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April 19, 2007

38th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

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Hansard Transcripts 2007-Apr-19 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Thursday 19 April 2007 Jeudi 19 avril 2007

PRIVATE MEMBERS'

PUBLIC BUSINESS

JOSEPH BRANT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

STEVENSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

JOSEPH BRANT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

STEVENSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

JOSEPH BRANT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

STEVENSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

GRAPE AND WINE INDUSTRY

MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GRANTS

POVERTY

HEALTH CARE FUNDING

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

ONTARIO COACHES WEEK

COAL-FIRED GENERATING STATIONS

NUCLEAR ENERGY

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

VISITORS

LEGISLATIVE PAGES

VISITORS

ORAL QUESTIONS

MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GRANTS

SCHOOL SAFETY

MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GRANTS

ONTARIO TRILLIUM FOUNDATION

MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GRANTS

SMALL BUSINESS

MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GRANTS

VISITORS

PETITIONS

LABORATORY SERVICES

CANCER TREATMENT

LONG-TERM CARE

COURT SUPPORT STAFF

YORK SUBWAY EXTENSION

STEVENSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

REGULATION OF ZOOS

POPE JOHN PAUL II

MINIMUM WAGE

LAKERIDGE HEALTH

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

ORDERS OF THE DAY

SAFER ROADS FOR

A SAFER ONTARIO ACT, 2007 /

LOI DE 2007 VISANT À CRÉER

DES ROUTES PLUS SÉCURITAIRES

POUR UN ONTARIO PLUS SÛR

The House met at 1000.

Prayers.

PRIVATE MEMBERS'

PUBLIC BUSINESS

JOSEPH BRANT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Mr. Todd Decker): Ballot item number 79, private member's notice of motion number 57, Mrs. Savoline.

Mr. Norm Miller (Parry Sound–Muskoka): Mr. Speaker, could I ask for unanimous consent to suspend the House until the arrival of the member for Burlington and whatever time is lost be taken from the opposition's speaking time?

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Agreed? Agreed.

This House stands in recess until the arrival of the member for Burlington.

The House suspended proceedings from 1003 to 1011.

The Acting Speaker: I recognize the member for Burlington.

Mrs. Joyce Savoline (Burlington): I move that, in the opinion of this House, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care should immediately identify Burlington's Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital for inclusion on the ministry's capital projects priorities list; and the McGuinty government should then release to the proud people of Burlington the $40 million needed for the Joseph Brant hospital renewal project.

The Acting Speaker: The member for Burlington has moved private member's notice of motion number 57. I recognize the member for Burlington for her presentation.

Mrs. Savoline: The Joseph Brant hospital takes great pride in the leadership role it plays in the delivery of health care to the people of Burlington and to the region around Burlington. It strives to fulfill this vision by making Burlington and the surrounding areas a strong and healthy community.

Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital opened in 1961. At that time, it was a 228-bed facility. There was some expansion in 1971, when two wings were added that nearly doubled the capacity of the hospital. Since then, however, there has been no expansion and very little upgrading.

The design is inefficient and outdated. The operating rooms were designed over 50 years ago. Very little equipment was needed when those operating rooms were designed. In today's modern medicine, the equipment is larger—for example, there are lasers and operating microscopes—and the infrastructure does not meet modern digital networking and air-handling requirements for contemporary operating rooms. There are other deficiencies in the hospital as well, in the post-anaesthetic care unit, the intensive care unit and the patient care areas, which I will tell you a little bit more about right now.

The equipment used in day-to-day patient care is significantly larger as well. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was acceptable. But now, to navigate through the narrow halls and doorways, with the modern medicine we're moving toward, it doesn't cut the mustard.

We have moved to single-use supplies rather than reusing items, and that's a good thing to do—I think that's a great thing to do. But this has created the need for significantly more storage space—much more storage space. The narrow halls are not acceptable to the fire marshal for storage of supplies, so he has asked that the corridors be cleared. What this does is add to the inefficiency of how the hospital and the staff do their work. It forces staff to travel considerably long distances to get the items they need that they've had to put in storage.

I think that a considerable investment is due and appropriate at this point in time, to continue the good history of service of the Joseph Brant into the 21st century. We'd like to build for the future, and there is a plan that would be phased over 10 years; it's a $150-million plan. However, the first phase of that plan is just over $40 million. Joseph Brant hospital is now planning for that first phase. It's the creation of a new three-storey wing on the southwest corner of the current facility. The components would be 11 new operating rooms for the first phase.

It would have the ability to free up existing operating rooms for specific types of surgeries such as knee and hip replacements and cataract surgeries. These are the kinds of surgeries that the ministry has put on its priority list.

A new intensive care unit in that hospital would provide more space and dedicated isolation rooms for patients with infectious diseases. We only have to remember back to our SARS experience to know how important properly isolated rooms are in a hospital when those kinds of pandemics or epidemics occur.

The new facility would tremendously benefit our residents in Burlington and around Burlington. It's more than just a convenience; it's a ready access that could save lives and provide urgent immediate care for our patients.

The long waiting lists that all hospitals in Ontario are suffering also occur at Joseph Brant hospital. We need new facilities. It's not a matter of if; it's a matter of when. For the last three and a half years, there has been a proposal at the Ministry of Health for the first phase of this expansion with very little movement within the ministry staff for any response to our hospital. By coincidence, there was some response at the end of February as a result of the by-election and, I guess, the publicity that the hospital received then. So the hospital did receive $1.5 million to do some planning work.

But that planning work will go for naught unless this hospital sees its place on a priority projects list and they understand when it can be built.

We recently received $2 million for an MRI scanner. It's great. Nobody is saying, "No, thank you," to things like this. But, Minister, unless you have the space to accommodate this new equipment in order to reduce waiting times, this equipment is not going to be used to its full extent. I don't think the people of Burlington or the people of Ontario feel that that is an appropriate way to do business.

There is no physical space. They need to expand in order to reduce wait times, and the demand for additional diagnostic imaging tests, such as CT and MRI scans, is increasing—it's increasing all over Ontario. Unless the hospital is expanded, we can't make dents in these wait times. So we're asking for this proposal to go forward.

In the greater Toronto area there is growth. I think the major growth in Ontario is increasing in our area. The gap between funding in the greater Toronto area and the rest of the province is also increasing. Joseph Brant hospital is not the least of those waiting for that gap to be reduced.

The government is well aware of the pressures that our hospital and other hospitals are having. It's noted in many statements made by doctors' associations and by actual studies the ministry has embarked on. Unfortunately, when these studies come forward, the minister dismisses them as being "not totally representative of what is really going on." So there is a dismissal of good information that's been asked for, provided and not acted on. I think that's irresponsible.

That goes back to March 2005, when the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, in a submission to the provincial working group of the minister, George Smitherman, examined emergency response times. They told the province that the primary cause of emergency department overcrowding is the lack of beds in hospital wards and intensive care units. So there's a domino effect. Our hospitals are crammed with people who should be in long-term-care facilities, but they can't be dismissed, discharged from the hospital, because there are no long-term-care beds available to them. So the medical beds in hospitals are then taken up with people who should really not be there.

I think this is most unfortunate because the last budget that we saw just a few weeks ago did not make a dent in this problem. The long-term-care folks who were so eagerly waiting for an answer from the ministry, for answers to their issues—it did not happen in that budget. There was certainly nothing in there for hospitals like Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital to be able to move forward into the new millennium and to be able to treat people medically in a way that we in North America deserve and pay for in our $2.5-billion health tax.

The people of Burlington felt that when the $2.5-billion health tax came in, perhaps that would be a solution to our Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital problems with expansion. But the $2.5 billion, ladies and gentlemen, has come and gone. The people of Burlington have contributed $105 million to the McGuinty health tax, and we have received little back for it. In fact, in that same time period, 60 beds have been closed in our hospital. That's the answer we've had to the $105 million that we've contributed. I think it's time that this government stood up and took notice and used the health care money for what it was collected for.

The Acting Speaker: Further debate?

Ms. Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale—High Park): It's my pleasure to speak to this motion from my colleague from Burlington. It gives me an opportunity to, among other things, speak about medicare and the joys of medicare and what we're facing right now in the province of Ontario, which is, I hope, not the potential death of medicare.

It was 60 years ago, in 1947, that Tommy Douglas—who was voted by listeners in a CBC poll as being Canada's greatest Canadian because he's the father of medicare—first introduced, in Saskatchewan, public health insurance programs. What's interesting about that is that he did it in the face of opposition.

Later, in 1962, he extended that program to include hospitals as well, again in the face of amazing opposition, really, looking back historically at it, from business, from doctors, from just about everyone else from the other political parties, yet he still made a go of it and, interestingly enough, balanced budgets at the same time. Tommy balanced budgets in Saskatchewan while still introducing this comprehensive plan that looked after the health care of, in those days, those who lived in Saskatchewan, now of course extending across the country.

If there's anything that marks us as Canadians that we're proud of across the political spectrum, I believe it is our publicly funded and public health care program. I know that our intern, Thad Chastain from Ohio, is amazed at the unanimity of Canadians on this topic—that we're proud of health care, that we're happy that we live with a system of medicare and that although we might want to add to it or subtract from it, you're not ever going to see somebody here running against it. So I want to note that.

Then I want to go on and talk about some of the problems that we're facing and that medicare is facing in Ontario. Frank Dobson, who is a British MP and also was the Minister of Health in Great Britain, was here not too long ago—just last week, in fact—touring around Ontario talking about the dangers of Ontario following in Britain's footsteps, and that is going down the road of privatization. Even the Economist, which hardly can be accused of being a left-wing publication, has now come out and declared the British private-public system an unmitigated failure.

So the jury is definitely in on the British experiment with their own medicare system, and we have some examples already now of so-called private-public-funded hospitals and the disaster they may very well present to the public as well.

I'm reading here about a town hall meeting the Ontario Health Coalition had in Brampton. It says here, taking it out of the meeting:

"As the Brampton hospital P3 nears completion, it is evident that not only did capital costs almost double from $350 million to $550 million, but the hospital has been cut almost in half. Bottom line? At almost double the cost, the new hospital will open with 350 instead of the announced 608 beds. The local coalition is calling a meeting to update the community with new information and discuss what can be done to hold those responsible to account for this hospital P3 boondoggle."

For anybody interested, that's going to be on May 9. Of course, we've heard in this House about the disaster that is the North Bay situation, again over budget. I used to be in business. I know that businesses do not invest in anything if they don't hope to get a profit out of what they invest in, and certainly the profit will come at the expense of patient care.

I heard the member from Burlington talk about long-term care. Certainly we've got some serious problems with long-term care in this province as well; again, chipping away at what should be a solid medicare system. We've been saying—the New Democratic Party and others, the Ontario Health Coalition, and of course those who have to work in long-term-care facilities, including many in my own riding—that they need more funding, that they need more staff, that they need at least a minimum average of 3.5 hours per patient per day. In this government's long-term-care bill they do not get that.

