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October 26, 2020

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2020-Oct-26 (PDF)

L199 - Mon 26 Oct 2020 / Lun 26 oct 2020

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 26 October 2020 Lundi 26 octobre 2020

Private Members’ Public Business

Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 sur les prix Murray Whetung pour services à la collectivité

Members’ Statements

Autism treatment

Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group

Long-term care

Multiculturalism

Children’s health services

Orléans Bengals football club

Discrimination

Taste of Brampton

Infrastructure funding

School bus safety

Respiratory Therapy Week

Question Period

Long-term care

COVID-19 response

Member’s conduct

Hydro rates

Long-term care

COVID-19 response

Child and family services

Post-secondary education

COVID-19 response

Northern Ontario economy

Caregivers

Mental health services

Hospital funding

Indigenous affairs

Hydro rates

Infrastructure funding

Health care

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Social Policy

Introduction of Bills

Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Electronic Logging Devices), 2020 / Loi de 2020 modifiant le Code de la route (dispositifs de consignation électronique)

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Women’s issues / Questions relatives aux femmes

Petitions

Optometry services

Magna Carta Day

Abuse awareness and prevention

Municipal elections

Veterans

Optometry services

Emergency management oversight

Family law

Long-term care

Indigenous affairs

Orders of the Day

Supporting Ontario’s Recovery and Municipal Elections Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 visant à soutenir la relance en Ontario et sur les élections municipales

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Private Members’ Public Business

Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 sur les prix Murray Whetung pour services à la collectivité

Mr. Dave Smith moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 220,

An Act to provide for an award for exceptional cadets / Projet de loi 220, Loi prévoyant la remise d’un prix aux cadets exceptionnels.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the member from Peterborough–Kawartha.

Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that.

When I first started looking at doing this bill, it was a natural fit to reach out to the Whetung family in Curve Lake. One of the things that Murray Whetung had said to me was, “Don’t read notes when you talk about this.” He said that in their culture, they tell stories all the time to show respect for the individual they’re talking about and that it’s a little bit more disrespectful when it’s written notes for it, so to honour Mr. Whetung, I’m going to do the speech completely without any notes.

During the First and Second World Wars, First Nations individuals were not eligible to be conscripted, yet more than 4,000 of them volunteered for the First World War, and more than 3,000 volunteered for the Second World War. For those of you who haven’t read the Indian Act, there are some things in it that are injustices. This is one of them: If you were away from your reserve—not away from a First Nation, but your specific reserve—for more than four years, you lost your status as a First Nations individual.

Many of these individuals, especially in the First World War, voluntarily went overseas to serve their country, to fight for their country. Those who were overseas for more than four years, when they returned back to Canada, lost their status as First Nations individuals.

Fast-forward to the Second World War: We have a new generation of people knowing what had happened in the First World War, and yet more than 3,000 of those First Nations individuals stepped up and volunteered for the armed services so that they could go over to Europe and fight for Canada. When they returned, some of them lost their status as First Nations individuals. This was an injustice.

Many of them were not allowed into Legions although they were veterans, and yet many of them continued to give back to their communities, because they recognized the value of volunteerism, of giving back to their communities. That’s what this award is about. It’s giving us the opportunity, then, to tell the stories of those First Nations individuals who lost their status. It gives us the ability to celebrate that they continued to give back to their community. They saw the value in volunteering and helping others. This award is an award that celebrates what they did and how they gave back.

With respect to Mr. Whetung, he was a Second World War veteran. He was actually a communications lineman, so he did not carry a rifle and go into battle, but he frequently went into battle. Most people aren’t aware of what these communications linemen did. They made sure that the communications from the front lines to the command post were up and running. And there were many times in the cover of darkness that he was on the front line and they would set a tent up over top of the communication line that had been damaged so that the enemy could not see the light while they repaired those communication lines.

Murray told me the one story where they were very close to the front. They were actually hiding in the underbrush of a ditch. German tanks came across the road and caught those communication lines and tore them up. About five minutes after the tanks had gone through, when they thought the coast was clear, they went back out into the open, in daylight, and they fixed those communication lines because the front lines needed to know what was going on and the command post needed to know what was happening at the front. So he put his life in danger on a daily basis this way without carrying a weapon.

The ship that he was on for D-Day was actually scheduled to be part of the first wave to Juno Beach because they had to establish communications. According to Mr. Whetung, he wasn’t sure whether they were lucky or whether they were unfortunate, but his ship was torpedoed the day before the D-Day invasion and it damaged the rudder, so he didn’t go over to Juno Beach until day 3. He believes he was lucky because he wasn’t part of that first group that was basically wiped out.

Fast forward a little bit to the end of the war—this is indicative of what Murray Whetung did. He was stationed in Germany. The officers were given a hotel, and it was his responsibility to wire the hotel for communications so that there would be telephones in each of the rooms. On one day, his sergeant came to him and said, “Private Whetung, I have another job for you.” Murray spun around and said, “I’m sorry, sir. I have two days left on this job. I have to get it finished before you can give me anything else to do. I’m happy to do it, but you’ve got to give me two days.” He said the sergeant snickered and walked off.

Murray spent the next two days finishing all of the communication in the hotel. On the third day, he went to see his sergeant. His sergeant said, “Murray, the new job is we’re sending you back to Canada. You could have gone home two days early but you felt it was more important to finish your job than go back to Canada.” This is indicative of the service that he did. He wanted to make sure that he always had his job finished. He wanted to make sure that his responsibility was always taken care of.

When he came back to Canada—he tells an interesting story about this as well. They get to Kingston. He and some friends couldn’t wait for the train to get them back up to Cobourg, so they hired a taxi. Seven of them piled into the taxi; it cost them $2 each to get up to Cobourg by taxi. Murray hitchhiked his way back to Curve Lake. He wasn’t expected to be home until Monday. He was a newlywed; he had gotten married just before he had gone off to war. His wife wasn’t expecting him until Monday, but this was Saturday morning.

His brothers and a few others were heading off hunting, and they caught him on the road coming into Curve Lake. Well, since his wife wasn’t expecting him until Monday, why not go hunting for the weekend with his friends? So, off they went hunting.

As part of his leave, when they were out hunting, they had gotten in their canoes and they’d gone to one of the islands near Curve Lake. It turned cold while they were out there. Murray had to report back to Kingston. The lake had partially frozen and they couldn’t paddle the canoes across the lake because the ice was too thick for the canoes to go across, but it wasn’t thick enough for them to stand on the ice. So he had to wait a few more days until it got thick enough that they could have one foot in the canoe and one foot on the ice, and propel themselves back home.

When he got to Kingston, he was hauled in by the commanding officer to find out why he was late, why he didn’t return on time, and he told the story: They’d gone out hunting, the lake froze and they couldn’t get back because of that. Well, the officers who were there started to laugh. It was the most original excuse for being late reporting back, so Murray didn’t get into any trouble.

When he left the Armed Forces, this is where they discovered another injustice: The federal government did not provide benefits for two ministries. So if you were receiving benefits from one ministry, you could not receive benefits from another ministry. Keep in mind that Murray was a Second World War veteran who had served on the front lines, who had put his life in danger, who had originally been part of the D-Day invasion. But Veterans Affairs did not provide him with a pension.

Veterans Affairs did not provide him with any of the health benefits because, as a First Nation individual, they deemed that he was receiving benefits through—at the time it was referred to as “Indian Affairs.” This was another injustice that he had.

They pushed back against it. They had trouble finding all of the First Nation individuals, so Murray volunteered to be part of a group that would reach out to find all of these First Nation individuals who were spread out across Canada. He was so well-liked by his peers in that group that they made him the treasurer.

Murray was treasurer for a couple of years, and he’d gotten to the point where he didn’t want to do it anymore, but he didn’t want to disappoint anyone. So the next year, when they held their elections and they asked him to stand again, he reluctantly said yes. But he truly did not want the position. It was a secret ballot vote. Murray voted for his competitor, and his competitor won by a single vote, so Murray was able to absolve himself of that job without disappointing anyone.

When he came back to Curve Lake and when he settled, he gave back to his community continuously. He raised his family in such a way that they understood it was important to give back to their community, so much so that his son Lorenzo has served multiple times on Curve Lake council. But it didn’t stop with just his immediate family. Murray spoke to so many people in his community, Murray inspired so many people in his community, so much so that his granddaughter is now the Chief of Curve Lake.

If you knew nothing else of Murray Whetung, the fact that he inspired multiple generations of his own family to give back to their community, to serve their community—that alone should tell you why it’s important for us to have an award to inspire the next generation of young leaders. Murray Whetung espouses all of the virtues that we want these young leaders to have: Give back to your community. Volunteer. If you can do more, do more. Because when you make your community better, when you give back, when you inspire others to give back, you’re doing something very positive.

Murray will be 99 this year, in about two or three weeks’ time. I think it’s very fitting, just before Remembrance Day, that we have the opportunity to celebrate one of Canada’s unsung heroes, a veteran who stepped forward and volunteered when he didn’t have to because he felt it was his duty to give back to his community. He felt it was his duty to make sure that Canada was a better place. And even after Canada turned its back on him and his fellow First Nation individuals, he continued to give back, because he recognized that that’s what makes a better community: standing up, volunteering and giving back.

I ask everyone in the House here today to please pass this bill, so we can honour the memory of Murray Whetung.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Ms. Judith Monteith-Farrell: It gives me great pleasure to rise today and speak in support of this private member’s bill, introduced by the member from Peterborough–Kawartha. This is a bill I think all members of this House can be proud of. I think it shows we can support our work co-operatively and help create a better Ontario.

It is my honour to speak about a distinguished veteran. This bill is named after Ojibway elder and Second World War veteran Murray Whetung. Mr. Whetung lives in Curve Lake First Nation, where his granddaughter is the chief of the community. He is the last remaining Curve Lake veteran of the Second World War. He served as a signalman and was instrumental in running lines from Juno Beach to Brussels.

Mr. Whetung received the following medals: the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp and the War Medal 1939-1945. He also qualified for the General Service Badge.

If Mr. Whetung had been had been away from his community for more than four years, he would have been disenfranchised. He would have lost his status in his community. Fortunately, his service fell just short of that mark. Murray carried on after the war, with service to his community and his family. He sat on his band council, was active as a leader in his church, and carried out many roles where his legacy of service left its mark. His deep love of his family and roots in Curve Lake are very evident in his life story. I’ve enjoyed watching interviews with him and reading his memoirs.

Mr. Whetung, we would like to thank you for your service to this country. I believe this bill is a testament to your service.

It is fitting that an award would be named after Mr. Whetung, especially one that recognizes exceptional citizenship and the community service of cadets across Ontario. The cadet program has assisted many young people in finding their paths in life while serving their communities in a variety of ways. The program is for young people between 12 and 19 and provides experiences, from flying and sailing and orienteering, and promotes physical fitness.

