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April 18, 2016

41st Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2016-Apr-18 (PDF)

L162 - Mon 18 Apr 2016 / Lun 18 avr 2016

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 18 April 2016 Lundi 18 avril 2016

Introduction of Visitors

Wearing of buttons

Wearing of ribbons

Oral Questions

Government appointments

Government appointments

Fundraising

Hospital services

Climate change

Air-rail link

Affordable housing

Air-rail link

Aboriginal programs and services

Social assistance

Hydro rates

Employment supports

Climate change

Transportation infrastructure

Mental health services

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Sikh Heritage Month

Organ and tissue donation

Ontario farmers

Organ and tissue donation

Environmental protection

Jocelyn Leworthy

Ontario One Call

Sikh Heritage Month

Armenian genocide anniversary

Private members’ public business

Petitions

Markdale hospital

Employment standards

Transports en commun

Alzheimer’s disease

Workplace safety

Elder abuse

Home care

Rural schools

Public transit

Health care funding

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Lung health

Energy policies

Visitors

Orders of the Day

Alternative Financial Services Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016 / Loi de 2016 modifiant des lois concernant les services financiers de rechange

Annual report, Chief Medical Officer of Health

The House met at 1030.

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

Prayers.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Joining us soon in the members’ gallery are friends of Wallaceburg’s Sydenham hospital: Shirley Roebuck, Mary Lou Van Daele, Mary Agnes Bogaert, Jennifer Bowen, Victoria Scott, Lisa Medd, Rex Isaac, Jeff Wesley and Lori Turner. I’d like to welcome these people from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex.

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Today, page Harry Blackwell’s mom, Sally Blackwell, is here, and she’s joined today by her friend Sarah Hefford from Oakville as well. Please give them a warm welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Reza Moridi: It’s a great pleasure to welcome my friends from Richmond Hill, Mr. Hassan Kiasat, Dr. Mohammadtaghi Salehian, and Ms. Aghdas Pirayesh, who are sitting in the members’ gallery. Mr. Speaker, please join me in welcoming them.

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: From my riding of Barrie, I would like to welcome Jocelyn Leworthy and her mother, Angel. They are here today for the Be a Donor campaign.

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: We have a delegation here today from the town of Ingersoll: Mayor Ted Comiskey, Bryan Smith and Brian Donlevy. They’re here to present to committee this afternoon, and they’re here to enjoy question period this morning.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I’d like to introduce Ronnie Gavsie, the president and CEO of the Trillium Gift of Life Network. As well, we have Leslie Kirke and her son, Sully Rafi, with us today.

Tonight, by the way, is the Trillium Gift of Life Network reception at 5:30 in the dining room. I encourage all members in this House to attend. We also have a photo on the staircase after question period.

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: I invite everyone in the House to join me in welcoming page Amelia Naidoo’s mother, Leila Puran, and father, Mervin Naidoo. They’ll be in the public gallery this morning. I issue my welcome as well as the entire House’s welcome.

Hon. Ted McMeekin: Young Madeline Loewith, one of our pages, has some special guests here today that I’d like to welcome to the Legislative Assembly. Mother Jennifer Howe is here, father Ben Loewith is here, grandparents Ron and Carol Howe are here, and grandparents Carl Loewith and Sandra Katz are here to support the young page. We welcome you all to the Legislative Assembly this morning.

Ms. Soo Wong: I want to welcome the grade 10 students from Dr. Norman Bethune who are just walking into the visitors’ gallery, and the teachers, Ms. Alison Rimell as well as Glynn Williams. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

M me Marie-France Lalonde: C’est un plaisir aujourd’hui d’avoir des invités. Un d’entre eux va recevoir l’Ordre de la Pléiade cet après-midi : M. Louis Patry, qui est avec nous dans la galerie avec son épouse Nicole, son amie Nicole Fortier, et un autre ami, Mike Nakashoji. Aussi, mon personnel—Anick Tremblay—qui sont avec nous dans la galerie. Bienvenue.

Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris: I’d like to welcome the family of Chandise Nelson, who is our page captain today. I’d like to ask everyone to welcome Hentrose Nelson, Chris Nelson, Cahlia Nelson and Clareth McCallum to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I am extremely happy today to have the opportunity to introduce my eldest daughter, who is here with us in the members’ gallery: Talia Salome Amaral Del Duca, who is eight years old and is sitting right back there.

Mr. Yvan Baker: I’m proud to introduce in the Legislature Devon Moir. She’s a bright student at Dartmouth College, my alma mater. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

M me France Gélinas: I have delegations from Wallaceburg and Walpole Island First Nation coming. They are stuck in security right now, but they are making their way. That’s Shirley Roebuck, Mary Lou Van Daele, Mary Agnes Bogaert, Jennifer Bowen, Victoria Scott, Lisa Medd, Rex Isaac, Jeff Wesley and Lori Turner, and Natalie Mehra and Kim Johnston from the Ontario Health Coalition.

Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris: Just one more addition: I’d like to ask everyone to welcome a member of my staff, Gillian Rowatt. I don’t think she’s here just yet, but she will be joining us in question period.

Hon. Reza Moridi: Mr. Speaker, please join me in wishing a happy birthday to page Sabrina Arcuri. Today is her birthday.

Wearing of buttons

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Point of order?

Mr. Vic Dhillon: Point of order: I’m seeking unanimous consent to wear a button commemorating Vaisakhi. As well, we’re celebrating Vaisakhi at Queen’s Park. I’d like to welcome some members of the Sikh community who are here. We’re having prayer from 1 o’clock to 3 o’clock in the government caucus room and a reception following that from 5 o’clock to 7 o’clock. I’d like to encourage members who can attend to please attend.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Brampton West is seeking unanimous consent to wear the button and follow his invitation to all members. Do we agree? Agreed.

Wearing of ribbons

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member for Burlington on a point of order.

Ms. Eleanor McMahon: Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent that all members be permitted to wear ribbons in recognition of Trillium Gift of Life’s Be a Donor campaign.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Burlington is seeking unanimous consent to wear the ribbons for Trillium Gift of Life. Do we agree? Agreed.

Oral Questions

Government appointments

Mr. Steve Clark: Before we start, on behalf of our party, we just want to express to the Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure our wish for a speedy recovery. We’re thinking of him and his family this morning at question period.

Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Why is the Premier allowing the Minister of Government and Consumer Services to appoint Liberal friends and donors from his own riding to government boards within his ministry?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: There is an absolutely arm’s-length process whereby public appointments take place, Mr. Speaker, and—

Interjections.

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

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Minister, be helpful, please. Thank you.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: In fact, since we’ve been in office, we have actually depoliticized those processes much more than when we came into office. There’s arm’s-length decision-making that takes place.

I think that if the member opposite looks across all of the boards, agencies and commissions, he will see that there are representatives, first of all, from across the province and from all political stripes and no political stripes: people who have been appointed because of their skill base and because of their ability to do the job at hand.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Steve Clark: Back to the Premier: I have a briefing note from the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services dated last Thursday. It’s entitled, “Public Appointments: Historical Advice to Minister and Minister’s Office.” It was prepared by an acting senior policy adviser and it was approved by a director and an assistant deputy minister. It’s clear that ministry officials are concerned that the minister is overriding their advice and recommendations and making public appointments that run against the ministry’s directive.

How long has the Premier allowed her ministers to appoint their friends and donors to government boards against the advice of senior civil servants?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: That hasn’t been the case, Mr. Speaker. That’s not how appointments are made. As I say, there is a process in place. I suggest that, if the member has that memo, he look at what the process is, because the process would be laid out in that memo.

The process has been depoliticized. There’s a skills-based process that is undertaken. As I say, if the member opposite looks across the boards, agencies and commissions, he will see representatives from many different backgrounds, from many different parts of the province: people who had connections to all parties and to no parties.

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

Mr. Steve Clark: Again, back to the Premier: The briefing note was written because the minister was seeking to appoint a real estate agent from Sault Ste. Marie to the Real Estate Council of Ontario.

The note says, “There is concern within the [ministry] that appointment of an additional regulated professional to the board, rather than someone outside of the industry, is contrary to the practice of balancing interests on the board.”

The issue note continued: “candidate selection package prepared ... identified four suitable candidates.” However, “the minister’s office has advised that they will be seeking to appoint a member” outside of the recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, will the Premier explain why the minister is being allowed to ignore the advice of senior civil servants and to appoint someone not appropriate for the Real Estate Council of Ontario?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Mr. Speaker, I haven’t seen this memo. I’m sure that the member opposite will send it across the floor to me. I think, from what he has said, it’s quite clear that the process is in place. My understanding is that this person that he’s referencing has not been appointed and will not be appointed.

I think that the process that is laid out in the note confirms the fact—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Please finish, Premier.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Again, as I said earlier, if you look across the appointments made by this government, you will see members from all different party stripes and people who have no connection with political parties, because there is a process in place that assesses the abilities of potential appointees and makes decisions based on those recommendations.

Government appointments

Mr. Jim McDonell: My question is to the Premier. It appears that senior ministry officials are of the opinion that her Minister of Government and Consumer Services is acting in a conflict of interest. An email from the assistant deputy minister read, “We all know it has been until very recently a long-standing government practice and policy to appoint people from outside the regulated profession to ... boards.”

The assistant deputy minister added, “I believe the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services needs to give the best advice on why this practice may not be optimal.”

Mr. Speaker, is the reason why it is not optimal because it appears the minister is breaching practice and ignoring consumers’ interest by appointing individuals with ties to him and the Liberal Party?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I’ve answered this question a couple of times now. There is a process in place that assesses the merits of people who come forward for potential appointments. The fact that the civil service will, from time to time, lay out a process, remind us what a process is, and make it clear what the process is—from my perspective, that’s the job of the civil service. The job of the civil service is to give us advice and for us to act on that advice.

We set up the arm’s-length process. Look across government and you will see appointments from all political stripes and no political stripes, because there is an arm’s-length, depoliticized process.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jim McDonell: Back to the Premier: Of the five new appointments made by her minister during his mandate, four were against public service advice. Out of those four, three of them are his constituents, and the fourth happens to be a former Liberal candidate.

Now the minister is at it again: about to override extensive advice, break with the practice of appointing consumer advocates to public boards, and pass on four qualified candidates in an attempt to appoint another constituent of his.

Mr. Speaker, this is simply not acceptable. Why is the Premier allowing her ministers to create a culture of unacceptable public appointments patronage?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: The public appointments process is open, accessible and transparent. All applicants apply through the Public Appointments Secretariat. That is the practice and that is what everyone has to do. They can apply online, they can get information about the process and they can see upcoming vacancies.

