role="main" class="main-container container js-quickedit-main-content" id="main-content">

November 27, 2006

38th Parliament, 2nd Session

< Previous sitting day

Next sitting day >

Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2006-Nov-27 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Monday 27 November 2006 Lundi 27 novembre 2006

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

DAIRY FARMERS

EVENTS IN LEAMINGTON

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

SOLAR ENERGY

DAIRY FARMERS

LONG-TERM CARE

POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES

PRIX DE LA FRANCOPHONIE

DE L'ONTARIO

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

VISITORS

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

MOTIONS

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

HOUSE SITTINGS

VISITORS

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING /

FORMATION PAR APPRENTISSAGE

WEARING OF RIBBONS

WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN /

CAMPAGNE DES RUBANS BLANCS

VISITORS

ORAL QUESTIONS

MARIJUANA GROW OPERATIONS

EMPLOYMENT

MINIMUM WAGE

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

DAIRY FARMERS

HUMAN RIGHTS

SERVICES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

PROGRAMME ONTARIEN DE SOUTIEN

AUX PERSONNES HANDICAPÉES

ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS

FOREST INDUSTRY

COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOLS

TAXATION

PETITIONS

LANDFILL

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

BORDER SECURITY

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

FAIR ACCESS TO PROFESSIONS

SCHOOL FACILITIES

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

COMMUNITY MEDIATION

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

COMMUNITY MEDIATION

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

CONSIDERATION OF BILL 65

ORDERS OF THE DAY

MORTGAGE BROKERAGES, LENDERS

AND ADMINISTRATORS ACT, 2006 /

LOI DE 2006 SUR LES MAISONS

DE COURTAGE D'HYPOTHÈQUES,

LES PRÊTEURS HYPOTHÉCAIRES ET

LES ADMINISTRATEURS D'HYPOTHÈQUES

The House met at 1330.

Prayers.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

DAIRY FARMERS

Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton): On behalf of John Tory and the PC caucus, I'm very pleased to welcome the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. At a time when agriculture is under attack, Ontario's

5,282 dairy farmers continue to flourish, producing 2.5 billion litres of milk every year, adding 42,500 jobs to our economy, and generating farm cash receipts totalling $1.6 billion.

Dairy farmers operate within a system known as supply management, and that is the foundation of our rural economies, including in my own constituency of Nepean-Carleton. Under supply management, consumers have

guaranteed supplies of high-quality products at fair and stable prices. In return, farmers get stable incomes and receive a fair share of food prices. But the supply-managed sectors are nervous that ongoing trade negotiations might threaten this

system.

That's why I'm so proud that my entire caucus, along with John Tory and our critic, Toby Barrett, have signed FarmGate5's initiative and their petition. I was shocked to see the divisions within the Liberal

caucus on supply management. The health minister, who is the Deputy Premier, is apparently the ringleader for 31 Liberals who oppose supply management. To them I say, please sign the petition at www.farmgate5.org. In fact, I have several copies of

this petition with me if any members opposite would like to sign the petition right now.

The dairy farmers are hosting a reception tonight at 5 p.m. in committee room 2. Come out, have a glass of milk, and I'll enjoy watching everybody and their milk moustache.

EVENTS IN LEAMINGTON

Mr. Pat Hoy (Chatham-Kent Essex): This spring a national publication, MoneySense, named Leamington as the number one place to live in the country.

Recently, two establishments in Leamington were recognized by the McGuinty government for their outstanding achievements. The Real Canadian Superstore received, for the second time, the Foodland Ontario Retailer

Award for outstanding commitment and creativity in marketing the produce grown by Ontario farmers. The Leamington store won the Platinum All Seasons Award, recognizing merchandising excellence in Ontario-grown commodities throughout three full

seasons. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the management and staff of this grocery store as they promote Ontario-grown fruits and vegetables. It also shows that Essex county and Chatham-Kent are the breadbaskets of Ontario.

When we buy Ontario's high-quality produce, everyone wins: farmers, retailers and consumers.

The South Essex Community Council received the minister's bronze award for excellence in delivering the Ontario government's Job Connect program. This program helps adults and youth plan, prepare for and succeed

in the job market. The outstanding results of the Job Connect program in building strong partnerships with local employers go hand in hand with the success of helping people in our community upgrade their skills, become apprentices and find jobs.

