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June 6, 2019

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2019-Jun-06 (PDF)

L117 - Thu 6 Jun 2019 / Jeu 6 jun 2019

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Thursday 6 June 2019 Jeudi 6 juin 2019

Members’ expenditures

Orders of the Day

Order of business

Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc. Act, 2019

Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc. Act, 2019

665395 Ontario Limited Act, 2019

665395 Ontario Limited Act, 2019

Good Fortune Corporation Act, 2019

Good Fortune Corporation Act, 2019

All Trade Quantities Inc. Act, 2019

All Trade Quantities Inc. Act, 2019

The United Church of Canada Act, 2019

The United Church of Canada Act, 2019

Introduction of Visitors

Anniversary of D-Day / Anniversaire du jour J

Oral Questions

Public sector compensation

Public sector compensation

House sittings

Government’s record

Government contract

Ring of Fire

Health care

Education funding

Affordable housing

Water quality

Education funding

Opioid abuse

Police services

Automobile insurance

Job creation

Legislative staff

World Sickle Cell Day

Legislative staff

Visitors

Legislative pages

Deferred Votes

Bringing Choice and Fairness to the People Act (Beverage Alcohol Retail Sales), 2019 / Loi de 2019 visant à offrir à la population plus de choix et un accès équitable en matière de vente au détail de boissons alcooliques

More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour plus de logements et plus de choix

Royal assent / Sanction royale

Order of business

Notice of reasoned amendment

Introduction of Visitors

Members’ Statements

Portugal Day

Lakeside Process Controls

Student literacy

Renewable energy

Government services

Health care

Global Coptic Day

Mental health and addiction services

Chinese Canadian Head Tax Redress Day

Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club

Visitors

Introduction of Bills

Tibetan Heritage Month Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le Mois du patrimoine tibétain

Motions

House sittings

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Seniors’ Month

Visitors

Private Members’ Public Business

Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 modifiant la

Loi sur la responsabilité des occupants

Egyptian Heritage Month Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le Mois du patrimoine égyptien

Lyme disease

Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 modifiant la

Loi sur la responsabilité des occupants

Egyptian Heritage Month Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le Mois du patrimoine égyptien

Lyme disease

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers/Prières.

Members’ expenditures

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I beg to inform the House that I have today laid upon the table the individual members’ expenditures for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Orders of the Day

Order of business

Hon. Rod Phillips: I seek unanimous consent to move a motion without notice regarding private bills.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Phillips is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to move a motion about private bills, without notice. Agreed? Agreed.

Again, I recognize the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Hon. Rod Phillips: I move that the orders for second and third reading of the following private bills shall be called consecutively and the questions on the motions for second and third reading of the bills be put immediately without debate: Bill Pr5,

An Act to revive Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc.; Bill Pr7,

An Act to revive 665395 Ontario Limited; Bill Pr8,

An Act to revive Good Fortune Corporation; Bill Pr9,

An Act to revive All Trade Quantities Inc.; Bill Pr10,

An Act respecting The United Church of Canada; and that Ms. Shaw may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr5 on behalf of Ms. Shaw; that Ms. Hogarth may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr7 on behalf of Ms. Hogarth; that Mr. Babikian may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr8 on behalf of Mr. Babikian; that Mrs. Wai may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr9 on behalf of Mrs. Wai; and that Ms. Wynne may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr10 on behalf of Ms. Wynne.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Phillips has moved that the orders for second and third reading of the following private bills shall be called consecutively and the questions on the motions for second and third reading of the bills be put immediately without debate: Bill Pr5,

An Act to revive Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc.; Bill Pr7,

An Act to revive 665395 Ontario Limited; Bill Pr8,

An Act to revive Good Fortune Corporation; Bill Pr9,

An Act to revive All Trade Quantities Inc.; Bill Pr10,

An Act respecting The United Church of Canada; and that Ms. Shaw may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr5 on behalf of Ms. Shaw; that Ms. Hogarth may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr7 on behalf of Ms. Hogarth; that Mr. Babikian may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr8 on behalf of Mr. Babikian; that Mrs. Wai may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr9 on behalf of Mrs. Wai; and that Ms. Wynne may move the motions for second and third reading of Bill Pr10 on behalf of Ms. Wynne.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Orders of the day.

Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc. Act, 2019

Ms. Shaw moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr5,

An Act to revive Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc. Act, 2019

Ms. Shaw moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr5,

An Act to revive Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

665395 Ontario Limited Act, 2019

Ms. Hogarth moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr7,

An Act to revive 665395 Ontario Limited.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

665395 Ontario Limited Act, 2019

Ms. Hogarth moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr7,

An Act to revive 665395 Ontario Limited.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

Good Fortune Corporation Act, 2019

Mr. Babikian moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr8,

An Act to revive Good Fortune Corporation.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Good Fortune Corporation Act, 2019

Mr. Babikian moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr8,

An Act to revive Good Fortune Corporation.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

All Trade Quantities Inc. Act, 2019

Mrs. Wai moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr9,

An Act to revive All Trade Quantities Inc.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

All Trade Quantities Inc. Act, 2019

Mrs. Wai moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr9,

An Act to revive All Trade Quantities Inc.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

The United Church of Canada Act, 2019

Ms. Wynne moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr10,

An Act respecting The United Church of Canada.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

The United Church of Canada Act, 2019

Ms. Wynne moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr10,

An Act respecting The United Church of Canada.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

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

Hon. Rod Phillips: No further business, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 10:30 a.m.

The House recessed from 0911 to 1030.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Joel Harden: It’s a great pleasure for me to introduce to the House Samiha Rayeda from our constituency office, one of our fantastic organizers. Samiha, thank you for being here today, and thank you for all the work you do for us.

I would be remiss, Speaker, if I didn’t mention my good friends from CUPE sitting right up there: Fred Hahn and Wynne Hartviksen. Thank you for all the work you do for CUPE members across this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We welcome you to Queen’s Park.

We have a limited time for introductions today. I would ask members to make them brief and make sure that they’re devoid of political comment or statement.

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: I’m honoured today to have my summer student, Braeden De Bakker, with us here in the gallery. Welcome back to Queen’s Park, Braeden.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to now take a moment to recognize the contributions of staff sergeant Kathy Seymour of the Legislative Protective Service. Kathy will be retiring this July following a distinguished 25-year career serving the people of Ontario.

During her career, Kathy has made a significant contribution to public safety, especially within our legislative precinct.

Kathy, I thank you for your dedication and service.

Kathy is the first female in the LPS, I believe, to attain the level of staff sergeant. Please join me in thanking Kathy Seymour for her public service.

Applause.

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: Today is my last day, and I just wanted to thank Hudson Manning, the OLIP intern in my office, for the great work he has been doing.

Finalement, to my assistant Mary-Liz Power, who has done tremendous work for the last nine months: I wouldn’t be here without you. Merci, Mary-Liz.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I’d like to welcome my sister-in-law Vanessa Mulroney and her friend Yvonne Schwarzhaurt to Queen’s Park for the first time. I hope you have a good day at Queen’s Park.

Mr. Michael Mantha: I want to introduce Monique Hachey from Windsor. She is one heck of a strong Lyme warrior.

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: I would like to take a moment to welcome my son Christopher Sabawy—his first time in Parliament. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: I’d like to welcome my constituents Amy Then and her son Edward Wilson to Queen’s Park. Amy and Eddie are here today for an experience at Queen’s Park with their MPP. Eddie is a grade 1 student at Indian Road Crescent Junior Public School. He brought along with him today letters from his class about various issues that they care about. Thank you very much and welcome.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: I would like to introduce my dear friend and physician colleague Dr. Beverly Johnson. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Jamie West: I’d like to echo my colleague’s introduction for the members of CUPE. I want to include Mike McGuire, Jackie Parker, Wynne Hartviksen, Laura Walton and of course, Fred Hahn, no doubt here to learn how to bargain for five months off.

Hon. John Yakabuski: I’d like to welcome to the gallery my chief of staff, Luca Bucci, who will be leaving us to take an opportunity in the private sector. I want to thank Luca for the tremendous service he’s given us and the people of Ontario over the past year.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: I have a special guest this morning, Jigme Lhamo Tsering. She’s been working in my office as an intern under the Ontario Parliamentary Friends of Tibet program. This is her last day at Queen’s Park. She’s done an amazing job, and I wish her well in her future endeavours.

Hon. Ernie Hardeman: I’d like to introduce an intern from my office many years ago to whom I taught all I knew and who then moved on to become director of policy for the PC Party. In turn, he taught us all he knows and now he’s going to move on elsewhere. We want to say thank you very much for the great job that you did, not only in my office but for the PC Party, and also wish him well in any future endeavours.

Mr. Peter Tabuns: It’s my pleasure to welcome Jenna Skogberg, who is an intern in my office. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: It’s an honour for me, I have some special guests here today. I have my parents, William and Diane Crawford, my wife, Najia Crawford, and my twin girls, Farah and Sophia Crawford. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Kevin Yarde: I would like to introduce our page from Brampton North, Richelle. Her parents and sister are here: Ashton, Lynette and Lieselle Furtado.

Hon. Ernie Hardeman: It was brought to my attention that I may, in my exuberance to explain how great a person he was, have forgotten to mention his name—Mitch Davidson—assuming everyone else would know it.

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s my pleasure to publicly thank my OLIP intern, Jad El Tal, for his work over the last few months.

Also, I have the record for winning the most OLIP interns, so it’s a throw-down challenge for the rest of the MPPs for next year.

Ms. Jane McKenna: I just want to say today that—they’re late coming in; they must be on the 8:40 train—I had a little contest about the honorary member of provincial Parliament for the day for Burlington, and we have four youngsters who are coming here today: Sophie Sowery, Rachel Bresnahan, Emma Hill and Samuel Alfano. I’m looking forward to them being the honorary MPP for today for Burlington.

Miss Monique Taylor: Pretty much every day of this session of this Legislature I have introduced these folks. For the last day of this session I would like to introduce Faith Munoz, Amanda Mooyer, Amy Moledzki, Tangerine Stanley, Crystal Burningham, Esther Tang, Leah Maureen Kocmarek, Bruce McIntosh and Patrick Chung. Thank you very much for your dedication and service to our province. We look forward to seeing you during these next five months.

Mr. Rick Nicholls: I’d like to bring everyone’s attention to the members’ east gallery and welcome Joey Cyples. Joey works for Enbridge in the great riding of Chatham-Kent–Leamington.

Ms. Suze Morrison: I know that the delegation from CUPE has already been introduced but I want to give a very, very warm welcome to one of my constituents from Toronto Centre, Fred Hahn. Welcome. It’s always lovely to see your face up in the gallery.

Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios: I’d like to say thank you to my OLIP intern, Linda Bui, who is in the members’ gallery. Thank you. It’s been a fabulous six months working with you.