I would just say that this level of transparency has been introduced as a result of changes we have made because we believe that the practices that have gone on in the past where patronage was the rule—that is not what we support. We support a merit-based process. That’s why there are people from all across the political spectrum who have been appointed to agencies, commissions and boards as part of this government’s tenure.

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

Mr. Jim McDonell: Back to the Premier: It is clear from the memo that senior staff are so concerned about the minister’s conflict of interest that they’ve laid it out in writing. That is why, today, I filed a complaint with the Integrity Commissioner.

Until this government’s recent slew of scandals, precedent dictated that ministers would step aside while under investigation. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier ask the minister to temporarily step aside—

Interjections.

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

Please finish.

Mr. Jim McDonell: Mr. Speaker, will the Premier ask the minister to temporarily step aside and suspend any pending public appointments until the investigation is complete?

Interjections.

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

Carry on.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I’m quite sure, as the members opposite look across government and look at the agencies and boards and commissions, they see people from many different backgrounds, including our recent appointment of the Patient Ombudsman. I’m sure that Christine Elliott, we could all agree, is a fine example of someone who has the skills and the background and who can do that job in a very good way.

Those appointments have nothing to do with partisanship. They have to do with merit; they have to do with ability. That’s why the processes that we have put in place remove the partisanship from the decisions. The fact that a civil servant has laid out the process—that’s the job of civil servants: to make sure that we continuously remind ourselves about what the processes are and follow those processes. But our government put them in place, Mr. Speaker, and they are at arm’s length from the political process.

Fundraising

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: My question is to the Premier. When Mike Harris decided to rewrite election rules without public consultation, without consensus and without public input, the Liberals called that, rightly so, anti-democratic and unfair. However, when the Liberals do it, as they’re doing now, they think it’s fine, that it’s absolutely problem-free.

Does the Premier really believe that any leader with a majority can rewrite election rules at their pleasure?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Here’s what I believe, Mr. Speaker. Last year, in June, I said that we needed to make changes to the political donation and fundraising rules. We are moving on that. I think that there is a fair degree of consensus about the changes that need to be made. I think that there’s a degree of consensus around the banning of corporate and union donations. I think that there’s consensus around at least having a discussion about a public subsidy or a per-vote allowance, Mr. Speaker.

Those are the kinds of discussions that we will have when the draft legislation goes out for consultation after first reading. There will be ample opportunity during the summer and into the fall, after first reading and after second reading. I think that that is how the democratic process, by definition, works, and I hope that the third party and the people whom they ask to come to committee will do that and give us input.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: Let’s do a little bit of compare and contrast, shall we? When Bill Davis wanted to change the election rules, he struck and created a panel. That panel included nominees from political parties. It included nonpartisan members from the law society. It included the Chief Electoral Officer. And it included an independent chair appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.

Now, let’s contrast that with what Mike Harris did. When Mike Harris wanted to change election rules, he did so from the back rooms of the Premier’s office.

My question, Mr. Speaker, is this: Is the Premier seeking to learn from Bill Davis or from Mike Harris?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: There has been a lot of change since 1975, when the rules were put in place, Mr. Speaker. I think what we’ve seen is—I was actually alive in 1975 and I know—that the rules were very different and, in many cases, non-existent. The fact is that, over time, there have been more rules put in place. There has been a much brighter light shone on the practices around political donations.

As I have said, I think that there is a fair degree of consensus about where we need to go now. If we look at where the federal parties have gone and we look at other jurisdictions in Canada, we can see that there are some templates that we can use. That’s what we’re doing in terms of drafting the legislation. I still look forward to getting input from the opposition parties, but there will be ample opportunity for consultation, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: The question was a little bit unfair. With the sell-off of Hydro One, it’s pretty clear that the Liberal government isn’t just trying to copy Mike Harris; they’re seeking to outdo him.

The Premier is sending a message to Ontarians that it’s normal for one party to rewrite election rules. On Thursday, however, Democracy Watch, a democracy organization that seeks to uphold our democratic process, disagreed with the Premier and instead stated that a process should first and foremost be broad and consensus-based. In addition, it should equally involve all political parties and it should draw from the broader civil society.

Does the Premier realize that her actions are setting a precedent that any leader with a majority can simply rewrite electoral rules at their own pleasure, which defies our best traditions and traditions elsewhere which say that election rules should be changed in an open, non-partisan, transparent and, above all, consensus-based process?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I find the comments from the member opposite such a demonstration of disregard and lack of understanding of how our democratic parliamentary system works. He’s suggesting, by the argument he’s presenting, that somehow the government or the Legislature should not be in the business of making laws. It just defies logic. I would think, given his legal training, that he would know some of the most basic premises of how the legislative system works.

In our Legislature, Speaker, as you would know, every member has a voice. There is a very robust committee process where changes to legislation could be made and where debates are taken. I’m finding it very odd that the NDP is spending more time talking about the process than the substance of what should be in the legislation—and we’d love to hear from them on that.

Hospital services

M me France Gélinas: Ma question est pour la première ministre.

Today, residents from Wallaceburg and Walpole Island First Nation are here. They’re here to save their local hospital and keep their emergency department open. They’ve agreed to the 700-kilometre drive to Queen’s Park because they refuse to let the Liberals close another hospital in southwestern Ontario—to close their hospital. They know full well that once the emergency department is gone, once the big blue “H” is gone from that building, so is their hospital.

Why won’t the Premier do the right thing and stop any plan to close the emergency department and the Sydenham District Hospital in Wallaceburg?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care is going to want to speak in the supplementary, but I understand that concern has been raised by the community because of some rumours about the potential closure of the emergency department at Sydenham District Hospital. I want to assure the community—and this is important—that there are no plans whatsoever to close the hospital’s emergency department. Even that contention is not accurate.

I understand that when there are rumours in communities, that can cause some upheaval, but there is no truth to that rumour. There is no plan to close the hospital’s emergency department.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

M me France Gélinas: Thank you, Speaker.

Interjection.

M me France Gélinas: I said, “Thank you, Speaker.”

The Premier needs to listen to the people of Wallaceburg and the people of Walpole Island First Nation. She needs to understand what cuts to health care mean to families in southwestern Ontario. The Wallaceburg Health Coalition is still very worried that those rumours will become reality, because this is what we have seen over and over in other communities. What will that mean? It will mean 20,000 people don’t have access to emergency care without having to drive over an hour to an hour and a half.

After all the cuts to Wallaceburg hospital, if the emergency were to close, so would the hospital. This is not the only community that’s facing these deep cuts; there are many others. Will the Premier stop cutting hospital services that families and communities depend on?

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

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I too want to reassure the community that there are absolutely no plans to alter or close their emergency department. This is an issue where it is a rumour. It’s been generated locally. In fact, the LHIN has never asked for or received any ideas for such a closure. The ministry has never been involved in discussions concerning a possible closure.

What it does is it points to the necessity that the local board of the local hospital and the alliance, which is comprised of more than one hospital in that area, work with their community, and that they are honest, open and transparent about what their aim is to provide the best-quality patient care.

There has been no discussion with the LHIN, no discussion with the ministry. This is purely a local issue. I hope and I implore the member opposite that she doesn’t contribute to this rumour-mongering and get the people in the community even more anxious.

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

M me France Gélinas: Speaker, you’ll have to forgive those good people, but when they go around and see that 169 registered nurses were cut in Windsor; 136 staff were cut at St. Joe’s in Hamilton; 18 nurses were cut at Bluewater in Sarnia; 68 jobs were gone from the hospital in Kitchener; beds closed and more than 120 full-time positions were cut in London; deep cuts at St. Thomas Elgin hospital—and that’s only since January 1, 2016—it makes people really nervous.

The good people of Wallaceburg and Walpole Island First Nation are worried that they could lose their hospital. They’re also worried because of all of the service cuts happening in southwestern Ontario.

Why is the Premier cutting services in southwestern Ontario?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I find it really regrettable that the member opposite would clearly use this local rumour and exploit it for broader political purposes. The truth is that we’re providing, this year, an additional $2 million to the alliance, which includes the Sydenham hospital. That’s a 2% increase in their funding.

All that the people in the local community need to do is look down the road to Leamington—where we just announced an additional $1.5 million to recruit three obstetricians, to keep that local obstetrics unit and that birthing centre open for the local community—or to Trenton. I was just in Trenton recently, where we are working with the local community.

I would suggest that instead of fearmongering, she should work with the local community to provide the best patient care.

We have no such plans. It’s unfortunate that you’re exploiting a rumour for your own political purposes.

Climate change

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: My question is for the Premier. Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen the Liberals put forward an almost unprecedented number of amendments to their cap-and-trade bill. Now, with more than 70 Liberal amendments before the committee, it’s clear the government is rewriting its own bill on the fly.

It’s time for the Premier to explain why her signature piece of legislation is such a mess. Is it because she also chose to write the cap-and-trade bill on the back of a napkin at her kitchen table over the weekend, or is this just how she handles the rules for Ontario’s democracy?

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

Hon. Glen R. Murray: We’ve been consulting now for about the better part of two years on this, and we continue. This is one of the most complex pieces of legislation ever introduced into the Legislature. The amendments are largely technical, based on input from a variety of industries. As you may know, there’s—

Interjections.

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

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I’ve spoken at the London Chamber of Commerce, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce and the Mississauga chamber of commerce. There is very great support for cap-and-trade. As a matter of fact, there is great concern that the opposition—which, after every single amendment, is calling a 20-minute break—is causing destabilization in the discussion. Their lack of—

Interjections.

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

I’ve got a list of about four names that I’m going to talk to, especially the person asking the question.

Supplementary.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: Back again to the Premier: We all agree that we need to address climate change, but that doesn’t mean everyone must agree on the Liberals’ flawed cap-and-trade scheme. It’s obvious that Bill 172 was slapped together so that the Premier had a PR document before jetting off to Vancouver for an environmental photo op with Justin Trudeau.

But the result is haphazard, with loopholes big enough to drive a truck through. Funding decisions will be made in secret, taxpayers will receive no relief, and the Financial Accountability Officer will not have access to spending plans.

Speaker, will the Premier admit she has messed up, withdraw Bill 172 and begin developing a revenue-neutral plan that protects taxpayers?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I would invite anyone to look at what those amendments are, Mr. Speaker. They are advice from lawyers and from industry associations on very technical pieces that are not terribly consequential from a public policy perspective but are critical for the actual functioning of that. Many of those were representations at committee, and continue to be.

Why the opposition would filibuster over and over again for days, over technical requirements required by industry, is beyond me. The answer is because they don’t actually support carbon pricing or climate change, because the two amendments that they introduced would delink us from California and Quebec and undermine investments in critical infrastructure, necessary for a successful—

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

Air-rail link

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: My question is to the Premier. In 2010, the Premier, who was then the Minister of Transportation, ordered Metrolinx to take over the Union Pearson Express under the same flawed business model that had just been rejected as a money loser by the private sector. Instead of building affordable public transit in this corridor, the Premier ordered Metrolinx to build a luxury airport express service. Now we know that Metrolinx ignored and covered up seven ridership studies that showed the Union Pearson Express would actually lose money.

