the first community that I visited when I became Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Point of order, the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Hon. Kathryn McGarry: I wanted to introduce the International School of Cambridge, who have just been in watching the end of question period. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): There being no deferred votes, this House stands recessed until 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1143 to 1300.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Jack MacLaren: It gives me great pleasure to introduce three guests of the Trillium Party of Ontario. We have Jodie and Marc Emery, who are leading advocates of marijuana in Canada; and we have Virginia Vidal of Mary’s Wellness products, which are teas with THC in them.

Members’ Statements

Violence against women and children

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: On behalf of the PC Party of Ontario, I’d like to make the following statement:

Saturday, November 25, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Unfortunately, violence is a daily reality for countless women and girls throughout the world. Sadly, Canada and Ontario are not immune to this fact.

Every day, women and children across Ontario and Canada are affected by violence, and it’s estimated that one in three women around the world will experience violence in their lifetime. On any given night in Canada, over 3,000 women and their children sleep in shelters because it is not safe at home. This is unacceptable. We, as a society, need to work together to put an end to this needless violence.

The elimination of violence against women is just not a women’s issue. It’s a problem that impacts us all. Both men and women must stand united and advocate for change. We must continue to work together to raise awareness of violence against women and shine a light on the abuse and offer support to victims.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women serves as an important reminder to join in on the conversation and stand up against all gender-based violence.

I would like to thank all the various organizations and individuals that work tirelessly to raise awareness for this important issue. Let us all stand together and eliminate violence.

YMCA Sprott House

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s an honour to stand up today on the Trans Day of Remembrance, about the YMCA’s Sprott House, Ontario’s first LGBTQ and transitional housing program for youth.

Last week, I visited Sprott House and it was clear that the staff, including director Kate Miller, work tirelessly to provide a safe, supportive and welcoming space for LGBTQ youth. Sprott House provides residential living for 25 youth and is always at full capacity, with a wait-list of more than 40.

For these youth, this is the first place they have ever lived where they feel safe. LGBTQ youth are disproportionately represented among homeless youth, constituting 40% of all homeless youth. The challenges they face are unique, and trans youth especially are more likely to experience discrimination and violence in shelters. Sprott House gives its residents a safe place to call home and the support they need to continue with their education and find a job.

With affordable housing in short supply, shelters like Sprott House in the GTA struggle to keep up with demand. For example, the Toronto Transitional Housing Allowance Program, which helped Toronto families pay for their market-set rent, was cancelled because it was so successful that it exhausted its funds.

Affordable housing is essential to building a strong economy and an equitable society. To reach their full potential, youth need stable and affordable housing.

We need to continue to support groups like the YMCA who work to put a roof over everyone’s head. A sincere thank you to the YMCA for leading the way. Clearly, this is a model of transitional housing that needs to be replicated across the province.

Military Heritage Park

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: On October 27, I had the privilege of attending the grand opening of Barrie’s Military Heritage Park. The opening had a remarkable turnout of dignitaries, veterans, peacekeepers and serving members of the Canadian Forces and residents of Barrie.

Located along the beautiful south shore of Kempenfelt Bay, the park serves as an important commemoration of Barrie’s deep military history. It is fitting that this park opened just a few days before Remembrance Day, where we all had a chance to honour the memories of those who have served and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

The park features 25 Vimy Oak saplings descended from acorns sent back to Canada after the Battle of Vimy Ridge. An obelisk commemorates those who have been awarded the Victoria Cross, including Barrie’s own Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Rev. John Weir Foote.

It also features an art installation of three steel panels depicting tulips, signifying the liberation of Holland; poppies, our national symbol of remembrance; and feathers, in tribute to the military contributions of indigenous people.

For years to come, this park will continue to serve as a lasting tribute to Barrie’s military heritage, including our very close relationship with CFB Borden and the Grey and Simcoe Foresters.

I know that generations of families will enjoy this park and learn about the incredible men and women in uniform who have made this possible.

Lindsay Shepherd

Mr. Lorne Coe: There is no person more centrist and inoffensive than Steve Paikin—he even wrote a great book on former Premier Bill Davis—yet Lindsay Shepherd, a teaching assistant at Laurier, has been censured by Wilfrid Laurier University for showing a clip from Steve Paikin’s television program The Agenda to introduce a lecture in her class. Later, a student complained about the content, and Lindsay was called to a meeting with two professors and an official from the university’s diversity and equity office.

Lindsay is now concerned that the professors will take away her teaching assistant position, which, alongside a scholarship, is paying for her studies.

This is not about left versus right. This is about academic freedom. This is about freedom of speech. This is about a university targeting a vulnerable teaching assistant, threatening her academic career and her source of livelihood.

As a result, Lindsay was quoted in a Waterloo Region Record feature saying, “I now feel so completely alienated from the university as an institution.”

On behalf of the Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus, I express my solidarity with Lindsay Shepherd.

Labour councils

Ms. Jennifer K. French: This past weekend, we celebrated a special milestone in Oshawa: The Durham Region Labour Council marked 75 years of activism, advocacy and impact.

Labour councils are the local action organizations under the umbrella of the Canadian Labour Congress. These councils have members from affiliated unions who come together to strengthen our communities.

I remember the first meeting I attended as an ETFO member with larger-than-life Jim Freeman as president. After hearing from the local affiliates about health and safety issues, about unfair and concerning employer challenges, and about charitable or advocacy campaigns across our community, I was hooked. I was also proud to later serve for a time as our labour council second vice-president.