Also, I’d like to welcome my constituent and the president of CLC, Jeff Gunnarson, and staff and interns Greg Tomchyshyn, Shania Nigli, Shania Fernandes and Emily Price. Welcome.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Niagara Falls.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that. I know it’s been done before, but I want to welcome Freddie Hahn, my brother, president of CUPE Ontario. But I want to say this, because I think it’s important: Freddie is a strong voice for all workers in the province of Ontario. Thank you for coming to Queen’s Park again.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Once again, I’ll remind members we’re not making political statements during introductions.

Mr. Michael Parsa: I’d like to welcome to the House Tenzin Norzin and James Prowse, who are students and were interns in my office for a few weeks. They’re both returning back to school, so they won’t be with us when we return. I want to thank them both for the great work that we did—and also the recommendation from my friend and colleague across. Thank you so much. All the best.

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: I also would like to take the opportunity to thank Jamyang Choetso, a student in my office as part of the Ontario Parliamentary Friends of Tibet summer program. Today is her last day and I would like to thank her for her work. Thank you.

Ms. Christine Hogarth: I just want to introduce and thank my summer intern, Libby Duke, who is spending her time here at Queen’s Park and helping us out. She will be spending the rest of the time at our constituency office. Welcome, Libby.

Mr. Paul Miller: Speaker, as sports critic, I’d like to congratulate the Toronto Raptors for their victory.

Applause.

Interjection: Let’s go, Raptors.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): At least we can agree on something.

Miss Christina Maria Mitas: I’d like to welcome Kenney, one of the vice-presidents of our Scarborough Centre riding association, who was also an amazing volunteer on my campaign, out there every day putting up signs, as well as Robert Scott and the students of Bendale, a school in my riding that I actually was fortunate enough to supply in a number of times when I was a teacher. Robert Scott is an EA there and was also a really great campaign volunteer. Thank you for being here. I look forward to meeting with you later.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I understand the Attorney General might have a point of order.

L’hon. Caroline Mulroney: De la part du caucus progressiste-conservateur, j’aimerais souhaiter bonne chance à la députée d’Ottawa–Vanier, qui va quitter la Chambre aujourd’hui—ça va être sa dernière journée—pour se joindre à Massey College. On behalf of the Progressive Conservative caucus, I would like to wish the member from Ottawa–Vanier all the best in her new role as the head of Massey College.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I understand the Minister of Finance has an introduction.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Yes, I’d like to welcome Josée Hébert and her grade 8 class from Chippewa Secondary School in North Bay.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The government House leader on a point of order.

Hon. Todd Smith: Yes, point of order, Mr. Speaker. One of our legislative staff is going to be retiring after literally I think decades working here at Queen’s Park. She cleans on the second floor. She has cleaned the House leader’s office for years; she cleans the Premier’s office and all the offices on the second floor. Her name is Blanca. I don’t know her last name. She’s kind of like Beyoncé and Madonna: She doesn’t need one. Everybody knows who Blanca is. We wish her well. Our only wish is that she doesn’t write a book after she retires.

Anniversary of D-Day / Anniversaire du jour J

Hon. John Yakabuski: Speaker, I believe you will find that we have unanimous consent that tributes be delivered to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, with five minutes allotted to the independent members, five minutes to Her Majesty’s loyal opposition, followed by five minutes to Her Majesty’s government, followed by a moment of silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Natural Resources is seeking unanimous consent of the House to have recognition of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Agreed? Agreed.

I recognize the member for Ottawa–Vanier.

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: It is a real privilege to rise to recognize and remember the 75th anniversary of D-Day. We are here with you to acknowledge what we say in French as “le devoir de mémoire,” the duty to remember. Le mardi 6 juin 1944, 14 000 Canadiens ont débarqué sur les plages de Normandie. Leur courage et leur sacrifice ont mené à la libération de l’Europe.

In the process, 359 Canadians lost their lives and another 574 were wounded or captured on that first day of the campaign.

It’s important to remember the political landscape of the world on June 6, 1944. With totalitarian governments stretching across Europe, the very future of our democratic tradition was at stake. The freedoms and civil liberties that we enjoy today were protected on D-Day. Therefore, as parliamentarians, we owe a special debt of gratitude to the sacrifices that were made 75 years ago.

Our democratic system of government, which empowers all of us to participate in the process of creating and shaping our laws, cannot be taken for granted. It has been earned and protected through the sacrifices of those who came before us, and we must continue to nurture it. It should never be undermined; it should never be cheapened in any way.

At ceremonies and celebrations across Canada, we also remember the human face of tragedies: the veterans who remember what they lived through; the soldier who never came home; the children who lost a parent; the young man who came home but never was quite the same after; une tante qui ne voulait jamais parler de ce qu’elle avait vu ou vécu.

Monsieur le Président, puisque c’est la dernière fois que je parle à cette Assemblée, je veux vous remercier tous de votre grande gentillesse. To all my colleagues, thank you very much for all your kindness. Aux gens d’Ottawa–Vanier, quel privilège de vous avoir servis.

I am honoured today to speak to the legacy of D-Day because it’s an honour to sustain our rich parliamentary tradition. It’s for all of us to cherish and protect. Merci.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the member for Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: It’s a privilege and a real honour to rise today to commemorate D-Day and to honour the soldiers who, 75 years ago today, landed on the beaches of Normandy. Their bravery and sacrifice on that day laid the foundations for the end of the Second World War.

Today we pay tribute to the men and women who served and sacrificed in the fight for the freedom and democracy that we enjoy today. We honour and remember the 14,000 Canadians who stormed Juno Beach as members of the Allied forces, and we are forever indebted to these men and women, especially the 1,074 casualties, including the 359 killed. Mr. Speaker, I can hardly imagine what it must have been like to be on one of those ships, to walk through that water and onto that beach, knowing what was in front of you; just the literal fear, but then to have the courage to overcome that fear and to fight for us.

We know that the costs of war are great, and we pay tribute to those who have sacrificed and served. To the loved ones they’ve left behind, their sacrifice cannot be underestimated. As we remember, we must commit to providing all veterans with the support and care they need. It’s the least we can do. And as we remember, I believe that we as legislators must commit to strive to uphold their legacy, their fight for freedom and democracy, and to condemn hate and violence that can lead to war.

So today, we remember; today, we honour; and today, we thank them and come together as one—all Canadians, all Ontarians—to honour and remember their sacrifice.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the leader of the official opposition.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I’m honoured to rise in this House and speak on behalf of Her Majesty’s loyal opposition as Canadians mark the 75th anniversary of a truly pivotal moment in our history and in the history of humanity.

On June 6, 1944, which we all know as D-Day, 14,000 Canadians went ashore on Juno Beach. They joined with over 130,000 troops from other allied nations in the invasion of Normandy, one of the largest seaborne invasions in human history and a critical turning point in the Second World War.

This day was also a critical turning point in Canada’s history. A small country of only 11 million, Canada had already made an outsized impact on the war effort, contributing over one million soldiers—1.1 million men and women in uniform. Canadians also suffered great loss. Seventy-five years ago today, we lost 359 Canadians, with over 700 more being grievously wounded. By the end of the Battle of Normandy, more than 5,000 Canadians had died.

These brave Canadians were not fighting to expand territory. They weren’t fighting for conquest or glory or wealth. They fought and gave their lives in defence of freedom against hate, against fascism and tyranny. They fought because they believed in justice and because they knew that justice is a universal value. They believed that if hatred and domination were taking root somewhere in the world, even if it wasn’t happening directly to them, that it was their duty to push back, to share the burden of making the world a better place, no matter the cost.

The anniversary of this great feat and these selfless sacrifices in defence of freedom should also remind us of another duty. We have a solemn duty to honour these courageous Canadians by living out the values that they fought for, by cherishing the freedoms they gave their lives for and being vigilant in their protection. We have a solemn duty to follow the example of those brave Canadians in our communities, as members of this House, as Ontarians and as Canadians, by standing up against bullying, hate and injustice.

We can’t be afraid to push back against those who seek to impose their wills on others, to strip away other people’s rights or to treat them as less than. Because for freedom to belong to any of us, it must belong to all of us. That is what 14,000 Canadians showed us on Juno Beach 75 years ago today. That is what they showed the world. And that is the example that we all must follow.

To those veterans who are joining us today at Queen’s Park, thank you for the time that you took to travel to our legislative building and to be with us today. Thank you for your bravery. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your service. You’ve made Ontario and our world a better place. May your example continue to push all of us in our own small ways to try to do likewise. We shall not forget.

On se souvient.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m pleased to recognize the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Hon. John Yakabuski: I am deeply honoured to speak on behalf of our government and the PC caucus as we pay tribute to the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord, better known as D-Day. It’s difficult to comprehend the sheer number of troops and the amount of planning required to undertake such an incredible challenge. D-Day was an event that changed the course of global history to secure the freedoms we continue to enjoy to this day. Of course, we now know the scale of that planning required to put over 150,000 troops into the water to storm the beaches of Normandy on the morning of June 6, 1944.

These efforts involved tactics of misdirection and deception so that the enemy would be unable to determine where the liberation of Europe from fascism would begin. Falsified radio transmissions were made about troops stationed in Dover, and decoy raids against other locations in France gave the Nazi high command the impression that the operation would take place at Calais. An actor was even hired to impersonate General Bernard Montgomery, commander of the 21st army group, who was responsible for the land forces involved in the operation.

Even with careful planning, Canada and their allies only gave the operation a 50-50 chance of succeeding. Many of our troops would not make it home. At the outset of the operation, they risked having their landing craft strike an enemy mine or drowning while trying to make it to shore. Canadians suffered over 1,000 casualties, with 359 paying the ultimate sacrifice. The toll on those who took

part in the initial assault in the early morning of June 6 was the most severe, as they had a one-in-two chance of being counted amongst the casualties. These figures are important to remember as first-hand accounts of the heroism demonstrated by the Canadians and our allies fade from our collective consciousness.

Every year, Canadians from coast to coast to coast gather to pay their respects to our veterans, but it is critically important that all of us take this opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices required for victory. Like many of us, I can recall, as a young boy, Remembrance Day parades in my hometown of Barry’s Bay. When I was much younger than I am today, the parade was full of veterans. Some were from the First World War; many more, including my father, who was part of the second wave at Normandy, were from the Second World War, and others from the Korean War.

Today, a small number of those veterans still march in Remembrance Day parades, but their numbers are dwindling. Of course, there are no longer any veterans of the First World War since the passing of John Babcock nearly a decade ago. Ceremonies are held in France every five years to mark the events of D-Day, but as with local Remembrance Day ceremonies in our communities, fewer and fewer of our veterans from the Second World War are able to participate.

Like many of you, I was able to tune into the ceremonies broadcast this morning from Juno Beach. It was a poignant ceremony that should make us all proud to be Canadian. As the average age of Canadian Second World War vets reaches 94, it becomes a very real possibility that this will be the final ceremony that those who answered the call and fought as a nation against tyranny will be able to take

part in. It’s quite possibly the end of an era.