In fact, those who are in our long-term-care facilities get about $5.46 a day for food—imagine feeding someone on that—as contrasted with prisoners, who get about $10. So that's the situation in our long-term-care facilities. I've delivered many petitions—so have others in this House—about that totally appalling and shameful situation.

Here is something in the Globe from another group, Cancer Care Ontario, who have presented something again. Here's another arrow into the heart of medicare:

"A proposal that would allow Ontario cancer patients to pay for unfunded, intravenous drugs in public hospitals is 'the answer for only a select few' and will leave a majority of patients without the care they need, a cancer advocacy group says.

"The plan put forward by Cancer Care Ontario—the arm's-length agency that advises the province on all aspects of provincial cancer care—sets the stage for a two-tier medicine system in a province where it should be 'based on equal access for all citizens, regardless of income,' the Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada says."

That's another group that is upset at this attack upon our medicare system—again, something held near and dear to all Canadians and certainly all in Ontario, I would hope.

Another interesting

article here that's a little bit more recent is by Carol Goar, Toronto Star, and she's talking about home care. If you can't find a bed in long-term care and you're on a waiting list for a hospital bed, is there any chance that you'll have some of that same health care at home? Unfortunately not. She points out here: "What can be said with assurance is that unpaid caregivers (mostly women) are still struggling, home care services are still spotty and, according to unofficial estimates, just four cents out of every public health dollar goes into home care." So home care is not an alternative either to the waits for hospital beds and to the wait for a bed in long-term care as well.

It's interesting too that under the guise of the wait time strategy, another privatization move is happening. Again I read from the Ontario Health Coalition:

"The government is converting hospital budgets from global budgets to a wholesale plan to move towards payments for procedures—a market-style pricing system. They have begun to introduce price-based competition for services. In addition, they are moving specific treatments into regional specialist centres (starting with cataracts, hips and knees). Finally, the wait times strategy is focused on a narrow set of specialists' procedures following those set nationally: cataracts, cancer, cardiac, hips and knees, and MRIs and CTs.

"It is ironic that after years of trying to move physicians away from fee-for-service medicine, the government"—and by "government," they mean the government of Dalton McGuinty's Liberals—"is now moving hospitals towards this model."

Shameful, really; absolutely shameful: another arrow at the heart of medicare in this province in a way that even the Harris-Eves government couldn't have foreseen.

It's interesting that those who are in the field—doctors themselves; doctors like Dr. Robert Bell, president and CEO of University Health Network—have both glowing things to say about medicare and disparaging things to say about the way that medicare is being attacked in this province.

I read from an

article here that he wrote, and this was in the Toronto Star. He says, "Although health care costs have increased in Canada over the past 10 years, these increases are comparable to other countries and largely driven by increasing drug charges and new technologies."

He goes on to say, "When we compare Canadian public health insurance to private health insurance costs borne by American industry, it is obvious that tight public control of health care budgets offers a competitive advantage"—and this is an interesting point—"for businesses locating in this country.

"Consider the staggering health care cost faced by General Motors. In 2005, the auto giant's health insurance bill totalled more than $5.3 billion for its 1.1 million US employees, retirees and their dependants. This is at least 50% more than the cost of publicly funded care in Canada."

He concludes by saying, "Access to health care based on need rather than ability to pay is an important defining characteristic of this country's social policy that should be protected rather than deserted."

He goes on to talk about the problem with wait times and fee for service that's again creeping into what we have seen as a public health care system. This goes against what we think is common sense: that public care costs business less than private care. But we have a very good and a very bad example just south of the border of what could happen and what shouldn't happen. We have another example across the ocean in Great Britain of what they had and lost and what we are in the process here in Ontario of perhaps having and also losing.

There's phenomenal information on all of this, of course, but I think if you look at jurisdictional examples, it gives you a pretty good idea of what not to have. The Ontario Health Coalition says, "The introduction of what the British call the 'internal market' has doubled administrative costs."

In our own examples in Ontario—I cited two: Brampton and North Bay—of publicly-privately funded hospitals we see exactly this happening right before our very eyes. We are repeating, unfortunately, British history here, and that's what Frank Dobson came to warn us about just last week.

Of course, all of this is predicated on a broken promise, and that was Dalton McGuinty's broken promise in 2003 that none of this would happen, that privatization would not happen in health care, that medicare was front and centre for the Liberal Party and front and centre on its agenda.

Here I read from our own Murray Campbell of the Globe and Mail: "McGuinty's Forgotten Pledge" is the title of the article. He said, "Mr. McGuinty held firm, however. 'P3s represent an extraordinary departure from our history when it comes to public hospitals,'" and decried the P3s of the Harris-Eves days.

Then, of course, upon election, that promise was readily forgotten, and he is going down the road of P3s faster than Harris and Eves ever did. As Murray said, "And then, miraculously, the concept of P3s died, replaced by something called alternative financing and procurement." That's Orwellian-speak for P3 hospitals, and that's what's happening in our province right now.

It's a sad day across Ontario to see what is happening in medicare. It's a sad day to see hospitals starved for cash. Certainly this particular motion to see more cash go into a hospital in Burlington—and I know there's going to be another motion this morning calling for cash for yet another hospital, and hopefully I'll have a chance to speak to that as well, dealing with mothers and babies and putting their health at risk.

Certainly we want to see more money go to these hospitals. We want to see more money go into publicly funded hospitals and publicly funded medicare. Why? Because it's safer, delivers a better quality of health care, and it's cheaper. There are absolutely no reasons not to fully fund our public medicare system—absolutely none. Unfortunately, due to one-can-only-wonder-what pressures, we're going down that road.

I'd like to conclude where I started with an homage to Tommy Douglas, the father of medicare, 60 years ago today. It's interesting that in that same year, 1947, he also brought in Canada's first bill of rights. We were talking about charter rights recently—well, this set the stage for charter rights a lot earlier than the federal government ever moved on that. So a bill of rights, the first publicly funded health care system and a provincial budget that didn't go into the red: all of those possible but only possible where you have a fully funded, public medicare system.

I'm happy to support this motion and I'm happy to support the motion after it. I'd like to see a motion calling for full funding for all of our health care without corporate sponsorship, without selling off our health care facilities to private interests.

Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn (Oakville): It certainly is a pleasure to join the debate this morning. I will say right from the start that it's good to finally see a Conservative standing up for a hospital in Burlington. That's about the best thing I can say about this motion and the only positive thing I can say about this motion we see before us this morning.

What needs to be explained is: How is this funding going to be given to all these hospitals while the leader of the official opposition has confirmed on a number of occasions that he wants to cut—not add—$2.5 billion from the health care system in this province and build hospitals at the same time? This isn't making a whole lot of sense.

This morning was a little ironic, I think, because the Progressive Conservatives in Burlington are a little late to this argument on Joe Brant funding. If it hadn't been for Joan Lougheed in the last by-election raising the issue—Joan is a former Tory and makes no bones about it. Joan used to belong to the Progressive Conservative Party and decided, after years and years of that hospital being ignored by that party—she felt so strongly about it she was prepared to change allegiances because she saw what was happening around this province. She saw how our party was beginning to get its hands around this problem that we'd been left with.

What had we been left with? The Ontario Hospital Association, a non-partisan organization that gives us information on the state of hospitals, estimated that when we took over there was an $8-billion hospital deficit in this province that had been left by the Conservative government. When Joe Brant decided that it needed to go ahead, where did it look to get support? Did it look to its own member in Burlington? Perhaps they did. I'll tell you, though, I was at a meeting with the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, the member from Stoney Creek and the mayor of Burlington at the time, Rob MacIsaac.

I was at another meeting with the member from Flamborough—Dundas—Aldershot—Ancaster, asking for the same thing.

I'm the member for Oakville. I'm fighting for a hospital in my own community. The member from Stoney Creek and the member from Flamborough and other places are fighting for health in their own community. Who was fighting for the people of Burlington when they needed it most? Not Conservatives. Three Liberals had to go to bat to try and get the funding for this hospital. When Joan Lougheed decided she was going to be our candidate, she made sure that this was going to be the issue.

While Halton region grew in size and while folks like Oakvillegreen and other people came forward to the region and said, "It's okay to grow like this. What are you doing about the infrastructure deficit? What are you doing about the hospitals? What are you doing about the schools? What are you doing about the greenbelt? What are you doing about the loss of green lands?" they were all but ignored. The growth was allowed to take place. Thankfully, in Oakville we've seen a change. We've got a new council in Oakville that understands that if you're going to grow in population, you need to plan for it.

What have the Conservatives done to Joseph Brant hospital? You would think from listening this morning they had done all sorts of wonderful things. The Tories cut—not added, cut—$3.3 million from that hospital. They cut acute care beds across this province by 22%. I don't think the previous member enjoyed that good a relationship with the hospital board, as I understand it. It's really none of my business, but I get the feeling that it wasn't the friendliest of relationships.

The Conservatives closed 28 hospitals across this province, and now they bring forward a motion like this today as if during their time in office they had done just a wonderful job. We are delivering new hospitals. We're building new hospitals across the province. When the Conservatives were in power, they closed hospitals. People don't forget that.

This is a wonderful plan put forward by Joe Brant hospital. It's a plan I support. They've been given the funding from the Ministry of Health to move ahead with that plan. They're competing with other projects, obviously, all around the province. Since we've been in power, new funding that has gone to Joe Brant hospital is in the order of $25 million—not closing hospitals; adding $25 million to the budget. Thirty-nine new nurses have been hired at Joe Brant hospital since 2003.

We have a lot to be proud of in Ontario. I'll put the record of the McGuinty government and Liberals, when it comes to health care in this province, against the mess that was left behind by the Harris-Eves years that did nothing for the people of Burlington.

Mrs. Christine Elliott (Whitby—Ajax): I'm very honoured today to rise to speak to my colleague from Burlington's first private member's resolution, but I also have to say I find it disappointing that tabling this resolution is even necessary. The fact of the matter is, I can't help but draw a parallel between my colleague and myself. Like her, I was elected in a by-election in a 905 region outside Toronto, and also like her, funding for health care was the number one concern that I heard about as I went door to door in the by-election in March 2006.

As a result of this overwhelming concern, I made a commitment to the people of Whitby—Ajax, whom I represent, that I would make their voices heard in this Legislature on health care issues, and I honoured that commitment by tabling a private member's bill almost exactly a year ago that's quite similar to the one that was brought forward by my colleague today. I called on this government to immediately increase health care funding in Durham region to the provincial average and thereafter to develop and implement health care funding in Durham region based on population growth.

Taxpayer money from Durham and Halton represents 5% and 4% respectively of the total premium revenue generated by Dalton McGuinty's regressive health tax, yet there exists a $740-million funding gap between what is made available for the GTA and 905 regions and what is provided to the rest of Ontario. That is simply not fair. Halton, Durham, York and Peel represent 25% of the population of Ontario, yet calls to equalize the massive funding gap that exists in our communities have repeatedly been ignored by this government.