Labour councils are where workers and community partners recognize our shared values and goals. It’s where I really recognized that, regardless of the workplace, we are all workers in Ontario and deserve fairness, respect and safe work environments. We are all in this together.

Jim Freeman always stood up for labour councils and recognized them to be the boots on the ground of the labour movement. They are the grassroots of change and advocacy. Durham is fortunate to have a strong community labour council, with leaders and workers who have come together since 1942 to make change happen.

I would like to recognize president John MacDonald of the current executive, and long-serving staff Linda McLaughlin, for their commitment to Oshawa and Durham region.

Our labour council has been building bridges, making workplaces and in community spaces safer, and stronger and has been making our community better for 75 years.

Paul French

Mr. Mike Colle: I’m here today to pass on my comments about the passing of a good friend and a very renowned judge who passed away November 2: Paul French.

Paul was born in Ottawa, went to Ottawa U and married a very significant lawyer in Micki Smith—Michele Smith. They have two wonderful children, Michael and Laura, who miss their father greatly.

Paul French was the nephew of one of Canada’s most renowned criminal lawyers, Arthur Maloney. He articled with his uncle Arthur before he went into practice. He was called to the bar in 1984 and practised law.

He also helped establish a framework agreement between judges and the Ontario government which has been copied across Canada.

He was appointed a judge in 2006, and he helped establish the first mental health assistance unit at Metro West Detention Centre. He was very concerned about mental health and how it affects our incarcerated men and women, and especially our youth. He also spent a lot of time trying to ensure that our young people, especially marginalized youth, were given the attention they needed beyond being dealt with by the full weight of the law.

I want to say thank you, Paul—Judge French—for your long life of service.

Volunteer firefighters

Mr. Norm Miller: I rise in the House today to draw attention to the problem of volunteer firefighter recruitment in rural communities throughout our province.

Eighty-five per cent of firefighters in Canada are volunteers. In communities smaller than 5,000 people, 99% of firefighters are volunteers. Rural communities rely upon volunteer firefighters to respond to both medical and fire-related emergencies. Unfortunately, many rural communities are worried about recruiting enough volunteer firefighters to meet their needs.

In my riding, Councillor Shane Baker has reported that the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department is “stretched” because of problems with recruitment, especially with regard to remote fire halls. Gravenhurst and Bracebridge are facing similar challenges.

Local fire departments are working hard to increase recruitment. In particular, I wish to commend the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department, which ran the Camp Female Firefighters in Training program this past summer. This was a new program for my riding of Parry Sound–Muskoka. Seven women between the ages of 15 and 18 participated, and they learned specialized fire and rescue skills such as vehicle extraction.

I wish to conclude by thanking our volunteer firefighters. These local heroes commit to rigorous training routines and are often the first to arrive and provide life-saving support for their neighbours.

One such local hero is District Chief Mike Cook, who recently retired after 40 years as a volunteer firefighter with the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department. I congratulate him on his retirement and commend him for his many years of service.

Toronto Argonauts

Mrs. Cristina Martins: I rise in the House today to congratulate the Toronto Argonauts, a team with a never-say-die attitude. Full credit to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on a last-gasp display worthy of a sports movie, but with two minutes and 37 seconds left, Ricky Ray said, “We had plenty of time. We weren’t in a rush.”

I’m proud of the Argos. For the first time since 2012, the team is headed to the Grey Cup, which will be happening this Sunday, November 26, in Ottawa.

Toronto’s defenders intercepted the ball three times in the opening 30 minutes, no small feat. And heroics from Ricky Ray and Toronto’s defence have set up quite a Grey Cup final: the Argos versus the Calgary Stampeders. I look forward to watching these two teams play an intense football game. I know the Argos are coming into the final as an underdog. The Stampeders have the best regular-season record in the CFL, but if my boys in blue can survive a last-minute onslaught, they can do anything.

I’m hoping for a storybook finish to the season for the Argos. Best of luck to the Stampeders, but if the game goes as running back James Wilder says, “They’ll be in man, and it worked out just like we prepared.”

Join me in saying, “Let’s go, Argos!”

Robin Kennie

Mr. Randy Hillier: I would like to acknowledge and congratulate Dr. Robin Kennie of Perth, Ontario, who has been awarded the 2017 College of Family Physicians Community Teacher of the Year Award. The award, which will be presented to Dr. Kennie at the OCFP awards ceremony in Toronto this week, on November 23, celebrates excellence in community family medicine education and is handed out based on nominations by family medicine students and residents.

Dr. Kennie plays a very important role in the Perth community, not only as chief of the Perth hospital emergency department, but as an investigating coroner for the region as well. Dr. Kennie is both well respected and highly praised for his invaluable knowledge of rural community medicine by his students at Queen’s University as well as residents from the University of Ottawa. He has had a profound impact on his residents and students, and many apply to work in Perth. Combined with his continued mentorship of former students and residents, he is a model for a healthy work and life balance, and is a model and testament to the value and commitment to rural medicine.

I hope everyone will join me in congratulating Dr. Kennie for this well-deserved honour.

Petitions

Wind turbines

Mr. Monte McNaughton: I have yet another important petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas on July 7, 2017, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) deemed the renewable energy approval (REA) application of Otter Creek Wind Farm LP complete; and

“Whereas Otter Creek’s REA stands at the technical review stage; and

“Whereas we believe that environmental studies to date have been insufficient with regard to species at risk; and

“Whereas we believe that studies to date have been insufficient regarding the adverse effects of wind turbines at Otter Creek to migratory birds and waterfowl; and

“Whereas the construction methods required for the Otter Creek site are similar to those being employed in the construction of North Kent Wind 1, where 14 water wells have now been contaminated due to vibration; and

“Whereas Ontario has already postponed the proposed LRP II (large renewable energy projects) because further production of electricity is not required;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to take immediate action to stop any construction or construction planning for the Otter Creek Wind Farm until the above-mentioned environmental concerns, and particularly the issue of water quality safety, are re-examined by expert consultants mutually agreeable to MOECC, the municipal council of Chatham-Kent, and the residents affected by the proposed wind farm development.”