The staff at the South Essex Community Council deserve our thanks for helping people reach their potential.

I'm honoured to represent the citizens of Leamington, the number one place to live in Canada.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

Mr. Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): I want to congratulate Canada's Minister of Finance, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, for committing the federal government to a long-term plan of debt

repayment.

Starting in the 1970s, governments across Canada forgot their obligation to future generations and our country became awash in a sea of debt. Even in good years, governments thought nothing of engaging in

deficit financing instead of making a reasonable effort to live within their means. Increasingly, the demand for government borrowing could not be satisfied within our domestic capital markets and we were forced to borrow more and more overseas.

This meant that we became beholden to the international bond markets and a greater and greater portion of the national and provincial budgets was wasted on interest payments on the ever-burgeoning public debts.

During the profligate NDP government of Bob Rae from 1990 to 1995, Ontario's provincial debt doubled. A necessary correction followed, and under our government balanced budgets were the norm and provincial debt

was actually paid down. Unfortunately, since 2003 the McGuinty Liberal government has not shown the same degree of fiscal fortitude. In spite of their election promise to balance budgets, they've been on a spending spree and have made conscious,

deliberate decisions not to balance their budgets. Perhaps this explains why, three years ago, they voted against my private member's resolution which called upon the government to commit itself to a long-term debt repayment plan, with a vision of

making Ontario debt-free in 25 years. This is an idea that I have been advocating in this House for the past nine years, since 1997.

Now that the federal government has recognized the need for long-term fiscal discipline and made a commitment to it, I once again call upon the McGuinty Liberals to do the same for the sake of future generations

of Ontarians.

SOLAR ENERGY

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): This past Saturday morning I had an opportunity to go to an apartment building at 11 Coatsworth Avenue in the riding of Beaches-East York that is owned and

operated by a group called Neighbourhood Link. What makes it a really significant place is that it is today the home of Toronto's largest array of solar power panels, which is producing the equivalent of 134,000 kilowatt hours of power per year.

There are 60 panels that have been put on the roof of this apartment building that have been engineered by Taylor Munroe Energy but installed by a really terrific group from Beaches-East York called Mondial Energy. It supplies literally all of the

hot water for the apartment building, and they do it at significantly less cost than the former gas-powered boilers.

Mondial was developed by an engineer by the name of Alex Winch, who is famous throughout Beaches-East York. His very first enterprise was called the Queen Street Solar Laundromat, and all of the power and all of

the hot water that is supplied in that laundromat is powered by the sun.

He has done the same thing now with the apartment building, and he has done it at considerably less cost than natural gas. In fact, it's only 15% of the cost of the Ontario government's photovoltaic panels at

the CNE. It's funded privately and all of the profits go back to the people who live in that building and who put the money forward. It's a terrific development.

DAIRY FARMERS

Mr. Ernie Parsons (Prince Edward-Hastings): It's my pleasure to announce that we have very special guests with us in the Legislature today. I'm sure that all members will join me in welcoming to

Queen's Park members of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. The Dairy Farmers of Ontario, a group we usually call the DFO, is a non-profit farm organization that represents Ontario's 4,700 licensed dairy farms.

The dairy sector is the biggest and brightest jewel in Ontario's agricultural crown. It's the largest agricultural sector and a major economic asset to this province. Without the hard work of the DFO, there

certainly would not be an elementary school milk program flourishing throughout the province. I know that our active healthy schools plan is enhanced by the DFO's province-wide school milk program. By delivering over 26 million cartons of milk

each year and reaching over 70% of elementary schools, the DFO assists the McGuinty government in our efforts to promote healthy lifestyles for our students.

On a personal note, as a part-time farmer I would like to state that it's because of the DFO that we have safe milk in this province and a stable supply system that is the envy of the world.

LONG-TERM CARE

Mr. Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): I rise in the House today to support the fight against the controversial Bill 140, the Long-Term Care Homes Act. As I'm sure most of my colleagues here

have heard from the administrators, residents and families in their riding, this bill is nothing more than an empty promise. If this government's definition of "comfort and dignity" for Ontario's elderly means crowding them into three- and

four-bed wards, then it has no vision or plan for the 35,000 residents who occupy the older long-term-care homes.