And not only that, we have recently heard specifically in my riding that Lakeridge Health Corp. has been directed by this government to cut almost $3 million in children's mental health services, adult mental health services and addiction services, and this has had a devastating impact on our community, I can tell you.

All we hear from this government are self-congratulatory announcements such as the minister's continued claims to have reduced wait times for various procedures, including cancer surgery, hip and knee replacements and angioplasties, but we also know, thanks to the Provincial Auditor's report, that these numbers need to be taken with "a grain of salt," and I believe that was an exact quote.

We also hear from this government that they are committed to prioritizing access to health care services at home, yet in the GTA-905 area, our residents are continually forced to travel extensively outside of our region in order to receive the necessary services.

I say to this government that it's time to stop talking and start acting on this matter. Residents in the GTA-905 regions are sick of hearing about these laudatory announcements regarding your supposed commitment to health care as they wait desperately for funding for health care services, and especially for hospitals such as Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington—and the need for a new full-service hospital in my own community of Whitby.

The McGuinty government decided to use their majority to defeat my resolution, a result that was very disappointing to my constituents. I would therefore like to use this opportunity to urge the government members to listen to the concerns that are being voiced through the member from Burlington today, to listen to what we're saying and to renew the commitment to rebuild the hospitals in these communities and to grant the money that is so desperately needed for the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital and for many other regions, including my own, Durham region.

The fact of the matter is that this issue is the number one concern of millions of Ontarians, and this concern is not going to go away. So I would urge the government members to listen to what is being said today and to support this motion accordingly.

The Acting Speaker: Further debate? The member for Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot.

Mr. Ted McMeekin (Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot): And all those other places, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

I'm pleased to rise today to speak, notwithstanding a failing voice, to this particular resolution. I want to say at the outset that Joseph Brant hospital has an amazing history. It is one of the finest hospitals in the province. Mr. Scott and his entire team down there work exceedingly hard, often under trying circumstances, to deliver the kind of health care system that the good people in Burlington and every other community in this great province deserve. I want to begin by applauding their efforts and the efforts of the staff there who work so hard every single day to care for our people.

I happen to live in a community known as Waterdown, just north of Burlington. About 8% of the people of Waterdown routinely use Joseph Brant hospital as the hospital of choice. I even have a spouse who's a family physician who's been known to deliver the odd child at Joseph Brant, a wonderful facility for those purposes as well. I want to begin by saying that.

I also want to say just in passing that I was a very good friend of Tommy Douglas's. We spent time together talking about health care. We'll never know for sure, but I think if Tommy were here today, he would be quite prepared to stand in whatever place he is and praise at least the direction of this government in terms of trying to deal with the infrastructure shortfall and meet the needs of people. Tommy always understood that there was a need for a balance between the private and the public sectors in terms of delivering health care. Even in Saskatchewan, he understood that. If you read some of his speeches from the House of Commons, you'll learn some important lessons there.

I want to just, in speaking directly to the motion, make a couple of observations. First of all, I understand the honourable member opposite wanting to stand up for her community. Any decent MPP worth his or her salt would be knee-jerk in support of their community, and so I applaud her for that. I do need to point out, however, that governments don't release $40 million to the proud people of any community without there being a plan.

I think the member opposite said, "And this $1.5 million in planning money will go for naught if we don't get the $40 million." Well, when the $1.5 million to do the study was announced, there was absolute and overwhelming rejoicing in the Burlington community, particularly in the hospital community, that we were finally getting on with it, that a government was in place that finally understand and was prepared to move forward. They understood.

They made the leap of understanding that when you fund and undertake to fund planning a major capital project, particularly in the spirit that this new government entered into that discussion, that carries with it an understanding that if that plan, all things being equal, can be sustained in terms of showing a clear need, the government will come to the table with the funding. They understood that, and I think that will be the case. So the hospital sector is an important sector.

The member opposite also spoke about bed warmers, the people who should be in long-term-care facilities. I think that's an important issue too. This government, through the LHIN system and other initiatives, is trying very hard to direct increasingly more monies into the community sector. One of the ways to do that, obviously, is to get on with home care and long-term care, which is another priority we have.

I'm pleased to speak. We'll see how this resolution goes. But let's be real about it, not silly. You don't just write a cheque for $40 million without the plan being in place first. That, in fact, would be irresponsible. Even Tommy Douglas would understand that.

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener—Waterloo): I'm certainly pleased to join the debate today, the resolution put forward by the member for Burlington which states that "the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care should immediately identify Burlington's Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital for inclusion on the ministry's capital projects priorities list," and, of course, release the $40 million needed for the Joseph Brant hospital renewal project.

I want to congratulate the member from Burlington. This is her first private member's bill; yesterday she had her maiden speech. She has come into this Legislature with a wealth of experience. She is a highly respected individual who has served as a city and a regional councillor and as Halton chair. She has long taken a passionate interest in what is needed for the people in Burlington.

Unfortunately, in this case we have a hospital, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, that has a desperate need for renewal. We've heard about the operating rooms that are about 50 years old, and we all know that, with the new designs, they simply don't meet the needs of today with the new technology. We have an outdated facility, a facility that is not keeping up with the tremendous growth that we're seeing in the Burlington community, and that growth includes a lot of seniors, who also need increased care.

Since she has been involved in other levels of government—municipal and regional—she has been a strong advocate for the hospital. She continues to be a strong advocate for the hospital. I support her in this request. For three and a half years there has been a proposal on the desk of the minister of this Liberal government. There has been no response to put this hospital on the priority list, despite the fact that if you don't deal with this inefficient, outdated structure, you simply are not going to provide the needed medical services that the people in the Burlington community deserve today.

It's impossible to reduce your wait times and it's impossible to decrease the emergency room response times unless you get moving on a plan for capital renewal. The plan is desperately needed. This government talks about improving health services, but I would say to you that we see little in the way of improvement. In fact, if you asked people today, they would probably tell you they're not sure where the health tax went. Yet the people of Burlington have paid more than $100 million into the health tax with nothing whatsoever to show for it.

I would strongly urge this government to recognize the needs of the people in the Burlington community, as the member for Burlington has done. I would encourage them to support this resolution today and make sure that Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital is put on the ministry's capital projects priorities list. The people of Burlington deserve no less.

Ms. Jennifer F. Mossop (Stoney Creek): It's a pleasure to rise today to speak to this motion. When I started out and I read it, I was very clear about some of the things I wanted to say. But when you listen to the debate in here, you go, "Gee, do I speak to this very deserving motion put forward by this member or do I try to unwind some of the weird spinning of tales that has been going on since she put forward her motion today?" But let's start with the importance of this motion.

Private members' time in the Legislature is probably one of the most valuable times for members because they get an opportunity to speak from the heart about the things that are very important to them, to the members of their community, to their ridings and their constituents. There isn't a person in here who doesn't know that probably the most important thing to the people of Burlington is Joe Brant hospital, and I know that—as was already alluded to by my colleague the member from Oakville—because I spent time touring that hospital.

I know exactly the things first-hand that you spoke of. I had a meeting with the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal; the member from Oakville was there, our member from the place of many names was there as well; and we have been advocating strongly for this as well. I know how hard it is because I have a hospital in my community that I had to fight for. It was slated for closure under the previous government. A 7,000-member candlelight vigil—just people of the community—got together and saved that hospital. Then they started the campaign to rebuild it, because it was built in the 1940s initially and they've added pieces on here and there.

I fought very hard to get my hospital on the agenda to be rebuilt, because the backlog in this province is horrific. Hospitals weren't being rebuilt under the previous government; they were being closed. Now we have kept them open and we are rebuilding and we are moving forward.

The member opposite talked about the need to change that hospital because of all the new technologies. That old hospital can't house the new technologies. Then I hear from the member from the New Democratic Party saying, "Oh, in Tommy Douglas's time it was all fine. Why can't they do it that way?"

You know what? It costs a lot more to do some of the operations that are required now. Why should we pay somebody to do an eight-hour operation when it can take one hour with the new technologies that are available? If we can buy a machine—a laser hip surgery machine costs $300,000—how many of those should we buy? How many of your tax dollars do you want us to spend on $300,000 laser hip surgery machines? How many should we buy?

We have to balance that new technology, which is very expensive, and make sure that we strategically place them around the province so that as many people as possible can have access to them. Then we have to have the personnel to man them, so that as many people as possible can access that new technology.

Laser eye surgery at St. Joseph's—the community health centre right in my riding—we actually funded two state-of-the-art rooms there. There was a state-of-the-art room sitting there that could do laser cataract surgery but it wasn't being funded. So we flowed the money to that place, not in the big expensive hospitals but into that community care location. People can go in in the morning, and they have trouble seeing. They come out at noon hour and they can see. That is the wise use of dollars.

This isn't Tommy Douglas's time. You don't break your leg and we put you in an ambulance and you go and get a cast on. Everybody wants that quintuple bypass if they need it, and they want it now. That costs money.

So we balance, and we analyze the costs of the new technologies and how we can strategically place them in this province and how we can strategically get as many people as possible manning those machines so that as many people as possible in this province can have access to the surgeries that they are demanding.

I won't listen anymore to all this tale-spinning that I hear all the time. I am sick of people being really just not quite straightforward. Yes, there's new information, but it must be accurate information. I want people to critically think when they hear things. Ask tough questions and make sure you're getting good information.

The Acting Speaker: The member for Burlington has two minutes to respond.

Mrs. Savoline: It's disappointing to hear politics being played out in this chamber—talking about past members' performances and that kind of thing. I think that's disrespectful to the issue at hand, quite frankly.

The long waiting times that every community is suffering—even the member from Oakville knows that even though he has a new site for his new hospital, that hospital can't access money until 2013, long after the burgeoning waiting lists and the walls are expanding with the number of people who need services at the existing hospital.

Playing politics with these critical issues is not something that sits well with me. In fact, I've read this to you before. On my opponent's website in the previous by-election, it said, "She can immediately start working from within government to get more beds and better services for Joseph Brant. As a Liberal MPP, she can deliver." What does that mean? That a member with any other political party stripe has no influence in this Liberal government? Shame.

Let me tell you that in 2003 McGuinty promised to unclog emergency rooms. In March 2005, the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians said that the lack of beds in hospital wards and intensive care units was a direct result of the overcrowding. ER physicians came to Queen's Park, and they said that Ontario's Ombudsman should investigate their complaints. The minister responded by saying that the coalition only represents 20% of the province's ER doctors.

The minister continues to dismiss people who bring good information forward to this chamber, and I encourage the members to vote for my resolution today.

The Acting Speaker: That concludes the time for our first ballot item.

STEVENSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Mr. Jim Wilson (Simcoe—Grey): I move that, in the opinion of this House, the Ontario Liberal government should provide Stevenson Memorial Hospital with the required $1.4 million in new funding over the next three years so that it can reopen its birthing unit and ensure that enough obstetricians and health care providers can be recruited to supply a stable and ongoing service for expectant mothers in New Tecumseth, Adjala-Tosorontio and Essa.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Mr. Wilson has moved private member's notice of motion number 55. I recognize the member for Simcoe—Grey for his presentation.