We must view the 75th anniversary of D-Day as an opportunity to thank, in any way we can, those who are left and assure them that long after they are gone, we will still remember. We must remember men like Private George Baker of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, who will be featured this year on the Royal Canadian Mint’s commemorative silver dollar.

We must remember that they were more than soldiers. Boys who survived became men, returned home, raised families and got to work building our nation. Many of them, like my father, became members of this assembly, having experienced a much more acute sense of public service.

There is nothing we can do to repay those who did not return. They gave their lives so that we might have ours. All we can do is ensure that their sacrifice will be remembered in the right and proper way each and every year. They fought. They died. They saw man at his worst. They saw man at his best. They fought in war, but their goal was peace. They recognized that peace would not come without a price.

The greatest gift we can give them is a continuing commitment to find that peace so that some day, if that elusive goal is reached, we can finally say unequivocally that their sacrifice was not in vain.

Lest we forget.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to ask all members now to rise for a moment of silence in recognition and memory of those who lost their lives on D-Day.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We will remember them.

Members can take their seats.

Oral Questions

Public sector compensation

Ms. Andrea Horwath: On behalf of the official opposition, I also want to thank Kathy Seymour for the great work that she has done over so many years with her career here at Queen’s Park, as well as Blanca, the wonderful woman who is leaving us as well in her retirement, who cleans these offices and environs; and also the member for Ottawa–Vanier, Marie-France Lalonde, as well as Madame Des Rosiers. I think Ontarians would agree that service here is something we value from all members regardless of which political stripe they’re from. I want to thank them for their service.

Applause.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, my first question is to the Premier. Yesterday, the Ford government announced yet another measure from the Premier’s cut-first, plan-later policy playbook: unilaterally legislating a salary cap on the women and men who teach our children, provide front-line health care and make our province work every day.

Can the Premier tell us why he didn’t even try negotiating a collective agreement like virtually every other government in Canada does?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker: When we took government and we looked at the books, we found out, surprise, surprise, there was a $15-billion deficit and a $347-billion debt. That’s on the backs of everyone in this room, on the backs of the young people up in the stands there. We had to make a decision. I promised not one single front-line person would lose their job. We’re keeping that promise.

We had a choice; we had a choice. Unlike the NDP government under Bob Rae that took Bob Rae days, we made sure—we made sure—that no one’s going to lose their job. So we had a choice. We had a choice of giving everyone a 2%, 3%, 4% increase and laying off thousands of people, or everyone take an increase. Everyone is going to keep their job. They’re going to get a pay increase. We decided to make sure that we went that route instead of the other route of laying people off that previous governments had to do.

We kept our promise. No one’s losing their—

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

Interjections.

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

Start the clock. Supplementary question.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, now back to reality. Once again what the Premier is really doing is deliberately picking fights and creating chaos, and Ontario families are the ones that are going to pay the price in their hospitals, in their communities, in their kids’ classrooms. So the question is, can the Premier explain why he’s opting for confrontation and court challenges when he could simply sit down and bargain, like virtually every other government across Canada does all the time?

Hon. Doug Ford: President of the Treasury Board.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Through you to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Speaker: We’re not picking a fight. We’re supporting the front-line workers of all Ontarians.

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s a good day when we protect the front-line jobs in this province. I think it’s a good day when we allow for increases in wages. It is a good day when we keep our commitment to protect what matters most: making investments in health care, making investments in education and putting this province on a sustainable path. I would say that is a reasonable and fair and sustainable way to deal with our front-line workers in Ontario.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, we don’t think it’s fair that the richest Ontarians got $300 million in tax cuts while everyday workers are being told they can’t even negotiate a collective agreement.

Families want a government that’s helping them with their everyday lives, improving schools for their kids, cutting wait times for their health care. Instead, they have a Premier who deliberately creates conflict and chaos: conflict with high school students, conflict with seniors’ book clubs, conflict with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Now the Premier is picking a fight with the women and men that teach our kids and care for us when we’re ill, and it’s families that will absolutely pay the price. Why is the Premier so desperate to attack the women and men who make Ontario work every day?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Let’s set the record straight there: We did not do tax cuts for the richest in this country. You know who we did do tax cuts for, Mr. Speaker? You know who we are fighting for? We cut taxes for low-income individuals and families in this province. We’re cutting expenses for those with young families who are low-income through the child care tax credit. We’re fighting for them. We’re fighting for seniors, low-income seniors, so they can afford dental plans. The only fight that we want is for the people of Ontario, and we won’t rest until the job is done, Mr. Speaker.

Public sector compensation

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier, but I have to say, it’s pretty shocking that the President of the Treasury Board doesn’t know the hundreds of millions of dollars they gave away in tax breaks to the rich. That’s pretty serious stuff, Speaker.

The Premier has gone from ripping up contracts, however, now to dictating contracts. Can the Premier explain to the woman driving a school bus in Etobicoke for $30,000 a year why she has to forgo salary increases that keep up with the cost of living, while someone like Ian Todd, the Premier’s former campaign tour director, gets a 25% pay hike and is making $350,000 a year to work for the Ford government?

Hon. Doug Ford: Maybe the Leader of the Opposition should explain to the bus driver in Etobicoke the 15 years that the NDP supported the Liberals spending $15 billion, putting us in debt to $347 billion.

But I can tell you one thing, Mr. Speaker: Every single person is going to have a job, every single person is going to have a pay increase, every single person is going to have a great benefit plan, insurance plan.

We’re going to make sure that we take care of the people who need it most. We put in the LIFT Tax Credit for 1.3 million people, the lowest-income people in the entire province. They’re going to pay 0% tax.

We’re going to make sure that seniors get dental care who couldn’t afford it before. We put $90 million into that.

We made sure that we take care of families who want to send their kids to daycare. They’re going to have tax credits ranging anywhere from $3,250 to as high as over $10,000.

We’re taking care of the people—

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

The supplementary question.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, Ian Todd is just one example. When it comes to the Premier’s friends and Conservative connections, a seat on the Ford gravy train with six-figure salaries and hefty pay packages are par for the course.

But a working woman who spends her day travelling from neighbourhood to neighbourhood to provide home care is being told that the $32,000 a year she earns is too much.

Why is the Premier asking that personal support worker to tighten her belt while he is handing former PC Party president Rueben Devlin a $375,000-a-year consulting job?

Hon. Doug Ford: President of the Treasury Board.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Let me remind the Leader of the Opposition, and all the people watching around the province, that when we campaigned, we campaigned on providing relief, tax relief, to the hard-working individuals and families of this province. We ticked that box.

We campaigned on a commitment to preserve front-line workers so that they can deliver the front-line programs and services that the people of Ontario expect. We said we would do it in a way that’s sustainable because, as the Premier said, we inherited the largest subnational debt in the world. We inherited a $15-billion deficit.

But we also committed to the people that we would protect what matters most, so we’re putting more money, $1.3 billion, into the health care portfolio. We’re putting $700 million into education.

We are going to do what’s right for the people of Ontario, and we won’t rest until the job is done.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: We all know what the Financial Accountability Officer says about that, Speaker: $2.7 billion removed from health care.

Nonetheless, the Premier is asking families to expect less from government—less teachers in schools, less funding for hospitals, and regular conflict with municipalities—and telling the women and men who make our province work that they also have to accept less.

Yet the Premier is more than willing to spend on his pet priorities, whether it’s jobs for his friends, tax cuts for his political donors, or hundreds of millions of dollars in his Beer Store boondoggle.

Why is the Premier telling the women and men who teach our kids, care for our seniors and help keep us all safe that he can’t afford to deal with them fairly?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Mr. Speaker, again, through you to the Leader of the Opposition, I’d put this to the Leader of the Opposition: Does she think it’s unreasonable to protect a front-line worker’s job? Does she think it’s unreasonable to give that person a 3% increase over three years? Does she think it’s unreasonable to support those families who rely on our health care system?

By the way, our health care system: Does she think it’s unreasonable to put $1.7 billion into 15,000 long-term-care beds? Does she think it’s unreasonable to put $1.9 billion into mental health and addictions? Does she think it’s unreasonable to put $27 billion in capital and repairs for hospitals, Mr. Speaker? I put it to the leader: Is that being unreasonable for the people of Ontario?

House sittings

Mr. Taras Natyshak: My question is to the Premier.

Speaker, in an almost unprecedented move, yesterday the Premier announced that this Legislature, the people’s House, won’t sit again until after the federal election, almost five months from today.

We know that the Premier is desperate to help his Conservative buddies in Ottawa. He has even been spending millions of taxpayer dollars on ads to help them. He’s even fining gas stations $10,000 a day if they fail to display his partisan campaign stickers.

Can the Premier tell us whether he’s taking this five-month vacation because he plans to campaign for the Conservatives, or is it because the one thing that Andrew Scheer desperately needs to shore up falling poll numbers is for the people to see much, much less of this Premier?

Hon. Doug Ford: The Minister of Economic Development.

Hon. Todd Smith: I’ll take this question any day of the week as the government House leader, because it has been an unbelievable year in Ontario. We have accomplished so many things. I’m hoping that after question period this morning we will work together to pass two more bills in this Legislature, which would bring the grand total to 20 bills passed by this Ontario government over the last year since we’ve been in government.

We worked throughout the summer last year. We got a lot accomplished: removing the red tape that the Liberals brought in, starting to unwind some of the damaging, job-killing policies that that Liberal government, with the help of the NDP, had implemented over the last 15 years, and getting our economy back on track. We brought the Legislature back before Christmas to look after some business. We’ve been hard at it, with 11 bills passed during this winter and spring session.

We will not apologize for the work that this government—

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

Interjections.

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

Restart the clock. Supplementary question.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: The Premier refusing to answer my question actually unequivocally answers my question. And I don’t blame them for not wanting him to speak any longer.

Speaker, over the past year, the Premier has lit an unprecedented number of political dumpster fires, most of which are still burning today. From ripping up the Charter of Rights, to attacking decorated police veterans, to getting chewed out by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—any reasonable person would say, “I should really try to clean up some of the mess that I made.” Instead, this Premier is taking a five-month vacation.

Does the Premier feel he has earned a five-month break? Or is Andrew Scheer begging him to hide under a rock until the federal election is over? Which one is it?

Hon. Todd Smith: I don’t know; maybe the member opposite is going to be sitting back on his boat in Lake St. Clair, but we will be hard at it throughout the summer, continuing to bring in pro-jobs and pro-growth policies in Ontario that we will introduce in the fall—policies like the ones that have created 170,000 jobs since we became the government of Ontario. We will not apologize for that.

We’ve passed 20 pieces of legislation, putting money back into the pockets of the people of Ontario, something that we promised we would do.

The Minister of Health has made tremendous strides in eliminating hallway health care in Ontario, investing in long-term-care beds.

The Minister of Energy has done tremendous work in starting to chip away at the Liberal hydro mess.