It is always a pleasure as an MPP to be at events with cadets, who demonstrate such discipline and pride. I would like to recognize the cadets instructor teams as well. They lead young cadets by setting such a fine example for our young people.

If this bill passes, the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act will provide an annual award to a cadet from the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, army cadets and sea cadets who demonstrates exceptional citizenship and volunteerism in their community. The official opposition supports this private member’s bill because we support and love cadet programs. We are also proud of the exceptional young cadets that work hard and make a difference.

We also support the naming of the bill after Murray Whetung. I believe the naming of this award after a member of Curve Lake First Nation is significant. Mr. Whetung is an exceptional citizen of the Peterborough–Kawartha riding. The name of this bill not only honours Murray’s contribution but also the contribution of over 3,000 Indigenous women and men who served during World War II. It speaks to our need to further recognize the contribution of Indigenous people who served in the Second World War. Indigenous soldiers were shoulder to shoulder during the war but were not treated equally to other veterans afterwards.

I’d like to speak about Thunder Bay for a moment. In my riding, Fort William First Nation has a Remembrance Day ceremony in honour of all veterans of Fort William First Nation. I would like to read into the record the names of those who served. I’d like to do this today to recognize the injustices these Indigenous veterans have faced and continue to face in Canada.

Killed in battle: Arthur Bannon and John Louis.

Wounded in battle: Dennis MacLaurin and Francis Banning.

Served in battle: Richard Johnson, Leonard Johnson, William Johnson, Tommy Johnson, Patrick Johnson, Thomas Lewis, Edward Louis, Wilford Louis, Charlie MacLaurin, George Cyrette, Joe Williams, George Allen, V.W. Bonnel, Raymond Bannon, Martin Bannon, George Lesage, Fred Lesage, Glen Lesage, Norman Blais, Mose Pelletier, Henry Roach, Dave Kimble, Joseph Kimble, Neil McCoy, Milton McCoy, Maurice Singleton, Frank Soloman, Donald MacLaurin, Paul Bannon, Paul Legarde, Andrew Legarde, Gordon Legarde, Norman Bouchie, Leonard Bouchie, Thomas Bouchie, Martin Ward, George Bourdeau, Daniel Dick, Xavier Michon and Henry Michon. We shall remember them.

This bill is an important step in continuing to recognize the contributions of Indigenous veterans, as well as the contributions of cadets across Ontario. In a few weeks’ time, all of us will gather, perhaps in person, perhaps remotely, at our Remembrance Day ceremonies. We will gather to honour all our fallen and surviving veterans.

This year, Murray Whetung and all Indigenous veterans, those who are still with us and those who have passed, will be on my mind. I would like now to salute all of Canada’s veterans and thank them for their service.

Thank you to the member opposite for bringing forward this bill.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: I am proud to speak in favour of this private member’s bill. The residents of Barrie–Innisfil are served by three cadet units: the Grey and Simcoe Foresters Royal Canadian Army Cadet unit, the number 53 Barrie Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Corps and the Barrie Silver Fox Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron. The three units are based out of Barrie’s armoury, which is located next to Barrie’s Queen’s Park. I’m very delighted to be able to speak at this Queen’s Park in support of Bill 220, the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2020, introduced by my colleague the member for Peterborough–Kawartha.

The cadet movement has a long history, as we’ve heard. In fact, the movement predates Confederation. During the US Civil War, and in response to the Fenian raids, drill associations were formed in Canada. These associations were open to those over 13 years of age and served to train militia—the precursors, of course, of our Canadian Armed Forces.

In the city of Barrie, an army cadet corps was formed in 1899 at Barrie Central Collegiate, my alma mater. In 1940, a sea cadet corps and an air cadet squadron were established in Barrie. The cadets have come a long way since the 1800s. The cadets of today are now learning citizenship, volunteerism and leadership.

The hundreds of cadets in the air, sea and army cadets represent the city of Barrie every year at the town of Innisfil and many other parts of Simcoe county. In years past, they have been on hand at various Remembrance Day ceremonies and commemorations of important anniversaries. I see them at the Barrie Legion and the Lefroy and Belle Ewart Legion; I see them at the Barrie Cenotaph and Barrie’s military park; I see them at the cenotaph in Cookstown, at Innisfil’s town hall; and I see them at Sandycove Acres retirement community. Every year, these cadets are present at a luncheon at Superior Home Health Care, which is held at Mapleview Community Church.

I’d like to say, as I always say, that you’re never too young to make a difference. These cadets showing up to all these events certainly prove it. Seeing them interacting with World War II veterans and the generation before them, seeing them interact with seniors and veterans is a magical experience. You can see how much they love what they’re doing as sea cadets. You can see how much the World War II veterans love interacting with them. They learn from one another. They show that they’re active in their community and that they remember.

Speaker, I fully support the bill and the fact that it is very aptly named after Murray Whetung. I’ve read much about him and I now understand why the member for Peterborough–Kawartha has named it after such a deserving individual. It’s a great way to pay tribute to him.

The bill prescribes that the award will be awarded to a cadet that demonstrates exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community. Based on the cadets that I know, and I know many of us know, I know it will be very tough to find only a small handful of individuals every year. So I want to thank my colleague from Peterborough–Kawartha for introducing this bill, I want to thank the brave men and women for everything they have done and, of course, Murray Whetung for his tremendous legacy, and a big thank you to his family for holding it up.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

M. Guy Bourgouin: Bonjour. C’est toujours un plaisir de me lever dans cette Chambre, et je suis très honoré de parler aujourd’hui de M. Murray Whetung.

The bill, the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2020, as introduced by the member for Peterborough–Kawartha, seeks to create a yearly award for young cadets in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets Corps, the Royal Canadian Army Cadets Corps and the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Corps in Ontario, and will be named after Chief Whetung, or “Chief,” as he is known in Curve Lake First Nation #35, of the Anishinaabe of the great Ojibway nation.

New Democrats—as I am sure that our opposition critic for veterans affairs, the member for St. Catharines, would agree—are always pleased to support cadet programs and awards. Les programmes des cadets sont exceptionnels. Ils visent à développer des qualités de leadership, de citoyenneté et de communauté.

I am pleased to have met on multiple occasions with the Local 1635 Kapuskasing Army Cadets in my riding of Mushkegowuk–Baie James. They are truly a fantastic group of youth, with incredible values and a sense of community-building that I have never faced before, such as Alain Trottier’s daughter Elizabeth, who is now in university.

But again, I am pleased to be able to speak to this bill named after Murray Whetung, who will be 99 and who is a veteran of World War II. There are multiple reasons to praise Chief Whetung; there is no question about that. Mr. Whetung, I dare say, is a quintessential example of human strength and resilience that has been documented in a number of ways. As an Ojibway in Curve Lake, life was not easy for him and for his family, all the way to building communication lines in Europe in the middle of World War II.

Mr. Whetung was an electrical worker at the local GM factory in Peterborough who had tried to enlist into the air force, but they weren’t taking any more recruits. Finally, he was taken by the army in November 1942, where he trained as a signalman. By early 1943, he took off from Halifax towards the United Kingdom, où il a suivi l’entraînement et travaillé dans les communications entre les lignes. Il est ensuite parti pour la France en 1944. Mr. Whetung was part of the communications group that built lines from Juno Beach and beyond. Importantly, Mr. Whetung is among the 3,000 First Nations who volunteered to serve during World War II.

Aussi, ça me fait penser à M. Wesley de Constance Lake, qui est un autre leader qui prend soin des « young Rangers », les jeunes rangers dans la communauté qui vont aider la communauté dans les temps difficiles, puis qui leur donne tellement de bonnes valeurs—tellement de bonnes valeurs.

Je pense que c’est le député qui l’a dit dans son discours : ce sont des héros. Ce sont des héros de la Deuxième Guerre. Ce sont des héros qui montrent tellement de bonnes valeurs à notre jeunesse. Des fois, on voit que ça nous en prend plus. La jeunesse a besoin de personnes qui peuvent leur passer ces valeurs-là, qui peuvent les emmener à aider leur communauté.

Tu sais, les Premières Nations aussi, quand ça arrive aux « elders », ces personnes dans les communautés sont très importantes. Puis, de valeur pour eux autres c’est d’aider, puis aussi de les écouter. On semble oublier que des fois—puis ça, c’est une des affaires qu’on fait dans notre culture. Ils ont tellement de richesses, ils ont tellement à apporter à notre société, mais on a la semblance de les mettre de côté.

Puis, les Premières Nations, elles valorisent leurs personnes âgées, ou ce qu’elles appellent leurs « elders », pour ce qu’ils ont vécu. Ils ont du vécu, et puis ils nous apportent tellement. Puis de passer ça, comme le Chief Whetung a fait, à la jeunesse, d’apporter des valeurs dont tout le monde peut bénéficier, c’est tout à son honneur.

C’est pour ça qu’on appuie le projet de loi. C’est pour ça que je remercie le député d’avoir apporté ce beau projet de loi pour reconnaître le Chief Whetung puis reconnaître aussi les cadets, la jeunesse qui amène tellement de bonne valeur à notre communauté et à notre province.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Daryl Kramp: Certainly, I’m proud to be joining my colleagues here who are in support of Bill 220, the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2020, brought forward by the fine member for Peterborough–Kawartha. I know he is committed. He is knowledgeable on this file. This is something that obviously crosses party lines so that it is certainly not a partisan issue, but a matter of identity, really, of what we are as a nation; because he has recognized that strong citizenship, discipline and commitment to our province and our country does come, on many, many occasions, in the army, air and sea cadets.

There was a time in my younger years when, in my own hometown in Madoc, cadets were an overwhelming force for good. We only had maybe 400 students in the high school, yet we had 150, both young men and women, serving in our local cadet corps. We were a dominant organization. We were part of the No. 385, Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, working out of Belleville—the historic Hasty Ps who served, of course, so well through the Italian campaign in the Second World War.

We learned a lot during all of those times with that affiliation. In parades alone, when we were going through all of our small municipalities, sometimes it would take over a block for our regiment to be able to walk by in that parade. When you only have a community of maybe 1,000 or 2,000 people, we were not only very dominant, but a recognition that this was a commitment to the community.

Cadets were not just in my backyard. They were a major part of the local communities and the culture and community spirit in Napanee, Bancroft and Bath, just to name a few of the others. In all the corners of these two counties, Denbigh to Odessa to Lake St. Peter, the young people in these cadet corps learned many, many things about their lives to come. It wasn’t just simply a matter of going and standing on parade; they learned the importance of service to their neighbours and their neighbourhoods at a time that hasn’t even gone, even though the times change.

These are dedicated young men and women in our communities from all backgrounds who exemplify the finest in Canadian citizenship, in my mind, by volunteering with distinction to keep our communities safe and strong.

The Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act recognizes the special role of cadets and, of course, very importantly, their mentors; and, wonderfully, it recognizes Murray Whetung for his lifetime of service to the community and to the people of Ontario.