Mr. Wilson: I just want to apologize to my over 200 guests today. We're having a little difficulty getting everybody into the House. I hope they'll all get in soon.

I'm happy to rise and lead off the debate on my private member's resolution to reopen the birthing unit at Stevenson Memorial Hospital in my hometown of Alliston. Alliston is where I was raised. Growing up, I pumped gas at my grandfather's Loretto Tavern and Store and bagged groceries at the Alliston IGA. My father owned Jack Wilson Appliances on Victoria Street and my mother, Theresa, taught at St. Paul's school for over 33 years. My family has lived in the area for more than 200 years. When I was growing up we lived on Banting Drive, just a stone's throw away from Stevenson Memorial Hospital. My parents continue to live in Alliston on Queen Street just behind the bowling alley.

For as long as I can remember, Stevenson Memorial Hospital has always provided a high level of care to the people of our community. In fact, in the past year they've been recognized as one of the top five hospitals in Ontario when it comes to providing shorter waiting times for cataract surgery. Despite the challenges that almost every hospital in Ontario faces with respect to physician recruitment and coverage, they have managed to cope with 33,000 emergency visits a year. This is a number that is comparable to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and certainly higher than any other comparable community hospital.

The staff, volunteers and health care providers deserve great credit for these accomplishments. Furthermore, our obstetrician and midwives, nurses and staff of the former obstetrical unit deserve our unending praise for making every effort over the past few years to keep the unit open, and we're all here to thank you for a job well done.

On December 15, 2006, the hospital chose to close its labour and delivery program as a result of funding and medical manpower shortages. The community's objection to this closure was so incredible that over 500 people attended a public meeting on this issue on November 30, 2006. That's one of the largest public meetings I've ever witnessed in my riding. Not only that, but several key hospital donors have put the hospital on notice, advising that their contributions are contingent on a local obstetrical unit. Honda, our region's largest employer, has voiced similar concerns directly to the Ministry of Health.

This closure is not only about pride and inconvenience, but moreover it's about safety. Since December, expectant mothers in our area have been forced to drive, at the very least, 45 minutes to another hospital in Orangeville, Barrie or Newmarket to give birth.

In the gallery today is Marie Quincy. She spoke out front just a few minutes ago. She gave birth in the emergency department during this closure, with the help of midwives. We're also joined by Tamara Fishcher-Cullen and Angela Cole, two expectant mothers whose babies should be born in Alliston. And there is another mother, Katie Able, who gave birth on the way to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, not in the hospital but in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Had we had a local obstetrical unit, this would never have happened.

She was fortunate that this happened in the spring and not during the winter months when treacherous driving conditions on our rural roads often force the closure of Highway 89 and Highway 400 for hours at a time.

In such a prosperous province like Ontario, I find it passing strange that the government would use the back of a taxicab or ambulance as an alternative to being born in a local hospital. I find it also very strange that this government would campaign on a promise to bring health care services closer to home but is now telling expectant mothers to drive away from home to give birth to their babies.

Our community has taken great strides and concerted efforts to come up with a sustainable solution to this problem. Not long after the announced closure, a community advisory committee was struck to explore options to maintain a sustainable obstetrics unit. The community, under the very capable leadership of Sylvia Biffis, has presented a very workable plan. As well, we are waiting for a report from Jessica Hill, the provincially appointed convenor. I'm hopeful that the government will look at these reports and see its way to fully funding whatever model is deemed suitable toward our objective of reopening the birthing unit and providing obstetrical care.

Stevenson Memorial Hospital has capacity for up to 584 births per year. The current estimated number of babies being born in the hospital's catchment area is 854. This includes New Tecumseth, Adjala-Tosorontio, Essa and Innisfil. What we need is bridge funding to repatriate these births back to Stevenson Memorial. It is assumed that in 2007-08, we could achieve 260 births at the hospital; in 2008-09, this could jump to 350; and in the following year, it could reach 500, which would provide the hospital with enough births to sustain obstetrics under its own budget.

The help we need from the province is $601,000 in year one, $411,000 in year two, and $351,000 in year three, for a total of $1.4 million over the next three years.

Under present circumstances, there is no way that the hospital can afford full obstetrical and birthing services without the support from the province, and that's why we're all here today. This is a very small and reasonable request, I say to the government, when you consider we are dealing with a $37.9-billion health care budget. Our request is merely a fraction of a per cent; in fact, it's 0.0037% of the health budget.

The government can't tell us they don't have the money. We know that provincial revenues were $3.4 billion higher than expected this past fiscal year, and your debt servicing costs were $600 million lower than expected. So that's $4 billion more you have to spend than you expected to take in this year. With $4 billion more than you budgeted, you could easily eliminate the health tax and put $1.4 million into Stevenson Memorial Hospital.

In last month's budget, the government gave a $50-million grant to the Magna corporation, hardly the poorest company I've ever heard of. You also found $5 million for Tom Parkinson's severance package from Hydro One. And yesterday, we learned in the Toronto Star that you pushed $20 million out the door in a year-end political slush fund. Yet you can't find $1.4 million for expectant mothers and their babies in Alliston.

Just to help highlight what an emotional and important issue this is, I want to read part of a letter I received from Erin Watson of Alliston. She wrote:

"Mr. Wilson:

"Please continue to fight to keep the birthing unit at Stevenson Memorial Hospital. I delivered all three of my children there within the last eight years, and without the hospital being so close, I don't know what I would have done when I had my first two children. I didn't have a car at the time and was a single mom. We have many single moms in our community that don't have transportation to and from Barrie and Newmarket. I could go on for hours giving reasons that closing the birthing unit would be a disaster for this community.

"I am raising my three girls here in Alliston and I want them to have the opportunity to have their babies in the same hospital that they were born in, years from now. With the outcry that this has brought forward, I am disgusted that it's being considered further. If there is anything I can do to help stop this, please let me know. I am more than happy to help."

This is just a sample of the many, many letters and e-mails I have received. It speaks volumes as to how important and emotional it is to welcome into the world new human life. Mothers deserve this government's full support.

I must remind the government that prior to the announcement that our birthing unit would be closed, you secretly agreed to let the birthing unit go and you helped the hospital establish new prenatal and postnatal programs, but so far you won't fund birthing. So I ask, don't you think it's cruel to force women to have their prenatal and postnatal care in different places and then give birth somewhere else? What about continuity of care, and the need and ability to develop good relationships with doctors and midwives? What about privacy?

After all, giving birth is a very personal matter, and having to deal with different health care providers at various locations can't be of much comfort to expectant mothers.

For as long as I am the member of provincial Parliament, I want to see a general hospital in Alliston with as many services as can possibly be provided to the public, and I'm not alone in this view. As I said, with me today are 200 people in the public galleries who have travelled from my riding to be here for this debate. They are hardworking, community-minded people who are very much representative of our area and are truly passionate about the need to provide obstetrical care in Alliston.

Our goal is to build the best birthing unit in Ontario, but we can't do that without the government's help. We're not here today to criticize the government or to make this issue a political football; we are here to ask the government to give us a chance to prove that we can do it. In my 16 years as an MPP, I can say that today represents the largest group of concerned citizens that have ever come down from my riding to Queen's Park to show support for an issue. They are here to show the government that our community is united in its determination to reopen the birthing unit. After all, as our slogan says, our babies deserve to be born in Alliston.

The Acting Speaker: I have to ask our visitors: You are not allowed to clap, as much as you might agree with your MPP.

Further debate?

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri (Etobicoke North): First of all, it's a privilege to speak on this particular ballot item. I would first of all like to commend the MPP for Simcoe Grey, Mr. Wilson, for not only publicizing this issue but also reaching out to his own constituents and bringing this to our attention.

I would like to speak, with respect, on a number of different fronts. First of all, I speak not only as a member of provincial Parliament in Etobicoke North but also as a family doctor who has delivered probably several hundred children in different hospitals across this province; as well, I might add, as the son of an obstetrician-gynecologist, and hailing from, I guess, an obsessively medical family, if I can put it that way. So I hope that I might be able to contribute at least some perspectives, wearing these dual or triple hats: as a practitioner, as an individual who is engaged in obstetrics and gynecology and, as I say, with my particular family background.

While I can certainly appreciate the concerns that Mr. Wilson, the MPP for Simcoe—Grey, has brought forward, particularly as it echoes the hearts and minds and aspirations of so many of our visitors, I would, with respect, like to inform not only you but the people of Ontario, and particularly our visitors, about his own record with regard to hospital funding and the diffusion of medical care across Ontario.

I would like to say, with as much respect as I'm capable of, that his recent conversion to the expansion of hospital services—yes, for his particular community—is particularly difficult for us as the government now to digest or to accept, given his own record in power. I would like to share that with you, if I may.

To begin with, from a press release of February 23, 1996, the then sitting Minister of Health who, as he quite rightly says, was at the forefront, at the helm, of a multi-billion dollar budget, who had his opportunity to fund, to build and to expand as much at will as he possibly could, given the advice of the day—his new funding approach for hospitals was this: "Transfers to hospitals will be reduced by $365 million in year one; $435 million in year two and $570 million in year three." So I'd like it to be clear about where the cuts, the diminishment, the reduction of hospital care, health care in this province occurred.

I can attest to that not only as an MPP, not only with research that's being provided to us through government circles, but, as I say, as a practising physician who was in that system when all of these cuts were happening.

Now having said that, the record extends and the—

Interjection.

Mr. Qaadri: Sir, I listened to you with respect and with dignity, and I would simply ask that you yourself, MPP for Simcoe—Grey, particularly given your community members are here, do the same.

I would also like to inform all members, not only members of this Legislature, but also the people of Ontario and, in particular, the community members from Simcoe—Grey, that during that particular record of the Tories from 1995 to 1998, the golden era of the Mike Harris regime, they cut $500,000 from Stevenson Memorial Hospital.

So again, I would simply say to you, Speaker, to the people of Ontario and to those assembled here, that the recent conversion, or, yes, your heartfelt request for funding, is slightly difficult for us to digest because when you, sir, and your party were at the helm, were in the corridors of power, when you had the full opportunities to increase funding, to expand, to maybe create a local centre of excellence of obstetrics and gynaecology, we wonder why that did not happen.

The other thing I would like to also extend—this is old news; it's 1996. We've moved on 10, 11 years. We can't always be citing elements from the past. As Oscar Wilde said, no man can run from his past, even though some may try. But let's bring it up to date. The current Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Tory, has committed to reducing health care funding by slashing or removing the health premium by $2.5 billion. Now let's be clear about that. That's a matter of public record. It's not something that is being done in a covert ops kind of way. It is on the public record.

Those of us who are in health care and who watch health care and babysit health care are slightly beside ourselves to reconcile these requests that continually come from the opposition for projects across Ontario with this initiative or this commitment for reducing health care by $2.5 billion. The two cannot happen.