We’re continuing to fulfill our promises. As of this week, we will have either fulfilled or are on the way to fulfilling 50 of the 59 election promises that we made. We’re not done yet. There’s a lot more—

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

Government’s record

Mr. Stephen Crawford: My question is for the Premier. It has been quite a year since last year’s election, and our government’s accomplishments to date underscore our steadfast commitment to the people of Ontario. After 15 years of lacklustre leadership under the Liberals, Ontarians had enough. We ran on a platform that resonated with the people across the province. We committed to fighting Justin Trudeau’s job-killing carbon tax with every tool at our disposal. We committed to supporting our front-line health care workers.

We committed to reducing the regulatory burden for entrepreneurs and small-business owners. Above all, Mr. Speaker, we committed to making life easier and more affordable for the people of Ontario.

Can the Premier highlight some of the key achievements our caucus has proudly accomplished in terms of protecting what matters most.

Hon. Doug Ford: I want to thank our incredible member from Oakville for the incredible work he does and the commitment he has to his constituents.

Speaker, I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: We have an incredible team of all-stars here. We’ve taken action to create and protect jobs right across Ontario—170,000 new private-sector jobs. We passed the Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act to make life a little easier for small businesses that have been gouged for 15 years by the NDP and the Liberals. We invested $5.5 million over five years in a Killaloe sawmill to protect local jobs. We’ve created jobs through our investment in Highway 401 in Scarborough and in Pickering. We invested in Dryden’s community improvement program to bolster the economy right across the region.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on about the great things we’ve done. Over 255—

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

Interjections.

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

We’ll start the clock. Supplementary question.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Thank you to the Premier for the answer. What’s absolutely true is the former Ontario Liberal government left Ontarians in the dark. Their lack of transparency eroded Ontarians’ trust and confidence in Liberal leadership. The past decade has brought the highest taxes and the highest hydro rates this province has ever seen.

But we’ve turned this around, Mr. Speaker. Our government has listened to the hard-working families of Ontario, and we’ve taken swift action to reverse the ineffective and burdensome policies of recent years. Budget 2019 reaffirms our priorities and commitments to protect what matters most: education, health care and jobs.

Could the Premier expand on our government’s accomplishments to date?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for the great question. I’d also like to thank the incredible Minister of Health and Deputy Premier—I couldn’t ask for a better Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and Deputy Premier—for her outstanding work on her file.

We inherited a health care system on life support, Mr. Speaker, life support that people were waiting up to six hours in the hallways. We’re going to fix hallway health care. The investments we’ve made will make a real difference for our province. Last month, our government expanded cancer care treatment in Hamilton and invested in Brockville General Hospital’s expansion to end hallway health care. We’ve made historical investments in mental health and addiction: $3.8 billion. That’s $3.8 billion—more than any other government in the history of Ontario. We passed The People’s Health Care Act—

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

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. I’m going to remind the House that when the Speaker stands up, you have to sit down and your microphone is turned off. In this case, I had to stop the clock because I couldn’t hear what was being said either.

Start the clock. The next question.

Government contract

Ms. Sandy Shaw: My question is to the Attorney General. The rule of law means that governments, even—I must remind the members across—this one, should follow the law, just like every Ontarian is required to do on a daily basis. It’s a basic principle of justice and how we function as a civil society. Speaker, it’s a principle that this Attorney General is sworn to uphold. That’s why it’s so concerning that this government is ripping up contracts and ignoring the rule of law—all for beer. In fact, the Canadian American Bar Association wrote the Attorney General an urgent letter and said that this government will “undermine the rule of law.”

The Attorney General’s job is to uphold the rule of law. Has she spoken to the Premier about these serious concerns?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: To the Minister of Finance.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, we continue—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’d ask the Minister of Finance to sit down. I apologize.

The rules of the House allow any minister to refer any question to another minister. What they’re doing is completely within the standing orders.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

The Minister of Finance to reply.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, I’ll begin like I begin this answer all the time. Most people in the province of Ontario are not aware that the government does not own the Beer Store. It is not like the LCBO, which we do own, and that great brand.

The Beer Store is owned by three global multinationals. They were given a sweetheart deal by the Liberal government. The Liberal government put profits ahead of people, a deal that’s terrible for the consumers, a deal that’s killing competition, a deal that’s keeping prices high and a deal that’s stifling the craft brewers.

International companies understand our parliamentary system. They know that a new government isn’t bound by bad legislation—

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

Ms. Sandy Shaw: Back to the Attorney General: Clearly the Attorney General will not take responsibility for the severity of what she’s doing—again, all for beer.

Our international reputation as a place to do business is going down in flames. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce say that this legislation hurts Ontario’s investment climate. The Canadian American Bar Association says that this is an attempt to override the law of contracts. They don’t mince words at all, Mr. Speaker. They warn that this legislation will create uncertainty and risk upsetting a functioning legal system, and say that there isn’t a precedent for ridiculous legislation like this in Canadian legal history. This plan is so reckless, it’s now an international embarrassment.

Why is the Attorney General willing to put Ontario down in the history books as ignoring the rule of law?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: For the member, international companies completely understand that in our parliamentary system, a government isn’t bound by legislation from a previous government. If that were the case, this afternoon we could pass a brand new piece of legislation that would disallow tax increases in Ontario for the rest of time. But we know that our governments don’t work that way. Things simply don’t work like that.

On the international front, we heard from Fitch bond rating agency just last week, after they heard about our new legislation, and they gave our province an upgrade—their first upgrade in eight years. That tells us that our plan is working, that our legislation is respected. We will take no lessons on legislative procedure from that government.

Ring of Fire

Mr. Michael Gravelle: My question is to the Premier. The Ring of Fire continues to be a project with enormous economic and social potential for all of northern Ontario, yet we have heard very little from the government over the past year about this project. We do know that two First Nations communities—Webequie and Marten Falls—are engaged in environmental assessments related to community access roads in their communities.

In that the building up of infrastructure is so crucial to opening up the Ring of Fire, I’d like to ask the Premier where those environmental assessments are at, whether these roads will lead to the Ring of Fire and, finally, when will we see shovels in the ground?

Hon. Doug Ford: Minister of the Environment.

Hon. Rod Phillips: Thank you to the member from Thunder Bay–Superior North for his question.

Mr. Speaker, the Ring of Fire, as we all know, presents enormous economic potential. As the member mentioned, my colleague the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Indigenous Affairs is working with both the Webequie First Nation and the Marten Falls First Nation in terms of the road that’s required to make sure that we open up this fabulous resource.

It was just the other day that the Minister of Finance, who we also know is the member from Nipissing, was speaking to us about the critical importance of this resource, not just in the north, but in the rest of the province—thousands of jobs, tens of billions of dollars of economic activity. Just one engineering firm working on this project—$4 million a month of work being done, not just in the north, but for all of Ontario.

So to the member: It is a high priority, and we are proceeding as you would to open up that opportunity.

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

Mr. Michael Gravelle: I think we do all understand how important infrastructure is to the key parts of opening up the Ring of Fire. It’s crucial. But of equal importance is that partnership that you referenced between the government, business and the affected First Nations. The Matawa First Nations are the communities most directly impacted by this major project.

What I would like to know is: Have the Premier or the ministers had the opportunity to sit down with all of the Matawa First Nations chiefs to discuss issues such as governance and ownership of the road infrastructure that will be needed to move the Ring of Fire forward?

Hon. Rod Phillips: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Unlike the previous government, this government actually is sitting down with the First Nations and making great moves with respect to the Ring of Fire.

I find it such a surprise from that former Minister of Northern Development and Mines—we sat for 10 years. I recall the first time I flew to the Ring of Fire. There were 240 men and women working there delineating the ore body—tents everywhere, drill rods. One company had spent $700 million. On my fifth trip to the Ring of Fire—nothing; five, six people left just to keep it alive. They lost faith in the Liberal government, who made nothing but promises and never had any intention of ever developing one inch in that Ring of Fire.

We will deliver the $60 billion worth of ore that’s trapped in the ground, and we will deliver those jobs to the people of Ontario.

Health care

Ms. Natalia Kusendova: My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Mr. Speaker, what an incredible year it has been. Our government has been hard at work this session to protect what matters most to the people of Ontario. We were elected on a promise to put Ontario’s patients and health care workers first, end hallway health care and fix our public health care system. That is why I am so proud that this Legislature passed Bill 74, The People’s Health Care Act. This bill puts patients at the centre of care while addressing the pressures and challenges facing our health care system.

Could the minister please explain to the members of this Legislature how Bill 74 is transforming and modernizing our public health care system so that Ontario patients and their families can finally receive the high-quality and timely care they rely on and deserve?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I’d like to thank the member from Mississauga Centre for the great question and for the wonderful work you’re doing in your community on behalf of your constituents.

We do take our promise to fix our health care system very seriously. This really started with the passage of The People’s Health Care Act earlier this year. This legislation is a key component of our government’s plan to finally build a modern, sustainable and integrated public health care system.

We envision a public health care system that will allow health care providers to work as one coordinated team focused on patients and specific local needs. With the creation of Ontario health teams, patients will experience easy transitions from one health care provider to another.

We are building a public health care system centred around the patient and redirecting money to front-line services where it belongs.

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

Ms. Natalia Kusendova: I thank the minister for her response and her steadfast leadership on this file. Patients and health care professionals across Ontario will certainly benefit from an integrated and connected public health care system.

Bill 74 is a key component of our government’s plan to finally build a modern, sustainable and integrated public health care system, all of which the previous Liberal government failed to do. The creation of Ontario health teams is an integral part of our plan to centre our health care system around the local needs of our patients.

Could the minister please update the members of this Legislature on the status of Ontario health teams, and how these teams will help to transform and improve patients’ experience and outcomes in Ontario?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Thank you again to the member for the question. I’m very pleased to advise that we have received 150 self-assessments in the first wave of applications to become a local Ontario health team. These self-assessments were submitted by teams across the province, from Kenora to Niagara, from Lanark county to Chatham-Kent. The response, needless to say, has been extremely positive.

These applications represent a real commitment from health care service providers to work together with the province to deliver on the vision of an integrated health care system, a system where providers are encouraged and enabled to communicate directly with each other rather than working in silos directly communicating only with the government.

Together we will finally build a coordinated health care system here in Ontario centred around patients, families and caregivers.

Education funding

Ms. Marit Stiles: This is a question for the Minister of Education. The government’s plan to jam kids into overcrowded classrooms will result in thousands of lost teaching positions. It will also mean the loss of thousands of actual classes.

Yesterday, the Globe and Mail reported that at the York Region District School Board, 124 courses are being cancelled for next year and another 35 course sections are being cut. The cancellations include everything from media studies and financial accounting to manufacturing technology and calculus.

On our last day together in this House for what seems like quite a few months, is the minister finally willing to accept that her cuts are ripping away opportunities from our kids?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I have to say, right back at you, are you finally willing to accept the fact that we’re putting student achievement first?

The fact of the matter is, no matter how much they flail around on the opposite side of the House, student achievement will remain our number one priority.