I gladly affix my name to this petition.

Injured workers

Mr. Peter Tabuns: “Whereas about 200,000 to 300,000 people in Ontario are injured on the job every year;

“Whereas over a century ago, workers in Ontario who were injured on the job gave up the right to sue their employers, in exchange for a system that would provide them with just compensation;

“Whereas decades of cost-cutting have pushed injured workers into poverty and onto publicly funded social assistance programs, and have gradually curtailed the rights of injured workers;

“Whereas injured workers have the right to quality and timely medical care, compensation for lost wages, and protection from discrimination;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to change the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act to accomplish the following for injured workers in Ontario:

“Eliminate the practice of ‘deeming’ or ‘determining,’ which bases compensation on phantom jobs that injured workers do not actually have;

“Ensure that the WSIB prioritizes and respects the medical opinions of the health care providers who treat the injured worker directly;

“Prevent compensation from being reduced or denied based on ‘pre-existing conditions’ that never affected the worker’s ability to function prior to the work injury.”

I agree with this petition, I affix my signature and I give it to page Erion to table.

Public transit

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the current transit options to service Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor are insufficient and not at pace with a rapidly growing community;

“Whereas the communities of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor require increased community consultation regarding the planning for a new regional express rail station in the neighbourhood;

“Whereas the currently proposed location for a SmartTrack station to service Liberty Village would not effectively connect with residents and businesses;

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

“To direct Metrolinx to consider and review the relocation of the proposed SmartTrack station from the Dovercourt-Sudbury Street site to a new location further east that would ensure enhanced and accessible service to residents of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor.”

I agree with this petition. I will sign it and give it to page Olivia.

Long-term care

Mr. Jim McDonell: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas the government first promised a legislated care standard for residents in the province’s long-term-care homes in 2003 but are yet to make good on their promise;

“Whereas the Long-Term Care Homes Act (2007) empowers the provincial government to create a minimum standard;

“Whereas a study done in 2001 by the US Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services cited 4.1 working hours per resident day as a minimum target, which was later confirmed in a 2004 observational study and in a reanalysis by Abt Associates in 2011, and reinforced by the 2008 Independent Review of Staffing and Care Standards for Long-Term Care Homes report by Shirlee Sharkey, who recommended a four-hour minimum target;

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

“To legislate a care standard of a minimum four hours per resident each day, adjusted for acuity level and case mix.”

I agree with this and will pass it off to page Emma.

Long-term care

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I want to thank the residents of Westmount Gardens long-term care for suggesting this petition to me. It is called “Stop the Eviction of Long-Term-Care Residents,” and it reads as follows:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario: ....

“Whereas every resident of a long-term-care home has the right to be treated with respect and dignity; and

“Whereas

section 1 of the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, identifies as its ‘fundamental principle’ that ‘a long-term-care home is primarily the home of its residents’; and

“Whereas regulation 79 under the act conflicts with this fundamental principle because it states that long-term-care residents can lose their home after 30 days in hospital and must then reapply and join wait-lists for available long-term-care spaces; and

“Whereas the risk of losing their home can create emotional distress and trauma for long-term-care residents who are temporarily hospitalized;

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

“That the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care change regulation 79 to ensure that residents of long-term care do not lose their home after a 30-day or longer stay in hospital.”

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

Public transit

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I have this petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas the current transit options to service Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor are insufficient and not at pace with a rapidly growing community;

“Whereas the communities of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor require increased community consultation regarding the planning for a new regional express rail station in the neighbourhood;

“Whereas the currently proposed location for a SmartTrack station to service Liberty Village would not effectively connect with residents and businesses;

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

“To direct Metrolinx to consider and review the relocation of the proposed SmartTrack station from the Dovercourt-Sudbury Street site to a new location further east that would ensure enhanced and accessible service to residents of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor.”

I agree and send it with page Alisha.

School closures

Mr. Jeff Yurek: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Minister of Education ... declared on June 28, 2017, a province-wide moratorium on future school closures based on the results of the spring engagement process, stating that the pupil accommodation review process was flawed and should be overhauled; and

“Whereas during the 2016-2017 school year this flawed pupil accommodation review process was used to close schools; and

“Whereas some of these schools are not scheduled to close until the end of June 2018, so that staffing for these schools remains in place for 2017-2018; and

“Whereas it would be consistent with the spirit of the moratorium and the reason for the overhaul of the PAR process, to stop those closures announced after September 2016; and

“Whereas the 2015 Auditor General’s report

section 4.3.2 (p. 299) recommends greater funds be put towards maintenance of current schools; and

“Further,

whereas the current funding formula does not properly address the needs of schools within rural and northern communities;

“We, the undersigned residents of the province of Ontario, petition Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter, Premier Kathleen Wynne and all the MPPs of the Ontario Legislative Assembly to:

“1. Reverse the closure decisions for all schools where those decisions were made after September 1, 2016;

“2. Provide fair and equitable pupil accommodation review processes that school boards must follow, recognising the unique needs of rural and northern communities; and

“3. Review the current funding formula with a goal of developing fair and equitable funding formulae for all rural, northern and urban schools.”

