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April 13, 2022

42nd Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2022-Apr-13 vol. A (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 13 April 2022 Mercredi 13 avril 2022

Orders of the Day

Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Act, 2022 / Loi de 2022 sur la préparation aux pandémies et aux situations d’urgence

Members’ Statements

Member for Toronto–St. Paul’s

Cadets

Ontario budget

2022 New Holland Canadian Under-21 Curling Championships

Public transit

Senior citizens’ housing

Jim Jones / Karl Moher

Provincial election

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Introduction of Visitors

Special report, Auditor General

Question Period

COVID-19 response

COVID-19 response

Northern highway improvement

Northern Ontario development

Health care funding

Education funding

Manufacturing jobs

Government appointments

Consideration of Bill 67

Electronic service delivery

Autism treatment

Planification municipale / Municipal planning

Education funding

COVID-19 response

Eating disorders

Correction of record

Visitor

Member’s birthday

Visitors

Tabling of sessional papers

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly

Standing Committee on Justice Policy

Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills

Introduction of Bills

Auditor General Amendment Act, 2022 / Loi de 2022 modifiant la

Loi sur le vérificateur général

Brisdale Plaza Inc. Act, 2022

Myasthenia Gravis Month Act, 2022 / Loi de 2022 sur le mois de la myasthénie grave

2127023 Ontario Inc. Act, 2022

Education Amendment Act (Civic Education), 2022 / Loi de 2022 modifiant la

Loi sur l’éducation (éducation civique)

P.K.B. International Bazaar Ltd. Act, 2022

1833025 Ontario Inc. Act, 2022

2300943 Ontario Inc. Act, 2022

Motions

Private members’ public business

Petitions

Injured workers

Sexual assault

Social assistance

Optometry services

Organ donation

Social assistance

Social assistance

Emergency services

Optometry services

Optometry services

Emergency services

Injured workers

Orders of the Day

Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Act, 2022 / Loi de 2022 sur la préparation aux pandémies et aux situations d’urgence

Keeping Ontario Open for Business Act, 2022 / Loi de 2022 visant à ce que l’Ontario reste ouvert aux affaires

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Act, 2022 / Loi de 2022 sur la préparation aux pandémies et aux situations d’urgence

Resuming the debate adjourned on April 12, 2022, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 106,

An Act to enact two Acts and amend various other Acts / Projet de loi 106, Loi visant à édicter deux lois et à modifier diverses autres lois.

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

Ms. Jill Andrew: I appreciate the opportunity to join in this conversation, as we debate government Bill 106.

I’d first like to start by thanking all of the labour organizations, the unions, the workers, the families who paid attention yesterday to Equal Pay Day and who reflected on what women’s economic liberation means to our province of Ontario. As people have said repeatedly, economic justice is gender justice, and this is something that we should all be considering in this House.

As we know, April 12, yesterday, marked Equal Pay Day. Equal Pay Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. It highlights how many extra months into 2022 the average woman must work to earn what the average man earned in 2021.

Bill 106 has many schedules. I’m going to speak predominantly to

schedule 7. I’m going to speak particularly around pay equity and the consistent need that we have raised as official opposition throughout our time here of the invaluable leadership and work and labour that women bring to our province of Ontario. And yet, time and time and time again, we see a government in this Conservative government that fundamentally does not respect that level of work, and therefore, does not remunerate that level of work equally. To think that women are essentially working for free for several months into the year in order to make what their male counterparts made in 2021, this is absurd. This is the 21st century.

And while we consistently speak of women, we know that taking an intersectional lens to this notion of gender equity means that many women fall even under the 32% pay gap, on average. We know that Black women, Indigenous women, racialized women, women with disabilities and trans women are also disproportionately impacted, where many are locked into, quite frankly, caring professions: professions that require plenty of skill and patience, but they’re just simply not receiving the pay that they deserve, receiving the working conditions that allow them to be safe on their job—safe and respected, quite frankly.

I want to share—let’s see, where is it here? I’ve lost my note. Anyway, I’ll skip to something else while I find it.

I wanted to share some statistics from the Ontario Equal Pay Coalition that were quite surprising for some of us—maybe not all of us, but I think it really helps to situate the fundamental importance of why women’s economic survival, women’s economic liberation must be seen as a priority to this province.

“In March 2022, the coalition”—the Ontario Equal Pay Coalition, for clarity—“worked with Environics Research to explore Ontarians’ knowledge of women’s pay inequalities and to gauge opinions on proposed policy solutions to address the economic disparity.”

Here were some of the highlights:

—85% of Ontarians stated that it is important for the Ontario government to do more to promote women’s economic equality, with 60% stating that it is very important;

—87% of people thought that an affordable housing strategy was seminal to addressing women’s inequality in our province;

—81% of folks said that we must mandate permanent paid sick days. We have spoken ad nauseam in this House about how crucial paid sick days are as not only a policy, not only a stance in humanity, but, frankly, a feminist response to systemic sexism and to discrimination against women based on wages;

—77% of folks felt that increasing funding must happen to promote well-being for Indigenous women and their communities;

—81% of respondents said we must implement the Pay Transparency Act;

—81% of Ontarians agreed that to rebuild the economy after the pandemic, the Ontario government should increase funding to public services that provide care to Ontarians; and

—76% of Ontario agreed that to rebuild the economy after the pandemic, the Ontario government should increase taxes on the wealthiest Ontarians.

Now, I want us to paint a day in St. Paul’s, where Laurie, one of the many nurses who we have spoken to, gets up in the morning, takes care of her family responsibilities and then goes into the hospital and works. She works 12 hours, 16 hours, 18 hours, 24 hours, sleeps on a cot or sleeps on the couch or on her floor in her health institution. She did this for many, many, many years—quite frankly, decades; she’s an elder in the community—but, especially, she and many women were on the front lines in our health care system during this pandemic.

What this government has said to them is that they are heroes, but, when we stood here fighting for paid sick days, when we stood here fighting to ensure a permanent wage increase for many of our front line health care workers, the government wasn’t there for their heroes.

I want to read verbatim from CUPE Ontario, the tag line being, “Front-Line Workers Deserve Permanent Pay Increases, Not More Spin: CUPE Ontario Calls Bill 106 a Crass Political Ploy before an Election.” When I read that, I instantly think of the licence stickers: just another ploy to buy votes. “Don’t be fooled by the”—name of the Premier—“Conservatives’ saying they’re increasing wages for personal support workers,” says the Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario. “‘Imagine the excitement that burnt-out, underpaid, and incredibly vulnerable personal support workers in health care and developmental services felt when they saw headlines saying the ...

Conservatives would supposedly be permanently increasing their wages,’ said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario,” and an adamant activist and friend and ally to workers across the province.

“But the terrible reality is that no such thing is happening. All that this legislation does is allow the government to pick and choose who gets pay bumps that might, insultingly, only be temporary. And to make matters worse, it pits workers serving side by side against another by only applying to some of the many heroic front-line workers and not to every single worker in these settings.”

CUPE Ontario continues to say the bill “would override collective agreements between employers and unions by allowing the Ontario government to ‘arbitrarily’ pick and choose who gets wage enhancements that are not guaranteed to be permanent. One

section of the bill would even go as far as preventing workers or unions from lodging complaints.”

And I don’t remember which bill it was, many, many moons ago, from this government that literally tried to attack workers’ rights to sue, to pursue their right for justice. This is by no means how we show workers respect. It is by no means how we protect workers, and this isn’t fooling anyone in Ontario.

It’s not fooling Laurie. It’s not fooling Tanya, a mom of ours who has a son who is “medically fragile,” and because of the nurses shortage in Ontario, her son is unable to go to school. And I tell you, her son is not the only one in St. Paul’s or in the province.

“Additionally, the union is saying that permanent wage enhancements should occur for all broader public sector workers. In health care alone,” as our member from London said yesterday in her fantastic one-hour lead on this, “dietary aides, laundry, registered practical nurses, cleaners, and all other job classifications ‘work as a team in these facilities’ with personal support workers subject to Bill 106, said CUPE Ontario.

“‘If this government had any concern for the wages of personal support workers or developmental services workers, they would repeal the unconstitutional wage restraint law, Bill 124, and just permanently increase funding to increase wages,’ said Hahn. All broader public sector workers have had their wages artificially capped, and because of rising inflation, are falling further and further behind.”

As we know, we cannot ask women to do the double, the triple-day work that they do and expect them to go at it alone. That is a very neoliberal way of thinking. It is one that erodes our social safety net. It is one that disregards the responsibility of the government, of all decision-makers, to put policies in place that actually amplify and uplift women’s opportunities across the province.

But it also seems that it’s clear that this government has a history. Quite frankly, this and previous governments have a history of anti-women legislation. Whether it was the Liberals slashing, what was it, 1,600, 2,000—what was it, 1,600? Anyway, maybe no one remembers it at this moment, but about 1,600 nurses, at a time when our health care system was already buckling under the pressure of burnt-out workers.

And then we come to 2018, we come to the current government that’s taking midwives to court, for goodness’ sake, fighting their constitutional right for them to advocate for their labour rights, for them to be able to benefit from pay equity. While the government may have lost that fight, I would argue that having that fight at all said something about the devaluing of women’s work, especially work within the care economy, that seems to happen over and over and over again with this government.

Many, many months ago, I joined the picket lines at Hillcrest Reactivation Centre in my riding, where PSWs were literally the lowest paid PSWs in Ontario. We stood there fighting for the repeal of Bill 124. We stood there fighting for workers’ rights to a permanent wage increase; to paid sick days; to respect; to conditions that are safe; to conditions where, if they report violence on the job, they don’t have to worry about consequences from employers and they don’t have to worry that they will be out of a job or that they will be “blacklisted” in their institution. We must protect the rights of women.

We must protect the rights of trans women. We must protect the rights of BIPOC women, of disabled women. Some are working, yes, and they’re making pennies, Speaker—they’re making pennies.

We know that ODSP and OW is a broken system. We know that many folks on that system are not able to cover their rent, their food, their meds. They’re having to make very difficult decisions that, frankly, no one should have to make.

I would like to highlight, in the last few moments I have, the very words of the Ontario Nurses’ Association in their submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. And you know what, Speaker? I’ve realized in this House that when the official opposition speaks or when we suggest amendments to bills, it’s often ignored. I think that in this time, especially with the election so soon, we need to reinforce the voices of this government’s constituents, quite frankly.

“The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses (RNs), registered practical nurses (RPNs) and health care professionals, including personal support workers (PSWs), as well as over 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals,” home care, “long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry....

“Over 90% of” these “members are women. Many are racialized” and many are immigrant workers. “Their work is care work on the front lines of this pandemic. Many are in workplaces with the worst RN-to-population ratio in Canada,” and, as we’ve seen in our communities across this province, nurses are leaving in droves. I understand us to be approximately 22,000 nurses short.

ONA has expressed, as we have, that “Bill 106 is an omnibus bill. It is a bill which legislates what are essentially budgetary decisions in a manner that overrides and undermines nurses’ constitutional rights.”

