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May 15, 2006

38th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2006-May-15 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Monday 15 May 2006 Lundi 15 mai 2006

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CANADIAN FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

NURSES

LONG-TERM CARE

LANSDOWNE CHILDREN'S CENTRE

TOURISM

ONTARIO DISABILITY

SUPPORT PROGRAM

CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS

ED LUMLEY

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

BIRTH OF MEMBER'S GRANDCHILD

MOTIONS

HOUSE SITTINGS

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERVICES

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION /

ÉDUCATION POSTSECONDAIRE

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERVICES

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERVICES

DONALD DOUCET

ORAL QUESTIONS

HEALTH SERVICES

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

ENERGY POLICY

SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

NATIVE LAND DISPUTE

DISABILITY BENEFITS

ASSISTANCE TO ARTISTS

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

AUTISM SERVICES

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

ANIMAL PROTECTION

LONG-TERM CARE

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

PETITIONS

ORGAN DONATION

RECYCLING

EDUCATION FUNDING

MUNICIPAL RESTRUCTURING /

RESTRUCTURATION MUNICIPALE

EDUCATION FUNDING

MACULAR DEGENERATION

LONG-TERM CARE

PROPERTY TAXATION

SERVICES FOR THE

DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

ORGAN DONATION

ORDERS OF THE DAY

CLEAN WATER ACT, 2006 /

LOI DE 2006 SUR L'EAU SAINE

The House met at 1330.

Prayers.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CANADIAN FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): Last Saturday my wife, Jane, and I were honoured to be present at the Canadian Federation of University

Women, Orillia branch, as they celebrated their 50th anniversary at a gala dinner at beautiful Geneva Park.

CFUW Orillia has provided a valuable service to the Orillia area for the past five decades. As the MPP for Simcoe North, I often meet with CFUW deputations, and

they provide me with important feedback on humanitarian and women's issues. Locally, they also fundraise to provide scholarships to young women at our local secondary schools.

The guest speaker on Saturday evening was Ms. Sally Armstrong, an Order of Canada winner, an Amnesty International award winner and a very prominent journalist

and author. Ms. Armstrong spoke on the important topic of discrimination against women in Afghanistan.

I'd like to thank CFUW Orillia president Jeanne Page, gala evening chairperson Joan Gordon, regional director Linda MacGregor and CFUW national president Rose

Beatty, as well as all of those women who have been a part of the CFUW Orillia for the past 50 years. Their work is truly appreciated, and I wish CFUW Orillia all the best as they begin the next 50

years of their existence.

NURSES

Mrs. Carol Mitchell (Huron-Bruce): Last Friday, I had the opportunity to participate in Take Your MPP to Work Day with a local nurse named Janet

Hullah. Janet is from Community Nursing Services. This is the second time I've had the opportunity, and I must say that it is a wonderful chance to see first-hand all of the good work that nurses

do on a day-to-day basis.

I also had the chance to see first-hand the services that were provided and meet some of the clients who truly value the services that they receive from their

nurses. These clients truly appreciate the visit, and they know they will be treated with care, respect and compassion.

Nurses are a very important part of our health care system. I encourage everyone to spend a few hours in their shoes to truly appreciate and understand the

dedication and excellent service that they bring to their jobs. The enhanced funding of $714,900 to the Huron CCAC and $1,928,700 to the Grey-Bruce CCAC will go a long way in meeting the needs of

the people from my riding of Huron-Bruce.

LONG-TERM CARE

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener-Waterloo): I recently had the privilege of meeting with a number of long-term-care providers my community. They

expressed grave concern that they cannot meet the increasingly complex care needs of the residents they serve, many of whom are recent discharges from hospital. They cannot do so without an

immediate injection of new dollars to increase staffing levels. They cannot meet the nutritional needs of the residents on $5.34 per day, nor can they adequately meet the feeding needs of the

residents without more staff available to assist this increasingly frail population. They expressed very legitimate concerns about how they could pay their utility bills from an accommodation

envelope that hasn't seen relevant adjustments in years. These homes need the funds that were promised and committed by the McGuinty government in the last election. They need the additional $4,000

per resident to provide an additional 20 more minutes of care.

I would say to this government: Listen to the frail and vulnerable population. Remember that these people deserve dignity. They deserve to be fed, bathed and

toileted within appropriate guidelines and with compassion and care.

I urge the Liberal government to immediately fulfill your election promises to provide more funding -- $4,000 for 20 minutes of additional care. Show the

residents that you do care.

LANSDOWNE CHILDREN'S CENTRE

Mr. Dave Levac (Brant): I appreciate the opportunity to address an issue today that I was very fortunate to attend on Friday, which was the

announcement for our children's treatment centres. On Friday at the local Lansdowne Children's Centre, we made a funding announcement that is going to be extremely valuable to our treatment centre

there. Lansdowne Children's Centre is very innovative. The executive director, who just left for Peterborough -- and that's their gain and our loss -- Diane Pick, has been a very creative

instrument there for our children with special needs. They work very well with both school boards -- $240,000 to knock 150 more children off the waiting list to have these services to prepare them

for school. More importantly --

Interjection.

Mr. Levac: And in St. Catharines as well. But more importantly, this is another one of those commitments that we had made as a government to

ensure that the children who most need those services receive them. All three groups that were outside of my announcement heaped praise on the government and showed appreciation of the hard work of

all the partners -- the Rotary Club, the private sector, the personal donations that individuals make, the parents of those children, the school boards of those children. More importantly, at the

end of the story, a parent stood up and said how wonderfully Lansdowne Children's Centre treated their child, who can now attend school for the first time since he was born.

This is a great announcement for us across the province. I thank Lansdowne Children's Centre for the services they provide.

TOURISM

Mr. Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): I rise today to raise concerns about the McGuinty government's failure to recognize the contribution that

tourism can make to the economy of this province as well as to the small municipalities in areas such as my riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka.

Tourism in our area is still recovering from the effects of SARS, and more recently is facing challenges from the rising value of the Canadian dollar. Visitors

to our region are down significantly, and more needs to be done to assist tourism operators in attracting visitors, not just to Toronto but to outlying areas as well.

Where are the initiatives that promote our rural and northern communities? Likely you won't find them, because this government has seen fit to slash the tourism

budget.

Hotels and resorts are telling me that bookings are down significantly. Eva Dwyer of Winnetou Resort reported that five or six years ago they were 80% booked in

March. Now they are lucky to be 10% booked, with shorter stays being the norm. US visitors are down significantly.

Cochrane is a perfect example of a community that could benefit from a tourism partnership with the province. The Polar Bear Habitat there is a world-class

attraction, yet they only have $20,000 for advertising.

While tourism agencies like Muskoka Tourism and Georgian Bay Country are doing their best to attract visitors to Parry Sound-Muskoka, the province must partner

to help their efforts. Effective partnerships between the government and tourism operators can yield great benefits for the province, for business and for municipalities. Yet this government has

seen fit to cut the tourism budget by $100 million in the 2006 provincial budget.

ONTARIO DISABILITY

SUPPORT PROGRAM

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay): I want to raise for the members, but specifically for the Minister of Community and Social Services and

the Premier, what people are having to go through, not only in my constituency but I'm sure it's happening everywhere else in Ontario.

I had the opportunity, like all of you, to go back to the constituency on Friday last week and meet with constituents; in this particular case, with Melanie.

Here is a young woman, 30-some years old, who has had her life in control, has always been very good at being able to provide for herself, a good career, everything going the right way. All of a

sudden she is struck with a mental illness in regards to depression and now finds herself in a situation of not being able to work.

What is frustrating her -- and, I would argue, what frustrates me and others -- is that she needs to get on to ODSP, the Ontario disability support program, but

it takes eight to 10 months to be approved or rejected once a person has applied to the program. In that whole time, she is doing without. She has had to move in with her mother -- she doesn't get

the money she would normally get for room and board -- and is surviving on $200 a month.

I can tell you, talking to that young woman on Friday, that it is clear to me, as it is to everybody else, that that situation is causing her more stress than

she needs at this particular point in her life. We need to get the government to respond to this issue and to make sure that ODSP application is done quicker so that people can get the decision

they need and we provide proper supports in the meantime. It's unbelievable that the government allows this to happen.

CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS

Mr. John Milloy (Kitchener Centre): It's indeed a pleasure to rise in this House and offer a warm welcome to representatives from the Certified

Management Accountants of Ontario, who are with us in the Legislature today.

The CMAs are here for two reasons. The first is to learn more about the priorities of the provincial government and the roles that are played by elected

officials from all parties, political staff and civil servants in achieving them. The second is to update us all, as public policy-makers, on some of the major issues affecting the management

accounting profession in Ontario and across Canada at this time.

It might interest members to know that the CMA profession boasts more than 20,000 members throughout the province and 47,000 members across Canada and

internationally.

As accomplished financial professionals, certified management accountants provide valuable business advice and leadership to organizations of all sizes in every

sector of the Ontario economy. They are found in all areas of the broader public sector, including the Ontario public service and even among the Ontario cabinet and federal members of

Parliament.

We owe the CMAs a debt of gratitude for the contribution they are making to rigorous new standards for public accounting in Ontario. It is much appreciated.

Finally, a number of CMA's from ridings across Ontario are here today to let us know how they are making a difference in our communities. I encourage each and

every member of this House to attend the reception that CMA Ontario is hosting this evening here in the legislative dining room from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

ED LUMLEY

Mr. Jim Brownell (Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh): My riding of Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh has been home to many prominent Canadians, from

Ontario's first Premier to brilliant actors, sports figures and incredible community activists. The dedication, talent and spirit of these individuals have been recognized in many ways, and

recently another outstanding individual has been honoured: Ed Lumley, former Cornwall mayor and former Stormont-Dundas MP and federal cabinet minister, has been named chancellor of the University

of Windsor, his former alma mater.

Although Windsor was his hometown, Ed has called Lancaster, in the eastern part of my riding, home for some time now. Since moving to the region, he has

dedicated himself fully to the community, both through public service as an elected official and through other means, such as his recent participation in the Cornwall Community Hospital fundraising

campaign. Former Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau and John Turner both saw the benefits in harnessing his abilities as minister for several portfolios.

Ed's tireless community involvement has previously been recognized locally when Cornwall named its premier sports arena after him. It is gratifying to all from

my riding to see this well-deserving individual recognized in his hometown as well. No doubt those graduating students who will receive their diplomas from him will tell that story for decades to

come.

On behalf of all my constituents, I congratulate Mr. Lumley on being named chancellor of the University of Windsor, wish him well in all future endeavours and

thank him for his tireless commitment to the people of my riding.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Mr. John Wilkinson (Perth-Middlesex): May 1 marked the beginning of Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. Cystic Fibrosis is the leading genetic

cause of death in Canadian children, and the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has been at the forefront of the fight to cure CF for the last 40 years.