I agree with the petition and affix my signature.

Long-term care

M me France Gélinas: I would like to thank Anthony Skopyk, who is from Capreol, in my riding. He collected 150 signatures on the following petition:

“Whereas there continues to be a shortage of long-term-care beds in Ontario, resulting in the inappropriate use of acute care beds in Ontario hospitals; and

“Residents who do need secure long-term care are often forced to move away from their communities, families and friends;”

They “petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To lift the moratorium on long-term-care licences so that the inventory of long-term-care spaces can be brought to a level that will ease the burden placed on Ontario hospitals; and

“Ensure that licences are granted for the creation of long-term-care spaces not only in cities but in smaller communities where residents are being forced to abandon everything they’ve ever known.”

I support this petition, will affix my name to it, and ask Emma to bring it to the Clerk.

Public transit

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario which reads as follows:

“Whereas the current transit options to service Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor are insufficient and not at pace with a rapidly growing community;

“Whereas the communities of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor require increased community consultation regarding the planning for a new regional express rail station in the neighbourhood;

“Whereas the currently proposed location for a SmartTrack station to service Liberty Village would not effectively connect with residents and businesses;

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

“To direct Metrolinx to consider and review the relocation of the proposed SmartTrack station from the Dovercourt-Sudbury Street site to a new location further east that would ensure enhanced and accessible service to residents of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor.”

I send it to you via page Iman.

Provincial debt

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

“Whereas Ontario’s provincial government finances are a mess because of 13 years of Liberal waste, mismanagement and scandal; and

“Whereas this government is running eight consecutive budget deficits; and

“Whereas the government has racked up $302 billion in debt, the highest debt in the country; and

“Whereas the debt servicing costs us $11 billion in lost tax dollars every year; and

“Whereas the payments to service the debt are the third-largest expenditure and the fastest-growing expense in government, and money not spent on critical and core public services such as health care and education; and

“Whereas each $1 billion of it equals the loss of:

“—one year of long-term care for 17,000 seniors;

“—one year of home care for 55,000 people;

“—3,550 palliative care beds for one year;

“—8,000 new affordable housing units;

“—$260 a month for one year for each ODSP recipient;

“—one year of free tuition for 2,000 students;

“—10,000 new school playgrounds;

“Whereas if interest rates do go up, the cost of servicing Ontario’s debt will increase higher still, taking out even more money out of key public services that the people of Ontario need;

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

“To take immediate action to stop sticking us with the tab for waste, mismanagement and scandal that’s made life harder for Ontarians.”

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

Pharmacare

Miss Monique Taylor: I have a petition entitled “Universal Pharmacare for All Ontarians.”

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas prescription medications are a part of health care, and people shouldn’t have to empty their wallets or rack up credit card bills to get the medicines they need;

“Whereas over 2.2 million Ontarians don’t have any prescription drug coverage and one in four Ontarians don’t take their medications as prescribed because they cannot afford the cost;

“Whereas taking medications as prescribed can save lives and help people live better; and

“Whereas Canada urgently needs universal and comprehensive national pharmacare;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support a universal provincial pharmacare plan for all Ontarians.”

I fully support this petition. I’m going to give it to page Adam to bring to the Clerk.

Public transit

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas the current transit options to service Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor are insufficient and not at pace with a rapidly growing community;

“Whereas the communities of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor require increased community consultation regarding the planning for a new regional express rail station in the neighbourhood;

“Whereas the currently proposed location for a SmartTrack station to service Liberty Village would not effectively connect with residents and businesses;

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

“To direct Metrolinx to consider and review the relocation of the proposed SmartTrack station from the Dovercourt-Sudbury Street site to a new location further east that would ensure enhanced and accessible service to residents of Liberty Village and King-Strachan corridor.”

I send it to you via page Javeriar.

Driver licences

Mr. Jim McDonell: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas many residents and businesses in Ontario rely on the ability to drive a vehicle in order to work, buy food and otherwise function;

“Whereas licence suspension upon receipt of a medical notice to that effect is immediate; and

“Whereas constituents are forced to wait 30 business days following a positive medical review by their physician prior to being reinstated; and

“Whereas this wait time is not prescribed in any legislation or regulation, but is solely due to Ministry of Transportation policies that ignore the reality of living and operating a business, especially in rural and northern Ontario; and

“Whereas a needlessly long licence suspension threatens the livelihoods of many families in Ontario;

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

“To direct the Ministry of Transportation to institute a five-business-day service guarantee for drivers’ licence reinstatements following the submission of a positive physician’s review.”

I agree with this, and I’ll pass it off to page Vanditha.

Anti-smoking initiatives for youth

M me France Gélinas: I have this petition that comes from all over the northeast, but I would like to thank Sarah Cotnam from Val Caron. in my riding. It reads as follows:

“Whereas in the past 10 years in Ontario, 86% of all movies with on-screen smoking were rated for youth, and the tobacco industry has a well-documented history of promoting tobacco use on-screen; and

“Whereas a scientific report released by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit estimated that 185,000 children in Ontario today will be recruited to smoking by exposure to on-screen smoking, and more than 59,000 will eventually die from tobacco-related diseases incurring at least $1.1 billion in health care costs; and

“Whereas the Ontario government has a stated goal to achieve the lowest smoking rates in Canada, and 79% of Ontarians support not allowing smoking in movies rated G, PG, 14A...;

“Whereas the Minister of Government and Consumer Services has the authority to amend the regulations of the Film Classification Act...;

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

“To examine the ways in which the regulations of the Film Classification Act could be amended to reduce smoking in youth-rated films released in Ontario.”