Again, Speaker, the government will say they’ve consulted. The government will say they’ve spoken to this person or that person, but if one of the largest unions is saying that it “overrides and undermines nurses’ constitutional rights,” I think we should listen to them.

“Bill 106,” they go on to say, “continues the current government’s unconstitutional approach to dismantling”—these are strong words, Speaker—“workers’ rights and women’s equality rights. This bill is unconstitutional. ONA makes six main points regarding

schedule 7,

schedule 1,

schedule 5 and

schedule 6”—I mean, really, the entire bill, we know, is an anti-worker piece of legislation:

“(

a) Bill 106 violates ONA members’ right to free collective bargaining.” Again, it’s a flashback to Bill 124.

“(

b) Bill 106 undermines ONA members’ right to equality and pay equity rights, which ONA just had affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in ONA v. Participating Nursing Homes. ONA was successful in this 15-year-long battle to maintain pay equity rights for RNs working in nursing homes. Bill 106 attempts to erase nurses’ hard-won rights and violates women’s equality rights guaranteed by s. 15 of the charter.

“(

c) Bill 106 does not repeal the infamous and unconstitutional wage suppression legislation—Bill 124.”

ONA goes on to remind all of us that the successful outcomes of care for the sick and vulnerable depends on excellent work conditions.

And I will end with a personal note, as I have many family members who are PSWs, who are in the health care profession. I cannot stress it enough—and it is the same with our education workers, which I am one of; it is the same with our teachers; it is the same with our ECEs, with our child care workers: You simply cannot do your best job if your working conditions are substandard.

It doesn’t matter what hard work you put in. It doesn’t matter how great of a person you are. If you are not supported by your employer, if you’re not supported by the government of the day, you break. You buckle and you break under the pressure of being one or two nurses, or being one or two education workers with a classroom of kids, or a floor of patients, all with competing needs, all who want to get better. And God knows, every front-line health care worker wants their patient, wants their resident to be taken care of, but we’ve got to take care of them first, and Bill 106 falls flat.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Question and response?

Mr. Norman Miller: Thank you, member, for her comments on Bill 106. Bill 106 will allow foreign-credentialed health care workers to begin practising sooner in Ontario by reducing barriers for registering with and being recognized by the health regulatory colleges.

I recently just met with the consul general from the Philippines and with educational representatives from the Philippines, and that was their number one issue. They wanted to talk about what they could do in their colleges in the Philippines to make sure that nurses and other health care workers trained there will meet standards in Ontario. And, of course, it’s an issue, certainly, in many ridings.

So I wonder if the member opposite has foreign-credentialed health care workers in their constituency who would value these supports.

Ms. Jill Andrew: Thank you to the member from the Conservative side for the question. We all have foreign-trained professionals in our constituencies. In my family, many of us were foreign-trained professionals before coming here.

I want to say this: Of course, the Ontario NDP wants to support foreign-trained professionals. We’ve been demanding this from the government for quite a while, and I must say thank you to our member from Scarborough Southwest for her trailblazing legislation that addresses just that: foreign-trained professionals and making sure they can get the Canada work experience that they need as soon as possible. But you cannot do one cute thing in a bill that’s disastrous. This is called an omnibus bill for a reason. The government does this time and time again: one good aspect; the rest of it not so good.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Question and response?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I want to congratulate the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s on her remarks on Bill 106. I wanted to ask her opinion on something that we have heard repeatedly from the government side, who says that

schedule 7 of this bill is necessary to provide that pay bump for PSWs and DSWs and the retention bonus for nurses.

From her review of this legislation and her knowledge of the way things work in this place, does the member agree that legislation was necessary, or does she think that the government could simply have made that pandemic pay increase permanent and provided that retention bonus for nurses or something for nurses without this anti-democratic and unconstitutional bill?

Ms. Jill Andrew: Thank you to our wonderful pay equity critic from London Centre. The answer is simple: We did not need this particular omnibus bill. We did not need this wage-suppressing, anti-worker, anti-woman, quite frankly, legislation. We did not need this to ensure that our front-line health care workers received their permanent wage enhancement.

Please let me say on the record, Speaker: This has been a demand for workers for a very long time, and the pittance some of them received—some people still didn’t receive their pandemic pay. They still haven’t. So it is very convenient for this to be happening moments before the election.

But Ontarians and the folks of St. Paul’s are not fooled. They will not be bamboozled. They know that this government is not in it for workers.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues.

Hon. Jane McKenna: Is the member opposite aware of everything our government has done to support women? Is she aware that we have provided wage enhancements for PSWs or that we have provided a $5-million RAISE Grant to help Black and racialized women to be entrepreneurs? I’m just curious if she’s aware of those.

Ms. Jill Andrew: Notably, the government has promoted the idea in the lead-up to this bill that this bill would usher in permanent wage bumps for PSWs and DSWs, but, as the associate minister for women’s issues—the irony—knows, in fact, no class of employee is specified here and all the details are left to regulation.

Again, wonderful speaking points, excellent headlines in the papers, but when you look at the leads, when you look at the fine print, we are seeing a government that is making it actually possible to pit workers again each other and to pick and choose who gets these enhancements. They’re not all getting the enhancements.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member for Brampton North.

Mr. Kevin Yarde: I want to thank the member for her speech talking about Bill 106, the Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Act.

I just want to shift gears a little bit and talk about PPE and how the government has mismanaged the supply and the rollout of PPE. In Brampton, there’s a company called Avocet, and originally their role was to make parts for airplanes, but, of course, with the airline industry at a standstill they had to pivot to start making PPE. They started making PPE, and the goal was to distribute the PPE to industries and to schools. However, they were at a roadblock, because the government was not utilizing them. They were utilizing other countries and cheaper markets.

My question to you is, how do you feel that the government could have better utilized Canadian companies in resourcing and using PPE?

Ms. Jill Andrew: Thank you to our member from Brampton North for that excellent question and for reminding me that this bill also laughs in the face of many front-line health care workers who were desperate, Speaker—desperate for PPE. I spoke to nurses from my riding of St. Paul’s who were in tears, telling me that they were being forced, because they had no products, they had no PPE, to go from one room to the next using the same PPE for days.

The reality is, this government should have worked much faster once this pandemic hit. They could have made products here in Ontario, here in Canada. We had fashion designers demanding a chance to make PPE for this province. The province sat on its hands as many folks had no PPE during this pandemic, and some folks still are paying for PPE in St. Paul’s, as we speak, out of their own pockets.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member for Niagara West.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to the member opposite and her address this afternoon.

I’m wondering if she could speak a little bit about the importance of the expansion to the clinical education grant. What we’ve seen is that the funds which remained fixed and were not indexed to inflation or program growth are now increasing by $41.4 million for the clinical education grant, which supports the clinical education component of nursing programs, publicly assisted colleges and universities, expanding laboratory capacity, supports and hands-on learning. So my question to the member opposite is: Does she support the expansion of the medical education grant by $41 million?

Ms. Jill Andrew: I sound like a broken record. I am willing to review, I am willing to consider any piece of legislation that is making a meaningful investment in the lives of Ontarians, especially those who are most vulnerable. Bill 106 does not do that. It does not gain the attention of our community in that it is not helping our community’s most vulnerable: those who have been on the front lines, those who have been protecting us.

This bill needed to do more, and instead, what it did is laughed in the face of women over generations who have been fighting for gender equity, who have been fighting for pay equity. And they had the nerve to do this right at this period of time in history, as we’re acknowledging Equal Pay Day.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): We have time for a 30-second question and a 30-second response. I recognize the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I honestly thought it was their turn, Speaker. But that’s fine. We’ll ask a question.

It’s kind of ironic that the member says that we’re waiting so long to bring the bill forward, given the fact that we’re in the pandemic and these are the lessons learned from the pandemic.

Also, the member is incorrect. Of course, we have brought back all PPE manufacturing here because of the great work of the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Thankfully, he’s giving a speech next and he can really highlight all of the good work.

Speaker, I don’t really have a question. It’s more a comment that I have as opposed to a question.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Response?

Hon. Paul Calandra: No, I actually don’t need a response from the member opposite. I just wanted to highlight that we are doing it for our PSWs. We’re giving them a pay raise. We are ensuring that PPE is done right here in the province of Ontario—

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Answer?

Interjection.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Further debate?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity. Look, this was a perfect segue, listening to that commentary on the PPE status—

Interjection: Editorial.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: The editorial, for sure. So I’m going to jump a few pages into my thoughts and talk about PPE.

The member has to realize that when the pandemic first struck, we, like the rest of the world, discovered that other jurisdictions, like the US and others, were going to hold back their PPE from us. And the very first week, Premier Ford said, “Never again will we be caught without the proper PPE here in Ontario.” And so, immediately, we put the $50-million Ontario Together Fund out there, and companies in Ontario—it was like a call to arms. They answered the call.

They pivoted their companies: companies like Linamar, who make parts for 10,000 life-saving ventilators; companies like Canada Goose, who stopped making coats and began making gowns for hospitals; companies who were making injection-moulded plastics that made face shields for our front-line health care workers; companies who were sewing and made masks, and millions and then billions of masks.

And then we saw various companies—I’m going to read from a couple of these, because they were so exciting, these opportunities that we saw. The companies that we saw—I remember the very first one, Virox in Oakville, a company that turned from their injection-moulding to making these tubs with sanitized wipes. Twenty million of those things were spiralling through their factory. That’s the kind of thing that we needed here in Ontario.

We saw Abatement Technologies down in Fort Erie invest $20 million in Fort Erie to be able to make air filters right here in Ontario.

Ophardt Hygiene in Beamsville: This was a $7-million investment. MPP Sam Oosterhoff and I were there to cut a ribbon at their place. They produce these sanitized soap dispensers. It was 160,000 of them that were made there.

Myant in Etobicoke: The member from Sault Ste. Marie introduced us to them. They make a fabric, so they make undergarments, but in them are woven technology to be able to send your biostatistics to your health provider. It’s fascinating. Whether it’s your blood oxygen level, your blood pressure, all kinds of your vitals—imagine that. Seniors can stay in their homes and have this Myant technology wrapped around them. It was a phenomenal $2-million investment.

When I think about Kawartha Ethanol putting a $20-million ethanol plant in MPP Scott’s riding, it was a spectacular opportunity to grow corn in the area, to harvest that corn and make ethanol out of it to make hand sanitizer.

Or just in Minister Clark’s riding, Greenfield Global, a $75-million investment: They’ve become Canada’s largest producer of high-grade ethanol for hand sanitizer. They’re pumping out 114 million litres of hand sanitizer. While we’re in Minister Clark’s riding, at the other end of it, in Brockville, of course, 3M produced the vaunted 3M N95 mask—made right here in Ontario, Speaker. Those are the products we’re shipping.

Kontrol BioCloud in London—I remember going down there—$4 million. It’s a real-time blood analyzer to measure the COVID virus in the air. It was a really spectacular and important investment.

Siemens in Ottawa: a $20-million investment to do a test card. It is a way to analyze your blood monitoring. Speaker, the list goes on and on—pages.