Now, the wording in this bill, which applies equally to air, sea and army cadets, is especially well considered: cadets, it says, “selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.” Powerful words, Madam Speaker, for powerful actions: “exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community,” selected by their corps. Undoubtedly, this is the cream of our youth, and they are being chosen by their peers, not by outsiders.

I look forward to the annual award ceremonies, when once again members here are able to have wide-open events, hopefully, to be able to participate with our young people. But until then, we know that cadets’ citizenship and civic volunteerism will continue to serve our communities and our youth very well. Both our young and the local fabric of our communities, large and small, gain so much from all their efforts.

Obviously, I’m pleased to be able to hear the words from across the aisle—here, as well, from every member in the House. These young people are a prime example of what our future is and can be. Thank you to the member of Peterborough–Kawartha for the dedication he has shown in bringing this forward.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Lorne Coe: I’m pleased to be able to speak in support of the bill. As we approach Remembrance Day, it is not only important to remember the selfless sacrifice of our veterans overseas, and those who still serve; it’s also important to remember their legacies of community work after they return.

Speaker, Murray was not only a veteran but a pillar of his community. He was a true example of the cadets’ values of patriotism, sacrifice and volunteerism. By naming this award after him, we are also recognizing how transformative acts of service can be to one’s community.

Service is just one of the many core principles taught in the cadet corps. It’s also one of the values passed on to each and every young cadet. The cadet corps brings together people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s an opportunity to teach Canadian values, history and traditions, along with new skills, providing unique experiences and promoting an active lifestyle with friendship. This bill will not only shine a light on the young individuals who are doing marvelous things in our community, but it would also shine a light on this historic and valued institution.

Speaker, my hope is that this bill will inspire our young people to be more like Murray, including the cadet corps in the region of Durham, the sea cadets, air cadets and the army cadets; to teach young people that all good deeds do eventually come to light; that a lifetime of serving your community, province or country, like Murray, is not a chore but an honourable pursuit; and the proud legacy that he has left and continues to live, and is an example of how life should be led.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Back to the member for Peterborough–Kawartha.

Mr. Dave Smith: I’d like to thank the members from Thunder Bay–Atikokan, Barrie–Innisfil, Mushkegowuk–Baie James, Hastings–Lennox and Addington and Whitby for their comments.

When I was doing the research on this, it was really interesting talking to so many people about it. Very few people actually knew that somebody who was a First Nation individual who served for more than four years lost their status. I worked very closely with Lieutenant Colonel Barry Leonard, who is the commanding officer for cadets in Ontario. He’s a lifelong member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and he wasn’t aware of it. So he thanked me for bringing that forward.

As we went through our discussions on this bill, one of the things that he said was that in the cadets, they have a lot of awards for cumulative action over your term, but there are few awards that junior cadets have the opportunity to win. This is an award that is not cumulative over your career in cadets; it’s what you do each year. It’s opened up, then, not just to the NCOs, but to all of those junior cadets. He believed that this would a great way to inspire these young leaders to give back, and to continually give back.

Lieutenant Colonel Leonard’s personal opinion on it was that this is something that would keep people engaged. It would demonstrate to the greater community—not just cadets, but the greater community—that it’s a good idea to give back to your community.

I truly hope that today we’ll be able to pass this and that I’ll be able to take it to committee and eventually get this to be an award that is established and given out on a yearly basis.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Mr. Smith has moved second reading of Bill 220,

An Act to provide for an award for exceptional cadets. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Pursuant to standing order 101(i), the bill is referred to the Committee of the Whole House.

The member for Peterborough–Kawartha?

Mr. Dave Smith: I’d like to refer it to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills, please.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Is the majority in favour of the bill being referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills? Agreed. The bill is referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

Orders of the day?

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: No further business.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): There being no further business, this House stands recessed until 10:15.

The House recessed from 0939 to 1015.

Members’ Statements

Autism treatment

Mr. Jamie West: The story of government support, or lack of support, for the autism community in Ontario has not been pretty. As far back as 2005, the autism community has been protesting the Liberal government, and although the Conservatives promised 1,000% support for autism families, it has been two years and four months since the provincial election. There is really not much the Premier can brag about, and it gets worse. Last December, they re-postponed the implementation of a new autism program until April 2021, which is perhaps the cruelest April Fools’ joke of all.

This month, I had a virtual town hall to discuss autism in northern Ontario, and I was joined by three guests. Sylvie Grenier is a bilingual board-certified assistant behaviour analyst, and she spoke about the unique needs of the north and the difficulty assessing services. Shannon Lavoie’s youngest child, Theo, was diagnosed with autism three years ago; she spoke about the difficulty accessing francophone services in Ontario. And Shannon Ketchabaw spoke about her son Todd. Todd is nine years old, he’s non-verbal, and Shannon spoke about the cost to travel to access services for autism families, and how it disadvantages them both in terms of time and in finances.

The autism community in Sudbury and right across Ontario is relentless. They will never quit fighting for what is right and what is fair, and as New Democrats, we’ll always be in their corner fighting right alongside with them.

Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group

Mr. Norman Miller: I rise today to thank the members of the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group for their hard work over the past years and for the report they delivered to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. I’ve spoken to a number of the members of the group, and I know they worked very hard on this report. I want them to know I’ve read the report and will be talking to my colleagues about how we can implement the recommendations.

Of course, after the flooding in 2019, a large part of the report was focused on watershed management and flood mitigation. I ask that the Minister of Natural Resources work with the Minister of the Environment to implement some of these recommendations. There are too many recommendations to mention them all, but a few I found interesting were about reducing road salt in our lakes, studying and mapping shoreline erosion, dredging the Muskoka River mouth and researching the causes of algae blooms. I also was pleased to see recommendations to expand the ash program by Friends of the Muskoka Watershed. This program uses ash to address a calcium deficiency in the soil to help trees grow.

The committee members are a mix of business people, scientists and environmentally minded residents who brought a lot of different perspectives to the table. Again, I want to thank all the members of the group: Chair Mardi Witzel, Vice-Chair Don Smith, Patricia Arney, John Beaucage, Julie Cayley, Chris Cragg, John Miller, Kevin Trimble and Dr. Norman Yan.

Long-term care

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: Today I rise on behalf of front-line workers in long-term-care homes in London–Fanshawe and across Ontario. In the midst of a pandemic, they have been left to manage the impossible situation largely on their own.

Time and time again, I hear from staff who have reached out to me exhausted and utterly drained at the soul-crushing pace of their workplaces. They tell me they’re tired of not having their cries for help heard. They wish they could do more but there isn’t enough time or energy or resources. They’ve been betrayed by successive governments who chose to incrementally dismantle the long-term-care system, rather than build it to meet the growing and urgent need of Ontarians.

By legislating a minimum of 4.1 hours of direct care per resident per day, my bill, the Time to Care Act, is a practical, effective and immediate solution that would vastly improve the lives of those who work and live in long-term care. Even the government’s long-term-care commission interim report recommends the implementation of four hours of hands-on care.

On Wednesday, the Time to Care Act will be debated and voted on in this Legislature. The time for reading reports and commissioning studies is over. The time to come up with a strategy is over. The time to stall is over. Residents in long-term-care homes are dying. The time for long-term care to pass my Bill 13 is here now. Will the government do that?

Multiculturalism

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: I truly believe that much of what makes Ontario a wonderful place to live and do business is the diversity and multicultural character of our province. People from all walks of life, backgrounds and cultures call Ontario home. That is why it is so important to commemorate and celebrate our diversity.

Mr. Speaker, during the month of October we recognize both Islamic and Hispanic heritage months to provide Ontarians of all backgrounds the opportunity to learn about these rich and vibrant communities. For generations, the Islamic and Latin American communities have made significant contributions to our social, economic, political and cultural fabric.

In my riding, Markham–Thornhill, the Islamic Society of Markham and Denison mosque have gone above and beyond to help the community during COVID-19, including food and PPE donations and serving as a hub for community charitable work. This could also be said of the many Hispanic organizations across the GTA, such as Fuerza Latina Community Services, a leader in youth empowerment,

Mr. Speaker, I hope everyone takes this opportunity to celebrate Islamic and Hispanic heritage and recognize the important contributions they’ve made in making Ontario the great province that it is.

Children’s health services

Mr. John Vanthof: Today I’d like to update the House on the circumstances facing Finn Sirois from Timmins, Elijah Hennessey from Algoma–Manitoulin and Jeremy Hetu in our riding. Those are three young children who have different circumstances, but they share one thing in common: They need formula to stay alive. It’s the only thing that keeps them alive. In Ontario, that formula isn’t covered by OHIP.

We’ve spoken to the minister many times. The member from Algoma–Manitoulin has brought this forward—and the member from Timmins–James Bay, the member from Nickel Belt. We continually bring this forward. I do it with special urgency today. We talked to Jeremy’s mom this morning. When their money runs out, Jeremy has to go back to the hospital, because in the hospital it is covered. He’s a medically fragile child. If a decision is not made positively, he is going back to the hospital where the formula is covered, plus all the hospital costs. He has gotten special emergency funding from ODSP for one week.

Can you imagine wondering, week to week, if your medically fragile child is going to be able to be home the week after?

I urge the minister to step in and actually fix this problem and allow these people to stay home where they should be with their families.

Orléans Bengals football club

Mr. Stephen Blais: I want to commend the Orléans Bengals football club who have cared for our kids inside and outside the white lines for many years.

Recently, in Russell, Ontario, just outside Orléans, a young Black youth was bullied and attacked because of the colour of his skin. When organization president Qasim Khan, Chilli Johnson, and Vic and Charmaine Tedondo heard about the story, they leapt to action by meeting with the family and providing free team fees and camps in order to show this young man that he will never be alone.

Under the leadership of Tammy Copp, the organization’s principles to make football inclusive for all people are constantly on display. Tammy’s leadership has created activities to drive inclusion on and off the football field for members of all gender identities and orientations. The Bengals also believe that no child should be left behind. That’s why George Zigoumis created the Aldège Bellefeuille bursary, so kids of any income can participate. In 2009, the efforts of the Orléans Bengals to stamp out bullying were recognized when the club won the prestigious Royal Ottawa Inspiration Award for its Be a Bengal, Not a Bully program.

Mr. Speaker, these are but a few of the examples over the last decade where the Orléans Bengals have gone above and beyond the standard of simply fielding teams and decided to join the fight against bullying, racism and prejudices. The Bengals have stepped up. I want to thank everyone who dons the black and orange for volunteering to make our community a better place.

Discrimination

Mr. Vincent Ke: Since the beginning of the pandemic, there is a really disturbing trend that calls for our attention and action. According to a recent online survey of 500 Chinese Canadians conducted by the Angus Reid Institute, 43% of Chinese Canadians—and 44% out of them were born in Canada—have been the target of threats, insults and intimidation during the pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, I call for action against all racism, building a true, inclusive Canada. Although cowardly acts of racism target individuals or a specific group, the harmful impact on our society and culture hurts us all.