Since this bill was introduced on October 19, 2006, I've received hundreds of letters, e-mails and postcards from concerned citizens in my riding. A few weeks ago, I sat down with the local long-term-care

administrators and heard, loud and clear, how this bill threatens the future of these homes and the service they provide. I heard from Mary-Lynn Kennedy McGregor of Country Lane in Chatsworth, Dorothy Embacher of Meaford Long Term Care, Carole

Woods of Parkview Manor in Chesley, Renata Hall of Summit Place, and Joanne Porter of Georgian Heights in Owen Sound.

Under the act's proposed limited licensing scheme, about half of the long-term-care homes will be given a licence that expires in 10 years, with no plan for what happens after; it would also allow the government

to shut down a home or move beds to another community. It is my opinion that we owe to our seniors, among whom are our war veterans, our parents and our grandparents, a real commitment. It is time we demand that this government withdraw or rework

Bill 140 and commit to increasing funding in the order of the promised $6,000 per resident per year. It's time to treat our seniors with the respect and dignity they deserve. This is just one stack of the postcards and petitions --

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

POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES

Mrs. Carol Mitchell (Huron-Bruce): I recently had the honour of being a guest of the Lieutenant Governor and the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services for an awards ceremony

honouring the bravery of Ontario's police and fire service professionals. This service was held to award the Ontario medals of police and firefighter bravery to those officers who had gone beyond the call of duty to protect the communities that

they serve.

Among the recipients was a young man from my riding, Constable Philip Hordijk. He was awarded for his bravery as a constable on the tactical team of the London police department. Constable Hordijk and four of

his colleagues showed their bravery and dedication by entering a burning building to attempt to save a mother and her young children who had been trapped inside by the blaze set by an assailant who was holding them at gunpoint. The officers were

shot at while attempting to enter the premises, but they persevered and they evacuated all of the inhabitants from the burning building.

Mr. Hordijk and his colleagues are all examples of the sacrifices that our emergency service professionals make while carrying out the duties of their office. We are privileged in this province to have such

brave and dedicated emergency service professionals. It's our job as a government to continue to ensure that these deeds do not go unnoticed and that their working conditions remain as safe as we can possibly make them through our support.

PRIX DE LA FRANCOPHONIE

DE L'ONTARIO

M. Phil McNeely (Ottawa-Orléans): La semaine dernière, j'ai eu le plaisir de me joindre à notre premier ministre, M. McGuinty, et la à ministre déléguée aux

Nous avons célébré cet anniversaire en remettant les tout premiers Prix de la francophonie de l'Ontario, qui reconnaissent les contributions remarquables à l'épanouissement de la langue

Pendant la célébration, M me Meilleur a remarqué que la francophonie de l'Ontario était en plein essor et que nous voulons plus que jamais mettre l'accent sur l'avenir. Je suis du

même avis que la ministre et je souhaite que les prix vont encourager les Franco-Ontariens de continuer à contribuer leurs talents pour enrichir davantage notre province.

Les prix seront remis chaque année à au moins un ou une francophone et à un ou une francophile. Ce soir-là, Gérald Savoie, le président-directeur général de l'Hôpital

Montfort, était parmi les lauréats et les lauréates.

Nous devons tellement de notre succès en Ontario aux contributions des francophones. Je voudrais féliciter les quatre lauréats et lauréates des tout premiers Prix de la francophonie de

l'Ontario.

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

Mr. John Wilkinson (Perth-Middlesex): Where, exactly, does the transitory member for Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey stand on the environment? The leader of the official opposition wants to

increase Ontario's investment in coal, he wants to repeal our "You spill, you pay" legislation and he wants to allow municipalities to bypass the greenbelt legislation. Last month, the entire Conservative caucus -- the same party that presided

over the Walkerton tragedy -- voted against Bill 43, the Clean Water Act.

In an August 15 press release, he accused our government of abdicating our responsibilities -- by doing what? By passing the most progressive piece of water legislation in North America, the Clean Water Act. If

this is so, then why did you, sir, abdicate your responsibility to vote?

On November 10, an editorial in the Orangeville Banner, a local newspaper in the member's current riding, asked why he and his caucus didn't consider it necessary to vote for the protection of such an important

resource, our sources of water: "The proper management of these resources is critical to our very survival, let alone quality of life.... To be absent when these decisions are being made on our behalf is not acceptable."