I thank all the school boards across the province that are choosing to work with us. Again, when it comes to finding efficiencies, instead of turning a blind eye, like this party is doing, to the interest that we’re paying on a daily basis, we all have to do our bit in terms of making sure the students that we’re putting first actually have a future that they can have confidence in because the government of today has taken care of the fiscal business that we inherited from that Liberal government.

Long story short, we’re putting student achievement first. We are working with school boards—

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

I’ll remind members to please make your comments through the Chair.

Supplementary question.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I just want to say, this minister—I understand adjourning the House for five months so you don’t have to answer any more questions about tough issues like this one. Students can’t achieve if their courses are cut.

Minister, you’re cutting courses that students need to graduate. How are they supposed to achieve anything?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Ms. Marit Stiles: This morning, I joined students, concerned parents and education workers in my riding for a school walk-in against this government’s cuts, one of over 260 schools holding rallies in the GTA alone this morning.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Ms. Marit Stiles: These students are saying no to a plan that will leave them stacked in classrooms, with fewer course options and fewer pathways to post-secondary. They are saying no to a plan that takes away their teachers and replaces them with untested, mandatory, online-only classes.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Will the minister finally listen to them and stop these cuts?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I have repeatedly called to order, and some of the members are ignoring the Chair when I called them to order. I’m going to have to start naming you individually and calling you to order individually if this persists.

Minister of Education to reply.

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I rise today very proud of the vision we have for education in this province. I’m proud of the people who are working with us to make sure we get education back on track.

Just yesterday, I met with two amazing students—they’re grade 7 students—Meredith and Emma. They came directly to meet with me because they’re tired of the rhetoric. They’re tired of the fearmongering, and they wanted to speak directly to me. I applaud them for taking that initiative.

Do you know what else we’re doing? We’re working with our school boards. The member from Markham–Stouffville is working closely with the York board. He knows the intent that they have. They’re working diligently to make sure, just like we do on this side of the House, that they’re putting student achievement first.

Again, I thank the school boards across this province that are choosing to find one, two, three or four cents on the dollar from within so that it doesn’t affect front-line teachers and—

Interjections.

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

The next question.

Affordable housing

Mrs. Daisy Wai: My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Speaker, we have all read stories about very low vacancy rates or bidding wars on single-family houses. In my riding of Richmond Hill, I hear stories every day about the need for more housing of all kinds.

The government cannot address the housing crisis on its own, but we can make it easier to municipalities, non-profits and private firms to build new homes. This is exactly what we’re doing. Can the minister please explain how his plan will increase housing supply across Ontario?

Hon. Steve Clark: I want to thank the member for Richmond Hill for that great question. I want to thank her for all of her work both in the Legislature and in her constituency. I understand that yesterday, the member and her husband, Albert, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary to you.

Speaker, as I said in this House many times, Ontario needs more housing. That’s a fact. We had extensive consultations as part of our Housing Supply Action Plan. We had over 2,000 submissions, 85% of them coming from the general public. It was through those consultations that we were able to take the best ideas and put them in legislation to get our housing back on track.

In May, I was proud to release More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan and the subsequent legislation. Our proposed changes will make costs more predictable for homebuyers. They will make tremendous strides in terms of providing more supply. I look forward to providing more details in the supplementary.

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

Mrs. Daisy Wai: Thank you, Minister. Actually, everything that our government has done has really made the day for every home in my riding in Richmond Hill and across Ontario. I thank the minister for the answer that he just gave us.

Speaker, I’m proud to be part of a government that takes the issue of housing and housing supply very seriously. This plan not only increases supply on market housing, but we’re also reducing barriers for non-profits to build affordable housing, and leveraging inclusionary zoning where it’s most needed.

Can the minister please expand on how this legislation, if passed, will increase housing supply and choice for the people of Ontario, no matter what their budget or needs are?

Hon. Steve Clark: Again, thanks to the member for that excellent question.

Through our consultations, we heard time and time again that we need to build more housing, especially affordable housing near major transit station areas, and that’s exactly what we’re going to be doing.

We’re also leveraging the major assets and major investments that our government is building to build transit, making it easier for people to get to work every day.

We also extended the development charge deferral for not-for-profits from five years to 20 years to help encourage more affordable housing developments. This was a suggestion that came to us as part of our consultations. I want to thank Habitat for Humanity and other non-profits for that suggestion.

But, finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank my two parliamentary assistants, Christine Hogarth and Jim McDonell, for all of their work. This was a tremendous team effort. We’re so pleased to have this vote after question period, and I want to thank them for all their hard work.

Water quality

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Meegwetch. My question is to the Premier. Neskantaga First Nation has been under a boil-water advisory since February 1, 1995. That’s over 20 years. There are 13 First Nations communities with boil-water advisories in my riding as of today.

On Monday, the Minister of Indigenous Affairs said my Twitter statement on the issue of the beer bill versus access to the clean water issue was an “unfortunate comment.” It’s these kinds of comments that are very unfortunate. I vow to continue to advocate for the people in Kiiwetinoong.

Will the Premier direct his minister to apologize for his unfortunate comment to the people of Kiiwetinoong who do not have safe drinking water?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I look to the Deputy Premier.

Hon. Christine Elliott: To the Minister of the Environment.

Hon. Rod Phillips: Mr. Speaker, through you to the member, the Honourable Minister of Indigenous Affairs, mining, energy and northern resources has a deep and abiding understanding of the issues both of the north and of Indigenous peoples. His background, as the member opposite knows, includes spending seven years as a nurse, spending time in remote communities and remote Indigenous communities.

The issue of clean drinking water is a priority for this government, not just on reserves, but elsewhere. It is critical that we face it. But in reality, we face it with our federal partners. That’s why we have focused on working with the federal government, in addition to our government, in terms of meeting their responsibilities.

The minister will continue to fight to make sure that we have clean drinking water, that we have safe conditions from a health and safety point of view on those reserves, and that the federal government meets their obligations.

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

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: It’s not the same when you work there versus living there.

In February 2019, I visited Neskantaga. I was told that 16-year-old Cora Atlookan had died by suicide days before. It is unfortunate that she lived her whole life with no access to clean drinking water other than bottled water. Young people in Neskantaga do not trust safe drinking water when they go to places with clean running water. They continue to buy bottled water.

We live in one of the wealthiest regions in the world and, unfortunately, 13 communities in Kiiwetinoong cannot drink the water. Access to clean water is a human right. Currently my private member’s bill on UNDRIP is before the committee, but being stalled from third reading by this government.

Given the minister’s comments, is he saying the government is not interested in upholding the human rights of Indigenous people—yes or no?

Hon. Rod Phillips: Let me assure the member that this government and the Minister of Indigenous Affairs deeply share the concerns that the member has raised, and we appreciate the compassion with which he approaches this issue. This government is committed to ensuring clean and safe drinking water. But, again, this is something we must work with our federal partners, work with the communities affected. We will continue to report to this House our progress on that issue.

Education funding

Mr. Aris Babikian: My question is for the Minister of Education. Over the past few weeks, I have seen a disturbing pattern emerge in this House. I have noticed that certain members of the opposition have been spreading inaccuracies about teachers losing their jobs. I know the minister is committed to investing in education and—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to ask the member to withdraw his unparliamentary comment.

Mr. Aris Babikian: Withdraw.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): And conclude your question.

Mr. Aris Babikian: I know that the minister is committed to investing in education and has been clear about our government’s commitment to keeping our front-line teachers employed. Can the minister clarify the situation and tell us how we are improving our education system?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: Thank you to the member from Scarborough–Agincourt for the wonderful job he has done over the past year. Your riding is so lucky to have you. Congratulations on your first anniversary.

Speaker, in terms of the question, I understand where the member is coming from. Time and time again, opposition members would stand up in this House, employ dramatic tactics and yell across the House and spread rhetoric and wrong information that has caused a lot of anxiety and confusion around this province.

Again, I really applaud Meredith and Emma coming to me directly yesterday to say that they’re tired of hearing the rhetoric. What is really happening? That is what our job is all about. It’s about ensuring students—that we’re getting education back on track.

Student achievement is our number one priority. Let me be clear: From London to Ottawa to Toronto—

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

Mr. Aris Babikian: I want to thank the minister for the great answer. I am so glad that she is working with our boards to protect our teachers and continue to ensure our students’ successes.

With focused investments, I know that our government can get education back on track in the province. However, I know that parents in my riding remain concerned about funding for our school boards and our education system. Could the minister please tell me more about her commitment to student success and about the manner in which our government is investing in our education system?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: Thank you very much to the member from Scarborough–Agincourt. I appreciate his commitment to education, just like the rest of our government.

I can tell you, from London to Toronto to Ottawa, we’re hearing school boards recall 100% of their teachers, which the party opposite tried to fearmonger about. Just a few days ago, we heard from the Toronto Catholic District School Board. They’re recalling 100% of their teachers. That is what I was saying earlier and all along: that all the pieces of the puzzle will come together and everyone in this province will see that we are committed to getting education back on track.

We’re investing $700 million more than the previous government. Overall, my budget for education this year is $24 billion. We’re investing in student transportation. We’re increasing our investment in special education. We’re increasing our investment in school repairs.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Response?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: Honestly, Speaker, I think that across this province, people know that we are committed to making sure student achievement is our number one—

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

Opioid abuse

Mr. Percy Hatfield: My question this morning is for the Minister of Health. Good morning, Minister.

Speaker, they held a funeral on Monday in Windsor for 17 year-old Josh Chouinard. He died last week from a drug overdose. With the permission of Josh’s family, those who attended the funeral were given a naloxone kit.

In Peterborough this week, they had 13 overdoses in 72 hours. There’s an opioid crisis in Hamilton, in Brantford, in Toronto, in the north and, for that matter, right across this entire province.

Speaker, when will this government declare an opioid crisis, and when will they partner with more volunteer agencies so fewer lives are lost from drug overdoses in Ontario?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Thank you very much to the member for the question. I agree with you: We do have an opioid crisis in Ontario right now. We are taking it very, very seriously. It’s one of the reasons why we undertook a study of the overdose treatment sites late last fall, and we came up with a project of creating 21 sites that would prevent overdoses, to help people with naloxone or oxygen or whatever else people need, if they come into the sites, are taking drugs and have an overdose. That’s one thing. Saving lives is very important because you can’t do anything else if you don’t save the life, first of all.

Secondly, we need to help people get into treatment. That’s very important to me. It’s important to the Premier. It’s important to all of us in government, as I know it is to you. We want to make sure that we’re going to be able to get people into the treatment they need. That is why we’ve retrained the sites into consumption and treatment services sites. There are 15 that have already been appointed. We are reviewing another six applications, which we hope to have up and running very soon, once we’ve run them through the same criteria that each and every site has to apply for.

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

Mr. Percy Hatfield: Minister, 21 sites is far from enough.

Statistics from our regional health unit in Windsor show we had 150 overdose trips to the ER last year; this year, in January alone, we had 22. That’s more than three times the number from last year. The health unit predicts these numbers will increase dramatically in the warmer summer months.