So while I salute the MPP for Simcoe—Grey for bringing this to our attention, which, by the way, an expert panel is considering at this moment, as I say, you really have to live your own record and walk your own talk, because for those of us who are in health care, who deliver babies, who take care of people on a day-to-day basis, these are not mere words to us. This is not mere political posturing or gesturing. These are things that are going to help people and deal with people and reach people on a day-to-day basis long after any of us are still in this place. And with that, I would now offer the floor to my colleague.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi (Northumberland): I want to follow the footsteps that my colleague just presented. First of all, I understand why the folks are here today. I understand why the member for Simcoe—Grey has brought this ballot item forward. I come from a rural community. Health care and education are probably the things that are closest to the ground these days in our communities. I represent a riding that has an elderly population, and health care is even more important. That's not to say that obstetrics is not; it is very important.

I guess I best relate to things that I've experienced. I'm one who believes in "touch, feel and see"; I can relate to it better than just reading from a script. About 10 years ago, the community that I happened to be mayor of, Brighton, in the county of Northumberland, was faced with the closure of a hospital in Trenton that served probably 90% of that community. It was done under the auspices of the Health Services Restructuring Commission. We were going to lose that hospital that was very dear to the folks of Trenton and Quinte West, very dear to the municipality of Brighton. And the same thing happened: Busloads of people came to Queen's Park.

Interjection.

Mr. Rinaldi: You know what? I didn't come that day. I guess we are really touching a nerve here.

Interjection.

Mr. Rinaldi: Do they want their time, Mr. Speaker? We listened attentively because I know it's very important to those people, and I'm quite disturbed that they're not even—

Interjection.

Mr. Rinaldi: So those people came here, and do you know what? They managed to save the Trenton hospital site. They managed to save it, but they lost obstetrics out of it. So when I talk about the personal feeling towards that type of function—the folks in Brighton and Quinte West now have to go to Belleville for obstetrics, which has probably one of the finest obstetrics departments in that part of the province.

I guess it will be five years ago next month—I've got to count now; my wife will probably get upset at this. It was probably my fifth grandchild, and yes, we had to drive about 20 minutes. My son and daughter-in-law live in Colborne, a little bit farther west, and they had to go to the Belleville hospital site. But I can say without regret that, yes, if there were obstetrics in Trenton, they were probably about 20 minutes closer, but I know that the obstetrics in Trenton didn't have equipment, even when it was running, as good as the one in Belleville.

There were some complications which, thank God, don't happen very often. This was a serious situation, and I can tell you that the team of doctors at the Belleville hospital unequivocally assured my son, his wife, my daughter-in-law, and the grandparents on both sides that if it hadn't been for the equipment available at the well-equipped obstetrics department in Belleville, I would be less one grandson today. That's a sad thing to say.

So, not to devalue the issue of why these folks are here today and why the member from Simcoe—Grey is fighting, but I think we all go through those things of trying to have the best possible equipment anywhere, you know, in our backyards. With today's technology and today's availability of that type of equipment, the reality is that we cannot have a fully equipped hospital in every one of our backyards as much as we would like to. I would be the first one to fight for that, but we have to face reality.

I know there have been some challenges at this particular hospital, at Stevenson Memorial. I'm sure it's a great hospital, otherwise these people wouldn't be here today. They need to be congratulated for speaking up for their hospital. I think we all do that, whether we are in government or not in government, in the opposition. I can tell you, although I wasn't here, that I lost a hospital in Port Hope. The folks in Port Hope, in the west end of my riding, still remember. They all had given money, there was a foundation and all those good things, but they did lose a hospital.

So not in this capacity but as a local mayor from a neighbouring municipality, I fully understand what it is like to lose services.

One of the things I will add to this is that there has been—at least from the information I was given, and hopefully I'm correct—in this particular case a lack of obstetricians to fulfill the commitment. And yes, there is a lack of specialists, there is a lack of doctors, not just from this government but from the previous government as well, and the government before that, I must say. So we can blame all we want, but the reality is that there is a lack of professionals out there that we all need to work together to rebuild.

I have three hospitals in my riding, and do you know what? There's a shortage of physicians. There are shortages of family doctors. It's particularly an issue in rural Ontario.

I would say to the folks in the gallery and to the member opposite from Simcoe—Grey that nobody is objecting to the reality of this issue. The challenge is, how do we keep an obstetrics wing open when there are no obstetricians to look after it, when there's not the proper equipment? I think we have to be very concerned about safety, because when people walk into a hospital, whether it's for obstetrics or whatever other emergency, we want to make sure that we have the best professionals, the best equipment to deal with them. I think as Ontarians we deserve that.

We know we've had this. This is non-partisan. I have no problem going to my doctor or to a hospital, because when I go through that door I know that they are the best possible people. Unfortunately, there is a shortage. I guess I could stand here and point fingers, but that's not going to solve the problem.

We need to move those yardsticks. I know, from my notes, that there's a panel that has been appointed that's working on the issue in this particular case. I would encourage the folks from the community to work with this panel, recognize those needs, and let's try to move forward.

For somebody to ask, "Let's just do this," without any proper background, without trying to deal with the tools that we need to solve the issue, it would be just as well to say, "I want to go to the moon today." Well, that ain't going to happen that quickly. So I would suggest that we follow a process. Just to support this motion on a whim, at will, is going to be very difficult for me to do.

Having said that, I see my time is expiring. I congratulate the folks for being down here today because I know how dear this is to them. We're working with you and we're hoping to solve the problem as soon as possible.

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener—Waterloo): I want to congratulate the member for Simcoe—Grey. He is a former Minister of Health and he has fought passionately for 16 or 17 years in this Legislature on behalf of the people in the riding that he represents. Certainly this is one of the issues that he has been most passionate about, and that is to ensure that women and families in his community continue to have access to the birthing unit and the obstetrical care that is needed as close to home as possible.

In that desire to ensure that $1.4 million is provided to Stevenson Memorial Hospital, I would say to you that this member is right on track with the recommendations of reports that have been released in recent months here in the province of Ontario and elsewhere. In fact, there is a report that was done by the Ontario Women's Health Council. It was released last September, 2006.

Unfortunately, this government has taken absolutely no action on the report whatsoever, despite the fact that I have a letter here from the Association of Ontario Midwives and I have received other letters from those who are involved in the delivery of obstetrical and birthing care. We are headed for a crisis in maternity care in Ontario. There is a growing need to take action.

If we take a look at the report that's been sitting on the minister's desk, the vision that this panel had is this: Every woman in Ontario should have access to high-quality woman- and family-centred maternity care as close to home as possible. That's what this member is trying to ensure happens in his community in order that his hospital can continue to remain open and that the births will continue to take place. As a person who has given birth myself, I know how important that is.

This report of the Ontario Women's Health Council, which we set up when we were in office, goes on to state that we must ensure we can integrate services so that women and newborns can receive health care services close to home.

You know what else it says? And maybe that's why this government is taking no action. It also says that we need to declare a moratorium on maternity care program closures in those communities where there are decisions being made. Certainly, Stevenson Memorial Hospital would qualify. If these recommendations had been implemented, if it wasn't sitting on the minister's desk, then the people in the Alliston community would have had support from the government, the $1.4 million would have been provided, and we wouldn't be debating this resolution today.

The government has an opportunity to step up to the plate. We have a crisis not just in the Alliston community; we have a crisis throughout the province of Ontario. The reality is, we have a growing population and we need to respond to the concerns. More and more women throughout this province are currently unable to access the care they need, and there are certainly reasons for concern. We are seeing closures, such as the one that has happened at Stevenson Memorial Hospital, across the province, and that is reason for concern. We know that, unfortunately, the communities that are impacted by the closures are rural and northern communities.

That report and other reports also talk about the fact that when you have these closures in communities and women and their families are forced to travel distances for care, you are putting these women at enormous risk. I think my colleague has alluded to some of the situations that have occurred. When I was about to give birth to my first child, I was glad that I didn't have to go miles and miles and miles, because, I'll tell you, things happen pretty quickly. I was glad that the hospital was in my local community.

If you take a look at the reports, they state that once you start to remove these birthing units and the obstetrical care further away from home, women are put at risk when they are required to travel longer, and we know that in this province, with our winters and our weather, it is potentially unsafe at times to travel by car. We need to take that into consideration.

We need to move forward. We need to recognize there is a crisis in the province of Ontario. We need to recognize that a panel report has been released; it is recommending changes. However, the government has not acted on the changes whatsoever. We need to take in this province a woman-centred approach to maternity care. It is important that women have access to birthing units within their communities and that they can be attended by the maternity care provider of their choice. We need to always place the needs of the mother and the child at the centre of any care that we provide.

Today I strongly support the resolution that has been put forward by my colleague. It is really in the same vein as the recommendations coming out of the women's health council report, and that is that we need to put a moratorium on these closures of birthing units and the provision of obstetrical care in these smaller rural and northern communities. There are definitely advantages to making sure—in fact, it is recommended. Every report you look at talks about the need for the care to be provided as close to home as possible, and we need to do this. We need to recognize that maternity care is important.

It is a priority, and it should be for all governments. We need to be developing a comprehensive provincial strategy.

I hope that this member's resolution, which has been put on the table and which speaks not only to the situation in his community but the situation throughout the province of Ontario, will finally motivate this government to develop a strategy that would recognize the need to put women and their children at the centre of health care, a strategy that would ensure that they are able to deliver their children as close to home as possible and that recognizes that there are obstacles and safety risks if that is not allowed to happen.

I congratulate my colleague. He has worked hard. I have been in this Legislature since he has, since 1990. He has been a passionate advocate, and I'll tell you, to bring out more than 200 people from your community is remarkable. I want to congratulate and thank the people for being here, for speaking out and letting the government know that you want to make sure your children, your future generations, will have the opportunity to be born at Stevenson Memorial Hospital. Thank you for coming, and thank you to my colleague.

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches—East York): It is a privilege and a pleasure to stand today to speak in support of this motion from my colleague from Simcoe—Grey.

First of all, I would like to thank the people who have taken the time, I'm sure, out of their very busy lives to come down here to the Legislature to see exactly what happens and perhaps how government does not work.

This is the second such motion today. Private members' business is an opportunity for a private member who cannot otherwise get something accomplished through the various machinations of government to come before the Legislature and put his or her case before colleagues, to try to indicate, usually to backbench members and members of the opposition, how the government in some way is not listening to the needs of his or her community.

I think the member from Simcoe—Grey has done an admirable job today in putting forward the need, and why there needs to be a birthing unit in Alliston. It seems to me rudimentary, it seems to me absolutely plain, that this is something every community would want to have. I cannot understand why the government would not provide a facility to your community or, quite literally, any other community in this province that asks for something as simple and as basic in a hospital as a birthing unit.

What he is asking for today by government standards is probably one of the smallest amounts of money I've ever heard anyone ask for—$1.4 million. From time to time there are people who ask for less, but in the grand scheme of a $70-billion or $80-billion amount of money that is spent in this province annually or in the small scheme of $38 billion that is spent for health care in this province, $1.4 million spread out over three years is pretty small potatoes.