Did the government order Metrolinx to ignore and cover up these studies in order to push ahead with the flawed business model the Premier had demanded?

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

Hon. Glen R. Murray: It’s very interesting, now that we’ve actually joined most of the world’s major economic capitals in having a premium service to our airport—without the support of the opposition. This is also the same member who actually said that we should only electrify the Union Pearson Express. Now, the government is electrifying all nine lines providing 15-minute service—which they don’t support because they can’t identify financing. In our debates, we said to the third party that if they were just a little patient, it would make more economic sense to electrify the whole line for all folks, which is what we’re now doing.

On the ridership issue, when we went to all-day GO service, we tried it on an experimental basis. We expected an 8% ridership; we’ve now got 30%. These things take time to build ridership. Clearly, the party has no patience, no money and no support for infrastructure.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: My question is back to the Premier. Quite frankly, at no time have we said what the minister just asserted. In fact, the NDP has always called for the electrification of all lines. That’s what we’ve done.

Back to the Premier with the question. The NDP has been trying for years to get the UPX ridership studies, but we’ve been blocked at every turn by Metrolinx and this government. It’s clear to everyone that Metrolinx has been covering up for the bad decision made by this Premier to build a luxury train for Bay Street executives who, it turns out, don’t even use it themselves. The dirty diesel train is still inaccessible to most of the people through whose communities it runs, but they must help subsidize the train—and this is staggering, Mr. Speaker—at about $46 per rider, even at the reduced fares.

Why is Metrolinx building pet projects for the Premier and then covering up—

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

Now I’m going to ask the member to withdraw her last statement as she was sitting.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Okay, I withdraw. Thank you.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): You don’t have a choice.

The Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I’m kind of amused by the third party’s double standard. They were big supporters of Transit City, as was I—a very good project. All the Transit City lines would have run at an operating loss for many years through low-income neighbourhoods until ridership built and land use changed. They had no problem subsidizing that. And yes, they actually singularly advocated for advancing the Union Pearson Express electrification ahead of the whole thing.

Now, I share the CN GO line, the CN main line—which is completely run on diesel trains that run about every five minutes on that line. I think my constituents and the constituents in the south end of her riding have the same right to clean air as people in the middle of the riding. We actually believe in a bigger vision, and we actually believe in making decisions that raise the capital—which they also have consistently opposed—to pay for massive electrification. I wish the member opposite would get a plan or at least stick to one line of argument.

Affordable housing

Mr. Lorenzo Berardinetti: Mr. Speaker, good morning. My question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Last Wednesday, the 2016 budget bill, Jobs for Today and Tomorrow, was passed in this House. In this vein, the budget includes investments to support and update the province’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy. These investments continue the transformation of Ontario’s housing and homelessness system.

There are communities in my riding of Scarborough Southwest that are very high priority when it comes to housing, and my constituents welcome this news as it helps to enforce and reinvigorate the housing community in my riding. Our government recognized that we needed more affordable housing in Ontario and our government took action.

My question to the minister is, in opposing the 2006 budget, with investments in affordable housing, what did the opposition vote against?

Hon. Ted McMeekin: I want to thank the member from Scarborough Southwest.

I was disappointed when the opposition voted against our budget for a number of reasons, but being very concerned about social and affordable housing, it was an attempt to deny Ontarians the important and very necessary investments our government was and is prepared to make. That includes $178 million over three years to provide housing subsidies and benefits, the construction of 1,500 new supportive housing units, and improving access for over 4,000 families to services like counselling and dispensing medication.

Our government knows investment in supportive housing is important. I was proud to have this commitment endorsed when we passed our budget.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Lorenzo Berardinetti: I know my constituents and many across the province welcome this $178 million in new funding for the Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy. Supportive housing is certainly an important component of helping Ontarians realize their full potential.

Related to this, I know the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing as well as the minister responsible for poverty reduction are working hard on our government’s plan to end chronic homelessness. I was pleased to see that the housing investments in the budget will support this plan and will make sure everyone has the support they need to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, through you, can the minister remind this House how these investments help accelerate our goal to end chronic homelessness?

Hon. Ted McMeekin: I’d be delighted to. In voting against the budget, the opposition parties voted against important steps, ending our goal of assisting with chronic homelessness. That included voting against a $45-million increase in CHPI funding and $17 million to provide the portable housing benefit on a pilot basis to eventually support up to 3,000 survivors of domestic violence. Taken together, these investments will make an important difference in our work.

I’m also encouraged that the federal government has now committed in their own budget to working with us and matching some of our investments. I know that partnership between all levels of government will help transform our housing system in this province, and it’s great to see a federal government that finally gets it and wants to adopt a national housing strategy.

Air-rail link

Mr. Michael Harris: Speaker, to the Premier: This weekend’s Metrolinx bombshell took the wraps off countless reports dating back five years, warning again and again against the luxury fares that their government chose for what quickly became the UP ghost express.

There was the 2011 Northstar study showing half of the GTHA residents wouldn’t pay more than $17.50; a 2012 Steer Davies Gleave study showing drastic ridership drops as fares rise past $20; and in 2014, we had Environics reporting that 50% of respondents considered $12 fare good value.

Was it the instructions of the Premier or the Minister of Transportation to ignore the advice of government experts in choosing a $27.50 luxury fare?

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

Hon. Glen R. Murray: It’s a great pleasure to answer the question from the member opposite. The member may be aware that Metrolinx is an arm’s-length organization with its own board and its own CEO. Part of the reason we created this is that we have other basic utilities—this is our GTHA—to make decisions and to weigh evidence. It’s not the job of ourselves to second guess them. There’s a good process in place and you have to have confidence that the ridership builds.

We know if they had been in power—as Dr. Phil says, previous behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviour—we would be at the end of cancelling the Eglinton, filling in the subway to Vaughan and to the university. We would see another 10 years of backfilling holes and cancelling projects, Mr. Speaker.

I would love for the member to stand up one day and demand we actually build something, rather than criticizing what we’re doing.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Michael Harris: Right. We all believe Metrolinx is arm’s-length to your government. We all believe that.

Speaker, these newly revealed numbers further highlight the expensive and avoidable mess that their government steered the UP Express into. The transportation minister told us in committee, with regard to transit funding plans, “People ... expect that we won’t make these decisions ... on the back of a napkin and that there will be evidence-based decisions.”

Will the Premier explain, in the case of the UP Express fare-setting, when it came to evidence versus napkins, why was it that the napkin won out?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: First of all, these studies have been up on the website for a couple of years now. They’re hardly new news. I can always predict, by picking up my paper in the morning, which seems to be the substitute for Tory caucus research, what the questions are going to be. You can at least go “click, click” and get the facts yourself.

Second of all, Mr. Prichard—former chair of the Bank of Montreal, former publisher of the Toronto Star, former chancellor of a university and former head of Torys—is a very eminent, independent-thinking person, as is Bruce McCuaig, our president and CEO. We have an excellent management team and board there, who are making very good judgments and supporting the funding that we’re putting in and the government’s commitment.

This is the biggest investment in transit and public infrastructure since John Robarts was Premier of this province. I hope that the member opposite has some confidence in Metrolinx.

Aboriginal programs and services

Mr. Gilles Bisson: My question is to the Minister of Health. Minister, you had an opportunity last week to go to Attawapiskat and see first-hand the situation there, as it affects a lot of people in that community when it comes to attempted suicide. I think you will agree with me that the response that you put forward is a good step forward, as far as the $2 million you’ve announced. But the real issue here is that we do not have the types of services that we need in those communities permanently and organized in a way that is consistent with the values of First Nations people and being able to make sure that those systems function.

Is there a commitment on the part of your government to change the way that we deliver health services when it comes to mental health services, addiction services and others, so that it falls under an organization that is run and led by First Nations, so they themselves can be part of the solution?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: First of all, I want to acknowledge the member from the third party. Attawapiskat is a community within his riding, and I know that for many, many years he has been working with the local community in a respectful way and in true partnership to ensure that he does his

part in ensuring that services are improving.

We were in Attawapiskat last week, Mr. Speaker, and we made the announcement of the $2 million, which provides—in fact, they’re already on the ground—13 health care workers, four mental health workers, five nurses and other personnel who are hard at work. Part of it is providing relief to the overworked front-line health care workers in the hospital, but also providing that response to the immediate crisis.

I think, as the member alluded to, that we all agree that that is important at this particular moment in time, but it doesn’t take away from the necessity. I am happy to address his particular question with regard to a changing relationship.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: I think you will agree with me, Minister—and you’ve seen it first-hand along with your colleague—that the system that’s designed by Queen’s Park, designed by the Ministry of Health and led by the LHINs out of Sudbury is not responding to the needs of that community.

What the community is asking for—and not just Attawapiskat, but the entire James Bay—is that we change the way that we deliver health services on the James Bay, so that we actually have an aboriginal organization that is funded by the Ministry of Health and follows their regulations, but is designed in such a way to be respectful of who the Mushkegowuk Cree people are, so that they have some control over how we deal with these issues within their community. Are you prepared to engage in that process?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: There’s not a lot of distance between myself and the member opposite on this issue. In fact, the Premier is meeting with the political confederacy this afternoon. I’ll be joining her for discussion about health concerns and that relationship going forward.

With regard to the LHINs, quite frankly, our First Nations weren’t significantly or substantially involved when we created the LHINs, so we’ve created a separate process where we’re working in partnership with First Nations across the province to make sure we have a governance model, an approach that respects them, is culturally appropriate and meets their needs.

I think the member needs to acknowledge that there’s also a strong federal component to this as well. The three levels of government, along with local communities—so the federal government, provincial government and First Nations’ leadership at the political level. Of course, we all need to make sure that we’re focused on providing better health care to First Nations communities in this province.

Social assistance

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: My question is for the Minister of Community and Social Services. Minister, as you know, Ontario’s social assistance programs are critical to our government’s poverty reduction goals to support the most vulnerable members of society. Maintaining an effective social safety net is one part of our government’s broader efforts to reduce poverty and ensure that we have an inclusive society and economy. However, constituents in my riding of Barrie know that the system can sometimes be complex to navigate for those who need it.

In last week’s budget, our government announced an income security reform process. Can you tell me more about your ministry’s work to reform the income security system for vulnerable Ontarians?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: Thank you very much to the member from Barrie for the question. Part of my mandate as Minister of Community and Social Services is to reform social assistance. Over the past year, my ministry has had ongoing discussions with stakeholders, experts and those on the front line. They told us that it’s important to expand reform to include aspects of the wider income security system.