Speaker, everyone knows we have an opioid crisis on our hands. Through you to the minister: How many more overdoses? How many more lives lost—lives like young Josh—before this government does the right thing and finally tackles this opioid crisis head-on?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Again, we take the opioid crisis very seriously and we are tackling it head-on. We have created the 15 sites. Six more are ready to come forward.

Of course, that’s only part of the answer. We know that there are many people who are overdosing not in overdose and consumption treatment sites, but in their own homes. We know we need to do more. That is one of the reasons, among many others, that we’ve come forward with, first of all, the $3.8 billion over 10 years to deal with our mental health and addictions system, to create a comprehensive, organized, connected system—$1.9 billion provincially to match the $1.9 billion that’s being advanced federally. We’ve also come forward with $174 million in new money this year to connect our mental health and addictions system.

We know there’s more we need to do on the addictions side. We have the rapid-action organizations in hospitals to deal with addictions. We also need to have more detox beds. We need to have more housing. There are many approaches that need to be taken in order to deal with—

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

Police services

Mr. Will Bouma: My question is for the Attorney General. As this sitting draws to a close, we can look back on this first year of Ontario’s first government for the people. The people of Brantford–Brant expected our government to follow through on our commitment to respect and support our front-line police officers in their daily duties to ensure the safety of our streets and neighbourhoods, and that’s exactly what we did. Communities are safer because we fixed the Liberals’ flawed Bill 175.

Would the Attorney General please highlight the changes in the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act that will keep hard-working and law-abiding citizens safe?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I want to thank the member from Brantford–Brant for his question.

When we were elected by the people, our government was facing many urgent problems caused by Liberal mismanagement and recklessness. But we set our priorities, and one of the first actions we took was to pause the deeply flawed Bill 175 and take on the necessary work to fix it.

To provide transparency and clarity to the people and the police, our legislation now clarifies the mandate of the special investigations unit for the people and for the police. It focuses investigative resources where they are needed—on criminal activity—within a police oversight system that is transparent, fair and effective. To provide accountability and restore trust in a system that had left the people and the police in the dark for far too long, our legislation now requires SIU investigations to conclude within 120 days.

Mr. Speaker, this is a government that will continue to respect the important work of the police and that will stand up for public safety.

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

Mr. Will Bouma: Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Attorney General for her response.

Ontario’s government for the people was elected with a mandate to improve public safety across this province and to provide the brave and dedicated men and women of our police services with the tools and resources they need to perform their duties safely and effectively.

Mr. Speaker, could the Attorney General tell us how this government is standing up for the safety of families and our women and men who serve and protect our province?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I am proud to say that this legislation is central to our commitment to making Ontario safer, and to standing up for the victims and holding criminals accountable for their actions.

Police deserve our gratitude and our respect, not our suspicion and scorn. That’s why our government is providing police with the tools, resources and support they need to do their jobs, often quietly and heroically. Our legislation is based on fairness and on respect for the profession of policing.

Notably, we’re giving the public the confidence that when they phone 911, a trained, accountable police officer will show up, something that was not guaranteed under the previous Liberal government’s legislation.

Automobile insurance

Mr. Gurratan Singh: My question is to the Minister of Finance. Every single day, I hear stories from folks in Brampton about how life is getting more unaffordable. For Bramptonians, one of the major expenses is car insurance, which, for some families, can cost more than their home mortgage. This puts families in a tough position, because in our city, driving is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. But this Conservative government is allowing car insurance premiums to get even more expensive, with some companies getting approvals for rate increases as high as 11.4%.

Ontario already pays the highest car insurance premiums in this country, despite being among the safest drivers. Why is this Conservative government approving increases to car insurance rates that will make life more unaffordable for millions of Ontarians?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Certainly, we’re putting drivers first by lowering costs, increasing consumer choice and increasing competition in the auto insurance market. But I cannot stand here and talk about insurance without once again, for the last time this session, thanking the member from Milton for his absolutely great work on the driver insurance file.

There are 10 million drivers in Ontario, who expect us to do absolutely everything we can to ensure that the auto insurance system is working for them. Our plan, that we introduced in the budget, puts drivers first and makes Ontario’s auto insurance system more accessible and more affordable. Our Driver Care Plan streamlines care.

This is what we presented in our budget. Unfortunately, the NDP did not join us in helping lower insurance rates.

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

Mr. Gurratan Singh: Back to the minister: Let’s look at the facts. This Conservative government has the power to fix our car insurance problems. But instead, this government has approved massive increases to insurance rates. In the first four months of 2019 alone, the government has increased insurance premiums as high as 11.4%. The Conservative government had the opportunity to finally end postal code discrimination in car insurance, but they refused. They had the opportunity to cap profits of car insurance companies, but they refused. And, on top of it all, we have not seen any details of this government’s car insurance scheme.

Why is lowering car insurance rates not a priority for this Conservative government?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: We certainly did have a priority on April 11, when we presented the budget, which included Putting Drivers First—the very act, Speaker. I will share a copy of the budget with the member.

But we’re proposing immediate solutions to make the auto insurance system easier and more convenient. There’s going to be electronic proof of insurance. You no longer need the pink slip inside your glove compartment. We’ve got options that will meet the driver’s needs, options that are no longer available. We’ll have the ability for insurance companies to offer more options from their side as well.

Let’s hear about Putting Drivers First from the Canadian Automobile Association. They are “pleased to see that the 2019 provincial budget provides Ontario motorists greater choice around auto insurance, so that coverage better suits” their needs.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada followed up by saying that the “multi-year plan to fix auto insurance is a win for consumers.”

I urge the member to read the budget.

Job creation

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Job creators across our province are in need of talent. Whether it be trucking companies or tech companies, there are job openings that need to be filled.

I know that companies in Brampton are constantly in search of skilled workers to contribute to their business, and I know that is why the minister wrote to the federal immigration minister requesting additional nominations through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, yet instead of allocating the 1,000 additional nominees that Ontario requested, the federal government only provided 50.

Could the minister outline for the House the importance of skilled immigrants to our economy and why we need the federal government to urgently approve these additional nominations?

Hon. Todd Smith: Thanks to my good friend, the member from Brampton, for that question this morning. The Minister of Children, Community and Social Services and I wrote to the federal minister to request additional nominations in the OINP program.

The federal government talks a big game about creating jobs, so I have to say we were pretty surprised when our request was rejected. We need to bring talented people to Ontario, to grow our economy and create new opportunities for people already living in our communities, and we need additional spaces in the nominee program to do that.

That’s why we’ve sent another letter to Minister Hussen in Ottawa to let him know that because of his decision, we actually have to turn away applicants who have job offers. These people want to come to Ontario. They want to contribute to our economy and build a better life. It’s just a shame that Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals won’t let them.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): That concludes question period for today. A couple of members have informed me that they wish to raise a point of order. The Minister of Government and Consumer Services, first of all.

Legislative staff

Hon. Bill Walker: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of all MPPs who are given the privilege to serve in this esteemed House, I’d like to thank you and your team, the Clerks’ table, protocol, the committee Clerks, the Sergeant-at-Arms and all of our legislative security, maintenance, cleaners, dining room staff, cafeteria, Hansard, the pages, all of the ministries and the broader public service as we celebrate our first year—and a full year that was: a summer sitting, an additional winter sitting and a once-in-a-lifetime midnight sitting, and all of that transition to make the machinery of government serve the people of Ontario. Thank you to you all.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you. I agree wholeheartedly. Thank you.

Point of order, the member for Sudbury.

Mr. Jamie West: Thank you for the indulgence, Speaker. I rise on a point of order. I meant to do this earlier, but Braelyn Guppy was working in my office during the introductions. I want to thank Braelyn, one of the OLIP interns, for working in my office and the amazing work she’s done. I’ve had many conversations with the member from Parry Sound–Muskoka about what a fantastic intern she is and what a good reflection of the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme she is. Thank you.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Point of order: I would simply like to echo the minister’s comments and thank you and all the staff in the assembly for keeping us all together as a family. As dysfunctional as it may be sometimes, you keep us functional.

I also want to say goodbye to my colleagues from Ottawa–Vanier and Ottawa–Orléans. In the case of the member for Ottawa–Vanier, I simply want to say that she’s raised the level of debate in this Legislature. Her passion for justice and fairness and truth are evident, and I think she’s elevated the debate.

Applause.

World Sickle Cell Day

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Point of order, the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s.

Ms. Jill Andrew: Thank you, Speaker. I just want to wish everyone in the assembly a safe and productive summer.

I’d also like to take the opportunity to remind folks, since we won’t be here, that June 19 is World Sickle Cell Day, and we should all connect with sicklers in our communities across Ontario.

Legislative staff

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: Mr. Speaker, I want to echo the thanks to all the assembly staff, but a special shout-out and tribute to my seatmate, the member from Ottawa–Vanier, who has proven that two members from two different parties can sit next to each other in this House and have a collegial relationship and a friendship, and I will miss her.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The leader of the official opposition.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, on a point of order: I also want to the rise to say that it has been quite an interesting year. We’ve had to rely on the great work of many, many people across all of the buildings that encompass the Ontario Legislature: your staff, the Clerks’ table, the Hansard folks and, of course, all of the people who work throughout this building and all of the other buildings, some of whom are not going to get the pay raise they expected with bargaining, but certainly we all respect their work.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I’m very pleased to rise and to congratulate my OLIP intern, Nish Chankar, who was just recently selected as the top OLIP intern across the country for her presentation. Congratulations to Nish.

M me France Gélinas: Just a huge thank you to my OLIP intern, Clara Pasieka, who taught me an awful lot during her weeks that she was with me. Merci beaucoup.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for St. Catharines. This is the last one.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve noticed some honourable guests up in the gallery. Are you going to welcome them? Thank you.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): If I get a chance. Thank you very much; I appreciate it.

I want to ask members for their full attention as I introduce a very special group of guests in the chamber today. It’s my most sincere honour to welcome a Canadian Armed Forces delegation led by Brigadier-General Paul, commander of the CAF 4th Division.

I also want to recognize the presence of members of the Royal Canadian Navy.

In particular, I wish to acknowledge Colonel R.G. Elms, retired, a decorated veteran with a distinguished military career.

They are joined by the consuls general of France and the UK, symbolic of the Allied forces that led the D-Day landings 75 years ago today, in 1944, which we are commemorating today. Please join me in warmly welcoming these special guests.

Applause.

Legislative pages

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Next I’m going to ask our pages to assemble. It is now time for us to acknowledge this great group of legislative pages.

Our pages are hard-working, trustworthy and smart. They are indispensable to all that goes on in this chamber, and we are indeed fortunate to have all of them here.

Our pages will now go home having made new friends, with a better understanding of parliamentary democracy and with memories that will last them a lifetime.

In the coming years, we know that each of them will continue their studies and, in time, contribute greatly to their communities, their province and their country in important ways. And who knows? Maybe some of them will take their seats in this House as members or work as staff. We wish all of you well.