Taste of Brampton

Mr. Kevin Yarde: It’s an honour to rise and speak about this member statement regarding my community.

This pandemic has been really tough on all of us, but in recent months, it has been particularly tough for small business owners, especially in the hardest-hit sectors, like restaurant owners. One way I have been proud to show my support for the restaurant industry is by participating in the Taste of Brampton. What is the Taste of Brampton? The Taste of Brampton is an annual culinary event hosted by the Downtown Brampton BIA and local businesses. The Taste showcases the unique eats in Brampton through prix-fixe menus and special offerings exclusively available from October 15 until the 29th.

The Taste of Brampton will be focusing on takeout and outdoor dining on patios due to Peel region having a 28-day indoor dining restriction. Twenty-plus participants will be involved in the Taste of Brampton.

The businesses of Brampton welcome you to try their latest and greatest dishes during the Taste. Some of the participating restaurants are Mi Churros in downtown Brampton. They have the following promotions: three churros and coffee for $4 and 10 baby churros with coffee for $4.50. I know we’re all getting hungry just listening to it.

Together, Mr. Speaker, we can all make a huge difference. As part of our NDP Save Main Street plan, there must be a goal of keeping restaurant jobs afloat by limiting food delivery fees. Our restaurants need support—real support—not photo ops of MPPs ordering takeout.

Infrastructure funding

Mr. Daryl Kramp: I rise today to say a few words about what our government is doing despite the pandemic. Yes, government does continue in 2020, looking clearly forward to the future of the province and the needs of its people. Today, I want to speak specifically about hospitals, schools and long-term care. In each of these important areas, our investments continue despite the pandemic.

Our commitment to thousands of new long-term-care beds began with construction and reconstruction back in 2018 and has continued province-wide after neglect that sadly had lasted for more than a decade.

New hospital announcements continue, such as the one last Friday in Picton, a wonderful town that I was privileged to represent as a federal member for almost 12 years. This new hospital is certainly needed, and our government is proceeding with it. Thanks to all of the people who worked so hard to get that.

In my riding of Hastings–Lennox and Addington, we recently cut the ribbon on a replacement bridge over the Skootamatta River, north of Tweed, and last week announced a brand new primary school, with child care, for Amherstview, a growing community in the eastern part of our province.

Mr. Speaker, this is real infrastructure. This is not just talking about something and not doing it; this is actually doing things. This is not pie-in-the-sky infrastructure or money-wasting turbines that ruined our vista, that harm our residents and cost everyone more money on their electricity bills. The Green Energy Act was a disaster. Our infrastructure program is delivering results. It’s about getting Ontario out of the ditch and back on track.

School bus safety

Mr. Mike Harris: Last week, from October 19 to 23, was National School Bus Safety Week. Every day, 800,000 students across the province rely on school buses to get them to and from the classroom. In Waterloo region, almost 30,000 students take a school vehicle, including my son who uses the bus to get to his middle school every day.

Nothing is more important than our children, and I, along with my government colleagues the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Education, are committed to enhancing school bus safety. Within our first year as government, we made regulatory changes that allowed stop-arm camera technology to be used as evidence to hold drivers accountable.

But did you know, Speaker, that Ontario is the only province in Canada that doesn’t use a dual-lamp amber-and-red-light warning system? This system would make our buses even safer. At a traffic light, drivers already know to stop when it’s red and to be cautious when it’s amber. This would be the same approach they would use with a school bus. School bus drivers would flash the amber lights to give drivers clear advanced notice that they will soon be stopping, and the red lights would come on when this bus is stopped and children are getting on and off.

A Transport Canada study found that the amber-and-red system reduced the speed of oncoming vehicles and prevented more drivers from passing a stopped school bus. I wholeheartedly support this, and I am looking forward to introducing a private member’s bill to make this change. Anything we can do to keep our children safer is worth doing, and I hope my colleagues will support that.

Respiratory Therapy Week

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ve been advised that the Minister of Health may have a point of order.

Hon. Christine Elliott: Point of order: I would like to call to the attention of all members that this week is Respiratory Therapy Week. I ask this House to join me in recognizing all the hard work that respiratory therapists are doing across the province to help our patients, especially now during COVID. Thank you very much, all respiratory therapists, for your tireless work.

Question Period

Long-term care

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My first question this morning is to the Premier. On Friday, the government’s long-term-care commission confirmed what front-line staff and families of residents have been crying out for months. I’m going to quote from that report: “Long-term-care homes were forgotten in the initial provincial plans to control the spread of COVID-19 until residents started dying.”

Just last week, the Ford government’s Minister of Long-Term Care was still insisting that the government had acted immediately and done all it could. No one on that side of the House, not the minister, not the Premier, is prepared to take any responsibility for the disasters that have unfolded in long-term care. Will the Premier finally do the right thing and ask his Minister of Long-Term Care to resign?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

Minister of Long-Term Care to Reply.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: I reject the premise in your statement. I have been a doctor, a family physician, for decades. I came to politics because of issues surrounding long-term care that I knew both professionally and personally. I want to thank the commissioners for their report, this early report, to help us with guidance and to create transparency for the public. This is a very important commission that is non-partisan, it is independent, it is transparent and it is publicly facing, and I appreciate it hearing from all of the groups that want to be heard on this.

Our government has worked relentlessly with a commitment like no other government in the history of this province for long-term care. After it was—thank you, Speaker.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I think it’s pretty disgraceful that the minister is pretending that there is nothing in this report that is problematic. The report says clearly that the government didn’t plan to protect seniors in long-term care when COVID-19 was hitting our province. That’s a shameful thing to have happen, and somebody needs to take responsibility for it.

The report only confirms what residents have been saying and what family members have been saying for months; in fact, for years. On Friday, CBC’s Marketplace revealed that there are routine abuse and violations that occur in most homes across the province and there are virtually no consequences—no consequences—when those homes break the law repeatedly. Sadly, this situation of neglect and abuse has become the norm in long-term care—completely unacceptable.

If what happened in long-term care with COVID happened anywhere else, the minister responsible would be offering her resignation. Why has the Premier failed to do the right thing and ask for that minister’s resignation?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you for the question. We look at the neglect for decades by the previous government and supported by the opposition right here today. When you had the opportunity to deal with the deep, deep issues, the systemic issues in long-term care, you did not take them.

Our government is the government that is committed to repairing, rebuilding and advancing long-term care, and I am the minister who cares so deeply about long-term care that I have come, after many years of serving the public, caring every day about patients and families and doing my very best to serve them, and now I’m here serving Ontarians. I will continue to be relentless, working with other ministries, working across governments, and I would hope that you would be part of the solution in such an unprecedented situation. I will be relentless.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. I will remind all members to make their comments through the Chair.

Start the clock. Final supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, what the minister hasn’t figured out is this is not about her—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. The member for Northumberland–Peterborough South, come to order.

I’ll give you extra time. The Leader of the Opposition.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: It’s not about her, it’s about what happened in long-term care, and if there was that much neglect, she should have known and should have protected long-term-care homes from COVID-19. She should have protected those residents. She shamefully admits that she knew the system was a mess, and yet they forgot to plan, forgot to plan for protecting seniors in long-term care.

Families, residents, front-line staff in long-term-care homes were not surprised by the commissioner’s report. These are the same issues that they continue to plead with the government and they were pleading with the government for months and even years to try to fix.

Friday’s commission report really did feel compelled to tell the minister to actually take her study that she commissioned and received back in July off the shelf and start implementing it. Stop studying the study, for goodness’ sake. Get some things done.

No one’s accountable, nothing is changing at all for people, and so the Premier now has to actually do the right thing, and if she will not resign, if she will not do the right thing and resign, the Premier of Ontario needs to fire his Minister of Long-Term Care.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock again. The Minister of Labour must come to order.

Start the clock. The Minister of Long-Term Care to respond.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you for the question. I would suggest to the member opposite, please don’t make it about me. I want it to be about Ontarians, and so if you continue in the proper process of why we are here, it is about serving Ontarians. It is about repairing, rebuilding and advancing long-term care, and the actions that we’ve taken speak for themselves, starting very early: the Ministry of Health lead on the preparedness plan, making sure that all across the sector, there was integration; a group of experts, not only in Public Health Ontario, but Ontario Health; all the expertise, whether it’s in testing, virology, many, many experts informing this plan.

I agree with you: This is about Ontarians, it’s about serving the people, and it is not about me. The unprecedented issue that we’ve seen with COVID across the world, looking at asymptomatic spread, is something that the world has never seen before. So now our government is—

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

COVID-19 response

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier.

Yesterday, Ontario achieved a troubling new milestone as the total daily case counts of COVID-19 soared to a record high. It’s clear now that the failure of the Ford government’s plan to deal with the upcoming second wave which we’re now in and make the necessary investments in things like testing capacity, smaller class sizes, staffing and long-term care is having a devastating effect.

Weeks ago, the Premier claimed Ontario was flattening the curve and hitting a plateau, and now he has to answer the question: Is he prepared, finally, to admit that his government’s plan for the second wave has fallen tragically, tragically short?

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

Hon. Christine Elliott: We took steps very early on to prepare for the fall. Our fall preparedness plan, Keeping Ontarians Safe, with six key pillars—and we’ve also put $2.8 billion into this plan across the board—making sure that we can respond to surges within our hospitals and public health facilities, making sure we have the strongest flu campaign in Ontario’s history, making sure that we have the health human resources we need to make sure that we can have the people we need working in our long-term-care sector and in our hospitals. We’ve been preparing for this; we are ready for it.

We’ve already taken steps in four key areas with modified stage 2. We are looking to see the results. There is a problem in the sense that it was Thanksgiving festivities that happened about the same time as we cut back in a modified stage 2 in four areas. We still have to wait to see the effects of those provisions, but we are seeing the numbers starting to go down in certain areas. The total numbers are still troubling, but we are starting to see some of the numbers go down.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, all summer long, the Premier simply ignored experts who were pleading for the government to protect kids in classrooms, seniors in long-term care, and to upgrade our chronically under-resourced lab system.

Instead, he’s offered direction that is so inconsistent and so unclear that even his own MPPs are publicly calling for clarity. This weekend, two government MPPs wrote the Premier warning that people may start ignoring public health advice. And the member for Niagara West, as we all saw, literally posed for a photo where he violated public health guidelines with over 40 of his friends and family.

Why is the Premier’s own team challenging and outright ignoring his directions?