As a private member, he has put forward this motion, and as a private member, his colleague the member from Burlington put forward a similar one about an hour ago, simply asking that their community be listened to and that they be granted what the rest of us in the province seem to take for granted. The reason he has had to do this is that he believes, and I believe all of you by your very presence here believe, that you are not getting your fair share from this government. It seems to me quite obvious that that's what this is about.

There is money galore for many things in this province. There is money galore for many hospitals. There is money galore for Magna International that's been talked about. There is money galore, we learned yesterday, for people to be handed out, willy-nilly; $20 million to every group that seems at the last minute to not even put in an application, but get money anyway. Why isn't there money, I have to ask—and I have to ask on his behalf because it's my turn to speak—for the good people of your community to get a birthing unit?

For many years before I came to this place, as a municipal politician, as a mayor, as a megacity councillor, I served on the board of health of two communities. One of the things that was very apparent to me was that where money needed to be spent and was spent in my communities of East York and Toronto was in birthing units, because we had a policy through the board of health on low-birth-weight babies. We had a policy on giving the very best care to expectant mothers so that babies were born healthy. We had a policy on making sure they didn't smoke, they didn't drink, that they ate sufficient foods.

We even had a policy of topping up welfare payments for those who didn't have enough money, to make sure they could have milk and protein so that when they were in the gestation period, those women would give the very best advantage to their child.

I don't understand why this government thinks this is not a priority. They seem to find priorities everywhere else. They seem to find priorities when it comes to hip and knee replacement surgery. I'm not saying that's a bad thing; that's a priority for this government.

But I have to ask, is it not a priority to make sure that each and every child is born in a safe environment, that each and every mother gives birth in a safe environment, and in those cases where there are complications, there are trained people there at the time of birth and immediately after to look after the health of both the mother and the newborn child? It seems to me that's a far greater priority than hip and knee replacement surgery.

I'm sure I'm going to get some letters and e-mails when I say that, because there is of course a waiting list, and we have many people in this province who need that surgery, but always we need to look at who is in the greatest need. Who could possibly be in greater need than a young child who is born with complications, a young child who needs immediate service, a young child who needs to be born in a hospital, not in an ambulance, not at home—unless of course it's uncomplicated—and not in the back of a taxicab?

So I ask the government: Please find the priority. One point four million dollars is a very small amount of money. If you can find it for Magna International, and if Mr. Colle, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, can find it here, there and everywhere for groups that haven't even made an application, surely you must know that this need is one to be met. Budgets are all about priorities, and this should be your priority.

I have to question you. I ask you to ask yourself these two simple questions: Are the needs of the women and children and families in this and other communities less than those in communities like my own in Toronto? I have lived in this community my whole life. There are five major hospitals right down the street, within a couple of hundred metres of this location. I was born in one of them, at Women's College Hospital, several hundred metres from where I'm standing today. There were services then and there are services now for this great metropolitan place.

But those of us who choose to live in smaller towns, those of us who have jobs in other locations, need and should expect the same kind of quality service that the rest of us here take for granted. What I have for myself, I want for all of you, and what I have for myself and my community should be vested in your community as well. Certainly for $1.4 million, it can and should be there.

The second question I have for the government is: Would this not have been included in the minister's budget? I know my friend has talked about this many times in this House and I know that this issue has been raised. I'm very curious as to why it would not have been included in the budget. Why was the birthing unit for Alliston passed over when the Minister of Finance stood in his place and got up from his seat a few weeks ago and announced how he was spending gazillions of dollars on all kinds of things and saying he had priorities? Why was this not a priority? It's a pretty simple question.

I'm asking the members opposite—and two have spoken from the government side. They have not said they're going to vote for this and they have not said they're not going to vote for it, but they have spoken in terms which would cause me some concern. They have spoken about what the Conservatives did when they were in government. I'm tired of listening to that kind of stuff.

I'm tired of listening, every time there is a sensible question or a politician stands in this place, and the only answer is, "When you were in government, you did something." For people like me and like my colleague from Burlington who have never been in government, I think it's an idle statement to make. What I'm asking you to do is, first of all, to support this motion and then leave this place and impress upon the Minister of Health that he find the monies. We were able yesterday to find year-end funds for a whole broad range of things and we learned all about those yesterday.

Certainly this is as deserving as or more deserving than some of those who received the funds yesterday.

I want to leave a few minutes for my colleague, but I would like to close by asking the members of this House to simply give this application the priority that it deserves. If ever, in my riding of Beaches—East York, I could bring out 200 people like you have brought out here today, I would know that this is an issue upon which my community was seized. I know that the people here have great expectations.

I hope they learn today that government can work. It can only work—not by my speaking or the member from Simcoe—Grey—when those who hold the purse strings, i.e., those in the cabinet, decide to loosen them. It can only work when the backbench of the Liberal government stands united and tells the minister that there is a priority that is not being met and that the money needs to be found.

It can only work when a government and a Premier understand that they have an obligation to you, the same obligation they have to everyone else in this province, to do what is best for all of us.

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton—Victoria—Brock): I'm pleased to stand today to speak to the resolution put forward by my colleague from Simcoe—Grey, and to congratulate him and thank him for all the hard work he has done on behalf of his community on this very important issue.

He has brought it to the Legislature through every means possible—petitions, questions, resolution, debate—a tireless effort he has made on behalf of his community, and I want to thank him for that. He has worked with community organizations, and I want to welcome all the people in the gallery here today. For over 200 people from a community to come forward is just outstanding. I praise Jim for the work he has done to create the plan to have the birthing unit reopened. He was first elected to the Legislature in 1990. It's clear from all the hard work that he has done—he's been re-elected four times—that he is a very strong advocate for his riding.

I'm pleased to support the resolution that was brought forward here—that of the Stevenson Memorial Hospital with the required $1.4 million in new funding over the next three years so that it can reopen its birthing unit—and to emphasize to the government that it is a priority. You should put it in the budget. You should address it.

When you recklessly throw over $20 million away at year-end spending—and here we have a community that only requires $1.4 million in new funding over the next three years for the birthing unit—you should be embarrassed that you have not addressed this situation, because you've heard about it for a long, long time.

I can speak as a registered nurse for over 20 years and the time I spent in hospitals, in my local hospital in Lindsay, how they had worked towards and got a new birthing unit, and how important it is for communities that women can get the care they need close to the communities they live in.

We live in rural ridings—winter conditions, treacherous roads—and you have to bring this down to the safety of people in Ontario. By ignoring this request—which is not over the top, it's practical; it's a member of provincial Parliament repeatedly telling you the needs of his community, something that could be done easily. That you haven't made that a priority is unexplainable.

He's had to come here for private members' public business on Thursday mornings to bring a resolution forward to you to deal with this, when it's a logical thing that you should've done.

I hope the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care does come here and I hope to see how he votes on this resolution today. This is just an embarrassment for this government. You put a health care tax on, an extra $2-billion kitty. Is that money going to health care? Well, we have to question where that money is going. You did a tax grab to the people of Ontario, and the people of Alliston—are they getting better care for paying more money on their health care tax? I think not, when they're here. There are 200 people here today to say to you, the McGuinty government, "We are not getting better health care.

You have not put our health care tax dollars, that you have taken out of our pockets, to work."

It is embarrassing. It just is embarrassing. There are over a million people in Ontario alone who don't have a family doctor—130,000 children. Are you addressing those needs? You're taking more money from them for the health care tax. Are you addressing those needs? Those are terrible statistics. The number of underserviced areas has gone up dramatically since you've been in government. They peaked at 143 in June 2005—143 underserviced communities in our province. What have you done to fill that doctor shortage? You could go on and on.

I'm glad the member has brought this resolution here today because we need to highlight to the people of Ontario that you are not spending their tax dollars wisely.

According to the piece by the Stevenson Memorial Hospital in the Alliston Herald on April 13, hospitals in small rural communities do not have enough births to provide the income expected by specialists such as obstetricians. The community hospitals have to give the specialists an income guarantee, meaning the hospital has to use operating funds to top up doctors' salaries if their fee-for-service income does not rise to the level of expectation in a certain amount of time. According to the Stevenson Memorial Hospital, this has cost the hospital hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years.

Like I said, the government could have assisted that community in different means. It is not a large amount of money they are asking for when you look at the huge health care budget the government has and the dollars involved there. They're not asking for a huge amount, and they deserve to have a birthing unit in Alliston. The Women's Health Council—the issues brought forward by the Women's Health Council—is recommending that there be a moratorium on closures, that there be more assistance for women in communities.

They shouldn't have to call a cab to go to another community in an emergency or put their family at risk of driving in treacherous conditions to go to a birthing centre. People in Alliston are so extremely upset, and they should be.

The member from Simcoe—Grey was quoted in a local newspaper as saying, "I am not backing down," and today, true to his word, with this huge group of people here from his community supporting this resolution, he said that the residents in the area of Simcoe—Grey deserve to have their babies born in Alliston. He's been a great champion; we all know about it. The member from Beaches—East York also has spoken passionately about it. The critic from our party for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has spoken from her experience as minister, but as a mother also, on the importance of having a birthing unit close to home and the security that women need.

I thank the member from Simcoe—Grey for bringing this forward. I thank the member from Burlington for bringing her local health issue forward to the Legislature earlier today to highlight the needs of their communities and to try and force the government to act, and to act now. They should be embarrassed into acting.

I see the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care has come into the room, so I'm sure he's been anxiously listening to the debate. We'll be very interested to see his response to both of these resolutions that have been brought before the Legislature today to increase the level of health care in the communities of Ontario. I thank the member from Simcoe—Grey again for bringing this forward and for the opportunity to speak in support of it this morning.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale—High Park): It's a pleasure to speak in support of this bill. For all of those gathered here, I have to commend your show of support and concern for your community. It's wonderful and it's rarely seen here, so thank you.

I speak in support of the member from Simcoe—Grey. You have to know the frustration that has brought him to this point, the frustration for such a small amount of money over such a long period of time, to have to stand up in the House, to have to present a motion just to get what should be forthcoming without really much thought. That's the frustration we, on this side of the House, all feel right now with this government.

I was not here to hear some of the concerns. I did raise the fact that we're now in the 60-year anniversary of the introduction of the first medicare system in Saskatchewan, which was introduced in 1947. I feel the spirit of Tommy Douglas upon this place and hope that inspires those across the aisle to do the right thing in this regard.

I also want to point out in relative terms how little this amount of money is. Perhaps those who are gathered here are not all aware of the fact that this is the government that voted themselves a 25% pay increase eight days before Christmas and just got another 2% on top of that. That is far more money over the next three years than what you're asking for here in this birthing unit for women and children, many of them at risk if they don't get it. There's a comparison for you. You don't even have to look at the $50 million to Magna.

But clearly, we see where this government has its priorities, and it's not with the women and children of this community—just to put that in perspective, as well.