The foundation is a Canada-wide health charity, with more than 50 volunteer chapters, that funds vital CF research and care. Its mandate is to help individuals

with CF, principally by funding CF research and by supporting high-quality clinical and transplant care. As one of the world's largest non-governmental granting agencies in the field of CF

research, the foundation supports more than 45 top-ranking research projects in 2006.

Research funded by the foundation is exploring all aspects of the CF puzzle, from investigating new methods of fighting infection and inflammation in the lungs

to finding new approaches in CF therapy that correct the basic genetic defect of CF.

With the aid of funding from the foundation, CF researchers working at institutions across Canada and right here in Ontario have achieved many milestones on the

road to a cure for CF. Canadian researchers are viewed as leaders in the global effort to find a cure and effective control for the disease.

I'm pleased to welcome today to the members' gallery from the foundation Paul Arsenault, who's the vice-president of the board of directors, and Kelly Gorman,

the manager of social action.

Finally, I'd like to invite all members to join my colleagues from Beaches-East York, Whitby-Ajax and the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care tonight for an

all-party CF reception in committee room 230, from 5:30 to 7. The theme of tonight's reception is the role of newborn screening in the diagnosis and treatment of cystic fibrosis.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I would ask for unanimous consent for members to be able to wear the CF pin for the month of May.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The member has asked for unanimous consent to wear the CF pin for the month of May. Agreed? Agreed.

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Mr. Mario G. Racco (Thornhill): I beg leave to present a report from the standing committee on the Legislative Assembly and move its

adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Lisa Freedman): Mr. Racco from the standing committee on the Legislative Assembly presents the committee's report as

follows and moves its adoption:

Your committee begs to report the following bill, as amended:

Bill 41,

An Act to create a comprehensive system of rules for the transfer of securities that is consistent with such rules across North America and to make

consequential amendments to various Acts / Projet de loi 41, Loi instituant un régime global de règles régissant le transfert des valeurs mobilières qui cadre avec celui

qui s'applique dans ce domaine en Amérique du Nord et apportant des modifications corrélatives à diverses lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed.

The bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

BIRTH OF MEMBER'S GRANDCHILD

Mrs. Maria Van Bommel (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: Yesterday was Mother's Day, and to mark that day my

daughter-in-law, Angela, gave birth to our ninth grandchild. It was her first baby, and so as a new mom, it was a great day to have a baby. The baby's name is René Van Bommel III. René

Jr. is the proud new father of this eight-pound, 12-ounce boy, and René Sr., Darlene James and I are the absolutely ecstatic grandparents

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): That, of course, is not a point of order, but maybe a point of shower.

MOTIONS

HOUSE SITTINGS

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): I move that, pursuant to standing order

9(c)(i), the House shall meet from 6:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, May 15, 2006, for the purpose of considering government business.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Mr. Bradley has moved government notice of motion 140. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion

carry?

All in favour will say "aye."

All opposed will say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1351 to 1356.

The Speaker: All those in favour will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Arnott, Ted

Arthurs, Wayne

Balkissoon, Bas

Bartolucci, Rick

Bentley, Christopher

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bountrogianni, Marie

Bradley, James J.

Broten, Laurel C.

Brownell, Jim

Cansfield, Donna H.

Caplan, David

Chambers, Mary Anne V.

Chudleigh, Ted

Colle, Mike

Cordiano, Joseph

Dhillon, Vic

Dombrowsky, Leona

Dunlop, Garfield

Fonseca, Peter

Gerretsen, John

Hardeman, Ernie

Hoy, Pat

Jackson, Cameron

Klees, Frank

Levac, Dave

Marsales, Judy

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McMeekin, Ted

McNeely, Phil

Meilleur, Madeleine

Miller, Norm

Milloy, John

Mitchell, Carol

Munro, Julia

O'Toole, John

Parsons, Ernie

Patten, Richard

Peters, Steve

Phillips, Gerry

Qaadri, Shafiq

Racco, Mario G.

Ramal, Khalil

Rinaldi, Lou

Ruprecht, Tony

Smith, Monique

Smitherman, George

Sorbara, Gregory S.

Van Bommel, Maria

Watson, Jim

Wilkinson, John

Witmer, Elizabeth

Wong, Tony C.

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

The Speaker: All those opposed will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Bisson, Gilles

Kormos, Peter

Marchese, Rosario

Prue, Michael

Tabuns, Peter

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Claude L. DesRosiers): The ayes are 56; the nays are 5.

The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Hon. Joseph Cordiano (Minister of Economic Development and Trade): It is an honour and a pleasure to rise in the House today and share good

news with the people of Ontario.

What a difference two and a half years make. Since we took office in October 2003, we have seen an unprecedented $7 billion of new investment in the auto

sector.

When we formed this government, we wanted to take a targeted approach to investing in our province's anchor industry. We wanted a plan that would bring new

investment and keep jobs in Ontario, create new opportunities for Ontarians and their families and make Ontario a global leader of innovation in the industry, and that's what we've done. We created

our Ontario automotive investment strategy to do just that.

Today, I am proud to say that we have delivered on our commitment once again. On Friday the Premier and I, along with members who are tireless advocates for

their communities, Mrs. Sandals, John Wilkinson and John Milloy, made an important announcement. Linamar Corp. announced that it is investing $1.1 billion at its Ontario-based operations and it is

creating 3,000 jobs over the next five years -- high-paying, high-value jobs; the kinds of jobs that Ontarians want and deserve.

This Guelph-based company is a remarkable success story. In less than 40 years it has grown from a single operation to 34 plants around the world, 22 of them

right in the Guelph area. What a show of confidence in our province and our workers.

Linamar has an ambitious growth strategy. It plans to develop, adapt and commercialize state-of-the-art machining, manufacturing and environmental technologies

in automotive powertrain systems. What this means is that the next generation of auto parts will be designed, developed and built right here in Ontario. That's why our government has joined in

partnership with Linamar. Our $44.5 million of investment will help Linamar upgrade the skills of both its current workers and new hires, and establish a technology centre in Guelph. This will

ensure that through apprenticeship programs, Linamar will have access to a steady pipeline of skilled workers now and in the future.

This is the latest announcement stemming from a strategy that focuses on targeted investment, on securing high-value jobs for thousands of workers and their

families. But this is about more than just one more auto investment in Ontario. This is another signal that our industry is gaining great momentum. This proves again that Ontario is the best place

in the world to do business. After all, we are, for the second year running, the leading auto manufacturing jurisdiction in North America.

Today I want to congratulate and thank the hard-working families of Ontario who have made this dream a reality. It is they who deserve the credit, and it's

Ontario families who rely on the auto sector who benefit from these great new investments.

I would like to remind the members of what has taken place in Ontario's most important industry. Our auto investment plans have leveraged nearly $7 billion in

new automotive investments in the province. Specifically, our $500-million automotive investment strategy has leveraged more than $5.4 billion in new investments at Ford, General Motors,

DaimlerChrysler, and parts makers Nemak and Linamar. And we've attracted another $1.3 billion, including the new Toyota plant in Woodstock and through the Navistar investments in Chatham and

Windsor. This is good news, not just for the communities that benefit from the investments but also for all of Ontario. We understand that a strong auto industry means a strong Ontario.

Once again I say, what a difference two and a half years can make. I look forward to standing in this House again with more good news about good jobs and

investment in our province, because it's investments like these that bring greater opportunities for Ontarians and their families. That is a commitment we are proud to deliver on today.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERVICES

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): Helping Ontario's children to achieve their full potential is a key

priority for our government. It is our goal to help provide Ontario's children with the support and opportunities they need to ensure that their abilities overshadow the challenge of their

disabilities.

Ontario's children's treatment centres, located across the province, play an essential role in helping us to achieve our goal for children and youth with

special needs. These centres are community-based organizations that serve approximately 40,000 children and youth with physical disabilities and multiple special needs every year. They range in

size and scope, but each provides physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy as core services. Children's treatment centres serve children and youth who have disabilities,

including but not limited to cerebral palsy, brain injuries, developmental or learning difficulties, Down's syndrome, spina bifida, autism or pervasive developmental disorder, and chronic and/or

long-term medical conditions.

Last Friday, I was pleased to announce that, as part of our government's ongoing commitment to children and youth with special needs, we are providing

Ontario's children's treatment centres with $10 million in additional annualized funding. This represents a 17% increase over 2005-06. With this investment, our children's treatment centres will be

able to serve almost 4,800 more children and youth with special needs, starting this year. Through this new funding, we are providing more services and making them more accessible, better

coordinated and more responsive to the needs of children, youth and their families. This is great news for communities. This is great news for the people who work at children's treatment centres

with such compassion and diligence, and most importantly, this is great news for children and youth with special needs and their families.

Our government is committed to helping families whose children have special needs. Last Friday's announcement is one of the many ways our government is helping

children and youth with special needs and their families. Our government has now invested more than $120 million in new funding since 2003-04 for services that are making a difference for young

people with special needs across the province. Since 2003-04 we have also more than doubled spending on autism-related services, providing supports for more children with autism as well as more

supports for teachers, more therapists and more coordinators. We have also increased annualized funding for mental health services for children and youth by $38 million.

In partnership with the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres, we have launched Akwe:go, a program that provides aboriginal children and youth,

through 27 centres across the province, with the tools, supports and activities needed to help them make healthy choices. We have officially opened One Kids Place, a new children's treatment centre

in North Bay. And we have announced a new children's treatment centre for Simcoe county and York region, so children and youth with special needs in that region can access services closer to

home.

Our government is working hard on many fronts to make a real difference for our province's most vulnerable children and youth.

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION /

ÉDUCATION POSTSECONDAIRE

Hon. Christopher Bentley (Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities): Ontario's most valuable economic resource is our people, and we

are fortunate to have some of the most highly skilled and educated people in the world. It is a legacy of our strong and affordable education system. If Ontario is to remain globally competitive,

our continuing prosperity depends on quality and accessible post-secondary education. Our goal is to ensure today's students have access to a high-quality, relevant post-secondary education

experience and that our institutions can keep pace with the needs of future generations of students.

Notre population étudiante et toute la population de l'Ontario méritent la meilleure éducation postsecondaire possible au Canada. Notre

gouvernement s'est donné comme but de la leur offrir.

Today, I'm pleased to announce that our government is taking the next step to ensure students will have the best education we can offer, including education on

civility in public places, and that taxpayers will see results for their investment. We have enshrined the link between quality and post-secondary education in law through legislation that

establishes the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. This independent body will ensure continued improvement of the post-secondary education system by monitoring quality in the sector,

access to post-secondary education and the accountability of colleges and universities.

I'm pleased to appoint the Honourable Frank Iacobucci as chair of this important body. Mr. Iacobucci is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and,

last year, was interim president of the University of Toronto. In addition, he has served as Deputy Minister of Justice, Deputy Attorney General of Canada and also Chief Justice of the Federal

Court of Canada.

With his extremely distinguished and varied background, Mr. Iacobucci is eminently prepared to take on this important challenge. He will establish our Higher

Education Quality Council as the arbiter of quality in our post-secondary education system.