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

Hon. Paul Calandra: Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

The member opposite will know that the members for Milton and Burlington were responding to a challenge that is happening in Halton where the elected officials there currently disagree with their chief medical officer of health on if and when stage 2 should come into effect in Halton. Mr. Speaker, of course we would expect that our members would attempt to intervene when there are those types of disagreements. They did the right thing in reaching out to Dr. Williams. I would suspect and I would hope that members opposite would do the exact same thing when their municipalities find themselves in the same situation.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to ask the government House leader to withdraw.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I withdraw.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, people have been let down. That’s the truth. People have been let down by this government’s refusal to prepare properly for the second wave. They’ve been stuck in long lines, left waiting for test results. They’ve seen jobs disappear and businesses close. They’ve lost loved ones in long-term care.

The Premier is focused on saving money. He was focused on saving money when he should have been focused on saving lives. And now his own MPPs are questioning him or outright ignoring health advice.

Is the Premier now prepared to admit that his government’s planning for the second wave of COVID-19 was, tragically, a disaster?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Again, Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the members for Burlington and Milton—the member for Oakville North–Burlington also—have some concerns with respect to the fact that in Halton, there is a disagreement between elected officials and the Halton chief medical officer of health with entering stage 2. As a result, the members sought clarity from the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health, as I would hope that all members would do in instances where there is a clear difference of opinion.

Mr. Speaker, with respect to COVID-19 measures—look, this government, we’re very proud of all of the work that we have done. We will continue to fight COVID-19 with all of the resources available to us, and by doing something extremely different than what the Leader of the Opposition would suggest: by working together with our friends in the municipal and Liberal and across party lines.

Member’s conduct

Mr. John Vanthof: My question is to the Premier. With COVID cases peaking, it’s vitally important that we all follow the rules. The Premier, in his daily press conferences, implores us, “Social distance. Wear masks. Don’t let your kids come home for Thanksgiving.” Ontarians across the province followed his advice. But now we see a picture from one of the Premier’s own team with 40 people unmasked.

Could he please tell Ontarians why his own team doesn’t follow his advice?

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

Hon. Paul Calandra: Again, thank you for that question. To be clear, the member in question has apologized for the lack of judgment in that instance. I’ve spoken with him, as has the Premier. We accept his apology, and of course, we encourage all members to do everything that they can to help us, to help Ontarians flatten the curve and defeat COVID-19.

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

Mr. John Vanthof: Once again to the Premier: An apology is great, but we need to set an example. You need to set an example.

What’s even more concerning is that the member from Niagara didn’t seem to think that that was a problem. Are you really taking this seriously yourselves? It’s a case of, “Do as I say, but not as I do,” and it’s not going unnoticed. Anthony Dale, CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association, said that the member should resign from his parliamentary assistant role. That would set an example.

Is the Premier willing to ask for his resignation?

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

Hon. Paul Calandra: Again, Mr. Speaker, what the member did was wrong. He apologized. The Premier and myself, we have both have spoken to him.

But when it comes to following the rules and, “Do as I say and not as I do,” this is an opposition party that on day one, when we returned to this place after negotiating a cohort agreement, broke that agreement. When it comes to listening and doing all that we can, this is an opposition that within 10 hours of an agreement being reached on how to keep this Legislature going, on how to keep the business of the people being enacted, decided to ignore that, break the cohort and flood the chamber.

I would suggest to the member opposite: Take a good, long look in the mirror.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Timmins come to order. The Leader of the Opposition come to order. The member for Windsor West come to order. The member for Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas come to order.

The next question.

Hydro rates

Mr. Stephen Crawford: My question is to the Associate Minister of Energy. The COVID pandemic has changed my constituents’ lives dramatically by forcing them to work and to spend much more time at home. I know we froze the time-of-use electricity rates and introduced a COVID-19 recovery rate of 12.8 cents per kilowatt hour to help them through a very difficult time. But what happens next?

Could the minister please tell us what the government is doing to let Ontarians choose what is best for their families when it comes to electricity pricing?

Hon. Bill Walker: Thank you to the member from Oakville for his great work and a great question on behalf of his constituents.

Because of our decisive action this past summer, Ontarians benefited from stability and lower electricity bills. We knew, when homes became offices and classrooms, that the laundry machine and air conditioner would need to run more.

Ontarians have had no choice but to use more electricity. That’s why it was critical for us to provide stability and predictability. Starting on November 1, electricity customers in this province will be able to choose a plan that best suits their household and lifestyle, with the option of choosing either time-of-use electricity rates or tiered pricing, which will provide a set rate for electricity up to a certain level of consumption.

Mr. Speaker, Ontarians deserve to choose what works best for them and their families, and our government will always look for ways to make life more affordable for the people we were given the privilege to serve.

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

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Thank you to the minister for that answer. I know that many of my constituents will appreciate the option to be able to choose an electricity plan that works best for them.

Mr. Speaker, COVID-19 has changed the way people work right across this province. Some may be spending more time working at their homes, and other essential workers are spending much more time than ever at their workplaces. Can the minister please tell this House how the customer choice initiative considers all Ontarians, no matter what their work situation?

Hon. Bill Walker: Thank you, again. Through you, Mr. Speaker: The member from Oakville makes an important point. Ontarians consume electricity in different ways, and they all deserve the opportunity to save on their electricity costs.

Whether you work from home 9 to 5 or do shift work or work multiple part-time jobs, customers use electricity differently. If customers use more electricity during non-peak hours like evenings and weekends, time of use may be a better rate plan for them, but if customers use more electricity during weekday hours, tiered pricing could help them save. That’s why we’re offering both, Mr. Speaker: choice.

Mr. Speaker, all that Ontarians need to do to take advantage of this program is to contact their local distribution system centre and they will be switched to the price structure of their choice. We’re proud to offer stability and affordability when it comes to electricity for the people of Ontario.

Long-term care

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: My question is to the Premier. This week, the government’s long-term care commission echoed a long-standing call from New Democrats, front-line workers and residents in long-term care to establish a minimum standard of four hours per day of hands-on care per resident in every long-term-care home in this province.

This week, the Time to Care Act, which would establish this standard in law, is up for debate for the fourth time. There should be nothing left to debate. This is a long-overdue and simple measure that will protect seniors and improve their quality of life. Will the Premier support it?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Long-Term Care to reply.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Once again, I want to thank the commissioners for their early response. This is something that we had been looking to the commission for, for early guidance, if possible, and so we are very appreciative of that.

Certainly we recognize the long-standing staffing issue in long-term care, the crisis that was leading into our government’s situation when we took it on in 2019 in the summer as a new ministry, understanding what really had not been done by the previous government. Clearly, we take the safety and well-being of residents and staff in long-term care as a main priority. There is no doubt about the importance of their safety, the well-being and the high-quality care that our residents need, and their complexity, understanding that our residents are more complex than ever before.

We understand the imperative of addressing the staffing issue, addressing the issues that are long-standing in long-term care, and we will continue to work towards improving care for our residents.

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

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: The tragic reality is that since Mike Harris eliminated the minimum standards of care over two decades ago, government after government has promised action and failed to deliver. The Liberals promised to re-establish the minimum standards in 2003. Before the last election, every Conservative in this Legislature voted to support this bill. The government’s own staffing review and now their commission have called for this to be enacted urgently.

When will the government establish a minimum standard of four hours a day of hands-on care per resident in this province?

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

Hon. Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member’s question with respect to private member’s business. We will be debating that, if I’m not mistaken, on Wednesday, when the House will give consideration of her bill.

COVID-19 response

Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios: Good morning. My question is for the Minister of Health. Over the weekend, the former employer of the Premier’s chief of staff, the Toronto Sun tabloid, in

an act of state propaganda, mischaracterized a letter signed by two government members as pushback against the Premier, when in fact it was written to the Chief Medical Officer of Health and not the Premier. It was another example of this government passing the buck.

Six weeks ago, during question period, I stood here and I asked the government for objective criteria and a framework. Why did the government refuse to publicly release transparent, objective criteria prior to shutting down businesses in four regions across Ontario?

Hon. Christine Elliott: We have been very transparent with the information that we have published with respect to why some of these areas were put into modified stage 2. It depends on a number of factors, including the number of cases, of course; the ability of our public health system to be able to deal with that in terms of contact tracing, testing, isolating and so on; the ability of our hospitals to be able to manage that excess capacity if we have an overrun of patients with COVID-19; and, of course, we consult with the medical officers of health in all of those areas.

It’s not just one person that makes this decision; it’s Dr. Williams, it’s the public health measures table, but it’s also the medical officers of health in those particular areas. In the areas that are now in modified stage 2, the local medical officers of health all agreed that this was necessary.

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

Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios: This government continues to pass the buck. In one breath, they say that they rely on medical experts and want the public to give them a pass on their botched use of emergency powers because they aren’t doctors. In another breath, they threaten swift action and that they might “bring down the hammer.”

But the chief medical officer only provides recommendations. The decisions are supposed to be made by the Premier and this government. Are they making the decisions or not? Because if they’re not making the decisions and don’t want any of the criticism, perhaps they should let the chief medical officer—who they like to blame—serve as first minister and Minister of Health.

I repeat: Is this government making the decisions or not?

Hon. Christine Elliott: In every case, all of our decisions have been made based on scientific evidence and clinical evidence. I’m not sure, Speaker—I’ll ask the member through you—who she would like us to rely on to make these decisions.

We have to make decisions based on the scientific evidence, based on the recommendations by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, by the people on the health command table, by the people on the health measures table, by a number of doctors and physicians who have volunteered their time to serve, by the medical officers of health in all of the units. This isn’t a single decision that’s made by anybody; this is a decision that’s made by political advisers, by all of us as politicians, based on the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and all of the other people who are giving us recommendations.

That’s what we should be basing the decisions on. That’s what the people of Ontario expect us to be relying upon.

Child and family services

Mr. Lorne Coe: My question is to the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues. We’ve said in this House many times and even more outside of it that Ontario’s child welfare system is broken. It’s an outdated system, with only minimal changes through its over 125-year history.

While there have been some improvements, small changes aren’t enough. Apprehension seems to be the first choice rather than assessing the family issue and providing the right supports. It’s also clear that child welfare is so much more than just protecting children in the home.

Unfortunately, Speaker, the previous government, helped by the NDP, let this system suffer. Can the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues please confirm with the House that she won’t keep the status quo, but will actually help children in need?

Hon. Jill Dunlop: Thank you to the member from Whitby for that question. Speaker, no parent, no child, no family member should fear speaking to a children’s aid society or asking for help. Children and youth should not be removed from their cultures, religion, faith or communities. Poverty is not a reason to remove a child from a loving home.

The culture in Ontario’s child welfare system needs to change, and that’s exactly what we are doing. We are moving from apprehension to prevention. We are focusing on intervening early and providing supports to keep children and youth with their families and communities as best as we can. When they do need to be removed, we are prioritizing family-based care over group homes, and giving children and youth a stronger voice in the decisions about their care.

Speaker, we know that children and youth who maintain connections to mothers, fathers, family, community, faith or culture have better outcomes. That’s our focus and that’s what we’re going to do.