There’s $50 million to Dimachem—this was my favourite trip because now, in Canada, for the first time, they make Pine-Sol here in Windsor. Who doesn’t love Pine-Sol? It’s made here now, Speaker. These are the kinds of things that we were on-shoring.

I don’t know what province that member lives in, but I can tell you, I can stand here for the rest of the day talking about companies who make PPE here in Ontario. Yes, like many other jurisdictions in the world, we shipped those complicated PPE to Asia to be made, and we went on with other things. Never again, Speaker. We went from almost zero PPE to, this morning, making 74% of all the PPE we buy in Ontario right here in Canada, and most of it here in Ontario. And thanks to that great minister of MGCS, we are about to go to 92% of all PPE that we buy—

Hon. Ross Romano: Ninety-three.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Ninety-three per cent? It’s 93%. Thanks to the Ministry of Government Services, that’s where we’re going. That’s where we’re headed. We’re headed to 93%.

I can tell you that there are other programs that we’ve put in place, the regional development programs, and through those programs we have $100 million to invest, and we have been putting it from one end of the province to the other, all through. From Windsor to Cornwall, company after company after company is making products here in Ontario, the medtech products that we’re seeing.

Just a couple of months ago, we put in AMIC, the advanced manufacturing and innovation competitiveness program. We’ve had unbelievable—I can’t tell you how exciting it is to leaf through these applications and study them every night. You’ll hear of these awards in the next days and weeks from all of the members.

We also put in an Ontario venture capital program, and it’s a big part of our life sciences venture, so I’m going to move from PPE and talk to the bigger picture now: life sciences. I’ll get back to our Life Sciences Venture Capital Fund, but I do want to say that our life sciences sector is the largest in Canada. We have 66,000 people in the province of Ontario who wake up every morning and go to work in a job in life sciences. About 54% of all Canadian life sciences jobs are right here in Ontario, and we provide almost $60 billion in revenue, about 60% of Canada’s total.

So over the last year and a half, we’ve seen some big global players invest really serious dollars. I recall sitting in an office in Paris with Sanofi and talking about the possibility of them making a massive expansion in Ontario. One year later, just before the pandemic, we saw Sanofi announce a $1-billion investment to make Fluzone. It’s the flu vaccine for seniors.

It’s not just because I turned a senior last year that we fought so hard for this; it’s also because they brought along an additional $500 million into Ontario for research and development. This is a $1.5-billion investment. Then we saw Resilience, with a $400-million investment. Roche Pharmaceuticals made a $500-million investment, hiring 500 engineers in Mississauga. Some $1.4 billion of that is going toward building new facilities just to develop and manufacture innovative medicine and vaccines. This is exactly how we’re going to strengthen our industry.

Because of all of this investment attraction—we’ve been doing them one by one by one—we have now recently announced a life sciences strategy, Speaker. This is the first provincial strategy in the life sciences sector in more than a decade. This is a $15-million life sciences innovation program and this is going to help position the sector for long-term growth, for more investment, for job creation, for success and, quite frankly, at the end of the day, for what it’s all about: better health outcomes for the people of Ontario.

Our strategy now sets a lofty goal. Remember, we have 66,000 people who work in life sciences. Our goal is to have 85,000 people working in life sciences by 2030. That is an exciting and lofty goal that we fully expect to achieve, growing Ontario’s bio manufacturing footprint, building more—thanks to the minister of MGCS—domestic PPE supply chain resiliency, so that, as Premier Ford said, never again will it happen to Ontario. We’re pretty locked in that it’s not going to happen so far and with the changes that we know are coming, which I’ll talk about in a moment, we know we’re going to hit all of these goals.

We’re going to boost the commercialization capacity of our small and medium enterprises. That means through our regional development programs and through our advanced manufacturing program, we’re going to give them the tools they need to take it from research to development to commercialization. That’s a big part of the plan, but an even more important

part is, we’re adopting Ontario innovations to improve health care.

Supply Ontario has a mandate: $29 billion is what their budget is. They’re tasked to buy $29 billion worth of supplies. Now, thanks to the associate minister of MEDJCAT, her red tape bill put in place legislation that a minimum $3 billion of Supply Ontario’s budget must be bought in Ontario—made-in-Ontario products. That is the real difference and that will help these innovations come to commercialization.

The Minister of Government and Consumer Services also put part of that bill together. It’s called BOBI, the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative. That means that we are going to help our Ontario companies sell to the Ontario government. It’s all within our international thresholds, so we are keeping our worldwide partners happy; but we are taking $3 billion to make sure that when there’s research done in Ontario, we can have those products developed in Ontario, and Ontario Health and other agencies can buy those Ontario-made goods.

In fact, take it out of health for a second. As we, the province of Ontario, repurchase our automotive fleets, every single Ontario fleet vehicle will be a made-in-Ontario electric vehicle. That’s what you must buy from Supply Ontario. Those are the kinds of changes we’re making that are going to ensure that our Ontario-made program flourishes, that our life sciences sector flourishes, that never again will we be caught without PPE, made-in-Ontario PPE.

Today, we make masks, gowns, face shields, wipes, hand sanitizer, ventilators. We make all of those products right here. There are one or two products left on the list, and I’m pretty sure that the Minister of MGCS has a couple of tricks up his sleeve yet to get that from 74% to 93%. I’m very excited to hear more from that minister.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Another sneak peek.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: It is a sneak preview of what’s happening.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Like a cliffhanger.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: It is a cliffhanger. We’re very eager to hear more news from that minister.

Hon. Steve Clark: He’s very excited.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Yes, I can imagine. He should be now.

Speaker, as you can see, our vision is to establish Ontario as a global leader in biomanufacturing and life sciences. This is incredibly important.

Not only did we announce our life sciences strategy, but we did it at McMaster University with a phenomenal company called Omnia Bio. Omnia Bio is investing $580 million—$580 million—at McMaster University for a gene and cell therapy facility. That is the kind of success that we’re seeing in Ontario, where we’ve created a climate for companies to come to Ontario.

We’ve reduced the cost of doing business by $7 billion a year. That’s why Sanofi, that’s why Resilience, that’s why Roche have invested $2 billion, and that’s why Omnia Bio announced last week the $580-million investment in Hamilton. It’s the first of its kind and will now be the biggest, obviously, in Canada.

It’s really interesting that our Invest Ontario, the agency that we set up over the last year—this, too, was their first investment. It’s a $40-million loan that was made after good due diligence. Following the framework that we developed, they’ve invested $40 million into this Omnia Bio program. We’re going to continue making the right investments to support critical industries in our life sciences sector. But I can tell you again, they came here because we lowered the cost of doing business. It isn’t just the auto sector that was attracted by that; the life sciences sector has asked us for the same thing.

WSIB was reduced by 50%, saving $2.5 billion annually without touching the benefits. An accelerated capital cost was put in, much like the States, and it helps us compete with them—except our taxes are lower, so it makes us have an advantage. You can write off your equipment in-year, which saves the business community $1 billion a year.

Our commercial and industrial hydro rates were reduced by an average of 15%. We took the price of the Ontario government’s share of your local property taxes and reduced that by $450 million. The associate minister of MEDJCT has put several bills forward; the President of the Treasury Board has also, in his previous role, put several bills forward—eight bills in total of red tape and burden reduction, saving businesses $400 million. Altogether, it’s a savings of $7 billion annually, and that is why we’re seeing the growth that we’re seeing.

It didn’t happen by accident. We heard loud and clear from business—

Mr. John Yakabuski: Did they vote for it?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Sadly, to the member’s point, the opposition has voted against every single one of our bills that have reduced the cost of doing business and saved so many tens of thousands—and in fact, it appears to be hundreds of thousands—of jobs.

Speaker, think about it: In our first two years in office, we created the business climate for 300,000 new jobs to come into the province of Ontario, and through the pandemic, throughout those two years, more than 200,000 further new jobs came into the province of Ontario. This morning, we have 500,000 men and women who went to work at a job that did not exist when we took office four years ago—500,000, with 200,000 throughout the pandemic. These are the kinds of investments that are being made. We’re supporting them in every way that we possibly can.

That Ontario Together Fund that we put $50 million in? It was so successful we put a second $50 million into that; $100 million into the Regional Development Program to help these businesses, to spur them on, to hire people and hire people and hire people every single day. The advanced manufacturing, $40 million: That is going to hire hundreds of people. We’ll hear about those in the next few days.

The final thing I would say in the life sciences sector is the Ontario venture capital programming. This is $65 million of venture capital that is dedicated to the life sciences sector. This is something that we know, through our stakeholders—we’ve had all of the meetings with them. We know that our $65 million in venture capital will leverage about a half a billion dollars in investments. Take Omnia Bio, that fabulous new company that’s going to employ so many people in Hamilton, and add that number again. That’s what’s coming down the pipe.

We’ve partnered with MaRS. We’ve partnered with OMERS. We’ve got something called the Graphite investment accelerator fund. It, too, has money in it to help these businesses grow and hire people. It’s all about the hiring. That’s why we’re standing up here to fight for the working people.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Questions and response?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I would like to ask the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade a question about the constitutionality of Bill 106. During committee input on this bill, legal experts told MPPs that the bill is unconstitutional. It violates

section 2(

d) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as

section 15. It overrides collective bargaining rights and attacks women workers, equality and pay equity rights.

Did this government get a legal opinion on the constitutionality of Bill 106 before they decided to ram it through on the eve of an election?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: We give every single bill the same vetting, one by one by one, and I certainly hope that this particular bill, with all of the resources it will provide for working families—I hope that you will support it.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Questions and response?

Mr. John Yakabuski: I want to thank the minister for his speech this morning that laid out so clearly the kinds of things that we have done in our time in office to make Ontario the great economic engine once again.

And I really appreciate when you came to my riding and visited SRB Technologies and presented them with funding to produce face shields. SRB Technologies primarily produces tritium, emergency tritium lighting, a lot of it for the armed forces, but they were able to pivot, at your request, to be able to produce PPE. You’ve laid out just some of the things that we’ve done to produce PPE.

But I do have to ask you a question, Minister. I think I heard it in your speech. Are you telling me that on every one of these initiatives, the opposition voted against them each and every time? I have to ask you that, Minister.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: I guess the short answer would be, yes, they voted against the funding that was for life-saving PPE production. They voted against it every time. They voted against the funding that supported businesses. They voted against the funding that brought us through the pandemic. In every case, they voted no.

I can tell you, to the minister, I had a really great visit with you at SRB. I learned so much about what you end up using from—I call it the leftover components of our nuclear world. These are signs that in the pitch black, they light up. I never saw anything like that. So I was very excited to be able to—

Mr. John Yakabuski: I’m getting my face done in one.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Yes, I can imagine.

I can tell you, it was an exciting trip to see our money hiring people, buying brand new equipment and putting people to work.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Question and response?

Ms. Jill Andrew: I want to make it clear and remind Ontarians that it was this government, the Conservative government, that literally was saying no—they were literally saying no—to workers, our front-line health care workers, who were dying because they did not have access to N95 masks during much of this pandemic.