I would like to ask all members now to join me in showing our appreciation for this outstanding group of legislative pages.

Applause.

Deferred Votes

Bringing Choice and Fairness to the People Act (Beverage Alcohol Retail Sales), 2019 / Loi de 2019 visant à offrir à la population plus de choix et un accès équitable en matière de vente au détail de boissons alcooliques

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

Bill 115,

An Act to amend the Liquor Control Act with respect to the termination of a specified agreement / Projet de loi 115, Loi modifiant la

Loi sur les alcools en ce qui concerne la résiliation d’un accord particulier.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1214 to 1219.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Will the members please take their seats.

On June 5, 2019, Mr. Fedeli moved third reading of Bill 115,

An Act to amend the Liquor Control Act with respect to the termination of a specified agreement.

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

Ayes

Anand, Deepak

Baber, Roman

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Bethlenfalvy, Peter

Bouma, Will

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Cho, Stan

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Elliott, Christine

Fedeli, Victor

Fee, Amy

Ford, Doug

Fullerton, Merrilee

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Kanapathi, Logan

Karahalios, Belinda C.

Ke, Vincent

Khanjin, Andrea

Kramp, Daryl

Kusendova, Natalia

Lecce, Stephen

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McKenna, Jane

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norman

Mitas, Christina Maria

Mulroney, Caroline

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Park, Lindsey

Parsa, Michael

Pettapiece, Randy

Phillips, Rod

Piccini, David

Rasheed, Kaleed

Roberts, Jeremy

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Todd

Surma, Kinga

Tangri, Nina

Thanigasalam, Vijay

Thompson, Lisa M.

Tibollo, Michael A.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Walker, Bill

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): All those opposed to the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Andrew, Jill

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arthur, Ian

Begum, Doly

Bell, Jessica

Berns-McGown, Rima

Bisson, Gilles

Bourgouin, Guy

Coteau, Michael

Fife, Catherine

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Gravelle, Michael

Gretzky, Lisa

Harden, Joel

Hassan, Faisal

Hatfield, Percy

Horwath, Andrea

Hunter, Mitzie

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Lindo, Laura Mae

Mamakwa, Sol

Mantha, Michael

Miller, Paul

Monteith-Farrell, Judith

Morrison, Suze

Natyshak, Taras

Rakocevic, Tom

Sattler, Peggy

Schreiner, Mike

Shaw, Sandy

Simard, Amanda

Singh, Gurratan

Singh, Sara

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

West, Jamie

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yarde, Kevin

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 68; the nays are 46.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I declare the motion carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 pour plus de logements et plus de choix

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

Bill 108,

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing, other development and various other matters / Projet de loi 108, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne le logement, les autres aménagements et d’autres questions.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Call in the members. This is another five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1223 to 1224.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): On June 4, 2019, Mr. Clark moved third reading of Bill 108,

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing, other development and various other matters.

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

Ayes

Anand, Deepak

Baber, Roman

Babikian, Aris

Bailey, Robert

Bethlenfalvy, Peter

Bouma, Will

Calandra, Paul

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Cho, Stan

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Crawford, Stephen

Cuzzetto, Rudy

Downey, Doug

Dunlop, Jill

Elliott, Christine

Fedeli, Victor

Fee, Amy

Ford, Doug

Fullerton, Merrilee

Ghamari, Goldie

Gill, Parm

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Mike

Hogarth, Christine

Kanapathi, Logan

Karahalios, Belinda C.

Ke, Vincent

Khanjin, Andrea

Kramp, Daryl

Kusendova, Natalia

Lecce, Stephen

MacLeod, Lisa

Martin, Robin

Martow, Gila

McDonell, Jim

McKenna, Jane

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Norman

Mitas, Christina Maria

Mulroney, Caroline

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pang, Billy

Park, Lindsey

Parsa, Michael

Pettapiece, Randy

Phillips, Rod

Piccini, David

Rasheed, Kaleed

Roberts, Jeremy

Romano, Ross

Sabawy, Sheref

Sandhu, Amarjot

Sarkaria, Prabmeet Singh

Scott, Laurie

Skelly, Donna

Smith, Todd

Surma, Kinga

Tangri, Nina

Thanigasalam, Vijay

Thompson, Lisa M.

Tibollo, Michael A.

Triantafilopoulos, Effie J.

Wai, Daisy

Walker, Bill

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): All those opposed to the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Andrew, Jill

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arthur, Ian

Begum, Doly

Bell, Jessica

Berns-McGown, Rima

Bisson, Gilles

Bourgouin, Guy

Coteau, Michael

Fife, Catherine

Fraser, John

French, Jennifer K.

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Glover, Chris

Gravelle, Michael

Gretzky, Lisa

Harden, Joel

Hassan, Faisal

Hatfield, Percy

Horwath, Andrea

Hunter, Mitzie

Karpoche, Bhutila

Kernaghan, Terence

Lindo, Laura Mae

Mamakwa, Sol

Mantha, Michael

Miller, Paul

Monteith-Farrell, Judith

Morrison, Suze

Natyshak, Taras

Rakocevic, Tom

Sattler, Peggy

Schreiner, Mike

Shaw, Sandy

Simard, Amanda

Singh, Gurratan

Singh, Sara

Stevens, Jennifer (Jennie)

Stiles, Marit

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

West, Jamie

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yarde, Kevin

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 68; the nays are 46.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I declare the motion carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the government House leader.

Hon. Todd Smith: Mr. Speaker, Her Honour awaits.

Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario entered the chamber of the Legislative Assembly and took her seat upon the throne.

Royal assent / Sanction royale

Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell (Lieutenant Governor): Pray be seated.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): May it please Your Honour, the Legislative Assembly of the province has, at its present meetings thereof, passed certain bills to which, in the name of and on behalf of the said Legislative Assembly, I respectfully request Your Honour’s assent.

The Deputy Clerk (Mr. Trevor Day): The following are the titles of the bills to which Your Honour’s assent is prayed:

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act and various other statutes in respect of transportation-related matters / Loi modifiant le Code de la route et diverses autres lois à l’égard de questions relatives au transport.

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing, other development and various other matters / Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne le logement, les autres aménagements et d’autres questions.

An Act to amend the Liquor Control Act with respect to the termination of a specified agreement / Loi modifiant la

Loi sur les alcools en ce qui concerne la résiliation d’un accord particulier.

An Act to amend the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act / Loi modifiant la

Loi sur la Société de protection des animaux de l’Ontario.

An Act to revive Dundas Valley Masonic Hall Inc.

An Act to revive 665395 Ontario Limited.

An Act to revive Good Fortune Corporation.

An Act to revive All Trade Quantities Inc.

An Act respecting The United Church of Canada.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): In the name of Her Majesty the Queen, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor assents to these bills.

Au nom de Sa Majesté, Son Honneur la lieutenante-gouverneure sanctionne ces projets de loi.

Her Honour was then pleased to retire.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): This House is recessed until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1233 to 1300.

Order of business

Mr. Michael Coteau: Point of order.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I recognize the member from Don Valley East on a point of order.

Mr. Michael Coteau: I move unanimous consent to split the time on ministerial responses between the member from Ottawa South and the Green member, the member from Guelph.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): The member is seeking unanimous consent to split the response time. Do we agree? Agreed.

Mr. Michael Coteau: Point of order.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I recognize the member again on a point of order.

Mr. Michael Coteau: Thank you, again, Mr. Speaker. I move unanimous consent to split time on the private member’s bills, PMBs, between the member from Ottawa South and, again, the member from Guelph.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): The member is seeking unanimous consent to split the member’s time on private member’s bills. Agreed? Agreed.

Notice of reasoned amendment

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 71(c), the member for Timmins has filed with the Clerk a notice of intent to file a reasoned amendment on Bill 124,

An Act to implement moderation measures in respect of compensation in Ontario’s public sector. The order for second reading of Bill 124 may therefore not be called today.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: I’m delighted to welcome Mr. Hossam Muharram, the consul general of Egypt to Montreal, today with us in Queen’s Park for the first time. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Kaleed Rasheed: It is my honour to welcome three of the incredible individuals from my riding of Mississauga East–Cooksville: Phoebe, Marilyn and Del, from Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club. Welcome to the people’s House.

Members’ Statements

Portugal Day

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: It’s always an honour to rise in the Legislature and speak on behalf of my constituents of London–Fanshawe. Today, I stand as a proud Portuguese Canadian. I am honoured to rise today to speak about Portugal Day, also known as Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas. Each year, June is heralded as Portuguese Heritage Month, culminating on June 10 with Portugal Day.

The Portuguese Canadian community is a vibrant community in Ontario and continues to make significant contributions to our society and enrich it with its history, language and culture. It’s an opportunity for the Portuguese immigrants and their families to celebrate their culture, their solidarity and identity, but also to introduce their heritage to their Canadian friends and neighbours.

The idea of Portugal Day was to celebrate the nation. The day was picked to coincide with the death of Luís de Camões, a poet in the 16th century who shaped much of the Portuguese language and literature. One of de Camões’s most famous works is The Lusiads, which was an epic poem about Vasco da Gama’s trip to India and the feats of Portuguese maritime explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries.

I want to make a special mention that tomorrow I will be at London’s Portugal Day celebration. I encourage and hope everyone in this Legislature and Ontario will partake in local events to celebrate Ontario’s Portuguese community.

Lakeside Process Controls

Mrs. Nina Tangri: I stand today in the Legislature to highlight the work of an extraordinary company, Lakeside Process Controls, from my riding of Mississauga–Streetsville.

Through creativity, teamwork and dedication, they are helping to keep one of Canada’s largest infrastructure projects, the Bruce Power Life-Extension Program, on time and on budget. Once complete, this project will ensure that Ontarians have affordable, reliable and GHG-emissions-free electricity for decades to come. The Bruce Power Life-Extension Program will also stimulate Ontario’s economy, having an economic impact of greater than $4 billion per year and sustaining 22,000 good jobs across Ontario.

Lakeside sets a wonderful example of an innovative company that has flourished in Ontario by attracting top talent that supports the high performance of Ontario’s nuclear fleet whilst contributing to the high-tech economy in Mississauga. The dedicated team and effort at Lakeside is helping to ensure Ontario’s nuclear fleet can continue to provide Ontario with the power we need every day.

Thank you to Lakeside Process Controls for the great work that they do.

Student literacy

Ms. Catherine Fife: Strong Start began as a community project in 2001 in Kitchener-Waterloo. Today, it is a charitable organization that trains thousands of volunteers across southwestern Ontario to work one-on-one with young children to help them learn to read. The Waterloo Catholic and Waterloo Region District School Boards were early adopters of Strong Start, and I am proud of their leadership.

Speaker, did you know that a child’s vocabulary at age five is a predictor of vocabulary at age 17, and that by the end of grade 3, 74% of struggling readers rarely catch up? Ontarians with low levels of literacy are more than twice as likely to be in poor health, and nearly half are living in low-income households with slim chances of employment. It’s clear that increasing the literacy rate would not only benefit people’s well-being, but it would also boost Ontario’s economy.