A key part of the council's role will be to monitor and report on performance measurement and guide the post-secondary education system towards improved

quality. It will also monitor and make recommendations on the student access guarantee.

The council will undertake research on quality, participation and access and advise government on the best way to measure performance and institutional

collaboration. The council will also provide enhanced transparency and accountability in the sector through regular public reports on the results that are flowing from the government's

investment.

I look forward to working with Mr. Iacobucci as he helps us reach our goals by guiding quality improvements at Ontario's colleges and universities.

By ensuring a quality post-secondary education system, the government is supporting its goals for strong economic growth now and in the future. Our government

believes it is not good enough to just stay the course on education quality, but that Ontario's institutions must strive to be the best in Canada.

Investing in people makes our country stronger. Training and education gives people opportunity and hope and can give young people, including those who are

presently excluded, the skills and confidence to contribute and succeed in our growing economy.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Responses?

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Mr. Ted Chudleigh (Halton): I'd remind the government that Ontario needs announcements like this one at a pace of one per week for the next

six months to offset the economic carnage of last fall and winter, when 80,000 manufacturing jobs were lost in Ontario.

I also remind the minister that these jobs are coming on stream over the next five years. People at Imperial Tobacco who lost their jobs and people at ABB in

Guelph who lost their jobs have to be pretty patient over the next five years to wait for these jobs to come on stream.

This announcement also doesn't help the people of Collingwood, where Goodyear Tire, Kaufman Furniture, Nacan Starch, Bluewater Pottery and Backyard Products

all shut down over the last six months -- and that was just in Collingwood. Your government has yet to do one thing in that area to help some of the 80,000 families affected by layoffs and

shutdowns across Ontario. You've been asked to meet with the mayor and the town council of Collingwood to talk about developing a plan for the future, and you haven't even done that.

This announcement could be a start, but you need at least one a week for the next six months to make up for the carnage that your economic policies have

brought to this province since you've been in office.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERVICES

Mrs. Julia Munro (York North): My comments are in response to the announcement made by the Minister of Children and Youth Services. When we're

looking at this announcement, we need to be clear about just how old some of these announcements are, particularly, in my own case, the question of the announcement for a new children's treatment

centre for Simcoe county and York region. I participated with other members in that announcement 18 months ago. While obviously it was appreciated that this government chose to go forward with a

plan that had been worked out by the previous government, nevertheless I think we need to understand that it is something that was announced 18 months ago.

In looking at the amount of money that is suggested today in this announcement for children's treatment centres, I think we should see it as a down payment.

The minister herself in her remarks suggests that this will help almost 4,800 more children and youth, starting this year, but we need to put that in the context that as of March 31, 2005, there

were almost 10,000 children waiting. So this is a down payment.

What we're seeing here is that this money goes towards helping fewer than half the number of children who are actually on waiting lists. It's disappointing too

in the fact that various institutions, like Erinoak, which frankly are bursting at the seams, need some specific money to look at the way in which they might be able to continue to serve the needs

of their community as well.

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

Mr. Cameron Jackson (Burlington): I want to commend the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities for his announcement and his

selection. I am quite familiar with Frank Iacobucci's resumé; it's a very impressive one. As someone who has been involved in the justice issue, I can attest he has done a great job.

Minister, you have begun accountability agreements with our colleges and universities similar to the ones that have been put in place for hospitals. I notice

that you indicate in your statement transparency and accountability responsibilities for this new office.

The other MUSH sector transfers do not have this quality assurance kind of oversight, so I'm not sure if you are trying to insulate yourself from some of the

difficult decisions they may have to make, or if you truly believe that the academic transfer agencies can be that much more independent of the arm's reach of a minister. We will watch with

interest to see how that evolves.

Some of the early reports we are getting from universities and colleges are that the staff-to-student ratio is not moving and that the monies you have given

are still dead last in Canada in terms of provincial participation. We would hope that we are actually getting new hires, and I'm pleased that --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you.

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay): On behalf of New Democrats, I think about those thousands of workers who have lost their jobs in the

automotive sector over the last two and a half years. When the minister says, "Look what two and a half years gets us," tell that to the people of Oshawa, Oakville, Windsor, St. Catharines and,

soon, St. Thomas.

This particular announcement is one that I'm sure everybody is happy about and wants to have happen, but we can't lose sight of where we have been up to now;

that is, that we have had net job losses directly in the automotive sector since this government has come to office. Today, we have yet again the Dalton McGuinty government doing another sort of

pre-election announcement in preparation for what will be the fall election of 2007.

I say to the government across the way that your record will be one that you are going to have to run on, and in those communities where thousands of auto

workers have lost their jobs because of this government's inaction, that will not bode well for you in the next election. That is not to even talk about what's going on in the automotive parts

sector, which has been equally affected by this particular downturn in the industry.

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

Mr. Rosario Marchese (Trinity-Spadina): I want to say that the appointment of Mr. Iacobucci to the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario

is a good one. I have the highest regard for Mr. Iacobucci, and so what I'm about to say does not detract from what I'm about to criticize the minister on, and that is the following. I believe we

should be measuring the quality of our post-secondary education. How we do it and what we're going to measure is the key. I would like Mr. Iacobucci to measure this:

(1) We have about $1.4 billion worth of maintenance projects that need to happen quickly. They haven't happened in a long, long time, and I wonder whether Mr.

Iacobucci is going to measure the quality of the state of repair of our buildings and comment on that.

(2) We have high class sizes in our post-secondary system, which are affecting the quality of the education our students are getting. I wonder if Mr. Iacobucci

is going to measure, by way of his research, the effect of high class sizes on the quality of our educational system.

(3) I wonder whether Mr. Iacobucci, in his mandate, is going to be able to measure the effect that high tuition fees students are paying -- the previous

government increased them, and this minister is doing the same by an incredible increase to post-graduate students -- has on the social and economic lives of those students and on the social and

economic impact it has on our life in general.

(4) The Ombudsman is independent. He or she reports to the Legislature. Mr. Iacobucci is not going to be reporting to the Legislature; he will be reporting to

the minister. As such, there is a different kind of reporting that is not, in my view, the independence we were looking for as it relates to the Ombudsman. When we have that kind of reporting, then

we can seriously say that that is independence.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH SERVICES

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): In response to the Minister of Children and Youth Services: If anyone is to be commended today, it is

the Ontario Association of Children's Rehabilitation Services and their CEO, Vicky Earle, because it is that group that has pressured this government consistently for the last two years, up to the

announcement of today. They have worked extremely hard to ensure that this government understands what is needed for the children of Ontario, particularly those children who are in special

needs.

Madam Minister, we know what the statistics are and we have been provided those by Vicky Earle. In 2005 there were 9,086 children who were on the waiting list.

They waited an average of 31 weeks in order to get services in Ontario. That is up 25% since the time that you took office in 2004, when the waiting list was only 24 weeks. They have also advised

us that this has been a crisis of which they have informed you throughout your mandate. They have told you that they need $14 million, and today you've given them $10 million. They have told you

that with $14 million, they could decrease the waiting list to 12 weeks. They're not going to get anywhere near that with the money you have provided.

These are our children. The average age is four and a half years. Those are the children who are most in need. They are most in need because, as they get the

service, they will be able to develop as fast as only young children can learn and take advantage that fast. We know that what you have done today is something good, but it's not enough. We want to

know why the government waited so long. Why did it take you three years to get it only half right? There is so much more that needs to be done. Please do it.

DONALD DOUCET

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): I believe we have unanimous consent

for all parties to speak up to five minutes to recognize a fallen police officer.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Agreed? Agreed. The member for Sault Ste. Marie.

Mr. David Orazietti (Sault Ste. Marie): It is with great sadness that I rise in the House today on behalf of the government and the

Legislature to honour senior Constable Don Doucet and offer our sincerest condolences to the Doucet family, as they have lost a loving husband and father. We deeply regret that the 41-year-old

Sault Ste. Marie police officer was killed in the line of duty yesterday, May 14, at approximately 2:40 a.m. Don was a 12-year veteran of the Sault Ste. Marie police force.

This is the first time since the force was formed in 1860 that an officer has given his life in the line of duty. This tragic loss has caused tremendous

sadness in my community and indeed the province. We have lost an officer who truly loved his job and dedicated his life to the service of others.

Constable Doucet was promoted to detective but chose to continue his work as a patrolling officer. Constable Doucet was an exemplary role model to his

colleagues and was chosen as one of the few training officers in the Sault Ste. Marie police force, acting as a mentor to new officers for the first three months of their job. He took great pride

in working on the streets of our community, helping out his neighbours and working side by side with his colleagues.

This didn't stop when he took off his badge. His neighbours spoke fondly yesterday of a man who kept their streets safe even when he was off duty. They

recalled an incident where Don had caught a couple of youths who had stolen Christmas decorations. The constable walked the kids back to the house from which they had taken the lights and made them

apologize directly and take responsibility for their actions. He didn't have to involve himself in that situation. He wasn't on duty and they weren't his children, but he believed in a notion that

is too often ignored in our hectic, fast-paced society: community. The word is thrown around a lot, but it involves more than just a membership by default of where one lives. It's an active process

that involves forging relationships and looking out for everyone, young and old alike, and vulnerable as well. Those kids learned a lesson that day because Constable Doucet understood that. It's an

important part of his legacy.

His community involvement also went well beyond his own street. Constable Doucet involved himself in many charitable activities in the community. On behalf of

the police force, he helped organize a successful cancer fundraiser. He volunteered his time to participate in numerous charitable sporting events with the Sault Ste. Marie police force. He played

in a charitable match between the police and the OHL's Soo Greyhounds, and he participated in basketball fundraisers against local teachers.

It is a testament to his involvement in Sault Ste. Marie that there has been a tremendous outpouring of grief by our community leaders. Our city's police

chief, Robert Davies, said, "The men and women of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service are deeply saddened with the tragic loss of one of our own members who died while serving the citizens of Sault

Ste. Marie.

"We extend our thoughts and sympathies to Constable Don Doucet's wife, Debbie, and children, Jocelyne and Courtney. Constable Doucet is the first officer in

the history of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service to be killed on duty."

Our city's mayor, John Rowswell, said, "On behalf of the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie I would like to express our condolences to the Doucet family in their

loss of a very special person. The men and women of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service patrol our streets day and night with the intent of keeping us safe and out of harm's way. Actions of others

can result in an officer not coming home at the end of the shift, and their family and co-workers suffer the loss of someone dear to them. This is what happened last night."

Police officers, as we all know, are special individuals who, in the routine of their day-to-day work, put themselves in harm's way to serve and protect all of

us so that we can enjoy the rights and privileges we too often take for granted. In a day and age when our access to information through media inundates us with lawlessness and conflict in many

parts of the world, we are reminded of the vital role our police officers fulfill in our towns and cities throughout Ontario.