It’s one thing to pat yourself on the shoulder weeks before the election, but call up any of the people who have dead family members, who weren’t able to have masks because your government screwed up on distribution of masks, and tell them that there’s somehow a celebration in this bill—too little, too late.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: I appreciate the opportunity. Again, this pandemic was a horrible worldwide tragedy. The moment it happened, the moment the Americans and others said, “No, everybody is protecting their stock,” Premier Ford stood up and announced a call to arms. He said, “We need your help” to every industry.

I can tell you, in North Bay, families were sewing masks together until, as they said, the big companies could get producing. This is the kind of Ontario spirit that Premier Ford talked about, and that Ontario spirit shone every single day, Speaker. As I said, now here we are: 74% of all PPE is proudly made here in the province of Ontario, including the 3M N95 masks.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the associate minister of children and women’s services.

Hon. Jane McKenna: I just wanted to mention, when the minister and I sat in opposition, every business—it was 325,000 manufacturing companies that were gone. I think it was Maclean’s magazine that wrote that businesses that were here were so worried about the government that was in at the time that there was $500 million they weren’t reinvesting in their own businesses, because they were so unsure with what was happening here with the province.

If you could just elaborate a bit more on how our economy has turned around, how people are investing back in Ontario because they are so confident with this government and what we’ve been doing to where we are today, even with the tragedy of the pandemic. And I wanted to point out that since the pandemic, pre-pandemic, we have 36,600 women who have gotten jobs in the last two years.

Could you elaborate a bit more on a few more companies that have invested here?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Well, I can certainly do that, Speaker. We saw $12 billion in auto alone, just one sector now; in 17 months, $12 billion alone.

The Premier and I were at General Motors in Oshawa a couple of weeks ago. They have two shifts, 1,800 men and women—and I say men and women because 50% of the employees on the shop floor at General Motors are women today, which is a spectacular move with General Motors. They are going to 2,600 people. They are putting a third shift on. They’re moving from the heavy-duty Silverado, adding the light-duty Silverado. So we’ve now got a great announcement coming out of there with another group of 800 employees.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the member from Brampton East.

Mr. Gurratan Singh: Let’s once again talk about the real party of no. The Conservatives have said no to permanent paid sick days, no to lowering car insurance rates, no to building another hospital in Brampton. But what did they say yes to? They have said yes to giving $1 billion away to the 407 highway, the private corporation behind the 407. They said yes to giving more rapid tests to private schools than to public schools. They’ve said yes to whatever their insider friends and buddies want.

The Conservative Party is the real party of no. They’re the party of no when it comes to helping Ontarians when they need it the most.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Well, you know, if we want to talk yes and no, we can hear a lot of noes coming over from the other side. We can hear a no to the Minister of Long-Term Care’s 30,000 new beds and 28,000 reconditioned beds—58,000 altogether. We heard a big no coming out of that side.

We heard no to every single one of these programs, whether it’s the municipal affairs and housing program—we heard a no. Whether it was anything to do with the Minister of Government Services who’s sitting here—we heard a no. We heard a no at every step of every single business investment that we wanted to make and ended up making that saved the lives of so many families and their businesses. We heard a big no.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I recognize the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I’m glad that the minister is speaking and I’m glad that I get to ask a question after that, because I think you really see the difference between the Conservatives and the NDP. The NDP, of course, believe that people should work for government, right? That’s what government is all about: You should hand over everything to government, and they know best.

Whereas we believe that government should be working for people, and the difference when government works for people is hundreds of thousands of jobs coming back. So I wonder if the minister could highlight additional reasons why people are making these investments in the province of Ontario, despite a global pandemic; why we are doing so much better than any other jurisdiction in North America in bringing jobs back to this province.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: I could talk all day about these companies, these mom-and-pop businesses, these family-owned businesses, these companies that have grown. I visited a company just south of Ottawa, Beau-Roc. They make 14 dump truck bodies a day. Well, they’re spending $14 million to double the size of their facility and make 28 dump trucks a day, because that’s how much business they’ve got.

Ontario’s economy is just sizzling: 500,000 new jobs. We visited a company in Oxford that makes stroopwafels—it’s a cookie; you can buy them at Metro—

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): Thank you.

I recognize the member from Hamilton Mountain.

Miss Monique Taylor: I’m pleased to have the opportunity to be able to weigh in on Bill 106, the Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Act, which the government has brought forward. Once again, we have a great title, but inside this bill are severe damages to the workers of this province. The schedules inside of this bill will hurt workers in this province more than it will help them. I know this government has claimed that this bill is about providing PSW workers an increase to their wages; we heard the hype for quite a few days as we were waiting for this bill to come about the PSW increase.

But yet, when we see the bill, there’s no actual mention of the PSW workers and the concerns that we have seen when it comes to equal pay. The pay equity amendments in here are quite concerning.

So I would really like to thank the many workers’ unions who have come forward regarding this bill. The bill was dropped in a very short time. It did not leave a lot of time for people to have the opportunity to weigh into it, but workers, knowing this government, went through this bill very quickly and were able to find the poison pill unfortunately within it, and that is definitely when it comes to pay equity.

And so I want to thank the member for London West, who did the lead on this bill and has truly been a champion for workers throughout this pandemic. We’ve seen her come forward with the paid sick days and several opportunities that the government could have taken and really done well for the workers of this province, but instead they continuously voted against those options, those reforms, those real, true benefits for the workers of this province.

And let’s not forget that mainly women workers—and we heard yesterday, on Equal Pay Day, the attacks that women feel, women in the work field, how they feel about this government’s proposals and legislation that they put forward on a regular basis that attack women workers. The government can deny it and say that we’re fearmongering, but it’s the women who have brought these issues forward very clearly.

This started with Bill 124, which, as you know, Speaker, was a 1% pay increase hold since 2019 for mainly a high profession of women: nurses, DSWs, PSWs, teachers. People who worked in any public sector were faced with that 1% pay hold, which goes completely against inflation and the cost of living for what we’ve definitely seen. It has held those workers quite tightly there, and it’s something that they’re not happy about.

We’ve seen that affect our nurses in hospitals, our nurses in community, PSWs, people who have burnt out and who have worked so hard throughout this pandemic, being told that their collective bargaining rights are being taken away and that they don’t have the ability to bargain as we have throughout this province for many years. That was a major hit on those workers. They felt that. And now they’re seeing, once again, within this legislation how they will be affected again.

Pay equity has been something that the Liberals failed to achieve, and now we’re seeing the Conservative government just buckle down on that even further by putting legislation and wording within this bill that would say that any increase of money would go towards pay equity, which is not what pay equity is supposed to do.

Yesterday being Equal Pay Day, women were very clear. They actually held a debate last night to be able to raise the issues of equity in the workplace for women across this province. It’s really unfortunate that the Premier did not show up to that debate. He decided that he was too busy to show up to talk about the needs of our female workers in this province. The other leaders were there, and I believe they had a good conversation.

I believe wholeheartedly that our leader, the leader of the official opposition, definitely came out on top, showing that she definitely understands the workers’ needs in this province and how to move women forward. It’s unfortunate that the Premier didn’t see that it was an important issue to stand up to, and I’m sure the women of this province will hold him accountable for his attacks against women’s wages in this upcoming election.

I want to do a quote from the Ontario Nurses’ Association about this bill.

“Premier Ford’s Bill 106 further dismantles workers’ and women’s equality rights....

“With Equal Pay Day on April 12, Bill 106 does nothing to close the gender pay gap because it erodes workers’ rights and does not address systemic gender discrimination. In fact, the bill is an attack on fundamental pay equity rights and gender equality.... Premier Ford is using this bill to avoid paying out court-won pay equity compensation to ONA members.”

That sounds like an attack on women. That sounds like an attack on workers who have worked so hard in this province forever—being nurses, they are the core and centre of our health care system—but mainly throughout this pandemic, who have worked tirelessly day in and day out in the worst possible environment that they could have been in: in hospitals watching people die without family members, be sick and really in an unknown environment, as they were trying to work their way through that. I’ve definitely seen the works of that throughout the pandemic in my riding, at Grace Villa.

I know this bill also talks about PPE, and we’ve just heard from the minister about making sure that we have PPE going forward, and I’m truly pleased to hear that. We definitely need to ensure that we are ready for a pandemic—and I know

schedule 1 addresses this—because we did not see that when it came to this pandemic.

In 2017, I believe it was the Auditor General who was already releasing reports and audits on the province’s emergency management system and warned them then—which was the Liberal government, in 2017—that things were not in place, that supplies were expired and that there were huge concerns: “One of the critical objectives for the timely implementation of our recommendations from 2017 was for the province to be better prepared for the possibility of a major emergency, which occurred with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

So the AG has spoken out very clearly about this. We can definitely take this back to the previous government, under the Liberals, allowing our prepared emergency response to be inadequate, but we cannot forget that this government took place in 2018 and already knew that there were concerns from the Auditor General, and they did nothing to address it. So they can blame the Liberals all they want about not being prepared, and about the expired PPE and equipment that was required, but this government is just as much at fault.

Like I said, I’m happy to see that there’s new preparedness that’s going to be available, that there are new companies making masks, and I am so grateful to all of those folks who decided to take business into ensuring that we are prepared for PPE protective measures going forward. But we’ve also heard from many companies that have not been able to get into that procurement plan, and that are sitting on the sidelines and have products available that they’re not able to get to market—so lots of concerns there.

One of the schedules talks about—and I want to get on this, because I know we’ve had a lot—where is it? Which one is it? Sorry. The Regulated Health Professions Act: again, something that’s a really great measure to ensure that foreign workers are able to get their credentials quicker in this province, something New Democrats have been fighting for for years. We brought forward a bill—thank you to the member from Scarborough Southwest—Bill 98, which she tabled in March. This government did nothing to address that bill. It’s sitting in committee and wasting time, when we have a plan right there to help foreign workers.

And when we talk about foreign workers, we have to also remember that previous legislation that was brought forward by this government actually hurts those same workers who are trying to get into the health care workforce. We have people who come to this country—I know I’ve been in many a taxi where those taxi drivers are doctors and scientists and engineers, and they were not able to get into their workforce. Those same workers are now those same gig workers who are working at Uber and Just Eat, and Bill 88 actually takes away money from those same workers.

So in one bill they’re saying that they’re trying to lift foreign workers up, and in the other bill—of course, New Democrats voted against that bill, proudly, because it hurts gig workers in this province. The government needs to maybe have a fulsome plan that would actually work for people, instead of on one hand talking about giving them something, and on the other hand they just clearly took it away from them. We heard from many gig workers across this province of how Bill 88 will affect their bottom line and the—

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bill Walker): I apologize for interrupting the member. You will have time to finish your debate at another time.