We listened, and we will be engaging stakeholders in the coming year to develop an action plan for more comprehensive reform. The plan will be informed by client experiences and a basic income pilot project, among other things. We will also engage with First Nations, Inuit and Métis nations to ensure we have an inclusive process.

As we develop this action plan, we will continue to take important immediate steps to improve income security, such as ending the full clawback of child support from social assistance.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: Thank you to the minister for sharing information about this important action plan to improve our income security system for vulnerable Ontarians. It’s important that we reduce barriers to ensure that we have a fair, adequate and accessible income security system that is simpler for Ontarians who are facing challenges in their lives.

We know that some of those Ontarians facing challenges are single parents who receive social assistance for their children. Minister, you mentioned ending the clawback of child support for social assistance recipients. Can you please share more information about this important change to social assistance?

Hon. Helena Jaczek: We know that children in single-parent families are disproportionately and more profoundly affected by poverty. As part of our government’s commitment to combatting child poverty, my ministry will be ending the full clawback of child support for social assistance recipients. If I may remind the House, this is a budget that the opposition voted against.

Currently, families receiving child support have their social assistance benefits reduced by the full amount of child support they receive. This means families on social assistance are no better off when they receive child support and the parent responsible for making payments may feel little incentive to pay.

By not supporting our 2016 budget, the opposition voted to keep these funds from families in need. What we know is that, thanks to this budget, families who receive child support will see a positive change by this time next year.

Hydro rates

Mr. John Yakabuski: A question to the Minister of Energy: Here we go again. Electricity rates will rise again on May 1, up to 18 cents a kilowatt hour, the fastest-rising rates anywhere in North America. We’re being told it’s because we conserved too much energy—just one more Liberal excuse after another.

The minister stated he was taking steps to bring rates down yet, since November, the average bill is up $187 per year. He says he’s helping. Well, I have a message to him from consumers: Your idea of help is just too painful. Please stop.

For the minister, it’s just catchphrases and fun with numbers, but for people in this province, it’s reaching the breaking point. The minister needs to stop with the rhetoric and commit to action. When will he actually do something concrete to address skyrocketing electricity rates before Ontario reaches the point of no return?

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: Mr. Speaker, I’ll provide some additional comments in the supplementary.

Ontario’s residential electricity rates are and will remain competitive with similar jurisdictions in North America. When comparing the cost per kilowatt hour, Ontario’s rates are lower than in many American cities, are significantly lower than electricity rates in European cities, and are competitive with some Canadian provinces.

The recent increase just announced—Ontario’s 2.5% bill increase—is reasonable and stacks very competitively across our comparators. BC Hydro rates increased by 4% on April 1, 2016. Saskatchewan power rates increased by 5% in 2015. Manitoba Hydro applied for a rate increase of 3.95% as of April 1, 2016. Newfoundland Power Inc. applied for a rate increase of 3.6% for residential customers as of July 1, 2016, compared to Ontario’s 2.5%.

Mr. Speaker, we’re doing quite well.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. John Yakabuski: With answers like that, he just doesn’t understand the pain he’s inflicting on people across this province. He’s going around saying what a bargain people are getting for their electricity. Where did the minister get that idea? He did not get it from the single mother who has to make the choice of whether to heat or eat. He did not get it from the senior couple who freeze in the wintertime and are gasping to get their breath in the summertime because they can’t afford the electricity to run their air conditioning. Electricity in this province is no bargain, and under this government, it has continued to get worse.

The first step the minister needs to take is to stop signing contracts for intermittent electricity that we clearly don’t need. Will he do this? Or have those developers been just too generous at his Liberal Party fundraisers?

Interjections.

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

Minister.

Hon. Bob Chiarelli: As I just mentioned, our prices are competitive with most jurisdictions’, notwithstanding that we’ve removed coal-burning generation, which almost all the others are doing. By completely eliminating dirty coal-fired generation in Ontario, our electricity system is now more than 90% emissions-free. Smog days in Ontario have gone from 53 in 2005 to zero in 2014, and Ontario is already living a cleaner future.

We also recognize that the price of electricity can be difficult for those who pay a higher share of their income towards their bill, particularly low-income families and seniors on fixed income. That’s why we launched the OESP and removed the debt retirement charge on January 1 of this year, saving the average family more than $430 annually.

We also know that bills can be even harder for families and seniors in rural and remote communities who heat with electricity or use medically assistive devices. That’s why we doubled the monthly benefit these families can access, up to—

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

New question.

Employment supports

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Atikokan.

Mr. Michael Mantha: My question is to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. Minister, your ministry replaced the Jobs for Youth Program with the Youth Job Connection program. Over the past seven years, Waubetek Business Development Corp. has successfully been delivering the Jobs for Youth Program in the Manitoulin Island region. This program change has resulted in youth employment positions for at-risk aboriginal youth being reduced from 50 to four positions.

Will your government reverse the cancellation of this important Jobs for Youth Program, which has done so much to guide aboriginal youth in a positive direction?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I apologize to the member from Algoma–Manitoulin for forgetting. I apologize.

Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Hon. Reza Moridi: I want to thank the member for his advocacy as well as for this question.

We believe, in the government, that all Ontarians, particularly youth from any background, should have access to the best training and education possible. That’s why, under the leadership of this Premier, we have renewed our youth jobs strategy with $250 million in investments.

This strategy has two components. One of them is the Youth Job Connection, which basically addresses the needs of those youth faced with multiple barriers, including aboriginal youth, newcomers, youth with disabilities and so on and so forth.

That’s why, Mr. Speaker, we have been working very hard to make sure that our youth will have the training and the education they need so that they can contribute to our economy and be successful in their lives.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Michael Mantha: Again to the minister: Over the past seven years, this program has enabled 420 aboriginal youth between the ages of 15 and 18 to be hired, trained and placed over that period. Their results have been outstanding, Minister: an increase in aboriginal youth in post-secondary from 62% to 91% in seven years. High-risk behaviours are curbed. They worked with aboriginal and non-aboriginal employers to bridge gaps of cultural relationships and understanding and contributed to the regional economy. After the program ended, many of the youth were re-employed by their original employers.

We know that our First Nations children and youth receive less than equitable services when it comes to education and child welfare compared to other Canadian youth. Will your government take every step to support this programming that redresses these inequities?

Hon. Reza Moridi: Again, I want to thank the member for the question. Part of this youth jobs strategy is the Youth Job Link program, which includes providing training and education for youth from every background, from the age of 15 to 29.

Employment Ontario provides services through 320 locations across the province of Ontario, and of course aboriginal youth are no exception. We will make sure that every youth in the province of Ontario has access to the training and skills they need to be successful in their lives as well as to contribute to our economy.

Climate change

Mr. Arthur Potts: My question is to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. Speaker, when the Leader of the Opposition flip-flopped on climate change, we on this side of the House were delighted, because we thought he was bringing the climate change deniers into the 21st century.

However, it would appear that most of his caucus hasn’t yet gotten that memo. Despite telling the media that there was practically universal support in the PC caucus, many still are doing their best to delay passage of our bill. On Friday, the PC critic of the environment called for an end—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Your policy question is?

Mr. Arthur Potts: Sorry? Oh. The critic called for an end to our cap-and-trade program. On this side of the House, we know that cap-and-trade is extremely important and the best method for us getting Ontario to reduce its greenhouse gases while simultaneously growing the economy. We are joining a global movement towards putting a price on carbon, and it’s most effective to be an early adopter.

Speaker, would the minister please inform all members—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Time’s up. A reminder: Questions are about the policy of the government.

Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: Mr. Speaker, a year ago—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order. The member from Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington, second time. The member from Prince Edward–Hastings, come to order.

Carry on.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was about a year ago, as members may remember, that we announced that we had decided on cap-and-trade as the carbon pricing mechanism for Ontario. As a matter of fact, I think this week is the first anniversary of that decision.

That was done after very detailed conversations with industry leaders, and it enjoys the support of everyone from the president of Intact Insurance in the financial sector to the Ontario Trucking Association to Don McCabe and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. Why, Mr. Speaker? Because it has three characteristics which the opposition opposed but business, the community, the government and environmental groups support:

(1) There’s a cap and a cap decline rate. That means that a small number like $17 or $18 a tonne does the same amount which in another system would require a price four or five times higher than that—

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

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I’ll continue in my supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Yes, you will. Supplementary?

Mr. Arthur Potts: Thank you to the minister for his explanation and for his tireless advocacy on this extraordinarily important issue. His advocacy is so important, Speaker, because of the filibustering that we’re seeing from the other side as it makes its way through clause-by-clause. They are demonstrating that they are very divided on this file and they are not at all serious about combatting climate change.

There are amendments that demonstrate that as well. It is not our government’s policy, as their amendment would suggest, that we remove the sections that link cap-and-trade with other jurisdictions. Ontario firms, as a result, would lose access to low-cost reduction opportunities that may be available in other jurisdictions.

It’s also not government policy to accept their amendments which would further restrict our investments in renewable energy. I’ve come to believe that the party fundamentally does not understand the threat of climate change and how to properly combat it.

Speaker, would the minister please inform the House what experts, stakeholders and those who are in the know are saying about this bill, specifically how its revenue could be spent to provide positive impacts for our economy?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: It’s a good segue into the three characteristics you need in a carbon pricing system to be economically positive and to achieve greenhouse reductions, which is the other objective.

You need a cap decline rate. The revenue-neutral systems in other parts of the world—none of them are meeting their objectives. Their GHG emissions are going up. People who are using the model that the opposition is advocating for have seen two things: industries leave and GHG emissions go up. We know they’re opposed to our system, but they seem to support a system that doesn’t work.

The other reason for linking markets is that you need a large, stable market to keep prices down. In the opposition’s mind, you’d have to have a price-only system which would require a price four to five times higher than it would be in Ontario, Quebec, California, Japan or other places where this is working.

The third piece is, you need money. The trucking association, the farmers, banking, industry, insurance: All need us to provide the funding for low-carbon technology and fueling—

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

New question.

Transportation infrastructure

Mr. Monte McNaughton: My question this morning is to the Premier. Premier, councillors at the region of Niagara are currently investigating the Burgoyne Bridge replacement project in St. Catharines and events that led to the escalation of the cost of the project from an original price tag of $45 million to a total cost now well over $90 million.

The taxpayers of Ontario contributed $18 million to this project through the Infrastructure Ontario program. Is the Premier satisfied that the monies flowed to this project by her government were properly and appropriately spent and accounted for?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I can tell you that partnerships with municipalities are many in this province because we are investing tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure around the province. There are parameters around those partnerships. There are accountability measures in terms of money that flows.

I will get the member opposite more information on this particular project. I don’t have that information but I’m happy to get it for him.