Everyone expects that when their husband or wife or son or daughter goes to work, they'll come home, but this tragic event is a stark reminder of the many

dangers faced by police officers each day in serving all of us.

It is within the Doucet home that Constable Doucet's loss will be felt the deepest. There, he was known as Dad to his daughters Jocelyne and Courtney, and

husband to his wife, Debbie. Their immeasurable sorrow cannot possibly be consoled by any words said today, so all I can humbly offer on behalf of this Legislature is our sincere gratitude for

their husband's and father's selfless commitment to his job and to his community.

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): On behalf of our leader, John Tory, I am pleased and honoured to be able to stand here today and pay

tribute to the life of Senior Constable Donald Doucet of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. Although I never had the opportunity to become acquainted with Donald, I understand that he was in fact

a very dedicated and devoted patrol officer.

As the first Sault Ste. Marie officer ever to lose his or her life in the line of duty, Senior Constable Doucet was a passenger in a patrol car when the car

collided with a minivan early on Sunday morning.

Out of his 12 years with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, Donald Doucet spent 11 years on patrol. He did in fact try detective work for one year, but

quickly asked to be put back on patrol.

Earlier today, I had a phone conversation with Chief Bob Davies of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. I wanted to pass on our condolences and to ask him what

kind of man Donald Doucet was. Chief Davies summed it up in four words: "Donald Doucet loved life."

He loved his wife, Debbie, and their two beautiful daughters Jocelyne, 19, and Courtney, 16. He loved working with his fellow officers, and he loved to go to

work. He loved working on community programs such as the Canadian Cancer Society fundraiser Clip a Cop, charity basketball games, and the charity hockey games, where he would take

part in hockey

games where the police service and members of the OHL Soo Greyhounds would participate. He loved outdoor activities and was an avid golfer. Yes, Mr. Speaker, he loved life.

Once again, a police officer has given his life in the line of duty. Last week at this time, we paid tribute to Senior Constable John Atkinson of the Windsor

Police Service, who was brutally murdered, and today to Donald Doucet of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, who died as a result of an impaired driver. These two police services are over 1,000

kilometres apart, and all Ontarians must stop and reflect upon the lives of police officers. Each and every day, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the men and women of our police services put their

lives on the line so that all Ontarians can live in a safe and secure environment. We thank them for that service.

Again, on behalf of John Tory and our PC caucus, and in fact on behalf of all Ontarians, we send our deepest regrets to the Doucet family and to all the

members of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): Today is another very sad day. It is always sad when someone who works in the public service loses

their life. It is always sad when this happens in the line of duty. It is always sad when someone who gives so much to the community is, in a split second, taken from the community, taken from

their colleagues, and in this case taken from their family.

I think what everyone would recognize in this incident is how senseless it is: a police officer riding in a cruiser, doing the routine work, and in a matter of

seconds something beyond their control, something beyond their capacity to prevent, and that police officer is no longer with us.

This is a terrible price that police services and other emergency services pay. It reminds us once again of our responsibility and our duty to do all that we

can, and to do a better job to ensure that this doesn't happen, or that it happens certainly less often than it now seems to be happening.

On behalf of New Democrats, we extend our condolences to the children of officer Doucet -- his daughter Jocelyne, his daughter Courtney -- and of course to his

wife, Debbie.

By all accounts, he was not only an excellent police officer, but he was a first-rate member of the community, someone that I'm sure everyone in Sault Ste.

Marie was proud of and that we would be proud of.

This is a very sad day for Sault Ste. Marie, a very sad day for the community and, as I say, a very sad day for the colleagues of Officer Doucet.

We send our condolences, but we must all recognize that we need to do a better job here, that we need to do a better job across Ontario to ensure that

senseless things like this happen far less frequently.

The Speaker: I ask that all members and guests please rise with me to observe a moment of silence for Senior Constable Don Doucet.

The House observed a moment's silence.

ORAL QUESTIONS

HEALTH SERVICES

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener-Waterloo): My question is for the Minister of Health. In this morning's Toronto Star you have been quoted as

planning to review delisted OHIP services. This is certainly a conversion, since it was your Premier and your government that delisted three key health care services -- chiropractic, physiotherapy

and eye exams -- in the 2004 budget, while at the same time asking Ontarians to pay about $2.5 billion more in health taxes.

I ask you today, Minister, as you do this review, will you commit that eye exams will be a top priority for renewed OHIP coverage, since we all know that this

is preventative health care and that for many Ontarians an eye exam can prevent serious eye disease and also blindness?

Hon. George Smitherman (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): The honourable member, having read the story in today's paper, will know the

answer to the question.

There was an opportunity for us to reconsider a list of decisions that the cabinet took, while she was serving as Minister of Health, to delist a variety of

OHIP-funded services. Upon reflection, and the Ombudsman has been doing some work in this area, it seemed that one of those items that was delisted was a prosthesis, testicles for boys who lose

those due to cancer. It was felt, based on the medical judgment, that the psychological benefit of having these prostheses available as an OHIP-funded service was appropriate for reconsideration.

Accordingly, I've indicated in the paper today that the government will be moving forward to relist those services for those young boys in Ontario who, according to their medical assistants,

require them. That will be the limit of the reconsideration at this time.

Mrs. Witmer: There are hundreds and thousands of people who have expressed concern about your massive $2.5-billion tax increase and the

delisting of those three key services: eye exams, physiotherapy and chiropractic, so I would ask you again: Knowing that about 1.2 million people benefited from chiropractic services, will you

commit that you will consider for OHIP reinstatement coverage so that people can remain active and functional?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: As a matter of course, we have a circumstance which compounds the challenge, and that is the Conservative Party position

on the issue of health care funding. The honourable member likes to stand in her place and talk down the reality that the health care system in Ontario has been given the benefit of additional

resource from the people of Ontario. It's her party's strategy to cut health care spending by $2.5 billion a year. The honourable member or her leader has yet to reconcile the circumstance where on

the one hand they come to the Legislature every day asking for additional spending, and then on the other hand they say that they'll be cutting health care spending by $2.5 billion.

I take the honourable member's point. Of course we look for all opportunities to be able to expand health care services in Ontario. That's why we funded 49 new

community health centres and 30 residential hospices, just as two examples of the new health care services that are coming to life to support important community priorities.

Mrs. Witmer: The minister knows full well that we are not going to be cutting health services and should desist from lying.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Order. I need to be able to hear the member ask her final supplementary.

Mrs. Witmer: The member opposite knows full well that you had almost a $3-billion surplus in your last budget. You easily could have

eliminated the health tax yourself. You just didn't want to balance your budget. You don't care about people in the province of Ontario who have to pay the interest costs.

I say to you again that you hurt a lot of people -- seniors, hard-working families, people on fixed income -- when you delisted those services; you hurt people

who can't get physiotherapy services, who don't have day-to-day mobility or who are unable to manage their chronic pain. I ask you today, Minister, will you be on the side of the hard-working

people in Ontario and will you reinstate coverage for physiotherapy services?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: I think that anyone listening in to that honourable member, with the role that she played in the previous government,

would take with a grain of salt any suggestion about what they might or might not do.

We are all very much aware of, hardened and seasoned by, a very famous quote from that party while in government: "It is not our plan to close hospitals." Yet

the circumstances for 28 Ontario communities have become rather clear, with the tremendous reductions in health care services that are occurring there. Through the work that --

Mrs. Witmer: It wasn't your plan to raise taxes either.

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: The honourable member heckles, but she has not yet come clean with Ontarians. She has not fessed up. She has not taken

accountability for the reality that as a member of the Ernie Eves government she stood, along with all those others, at Magna and pretended that the government of Ontario was in balance when in

fact we know the reality was that the government of Ontario was $5.5 billion in deficit that year. This, of course, is the record of that honourable member and --

The Speaker: Thank you.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr. John O'Toole (Durham): My question is to the Minister of Transportation. This Victoria Day weekend, the first long weekend in Ontario,

many families will be heading out on their first break from their daily struggles. In fact, you won't be surprised that the tone of the

article is anything but praiseworthy of you and your lack of

a plan. In fact this is what I found the most telling. It says here, "The driver would not be surprised that you can't get there from here." The reason is, Minister, you simply have no plan for the

gridlock that is confronting the people of Ontario. You have no plan, except for a few more photo ops, to ease the gridlock. In fact, your department itself is in gridlock. You know that, and I

think that's well explained in the article.

The

article goes on to say they are in no better shape today to handle problems with transportation than they were 10 years ago. We know much of the problem in

my area --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The question, I think, has been asked.

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I want to thank the member for asking this question. What he needs to know is what the

previous government did, and that's why we are in this situation. Our government is making a $1.2-billion investment in highways every year. But more than that, we are taking a very balanced

approach to the congestion issue. We are also investing in public transit. We just announced $858 million for three projects. In addition to that, we are making an over $800-million regular

investment in public transit.

Our government was the first ever in this province to provide stable funding to the municipalities so that they can address some of their issues. I will be

pleased to quote more numbers when the member asks the supplementary.

Mr. O'Toole: Minister, it appears that your plan is looking in the rear-view mirror, looking to when we were government. In fact, much of what

you've announced was done when Minister Klees was in charge of that department -- the high occupancy vehicle lanes, the subway planning -- most of the plans.

In fact, if you want to go through the list that's mentioned here, the completion of 407 east to Highway 35/115 in my riding -- where's the plan? The extension

of Highway 404 through Keswick, Highway 427 to Highway 400 to Barrie, Highway 410 to Orangeville? In fact, what's really missing here is any plan. You have a lot of quick lines, a lot of photo ops,

a lot of numbers you like to quote, but where's the plan? Gridlock is the evidence that you lack a plan. You've got lots of numbers. Most of them are 10 years out. Minister, just tell the people of

Ontario what the plan is or get them a roadmap out of town.

Hon. Mr. Takhar: I actually have a lot of respect for Mr. Klees over there, so I'm not going to personally get to him.

I was actually at an announcement at Highway 410 today, and this is what the mayor of Brampton said. She said that 410 was announced three times by the

previous government and they did not deliver it. She said that this is the first government ever who not only promised but actually started construction. That is our record, and we are proud of our

record.

Mr. O'Toole: I know once again you are looking to Mr. Klees to help you out of a tight situation when you lack a plan.

Going through the

article here, the list goes on: the extension of 427 and 410 north, past Lake Simcoe, the 407 eastward. But more importantly, every time,

even in the budget, you mention that you're going to fund some $600 million for transit, and you know yourself that that transit isn't going to be visible or available for 10 years.

Just admit that most of the things that have happened -- the HOV lanes happened because our government had a plan. You have no plan. There's nothing on the

ground. I would ask you, Minister, to come clean with the people of Ontario and tell them what your plan is after three long years. The traffic's getting worse and there's clear evidence that you

have no plan.

Hon. Mr. Takhar: Do you know who needs to come clean? That member. They cut public transit money from $600 million to zero under their watch.