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

Mr. Lorne Coe: Back to the minister: Thank you, Minister, for that response.

Speaker, the minister makes an important point: that children and youth who maintain connections to their mothers, fathers, faith, cultural communities have better outcomes. The impact child welfare has on individuals reaches far beyond the home. In its current state, those in contact with the system have worse life outcomes. Changes need to happen, and kids need a modern system that puts them and their families at the centre.

Can the minister commit to modernizing the child welfare system so that children and youth who have been left behind by the Liberals and the NDP will now have a chance at success?

Hon. Jill Dunlop: Thank you again to the member for raising this important question. The member is correct that child welfare is about so much more than just protection. It is about community. It is about family supports. It is about education and building a strong foundation for success.

I can say, yes, I can commit to changing the system for the children and youth and families in Ontario who need it. That’s why I am working with my colleagues to create a better-integrated system, so that a woman fleeing violence doesn’t have to worry about being separated from her kids; so that children who might have to be removed from their home are getting supports in school and don’t fall behind; so that Indigenous children can remain in their communities and receive culturally appropriate care and stay with families.

Speaker, redesigning the child welfare system won’t happen overnight, but we can commit to the long-term work that is needed to achieve success and promote positive outcomes for children, youth and families. Future generations are depending on us.

Post-secondary education

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: My question is for the Premier. Ontarians are not pleased to see that this Premier is rewarding Charles McVety for his friendship and political support. Instead of focusing on helping Ontarians to get through this pandemic, the Premier is distracted, and he wants to let McVety grant arts and science degrees at his college.

Today, the National Council of Canadian Muslims called on the Premier to distance himself from this man and his bigotry and to reassess whether this government will proceed with

schedule 2 of this legislation. And so I ask: Will the Premier listen to NCCM and all other Ontarians outraged by this decision to support Charles McVety’s hateful views?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant.

Mr. David Piccini: I thank the member opposite for her question. Mr. Speaker, just to be clear, independent review of degree-granting has existed for decades under governments of all stripes. Factually, this institution has had the ability to grant degrees up to the PhD level under the previous government, and since the 1990s.

The reason we have a high quality of education in the province of Ontario is because parties of all stripes have supported the independent process and review of the post-secondary quality assessment board.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: Back to the Premier: The Premier should not be doing political favours for his close friends and diehard supporters, people like Charles McVety. I’ve written to the Ontario Human Rights Commission and I’ve asked the Chief Commissioner to look into whether this bill is a violation of Ontario’s Human Rights Code or Canada’s Charter of Rights.

Given the long-standing track record of Charles McVety using this college as a platform for discrimination and harm against protected groups, and the concerns raised by NCCM among so many others, will the government do the right thing and pull this bill while the Chief Commissioner looks into the matter?

Mr. David Piccini: Again, just to be clear, enabling legislation for degree-granting has existed under governments of all stripes and it is reliant on the independent process of the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board. We look forward to the review, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

COVID-19 response

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: My question is for the Premier. In March, this government announced their COVID-19 action plan, which was largely comprised of tax deferrals for businesses instead of the real help that they needed, like commercial rent relief. Just a few weeks ago, the Treasury Board president told us that he is planning to collect an astonishing 100% of those tax deferrals, despite businesses being closed, with no cash flow, and that we are now in a second-wave shutdown to slow the spread of COVID-19.

It is clear that the March action plan failed. It is clear that there was no plan for a second wave. The Premier was taking a summer victory tour while Ontarians were waiting for back-to-school plans and lining up for hours to get a COVID test.

Speaker, will the Premier’s budget include a real second-wave plan, not just deferred supports? Will the Premier make investments commensurate with the health crisis that we now face, and how will—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you. The parliamentary assistant to reply.

Mr. Stan Cho: To the member opposite, what the Premier was doing was touring this province and engaging with the small businesses throughout. These are mom-and-pop shops. Behind every single one of those closed doors is a family trying to provide for their loved ones during a very difficult time.

I reject the member saying that there has been no direct response. There has been, to the tune of $11 billion. That’s been tax cuts—employer health tax cuts to the tune of $300 million; $175 million to keep hydro rates low; $300 million just announced for the regions that are affected by the revised stage 2. That’s going to go to help with their fixed costs, whether that’s hydro, whether that’s those taxes that we spoke about, or even with property taxes.

So while the member opposite considers that consulting with those hard-working businesses of Ontario is a waste of time, we disagree, here on the government benches.

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

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: As the PA lists these figures, and they claim that you’re committing for support, the FAO points out that this government is sitting on $9.3 billion in reserves and unallocated funds which could be invested in programs and supports for Ontarians, to keep them safe. In fact, you’ve fallen short on long-term care, on education, on small business—and, in fact, when you look at cutting off the emergency benefits that the most vulnerable Ontarians rely on in OW and ODSP income supports.

Since March, as the PA knows, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs held hundreds of hours of hearings across industries and sectors, hearing testimonies and witnesses from restaurants to spas to tourism operators to tech hubs. In fact, we have this book of ideas that have been presented.

Why are we still waiting for the much-needed supports that have been called for? What are you waiting for—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. The parliamentary assistant to reply.

Mr. Stan Cho: Certainly a lot to digest in that question, but I want to share with that member a lesson that my parents taught me when I was nine years old in our little convenience store in Rexdale, and that is: When times are good, you put away for a rainy day. That’s what this government did in its first two years of its mandate. That’s why we’re able to provide that direct relief.

The member opposite mentions the FAO report, and I want to remind the member that the FAO’s first-quarter report is a snapshot in time. It would be irresponsible of a prudent government to spend its entire year’s budget in that very short period of time. We are providing that direct support, and that’s why we announced $300 million for the revised stage 2. Those supports are going to continue, in a coordinated effort with our federal partners in Ottawa, to fill the gaps of this joint program that is released. That’s why we will have these further support measures announced in that budget.

I look forward to continuing to assist the great, hard-working businesses of this province through the budget.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. The Minister of Labour will come to order. The member for Scarborough–Guildwood will come to order.

Restart the clock. The next question.

Northern Ontario economy

Mr. Norman Miller: My question is for the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs. We know this has been a challenging period for many of us, but small businesses, and particularly northern small businesses, have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the Speaker to the minister: What is our government doing to support northern Ontario small businesses?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant.

Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and through you I would like to thank the member from Parry Sound–Muskoka for his question. As we continue to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and kick-start the economy in Ontario, we know that investing in businesses in northern Ontario will be critical for our long-term success. That’s why we introduced the Northern Ontario Recovery Program to support hard-working businesses in northern Ontario that have been impacted by COVID-19.

In fact, the CEO from Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce said they’re “very pleased to support the Northern Ontario Recovery Program.... Through many consultations with the governments of Canada and Ontario, it was evident that many small businesses were unintendedly falling through the cracks of support programs for a variety of reasons.” The Northern Ontario Recovery Program “will help address that issue by supporting the many businesses that are investing in ensuring a safe environment for their employees and customers so that we can have a safe today and healthy tomorrow.”

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

Mr. Norman Miller: Thank you for that response. It’s clear that our government is listening to the people of northern Ontario and stepping up to support them. Can the parliamentary assistant share more details of the Northern Ontario Recovery Program and the type of projects that it aims to support?

Mr. Dave Smith: Again, thank you for that question. The program is being administered through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. and will provide targeted funding so businesses can install the necessary upgrades and adapt to the challenges that they have with COVID-19.

Applications will be open until December 31, 2020, and companies can apply for assistance for things like building renovations or adding on new construction to support physical distancing and other safety measures; installing employee and customer safety installations, like Plexiglas shields, sneeze guards; equipment purchases, including PPE; and marketing for new business initiatives and restructuring of business operations so that they can thrive during this COVID-19 challenge.

This has been a challenging period for many of us, but I know that with this investment, the resilience of northern Ontario will return from this crisis stronger and better than ever.

Caregivers

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: My question is to the Premier. On Friday, the Conservative government’s own long-term-care commission recommended that, given the physical care and psychosocial support that caregivers provide, long-term-care residents must be provided consistent, safe access to family members and loved ones.

Speaker, I couldn’t agree more. Since the first wave of the pandemic, families, experts and the official opposition NDP all sounded the alarm about the mental, physical and emotional suffering among isolated residents. It motivated me to table the More Than a Visitor Act, which this government supported but has not moved forward.

Will the government follow their own commission’s recommendations and pass the More Than a Visitor Act to allow for safe, consistent, meaningful caregiver access?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Long-Term Care.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: That is exactly what we’ve done with the essential caregivers—the dedicated, the designated essential caregivers. Each resident is able to designate two care providers that will be allowed into the home. If there is an outbreak in the home, one caregiver will be allowed in. They will be trained in the appropriate, necessary equipment that they are required to use, the donning and the doffing, as we say: the putting on and the taking off of this equipment.

We recognize the absolute necessity to support the mental well-being of our residents in long-term care. It was a difficult decision early on to limit, but that was done through the Chief Medical Officer of Health to limit visitors into the home. Each resident—I want to reinforce this point—can designate two people to be their essential caregiver, to be allowed into the home, and one person, one caregiver, in the case of an outbreak. So even in the situation of an outbreak, these people will be allowed into the home.

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

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: This government has a responsibility not only to keep people safe from COVID, but from the harm of isolation as well. They’re failing miserably on both fronts, and it’s important that the minister listen to this so she knows the reality of what’s going on, as opposed to what she wants to think is going on.

This weekend, Anne wrote to me. She said that she has been fully shut out of her mom’s retirement home, even with no outbreak.

Joan also sent me an email, concerned about her husband who lives in long-term care. She said, “I don’t want another six months of not seeing him due to spread. The situation needs to be improved now.”

Speaker, I have hundreds of other emails exactly the same as this. Will the Premier fast-track the More Than a Visitor Act, and provide the staffing levels, PPE and training to actually facilitate and enforce safe access for caregivers?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: As I said, to the member opposite, this is a situation that already has been addressed. We will continue to take additional measures.

If you want to provide the names and the homes of which you speak, then I would be happy to take that back to the ministry to fully understand—

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: They copied you too.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Yes, I would be happy to address that.

Mental health services

M me Lucille Collard: My question is for the Minister of Education. This government has repeatedly mentioned the importance of providing mental health services in Ontario, especially in the middle of this crisis. To that effect, we need to be aware of the incredible pressure that education workers of all categories are going through, whether it’s teachers, bus drivers, principals, administrative staff in schools and in school boards.

I was told that, right now, education workers of all kinds are feeling the exhaustion as if it was the end of November, with no relief in sight before the holiday season, which is a whole two months away.