What I can tell the member opposite is that the investments that we are making in infrastructure, which are a fundamental part of our plan for economic growth, are critical to the communities around this province that are in need of those investments if they are going to be able to thrive. I know that those investments are not investments that the opposition supports, but we know that investments in infrastructure bring business, draw jobs to Ontario and create jobs as that infrastructure is built.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Back to the Premier: The Premier should also be aware that concerned Niagara region councillors have not only ordered Deloitte to do a value-for-money audit of this bridge project but that they’ve also formed a standing Burgoyne Bridge task force to look into it further.

The first phase of this independent audit was quite damning, so much so that the councillors are not only proceeding with a second value-for-money audit, but they have now started a process to do a full forensic audit of this joint federal, provincial and municipal project.

Is the Premier aware of the initial audit? And is she still content that Infrastructure Ontario dollars were all spent appropriately and that Ontario taxpayers got full value for their money on this important project?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: As I said, I will get more information for the member opposite on this specific issue, but I can tell the member opposite that as those processes are under way, we will obviously look at the recommendations. We’ll look at the findings of those audit processes and we’ll make sure that we pay close attention to any recommendations that flow from them.

As I said, there are very transparent and very clear rules in place for the investments that we’re making in infrastructure. They are critical investments. They’re critical to the economic viability and prosperity of municipalities, and they’re critical to the overall economic viability and competitiveness of the province. We have not had support from the opposition on investments in infrastructure, but we can already see the importance of these investments as communities have new infrastructure and are drawing business to their communities.

Mental health services

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. Earlier this month, Western University mourned the loss of a student who took his own life, following the death by suicide of another Western student in November.

Speaker, there is a growing mental health crisis on college and university campuses. Western Student Health Services saw a 26% increase in the demand for mental health resources between 2013 and 2015. Since February of this year, more than 1,100 Western students have signed an online petition calling for improved student mental health services.

The Liberal government’s approach to funding campus mental health on a project basis leaves too many Ontario college and university students without adequate mental health supports.

Will the minister commit now to providing long-term, dedicated and stable funding for on-campus mental health services?

Hon. Reza Moridi: I want to thank the member for that question. The health and well-being of students in our facilities, in our post-secondary institutions, those being universities, colleges or career colleges, are of prime importance for this government. That’s why we have announced assistance to universities and colleges in order to come up with assistance to students.

For example, one of those programs in place is the Good2Talk program, which we announced last year, to make sure that students will have access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year—every day, every moment—to assistance so that their well-being is met.

We will continue to work with our partners in the post-secondary education system, universities and colleges, to make sure that our students have the assistance that they will need to succeed.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Question period is over. The time for questions is completed.

There are no deferred votes.

This House stands adjourned until 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1142 to 1300.

Introduction of Visitors

Ms. Harinder Malhi: I’d like to introduce three guests who are on their way in. I’d like to introduce Jenny Gill, Jaskaranjit Singh and Balkaran Gill, who are all here to join us to celebrate Vaisakhi today. The CSA will be hosting a reception from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in rooms 228 and 230. I encourage all members to come out and visit the reception.

Ms. Soo Wong: They haven’t arrived yet, but I know they’re coming to visit Queen’s Park today. My constituents from the great riding of Scarborough–Agincourt will be visiting us: Hratch Aynedjian, as well as his friend Vahan Ajemian. I’m going to welcome them to Queen’s Park in advance of their arrival.

Members’ Statements

Sikh Heritage Month

Mr. Todd Smith: We welcome our Sikh friends to the Legislature again today. I’m very pleased to be able to celebrate Sikh Heritage Month in Ontario. In my four years as PC caucus outreach chair I’ve had the personal experience of getting to know first-hand the many contributions of Ontario’s Sikh community. Many of those community members I now call close friends.

Canadians of Sikh heritage play a vital role in our society. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to take my wife and my two daughters along with me to a gurdwara in Brampton. My family and I were given an education in the tenets of the Sikh faith and the value of Sikh culture. We were welcomed with open arms. We had the opportunity to participate in their prayers and sample some food from the kitchen at the mission.

It was on that day I learned that a hungry person in the community is always given a meal from the kitchen of a Sikh temple. They’re open 24 hours a day. The Sikh community is always there to help. It doesn’t matter if you’re a member of the Sikh community or someone rolling in off the street who needs help.

April was specifically chosen for Sikh Heritage Month given its importance for Sikhs, as it is in April that Sikh Canadians celebrate Vaisakhi, which marks the formalization of the Khalsa and the Sikh articles of faith. Sikh Heritage Month is an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate our future generations and society at large about the important role that Sikh Canadians are playing in communities across Ontario.

I look forward to joining many of my Sikh friends again next weekend as tens of thousands of Sikhs gather at Nagar Kirtans, to walk from Exhibition Place to Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto this coming Sunday, and again the following weekend up in Malton as we celebrate the Khalsa Day Parade there.

Remarks in Punjabi.

Organ and tissue donation

Ms. Jennifer K. French: April is Be a Donor Month, in support of organ and tissue donation in Ontario. As the first flowers bloom on the front lawn here at Queen’s Park, what better time than now to celebrate renewal and the gift of life?

As I look around the room, I imagine that many of our colleagues have been touched by organ donation, just as so many families across Ontario have. Last year, 1,086 individuals in Ontario received a life-saving organ transplant, 46 of whom were children or youth. That’s over 1,000 families that will get to continue to spend time with a loved one they would otherwise have lost if it were not for the generosity of organ donors.

My family lost my aunt Kath a few years ago unexpectedly, and the fact that she was an organ donor gave us something to focus on in a time of such senseless loss. We were able to take heart in knowing that other families were so positively impacted by my aunt even after she was gone.

One organ donor can save eight lives. When you factor in family members, friends, co-workers and loved ones of those recipients, you realize that a single donation can touch thousands. In our family’s time of loss it was comforting to know that my aunt had been able to give hope to so many others in their time of need. For those families, it meant a second chance.

So visit beadonor.ca, speak to your loved ones and consider registering. Like my aunt, I’m also an organ donor. I ask that you join me.

Ontario farmers

Mr. Mike Colle: I would like to stand here today to give praise to all of our Ontario farmers, especially our tomato farmers. As you know, as a result of the ketchup wars, Ontario farmers are now planting in bigger numbers than they ever did before because there is a huge international demand for locally grown Ontario tomatoes. People care—and the member from Essex knows this full well—passionately about locally grown vegetables. They care passionately about locally grown fruit. They care passionately about local jobs. That’s why everybody stood in their place and said, “We support local jobs.

We support the new expansion of ketchup production in Ontario because it means more jobs and more healthy local fruits and vegetables.”

As you know, French’s ketchup is now seeking to expand into a new bottling plant to meet the demand for ketchup. Also, Primo Foods, that old, venerable Italian company, believe it or not, is going to produce all-Canadian ketchup.

So more jobs, more ketchup, more tomatoes—everything is good on the farm in Ontario.

Organ and tissue donation

Ms. Sylvia Jones: I am pleased to rise today to recognize April as Be a Donor Month, the time to celebrate organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Being a donor is an easy way for an individual to give back. It truly is giving the gift of life to another who needs it most.

I want to take a moment to recognize the efforts of Ontario Lions Clubs across Ontario, who are raising awareness for organ and tissue donor registration. I also want to recognize the great work taking place at the Trillium Gift of Life Network, which is working tirelessly to help give the gift of life. Last year, Trillium Gift of Life Network surpassed their registration goal by having more than 250,000 Ontarians register. Now there are approximately 3.4 million Ontarians registered to be a donor.

But there is still a lot of work that can be done. While there are 3.5 million Ontarians registered, there are still approximately 8.5 million eligible Ontarians who have not. Every registration makes a difference. One donor can save up to eight lives and enhance as many as 75 lives through tissue donations. There are still 1,600 Ontarians waiting for that gift of life, and sadly, one person dies every three days waiting for that transplant.

Anyone 16 years or older with an Ontario health card can register to be a donor. So please visit beadonor.ca, take the two minutes to register and give the gift of life, but make sure you share your wishes with your family.

Environmental protection

Ms. Cindy Forster: Today, I want to thank 100 community members, environmental experts and academics who joined me for a biodiversity offsetting round table in my riding yesterday afternoon.

During the trade mission to China last fall, the Premier signed an MOU for a China-based company, GR Investment Group, to develop on over 13 acres of provincially significant and protected wetlands in the Niagara region, a majority of which fall in my riding. To circumvent wetland conservation laws, the government is proposing, through a white paper, a pilot project called biodiversity offsetting, where wetlands destroyed in this process will be re-created elsewhere. In principle, it sounds good, but the scientific evidence says otherwise.

Worse, it’s getting the go-ahead from the Liberal government—keen to see this pilot project for future investment by the Chinese in Ontario as a no-net-loss policy.

Mr. Speaker, call it what you will; we know that no-net-loss is another example of Liberal jargon, and my community is disturbed and troubled by the government’s disregard for environmental priorities in my riding. We know that no-net-loss will have disastrous impacts on our ecosystem.

To be clear, development is an important part of the region’s growth. We value jobs and development and we certainly value economic growth.

As legislators, we have an obligation to make sure the pursuit of development is always balanced with the protection of our ecosystems, especially those that are deemed provincially significant.

Jocelyn Leworthy

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: As this is the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s Be a Donor Month, I would like to take this opportunity to tell the story of Jocelyn Leworthy from my riding of Barrie, who courageously volunteered to be a live organ donor at only 19 years old. A member of Jocelyn’s family fell very ill and potentially in need of a transplant. While this person went on to make a full recovery on her own, the idea of being a live donor was still in Jocelyn’s mind. In June, she began volunteering at SickKids, where she saw first-hand how illness impacted children and their families.

Resolved to give a child a second chance, she began her workup at Toronto General Hospital’s living donor program. After several months of screening and tests, she finally was scheduled for surgery this past October to donate the left lobe of her liver. She was not without fears, but knowing that what she was doing would help a child made it worth it. Afterwards, the doctor explained that her liver went to an infant and it worked beautifully. Jocelyn has peace of mind knowing that she was able to change a family’s life for the better.

Speaker, 85% of Ontarians support organ donation, yet only 29% are actually registered. Over 1,500 people in this province are currently waiting for an organ transplant. It is both vital and easy to register at beadonor.ca. Everyone should find the courage that Jocelyn found to be a donor.

Ontario One Call

Mr. Robert Bailey: April marks the unofficial beginning of the digging season in Canada. As such, I rise today to recognize April as Dig Safe Month.

Each digging season, underground infrastructure such as natural gas lines, electrical lines and telecommunication lines are jeopardized or damaged because of the failure to take a simple but important safety step: having locates completed before starting an excavation project.