The leader of the official opposition is clearly out of touch with his current constituency and, I would venture, all Ontarians. Is this the reason he has decided not to run in Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey and

try to gain a seat in Don Valley West? I know that the Minister of Education voted for the Clean Water Act. The leader of the official opposition didn't.

The transitory member for Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey can't bob and weave his way away from his responsibility. It doesn't fly --

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

VISITORS

Hon. David Caplan (Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Deputy Government House Leader): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: It gives me great pleasure to introduce to the House the Enta

family, who have come all the way from Don Valley East. We have Guy, Linda, Hayley, Evan and Rebbecca. Welcome to the Ontario Legislature. I hope you find today educational and instructive.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): I will take this opportunity to introduce in the Speaker's gallery Inspector Mark Andrews, unit commander for North East Region Traffic and Marine, the

Ontario Provincial Police, his wife, Ellen, and sons Jordan and Connor.

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Mr. Pat Hoy (Chatham-Kent Essex): I beg leave to present a report from the standing committee on finance and economic affairs and move its adoption.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Lisa Freedman): Your committee begs to report the following bill, as amended:

Bill 151,

An Act to enact various 2006 Budget measures and to enact, amend or repeal various Acts / Projet de loi 151, Loi édictant diverses mesures énoncées dans le Budget de 2006 et

édictant, modifiant ou abrogeant diverses lois.

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

Pursuant to the order of the House dated Tuesday, November 14, 2006, the bill is ordered for third reading.

MOTIONS

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): I ask for unanimous consent to put forth a motion without notice regarding the membership

of certain committees.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Is it agreed? Agreed.

Hon. Mr. Bradley: I move that the following changes, to become effective on December 4, 2006, be made to the membership of the following committees: on the standing committee on estimates, Mr.

Craitor replaces Mr. Arthurs, Ms. Jeffrey replaces Mr. Wilkinson; on the standing committee on finance and economic affairs, Ms. Matthews replaces Ms. Sandals; on the standing committee on general government, Mr. Dhillon replaces Ms. Jeffrey, Mr.

Peterson replaces M. Lalonde; on the standing committee on government agencies, Mr. Duguid replaces Mr. Parsons, Ms. Mitchell replaces Mr. Wilkinson; on the standing committee on justice policy, Mr. Qaadri replaces Mr. Dhillon, Mr. Zimmer replaces

Mr. McMeekin; on the standing committee on the Legislative Assembly, Ms. Jeffrey replaces Mr. Delaney, Mr. Qaadri replaces Mr. Sergio; on the standing committee on public accounts, Mr. Arthurs replaces Ms. Matthews, Ms. Sandals replaces Mr. Mauro,

Ms. Smith replaces Mr. Zimmer; on the standing committee on regulations and private bills, Mr. Leal replaces Mr. Craitor, Mr. Rinaldi replaces Mr. Ramal; on the standing committee on social policy, Mr. Mauro replaces Mr. Qaadri, Mr. Parsons

replaces Ms. Wynne.

The Speaker: Mr. Bradley has moved that the following changes, to become effective on December 4, 2006 --

Interjection: Dispense.

The Speaker: Dispense?

Interjection.

The Speaker: No -- be made to the membership of the following committees: on the standing committee on estimates, Mr. Craitor replaces Mr. Arthurs, Ms. Jeffrey replaces Mr. Wilkinson; on the

standing committee on finance and economic affairs, Ms. Matthews replaces Ms. Sandals; on the standing committee on general government, Mr. Dhillon replaces Ms. Jeffrey, Mr. Peterson replaces M. Lalonde; on the standing committee on

government agencies, Mr. Duguid replaces Mr. Parsons, Ms. Mitchell replaces Mr. Wilkinson; on the standing committee on justice policy, Mr. Qaadri replaces Mr. Dhillon, Mr. Zimmer replaces Mr. McMeekin; on the standing committee on the Legislative

Assembly, Ms. Jeffrey replaces Mr. Delaney, Mr. Qaadri replaces Mr. Sergio; on the standing committee on public accounts, Mr. Arthurs replaces Ms. Matthews, Ms. Sandals replaces Mr. Mauro, Ms. Smith replaces Mr. Zimmer; on the standing committee

on regulations and private bills, Mr. Leal replaces Mr. Craitor, Mr. Rinaldi replaces Mr. Ramal; on the standing committee on social policy, Mr. Mauro replaces Mr. Qaadri, Mr. Parsons replaces Ms. Wynne.