I fully support this petition and will affix my name to it and ask page Aditya to bring it to the Clerk.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Unfortunately, that concludes the time we have available this afternoon for petitions.

Orders of the Day

Cannabis, Smoke-Free Ontario and Road Safety Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne le cannabis, l’Ontario sans fumée et la sécurité routière

Resuming the debate adjourned on November 16, 2017, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 174,

An Act to enact the Cannabis Act, 2017, the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation Act, 2017 and the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, to repeal two Acts and to make amendments to the Highway Traffic Act respecting alcohol, drugs and other matters / Projet de loi 174, Loi édictant la Loi de 2017 sur le cannabis, la Loi de 2017 sur la Société ontarienne de vente du cannabis et la Loi de 2017 favorisant un Ontario sans fumée, abrogeant deux lois et modifiant le Code de la route en ce qui concerne l’alcool, les drogues et d’autres questions.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Further debate? I recognize the member for Lambton–Kent–Middlesex.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Well, you got it, Mr. Speaker, and thank you very much for the opportunity to rise and debate Bill 174. I’m pleased to join the debate here today. I know my colleague from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound will be up shortly to debate this bill.

In the words of our Attorney General, it is “a bill that, if passed, would move Ontario forward with a safe and sensible transition to the federal legalization of cannabis.”

Speaker, having had some time to consider the legislation, which is being referred to, in shorthand, as the Cannabis Act, I can say I fully support having the use of automated school bus camera systems and getting legal recognition for the evidence obtained from such systems.

So, Speaker, when the member for Chatham–Kent–Essex brought forward legislation to address this deeply troubling problem back in November 2014, I was thrilled to see it pass second reading with unanimous support—because this type of issue clearly demands all-party support to be passed and brought into force as quickly as possible.

And then that bill, Bill 50, the Highway Traffic Amendment Act (School Bus Camera System), was left to die at committee. The Liberal government would not bring it forward to committee, and would not take the steps necessary to make it law in the province of Ontario. Then, of course, Speaker, the government prorogued, and all the bills they had left to linger on the order paper were killed.

So the PC member for Chatham–Kent–Essex brought forward the legislation once again. We debated it here in this House again, this time as Bill 94, and again called it the Highway Traffic Amendment Act (School Bus Camera Systems), and it passed second reading, again with unanimous support. That was nine months ago.

Then came the Safer School Zones Act. The PC caucus yet again tried to get these safety measures in place by proposing an amendment to the Safer School Zones Act, a related government bill on track for speedy passage. Again, the Liberal government refused to allow these measures to become law.

Now we find essentially the same legislation tucked into a massive bill about something else entirely, which is a tactic that we often see across the border. In the United States Senate, it isn’t uncommon to see a rider—essentially, an unrelated bit of legislation—attached to a bill to ensure or prevent its passage. By tacking a desirable provision to a controversial bill, the hope is to make sure that bill gets passed. Conversely, a controversial amendment might be added to prevent a popular bill from moving forward. Sometimes it’s just about trying to change the conversation.

Speaker, it is disheartening to see this type of tactic being used here in Ontario, where we are accustomed to a more thoughtful and forthright approach to policy legislation. Cameras on school buses clearly have nothing to do with selling pot. I have yet to hear anyone dispute that. Why is the government playing these games with school bus safety? We should be voting on policies on the basis of whether they’re good for our constituents, not on the basis of what they’re attached to. It’s so disappointing to see the Liberal government adopting these American-style political tactics. These tactics have no place in Canada.

When the transportation minister was asked about this, he said, “The travelling public wants to make sure these laws are passed so that they can have safety, and the means by which that occurs is less relevant to most people.” Speaker, I take real issue with that. What the minister is saying there is that the ends justify the means. It’s saying that the legislative process, our very democracy here in Ontario, isn’t all that important. That is very dangerous ground. The people of this province do care that the integrity of the legislative process is maintained.

They care about important policies being debated openly and having each policy voted on based on its own merit. For a minister of this government to shrug off democratic norms like that is deeply troubling.

When the Attorney General was asked about this ploy by reporters here at the Legislature, he said, “We’re finding an efficient way of making a good idea move forward,” which makes no sense. This government has bypassed many opportunities to put these measures in place.

While I can’t say I find it altogether surprising that the most efficient route this government could find to enact a law is to debate it twice, sit on it for years, defeat it as an amendment and then reintroduce it in a completely unrelated piece of legislation, I think most people who don’t pay attention to the day-to-day operations of this Liberal government might find that explanation somewhat astonishing.

For years, this same legislation sat on a shelf. For years, these measures to hold reckless drivers to account, drivers who have endangered children’s lives, have not been in place in Ontario because this government wouldn’t move forward with an idea advocated by our caucus. I would hate to think that this government was playing games or putting petty partisanship ahead of something as important as protecting student safety. But here we are, debating these school bus safety measures for a fourth time since the Liberals won a majority government.

Speaker, not that long after the Liberals won a majority government under the current Premier, this issue was highlighted in the media after a month-long trial of cameras on buses captured evidence of hundreds of drivers blowing by stopped school buses. I’d like to read from a related

article published by the CBC back on November 7, 2014:

“Safety advocates and some school bus companies want to crack down on careless drivers with cameras—capturing footage of motorists who ignore the stop signs and flashing lights when children are disembarking.

“A month-long trial run by Xerox Cameras and the Toronto District School Board saw hundreds of drivers who broke the law and kept going past stopped buses.