Getting locates is now simpler than ever. The Ontario One Call system allows homeowners and contractors alike to click online or call for locates before they dig. This quick but important step can prevent injuries, avoid property damage and reduce the inconvenience of outages.

The provincial One Call system was created by the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, which I co-sponsored with my colleague the MPP from Hamilton East–Stoney Creek. The One Call system is available to take locate requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. Already, Ontario One Call is taking over one million requests a year, 700,000 by the Web and over 300,000 by phone. It takes an average of five minutes to submit a request, whether you do it by telephone or online. Ontario One Call is very easy to use and is an effective tool that is offered free of charge.

It takes a moment at the beginning of a project, but it can help avoid big problems down the road.

Remember, call or click before you dig.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I don’t like having my cable cut, either.

Sikh Heritage Month

Ms. Harinder Malhi: I rise today to celebrate the harvest festival of Vaisakhi, which is also the founding of the Sikh community, known as the Khalsa, and the basic Sikh belief that is represented by the phrase “Ik Onkar,” meaning “One God.”

Sikhism was founded by the 10th guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, in 1699 with the introduction of the Panj Kakar, or the five Ks, which are the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times. He prayed for equality, truthfulness, tolerance, honesty, brotherhood and respect for all.

Sikhism is a major world religion with origins that trace back to the 15th century. Guru Nanak Dev Ji had initially laid the foundation for a distinct community that started Sikhism as a social revolution and faith based on principles of equality and social justice. The Sikh community is based on fundamentals including faith, unity and equality for all.

I personally believe in a valued fundamental of Sikhism close to my heart: Seva. It means selfless service completed as a community action that is done for the goodwill and the benefit of others. The concept of Seva, though, is more than all of these things: It is the very essence of Sikhism.

Sikh Canadians have lived in Ontario since the middle of the 20th century and represent a growing and dynamic population, making significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of Ontario. I’m proud to stand before you today as a Sikh Canadian and recognize the important contributions that Sikh Canadians have made to Ontario’s social, economic, political and cultural fabric.

April has been chosen as Sikh Heritage Month, as it holds importance as we celebrate Vaisakhi this month. It provides an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate our future generations and society at large about Sikh Canadians and the important role that they play in communities across Ontario.

The Sikh nation is a strong, vibrant and diverse group and trusted among the core of Canada’s current political framework. This is a testament to the sacrifice, support and outreach of the Sikh nation.

Armenian genocide anniversary

Ms. Soo Wong: Today, I rise to recognize the 101st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire ordered the systematic massacre of thousands of Armenians in their historic homelands. This ethnic cleansing of Armenians during World War I is recognized as the first genocide of the 20th century. Recently, Pope Francis referred to the Armenian genocide as one of the “three massive and unprecedented tragedies” of the last century.

Canada has always taken an active role in supporting the Armenian people. During World War I, Sara Corning, a Nova Scotia nurse, helped to rescue over 5,000 Armenian orphans.

Ontario has a long history of supporting the Armenian people, beginning in the 1920s, by accepting 109 boys and 40 girls orphaned from the Armenian genocide. They’re known as the Georgetown boys and girls.

Recently, the Ontario government accepted over 10,000 refugees into the province. Since 2014, the Armenian community of Toronto has sponsored approximately 2,300 Armenian refugees to Canada.

This past weekend, representatives from all levels of government attended the annual Armenian genocide commemoration organized by the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto. The commemoration honoured and remembered both the victims and survivors.

I want to thank the Armenian community for ensuring that the memory of the Armenian genocide is shared with future generations. On this annual remembrance, we need to renew our resolve to stand united for truth, justice and human rights, both at home and abroad.

Private members’ public business

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 98(c), a change has been made in the order of precedence on the ballot list for private members’ public business such that Mr. Fedeli assumes ballot item number 44 and Mr. Brown assumes ballot item number 59.

Petitions

Markdale hospital

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

“Whereas Grey Bruce Health Services’ Markdale hospital is the only health care facility between Owen Sound and Orangeville on the Highway 10 corridor;

“Whereas the community of Markdale rallied to raise $13 million on the promise they would get a new state-of-the-art hospital in Markdale;

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

“That the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announce as soon as possible its intended construction date for the new Markdale hospital and ensure that the care needs of the patients and families of our community are met in a timely manner.”

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

Employment standards

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It reads as follows:

“Whereas there are an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 unpaid internships in Canada each year, depriving young people of economic opportunity and potentially displacing paid workers; and

“Whereas unpaid internships perpetuate poorer labour market outcomes for marginalized groups and those who cannot afford to participate; and

“Whereas the Ontario Ministry of Labour is not adequately enforcing existing laws on unpaid internships;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pass” Bill 64, “the Protecting Interns and Creating a Learning Economy Act, 2015, which:

“(1) extends basic protections under the Employment Standards Act (ESA) to those currently excluded;

“(2) requires that posters with information about interns’ rights in Ontario be conspicuously displayed in the workplace;

“(3) requires that employers provide interns with written notice about conditions of work, length of employment, hours of work, and job description, to be submitted to the ministry to enable the collection of data on internships; and

“(4) creates a system to allow anonymous and third-party complaints about unpaid internships.”

I totally support this petition, affix my name to it, and give to page Amelia to take to the table.

Transports en commun

M me Marie-France Lalonde: Il me fait grand plaisir d’apporter à votre attention une pétition à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario.

« Attendu qu’il y a un besoin criant en infrastructure de transport routier dans la province de l’Ontario;

« Attendu que d’offrir différentes alternatives ou options dans le choix du mode de transport aux citoyens aide à réduire le nombre de voitures sur les routes;

« Attendu que les transports en commun contribuent à améliorer la qualité de vie des Ontariens ainsi qu’à préserver l’environnement;

« Attendu que les résidents d’Orléans et de l’est d’Ottawa ont besoin d’une plus grande infrastructure de transport;

« Nous, soussignés, adressons à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario la pétition suivante :

« Soutenir le plan Faire progresser l’Ontario et la construction de la phase II du train léger sur rail (TLR), ce qui contribuera à répondre aux besoins criants en infrastructure de transport à Orléans, à l’est d’Ottawa et à travers la province. »

Il me fait un grand plaisir d’appuyer et d’inscrire mon nom à cette pétition et de la remettre à la page Lauren.

Alzheimer’s disease

Mr. Jeff Yurek: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas a 61-year-old Alzheimer’s patient was kept in a hospital ER for eight nights due to lack of beds;

“Whereas the crisis centre isn’t set up to help patients whose needs are so great they need treatment in a psychiatric ward;

“Whereas the crisis centre only has five beds;

“Whereas none of the beds are high-needs beds;

“Whereas the number of people seeking help from the Alzheimer Society has soared 50% in two years;

“Whereas patients have the right to be treated with dignity and care;

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

“Immediately reform existing health care legislation and policies, and specifically provide emergency funding to increase staff and available beds in all ERs in Ontario;

“Provide immediate funding to increase number of long-term beds in SW Ontario;

“Provide immediate funding staff a team of experts to find ways to reduce violence among those with dementia in long-term care.”

I agree with this petition and affix my signature to it.

Workplace safety

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I have a petition to recognize the Workers Day of Mourning.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the day of mourning is a day to remember and honour those who have been killed, injured or who suffered illness as a result of work-related incidents and to honour their families. It also serves as a day to protect the living by strengthening our commitment to health and safety in all workplaces in Ontario for the common goal of preventing further deaths and injuries from occurring in the workplace;

“Whereas a workers day of mourning is recognized in more than 100 countries around the world;

“Whereas 1,000 Canadian workers are killed on the job each year and hundreds of thousands more are injured or permanently disabled;

“Whereas it is expected that more than 90% of workplace deaths are preventable and raised awareness of this fact is necessary. Every worker is entitled to a safe work environment, free of preventable accidents, and that we, as a province, are committed to reaching such a goal;

“Whereas our MUSH sector (municipal, universities, schools and hospitals) as leaders in their communities are not doing enough to recognize and raise awareness of the seriousness of workplace injury and death;

“Whereas the flag symbolizes us as a province, and the lowered flag is a powerful symbol of our shared loss and respect, brings focus to the issues and symbolizes we are united on this front as a province at all levels, not divided;

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

“To support the workers of Ontario with swift passage of Bill 180, Workers Day of Mourning Act, 2016, that would require all publicly funded provincial and municipal buildings to lower their Canadian and Ontario flags on April 28 each year.”

Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this and will send it to the desk with page Sabrina.

Elder abuse

Ms. Soo Wong: I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas today, there are more seniors 65 and over than children under the age of 15, both in Ontario and across Canada;

“Whereas there are currently more than two million seniors aged 65 and over—approximately 15% of the population and this number is expected to double in the next 25 years;

“Whereas Elder Abuse Ontario stated that between 40,000 and 200,000 seniors living in Ontario experienced or are experiencing elder abuse;

“Whereas research showed that abuse against seniors takes many forms and is often perpetrated by family members;

“Whereas financial and emotional abuse are the most frequently reported elder abuse cases;

“Whereas current Ontario legislation incorporates the Residents’ Bill of Rights, mandates abuse prevention, investigation and reporting of seniors living in either long-term-care facilities or retirement homes;

“Whereas the majority of the seniors currently and in the future live in the community;

“Whereas Bill 148, if passed, will ensure seniors living in the community have the same protection and support as those seniors living in long-term-care facilities and retirement homes;

“Whereas Bill 148, if passed, will require regulated health professionals to report elder abuse or neglect to the public guardian and trustee office;

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

“That the members of the Ontario Legislative Assembly pass Bill 148,

An Act to amend the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 and the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, requiring health professionals to report any reasonable suspicion that a senior living in the community is being abused or neglected to the public guardian and trustee office.”

I support the petition, Mr. Speaker, and I will give the petition to page Diluk.

Home care

Mr. Norm Miller: I have petitions in support of VON personal support workers in Parry Sound that reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas home care should be patient-centred and the priority is direct care, not profit; and

“Whereas the privatization of health services has led to the delivery of services that have become profit-driven rather than care-driven;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to demand that home care be guided by the principle of caring for patients first, without regard for private profit-making.”

I have signed this petition and I will give it to Chandise.

Rural schools

Mr. Taras Natyshak: I’m pleased to present a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that reads:

“Whereas it is right for Ontario youth to be educated in their home communities;

“Whereas accessible schools that students can walk, bike or take a short ride to promote healthy lifestyles, a cleaner environment and emotional well-being;

“Whereas the economies of smaller rural towns are directly strengthened and vitalized by high schools in their own communities;

“Whereas community schools best serve special populations;

“Whereas rural high schools more than 15 km from the next high school should be considered eligible for enhanced top-up funding;

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

“To direct support and resources to Ontario rural community schools, such as Harrow District High School, so as to provide and sustain accessible education for youth within their home communities, preserving and sustaining rural town culture that diversifies the fabric of the province of Ontario.”