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

HOUSE SITTINGS

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): I move that, pursuant to standing order 9(c)(i), the House shall meet from 6:45 p.m. to

9:30 p.m. on Monday, November 27, 2006, for the purpose of considering government business.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?

All in favour will say "aye."

All opposed will say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1354 to 1359.

The Speaker: Mr. Bradley has moved government notice of motion number 239. All those in favour will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Arthurs, Wayne

Balkissoon, Bas

Bentley, Christopher

Bradley, James J.

Broten, Laurel C.

Bryant, Michael

Cansfield, Donna H.

Caplan, David

Colle, Mike

Crozier, Bruce

Delaney, Bob

Dhillon, Vic

Dombrowsky, Leona

Duguid, Brad

Duncan, Dwight

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fonseca, Peter

Hoy, Pat

Jeffrey, Linda

Kular, Kuldip

Kwinter, Monte

Leal, Jeff

Mauro, Bill

McNeely, Phil

Meilleur, Madeleine

Milloy, John

Mitchell, Carol

Orazietti, David

Parsons, Ernie

Phillips, Gerry

Pupatello, Sandra

Qaadri, Shafiq

Racco, Mario G.

Sandals, Liz

Smith, Monique

Smitherman, George

Watson, Jim

Wilkinson, John

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

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

Nays

Arnott, Ted

Bisson, Gilles

Chudleigh, Ted

DiNovo, Cheri

Dunlop, Garfield

Hardeman, Ernie

Horwath, Andrea

Kormos, Peter

Marchese, Rosario

Martel, Shelley

Martiniuk, Gerry

Miller, Norm

Murdoch, Bill

O'Toole, John

Ouellette, Jerry J.

Prue, Michael

Runciman, Robert W.

Scott, Laurie

Sterling, Norman W.

Tabuns, Peter

Tascona, Joseph N.

Tory, John

Witmer, Elizabeth

Yakabuski, John

The Deputy Clerk (Ms. Deborah Deller): The ayes are 40; the nays are 24.

The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.

VISITORS

Hon. Mike Colle (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: In the gallery today we have Daniela Falomo, who is the Italian teacher at Immaculate Conception

school in my riding and is here visiting her student who is a page with us, Miss Alexandra Le-Heeralal. Welcome.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING /

FORMATION PAR APPRENTISSAGE

Hon. Christopher Bentley (Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities): The McGuinty government believes that the knowledge and hands-on experience of a highly skilled workforce will give

Ontario the economic edge we need to compete in the changing economy of the 21st century. That's why choosing to invest in the education and skills of our people is the right course for our society, for our economy, for our families and for our

future.

Notre gouvernement a pris un engagement important pour que le système d'apprentissage de l'Ontario fournisse à la province la main-d'oeuvre qualifiée qui assurera sa compétitivité au

sein de l'économie actuelle.

We set a goal to attract 26,000 new apprenticeship registrations annually by 2007-08. To reach that goal, we've introduced several initiatives to increase access to the skilled trades. These include an

apprenticeship training tax credit, an apprenticeship scholarship and employer signing bonus, and the expansion of the Ontario youth apprenticeship program.

Today, I'm pleased to share with this House what we're doing with another program that helps build Ontario's skills: the pre-apprenticeship training program. Pre-apprenticeships open doors for people who want

to learn a skilled trade, providing them with skills that can lead to a well-paying, fulfilling career.

Many of our pre-apprenticeship projects are geared toward those who face barriers in entering or advancing in the workforce. Those who have not finished high school, newcomers to our country, aboriginal

peoples, or at-risk youth may share a desire to get into the trades, but they also face unique challenges in meeting the requirements for beginning an apprenticeship.

They come to the program focused on achieving a brighter future and determined to make a real commitment. They'll spend up to 40 weeks in their pre-apprenticeship project, including at least eight weeks on the

job, acquiring the technical, academic and employment skills they need to succeed as apprentices.

I'm pleased to announce that in 2006-07 the McGuinty government is creating close to 800 pre-apprenticeship spaces across Ontario to help people qualify for skilled trades training. We are investing more than

$7.6 million in 37 new projects that will prepare people who want to become apprentices for training in specific skilled trades. These include projects that target youth, aboriginal peoples, women and groups traditionally underrepresented in

apprenticeship programs.