Again, I come back to what makes us proud Ontarians and what makes us proud Canadians. When you go south of the border, it always comes down to those two wonderful aspects of Canadian and Ontarian life: medicare and funded public schools that you would want to send your children to and public secondary schools that you would want to send your children to, that don't cost you another mortgage on the house, the way they do for our neighbours south of the border where a third of their population are not covered by medicare or health care of any sort.

Here we see an instance of frustration, an instance of where it has had to come to the floor of the House. You've had to drive many miles to sit in this gallery to listen to two hours of this, just to get such a paltry sum of money extended to such an absolutely necessary service. This government should be ashamed. They certainly didn't run on that platform. They certainly didn't run on a platform of increasing privatization of the health care system and not fully funding institutions of health, hospitals and others. They certainly didn't run on that. That wasn't the promise we heard in 2003. Of course, we heard a lot in 2003 that we haven't seen delivered in this House.

Here is one instance where we could call upon everyone to vote with their hearts and not along partisan lines. There are many here who sit in the back benches of the Liberal Party, who know what it's like to be the MPP in a smaller community and to answer to people who don't have 200 members of their community sitting here today, but who can appreciate what went into this action and what went into this motion, and can vote not along partisan lines but with their hearts, minds and souls, and say yes to what is clearly a very small request for a very important service.

So absolutely, I think that we should all in this House support this motion. It's an unfortunate set of circumstances that have brought us to this moment where we have to talk about such a paltry sum in the House, but that we have; so be it. Let's do the right thing.

The Acting Speaker: The member for Simcoe—Grey has two minutes to reply.

Mr. Wilson: Again, I want to thank, as my colleagues have very kindly thanked, the over 200 people who have come down from Alliston, New Tecumseth, Essa and Adjala-Tosorontio and Innisfil—there are some people here from Innisfil. Some people have taken time out of their work here in Toronto to come over today, too. I want to thank the midwives who are here, and the doctors, physicians, nurses and staff at our hospital who do good work every day.

I'm very, very pleased that the Minister of Health has joined us this morning. I have tried, as members have pointed out, everything possible to get $1.5 million out of you. This is a hard figure, George; this isn't a fudged one. So many other people ask for the moon and meet you halfway.

A study has been done. We are waiting. I do thank you for appointing Jessica Hill, who was my assistant deputy minister when I was Minister of Health, and went on to be a deputy minister in the children's ministry. She is highly respected. I thank the government for appointing the provincial convenor. Her report will come soon. I hope you will take her report, along with the report done that was by the community advisory committee, a committee of the hospital board that was ably chaired by Sylvia Biffis, and consider our request.

All we're asking is that you give us a chance. Give us a chance to develop the best birthing unit in Ontario. Kate Mooij just reminded me with a note that she sent down from the gallery—and she's our physician recruiter at Stevenson Memorial Hospital—that we have eight obstetricians waiting to be interviewed. So I say to the member for Northumberland, who said it must be a case of not having enough doctors around, that we have eight who want to come to Alliston.

Alliston is the potato capital of Ontario. With the greenbelt now in place, it is the place of choice for people to move to, out of Toronto and into south Simcoe and the Alliston area. Honda is expanding and creating another 1,200 jobs. There are over 7,000 people who work in and around that plant. They are young families. They are in their baby years. They want to have their babies born in Alliston, and their babies deserve to be born in Alliston.

The Acting Speaker: The time provided for private members' public business has now expired.

JOSEPH BRANT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): We will first deal with ballot item number 79, which stands in the name of Mrs. Savoline.

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

All those in favour of the motion will please say "aye."

All those opposed will please say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

We will call in the members after we've dealt with the second ballot item.

STEVENSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): We will now deal with the second ballot item that has been debated this morning.

Mr. Wilson has moved private member's notice of motion number 55, ballot item number 1. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?

All those in favour of the motion will please say "aye."

All those opposed will please say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1201 to 1206.

JOSEPH BRANT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Mrs. Savoline has moved private member's notice of motion number 57. All those in favour of the motion will please rise and remain standing.

Ayes

The Acting Speaker: All those opposed to the motion, please rise.

Nays

The Clerk of the Assembly (Ms. Deborah Deller): The ayes are 17; the nays are 18.

The Acting Speaker: I declare the motion lost.

I will now direct the Sergeant at Arms to open the doors for 30 seconds.

STEVENSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Mr. Wilson has moved private member's resolution number 55. All those in favour of the motion will please rise and remain standing.

Ayes

The Acting Speaker: All those opposed to the motion, please rise.

Nays

The Clerk of the Assembly (Ms. Deborah Deller): The ayes are 17; the nays are 18.

The Acting Speaker: I declare the motion lost.

All matters relating to private members' public business having now been completed, I do now leave the chair, and this House will resume at 1:30 p.m.

The House recessed from 1210 to 1330.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke): I want to set the record straight on a couple of things with regard to funding for the Phoenix Centre for children's mental health in my riding and some statements the Minister of Children and Youth Services has tried to take credit for, and also for solving this crisis.

For months we have been looking for money for this centre, and the minister turned it down repeatedly. I want to read her quote from the Ottawa Citizen, citing the fact that she felt the federal government should pay for it: "The federal government needs to understand that the province of Ontario cannot pick up the tab for the impact of that effort on the families of military personnel." She denied the funding on that basis.

It went to the Ombudsman, and I want to read what the Ombudsman said: "It is absolutely undeniable, indisputable, that the provincial government is solely responsible for providing mental health services to children of members of the Canadian Forces in Petawawa."

Then the government ponied up with some money, but the minister tried to take some credit for it and said she brokered that with the federal government.

I want to read what he said in his report as well: "The federal government I found to be quite reasonably disposed to speak to the province, but their phone never rang. The Minister of Children and Youth Services would say in the House ... in letters that she wrote, 'Address your concerns to the federal government' ... but there was no effort by the ministry to contact the federal government and say, 'Can you guys cough up some cash?'"

It is a shame—it is reprehensible, in fact—that it took the Ombudsman to get this government to act and stop victimizing the children of the Canadian Forces base in my riding.

GRAPE AND WINE INDUSTRY

Ms. Jennifer F. Mossop (Stoney Creek): I just want the let everybody in the Legislature and beyond know that our world-class wine industry has just become that much more world-class and cutting-edge with some tremendous leadership, vision and foresight. Yesterday the Wine Council of Ontario launched Sustainable Winemaking Ontario, the first program of its kind in Canada, in an effort to preserve and protect the environment.

It is a comprehensive program which will be a great asset for wineries in helping them with continuous improvement in sustainability of our environment. They have been working on this for three years now, and there is some tremendous foresight that's gone into this. The program will not only cover the areas of winemaking, but also grape-growing and winery hospitality.

The goals of the program include improvements in energy use per unit of production, decreases in water use, improved management in waste water and more efficient use of materials throughout the businesses. Long-term objectives include measuring improvements in air quality, water quality, waste water management, natural resource management, resource use and management of water resources including watershed management.

This is all tremendous forward thinking, and I applaud the Wine Council of Ontario in their actions. We've talked for decades about sustainable development and sustainability. It's programs like this that actually turn this into a reality for us and think about the future. Our government has tremendous faith in the future of that industry, proven by our greenbelt and also by the new wine secretariat, which is being chaired by our own dean of the Legislature, Minister Jim Bradley.

MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GRANTS

Mrs. Julia Munro (York North): Yesterday, we learned that the Liberals have been handing out hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Ministry of Citizenship slush fund, with no accountability to the taxpayers. The funding was given out at the behest of the federal Liberal MP for Beaches—East York. The recipient group is headed up by her riding association vice-president.

The minister tells us that "there isn't time" at the end of the year to seek out proposals from alternate groups. Of course there isn't time if you deliberately set up a slush fund to give out money at the end of the year.

How can we have confidence in a program with no standards and no accountability? Taxpayers deserve to know that their money is spent responsibly. They want to know that the government is making its decisions in a fair and impartial way. If this government wants to help immigrants build new lives in Canada, it must set clear standards and outcomes so we can be confident that the money will actually help.

What is clear is that this minister puts the re-election of Liberals ahead of helping new immigrants. A John Tory government will put helping new immigrants and all Ontarians first.

POVERTY

Ms. Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale—High Park): The Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition is meeting as we speak in a day-long conference. I want to read some of their statements about the McGuinty government:

"Despite a recent budget promising anti-poverty measures, Ontario's poorest citizens remain worse off now than when the McGuinty government was elected in 2003. Nearly half a million Ontario children are growing up poor. Meanwhile hunger is widespread, with food banks serving 330,000 Ontarians each month. Many are working people whose low wages trap them in poverty....

"The facts, outlined in Lives Still in the Balance," their report, "are disturbing. Combining up-to-date analysis from leading anti-poverty advocates and academic analysts with first-hand accounts from low-income people, the book sketches a colossal social deficit of poverty, hunger and homelessness.…

"'We chose the book's title because people's lives are at stake,' says editor Murray MacAdam. 'Why does our wealthy province tolerate allowing one citizen in six to live in poverty? Where are our values? Will the government, and the opposition parties, develop and promote a credible anti-poverty agenda?'"

They are saying that as we speak, and they are meeting—faith leaders across the faith spectrum who are sorely disappointed in the outcome of all the promises that Dalton McGuinty and his government made.

HEALTH CARE FUNDING

Mrs. Linda Jeffrey (Brampton Centre): I rise in the House today to highlight the leader of the official opposition's record on health care and the legacy of cuts, damage and neglect his party left on our health care system.

Our government is putting more money and resources into our health care system, and we've been moving forward with our plan to revitalize Ontario's health care system.

The previous government left our health care system in ruin, downloading funding for public health on to local property taxpayers and voting against our legislation, the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, which bans two-tier health care. The leader of the official opposition has promised that he will take $2.5 billion out of the health care system and then work to implement for-profit, private health care. That is unacceptable, and we will not let this happen.

The McGuinty government has already greatly increased Ontario's spending on public health. With our recent budget, funding to our public health care system is up by $8.5 billion, or 29%, since we took office. We've invested $156 million for three new childhood vaccines and are uploading 75% of the cost of public health from municipalities to the province. We have also invested $114 million to help the William Osler Health Centre get ready to open its doors this fall. I'm incredibly excited about this new project for Brampton and what it means for the people of my riding.

We know there's more to do, but our public health care system is beginning to flourish under the McGuinty government, and we won't let the Leader of the Opposition turn back the clock on our progress.

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): We have recently learned that this government is using political slush funds to try to keep themselves afloat. Once again they are demonstrating a complete lack of integrity. Let's remember who these people are:

—The Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, who was the first member in history to be formally reprimanded by the Integrity Commissioner for breaching the Members' Integrity Act. What did the Premier do? Nothing.

—The Minister of Children and Youth Services, who allowed money to be spent for fancy SUVs and trips instead of children, and who only dealt with the problem when she was caught by the auditor. What did the Premier do? Nothing.