They had the EA for the 407, which was started in 1994, and they shelved it in 1999. If they had started on the environmental assessment for the 427, we would be building that highway right

now.

No government in their own mandate can start the construction of a highway right from scratch and build it in their term. You need to have the EA done, but

there was no environmental assessment done. If they had a plan, they should have done something. That is their record, and it stinks. That's why we are in this mess. We are now moving ahead with a

balanced approach to address the congestion issues in the GTA and throughout this province.

ENERGY POLICY

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My question is for the Acting Premier. The economic health of Ontario depends on a reliable source of

electricity at sustainable and affordable prices. It's been more than six months since the Ontario Power Authority report was released, and yet the McGuinty government refuses to announce its

response to that report. My question is, when are you going to respond to the report of the Ontario Power Authority and admit that the McGuinty government's real energy policy is your $40-billion

nuclear power scheme?

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Finance, Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet): The Minister of Energy.

Hon. Donna H. Cansfield (Minister of Energy): I thank the member for his question. To the year 2011 we have over 11,000 megawatts of new

supply in the ground, ready to go; 3,000 of that is up and going already. So the long-term integrated plan is for beyond that.

I agree with my Premier. This is important. It's a huge issue, and we have to take everything under consideration. Interestingly enough, it was that member who

said, "Go out and listen to the people. Talk to them." Now that we have done that, and we are now listening to them and looking at what they had to offer, they're saying, "Don't be bothered with

that. It's not important."

It is important to us. We are going to get it right. We're going to take sufficient time in order to do it. This is for post-2011. We want to make sure that we

get the right information out to the people in order to put together the right plan to keep the lights on in this province, something they didn't do.

Mr. Hampton: To correct the minister, what I insisted is that you take the Ontario Power Authority supply mix plan and put it to a full

environmental assessment, something the McGuinty government refuses to do.

But it's not just the Ontario Power Authority plan that you want to hide away. Over a month ago, Minister, you committed to reviewing the outrageous salary

increases given to Hydro One's chief executive officer, Tom Parkinson. You know him; you gave him a $500,000 bonus, $1.5 million in pay. And here it is: Despite your promise, you found the time to

raise hydro rates for low- and modest-income Ontarians by 15% and cause them a lot of pain, but still no review of those outrageous pay increases. Minister, will you immediately release your Hydro

One Tom Parkinson executive gargantuan salary review?

Hon. Mrs. Cansfield: If the member actually wants to see what was in Mr. Parkinson's salary compensation, it's quite public and it's quite

available. I indicated that what I would do is have a review from the chairs of the compensation committees of all of the organizations. If the member had simply picked up the phone and asked me

that question, I would tell him that the review is under way. That's exactly what I committed to do: to have an understanding of how they got to their compensation, for all of the agencies. That's

exactly what I am doing. I'm sitting down -- as a matter of fact, I have another meeting today

So he didn't have to ask here; he could have just simply picked up the phone and I would have reiterated what I said before: that we would in fact sit down

with the chair and the compensation committee and ask them how they came to the conclusions that they have come to.

Mr. Hampton: It was this minister who promised an executive salary review at Hydro One. We now find out that that salary review is nothing but

a rubber stamp for the $500,000 pay increase. Oh, and by the way, it's almost $900,000 a year that the top-paid person at Ontario Power Generation gets; then there's the almost $800,000 that Dave

Goulding at the Independent Electricity System Operator gets; and, oh yes, Dalton McGuinty's former fundraiser Jan Carr now gets close to $700,000 at the Ontario Power Authority.

Minister, here's the reality. You're jacking up electricity rates for people who don't have the money to pay. You're driving industrial electricity rates

through the roof and killing thousands of manufacturing jobs, particularly in the pulp and paper sector. When are you going to level with the people of Ontario? When are you going to admit that the

real energy policy of the McGuinty government is a $40-billion --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The question has been asked.

Hon. Mrs. Cansfield: I thank the member for his question. Actually, the reality check is that he should just check Hansard. I indicated that I

would sit down with the chair and the compensation committee and ask them how they came to their conclusions around the review of their salaries. I did not say that I would do a salary review. So I

think he needs to get a statement more accurate than what he has indicated. However, having said that, I am still saying that we are having those discussions, that they're ongoing.

I find it amusing, to say the least, that suddenly, when you're on the other side of the floor, compensation seems to be irrelevant, and yet it was this same

gentleman who, when in cabinet, approved very extraordinary expenses for his own CEOs. So I guess what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander.

SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My next question is to the Minister of Community and Social Services. The families of the residents

of Ontario's three regional centres for the developmentally disabled are concerned that their family members who currently reside at the three regional centres won't have the community supports

they will need after the McGuinty government closes those centres. Can you tell those families, Minister, what is the McGuinty government's minimum standard of training for people who want to house

a developmentally disabled person through a government-funded home share program?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for francophone affairs): I thank the leader of the

third party for his question. I wanted to reassure the leader of the third party that this government is doing everything we can to make sure that those leaving our three institutions will be

housed in a very, very secure, comfortable and professional environment. They will have properly trained people working with them.

A week and a half ago, I visited one of the institutions, and have met with those coordinators who work with the institutions and with the community to make

sure that they will have the proper place with professionals in place. I was reassured that it is done in a great way and in a very supportive way, with professionals in place to welcome these

individuals. As to the training that these people will have, for the supplementary --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you, Minister. Supplementary.

Interjection.

Mr. Hampton: I don't think the Ministry of Colleges and Universities has anything to do with this. This is about the minimum standards set by

the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

This is an ad that was placed in Kingston, an ad for the home share program in Kingston. The ad seeks families to take in severely handicapped people from the

regional centres that you're closing. When the people who run this program were contacted and asked what kind of training would be required to take in a severely handicapped person, they replied,

"You don't need any experience and you don't need CPR or first aid" training. "You will have access to training but it's not necessary."

My question is this: Is this the McGuinty government's acceptable standard of care for people who are developmentally handicapped and need someone to help look

after them?

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: I wanted to reassure the leader of the third party, the community out there and the parents that this government takes its

responsibility very seriously. We are investing almost $376 million in additional capital and operating funding. A lot of this will be used to make sure that we provide good residential homes for

these individuals -- and also the community there and the professionals who will work with them. Also, part of the money we're investing is to give training to those who already work with our

people with a developmental disability. We will continue to invest. You know, it's very sad to always hear these questions that will give the impression out there that this government is not taking

its responsibility seriously. I was reassured again, last week --

The Speaker: Thank you. Final supplementary.

Mr. Hampton: Minister, I want you to know that the families of the 885 residents in Ontario's three regional centres for the developmentally

disabled are very concerned. They're very concerned that when they ask about minimum standards they don't get a response. They asked the same home share program in Kingston some other questions.

They asked, "Why does the government prefer home share to group home programs?" They were told, "The first option is always home share simply because it's cheaper. It costs the government $17,000

to service a disabled client in home share, compared to $70,000 to place that disabled client in a group home."

Minister, why is the McGuinty government evicting residents of these centres for the developmentally disabled when guarantees for those people and their

families are clearly not in place?

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: First of all, the closure of these three institutions was supported by all governments. The NDP government supported it,

the Tory government supported it and we're just continuing to place these people where they should be in the community. The leader of the third party should listen to the parents of those who were

placed recently in the community to see how satisfied they are and the great change that they have seen in their loved ones since they have been placed in the community.

Institutions are not the way to look after our people with developmental disabilities. There have been a lot born since we stopped admitting in these three

institutions. They have been placed in the community, and that's where they should be. We have professional people, very caring people, who look after them.

NATIVE LAND DISPUTE

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): My question today is for the Acting Premier. The situation at Caledonia has been ongoing now for almost

three months. Our leader, John Tory, has visited the community at least twice. Toby Barrett, the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk, is visible at Caledonia on almost a daily basis. I will be visiting

Caledonia on Wednesday of this week. The residents of Caledonia have not seen the Premier, they have not seen the Minister of Natural Resources and aboriginal affairs and they certainly have not

seen the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Acting Premier, officers at Caledonia feel abandoned. The community feels abandoned. In fact, I talked to OPP officers the other day and they said, "We feel

like the meat in a sandwich." They feel abandoned by the McGuinty Liberals. Acting Premier, why haven't you, the Premier and these key cabinet ministers shown your faces in Caledonia?

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Finance, Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet): Speaker, the minister responsible for aboriginal

affairs.

Hon. David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources, minister responsible for aboriginal affairs): I would ask the members of the Legislature, in

a situation like this, to work with us to try to settle this very complex and difficult dispute.

We are putting all our efforts to work with the Caledonia community and the Six Nations community. We have appointed top-flight people to deal with this, as

you know, with former Premier David Peterson; Jane Stewart, former MP and cabinet minister in the federal government; and Barbara MacDougall. The two levels of government are working together on

this situation. We would ask that all the members of the Legislature support this effort.

Mr. Dunlop: Acting Premier, as the Caledonia situation is prolonged, we now know that on the Victoria Day weekend, as it approaches,

approximately 200 OPP officers from across Ontario will be on guard at Caledonia. These officers are needed in their detachments this weekend for such things as impaired and aggressive drivers,

crowd discipline at our provincial parks and traffic control on our highways. Certainly Victoria Day weekend historically has been one of the most busy weekends where they require a strong police

presence.

As detachments bring in additional officers on overtime, the budgets of the OPP and municipal contracts are soaring out of control. Caledonia is costing the

OPP millions of dollars. This is after you have cut $31.3 million from the field and traffic division of the OPP. Minister and Acting Premier, how do you intend to properly fund the OPP following

the Caledonia situation?

Hon. Mr. Ramsay: I know the member is aware that the Solicitor General has addressed this question. He has spoken about the global budget that

the OPP receive on an annual basis. He has also explained to members of the House the nature of a provincial police force as vast as the OPP, that basically it is designed to respond to

emergencies. That's what a police force is. It does its day-to-day policing but it also has the reserve to respond to emergencies. That's the nature of a province-wide police force that is as great

as the OPP. It is well within its capacity to deal with a situation such as this, as complex as it is. They have adequate resources to deal with this.

I would ask the member to have the patience, as we've asked, and as the Premier has asked the people and the community to allow us the time to respond and to

solve this dispute.

DISABILITY BENEFITS

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): My question is to the Minister of Community and Social Services. Brian Woods, a citizen of Ontario

living in Lindsay, suffers from heart disease and diabetes. He has bleeding holes in his feet. He is nearly blind. He is also on ODSP and struggles very hard to get by on that money. He requires a

special diet to manage his diabetes.

But when he has applied for his special diet supplement, your ministry has consistently refused him. It took him a year and a half to go through the entire

process to finally, with the Ombudsman's help, gain the money he needs. But a few months later, after he had finally won his case, you and your staff announced that you were cutting his nutritional

allowance in half. Minister, this is a very ill man. When are you going to restore his diet supplement, and more importantly, when are you going to stop trying to take it away?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for francophone affairs): Let me thank you first of

all for the question, because there has been a lot of misinformation given by some people about the special diet allowance.