“‘It’s a huge issue when you consider there’s 72 kids on that school bus,’ said Brian Patterson, president of the Ontario Safety League.

“But to convict someone of failing to stop, a bus driver must provide the full licence plate number, a description of the vehicle and of the driver.

“‘That’s virtually impossible, and that’s the challenge,’ said Glenn Attridge of Attridge Transportation.”

This

article was from three years ago. If protecting these kids was a priority for this government, we would have had this law by now. And not only did this government not take the initiative to bring forward that legislation until now, their members stood and debated Bill 50 and then Bill 94, they passed over these bills at committee time and time again, and then they refused to accept the PC amendment to the Safer School Zones Act, which would have accomplished the very same thing.

In September 2016, there was a deeply disturbing

article published in the Cambridge Times, which it’s difficult to believe didn’t prompt action from the government. I’m going to read a bit about that situation from the Waterloo region as well:

“Student transportation of Waterloo region general manager Benoit Bourgault believed he had a good idea of how bad drivers are when it comes to obeying school bus safety laws.

“It turns out drivers are even worse than previously believed. And now he has the evidence to prove it.

“‘It keeps me awake at night,’ said the transportation manager.

“Working to improve safety on the roads for students, Bourgault urged local school board and regional officials to consider embracing video technology to help catch and penalize drivers who fail to stop when school bus lights are flashing and stop signs are extended.

“Based on approximate assessments provided by reports from school bus drivers, it was believed between 500 and 700 drivers didn’t stop for school buses on the region’s roads each week.

“A pilot project that placed video cameras on the retractable stop signs of six school buses between May 24 and June 30 discovered 97 vehicles passed by a yellow school bus with its stop arm extended and lights flashing.

“According to a report slated for presentation at Waterloo Region District School Board last night (Sept. 26), when extrapolated to include all school buses, the number of violators per week is actually closer to 700 or more.

“When Bourgault analyzed actual video footage with police, there were some incidents that made him cringe with fear for students’ safety.

“‘There are some clear ones where the sign is fully extended and two, three, four cars are driving by.’

“Some of the footage was downright frightening, he said.

“‘We have one student that almost got hit twice crossing the road.’

“The close call happened along Water Street between Galt Collegiate Institute and the Delta (where Water Street meets Dundas Street and Coronation Boulevard).

“The bus had pulled over on the right lane and a student hopped off the bus and was clear to start crossing, and moved into the middle lane. A car approached and the driver, just seeing the child in the nick of time, stopped just shy of passing the bus.

“Seconds later, the student made his way across the other side of the road and was just stepping on the sidewalk as a car in the outer lane blew right by him and the other lanes of stopped vehicles.

“Drivers continue to put children’s safety at risk every day, insists Bourgault.”

Speaker, it’s unbelievable: 700 drivers blowing by stopped buses every week just in the Waterloo region. This

article is from over a year ago now. Quick math will tell you that means it’s happened about 8,000 times since that

article was published, just in that region. Think about what that means for how many close calls have happened all across Ontario while this government hemmed and hawed over what to do. How many children have had close calls? How many children may have been injured or worse?

CBC was prompted to write again about this issue just last month in an

article titled “Wheels of Bureaucracy Go Round for School Bus Cameras.” Speaker, I would like to highlight some of that report:

“What looked to be a speedy solution to the problem of school bus ‘blow-bys’ has been slowed to a crawl by red tape.

“From May 2014 to the end of October 2015, Safer Roads Ottawa put a camera on one east-end school bus route, to catch drivers illegally passing the bus when it was stopped with lights flashing. The stopping rule applies to drivers coming up behind a school bus, and unless there’s a median, to drivers approaching from the other direction as well. The current fine for a first offence is $490.

“Police laid 75 charges during the pilot, and found video evidence of another 150 violations which police weren’t able to pursue within the constraints of the program resources, according to Safer Roads Ottawa coordinator Rob Wilkinson.

“Backers of the program told CBC News in spring 2015 that they hoped to expand it across the city by fall, but two years later, no cameras are operating.”

The

article goes on, Mr. Speaker: “Ottawa is not the only community with concerns about drivers around school buses.

“A week earlier, a Windsor-area mother had called for cameras after witnessing a car barrel past her daughter’s school bus on the road’s gravel shoulder.

“Such concerns have prompted Rick Nicholls, the” PC “MPP for Chatham–Kent–Essex, to put forward a private member’s bill to eliminate yet another obstacle to school bus camera programs, which is the need for a witness—frequently the bus driver—to support the video evidence if a ticketed driver contests the charge.

“That bill passed second reading in February, and Nicholls said he had hoped it could become law before the Legislature’s summer recess. It’s now in limbo until the government decides to call it up for consideration by a Queen’s Park committee.

“In late September, in response to questions from Nicholls, Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca said the government would consult on the issue.

“Ottawa’s program will proceed with or without that change to the law, according to Gatien, adding that no drivers contested charges laid during the Ottawa pilot. But it could be a hardship for school bus drivers if they’re asked to forgo work and income to appear in court.

“Over at Safer Roads Ottawa, Wilkinson is buoyed by the thought this city’s pioneering slog through red tape will clear the way for other municipalities to get school bus cameras quickly in the future.

“But as for when the cameras—ultimately six of them in total—will be deployed on Ottawa school buses, Wilkinson said, ‘I stopped answering that question really directly a few months ago. I would love them on my kids’ buses, and protecting them,’ he said. ‘We’re going to get there.’