Third reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Member for Toronto–St. Paul’s

Ms. Jill Andrew: This is my last member’s statement in this House for this session. I want to take the opportunity to sincerely thank my community of Toronto–St. Paul’s for giving me the opportunity to stand in this House, to work hard for you, to work with you, to laugh, to cry with you, all the various emotions that we have experienced together over the last four years. For trusting me with your stories, for trusting me with your hope for a better future, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I want to thank my beloved partner, Aisha; my mother; my friends, who are literally my family; my colleagues; my staff, present and past; and the hundreds of volunteers who have helped build our NDP movement in Toronto-St. Paul’s. This is an experience I will never, ever, ever forget.

And as we all go into our ridings, as we all get into election mode, may we please remember the crucial need of a social safety net without holes. We have seen the folks who have fallen through the holes disproportionately, especially during this pandemic, but long before. Every single one of us, as elected officials or simply as citizens in our communities, must prioritize ensuring that we have a strong social safety net. And we cannot—we must refuse—to use austerity measures as an excuse for doing what is necessary and what is right to protect Ontarians across this wonderful province.

Cadets

Mr. Toby Barrett: On the heels of the 105th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 9 to 12, I wish to report to the House that

An Act to proclaim Ontario Cadets Week passed final reading and was enshrined in law Monday, April 11, upon receiving royal assent. Ontario’s cadets will now receive ongoing recognition for their outstanding service to the province beginning this October.

Ontario Cadets Week will commence the first Saturday every year in October. The week will highlight cadets, their programs and the volunteers, as corps and squadrons begin their local training programs, traditionally in the fall. The timing ensures there will be no interference with the support cadets provide for our veterans for Remembrance Day events and ceremonies in November.

In Canada, we have a dynamic cadet program. It exists with numerous corps and squadrons. The Air Cadet League of Canada, Ontario Provincial Committee; the Army Cadet League of Canada, Ontario; and the Navy League of Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Forces, provide programs for air, army and sea cadets 12 to 18 years of age. The navy league also sponsors the Navy League Cadets, a separate program for young people nine to 12.

We now have an opportunity in October to provide our support to these young people who support us.

Ontario budget

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: As we approach the eve of the final budget before we dissolve Parliament, I want to hopefully reflect on where we have been and where we need to go forward. I am hopeful that our older adult population get the solutions they deserve after fighting tooth and nail through this pandemic.

We have an aging population in Niagara. We are one of the top three oldest communities in the entire country. This is not just numbers on the page; these are residents, our mothers, our fathers. They are the ones who built this great province from the ground up and gave us the tools to succeed. How can they be so neglected by the generation they raised?

It should go without saying: Seniors deserve respect and deserve care. That is why the official opposition has fought so hard for hospital funding, for policies that support our worn-out front-line health care staff, that have pushed back against cost-cutting in these areas. It is why home care needs to be revamped in this province. Seniors deserve to age with dignity in their homes, and if they move into a nursing home, that home should provide four hours of care today, not kick the can down the road.

I am hopeful that this next budget will be the budget that will finally close the gaps for seniors and older adults in my community—one that they have been waiting for and one they definitely deserve. I want it to be one I can take back to them and wholeheartedly support.

2022 New Holland Canadian Under-21 Curling Championships

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: Late last month, the city of Stratford and the Stratford Country Club hosted the 2022 New Holland Canadian Under-21 Curling Championships. The best junior curlers from across Canada came together in a display of skill and teamwork, and they did not disappoint.

The event took place at the Stratford Rotary Complex over seven days, and 18 teams took part. These events are so important for host communities for the community spirit they build as well as the economic benefits they generate. Officials say the curling championships was expected to generate over $1.5 million in revenue, including meals and hotel rooms. It’s exactly what our area needed.

Again, thank you to the staff, volunteers, the city of Stratford and the Stratford Country Club for cohosting this event.

Speaker, as we are approaching the end of this Parliament, I want to conclude my statement today with a very important message: Hurry hard!

Public transit

Mr. Kevin Yarde: I’d like to highlight some priorities that the city of Brampton’s delegation shared with me last week.

The city of Brampton has grown significantly in population, yet it has not yet received any significant public transit funding from the federal or the provincial governments for over 10 years. The last major provincial commitment was for the Züm bus rapid transit service in 2007, for which the federal and provincial governments each provided $95 million and the city contributed well over $95 million.

Between 2009 and 2019, Brampton accounted for 70% of the population growth within the Peel region, and Brampton’s transit ridership doubled from 25 to over 50 per capita. Each person in Brampton is taking twice as many rides per year compared to a decade ago.

Brampton has seen the highest increase in ridership in the GTA over the last decade; however, it remains significantly underfunded. The city of Brampton is asking for provincial funding for an LRT along Main Street, from Steeles to Brampton GO, worth $850 million. This is a compelling candidate for Ontario’s investments in key infrastructure. It would help Bramptonians have a reliable alternative to travelling by car, reducing carbon emissions.

Senior citizens’ housing

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: It is always an honour to rise in this House on behalf of my constituents of Scarborough–Guildwood.

Today, it is with concern that I acknowledge an issue that has been deepening in my riding of Scarborough–Guildwood and all across the province of Ontario. The tragic stories and scenes from long-term-care homes in 2020 caused the collective attention of Ontarians to turn to our seniors and how they live. Today, two years later, the income and affordability crisis faced by many Ontario seniors seems only to have gotten worse.

An example in my own riding is that of Naomi, a senior who reached out to my office for help. Naomi is on the list for affordable housing, but she has been told that the wait will be 10 to 15 years.

At close to 70 years of age, this is a harsh reality that she shares with far too many others in Ontario. With only her CPP and OAS, she had been surviving by renting a basement unit, but the pandemic forced the homeowners to sell.

Naomi’s request for assistance in finding a place made one thing very clear: This woman, who spent her working years helping others and who now simply wants to live with dignity, cannot afford to do so in the province of Ontario. With desperation in her voice, Naomi explained that she’s priced out of Scarborough, that her monthly income is not enough for even a studio. But even where rooms are going for $900 a month, seniors cannot afford this.

Seniors matter, Naomi insists. Seniors are members of society, and yet now, it’s just a reality that is escaping them.

Speaker, these are the Ontarians who built the province. As provincial leaders, we have a moral duty to ensure that every senior can live with dignity. I hope to see that in the budget when it is tabled.

Jim Jones / Karl Moher

Mr. Dave Smith: Today, I’d like to express my thanks to two individuals for their contributions to public service.

Jim Jones, affectionately referred to as J. Murray Jones, was elected to Douro-Dummer council back in 1998. He served as a councillor, deputy reeve and reeve, when it was still called that, as well as mayor in Douro-Dummer. He has also been the warden of Peterborough county for an astounding five terms. J. has spent a great deal of his time serving on the Eastern Ontario Regional Network as well and he was instrumental in the expansion of cellular phone service and high-speed Internet throughout eastern Ontario.

Serving alongside J. for just slightly longer has been his long-time friend Karl Moher. Karl was first elected to Douro council in 1994, prior to amalgamation, and has continued on long after Douro amalgamated with Dummer. Karl has served as a councillor and as the deputy mayor for Douro-Dummer, and, as deputy mayor, he has had a seat at the county council table. Karl’s accounting background has meant that he has always done a tremendous amount of research on any topic, and you can be assured that when he speaks up about something, it has been well thought out.

J., Karl, thank you for all that you’ve given to our community. Your combined 50-plus years of experience and knowledge will be missed. But I know that you’re leaving our community in good shape for those who will follow, and I know you’re always a phone call away for advice and the odd bad joke.

Provincial election

Miss Monique Taylor: I’m pleased to have the opportunity, which may be my last statement in this House in the 42nd Parliament, to thank my community for the amazing experience that I’ve had as I’ve been here at Queen’s Park over the past 10 years. I am looking forward to the election and I have been participating in that already. Talking to my neighbours and talking to my community has definitely been an uplifting experience.

Life here at Queen’s Park can be quite difficult with the arguments and the animosity that happens between parties and between different thought processes, but I know, at the end of the day, that we will work towards the best interests of the people who we serve. I know when I speak to my community, they’re highly concerned about the high cost of housing, the high cost of auto insurance and the high cost of gas. These are some things I hear on a regular basis. They’re very concerned about their children’s education and ensuring that there are educational assistants within the process.

They’re visiting food banks that they’ve never had to visit before, Speaker. I hope that, come this election, we can definitely show Ontarians that we can do things differently.

I want to take a quick moment to thank everyone, and to say good luck to the people who are not running again in this election and wish them well in their next endeavours.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Mrs. Robin Martin: I’m taking this opportunity to mark an important occasion for members of my community of Eglinton–Lawrence. Yesterday, April 12, was a very special day for the Jewish organization known as Chabad, which now boasts over 5,000 community organizations around the world. On April 12, thousands visited the Ohel, the resting place of the spiritual leader of the movement, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, on the 120th anniversary of his birth.

The Rebbe took a people decimated by the Holocaust and inspired them to believe in God’s providence again. The Rebbe’s teachings impart a sense of responsibility to God and to one another. He was a leader who exemplified true selflessness and whose altruism inspired others and continues to do so.

This great modern Jewish sage was born in Ukraine, a country that today is an example of moral clarity and strength in the world, a country where Chabad’s humanitarian effort is nothing short of heroic. The Rebbe engineered a global Jewish renaissance committed to caring for the spiritual needs of all Jews wherever they could be found, including here in Toronto.

Today, Jews around the world are influenced by the Rebbe through his thousands of emissaries, through his teachings and through his actions. It was not only the Rebbe’s birthday yesterday, but it was also a day of virtue for Chabad in my community, across Canada and around the world.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Introduction of visitors? Introduction of visitors? Oh, the Attorney General.

Hon. Doug Downey: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know there’s a lot of motion here and it’s hard to see all the way down to the end.

I want to introduce Tyler Jensen. He’s the head of litigation in the ministry office. He has been working like a dog all through COVID. I’m really pleased to have him here, for his first time, to the Legislature.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: We have a few friends in the gallery today. We have Angela Ranger and David Gibbons from Ottawa—welcome.

And we have—I’m going to say from North Bay but I know she’s going to say she’s from Ottawa—Stephanie Delorme.

Special report, Auditor General

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I need to inform the House that the following document has been tabled: a special report entitled Preliminary Perspective on Laurentian University, from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario.

Question Period

COVID-19 response

Ms. Sara Singh: My first question is for the Premier. Yesterday, the Premier refused to explain why he told Ontarians that Dr. Moore, our Chief Medical Officer of Health, was working 24/7 and never took a break, when Ontarians learned that simply wasn’t the case.

The Premier also refused to explain why he indicated that Dr. Moore—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. Stop the clock. Is this how we’re going to start?

The member for Brampton Centre has the floor. This is question period. She has a chance and an opportunity and she’s going to be able to place her question without interruption.

Start the clock. The member for Brampton Centre.

Ms. Sara Singh: The Premier also refused to explain why he indicated that Dr. Moore was meeting with all of the local chief medical officers of health when, in fact, as we’ve learned, that was not true, and he was actually out of the country on vacation.