The special diet allowance was put there for a reason. It's to give a supplement to those who are suffering from a medical situation, a disease, which needs a

special diet. We wanted to make sure that everyone who needs a special diet will get it.

We have asked the Ontario Medical Association to help us develop a list of medical conditions which will give these people the supplements they need for their

diets. We have a list that we are reviewing, because recently there was a large increase of these requests for special diets, and in the --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you. Supplementary?

Mr. Prue: Madam Minister, this is a very ill man. He's so ill that the Ombudsman had to intervene. Mr. Woods went to the Ombudsman, and the

Ombudsman came out on his behalf. Not only did he give him the nutrition allowance he needed, but he gave him $6,500 in arrears that your ministry should have given Mr. Woods all along.

He's not the only one struggling to be heard in Dalton McGuinty's Ontario. Last week, before the estimates committee, you admitted that people without children

on ODSP are actually worse off today than they were when the McGuinty came to power. I believe that's true.

When are you going to give folks like Brian the supports they need to get by in this very difficult time for them? When are you going to stop cutting the diet

allowance? When are you going to start giving people enough money to have adequate meals?

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: I want to emphasize that this allowance is for people who require a special diet. We are taking action to ensure that the

special diet allowance is doing what it was designed to do. This ministry has reviewed the special diet allowance program. We have worked with the Ontario Medical Association to create new

application forms that clearly list the medical condition that requires a special diet. These changes will help to keep the program accountable and sustainable, allowing medical professionals to do

their jobs and determine medical conditions only. Rest assured that every Ontarian who has a medical condition listed by a professional will receive the special diet allowance.

ASSISTANCE TO ARTISTS

Mr. Richard Patten (Ottawa Centre): My question is for the Minister of Culture. I want to ask the minister a question related to a promise

that was made by the government on the status of the artist. According to Stats Canada in the 2001 census, the average artist in Ontario earns only about $26,000 per year and the average

compensation for employed dancers is $14,945. According to the Cultural Human Resources Council, base salaries in not-for-profit organizations are well below salaries for similar positions in other

not-for-profit sectors and the national average for all.

The government had said, "We will immediately establish a minister's advisory council for arts and culture.... This council will produce a report on the status

of the artist ... in the 21st century. This report will be used to develop status of the artist legislation for our artists in Ontario, following the successful lead of Quebec and Saskatchewan...."

Minister, what are you doing about this?

Hon. Caroline Di Cocco (Minister of Culture): I'd like to thank the member from Ottawa Centre for the interest in the socio-economic status of

the artist initiative. The member I know is also a visual artist in his own right.

First of all, artists who create here play an important role in our province. Last week, many members of this House met with actor representatives. One of

Canada's leading actors, Sonja Smits, said, "The truth of the matter is that at long last, hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested today into our provincial and cultural institutions,

and it's time to do something for the artists and performers who light up those buildings."

This morning, I met with the members of the subcommittee of my advisory council for arts and culture, who have been working on this for over a year. It is our

intention to move forward to improve the socio-economic status of the artist, recognize and enhance the labour status of artists, promote artists and their work and enhance artist health and

well-being.

Mr. Patten: I'm glad to see that you're moving on this, Minister. I won't tell you what my income is from the sale of some of my paintings

this year. But I will say that I have a letter from an artist in my riding who identifies a few specific areas. I'll cite two or three areas, and I wonder if these are things that your advisory

committee or your legislation would attempt to deal with:

-- Opening the doors for training programs for artists who, from time to time, only perform part-time because they need other skills to earn a living, i.e.,

opportunities for training;

-- An opportunity for the protection of children who may be working on a film on what may be a dangerous set. Are you planning on addressing that?

-- Another is allowing artists to average their incomes over a number of years for tax purposes, because one year may be good and the next year may be very

poor.

Hon. Ms. Di Cocco: There are many areas that are being looked at. I have at this time an interim report on the socio-economic status of the

artist that have dealt with a number of these matters. I'm look forward to a full report.

Again, I'd like to thank all the members of the advisory council and the ministry staff, as well as artists and art organizations, for their work during the

consulting process and for providing sound advice.

I'd also like to note that I have heard the concerns of the artists, actors and the arts community. I'm aware of the vulnerable state of artists in Ontario and

intend to move forward towards helping to improve the socio-economic status of the artist, as the member has asked in his question. I want to say that my advisory council has held consultations

across this province and received 3,600 responses from artists all over this province.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): My question is to the Attorney General. The Canadian Association of Journalists annually bestows the Code of

Silence Award to the country's most secretive government department. This year, that dubious prize has been handed to our own Michael Bryant, Ontario's Attorney General, for presiding over a

department that, in the words of CAJ president Paul Schneidereit, hides important information "behind outrageous and unjustifiable fees." I want to ask the minister, how does this latest

recognition of your department as "the most secretive government body in Canada" fit with your government's promise of democratic renewal, and what will you do to respond to the concerns raised by

the CAJ, as symbolized by your most recent distinction?

Hon. Michael Bryant (Attorney General): I want to thank the member for his question. Indeed, I have apparently been given the Code of Silence

Award. I would like to comment on the matter, but I'm afraid it's before the courts.

Mr. Klees: I can understand why he would not want to comment on this distinction. The fact of the matter is that, contrary to the previous

government, which implemented fees that were a recovery of costs, this Attorney General is responsible for increasing fees on top of that fee

schedule that is referred to as "unconscionable."

That Code of Silence Award was not given to a former Attorney General from a previous government. It was given to this Attorney General. So I ask in a very

straightforward way, what is this Attorney General going to do to address the fundamental issue this award represents; that is, that he now has the honour of heading up what has been referred to as

the most secretive department of any government in this country?

Hon. Mr. Bryant: Let me start by saying that the men and women who work in the Ministry of the Attorney General are the most dedicated public

servants that anybody could ask to work with, and I want to thank them for the work they do.

Quite seriously I say to the member that I can assure him that there is no cost to retrieve and view files associated with any criminal and family matters.

There's no cost for those matters even when staff need to retrieve files from the archives. I can assure the member as well that I am particularly interested in this issue. That is why I struck the

first ever Ontario Panel on Justice in the Media, including not only a number of people who work in the justice system but people like Trina McQueen and John Honderich, who have enormous

experience, so they can bring whatever concerns there may be to the table. I'm anticipating receipt of their report very soon.

I can assure you that we want to make sure that we have an accountable justice system. I'll continue to work with the dedicated public servants in the Ministry

of the Attorney General and will accept the particular award that has been bestowed upon me by the member --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you. New question.

AUTISM SERVICES

Ms. Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a question for the Minister of Children and Youth Services. A

summary of the autism budget and

expenditures shows that in 2003-04, six months under your government, $80 million was budgeted to be spent: $2.6 million was diverted to other children's programs; $1.5 million was diverted to the

Ministry of Education and training; $32 million was returned to the consolidated revenue fund unspent. In 2004-05, $89 million was proposed to be spent; $21 million was spent on other children's

programs instead of autism.

At the end of 2004-05, there were 399 children who had qualified to receive IBI but were still on a waiting list. There were another 287 who were waiting to be

assessed. Can you tell me, when 399 children were sitting on a waiting list for IBI service, how could you have ever transferred $21 million to other children's programs?

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): I'm really happy to have the opportunity to speak about what our

government is doing for children and families suffering from ASD. I think it's really important that we look at what we're doing, not just where we have come from, because most people in this

Legislature who are prepared to be frank and sincere about this issue would have to acknowledge that we have increased our funding for autism services substantially.

I can give you an illustration of the impact of that: Wait lists for assessments are down by 68%. That means that as soon as a child is assessed, they start to

receive a continuum of services that address the needs of the child at their particular stage of development.

I also think it's really important to recognize that the number of kids receiving IBI has increased by --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you. Supplementary?

Ms. Martel: Minister, the facts speak for themselves, and this comes from your ministry. At the end of the 2004-05, there were 399 kids

sitting on a waiting list for treatment, and instead of giving them treatment, your ministry diverted $21 million to other children's programs.

Lauren Murray of Dryden, Ontario, who was cut off from the IBI program when she turned six -- cut off under your government -- has now received a letter from

child care services in Sudbury that she could qualify for service as a result of Justice Kitely's decision. There is an IBI therapist in Dryden who is available three days a week to provide IBI

service to Lauren Murray. The problem is that child care resources did not have enough money from your ministry to pay for this therapist. This situation is being repeated over and over and over

again in every community in Ontario.

Tell the families with children with autism, Minister, how it is that when 399 kids were sitting on a waiting list, you had money to return to the consolidated

revenue fund and you had money to spend somewhere else.

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: The member from Nickel Belt is stuck in the past. I would like to have the opportunity, and I thank her for the

opportunity, to tell her what's happening in the year 2006-07. For example, every single child is being assessed in a consistent manner on a first-come, first-served basis regardless of age. Let's

get the facts up to date: Every single child in this province is being assessed on a consistent basis regardless of age.

We are also building capacity in the system because, obviously, in trying to reach out to care for more children, we need more resources to do that. So we

introduced a new college-level program, which started last year. We planned for an enrolment of 100 students in the autism and behavioural analysis program; we have 300 people registered in that

program. That's good news for children with autism and their families. We have --

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

Mr. David Zimmer (Willowdale): My question is for the Minister of Energy. The blackout of August 2003 was an important warning to us all that

Ontario needed to review its energy supply strategy. This is no truer than right here in the city of Toronto. In the 1960s, Toronto had half the population and 1,200 megawatts of generation power

in the city. Today, we have twice the population and no generation capacity in the city.

The demand for electricity is testing the limits of our energy supply. The residents of Toronto and Willowdale are increasingly aware of the particular

challenges faced by the city of Toronto. Conservation is a big part of the solution. Minister, how is our government working with the people of Toronto and Willowdale to create a culture of

conservation?

Hon. Donna H. Cansfield (Minister of Energy): I'd like to thank the member from Willowdale; he's dead on. Summer is coming and there are

things that we need be able to do. One of the things that we're able to do is put forward the peakSAVER program with Toronto Hydro, as an example. There's a commercial side, and what they do is

actually switch off, to go to the generators on the commercial side, and they cycle down for air conditioning on the residential side. When I was at the demonstration, within five minutes we had

cycled off, cycled down or generated eight megawatts. It will go up to 36 megawatts in a very short period of time. They hope to be able to peak shave off 200 megawatts by 2007.

These are just the kinds of examples that local distribution companies are working on for saving dollars during those high electricity times when they can

shave the peak off at the local level. This is something we encourage through the local distribution companies, and Toronto has taken the lead with what they're doing with seven or eight very large

commercial institutions.

Mr. Zimmer: Thank you, Minister. The residents of Toronto and Willowdale are willing to do their part to increase conservation efforts, but

they need to know that their government is going to do everything necessary to ensure that they have access to a safe, reliable supply of electricity. What is the government doing to ensure that we

keep the lights on for the people of Toronto and Willowdale?