—The Minister of Health Promotion, who gave away his $26.4-million slush fund and never gave municipalities a chance to apply, so most of them were never even considered. What did the Premier do? Nothing.

—Don't forget the minister responsible for lotteries, who found out about a $100-million fraud and, instead of taking action to fix the problem, tried to cover it up. What did the Premier do? Nothing.

—And now we have the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, who gave away $250,000 to an organization with Liberal ties without an application process, without letting anyone else apply for the money. What did the Premier do? Nothing.

When will the Premier start holding his ministers accountable? I think the time is now.

ONTARIO COACHES WEEK

During Ontario Coaches Week, close to 1,000 men and women will attend clinics and workshops across Ontario to develop their skills and learn more about coaching young people and becoming better coaches. Coaching workshops will be held in 40 different communities, like Kenora, Port Hope, Hawkesbury and Grand Bend. A number of Ontario's First Nations communities will be opening up free coaching education opportunities in places like Constance Lake, Christian Island and Alderville.

The goal of the week is to help bring quality sport programs to thousands of children by inspiring more Ontarians to take up coaching as their volunteer activity. Good coaches can positively influence a child's self-confidence and attitude toward sport, fitness and health as a life-long pursuit.

Present in the House during my statement are the following members of the coaches association: Susan Kitchen, Jessica Taggio, Jamie Beblow, Mike Naylor and Faye Blackwood. Perhaps members could welcome them to the House.

COAL-FIRED GENERATING STATIONS

Mrs. Carol Mitchell (Huron—Bruce): I rise in the House today to talk about John Tory's latest scheme. It's about power, and frankly, I'm shocked. It's now clear that the Leader of the Opposition has run out of steam with his stale ideas, and Ontarians deserve to know more.

Interjections.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): Order.

Mrs. Mitchell: John Tory is pro-coal.

Interjections.

Mrs. Mitchell: Unfortunately for Ontarians, his ideas are stuck in the past. John Tory and the Conservative caucus continue to defend dirty air and false science.

Last night, the member for more coal finally uttered the words the rest of us knew he wanted to say for quite some time. John Tory wants to spend more and get less by wasting tax dollars on scrubbers that don't work.

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: The member tends to insist on calling the Leader of the Opposition by name, as opposed to "Leader of the Opposition."

The Deputy Speaker: Thank you for the reminder. I remind all members—all members.

The member for Huron—Bruce.

Mrs. Mitchell: The science is clear: Scrubbers don't work. The Leader of the Opposition has obviously been listening to his caucus colleagues, who all voted against Kyoto in this Legislature. Under the previous government, coal use increased 127% and harmful emissions from coal plants increased by 120%.

The details are foggy, but one thing is clear: The McGuinty government has a balanced plan and we will ensure that the people have a steady supply of clean, affordable power that tackles climate change and smog. We are the only party committed to—

The Deputy Speaker: Thank you.

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Mr. Peter Fonseca (Mississauga East): I rise today to talk about nuclear energy and the Leader of the Opposition's reckless new plan to rush environmental safeguards and build more nuclear power plants in secret locations.

Interjections.

Mr. Fonseca: Last night John Tory revealed, "We need nuclear; we need more than they are saying we need." The public deserves to know: Where does he plan to put these new nuclear plants? Orangeville, Renfrew, Lanark, Haliburton or maybe all of the above? And let's not forget the people of Mississauga, who deserve to know where Tim Peterson and John Tory would build new nuclear plants.

Interjections.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): Member, just take your seat for a moment. The clock is stopped, so you'll get your time, and I am sure the members will sit and listen, and give you the floor.

The member for Mississauga East.

Mr. Fonseca: Let's not forget that the people of Mississauga deserve to know where Tim Peterson and John Tory would build these new nuclear plans. It sounds to me like the Tories are pitching for a new nuclear plant in Mississauga. I know the people in my community don't want one there, and neither do I.

Interjections.

Mr. Fonseca: Tim Peterson and John Tory need to come clean. It's the least they can do. John Tory has an outdated, shoot-from-the-hip approach to energy. It's reckless, unworkable and irresponsible.

Interjections.

The Deputy Speaker: I thought Thursdays were quiet days around here, so let's try to keep it that way.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Hon. Steve Peters (Minister of Labour): This week I had the pleasure to address the delegates at the annual conference of the Industrial Accident Prevention Association, and the annual conference of the International Association of Labour Inspection. IAPA's conference is one of the most important annual health and safety conferences in Canada. The added presence this year of the International Association of Labour Inspection's conference is of particular importance. It was Ontario's record of achievement in the field of workplace health and safety that attracted the association to hold its conference here.

It's the first time that this conference has ever been held in North America. Here in Toronto this week, there are delegates from 50 countries around the world.

I had the opportunity to share with the participants some important news about workplace injury prevention and cost avoidance for businesses here in the province of Ontario. In less than three years, there have been 30,000 fewer lost-time injuries to Ontario workers than there would have been had lost-time injury rates remained constant.

This means 30,000 fewer cases of human suffering. It means that 30,000 families have not had to see their loved ones injured or possibly even permanently disabled or, worse, killed on the job. Stop and think about this for a moment. I'm talking about 30,000 people. That's equal to about the population of Orillia. It means that Ontario businesses have avoided over $2 billion in costs associated with workplace injuries. These costs include employee replacement, injury investigation, overtime pay for other employees and reduced productivity due to the loss of a skilled employee.

Our goal, which was announced in July of 2004, is to reduce lost-time injuries by 20% in this province. We said we would do this through a comprehensive, integrated health and safety strategy. The strategy would use education, training, legislation, regulation and enforcement. Most importantly, it would encompass all of our health and safety partners. Our goal is that by 2008 in this province, there will be 20,000 fewer lost-time injuries per year in Ontario than otherwise would have occurred had lost-time injury rates remained consistent, and that this reduced level will be maintained thereafter.

I'm here to tell you today that we are succeeding. In 2006 alone, more than 15,000 injuries in our workplaces were avoided. This is an achievement that we all should be proud of. Our workplace health and safety strategy is saving thousands of workers the pain and suffering of serious workplace injuries.

Interjection.

Hon. Mr. Peters: I hear a member mocking 15,000 fewer injuries. How disrespectful, Speaker. How very disrespectful.

With fewer accidents, employers are benefiting from reduced production losses. Employers are benefiting from lower retraining costs. Employers are benefiting from less equipment damage and other cost avoidance savings.

One key component of this strategy is our high-risk workplace initiative. The initiative focuses on workplaces with the highest injury rates and the highest costs. When we launched this initiative in July of 2004, these firms represented just 2% of all firms insured by the WSIB, but that 2% represented 10% of all lost-time injuries. Worse yet, that 2% represented 21% of the injury costs in the province of Ontario.

Our initiative assists and educates people in these workplaces about healthier and safer work practices. At the same time, though, we continue to give priority to investigating workplace fatalities, critical injuries, work refusals, work stoppages and immediate hazards. I am pleased to report that since 2004, 11,000 firms in this province have improved their health and safety record.

Another key element is our last-chance program. In 2005, our partners, the safe work associations, were challenged to work with the Ministry of Labour by providing 5,000 workplaces with a last chance to voluntarily work to improve their health and safety records. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and all of our 12 safe work associations that rose to that challenge, because the work that I am describing depends on partnerships and co-operation: partnerships between both business and labour.

A good many companies have stepped forward and have taken significant steps on their own to improve their health and safety record. We are pleased to see their progress, and we commend them for the progress they have made.

Speaker, we have to remember the history in this province. The NDP cut health and safety inspectors, the Conservatives cut health and safety inspectors: a terrible track record; no commitment to looking after and protecting our workers in this province—cuts by the NDP and cuts by the Tories. But I want to say that our ministry staff and our dedicated inspectors deserve a lot of credit for our success, because when we launched this high-risk initiative, we set about not cutting inspectors, but adding inspectors to better protect people in this province. We moved forward in hiring 200 additional health and safety inspectors, nearly doubling their ranks. All of those 200 are now on the job.

Our government is working hard to build a culture of prevention in Ontario, and I am proud to say that we're seeing dramatic results. Those dramatic results mean better workplace health and safety, and it is good news for families in the province of Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): Response?

Mr. Robert W. Runciman (Leeds—Grenville): As perhaps one of the few members, if not the only member, of the assembly who suffered a very serious industrial accident many years ago, I have to emphasize my appreciation of the importance of workplace safety and the involvement of the Ministry of Labour in ensuring that the rules of the province are complied with and that there is indeed a spirit of partnership in working together with both labour and management and the owners of businesses, large and small.

However, I think perhaps the minister is patting himself on the back a little too much in terms of credit for the reduction of workplace accidents over the last two and a half years. I think there has to be, Mr. Speaker, in the minds of most fair-minded people, a correlation between the reduction in workplace accidents and the significant loss of manufacturing jobs in this province. In the past two and a half years, we have witnessed close to 130,000 manufacturing jobs lost, and manufacturing jobs lost equals reduced workplace accidents. That's a reality.

I think you could juxtapose those job losses with the numbers which the minister is talking about, and it's not all that much to rave about in terms of accomplishment.

He talks about partnerships, and certainly in the small business community, I am not hearing much in my own riding, my own area, about partnerships; in fact, quite the opposite. There is not an effort to work together with many of the small businesses and those who are facing real challenges in the economic climate that Ontario is in at the moment. In fact, warnings or working together on a partnership kind of basis is not what we're hearing about back in many of our ridings.

The ministry seems to take great glee in every day posting and sending us e-mails with huge fines for small businesses in this province—$75,000 to a small construction firm, that sort of thing—without any warnings or any advice. Business is having a very difficult time in this province, and this can only work if we do find ways to work together. Certainly, my experiences over the years in manufacturing, as a former union president as well—

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): A union boss.

Mr. Runciman: I don't talk about that too often, but this is certainly an area where I have significant experience, and it's unfortunate, I think, the approach this government is taking.

When we look at what's happening in my region of the province, and I'll talk about that specifically in terms of manufacturing job losses, we have 1,200 at Domtar in Cornwall alone; Chesterville losing the Nestlé plant, 300 jobs; Gananoque, in my riding, just announcing the Collins and Aikman plant closing, 125 to 130 jobs; in Prescott, Hathaway shirts—the history of Hathaway shirts in Prescott lost forever under the reign of the McGuinty Liberal government; and most recently, the Hershey plant in Smiths Falls.

We know what a significant part of eastern Ontario the Hershey plant is, not just in terms of the 500 jobs, but drawing tourists to our part of the province, 400,000 to 500,000 visitors who annually visit the Hershey plant to watch the chocolate-making operations. It also supplies something significant in terms of a destination market for dairy producers in our part of the province, significant quantities of milk that have been destined for that Hershey plant, and that market is now lost.

Those are the kinds of things that have impacted in terms of the number of injuries, and you can extrapolate this across the province, especially in rural small-city Ontario. The manufacturing sector and the good jobs that go with it are be