I wholeheartedly agree, affix my name and send it to the Clerks’ table via page Amelia.

Public transit

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas there are critical transportation infrastructure needs for the province;

“Whereas giving people multiple avenues for their transportation needs takes cars off the road;

“Whereas public transit increases the quality of life for Ontarians and helps the environment;

“Whereas the constituents of Orléans and east Ottawa are in need of greater transportation infrastructure;

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

“Support the Moving Ontario Forward plan and the Ottawa LRT phase II construction, which will help address the critical transportation infrastructure needs of Orléans, east Ottawa and the province of Ontario.”

I support this petition, affix my signature to it and hand it to page Harry.

Health care funding

Mrs. Gila Martow: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas Ontario’s growing and aging population is putting an increasing strain on our publicly funded health care system; and

“Whereas since February 2015, the Ontario government has made an almost 7% unilateral cut to physician services expenditures which cover all the care doctors provide to patients; and

“Whereas the decisions Ontario makes today will impact patients’ access to quality care in the years to come and these cuts will threaten access to the quality, patient-focused care Ontarians need and expect;

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

“The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care return to the table with Ontario’s doctors and work together through mediation-arbitration to reach a fair deal that protects the quality, patient-focused care Ontario’s families deserve.”

I am affixing my signature and giving it to page Jerry.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Mr. John Vanthof: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Bill 163 provides for WSIB benefits for a select few first responders diagnosed with PTSD; and

“Whereas MCSCS probation and parole officers and MCYS probation officers have been specifically excluded from Bill 163, despite overwhelming evidence that these front-line officers are exposed to primary trauma, secondary trauma and vicarious trauma often resulting in PTSD diagnoses; and....

“Whereas the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services has neither programs for the prevention of PTSD nor employee assistance programs ... nor wellness programs that specifically support and treat those workers diagnosed with PTSD or like symptoms;

“We, the undersigned probation officers and probation and parole officers, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario shall include probation officers and probation and parole officers in presumptive PTSD legislation under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and that the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services creates programs aimed at PTSD prevention, along with employee assistance programs and wellness programs that address the mental health needs and occupational stressors related to trauma exposure.”

I wholeheartedly agree and send the petition down with Aarbhi.

Lung health

Mr. Yvan Baker: I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas lung disease affects more than 2.4 million people in the province of Ontario, more than 570,000 of whom are children and youth living with asthma;

“Of the four chronic diseases responsible for 79% of deaths (cancers, cardiovascular diseases, lung disease and diabetes) lung disease is the only one without a dedicated province-wide strategy;

“In the Ontario Lung Association report, Your Lungs, Your Life, it is estimated that lung disease currently costs the Ontario taxpayers more than $4 billion a year in direct and indirect health care costs, and that this figure is estimated to rise to more than $80 billion seven short years from now;

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

“To allow for deputations on MPP Kathryn McGarry’s private member’s bill, Bill 41, Lung Health Act, 2014, which establishes a Lung Health Advisory Council to make recommendations to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on lung health issues and requires the minister to develop and implement an Ontario Lung Health Action Plan with respect to research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of lung disease; and

“Once debated at committee, to expedite Bill 41, Lung Health Act, 2014, through the committee stage and back to the Legislature for third and final reading; and to immediately call for a vote on Bill 41 and to seek royal assent immediately upon its passage.”

I’m proud to support this petition and give it to page Terry.

Energy policies

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

“Whereas Ontario families and businesses have seen their hydro costs more than triple under the Liberal government since 2003;

“Whereas the Liberal government’s unaffordable Green Energy Act, the $2 billion wasted on the smart meter program and the $1.1 billion wasted on the cancelled gas plants will translate into a further 42% increase in hydro bills over five years;

“Whereas the Liberal government’s elimination of the clean energy benefit will mean an average increase in hydro bills of $137 per year;

“Whereas Liberal electricity policies have driven up costs and made living in Ontario less and less affordable and rendered our businesses less competitive;

“Whereas the Financial Accountability Officer confirmed that the fire sale of Hydro One will leave Ontario’s budget worse off in the long-term;

“Whereas the planned syphoning off of the proceeds of the sale of Hydro One will leave ratepayers liable to pay the cost of retiring the utility’s $27-billion debt;

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

“To stop the fire sale of Ontario Hydro.”

I agree—

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

Visitors

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: Point of order.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): A point of order, the member for Bramalea–Gore–Malton.

Mr. Jagmeet Singh: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I ask for your indulgence to allow me to introduce my mom and dad to the Legislative Assembly. We have Dr. Jagtaran Singh Dhaliwal and my mom, Ms. Harmeet Kaur, as well as three friends of ours who are here. We have Dr. Navjeet Kaur Singh, Dr. Deeptej Singh and Dr. Gurcharan Singh—a family of doctors, with my family of doctors, who are only possible because of the support of my mom—that my dad’s a doctor, as well.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Technically, that’s not a point of order, but we’re delighted to welcome your family and friends to the Legislature today.

Ms. Soo Wong: Point of order.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): The member for Scarborough–Agincourt on a point of order.

Ms. Soo Wong: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask for your indulgence for a minute, to welcome my constituent Hratch Aynedjian, who is a prominent member of the Armenian community, and to thank him for all his hard work when it comes to the Armenian genocide and all his great work in the Armenian community. Thank you, and welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Technically, that’s also not a point of order, but we’re delighted, as I said, to welcome our guests to the Legislature this afternoon.

Orders of the Day

Alternative Financial Services Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016 / Loi de 2016 modifiant des lois concernant les services financiers de rechange

Resuming the debate adjourned on April 14, 2016, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 156,

An Act to amend various Acts with respect to financial services / Projet de loi 156, Loi modifiant diverses lois concernant les services financiers.

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

Ms. Soo Wong: I’m pleased to rise this afternoon in support of Bill 156, the Alternative Financial Services Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016.

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I want to let the members know that I will be sharing my time with the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore, the member from Burlington and the member from Trinity–Spadina.

I also want to thank the minister for his leadership role in bringing forward this particular consumer protection legislation. Because of his previous legislation—I can vouch for how much it has protected consumers in my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt: just simple things, such as the furnace issue. We all here in this chamber have heard about incidents involving our constituents and those door-to-door salespersons selling furnaces. In my office in Scarborough–Agincourt, numerous constituents have complained about this piece.

The proposed Bill 156, if passed, will provide further protection of Ontarians when it comes to the whole issue of debt.

In 2013, the ministry committed to reviewing payday loan legislation. Now, three years later, the minister is bringing legislation about this particular issue, because we are concerned. Recently, I remember hearing my colleagues in the city of Toronto raising concerns about the payday loan stores and how they’re all over, proliferating in certain neighbourhoods.

The review of this particular legislation has expanded to include other high-cost alternative financial services, such as instalment plan loans, cheque cashing, rent-to-own services and debt collection. The broad public consultation informed us that the approach we need is to strengthen the protections for consumers of alternative financial services. We’re not talking about the traditional banks; we’re talking about stand-alone little stores in local neighbourhoods or in strip malls that are trying, supposedly, to help consumers, and especially those struggling with their debts.

The proposed legislation, if passed, will protect consumers in the following ways:

Consumers with debts in collection would benefit from debt collection rules that apply more broadly, including applying to debt purchasers.

Consumers cashing government cheques at alternative financial service providers would have more information and may benefit from a cap on the rate of cashing a government cheque. This is really important, particularly when low-income families using these types of services get gouged in terms of 25% or 30% fees to cash a government cheque, when in fact we are trying to let the consumers keep all their money, not take away from their money.

This legislation, if passed, will also ensure consumers using rent-to-own services would benefit from a grace period for late payments, and a right to reinstate the agreement under certain circumstances. I hear about this concern about rent-to-own—like, when you rent a car, down the road you might own the car afterwards. So it is very important that there is a grace period to help those who may have one late payment, but not taking the vehicle from them.

Consumers using instalment loans would benefit from the cost control of certain fees, such as optional insurance. Again, this proposed legislation, if passed, will protect and support consumers, giving them more benefits, not less, and also giving them the option to buy insurance if they wish.

Consumers of payday loans would also have to wait seven days between loans, giving them more time to consider their options. This is no different to when we passed legislation when it comes to cellphone bills. Recently, we passed cellphone bill legislation to give especially young people some cooling-off period, like we do with door-to-door sales with the furnaces. There is a cooling-off period. It lets them have some time to reflect, some time to think over their contract, because, again, sometimes people get pressured into signing contracts that may not be agreeable to them.

When they get home, then they think, “Oh, my God, what did I sign?” That reflection is important. That’s what I said when I was a nursing professor: that students—in this case, consumers—have time to reflect on what they signed, and then they can change as they see fit.

Also, those who are borrowing money repeatedly would have a longer repayment period in certain circumstances. You know, life happens. Things happen. For instance, recently in my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt, one of the assistants to their local councillor passed away unexpectedly. So things happen. If you are a repeated borrower for loans, you will now have some support through this legislation, if passed.

The other piece of the legislation that is very, very important to my constituents is the fact that there is, in the explanatory note—I want to read it out loud for the audience watching at home: “The bill also permits the registrar to conduct inspections if he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that a person or an entity is acting as a lender or loan broker while not licensed.” We hear concerns raised in my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt: Who has the last say when it comes to this particular issue? Is it the minister? Is it the registrar? So now we’re going to give additional resources and ammunition for the registrar.

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to today’s debate, and I encourage my colleagues opposite to also join in, but more importantly, to take this bill to committee so that we have a public discussion.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): The member for Etobicoke–Lakeshore.

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn: It’s a pleasure to rise this afternoon to speak to Bill 156, the Alternative Financial Services Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016.

Mr. Speaker, as the member from Scarborough–Agincourt has been telling us, this is a very important piece of legislation that is meant to protect not just consumers, but many of the most vulnerable consumers in this province: the people who depend on short-term cash loans or the people who perhaps go through alternative financing for purchases that others might go through the banks or credit card companies for. Sometimes they might be recent immigrants. Sometimes they might be vulnerable seniors.

Sometimes they might be people who have had difficulty securing a residence, securing ID, securing all those things that many of us take for granted in establishing our bona fides with a bank or other financial institution.

This legislation came about as a result of very extensive consultations with stakeholders across the province, especially many of those who are part of advocacy groups for vulnerable people. There was much discussion about whether payday loans should be banned outright, whether they should be eliminated. In fact, in the consultations the government undertook, what we found is that those groups that advocate for many of the most vulnerable have said that, perhaps unfortunately, it is an important part of the financial system in this province for many people. Those short-term payday-type loans are important to many people.