My question on behalf of all these exhausted workers: What support is the minister offering for education workers that are working in these extremely challenging environments?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Thank you for that question. As you know, the Roadmap to Wellness was established back in the early part of March. As a result of COVID, we had to look at finding resources that would help the children in the schools but also help the instructors. We invested in virtual care. We invested, initially, $12 million and an additional $14.75 million. We created help lines for students, Kids Help Phone. We established lines for the front-line workers and first responders. We created a network of supports in a difficult time when face-to-face services will not be easily provided.

In addition to that, we also ensured that in schools, there were additional resources invested and the additional resources brought in—additional mental health care workers to assist the teachers in the work that needed to be done with the children.

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

M me Lucille Collard: Again to the Minister of Education on the same question: Education workers are working tirelessly and, for many, well beyond the normal hours to be responsive to public health requirements in addition to their workloads. There is added work and stress from having to react to a public health notice of an outbreak within very short time frames. I’m sure you’re very well aware of what they need to do.

Another example for the secondary schools with the hybrid model is the fact that the school calendar has not been adjusted to provide teachers with any preparation time to prepare for the second quadmester. A consequence of this is also the cancellation of the exams, which gives no gap in between the first quadmester and the second, so they have to jump into the second subject with no time to prepare.

These workers are at a risk of burnout, and they need some breathing room. Will the minister work with all parties involved to give education workers and students some breathing room to protect their mental health, and supports to parents through this initiative and make sure that it is included in the budget?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I want to build on the message from the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. As the member opposite will know—and I appreciate the question, realizing full well the stress that the pandemic has imposed on our staff. These are people who work very hard, who have families themselves and I think who really are trying to do their very best in a very impossible circumstance.

That’s the basis for why, in June, when we announced the Grants for Student Needs, we invested an additional $15 million in mental health supports. Since then, we’ve announced $30 million more to support mental health for children and likewise for staff. Boards have the latitude to utilize those funds to support staffing and to support the mental health resilience of our front-line workers.

Speaker, it’s also why, in September, we funded a $10-million allocation, the only province in Canada to mandate training for health and safety for COVID for permanent teachers as well as occasional supply teachers, as well as for mental health. We appreciate the impact that COVID has had on our front-line people and all Ontarians. We’ll continue to be there for them, for our students and for all families in Ontario.

Hospital funding

Ms. Sandy Shaw: My question this morning is for the Premier. Today, the Hamilton Spectator reported that Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare are short 224 staff. In the middle of a pandemic, hospitals in my community are in dire need of nurses, lab technicians, psychologists, PSWs. The list goes on and on, Mr. Speaker.

The workers on the front line of this pandemic need support. So my question: What is this government going to do to provide the relief to these hospitals that are so understaffed?

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

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. This is one of the key strategies in our fall preparedness plan, Keeping Ontarians Safe: having the health human resources that we need in order to deal with COVID-19. We have already put money into the nursing guarantee program for new nursing graduates. We’ve also given a temporary increase of pay until March 2021 for personal support workers and have also increased the salaries for the people who are working there, and bringing people back to provide them with benefits as well. We’re very cognizant of the issues.

We’re in regular contact with the hospitals, as well as with the hospital association. We will make sure that the necessary staff will be there to serve the patients in your community.

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

Ms. Sandy Shaw: Mr. Speaker, I find this answer disturbing, because these hospitals are understaffed right now. They need help now.

If that wasn’t disturbing in its own right, we’ve also learned that as of October 15, 113 staff have tested positive for COVID-19. I would just like to add, the majority of these are women.

Michele Leroux, the VP of human resources at Hamilton Health Sciences, had this to say: “The pandemic is taking a toll on our staff and physicians both at work and at home. Despite this, they continue to show up every day and simply go above and beyond to care for our community.”

What is this government going to do today to ensure that these front-line workers get the support they need to stay healthy and to continue the fight against COVID-19?

Hon. Christine Elliott: We’re all very grateful for the work that our front-line health care workers have done since the beginning of this pandemic. They have come to work each and every day. Physicians, nurses, PSWs, staff—everyone has come forward, and we are very grateful to them for doing that. We know that they need to be able to have the resources to stay safe themselves and to keep their families safe, because at the end of the day, they go home and they’re concerned about passing on COVID-19 to their families. So we have provided them with the personal protective equipment that they need.

We’ve increased the supplies dramatically. We’ve worked with Ontario companies that have come forward to produce some of the PPE as a sideline to their regular businesses. They’ve been preparing the gowns, the masks, the face shields, making sure that people have the supplies they need.

We’ve also made changes to allow for people to be moved around within hospitals. If there are some people who aren’t there because, unfortunately, they’ve become ill, we can move people from other parts of the hospital. We didn’t have this ability before. This is a temporary measure, but—

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

Indigenous affairs

Mr. Mike Schreiner: My question is for the Premier.

Last week, when asked about the ongoing conflict at 1492 Land Back Lane, the Premier referred to Indigenous land defenders as “bad apples.” He went on to suggest that he knew exactly what people in Indigenous communities wanted: broadband. There’s no doubt we need better rural broadband, but if the Premier took the time to listen, he would know that Indigenous land defenders are talking about treaty rights and a resolution to outstanding land claims.

Speaker, I will acknowledge that I’m not in a position to speak for Indigenous land defenders, but I am in a position to ask the Premier if the government will agree to enter into land claims negotiations with the traditional Haudenosaunee confederacy chiefs and the Six Nations band council to seek a peaceful and respectful resolution.

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

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you for raising this important issue. The issue that is happening right now in Caledonia is deeply disturbing to many of us. We are now in the 98th day of, basically, a community that is in upheaval. I have great faith in the judicial system—when they made a ruling on Thursday. I have great faith in the OPP keeping that peace. But I will accept and respect your call.

I do believe that the federal government does have to step up and start having some true conversations about how to resolve these issues, because it is incredibly disruptive to the community, to the individuals who are protesting and ultimately to public safety.

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

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I appreciate the Solicitor General’s response. I do agree that the federal government does have a role to play, but I believe the provincial government has a role to play as well.

This is not the only ongoing conflict that’s happening. Right now, multiple First Nations are suing the government over Bill 197 and the fast-tracking of the environmental assessment process. Chief Solomon of the Mushkegowuk Council said, “Sadly, they’re using COVID-19 as a decoy to restart the economy at the cost of the environment, the waters, the animals, our livelihood.”

Speaker, First Nations across Ontario are raising serious concerns that their treaty rights are not being respected—their rightful and constitutionally guaranteed input on decisions about their land and resources.

So I would ask the Solicitor General: Will the government settle with First Nations around the environmental assessment process rather than dragging this through the courts?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant to reply.

Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you very much for that question. Minister Rickford has formed a round table to add to the consultations with respect to this. He’s brought in a number of the chiefs from Ontario to make sure that we have a fulsome consultation around Bill 197, and all of that information will be fed back to the rest of the ministry.

Hydro rates

Mr. Peter Tabuns: To the Premier: The Ontario energy rebate is going to be removed for common areas of many condo and apartment buildings as of April 30 next year. That means that hydro bills for power used in those common areas will rise by over 30%. One condo in Toronto has calculated the impact on their residents would be $140 per unit per year. Why, Premier, are you dramatically increasing the hydro bills for almost a third of condo owners and tenants in Ontario?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Associate Minister of Energy.

Hon. Bill Walker: Let’s just start off answering this by saying that that government—that opposition party supported the Liberals to give us the highest energy rates ever in our history and the highest level of debt in our history. Our government is reversing the Liberal policies that created the hydro mess. We’re stabilizing our electricity system and keeping electricity bills affordable through a 33.2% Ontario Electricity Rebate. Had we not done that, rates would have gone up an additional 30% under the watch of the Liberals and the NDP.

The Liberals spent 15 years adding billions of dollars to our electricity system by signing contracts for power we did not need and could not afford. We are rebuilding an affordable electricity system that prioritizes Ontario’s electricity customers. In the meantime, Ontarians don’t deserve to pay for the mistakes of the Liberals. That is why our government will continue to subsidize and ensure that we keep the bills as low as possible and support families and businesses of this great province.

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

Mr. Peter Tabuns: The Premier promised to cut hydro rates by 12% in the last election. Since then, rates have gone up almost 4%, and many condo and apartment dwellers will be seeing big hikes in their hydro bills next April. Why did the Premier break his promise and why is he gouging so many apartment and condo dwellers?

Hon. Bill Walker: As I said in my last response, we cannot fix 15 years of mismanagement by the Liberals, supported fully by the NDP in opposition, overnight. But please be assured, we are working on this. If we continued down the Liberal path, as I said earlier: 30% more on those hydro bills. Is that what you want to support, 30% more of your first error? I don’t think so.

Ontarians paid $37 billion extra for electricity from 2006 to 2014, says Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk. We are doing what we can to ensure that we keep those bills affordable, that we keep those bills for business and seniors and people across our province as low as possible. We will not forget that the Liberals and the NDP caused the mess that we’re currently trying to fix and ensure, again, affordability, reliability and a system we can be proud of.

Infrastructure funding

Mrs. Robin Martin: My question is for the Associate Minister of Transportation. Last week, the government brought forward the Ontario Rebuilding and Recovery Act. Now is not the time to delay delivery of priority infrastructure projects, including public transit and highway projects; it is the time to accelerate the building of key infrastructure projects to create jobs and build a strong foundation for a strong economic recovery.

Can the associate minister please advise us whether this bill will commit to accelerating, rebuilding and growth in this province?

Hon. Kinga Surma: To the member, thank you for the question, and I cannot agree more. Of course, safety will always be our priority, particularly during this very difficult time. But our government needs to play a dual role in making sure that we stimulate our economy in the months to come.

This legislation will make sure that we extend the tools that were previously assigned to building our subway projects to other transportation projects, other health care and other long-term-care projects. It’s incredibly important that we make sure that goods continue to move efficiently throughout the province of Ontario, that people can continue to go to hospitals for the surgeries and services they need, and that we continue to build capacity in our long-term-care sector.

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

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you to the minister. I understand the proposed legislation would reduce barriers in the planning, design and construction of major infrastructure like highways and public transit networks, and support growth of transit-oriented communities, which are very important in my area.

Can the minister please elaborate on how the Ontario Rebuilding and Recovery Act will help the people of Ontario? And will she call on the opposition parties to support this bill?

Hon. Kinga Surma: Absolutely, and again, thank you to the member opposite.

Mr. Speaker, in this Legislature, we heard countless times from the members opposite about how important it is to invest in public infrastructure. In this Legislature, we have heard countless times about how important it is for us to provide funding and to accelerate the building of the highways that are in their respective ridings. And every single day during question period, the members opposite always inquire about the status of health care as well as long-term-care capacity.

This bill will help us to achieve this. It will help us to invest in our critical infrastructure so that we can make sure that Ontario prospers in a post-pandemic world.

Health care

M me France Gélinas: My question is for the Minister of Health. We have seen through the plan for hospitals that many non-urgent surgeries and procedures were cancelled through the first wave of the pandemic. This has led to 129,000 patients added to the already long list for surgeries and procedures in our hospitals.