Ontarians deserve answers and they deserve transparency. When did the Premier know that the Chief Medical Officer of Health was away on vacation?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To respond, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, is that really the leadoff question in question period today? Is that really the leadoff question? Is that what the NDP have to ask about, Mr. Speaker? But it shouldn’t surprise anyone, right? Because it was them, with the Liberals, who actually tried to fire the Chief Medical Officer of Health because they think they know better.

We would rather focus on all of the great things that the Chief Medical Officer of Health—this one and the previous one—has done to help Ontarians. We have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world—in the world. We are doing better than almost any other jurisdiction in North America.

Perhaps the NDP are so focused on one person, but here’s a news flash: There are a lot of people who help advise us. There is an entire medical team that helps advise us, including the great work of Dr. Moore, including the public medical officers of health across the public health agencies, and including me, when I ask my doctor or the president of my local hospital. I know all of our members do that. Perhaps the politburo might want to expand who they talk to every once in a while and not just be focused on their leader.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: This is not about Dr. Moore. This is about the Premier’s tenuous commitment to the truth, transparency and accountability. That’s what Ontarians deserve.

In 2020, we know that the Premier’s finance minister was out of the country, but the Premier pretended otherwise. So it’s strange that when the Premier had an opportunity to be transparent last week, he suggested that Ontario’s top doctor was hard at work and meeting with other health officials, but as we’ve learned, that was not the case.

If there was nothing to hide, why didn’t the Premier just tell Ontarians that Dr. Moore was away on vacation rather than pretend he was hard at work?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to remind all members to be judicious with their language and be careful with what they say, including the member for Brampton Centre.

The response?

Hon. Paul Calandra: The member opposite says it’s not about Dr. Moore, but it has been about the Chief Medical Officers of Health in the province from day one, because the NDP have not agreed with them from day one. This is a party that stood in the chamber and voted against a Chief Medical Officer of Health, wanting to fire him because, somehow, they know better than the medical officials.

They know better than the Chief Medical Officer of Health. They know better than the public health officers across the province of Ontario. Somehow, they know better. But we know, Mr. Speaker, they flip and they flop. One day they want vaccinations, the next they don’t. One day they want masks, the next day they don’t. One day they say things should be open, the next day it should be closed. One day they vote against supports for our small businesses, and then the next day they say that it should be expanded.

They’re all over the place, and that is why people never trust them to form a government. That’s why the people elected a strong, stable, Progressive Conservative majority government and they know that to continue the progress, a strong and stable Progressive Conservative majority government will deliver.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: Well, here’s the reality in Ontario: Due to this government’s inaction, schools have started closing, as of last week, because there are not enough staff; doctors and nurses are worried that there will not be enough staff in our hospitals to handle the sixth wave. This is what is happening right now in Ontario. Yet the Premier didn’t think it was prudent to simply tell the truth and explain that the Chief Medical Officer of Health was away on vacation.

Speaker, at this stage of—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to again remind the member to be careful with the language and not cross the line. Complete your question.

Ms. Sara Singh: Thank you, Speaker.

At this stage of the pandemic, what we need is leadership, we need transparency and we need accountability. Why is the Premier unwilling to tell Ontarians the truth and be transparent that Dr. Moore was on vacation, rather than at work?

Hon. Paul Calandra: What an absolute load of garbage that is coming from the member opposite. Mr. Speaker, let me tell you this: Over 90% of Ontarians have been vaccinated—over 90%. You know who said that couldn’t be done? They did. We said it could be done, and we got it done. Why? Because we work with the Chief Medical Officers of Health—the same Chief Medical Officers of Health that they wanted to fire.

But we went even further. We went even further than that. We said that we had to do so much more to improve health care capacity. When we were adding nurses to our health care system—8,000 new nurses—and paying for their education, who was voting against it? They were. When we were building long-term-care homes—30,000 new, 28,000 upgraded—who voted against it? They did. And 27,000 new PSWs: Who voted against it? They did. New medical schools, in Brampton—in her own riding, in her own community—who voted against it? She did.

Interjections.

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I sense there’s a lot of excitement in the House today for some reason. I would ask the members to raise their questions and provide their responses in a manner that is appropriate and consistent with the rules of the House, and not be overly personal, not attacking each other.

Please start the clock. The next question.

COVID-19 response

Ms. Sara Singh: My next question is also for the Premier. Doctors and nurses are very concerned that this sixth wave will result in more surgeries being cancelled in the province. Patients have already gone through enough. Waiting for surgery and other diagnostic procedures can be excruciatingly painful. The chief medical officer expects that ICUs will start to fill up with over 600 COVID patients in the coming weeks. When the ICUs fill up, hospitals have no choice but to redeploy critical staff resources away from surgeries.

Why is this government continuing to claim that everything is fine, when the risk of surgeries being cancelled is so high?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Hon. Christine Elliott: Well, in fact, the risk of surgeries being cancelled is not so high. We are able, because we created 3,100 additional beds since the beginning of this pandemic in order to care for COVID patients, but also to care now for the people who need to have those surgeries done.

Our ICU rates have remained relatively stable over the last several weeks and, as Dr. Moore himself has said, we have tools that we did not have just two years ago and in previous waves, including highly effective vaccines that have changed the course of the pandemic, and high vaccination rates that continue to improve as more and more Ontarians see the value of getting boosted to protect themselves, their families and their communities.

In addition to that, we have the antivirals coming online in large numbers. Starting today, people can access antivirals with a prescription through pharmacies. We have 4,700 pharmacies that are participating in that. That’s also going to help us keep our hospital numbers down so that we can continue with the surgeries that people have been waiting for.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: In my community of Brampton, families are concerned that their long-delayed surgeries will be even further postponed. Even prior to this pandemic, in Brampton we did not have the hospital capacity for our growing city, making surgery wait times horribly long. In fact, at Brampton Civic Hospital, patients wait more than two times the provincial average for things like hip replacements.

No one in Ontario should have to wait endless months for the care that they need, but the reality is that there is risk that these procedures will be cancelled yet again because we don’t have the staff to actually handle all of these surgeries.

Why is the government not listening to the medical experts and ICU doctors, and taking action to make sure that we don’t overwhelm our health care system?

Hon. Christine Elliott: First of all, with respect to the people of Brampton, they have been ignored by the previous Liberal government, aided and abetted by the NDP; however, we are bringing a new hospital to Brampton with many more beds, with another emergency department, with more surgical suites. Not only a new hospital but also a medical school is coming to Brampton through Ryerson University, so I think we are delivering for the people of Brampton, unlike the other side.

With respect to recoveries, though, we have created the beds; we’ve got the 3,100 extra beds. We’ve also put over $500 million into allowing for surgeries to be done on evenings and weekends and so on, so that we can catch up, and that’s what we are doing.

Whatever happens with respect to the pandemic, we know we can continue to care for the people with COVID, but also to continue with those surgeries that many people have been waiting for for a long period of time. We don’t want them to have to wait any longer.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: It’s clear that we have a health care system that is in crisis. Projections from leading experts have made it clear that we’re in for a brutal sixth wave. If no action is taken by the government, more surgeries are going to be cancelled in order to care for the COVID patients in our ICUs.

In Hamilton, for example, St. Joseph’s Healthcare hasn’t been able to clear out its backlog of surgeries. They announced last week that they have paused any ramping up because they are short-staffed already due to COVID-19.

In Toronto, at the University Health Network, leadership is worried that their hospital admissions are creeping up and they simply do not have the health care resources to keep up.

What is this government going to do to ensure that no patient has their surgery cancelled yet again because of this government’s inaction?

Hon. Christine Elliott: In actual fact, we are taking every step possible to safeguard the health and well-being of all Ontarians. We have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world right now. We’re continuing with the vaccination rates. We have the fourth doses now available to people. We also have large quantities of Paxlovid and other antivirals. There is another antiviral that is out there that has to be done intravenously. We’re continuing with that.

We want to make sure we have everything possible out there to protect people. Even if they contract COVID, if they’re properly vaccinated, most people will not have to be hospitalized. That’s very important. And with the antivirals now on the scene, that’s going to save lives as well and also prevent hospitalizations.

So with the number of beds that we now have, with the antivirals, with the money that we’ve put into increasing surgical volume but also diagnostic volumes for CTs and MRIs, we will be able to care for all of the health needs of the people of Ontario.

Northern highway improvement

Mr. Jamie West: In 2018, the Premier promised that he could do what former transportation minister Steven Del Duca couldn’t: He promised to tender the final 68 kilometres of Highway 69. He hasn’t done that yet.

Mélanie Fox and Allicia Dupuis asked me to read this to the Premier:

“On February 2, our beautiful parents, Suzanne Pharand and Aimé Giroux, were tragically killed on Highway 69 ... on that small stretch of the undivided and unfinished highway expansion.

“It wasn’t just our families that were affected. The poor transport truck driver ... has probably been forever changed.

“This could have been avoided if our government had finished the job of properly dividing the last stretch of Highway 69. Then, there may have been a ditch or a barrier to stop the collision between our parents’ vehicle and the transport truck.

“Highway 69 is one of the gateways between the north and south of this province. Why not ensure that all occupants, whether personal or commercial, can travel safely?”

Speaker, my question: When will the Premier finally tender the 68 kilometres of Highway 69 so that we can move towards fixing the highway so that nobody else is killed or injured?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I thank the member opposite for the question. He’s right: The Liberals, under Steven Del Duca, did make a promise to deliver on this important project over a decade ago, but it’s our government that is bringing it to the finish line.

The people of Sudbury don’t need any more empty promises like the ones that Steven Del Duca made. They need action. That’s why completing the final

section of Highway 69’s widening project is a priority for our government, and the progress that we have made to date is testimony to this. Seventy kilometres of the project are already complete, and MTO is working diligently to get the approvals needed to complete the remaining 68 kilometres of the corridor.

In December, I was so pleased, with my parliamentary assistant, to announce the opening of a new 14-kilometre stretch expanding into the French River area. It’s bringing us even closer to completion of this project.

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member opposite that it is a priority for our government and we will get it done.

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

Mr. Jamie West: Speaker, all the work that she spoke about was already tendered before they took government.

Soon after losing Aimé and Suzanne in February, another terrible accident occurred on Highway 69. There were three injured and one death in that one collision.

Mélanie and Allicia were devastated to hear this news. They asked me to say:

“These fatalities would have been avoided if the highway had been finished and divided.

“Please don’t let the pain and sorrow happen to any other families. Don’t let any other drivers walk away with the horror of having taken a life.

“Just before Christmas, our parents had seen the birth of their seventh grandchild. They still had so many plans and dreams to accomplish.”

Now, “we still reach for the phone to call home but ... there’s nobody there. Please don’t let any other calls go unanswered. Finish the highway. Protect those you swore to protect when you agreed to be members of this government. Protect us,” protect Ontarians.

Northerners are tired of paying for broken promises with their lives. When will the Premier offer an apology to these families and all the families and loved ones who have been injured and finally keep his promise to protect Ontarians on Highway 69 so that the people of Sudbury and across the north can come home safely?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I thank the member for the question. Road safety is a priority for our government, in particular in the north, where winter driving conditions make driving on our roads even more challenging.