Hon. Mrs. Cansfield: The Independent Electricity System Operator, Ontario Hydro, the Ontario Power Authority and Toronto Hydro indicated that

unless we had generation of 250 megawatts over and above conservation, by 2008 the city would be facing rolling blackouts on a regular basis. We have put that plan in place -- 250 megawatts will be

in place by 2008, 550 megawatts by 2010 -- so the lights will stay on for the people of Toronto; in addition to that, 250 megawatts in conservation and another 300 megawatts in conservation. We

know conservation alone won't do it. We've got a combination of conservation and generation.

At the end of the day, the lights will stay on for the people of Toronto. If you recently saw the headline in the Globe and Mail, you'll know why. Our climate

is changing. Long, hot summers are coming. We need to be prepared, and we will keep those lights on for the people of Toronto and the people of Ontario.

ANIMAL PROTECTION

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): My question is again for the Acting Premier.You are aware that we are now holding committee hearings on

Bill 56, the Emergency Management Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005.

Hon. Michael Bryant (Attorney General): Is that where all your members are?

Mr. Dunlop: That's good, from someone who just won a major award.

Acting Premier, last Thursday we listened to deputations. Most of them did not support the bill. A few people did support it, but most of the people at the

hearings wanted to make a lot of amendments to the legislation. Minister, in particular, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals clearly pointed out that animals have been

totally excluded from this legislation and that there should be an emergency plan included on the safety and evacuation of animals. Both Kashechewan and Katrina indicated the need for good

emergency plans for animal and animal welfare.

Acting Premier, will you see that the government amendments come forward to include animals in Bill 56?

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Finance, Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet): This government takes committee hearings very seriously,

unlike the previous government. Goodness gracious, I had forgotten about the numbers around committee hearings. Why don't we just go over them again? The Tories used time allocation on 102

occasions over eight years. Just to add insult to injury, they did time allocation with no committee hearings at all on 43 major pieces of legislation. Then they did time allocation with no

committee and no third reading debate. That is no debate and no committee on 22 major pieces of legislation.

This government is proud of its record of holding hearings. We are holding hearings on virtually every piece of major legislation. We listen carefully to what

the people have to say in committee. We amend bills after committee, unlike the previous government.

This government is making this Legislature work on this issue and many others. The days of no debate are gone; they're --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you. Supplementary?

Mr. Dunlop: Acting Premier, that's just about the most pathetic answer I've ever heard anybody from that side of the House make. That is

pathetic.

Acting Premier, in case of a major emergency, when people need to be evacuated, they quite often refuse to go and leave their pets alone. You are already

refusing to act on the Grant Thornton report recommendations on the future of the OSPCA. The OSPCA is receiving only $119,000 in funding from the province, in spite of increased numbers, in spite

of recommendations in the Grant Thornton report, and it now appears that you don't even want to help animals in case of an emergency.

You asked for the Grant Thornton report. It's your report. Minister, what have you got against the welfare of pets? Why do you not appreciate the fine work

being done by the OSPCA in Ontario?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: That's a real dog of a question. Let me tell you, you cut funding to animal welfare. You refused to deal with the issues.

I'm going to answer the question for Fido over there. Here's what we've done so far. We have invested $2 million in one-time funding to offset increased

financial pressures at the OSPCA. Sound financial management is part of that organization's long-term plan. It is their responsibility.

Our government remains committed to working with the OSPCA, working through long-standing governance issues. We agreed to fund the governance review. We also

agreed to fund an independent audit to assist OSPCA officials in making sound planning decisions.

We're working with the OSPCA on this, on emergency matters. We are having public hearings on an emergency bill. This government's record cannot be questioned

by that member, who had eight years to do something and refused to do anything other than cut funding like they did, not only for animals --

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.

Mr. Klees: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I'm sure that most members of this House would take offence at the words used by the Acting

Premier directed toward the member for Simcoe. None of us in this place should be subjected to that. We are all honourable members, and I would ask that the member withdraw his comment.

The Speaker: If there was something of offence -- I did not hear anything myself but if there was -- Minister of Finance.

Interjections.

The Speaker: All right, New question.

LONG-TERM CARE

Ms. Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a question to the Minister of Health. You recently received a letter from a resident council of a

long-term-care home in my riding that reads, "We, the residents of the Elizabeth Centre Nursing Home in Val Caron, are writing to express our concern over the very small amount of $5.35 per person

per day to cover our daily food....

"Five dollars and thirty-five cents is grossly inadequate to provide nutritious meals that are appealing and still meet the various diets here at the Elizabeth

Centre Nursing Home in Val Caron....

"This is our home and we would like quality food.... We cannot go out to eat, nor can we prepare our own meals. We are limited in so many ways and" we would

like a good meal.

Minister, in the last election your party promised residents like these that you would provide an additional $6,000 in care for every resident. That would

really mean an increase in their food allowance to meet the needs of these residents. Minister, when will your government actually provide the $6,000 per resident for care that you promised?

Hon. George Smitherman (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): First, the honourable member well knows that our party's campaign platform

made no such commitment. She knows that. But part of the $740 million in additional resources we have invested in the long-term-care sector has been increases for costs associated with the

provision of food for residents in our long-term-care homes. This is in addition to the increase, for the first time in a couple of decades, of the comfort allowance for those same residents and

the work we did to freeze the co-pay through two years to fulfill an element of our campaign platform promise. So we've made decent progress there.

I would say that our efforts as a government on the issue of food in long-term care do stand in rather positive and stark contrast to the honourable member's

party, which did not increase funding for residents in long-term-care homes for food but did for our prisoners.

Ms. Martel: In the last election, the Liberal Party absolutely did promise an additional $6,000 of care for every resident in every home in

this province, and it's certainly true that in the last budget this government had the money to keep that promise. That is why the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors

said on March 23, 2006, "`We're disappointed and, quite frankly, very frustrated,' said Donna Rubin, CEO. `With the province recording higher-than-anticipated tax revenues, we expected the

government to make good on its commitment to revolutionize long-term care.'"

Over the last three budgets, the amount of annual funding going directly to care has only increased by about $2,000, not $6,000. Minister, I ask you again,

when will you keep the promise your party made in the last election to provide an additional $6,000 in care for every resident in every home so residents at the Elizabeth Centre can get the

nutritious food they deserve and need?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: One more time I say to the honourable member that our party's platform for the last election, which was in a series of

booklets, did not include the promise that the honourable member continues to refer to. If she wants to send that over to me, from our party's campaign platform that was distributed to a wide

variety of people across the province, that will be fine.

Interjection.

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: Well, there we go. The honourable member --

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Order. Minister?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was waiting. I was giving the honourable members an opportunity to go through the

list of campaign promises that they made and didn't fulfill, but then I realized it's so late in question period that they were probably going to run out of time.

The reality is clear. We've invested $740 million of additional resources in long-term care. This has resulted in the hire of more 2,300 additional staff who

are providing tremendous supports for people on the front line. We've increased the amount of money available for food. Like I said before, when they were in government, they had the opportunity,

but they chose to leave residents in long-term care behind while they increased the food allowance for prisoners.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr. Jim Brownell (Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh): My question is to the Minister of Transportation. I have been up on my feet in this House

a number of times speaking about our government's significant investment in transportation infrastructure. These investments in roads and public transit are critical to getting the citizens,

workers and goods in this province to their destination as quickly and safely as possible.

When it comes to transportation, our government gets it. There are certainly challenges in accommodating the level of growth we are experiencing in this

province, particularly in the GTA, but we are tackling these challenges head-on. The official opposition, on the other hand, doesn't seem to get it. I couldn't help but notice that their website,

gridlocked.ca, is embarrassingly out of date. This website lists a number of initiatives our government was to follow through on if elected. Minister, to help them update their website, can you

explain the great strides we have made toward fulfilling these commitments?

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): I want to thank the member for his question. He is absolutely right that the previous

government's record -- actually, they have no record of addressing congestion. Their record is that they cut the funding for public transit to zero. Their record is that they downloaded highways to

the municipalities. That's their record. They had no plan.

We have put $1.2 billion into the highway system. We have given another $1.2 billion under Move Ontario to do special projects in the GTA. This is in addition

to the public transit money we have already given. So I am not really looking at congestion -- whatever their website is called. I don't look at that, because they didn't have a plan when they were

in power, so how can they have a plan now when they're not in power?

PETITIONS

ORGAN DONATION

Mr. Jerry J. Ouellette (Oshawa): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas 1,920 Ontarians are currently on a waiting list for an organ transplant; and

"Whereas the number of Ontarians waiting for an organ transplant has virtually doubled since 1994; and

"Whereas hundreds die every year waiting for an organ transplant; and

"Whereas greater public education and awareness will increase the number of people who sign their organ donor cards and increase the availability of organ

transplants for Ontarians; and

"Whereas the private member's bill proposed by Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees will require every resident 16 years of age and older to complete an organ donation

question when applying for or renewing a driver's licence or provincial health card, thereby increasing public awareness of the importance of organ donation while respecting the right of every

person to make a personal decision regarding the important issue of organ donation;

"Therefore

be it resolved that we, the undersigned, respectfully petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pass Bill 67, the Organ and Tissue Donation

Mandatory Declaration Act, 2006."

I affix my name in support.

RECYCLING

Ms. Kathleen O. Wynne (Don Valley West): "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas waste from Ontario public schools that could otherwise be recyclable is contributing to increased landfill sites; and

"Whereas diverting waste is critical to sustaining a healthy environment now and in the future; and

"Whereas there is a need to encourage recycling initiatives in all schools; and

"Whereas the private member's bill proposed by the geography club from Georgetown District High School under Making the Grade will require all Ontario school

boards to have two recycling bins in each classroom, one for paper and one for drinking containers. As well, cafeterias must have adequate recycling containers outlining items acceptable to be

recycled;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pass the private member's bill that will amend the Ontario school boards Education Act to

divert waste from Ontario high school classrooms and cafeterias."

It's signed by hundreds of residents of Ontario, and I affix my signature.

EDUCATION FUNDING

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Petitions? The member for Durham.

Mr. John O'Toole (Durham): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to present a petition on behalf of my constituents in the riding of

Durham. It reads as follows:

"Whereas the Ontario government already fully funds 93% of faith-based schools in Ontario, but the remaining 7% receive no funding, solely because they are not

Catholic;

"Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled in 1999 and again in 2005 that this arrangement is discriminatory and violates basic international

human rights law that Ontario formally agreed to uphold;

"Whereas all three parties represented in the Legislature support Catholic separate school funding, as guaranteed by the Constitution of Canada, so that the

only fair and viable solution to the discrimination is to extend funding to the small religious minorities that are currently excluded;

"Whereas the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Ontario has the constitutional power to provide funding to non-Catholic faith-based schools;

"Whereas Ontario is the only Western democracy that fully funds faith-based schools of one religion to the total exclusion of all other religions, while all

other provinces except the Atlantic provinces fund faith-based schools and have thriving public school systems;

"Whereas the cultural survival of the affected minority groups is at stake;

"Whereas faith-based schools produce responsible and productive citizens; and

"Whereas the Multi-Faith Coalition for Equal Funding of Religious Schools in December 2004 submitted to the Minister of Education a detailed proposal for the

funding of non-Catholic faith-based schools in a manner that is fair and accountable and protects and enhances the public interest;

"We call on the Ontario Legislature to pass legislation to provide equitable funding in respect of all faith-based schools in Ontario, without religious

discrimination and without any reduction in funding for public education, with accountability requirements and standards in place to ensure that the public interest is safeguarded."