“Meantime, Gatien said, drivers continue to flout the rules dangerously. One spot in Orleans near a roundabout on St. Joseph Boulevard is of particular concern to him.

“‘We can get somebody there every day,’ said Gatien. ‘They’re just not getting the concept.’”

Speaker, this is a problem I think all of us in this Legislature have heard about anecdotally from school bus drivers and from parents. But part of the issue is we don’t have hard numbers on just how often this is happening. These test cases that I just referenced give us some idea of how big a problem we have here in Ontario, but the government has been kicking the can down the road for a long time on both investigating and dealing with it.

I’d like to speak about this from a more rural perspective as well. A lot of these test cases of using cameras on buses have been in cities where traffic conditions are very different from the more sparsely populated parts of our province. In rural Ontario, where homes are found along roads with high speed limits in long stretches without lights or signs, it is incredibly important that we take every precaution to protect students as they get on and off their school bus. With the implementation of full-day kindergarten, children as young as three are taking the bus daily to and from school.

While parents, teachers and bus drivers do their best to teach kids to be careful and observant around roadways, we can’t put the onus of being situationally aware totally on the shoulders of these children.

This is an issue that should have been addressed a long, long time ago. As those articles highlighted, this isn’t just about cameras and being able to hold people accountable. It’s also about raising awareness and making people more conscious of the danger of failing to stop for school buses. I can’t understand why this hasn’t been a priority for this government.

Speaking of which, my colleague from Nepean–Carleton has rightfully been calling the government out on their priorities when it comes to spending on government advertisements. She has been calling for 10% of the government’s $56-million advertisement buy to focus on raising awareness of the opioid crisis. For reference, the government’s fair hydro plan and ORPP self-promotion ads cost $5.5 million and $5.7 million. I think she’s absolutely right, and I think this issue is another example of those skewed priorities.

I think the public would have been much better served by hearing about school bus safety than about the ORPP. Although that isn’t a high bar, the public would have been better served by hearing more about many, many things other than the ORPP.

From the articles I’ve cited here today and from the debate we’ve already heard on Bill 50, Bill 94 and this bill, we know this is a problem from September through June. The government has had no end of excuses why they couldn’t or wouldn’t address it, and now they have brought forward solutions. If it weren’t for the efforts of the members from Chatham–Kent–Essex and Kitchener–Conestoga, I doubt we would be discussing this here today.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Questions and comments?

Miss Monique Taylor: I listened intently to the member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, and he spent his entire debate time talking about the road safety amendments to the Highway Traffic Act. I would have liked to hear somewhat of his opinion on the rest of the bill, the cannabis portion of the bill, and what his party plans to do on this bill. I was in the House the other day and I listened to the member from Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington, and his entire debate was on the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. So I still haven’t had the opportunity to hear the Conservatives’ stand on the other two schedules of this bill.

But that, very frankly, is the fault of the Liberals, because they have again found a way to put together all different sorts of legislation into one bill. These are bills that could be separated. There never should be this many acts covering this many different topics under one piece of legislation.

I’m sure they’re doing that just so that they can tell the Conservatives that they voted against something, just as they do within the budgets they bring forward. We will have a small piece of a huge budget bill that we fundamentally disagree with, and they’ll try to wedge us on that. There will be several of those pieces. We will vote against their bad budget and then they will talk about the couple of little good things that are inside of that bill, saying that we voted against those two. It’s just another game by the Liberals. It’s unfortunate that they’ve put together another bill in the same format.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Questions and comments?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: It’s a pleasure to rise and make a few comments in regard to the remarks from the member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex. I was actually beginning to concur with the member from Hamilton Mountain, as he did spend at least 18 of the 20 minutes talking about road safety. My conclusion is that he actually approves of this part of the bill. But he failed, of course, to talk about perhaps the core of this particular issue, which is our regulation of the federal requirement to legalize the use of cannabis.

I will pick up on his emphasis on safety and education when it comes to this bill’s important focus on public health and harm reduction, because the most important thing is that we need to ensure that youth and young adult exposure to cannabis use is done in as safe a manner as possible.

We know that we need to protect Ontarians from the health hazards of second-hand smoke and vapour. We have taken the advice of CAMH, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in relation to setting the age here in Ontario at 19. I think this is a very important thing that we’re doing. This does mirror our use of alcohol in this province. The method by which cannabis will be available is the most important piece of all in this legislation: the use of an LCBO-like retail environment with that ability to check age to ensure that at the outset, when a purchase is made, it’s done appropriately.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Questions and comments?

Mr. Jim McDonell: It’s always a privilege to rise in the House, and I’m glad to be back. We talked about being away for a few weeks, but things haven’t changed. The political games continue to go on. You have a bill that the government must follow through on a plan for cannabis, regulate it. It’s mandated by the federal government. What do they do? They bring in something that we’ve been trying to get through over the last five or six years.

I remember hearing this government, not that long ago, talking about how one of our amendments that we proposed—the member from Chatham–Kent–Essex—about the school bus cameras: how they couldn’t be put in; it’s too complicated and too soon. But lo and behold, they slip it in a bill. I’m trying to figure out why they do this, but of course they do this all the time.

The bill is very adamantly called the Cannabis Act. You’d wonder why you’d bring school safety into such a thing, because if you read through the bill, it really has nothing about keeping your children away from cannabis. I think that a lot of studies show that’s an issue. Instead, they bring through this school bus camera—that if you took them at their word when they said it was impossible to do, lo and behold, a month later they slip it in the bill and they don’t even want to talk about it. I guess it’s that simple.