Ontario does have a very good record in road safety, but there is so much more that we need to do. One of the things that we have been focused on is repairing the damage that was done under 15 years of Liberal mismanagement. We have been working on repairing their winter maintenance record. We have done a great job in the last four years, but we know we need to do more.

We’re investing in our highways. Last year, we committed $641 million to expand and repair our highways in the north. That work is expected to support more than 4,400 jobs in northern Ontario.

We know that there is more to do. Highway 69 is a priority. I was pleased in December to open a 14-kilometre stretch, but we’re committed to getting the rest of the work done.

Northern Ontario development

Mr. Norman Miller: My question is for the Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. There is no doubt that this government has done a lot to improve the overall quality of life for northern Ontarians. Whether it’s by investing heavily in community infrastructure and education projects, or by investing in small and medium-sized businesses, we can see that northern Ontario is a priority for this government.

Of course, many of the job creators in the northern region are in the industrial sector, employing thousands of northern Ontarians. Speaker, through you: What recent efforts have the minister and this government made to assist the industrial sector in the north?

Hon. Greg Rickford: There is widespread enthusiasm across northern Ontario in a number of key sectors. We had an opportunity with the Premier and the member from Sault Ste. Marie to announce the Northern Energy Advantage Program. Now, this isn’t just a rebrand for its sake, Mr. Speaker. This is a significant new investment in energy costs for industrial users in northern Ontario.

Four things you need to know: The escalator has increased up to $56 million by 2025-26; we’ve removed the $20-million cap; we’ve created a new investor class; and the fourth thing, Mr. Speaker, at a moment when our forestry and mining products are in high demand from around the world, the NDP voted against it.

We’re going to continue to meet the demands of our industrial class across northern Ontario, and that includes lower electricity costs.

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

Mr. Norman Miller: To return to the minister, I’m sure that it pleases industry leaders to work with a government that understands the relationship between industry and community, between investment and job creation. And I am sure that they are even more pleased to see a government that understands that life and business in northern Ontario is different from here in the GTA. The previous Liberal government abandoned the north’s transit, its economic future and, most disheartening of all, its people.

Speaker, through you, could the minister please share what he’s heard on the ground and how the Northern Energy Advantage Program will help the north’s vital industries?

Hon. Greg Rickford: I mentioned a new investor class, and this isn’t just about offering reduced electricity prices for those electricity-intensive industries. The member from Sault Ste. Marie, an outstanding MPP, knows that Algoma Steel was not part of the program. They are now, and with the incentives that we have, they’re investing in an electric arc furnace. That’s not just going to increase their capacity; it’s a greener form of technology for them to produce larger amounts of steel. That’s outstanding.

Alamos Gold up in Dubreuilville last week had to find out two pieces of news: (1) that electricity is not going to cost as much; but (2) the member from Algoma–Manitoulin voted against those resources for that program. I didn’t want to miss an opportunity at the podium to remind his constituents of that, Mr. Speaker. They were shocked to learn that and thank this government for standing up for the miners in northern Ontario—

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

The next question.

Health care funding

Mr. Kevin Yarde: It’s an honour to rise to give my final question here at question period.

Applause.

Mr. Kevin Yarde: Thank you.

My question, I think, is fitting because of what’s happening in Brampton. Health care is still a huge concern, a huge issue. Brampton needs a cancer care centre, and we’ve gone on far too long without a cancer care centre. We’re already dealing with hallway medicine at Brampton Civic, which is in my riding of Brampton North. People have to travel to Toronto and other areas for cancer treatments. Building a cancer care area is only the first step. We need at least three fully functioning hospitals in Brampton; not an additional wing to Peel Memorial, but three fully functioning hospitals.

My question to the government is: Will you commit to the people of Brampton and provide their fair share in providing three fully fledged hospitals?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Health.

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. I wish you all the best in the future.

With respect to Brampton, we are giving the residents of Brampton their fair share, finally. They’ve been waiting for far too long. They did not get it under the previous Liberal government, which, sadly, was helped by the NDP. But our government is going to get the job done.

First of all, with the cancer care centre, a stage 1 proposal for the new stand-alone cancer radiation treatment building at the Brampton Civic Hospital was submitted to the Ministry of Health, and it’s currently under review.

Secondly, we are creating a new hospital that is going to be able to stand alone and serve the people of Brampton. They have been waiting too long with one hospital. We are creating a second hospital that will serve the needs of the people in Brampton.

And, of course, Brampton is also getting a new medical school through Ryerson, which is also going to help with the recruitment of physicians and other staff in the future. So we—

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

Mr. Kevin Yarde: Again to the Premier: If we look at other cities in Ontario with a smaller population, we can get a better picture of how Brampton is not getting the quality of health care that we need. Cities with smaller populations like Hamilton and London have a minimum of three fully functioning hospitals. This is why the people of Brampton feel that they are being treated as second- and third-class citizens. They’re having to drive to other cities or wait hours to be seen in the ER, and this is not acceptable.

So my question, again, to the Premier: Will this government commit to Brampton with three fully functioning hospitals, including an emergency room?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I would say to the member opposite, through you, Speaker, that the only people we’re hearing from who indicate that Brampton needs three hospitals are the members opposite. The people of Brampton are very, very happy that they’re going to be receiving this additional hospital. It is going to be fully functioning.

Also, we’re reviewing the cancer care centre for the Brampton Civic Hospital. We’re also working to make sure that we provide all the other supports that people need in order to catch up with some of the backlogs of surgery that had to happen as a result of COVID.

We are going to get the job done for the people of Brampton. We’re going to make sure that they have all of the medical supports and services that they need so they don’t need to travel to other areas, but can stay within their own home city and surrounding area.

Education funding

Mr. Stephen Blais: Mr. Speaker, since first taking office, this government has shown their disdain for publicly funded education. They quickly cut $25 million from special education. They attacked teachers and their qualifications. They increased class sizes. We all know these cuts and others led to the largest teacher strikes seen in a generation—not since the previous Conservative government, Mr. Speaker.

Now we learn that while this province was struggling to get teenagers and children vaccinated, while health and education leaders and parents were pleading for safer schools, while we saw spikes in cases, exposures on school buses and in classrooms, and lost learning time, and while denying parents and their children access to rapid tests, this government provided 175,000 rapid tests to private schools.

Can the Premier explain why he chose to prioritize kids in private schools over those in our publicly funded school system?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Education.

Hon. Stephen Lecce: It is a great opportunity to contrast the record of our government and the former Liberal government, which has the shameful record of closing 600 publicly funded schools in the province of Ontario. That has left a significant impact on rural, suburban and, increasingly, even in urban communities of the province of Ontario that felt the reduction in focus and prioritization and investment.

This government, this Premier, is increasing investment in public education by over $600 million, year over year, to ensure children get back on track—the largest Ontario learning recovery plan, $175 million to ensure tutoring is expanded, and mental health expansion to the largest level, 400% higher than under the Liberal government.

Mr. Speaker, we are investing more. We are sending 40,000 HEPA units and seven million rapid tests every single month to ensure that children remain safe and we get them back on track, academically, in our schools and in our classrooms.

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

Mr. Stephen Blais: The government’s contempt for publicly funded education doesn’t end at primary and secondary school. The government has also shown contempt for our publicly funded universities and their students. They’ve made it more difficult and more expensive for many Ontarians to attend university by cutting OSAP. Their decisions have ensured that more and more students will only graduate with crushing levels of student debt.

So let’s summarize: They’ve cut special education funding. They’ve attacked teachers and their qualifications. They’ve made class sizes bigger. They’re forcing students into mandatory online learning and making university more and more expensive every day. And now we find out that they’re prioritizing private school children, with 175,000 rapid tests, over the millions in our publicly funded education system.

Mr. Speaker, why does this government have such disdain for publicly funded education in Ontario?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that actually cut tuition for the first time in a generation in this province. It rose dramatically under the former Liberal government. I’m also very proud to be part of a government that is increasing investment to the highest levels ever recorded in Ontario’s history, over $630 million more to ensure quality education for Ontario’s two million children.

In this province, we are deploying 40,000 additional HEPA units, in addition to the 73,000 in schools. We are continuing to prioritize seven million rapid tests every month for public schools in this province. We have $300 million allocated this year and an additional $300 million next year for the singular purpose of hiring roughly 3,000 more front-line educators, mental health workers, ECEs, EAs and custodians.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring children remain in class for their mental and their physical health. We’re going to continue to invest to ensure kids remain in our schools.

Manufacturing jobs

Ms. Donna Skelly: My question is about the previous Liberal government’s contempt for the hard-working people of Ontario and the business community. My question is to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Speaker, under the previous Liberal government, businesses ran scared and they fled the province in droves. Business owners in my riding have talked to me at great lengths about the cost of doing business in Ontario, under their leadership, the previous Liberal government’s, being out of control. The legacy of the Liberal government left energy costs skyrocketing. Taxes were scheduled to increase and businesses just couldn’t keep up with the previous government’s constant cost escalations.

Ontarians looked to our government to turn the tide on 15 years of mismanagement. Speaker, through you to the minister: What steps has our government taken to make Ontario the lowest-cost jurisdiction in which to do business?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: When our government took office, we listened to the business community and took action to cut red tape, reduce taxes and make Ontario more competitive. As a result, we lowered the cost of business by $7 billion annually and saw the manufacturing sector take off.

But it’s not just our manufacturing sector. All across Ontario people are waking up to go to jobs that did not exist before our government was elected. As of this morning, Speaker, Ontario businesses have created 500,000 jobs since we took office. No previous Liberal government was ever able to create as many jobs in four years as our government has. This is the last time unemployment rates were this low in over 30 years. We will continue to make the right investments to create more jobs for more people in Ontario so we can unleash Ontario.

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

Ms. Donna Skelly: I’m so proud to be part of a government that has turned the corner on 15 years of mismanagement. We saw 300,000 jobs disappear from the province of Ontario, but under the leadership of this minister and, of course, the Premier, things have changed and our economy is on fire.

The cost of doing business was so high under the previous government, investments in manufacturing were being offshored to other jurisdictions. Ontario was losing its entire manufacturing base, but, thankfully, Speaker, our government stepped in and reversed the damage the Liberals did to our manufacturing sector. The fact is, Ontario businesses simply cannot afford to go back to 15 years of scandal and waste.

Through you, Speaker: Can the minister outline how our government is securing our manufacturing sector for generations to come?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: We all know the story about how the Liberals, only supported by the NDP, abandoned our manufacturing sector. Their last report on the economy stated, “The structure of the Ontario economy will continue to shift from goods-producing to service-producing ... in particular manufacturing, to service sector industries.”

They gave up on manufacturing. They threw in the towel. Well, we did not give up on our manufacturers. As a result, we have seen $12 billion in investments in just the last year and a half.

Speaker, we will continue supporting our great women and men working in the manufacturing sector. We will never give up on the people of Ontario like the previous governments did.