This is a fair-minded petition. I'll be signing it in support of my constituents.

MUNICIPAL RESTRUCTURING /

RESTRUCTURATION MUNICIPALE

Ms. Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a petition that has been signed by over 8,300 residents of the city of greater Sudbury, and there are

more like this to come. I want to thank Councillor Claude Berthiaume of ward 2 and Mr. Boucher of Rayside-Balfour for having presented these petitions to me. It reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the citizens of the city of Greater Sudbury believe they are overtaxed and underserviced and feel like second-class citizens;

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

"Direct the city of Greater Sudbury council to hold a referendum. The purpose of this referendum would be to obtain the citizens' opinion as to whether they

prefer to maintain the city's new structure or return to the previous regional municipality structure.

« À l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario :

« Alors que les citoyens de la ville du Grand Sudbury croient qu'ils payent trop de taxes, voient une diminution dans les services et ressentent que

leur voix ne compte pas;

« Nous, les soussignés, pétitionnons l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario comme suit :

« Exiger que le conseil de la ville du Grand Sudbury tienne un référendum. Le but de ce référendum est de connaître

l'opinion des citoyens : savoir s'ils préfèrent conserver la présente structure de la ville ou de retourner à l'ancienne structure de la municipalité

régionale. »

I agree with these petitioners. I have affixed my signature to the petition.

EDUCATION FUNDING

Mr. Mario G. Racco (Thornhill): I already tabled this petition today on behalf of Minister Monte Kwinter. I also have a number of petitions

that I want to read.

"Whereas the Ontario government already fully funds 93% of faith-based schools in Ontario, but the remaining 7% receive no funding, solely because they are not

Catholic;

"Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled in 1999 and again in 2005 that this arrangement is discriminatory and violates basic international

human rights law that Ontario formally agreed to uphold;

"Whereas all three parties represented in the Legislature support Catholic separate school funding, as guaranteed by the Constitution of Canada, so that the

only fair and viable solution to the discrimination is to extend funding to the small religious minorities that are currently excluded...;

"Whereas the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Ontario has the constitutional power to provide funding to non-Catholic faith-based schools;

"Whereas all other provinces ... except ... the Atlantic provinces fund faith-based schools and have thriving public school systems;

"Whereas the cultural survival of the affected minority groups is at stake;

"Whereas faith-based schools produce responsible and productive citizens; and

"Whereas the Multi-Faith Coalition for Equal Funding of Religious Schools in December 2004 submitted to the Minister of Education a detailed proposal for the

funding of non-Catholic faith-based schools in a manner that is fair and accountable and protects and enhances the public interest;

"We, the undersigned, call on the Ontario Legislature to pass legislation to provide fair and equitable funding to faith-based schools in Ontario, without

religious discrimination, with accountability requirements and standards in place to ensure that the public interest is safeguarded."

Those are some of my constituents, and I file on their behalf.

MACULAR DEGENERATION

Mr. Jerry J. Ouellette (Oshawa): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas the government of Ontario's health insurance plan covers treatments for one form of macular degeneration (wet), and there are other forms of macular

degeneration (dry) that are not covered;" as well as Stargardt's,

"Therefore

be it resolved that we, the undersigned, respectfully petition the government of Ontario as follows:

"There are thousands of Ontarians who suffer from macular degeneration, resulting in loss of sight if treatment is not pursued. Treatment costs for this

disease are astronomical for most individuals and add a financial burden to their lives. Their only alternative is loss of sight. We believe the government of Ontario should cover treatment for all

forms of macular degeneration through the Ontario health insurance program."

I affix my signature in full support.

LONG-TERM CARE

Mr. John O'Toole (Durham): It's a pleasure to present yet another petition from the riding of Durham, and it reads as follows:

"Whereas long-term-care funding levels are too low to enable homes to provide the care and services our aging seniors and parents who are residents of

long-term-care homes need, with the respect and dignity that they deserve; and

"Whereas, even with recent funding increases and a dedicated staff who do more than their best, there is still not enough time available to provide the care

residents need. For example 10 minutes, and sometimes less, is simply not enough time to assist a resident to get up, dressed, to the bathroom and then to the dining room for breakfast; and

"Whereas these unacceptable care and service levels are now at risk of declining;

"We, the undersigned, who are members of family councils, residents' councils and/or supporters of long-term care in Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly

of Ontario to increase operating funding to long-term-care homes by $306.6 million, which will allow the hiring of more staff to provide an additional 20 minutes of care per resident per day over

the next two years (2006 and 2007)."

I'm pleased to support that, in thinking of the seniors who need this respect and dignity, and to present it to Patrick, who is here for his last week as a

page.

Mr. Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): I have a petition from the Fairvern long-term-care home in Huntsville to the Legislative Assembly of

Ontario:

"We, the undersigned, who are members of family councils, residents' councils and/or supporters of long-term care in Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly

of Ontario to increase operating funding to long-term-care homes by $306.6 million, which will allow the hiring of more staff to provide an additional 20 minutes of care per resident per day over

the next two years (2006 and 2007)."

I support this petition and affix my signature to it.

PROPERTY TAXATION

Mr. Jerry J. Ouellette (Oshawa): "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas many owners of seasonal trailers kept at campgrounds have raised their concerns over the impact of property taxes on seasonal trailers and the

unfairness of imposing a new tax on persons who use minimal municipal services;

"Whereas this new tax will discourage business and tourism opportunities in Ontario and will cause many families to give up their vacation trailers

altogether;

"Whereas the administration of this tax will require a substantial investment in staff, time and resources across the province of Ontario;

"Whereas some representatives of the recreational vehicle industry, campground proprietors and trailer owners have suggested an alternative sticker or tag

system to establish fees for seasonal trailers;

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

"That the Parliament of Ontario immediately abandon the assessment and taxation of recreational trailers used on a seasonal basis in 2004; and that the

government of Ontario consult with all stakeholders regarding the development of a fair and reasonable sticker or tag fee that would apply to recreational trailers used on a seasonal basis."

As I am in full support, I will affix my name.

SERVICES FOR THE

DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

Mr. Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly.

"Whereas, without appropriate support, people who have an intellectual disability are often unable to participate effectively in community life and are

deprived of the benefits of society enjoyed by other citizens; and

"Whereas quality supports are dependent on the ability to attract and retain qualified workers; and

"Whereas the salaries of workers who provide community-based supports and services are up to 25% less than salaries paid to those doing the same work in

government-operated services and other sectors;

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

"That the government of Ontario address, as a priority, funding to community agencies in the developmental services sector to address critical underfunding of

staff salaries and ensure that people who have an intellectual disability continue to receive quality supports and services that they require in order to live meaningful lives within their

community."

I've signed this also.

ORGAN DONATION

Mr. Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): I have a petition to support organ donation that reads:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas 1,920 Ontarians are currently on a waiting list for an organ transplant; and

"Whereas the number of Ontarians waiting for an organ transplant has virtually doubled since 1994; and

"Whereas hundreds die every year waiting for an organ transplant; and

"Whereas greater public education and awareness will increase the number of people who sign their organ donor cards and increase the availability of organ

transplants for Ontarians; and

"Whereas the private member's bill proposed by Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees will require every resident 16 years of age and older to complete an organ donation

question when applying for or renewing a driver's licence or provincial health card, thereby increasing public awareness of the importance of organ donation while respecting the right of every

person to make a personal decision regarding the important issue of organ donation;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pass Bill 67, the Organ and Tissue Donation Mandatory Declaration Act, 2006."

I support this petition.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

CLEAN WATER ACT, 2006 /

LOI DE 2006 SUR L'EAU SAINE

Resuming the debate adjourned on May 3, 2006, on the motion for second reading of Bill 43,

An Act to protect existing and future sources of drinking water and

to make complementary and other amendments to other Acts / Projet de loi 43, Loi visant à protéger les sources existantes et futures d'eau potable et à apporter des modifications

complémentaires et autres à d'autres lois.

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

Mrs. Liz Sandals (Guelph-Wellington): I'm pleased today to be able to rise in support of Bill 43, the Clean Water Act, and speak to it. It's

actually quite appropriate that we be debating this act this week, because if listeners think back six years, as we approach the long weekend in May, it was the long weekend in May six years ago

when Walkerton experienced such a tremendous crisis, a crisis in the quality of its drinking water that led to the deaths of six innocent people and the illness, and continued health problems in

some cases, of thousands. So it's quite appropriate, as we approach the May long weekend, that we're looking at this issue again.

And it isn't just Walkerton. I think people often have short memories, or perhaps limited memories, and think of Walkerton as the only problem. In fact, that

particular spring there were problems with wells all over our area of southern Ontario or south central Ontario, however you'd like to label us. I know that certainly in my area outside Guelph

there were all sorts of people who had their private wells tested and found that the particular weather conditions that spring led to runoff issues that contaminated a number of private wells.

It isn't just the contamination of wells that are in agricultural areas. We've encountered all sorts of other issues with clean water in Ontario as well. For

example, in Beckwith township we had a leaking landfill site which polluted the drinking water. Kitchener has had a drinking water problem due to contamination of some of their groundwater sources

with industrial solvent. I know Stratford had an issue with its waste water when solvents from a car wash got mixed in with the system. In Guelph, as all along the Grand River Conservation

Authority watersheds, there have been reports of sewage treatment plants, during high water or high rainfall times, overflowing and spilling into the river. I know that Guelph has been found to be

one of the offenders in that respect. Thankfully, the Grand River Conservation Authority, which is very vigilant in these matters, has identified the spill problem, and the Guelph sewage treatment

plant has addressed that problem to hopefully reduce the number of spills.

I mention all this to emphasize the issue that Walkerton is not a one-point-in-time, isolated incident. There are incidents all over our areas which require

our attention and, in fact, require this legislation. As Mr. Justice O'Connor said in looking at this whole issue in his inquiry, our first line of defence is to protect our water and, as far as is

possible, prevent contamination. We can always treat contaminated water, but it is much better that we prevent the contamination in the first place. That is the primary goal of the bill that's

before us today, the Clean Water Act. In fact, what the Clean Water Act will require initially is that municipalities all over this province work together in watershed groupings to identify what

are the potential and significant risks to groundwater and surface water supplies, to our dr