We see time and time again where we listen to our delegations and the people that come before us and we put in many thoughtful amendments and we see a government that refuses to accept any of them. This is just a classic case, where we see this now: something that was a bad idea just a month ago all of a sudden turns into something that they can quietly slip in a bill.

It’s a government—they talk about it being politics, but really, it’s time that we put the people first and talk about things and debate them fairly. That’s really the problem we have in here: We try to bring things in front of people and debate them fairly.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): We have time for one last question or comment.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I am pleased to rise on behalf of my constituents to offer some brief comments about Bill 174, the Cannabis, Smoke-Free Ontario and Road Safety Statute Law Amendment Act.

Speaker, my community of London is one of the Ontario cities that is going to be getting at least one of the 40 outlets that the government has indicated will be going forward. Unfortunately, the legislation that is before us today raises more questions than answers for my community as to how this legalization plan will actually roll out.

In particular, Speaker, there is absolutely nothing in this bill to address how municipalities will be compensated for the additional costs that they will have to incur to enforce the government’s proposed cannabis monopoly, to deal with the new requirements for public education, and, in addition, the health costs of the legalization of cannabis. We know that there’s going to be a significant burden on cities for policing, for zoning, and for the public consultation that will have to go into determining where these outlets are going to be located and what kinds of changes have to be made to official plans to support that, and also the enforcement of legal cannabis sales.

Municipalities like London and other cities across the province will have many more questions that will have to be answered before we are actually prepared for July 2018.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Now I return to the member for Lambton–Kent–Middlesex for his response.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: I’d like to thank the member from Hamilton Mountain, the Minister of Community and Social Services, my colleague from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry and my neighbouring MPP from London West. Thanks for adding, I guess, to my 20 minutes on Bill 174.

Speaker, I did dedicate 20 minutes to talking about school bus safety because, like many of us in here, I’m a parent; I’m a father. I’m extremely concerned. This issue goes back as far as the cameras on school buses, to 2014, and I think, quite frankly, it’s a disgrace that the government hasn’t moved forward on this and they’re throwing it inside a piece of legislation, the Cannabis Act. It makes no sense to me. I think it’s irresponsible of the government to do that.

School bus blow-bys are very scary and they are an all-too-common occurrence across the communities which I’ve represented and across all communities across the province. Families are extremely concerned about this. When you take your child to the end of the laneway and they hop on that school bus, you’re hoping they get to school and return home from school safely. This should have been dealt with years ago. I commend once again the member from Chatham–Kent–Essex, who heard stories in his own community about this and saw the news, like we’ve all seen over the years, about the number of blow-bys in communities.

I made reference to a number of these when I spoke for 20 minutes. These perpetrators are rarely held to account today, and they need to be. This should have been dealt with a long, long time ago. It is disgraceful that the government would put this part of legislation inside the Cannabis Act in Bill 174.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Further debate.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I am very pleased to be able to have an opportunity to speak to this bill, Bill 174, the Cannabis, Smoke-Free Ontario and Road Safety Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017.

As we have been discussing since this piece of legislation hit the Legislature, there are a number of different components to this bill and they don’t all connect in a way that we can figure out. We just had a fulsome discussion about road safety and buses.

Now I’m going to take my time and speak to the bulk of this bill, which is the cannabis focus of this legislation, because, Speaker, as I’m sure you’re finding and the rest of us have been finding, this has been a very engaging topic in our communities, and an interesting topic, in that we are talking about a substance that up until recently—we teach our children that drugs are bad and this is a drug, and all of these conversations, and now we’re having a conversation in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and more broadly in the country about legalization, about decriminalization, about access, about revenue and about responsible government.

It’s an interesting time. Ten years ago, maybe people didn’t know when we would get here or if we would get here, but here we stand, with a piece of framework legislation in front of us.

This bill, while it is bulky, leaves out a lot of the details. This cannabis bill is a disappointment because it leaves us with so many questions. There are questions about rules that are going to govern the choice of specific retail locations or how many stores our big cities like Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton and Ottawa are going to get. How big are these stores going to be? How is the cannabis going to be priced? Is it going to be competitive? How will it be taxed? We have questions about partnerships with our municipalities or even about an understanding with our municipalities.

We support the legalization of recreational cannabis and support the LCBO’s role in this—and I’ll get more into that in a bit. But there are so many questions about this. The government seemingly arbitrarily chose these 40 locations. They’ve made their list. It turns out that there hasn’t been consultation with the host communities. I know that my community of Oshawa would have opinions, but we’re not on the list, nor do we know if we’re going to be on the list. The Premier has let municipalities down yet again. They put this list out before they even consulted thoroughly with these potential host communities. No shock there—but again, disappointing.

A bit of a quick breakdown: The first

schedule of this bill is the Cannabis Act, and the goal of this is to protect public health and safety, protect youth and restrict their access to cannabis, and ensure that the sale of cannabis is in accordance with

schedule 2, which is the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation Act.

We know that the sale of cannabis out in our communities is a fairly competitive endeavour. We have an illicit, illegal set-up currently going, and what this is hoping to do is to deter folks, to eliminate the illicit market and to capitalize fairly on the revenue that I think our public ultimately wants to see.

There are so many questions around that. When you look at the street value of cannabis versus the proposed value in one of these dispensary storefronts, how is this government going to ensure that this legal framework ensures a competitive environment? If it isn’t competitive, we’re going to be spending a lot of money on these stores, and we aren’t going to be sure that that isn’t a waste of money if they can’t even demonstrate that they’ve done a solid business case, and we haven’t seen that. Our critic on this file, the member from Essex, in his one-hour spee