We take literacy for granted, but just like public education, if we get literacy right, almost everything else falls into place. This is why early intervention programs like Strong Start are essential. It will take our collective energy to ensure that every child in Ontario can access the additional support that they might need to improve their literacy skills. It’s so encouraging that members from all parties have come together to form the Strong Start education caucus.

I’d like to thank Machelle and Colette from Strong Start, former Speaker Levac for forming the Strong Start education caucus, as well as Speaker Arnott for his continued commitment to the program.

We must support programs like Strong Start so that every child can succeed. This is our shared responsibility as legislators.

Renewable energy

Ms. Jill Dunlop: Yesterday, I rose in the House to introduce my private member’s bill to cut redundant regulation in Ontario’s water power sector.

Interjections.

Ms. Jill Dunlop: Thank you.

For decades, dam owners and water power producers have been regulated by two separate pieces of legislation, which have added unnecessary costs to their operations. My bill will align these two regulations so that our hydro power partners don’t have to wade through endless red tape to reach the same high safety and environmental standards.

I tabled the Ontario Water Resources Amendment Act—facetiously named “a bill to cut that dam red tape”—in the lead-up to Waterpower Day on June 20. This date honours the birthday of hydroelectricity advocate and former MPP Sir Adam Beck. It is a time to celebrate the role that water power plays in ensuring an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy system in Ontario. On that day, Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues for a tour of the Sir Adam Beck generating stations in Niagara Falls, hosted by the Ontario Waterpower Association.

As we chart our province forward on a cleaner and more sustainable path to growth, water power and its dedicated generators will be our close allies. We need them to expand, innovate and update. We need them to dedicate their energies to powering the homes and businesses of our province. By removing redundant obstacles to growth, we can allow water power generators to invest in the future of Ontario and its energy.

I want to thank the Ontario Water Power Association for organizing Waterpower Day and for their leadership in this sector. I look forward to joining them on June 20 to wish Sir Adam Beck a happy 162nd birthday.

Government services

Ms. Rima Berns-McGown: Every day in Beaches–East York, I hear stories of schools that have lost teachers and courses. Secord Elementary School is losing its music project program, which provided music lessons to 100 kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them.

At Victoria Park school, the parents of kids with special needs are distraught because the TDSB is cutting one of three special-needs classes, which means that there will be too many kids with too few adults, and the kids will no longer thrive in the same way.

I hear stories of people facing homelessness because there’s no affordable housing, legal aid clinics that don’t know how they’ll continue to help their vulnerable clients, and a growing opioid crisis with no overdose prevention site in the east end.

Meanwhile, the beaches are flooded. There are sandbags in front of the Balmy Beach Club and a railing along part of the boardwalk so people won’t fall into the lake. We are watching the climate crisis play out before our very eyes.

My constituents are angry and frightened. They don’t want to live in a dog-eat-dog province where the richest corporations get tax breaks but kids living in poverty can’t get music lessons. They want their government to act on the climate crisis that is threatening the very existence of the planet and their kids’ futures. They want the Ford government to do a reset over the summer and walk back its harmful cuts, especially to education and health care and legal aid and mental health, and they certainly don’t want a government that obsesses over beer instead of bread and butter, education and health care. Enough is enough.

Health care

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: Last weekend, my riding of Scarborough–Guildwood joined together for the annual Guildwood Day. Organized by the Guildwood Village Community Association, I was lucky to spend time with folks from the community, many of whom are new to the neighbourhood and many of whom have called Scarborough home for generations.

I want to share what I’ve heard from my constituents again and again, loud and clear. They want to protect, improve and expand the hospitals in their neighbourhood. They want and need good, strong, timely public health care institutions that they can rely on to take care of their families, friends and loved ones.

One of my constituents says, “Closing hospitals and downsizing is not the answer. We need more new hospitals as Scarborough’s population is increasing exponentially.”

In 2015, a provincial expert panel highlighted that the residents of Scarborough don’t just need more staff at hospitals; we need more hospitals in general to support the population and its growth. The community is clearly in need of more accessible and more available health care, and I’m asking this government to recognize that and to support the Scarborough Health Network.

Right now, our health care system is allowing people to fall through the cracks. This government might say that they’re open for business, but only one thing is for sure: They’re closed for health care. With their attack on public health units, the resources at hospitals are going to be even more vital in preventing and treating illness.

Now more than ever, we need to support the longevity of our local hospitals so that they can expand to serve our growing communities. Scarborough–Guildwood deserves better.

Global Coptic Day

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: As the first Canadian parliamentarian of Coptic Egyptian origins and as a member of the Christian Coptic community, it gives me great pride to rise today to shed more light on the inauguration of Global Coptic Day, which was celebrated worldwide for the first time on June 1, 2019.

Global Coptic Day was chosen to be June 1, which also commemorates the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt, as well as thousands of martyrs, across hundreds of years, who lost their lives defending their faith.

It is a day to celebrate the Coptic Orthodox Church’s rich heritage and its indelible history of martyrdom and persecution, theological education and monasticism.

Mr. Speaker, the Coptic Church has endured a lot of persecution over the centuries and offered great sacrifices to protect its faith, its beliefs and to deliver its message of love, peace and joy for the whole world. Establishing the Coptic theological school in Alexandria in the second century produced a great number of philosophers and leaders for the Coptic community.

The Coptic community has hundreds of thousands of members all across Canada and in Ontario. They are proudly contributing to the Canada and Ontario that we cherish and love.

Mental health and addiction services

Mr. Guy Bourgouin: On May 28, the chief and counsel of Fort Albany First Nation declared a state of emergency as a result of a ravaging opioid and alcohol epidemic in their community. This fly-in and isolated community of the James Bay coast is suffering from what Chief Leo Metatawabin has rightly called intergenerational trauma. Speaker, colonialism, racism and utter alienation are taking a toll on the children, the elders and families of Fort Albany.

Let me say it again: This drug and alcohol crisis is but a consequence of emotional and physical intergenerational trauma that the people of Fort Albany have historically encountered, and continue to face today.

I have spoken to chief and council members who indicate they are seeking to open a detox and mental health centre in the community. They have reached out to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and they are hoping to do the same with the Ontario Ministries of Health and Indigenous Affairs. More importantly, they want the ministers to travel to Fort Albany to see with their own eyes how this pandemic is particularly affecting the physical and mental health of the community’s next generation.

Speaker, Fort Albany is weeping for help. It is this government’s turn to listen, before it’s too late.

Chinese Canadian Head Tax Redress Day

Mr. Vincent Ke: June 22 marks the 13th anniversary of the federal government’s full apology to Chinese Canadians for their implementation of the head tax and subsequent exclusion of Chinese immigrants to our country from 1923 to 1947.

Speaker, Chinese labourers were brought to Canada in the mid-19th century to help build the Canadian Pacific Railway. After the last spike was laid, the government made a concerted effort to stop the flow of Chinese immigrants, starting with passage of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1885, which imposed a head tax of $50 on every Chinese newcomer. This rate doubled in 1900, and was raised to $500 three years later. Then, 20 years later, the federal government replaced the head tax with the Chinese Immigration Act, ultimately excluding anyone from China to legally enter Canada.

Speaker, the apology from Prime Minister Stephen Harper was an important step towards reconciliation with Chinese Canadians. Chinese Canadians have played a vital role in building our country, and with the apology can move forward with future contributions to our multicultural society.

Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club

Mr. Kaleed Rasheed: Today I have the honour to highlight the accomplishments of the Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club, from my riding of Mississauga East–Cooksville.

The Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club is a diverse, non-political group of residents and a

chapter of the international Lions Club, and has a vision to be global leaders in community and humanitarian services. They are working since November 15, 1983, to improve the quality of life in our community. They have an open-door policy where anyone is free to join them for making a positive contribution to their community.

The Mississauga Cooksville Lions chapter, chartered in 1983, is now comprised of 22 members. The majority of the club members enjoy carrying out service-oriented projects, and continue to volunteer their time, raising funds for community causes dear to them.

The Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club has participated in a number of community-based projects in the past, including the protecting our environment project, the supporting our youth project, the fighting hunger project, and the legacy project, to name a few.

The Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club has been supporting Trillium Health Partners’ Mississauga hospitals for three decades. On Monday, May 13, 2019, the Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club presented a cheque for $231,000 as a donation to the Trillium Health Partners Foundation for the purchase of equipment. They believe this is one way that they can contribute to improving the quality of life for our community: reducing wait times at hospitals, faster diagnostics of illnesses, and not having to travel far to access medical services.

I am proud of the work that the Mississauga Cooksville Lions Club does for the community. Thank you very much for all the great work.

Visitors

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I recognize the Minister for Seniors.

Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I recognize the member on a point of order. Minister.

Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: I’m very happy and honoured to welcome and introduce these visitors: Sangwoo Bae and Sea Yung Kim from the Korean Canadian Cultural Association; Seung Nam Choi, Young Ja Choi and Yong J. Park from the Korean Senior Citizens Society of Toronto; Marta Hajek from Elder Abuse Ontario; Lilian Wells from the Ontario Association of Councils on Aging; and Kyle Fitzgerald from the Alzheimer Society of Ontario. Welcome to the Legislature of Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Thank you very much for that point of order, Minister.

We have another point of order. I recognize the member from Mississauga–Erin Mills.

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: I would like to take a second to welcome Mr. Albert Fahmy, on behalf of the Canadian Egyptian Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Hamy Shenouda, on behalf of the Canadian Coptic Activists Federation; Dr. Magdy Nashat, on behalf of the Canadian Egyptian Heritage Association; and Dr. Nabil Bechai, on behalf of the Egyptian Canadian Club. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Introduction of Bills

Tibetan Heritage Month Act, 2019 / Loi de 2019 sur le Mois du patrimoine tibétain

Ms. Karpoche moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 131,

An Act to proclaim the month of July as Tibetan Heritage Month / Projet de loi 131, Loi proclamant le mois de juillet Mois du patrimoine tibétain.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Would the member care to give a brief introduction of your bill?

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: This bill proclaims the month of July in each year as Tibetan Heritage Month. By proclaiming the month of July as Tibetan Heritage Month, the province of Ontario recognizes the contributions of Tibetans in all aspects of Ontario society.

Tibetan Heritage Month is also an opportunity to educate future generations about the significant role that Tibetan Canadians have played and continue to play across Ontario. I’d like to thank Jamyang Choetso, who is with the Ontario Parliamentary Friends of Tibet and a student in my office, for her hard work on this bill.

Motions

House sittings

Mr. Stephen Lecce: I move that when the House adjourns today, it stands adjourned until October 28, 2019.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Mr. Lecce has moved that when the House adjourns today, it stands adjourned until October 28, 2019. Is it the pleasure of the House?

I recognize the member from Timmins.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got to say this is somehow not surprising, what the government is doing here, because clearly there is a lot of angst in the province of Ontario, and I would say a lot of anger, when it comes to what this g