Government appointments

Ms. Catherine Fife: My question is to the Premier. Ontarians expect a complete separation between police boards and politics. That’s why the latest revelation in Peterborough is so concerning. The chair of the Peterborough Police Services Board, Les Kariunas, got his appointment from this government in 2020 after being called the “wingman” of the Peterborough–Kawartha MPP. After being caught on video campaigning for the member earlier this week, Kariunas suddenly resigned from the police board for “health reasons.”

The Police Services Act includes a code of conduct for members of police boards that stipulates, “Board members shall not use their office to advance their interests or the interests of any person or organization with whom or with which they are associated.” It also says that board members should “refrain from engaging in conduct that would discredit or compromise the integrity of the board or the police....”

Why does this government, Speaker, through you, have such a hard time, such a challenging time separating their partisan political interests from public safety and the police?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Solicitor General.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: As the member opposite accurately depicted, the police services board member in question did do something inappropriate and tendered his resignation, which, of course, we have accepted.

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

Ms. Catherine Fife: The issue is the pattern of behaviour here. Ontarians have no time for this. That’s why they were outraged when the Premier tried to get his buddy Ron Taverner the OPP commissioner job in 2018. It’s why the residents of Ottawa were furious when the Premier’s hand-picked appointee to the Ottawa Police Services Board showed up to support the convoy that occupied the city of Ottawa.

Mr. Kariunas only resigned from the MPP’s campaign after he was caught on video, but neither he nor the MPP thought there was anything wrong with the perception that the head of the police board would be openly campaigning for the re-election of a Conservative MPP.

Does the Premier, does the minister think that this is acceptable for the member for Peterborough–Kawartha, or will you try to sweep this under the rug and just pretend that this never happened?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I’m not sure the member opposite understood my previous answer, so I will try again. The Peterborough representative of the police services board did something inappropriate. He tendered his resignation. We accepted it, as we should.

Consideration of Bill 67

Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios: For the Minister of Education: On March 3, a private member’s bill—Bill 67—that proposes to fine anyone, including a student, who interrupts a proceeding in the education system for something that might be deemed as contributing to subconscious racism passed second reading.

The member for Kitchener Centre stated that the bill is necessary to combat systemic racism in our education system, because if we continue with the current education system, we are replicating colonial systems that perpetuate violence. The government member for Niagara West and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education stated this is a worthy bill and he looks forward to seeing it pass.

Does the government believe, as presented, that students should be fined in the education system, that the education system is systemically racist, and that if we do things the same way, we are replicating a colonial system that perpetuates violence? Yes or no, please?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I think the member knows the bill that she talks about is a private member’s bill that was brought forward by a member of the NDP and is in committee right now.

The government, of course, takes absolutely no position on that. It is an issue that members rightfully make their own decision on this side of the House. Of course, private members’ bills are not whipped; members make their own decision. But as I said, this is something that is in committee and it will be up to committee to decide whether it comes forward or not and for members to make a decision whether they support it or not.

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

Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios: All government members, and even the member for Chatham-Kent–Leamington, voted in favour of Bill 67 that seeks to fine students for subconscious racism, and while some professors thought that the government and the member for Chatham-Kent–Leamington were “fooled” by this bill, a review of the debate shows they wholeheartedly supported it.

The government member for Niagara West concluded in his speech in favour of Bill 67 by saying that he looks forward to ensuring that we’re able to pass the legislation in this chamber. The government member from Carleton said she was proud to support the legislation, and the government member from Markham–Unionville said he hopes to support the bill.

Does the government plan on passing Bill 67 and making it law prior to the June 2 election campaign? Yes or no?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Of course, the government has no intention of passing that bill and making it law. It is a private member’s bill. It would be up to members individually to make that decision. The member opposite knows full well that all members give the courtesy of moving bills to committee; I think she herself has utilized that advantage. So, as opposed to attacking the member for Chatham-Kent–Leamington, I would suggest that she continue to focus on what’s important to the people of the province of Ontario. But again, Mr. Speaker, the government has absolutely no intention of passing that bill. It will be up to private members themselves to make a decision.

Electronic service delivery

Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos: Just yesterday, the Associate Minister of Digital Government and the Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction announced Ontario’s new online business website that will help small business owners and entrepreneurs access the information and services that they need to get up and running, and build back our economy. The business community has long said that it can be difficult to find information on how to start a business in Ontario, and entrepreneurs are looking to our government to get it done. Small business owners are the backbone of Ontario’s economy.

With more and more businesses going online, now is the time to help entrepreneurs to better interact with our government.

Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Digital Government tell us how we are making it easier for entrepreneurs to start a business right here in Ontario?

Hon. Kaleed Rasheed: Thank you to the member of Oakville North–Burlington for the question. The member is correct. I was also joined by the member from Mississauga–Lakeshore and Karen Greve Young, CEO of Futurpreneur Canada, to announce the launch of the new ontario.ca/business website.

I want to take a moment and thank Maria Castillo, the owner of Planted Souls, for being a gracious host for our announcement. Planted Souls is a new business founded right here in Ontario and a recipient of the 2021 RBC Rock My Business Startup Award. I highly recommend visiting her shop in Port Credit, Mississauga.

Mr. Speaker, we heard from the business community that it can be overwhelming to find information on how to start a business in Ontario, and we listened by removing the barriers of trying to locate all the necessary information. My team at the Ontario Digital Service worked tirelessly to consolidate thousands of pages of content into one place. By providing a central location for all information, this will give clarity to businesses on what they need to know and when.

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

Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos: Thank you to the Associate Minister of Digital Government for that great answer. It is great to hear how we, as a government, are helping entrepreneurs take the guesswork out of how to start their businesses.

Ontarians want to know that their government is listening and creating the ontario.ca/business website with consolidated information to make it easier for entrepreneurs to navigate the process of starting a business. I know entrepreneurs in my community of Oakville North–Burlington want our government to take the confusion out of completing necessary paperwork and permits.

Speaker, through you to the associate minister: Exactly what information and resources are provided through the website?

Hon. Kaleed Rasheed: Thank you to the member for the question.

Mr. Speaker, we are saying yes and getting things done. The platform contains information on how to register a business and apply for tax credits and permits. As well, there’s a tool that walks you through a step-by-step guide on the process of starting a business.

I would also like to mention that this website is not just for people looking to start a business. It is also for current business owners, on where they can find possible funding opportunities and sign up for email notifications on relevant updates. This website is a great reflection of Premier Ford’s brand of government providing good customer service. We are here for the entrepreneurs and businesses of Ontario, and we are making our economy stronger by making it easier to start a business right here in the great province of Ontario. Mr. Speaker, we are moving the economy forward and making Ontario stronger with this new website.

Autism treatment

Mr. Taras Natyshak: My question is to the Premier. My constituent Shantal Roy-Johnson’s daughter was diagnosed with autism at just one and a half years old. Knowing that early intervention was vital to her daughter reaching her full potential, she immediately applied to the Ontario Autism Program to ensure the best for her daughter’s future. Now three years old, her daughter still languishes on a waiting list while critical time is lost.

In March, the FAO reported that the government only spent 56% of the allocated funds for the autism program, forcing thousands of other families to not get the critical care and therapy that they need. Why has this government continued to find the funds for frivolous lawsuits, for bumper stickers, for defective vanity licence plates, for partisan campaign ads instead of making the lives of children and families with autism better and providing them with hope for the treatment and therapy that they so desperately need?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To respond, the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. The member opposite will be interested to know that we are making good progress on bringing additional children into the program. We already have 40,000 children receiving supports who have a diagnosis of autism. We also have five times as many children receiving supports as in the previous government’s program, supported by the NDP.

We also have the Independent Intake Organization, now known as AccessOAP, which is going to be bringing in more children starting this month. That will provide a care coordinator to look at the many domains of need to create this needs-based program—a service-oriented, family-oriented, child-oriented program.

This is something that we will continue to do, understanding that the FAO report reflected the difficulties in accessing in-person services during that time. We are fully committed to spending the full $600 million, the doubling in funding that we created for this program.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: Shantal’s daughter, like every other child in Ontario, deserves the opportunity to live up to their full potential without having to wait years in line for help.

While this government fumbled on the file from one minister to the next minister to the next minister, families have been forced to incur debt and struggle to make ends meet. We remember all too well the first minister that held carriage of this file, the self-described “minister of tears,” who, instead of fighting for autism children, fought against them and went to war against those families and those parents, threatening them.

Families, therapists and advocates have been clear for years that the Ontario Autism Program must be needs-based and without a wait-list. Why has this government broken their promise to 50,000 families, like Shantal’s, who continue to wait for the critical support that their children need?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: To the member opposite: In fact, we have listened to the families through consultations and town halls, creating a comprehensive, needs-based program. Parents told us they wanted more than ABA. They wanted to make sure that their children could have mental health services, that they could have language and speech pathology services, that they could have occupational therapy. We listened and we created a program. That did take time—we acknowledge that—but this is a needs-based program that is clinically informed, research-based. This is a world-leading program created by the autism community, for the autism community.

Through the autism advisory panel and the implementation working group and now the Independent Intake Organization, now called AccessOAP, we’ll be rolling out more programs and more access to bring even more children into the program. We have 40,000 children that are receiving supports currently, and I can list some of them for you: for childhood budget funding, 8,682 payments; families who access foundational family services, 12,914; in caregiver-mediated—

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

Planification municipale / Municipal planning

M lle Amanda Simard: Depuis plusieurs années maintenant, je travaille avec les citoyens de Champlain opposés à la cimenterie planifiée dans notre communauté, pour remettre les pendules à l’heure dans ce dossier.

To recap for the government, in case they need a refresher, the Ministry of the Environment issued an environmental compliance approval that was based on erroneous data provided by the proponent of the project.

En raison de ces erreurs importantes, j’ai demandé au gouvernement, par écrit, de révoquer l’autorisation environnementale et de réviser la soumission avec les bonnes données. Le gouvernement a refusé. Incroyable, monsieur le Président—un dangereux précédent.

La question est simple : le gouvernement va-t-il faire la bonne chose et reconsidérer sa décision, oui ou non?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Hon. David Piccini: It’s an honour to rise. Thank you to the member for that question. I’d be happy to sit down and have a meeting with that member about this specific issue.

In the Ministry of the Environment, we lean on the expert advice of directors within the ministry. In fact, we have more scientists in this ministry than any other ministry in government, and they work closely, I know, on this specific issue.

I find it ironic, Mr. Speaker, that on one hand, the members from the Liberals call on the importance of environmental assessments, the importance of environmental compliance approvals, and then on the other hand, when it doesn’t suit their own specific interests, want politicians to intervene. That was the problem that for too often plagued the Liberal government when they were in this office.

Well, on this side of the House, Speaker, we’re going to listen to the experts in our ministry. I’m happy to take a meeting with her to understand her issue in more depth.

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

M lle Amanda Simard: Respectfully to the minister: He actually wrote me back and refused, so he is well aware of this case. I just wanted to point that out.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the data issue mentioned in my previous question, I want to stress that the community is fiercely opposed to this project and has been for years, spending time, money and energy fighting this project every ste