We’ve also seen that many people are diagnosed later for cancer or other diseases, who will require even more interventions from our hospitals to hopefully bring them back to health.

My question to the minister is, I am curious as to the last stats that were shared. It was at 129,000 backlogged for surgery. Could the minister update us as to how many people are now waiting?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. This is a serious concern. It’s an issue that we did address in our fall preparedness plan, Keeping Ontarians Safe.

It’s reducing the backlog. It was at about 189,000 procedures and surgeries that we were behind. We have been dealing with that as part of our fall preparedness plan in creating the extra space in our hospitals to allow for both COVID patients to be treated as well as patients who need to have these surgeries. As much as it’s terribly sad that we’ve lost patients to COVID, it’s equally sad if we lose people because their cancer surgery has been delayed or their cardiac surgery has been delayed. We want to make sure that we can take care of all of those patients in a timely way so that they can recover.

We have dealt with that as a very serious matter. We are approximately at 95% of our orthopedic surgeries right now and about 87% of cardiac and cancer surgeries. That’s compared to where we were this time last year. There is still work that we need to do, but we are taking a new approach to this, which I’m pleased to discuss in the supplementary answer.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Unfortunately, that concludes the time we have available for question period this morning.

There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1133 to 1300.

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Social Policy

Mr. Mike Harris: I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Social Policy and move its adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Mr. Peter Sibenik): Your committee begs to report the following bill, as amended:

Bill 202,

An Act to continue the Soldiers’ Aid Commission / Projet de loi 202, Loi prorogeant la Commission d’aide aux anciens combattants.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed.

Report adopted.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

Introduction of Bills

Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Electronic Logging Devices), 2020 / Loi de 2020 modifiant le Code de la route (dispositifs de consignation électronique)

Mr. Thanigasalam moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 223,

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act / Projet de loi 223, Loi modifiant le Code de la route.

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

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Scarborough–Rouge Park to briefly explain his bill.

Mr. Vijay Thanigasalam: The bill, if passed, would require commercial motor vehicle drivers who currently log their daily driving hours of service on a paper log to use an electronic logging device to record this information.

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Women’s issues / Questions relatives aux femmes

Hon. Jill Dunlop: I rise today to recognize Women’s History Month and a few other notable days in October. This month is an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic women who overcame barriers, shattered glass ceilings and kicked open doors in several fields to help get women and girls where they are today. So many Ontario women perfectly illustrate this year’s theme, “Because of You.” It is because of women like Ann Augusta Stowe-Gullen, who in 1883, became the first woman to receive a medical degree in Ontario, that our province has so many skilled female medical practitioners.

It’s because of women like May Cohen, who in 1991 established the first women’s health office at McMaster University, that we now have a strong focus on the special health needs of women in Ontario. It’s because of women like Zanana Akande, who in 1990 became Ontario’s first Black woman MPP and cabinet minister, that the current Legislature contains a record number of women members.

It’s because of women like Elsie Knott, who was the first elected female chief of a First Nation in Canada, that a new focus on educational opportunities for Indigenous communities took hold in Ontario and across the country, including speaking in traditional languages.

These are just a few of the many Ontario women who have enriched our history with their dedication and excellence. Because of them, women have rights and opportunities that were denied to their counterparts from previous generations.

Speaker, I also want to highlight another trailblazer who has made an impact not only in my life but in the lives of women and girls across our province and country: the member from Don Valley West, who recently announced that she would not run for re-election. I would like to thank the member for her tireless work as a member in this chamber and her riding, and as a former Premier of this province, and as a person.

While she will be remembered in Canada’s history books as the first openly gay Premier, I am personally thankful that when little girls, women and members of the 2SLGBTQ community walk through the halls of Queen’s Park, they will see her photo and know that they are capable of what she has done and so much more.

Speaker, the month of October contains three other dates of importance to women:

On October 11, we celebrated International Day of the Girl. We used this day to listen to and reflect on the voices and power of girls, to support their human rights and to work to remove the challenges they face due to their gender. Right here in Ontario, we have girls leading change and inspiring their peers as volunteers, activists and entrepreneurs. They strengthen our communities and show that age is not a barrier to having a voice and making a difference.

We also celebrated International Day of Rural Women on October 15. Rural Ontario not only feeds our province but also provides employment opportunities, agri-tourism and economic growth, and women are the backbone. I want to recognize these women who are often behind the scenes and whose contributions to our province’s agriculture production, food security and climate resilience do not go unnoticed.

Finally, on October 18, we marked Persons Day, remembering the 1921 court decision which ruled that women were legally persons and therefore eligible to be appointed to the Senate of Canada. Even though this was a step in the right direction, the ruling excluded racialized and Indigenous women. In fact, it wasn’t until 1960 that most Indigenous women were even granted the right to vote in Canada. This is why I say that to know women’s history is to know that the struggle never ends.

One look in the rear-view mirror tells us that we are not that far removed from a time when women had few rights and little economic opportunity. The value in remembering trail-blazing moments in women’s history is that we realize we cannot stand still and that we must be continually moving the needle on behalf of all women and girls in our society and our economy.

Speaker, in this year, when it seems history is being made every day, the contributions of women during the ongoing pandemic have been front and centre. Where would we be without some of Canada’s top doctors like Dr. Theresa Tam, Dr. Yaffe, Dr. de Villa, Dr. Henry in BC, Dr. Hinshaw in Alberta and many more who are behind the scenes in the labs doing research and combatting this virus? Where would we be without the daily sacrifice of the 81% of women who comprise the health care and social assistance workforce?

Where would we be without the selfless contribution of women caregivers, who have made personal sacrifices each day to care, school and support those who cannot care for themselves? These are women in every community across Ontario and across Canada who have made it possible for our province and country to meet the tremendous challenges posed by COVID-19. We owe these women a debt of gratitude, but we cannot stop there.

We must acknowledge that the pandemic has particularly impacted women. That is why our government is determined that women will not be left behind as Ontario reopens. We want to build a province where every woman and girl is empowered to succeed, with their choices supported and sustained by a society that provides equal access to economic and social opportunities. This means increasing the number of women on boards and in senior management positions. This means supporting training programs that focus on employment, pre-employment, pre-apprenticeship and entrepreneurship specifically for women.

This means increasing women’s representation in traditionally male-dominated fields such as science, technology, engineering, math and skilled trades. This means reopening schools safely and supporting the child care sector in coping with the challenges of the pandemic. And this means taking action to address gender-based violence in a focused and sustained way, with a $307-million five-year strategy to end sex trafficking of women and girls.

Speaker, the silence and secrecy that used to shroud the issue of violence against women is also a fact of history and one that can never be repeated. This is an issue for all Ontarians that is now out in the open, and I am proud of how our government is working with many groups to make our province safer for women and girls. But there is still a lot of work to do.

Today, in Canada, one in three women will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. Women are three times more likely to be stalked and four times more likely to be a victim of intimate partner violence. Indigenous women in Canada between the ages of 15 and 24 are more than three times likelier to experience violence than non-Indigenous women.

Our government has zero tolerance for violence against women and girls. Living in freedom and safety is essential to women’s well-being and ability to reach their full potential.

Speaker, many of the barriers women have faced, both during the pandemic and beyond, can seem almost insurmountable at times. And so I return to the value of learning from, and acting on, women’s history. To look at that history is to see that change is possible—change that improves women’s lives and improves our entire society—but it also teaches us how much effort real change takes, and how precious and precarious it can be.

In 1971, the great Ontario novelist Alice Munro wrote, “There is a change coming I think in the lives of girls and women. Yes. But it is up to us to make it come.”

With one eye on the past and one on the future, I believe that Ontario women will keep moving forward, confidently and assertively, to provide for themselves and their families and reach their full potential. And our government will be with them every step of the way.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Responses?

Ms. Jill Andrew: Speaker, this year’s United Nations theme for International Day of the Girl is “My Voice, Our Equal Future.” It echoes what we as the NDP official opposition know: Entire communities benefit when women and girls thrive.

I put forth a motion to establish an intersectional gender equity strategy where proposed legislation in this House would be reviewed through an intersectional gender lens before implementation to weigh its potential impact on women’s lives, the goal being that no legislation detrimental to the lives of women and girls would ever become law in these chambers. To this day, the associate minister of women’s issues—this government—has ignored my motion.

COVID-19 and the Conservative government’s irresponsible legislation they’ve rammed through has painfully illustrated its negative impact on the lives of women and girls. Today, I implore the associate minister of women’s issues to work with her colleagues and be the voice of reason, even if it makes her unpopular amongst the Conservative bloc.

Speaker, COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted women, especially because a disproportionate number of PSWs and front-line health workers have been women. The minister knows this, yet she stood with a government that didn’t supply enough PPE to essential workers on the front lines; a government that has said no to paid sick days for all workers, which would help stop the spread of COVID-19; a government that’s legislated cuts to legal aid, shelters, supportive housing, so it’s near impossible for women and children to leave violence and never look back.

This associate minister for women’s issues knows that 80% of sole-parent households are led by women, yet she stands with the PC government that refuses to legislate pay equity, that refuses to legislate a living wage in Ontario, that refuses to provide families with safe, affordable, public child care. Instead, children are at risk in overcrowded rooms with higher child-to-staff ratios and slashed ECE jobs during a pandemic.

Speaker, no child care means no women’s economic liberation. Girls cannot thrive if their mothers are locked into minimum wage, unstable jobs, with no workers’ rights protections, especially during a pandemic. We must have a feminist, anti-oppressive, intersectional COVID-19 recovery.

Stand up, Minister, for disabled women and girls. Talk to your MCCSS colleague. Demand an immediate stop to this government’s heartless clawbacks on ODSP and OW recipients. Reinstate their emergency funding and then some. Many are living without PPE because they cannot afford it—it’s PPE or it’s special diets or it’s food, especially those who are immunocompromised. These are the mothers, the aunts, the grandmothers of the girls you claim to want to create equal futures for.

Most teachers and education workers are women. The government refuses to legislate 15-capped classrooms. This will save lives. How can the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues stand as the voice for women and girls across Ontario when her government has legislated dangerous schools?

Speaker, in order for girls to become leaders in their community tomorrow, they need to see leaders today. Several women in St. Paul’s have lost their businesses or are hanging on by a thread. Where was this government with direct funding to small businesses in April? They were nowhere to be found. I wrote to the minister about these women’s plights. I wrote to the minister about more funding for sexual assault centres, more funding for pay equity, and I was told, “Try MAG. Try housing. We’re focusing on COVID-19 recovery”—well, these women’s lives are COVID-19 recovery, and they deserve the focus.

We shouldn’t have government ministers being so siloed that they don’t know what the other member of government is doing.

Most recently, the associate minister has stood with this government as it’s legislated more power through

schedule 2 of Bill 213 to bigot Char