What this legislation will do is it will provide more controls on that system of payday loans. Most importantly, it’s going to impose a seven-day wait period before somebody can have another payday loan. So for those people who, for whatever reasons, might feel that they need to take out additional loans, there’s a period of time that they have to wait, and that potentially will assist them in managing their funds more efficiently but also in not finding themselves in dire circumstances where they simply continue adding to their debt.

As part of that, there will be some additional opportunities for those payday loan providers to grant those people who borrowed those funds additional time to repay. It’s also going to put some additional caveats on lenders, looking at who it is that they are offering loans to. These are all very important pieces of reforming this part of the financial services that Ontarians rely on.

The member for Scarborough–Agincourt also mentioned the many rent-to-own services that are offered to consumers in this province. Those also need to be better controlled, with a lot more information being offered to borrowers: knowing what their rights are, knowing what kind of lease they’re signing, providing the opportunity for grace periods when lease payments can’t be met for whatever legitimate reason, and the ability to get in and out of leases more easily.

These are very important measures to protect consumers. There are many more very important parts of this legislation that I’m sure my colleagues will touch on, Mr. Speaker.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): I’m pleased to recognize the member for Burlington.

Ms. Eleanor McMahon: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m happy to be part of this ongoing and very important conversation about Bill 156. It’s a great opportunity to stand in the House, always on behalf of my constituents in Burlington, and to join my colleague from Etobicoke–Lakeshore and my colleague from Scarborough–Agincourt in this conversation. It’s often the case in this place where we can disagree about certain elements of policy, but when it comes to protecting consumers, I know we’re all standing in unison when it comes to protecting Ontarians from interests that would seek to exploit either their indebtedness or some of the challenges they may be having.

We know in just a quick review that Bill 156 would strengthen consumer protection in three areas: payday lending, alternative financial services, and debt collection; more specifically, protecting consumers who borrow from payday lenders, protecting them from unexpected costs of other financial services and protecting them with debt collector rules that apply broadly.

Our government wants to ensure that consumers using these services are aware of the costs, their options and their rights, because, quite simply, when consumers can make informed decisions, they make better decisions in the short- and long-term interest.

All too often, for whatever reasons, Ontarians may find themselves in financial difficulty and relying on payday loans, which can lead to an unending cycle of debt, and that’s something that none of us wants to see. Some of the alternative financial services are specifically targeted to these vulnerable consumers, because when someone is in desperate need of financial assistance, they may be forced to take an option offered to them that really, again, isn’t in their best interests.

Proposed changes to the Payday Loans Act would require a payday lender to implement a seven-day waiting period between loans for each borrower, provide the registrar of payday loans with authority to inspect unlicensed lenders and loan brokers, and provide repeat payday loan borrowers in certain circumstances with an extended payment plan.

Speaker, all of these things are in the interests of informed consumers. They also send a very strong signal to inappropriate players in the industry that their conduct cannot and will not be tolerated.

It would also give regulatory heft to require payday lenders to take into account certain factors about a borrower before entering into a payday loan agreement, restrict high-frequency borrowing so we end that cycle of debt and the trap that people can sometimes find themselves in, and improve payday loan borrower awareness of credit counselling services—because, again, that informed consumer is a better consumer.

Some might ask, why don’t we just ban them altogether? Because community agencies who work directly with low-income Ontarians using payday loans advise us that it’s preferable to have a safe payday loan than no small-dollar credit at all—so a better system than nothing at all. Our approach takes into account the stakeholder views and Ontario-specific circumstances. The majority of community agencies and poverty advocates we heard from did not support eliminating payday lending in the absence of short-term, small-dollar credit options.

Consumers raised similar concerns about where they would obtain needed short-term loans. So, again, informed consumers, better choices, a wider variety of choices, but in the right way and regulated properly with appropriate education and awareness.

The government is also monitoring the resolutions passed by municipal councils and communicating with communities in order to understand what additional powers they are requesting in order to limit payday lenders in their communities. We understand that certain areas have unique concerns, which is why the bill was informed by consultations with consumers and community agencies across the province. These include communities like Hamilton, Owen Sound, Guelph, Ottawa and Windsor.

But payday loans are not the only type of lending option that can have negative consequences on the borrower. Alternative financial services can also put Ontarians in financial situations that are not in their interest. That is why our government is addressing the cashing of government-issued cheques by alternative financial services providers, or AFS providers, as they are known—so non-bank, non-credit-union providers—by creating regulations that would require disclosures to consumers, regulate the cost of cashing government-issued cheques, and provide the consumer with more information.

Again, there’s an ongoing theme here of consumer awareness and protection, making sure that the bad actors don’t continue to prey on uninformed consumers.

Changes to rent-to-own agreements and instalment loans, through regulation-making authority, would provide information about the pricing of rent-to-own agreements and create a grace period for late payment on rent-to-own agreements; give rent-to-own consumers reinstatement rights in certain circumstances; allow the development of rules requiring instalment lenders to assess a borrower’s ability to repay and provide a borrower with that assessment; and cap the costs of optional services such as credit insurance for instalment loans.

In essence, Mr. Speaker, protecting individuals in our communities who find themselves vulnerable is something that our government is interested in doing. That’s what this bill sets out to do and I hope it will enjoy the support of the full House.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): The member for Trinity–Spadina.

Mr. Han Dong: I am very pleased to speak to this bill, Bill 156. First of all, I would like to congratulate the current minister for being such an advocate for consumers and the most vulnerable in our province. I also want to thank the previous ministers for working long and hard and putting consumer protection on the front burner of this government.

This bill is a very important bill. In my riding, there are many users, unfortunately, of payday loan agencies. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to worry about payday loans and we wouldn’t have these financial organizations. Unfortunately, they are needed in this society.

One of the reasons is because there is a lack of replacement. Now, I sat down with a not-for-profit organization in my riding; what they do is they actually provide a small amount of loans to individuals to get them through to the next paycheque. That service is really well managed and the default rate is very low. It’s actually around 10%.

So when you think about it, those borrowers are legitimate borrowers who are just in a very difficult situation where they need some help. Some of those are newcomers. Newcomers come to this country, they have no relatives, very few friends and most likely their friends are in same situation. So when the time comes when they need some money but they know their paycheque won’t be here for another two weeks, they need help. They go to these organizations. Unfortunately, there are not too many around so they have to use a payday loan service.

It is a very important service, but we as a government and as legislators at Queen’s Park should make sure that there is enough oversight on these services.

Now, I particularly welcome the part where, if passed, consumers cashing government cheques at alternative financial service providers will have more information and may benefit from a cap on the rate of cheque-cashing services. That’s very important because again and again I have been told by local social workers that some of their clients are repeat borrowers running into problems, where they are running out of money by the end of the month, just because they are finding it difficult to manage their financial situation. I think they are the ones who really need the government to step up and provide some protection.

So I’m very pleased to see this bill being proposed. I think in today’s world there are more and more expenses for people. You know, 30 years ago people didn’t have to worry about cellphone bills. They didn’t have to worry about all these additional expenses. It’s getting to a point where more people sometimes need these kinds of loans to get by.

As a government, we must be here to protect them. By introducing this bill, I think it will do just that. I look forward to the support of the members across the floor.

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

Mr. Bill Walker: It is a pleasure to speak to Bill 156, the Alternative Financial Services Statute Law Amendment Act, 2015. I know that my colleague Jim McDonell from the riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry will be speaking to this for an hour. I believe that our general consensus will be opposing this unless there are some amendments that can be made.

Certainly, it’s a case of legislation where there are some good things in there. There are some penalties and some fees, so people aren’t going overboard. But at the end of the day, what I want to really reflect on is that a lot of the reality of the people having to go to these types of services is because of the Liberal government’s mismanagement.

The highest hydro rates in North America: More people are struggling to pay their bills, and—this is sometimes the case—they have to turn to this type of agency. Higher food costs—again, those day-to-day staples, those necessities of life, and people are struggling to keep all of that together; more taxes and fees; and higher heating fuel, diesel fuel, natural gas, propane: Those things are essential things that people need to heat and cool their homes.

There is less money in Ontarians’ pockets at the end of the day, and they then are struggling. This is sometimes a way by which they are trying to get a bill paid. They need quick cash, and you need that ability to do it.

The government talks in here about perhaps dedicating more energy to appropriate credit card and financial literacy among the general consumer population. I think maybe they should try to lessen the burden on Ontarians, and then we wouldn’t need quite as many of these services.

At the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, perhaps—and I’m not trying to be trite—they need to actually understand the whole reality of trying to manage their own credit. They have doubled, tripled and quadrupled our overall debt. They’re still spending $12 billion a year on interest payments, which, for the last four years, we’ve asked them to try to control and not overspend the way they have. They continue to do that.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of things—

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: Mr. Speaker, I’ve been listening to the member since he started, and I hear nothing about—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): The Attorney General on a point of order.

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: Oh, sorry about that.

I have been listening to the member since he started speaking, and I hear nothing in what he is saying about the bill. I’d like him to continue and speak on the bill.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Questions and comments are intended to relate back to the speech that was given. The government members—four of them—gave a speech together. The questions and comments are related back.

I did hear the member for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound responding to that speech, but I think it’s a good idea to remind all members that the two-minute hits, as we call them—or questions and comments, as they’re more properly called—are supposed to relate back to the speeches that were given and they’re supposed to be relevant to those speeches. Sometimes members will go off a bit, but they should try to come back to the subject at hand.

You’ve had almost two minutes. I’m going to give you another few seconds to sum up.

Mr. Bill Walker: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to make sure that we’re making sure that services are there and available for people when they need them. This government is making it harder, and they have to turn to these types of services. The services have to be available and applicable, and I’m happy to support it after we get some amendments.

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

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I’m pleased to rise as the MPP for London West to offer a couple of minutes of comment on Bill 156, the Alternative Financial Services Statute Law Amendment Act.

I listened carefully to the remarks that were offered by the Liberals on that side of the House, and much of what they talked about focused on payday loans. I want to give a shout-out to the United Way London and Middlesex in my community, which really has been ahead of the curve on this issue. They conducted a comprehensive research study back in 2012 to really understand the landscape of payday lending in my community: who was borrowing and for what reasons. As a result, a member of the United Way London and Middlesex sat on the expert panel that reported back to the government in 2014.

I have to say that it is quite disappointing that a lot of the research and input that was provided to the government is not reflected in the legislation that we see before us today. This legislation falls significantly short of taking any real, concrete actions, the kinds of strategies that are needed to really address this problem.

I met recently in my constituency office with Sister Joan Atkinson from the Sisters of St. Joseph in my community, who talked about the fact that many people on ODSP and Ontario Works are not able