The projects will take place at colleges, union deliverers and community agencies throughout the province. Many projects are delivered in partnership with community organizations, industry, training boards and

government agencies such as Job Connect. In fact, this morning I was with my colleague Kevin Flynn at Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning to announce a new pre-apprenticeship project to provide 25 early high school

leavers with training in the industrial mechanic millwright trade. The government will provide Sheridan with $257,000 for the project, offered in partnership with the Halton Industry Council, Job Connect and the Peel-Halton-Dufferin Training

Board.

Thanks to these pre-apprenticeship projects, more Ontarians will be able to prepare for training in well-paying, fulfilling careers in the automotive, construction, manufacturing and service sectors.

I'd also like to note that information on Ontario's pre-apprenticeship projects can be accessed through Employment Ontario, the province's new integrated employment and training network. Employment Ontario

provides seamless, coordinated training, apprenticeship and labour market services, bringing together 470 service providers in almost 900 locations funded by the government of Ontario.

Earlier I said that our government is committed to increasing the number of apprenticeship registrations to 26,000 annually in 2007-08, and I'm pleased to say that our efforts are paying off. Thanks to

programs like pre-apprenticeship, we are firmly on track to meet our goal. We exceeded our target for the year in 2005-06. Based on the number of registrations received by the end of August 2006, we're on track to meet our target for this year as

well. In fact, a StatsCan study released two weeks ago confirmed that Ontario has been doing extremely well in terms of training new apprentices. The number of apprentices in Ontario has risen by 8.8% since 2003, beating the national average, and

completions are up 15.9% in Ontario, outpacing other provinces with large apprenticeship systems.

Ontarians are recognizing the value of a skills-focused education. Our government is working to ensure that everyone in Ontario has the tools they need to prosper in the economy of the 21st century.

We welcome the participating colleges, union deliverers and community agencies who will be involved in our 2006-07 pre-apprenticeship projects. When we provide more people with a chance to develop the skills

needed in today's economy, everyone in Ontario benefits. Through pre-apprenticeship training, we're working together to help people take another step forward toward reaching their potential.

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

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): I'm pleased to respond to Minister Bentley's comments today regarding apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship on behalf of our caucus, our leader, John Tory,

and our critic, Jim Wilson.

I'm very pleased to be able to respond anytime to any of these debates around apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships because I have a skilled trades background and as a business person I have become very

passionate about this issue over the years.

I want to tell you that one person I really wanted to thank was our former Minister of Education, the Honourable Janet Ecker, who allowed me in 2002 to do a report on vocational and technical training in the

province of Ontario. I certainly enjoyed working with contacts all across the province and the challenges we face in trying to attract more people to the skilled trades.

I'd like to speak very briefly for a moment on an institution I am extremely proud of in my riding, and that is Georgian College. The college operates a number of campuses and a number of apprenticeship,

pre-apprenticeship and women-in-skilled-trades programs. In 1999, I worked with President Brian Tamblyn, and the one thing we agreed to do together was to enhance the two campuses that I have in my riding, the campus in Midland and the campus in

Orillia. At the time, the Midland campus was nothing more than a couple of office spaces in the back where the radio station was located. Today we have the Industrial Research and Development Institute building, owned by Georgian College, and it

is a skilled trades centre in central Ontario. There are a number of trades working out of there under the leadership of the manager of skilled trades, Gabe Koopmans. We have an electrical apprenticeship, precision machine and tooling, a

recreational vehicle technician -- the only one of its kind in the province -- and we're in the process at Georgian College of adding additional apprenticeship programs as well.

Mrs. Koopmans and her staff at the college have been able to partner with a number of industries in our region, and they're looking for further partnerships down the road as we try to have more apprenticeship

programs in the area. For example, in the Orillia campus of Georgian College we have the marine mechanics course; the Barrie campus is centred around the automotive industry, the centre for automotive expertise; and in Muskoka we have the cook and

chef programs as well.

There are other programs that I could go into as well, but I did want to point out today that there are a number of problems we still face in trying to attract people to the skilled trades and apprenticeships.

One is the stigma that has been attached to working with one's hands or being a skilled tradesperson. That's still there today. In spite of the fact that we do all these programs at the federal and provincial level and the colleges, we still have

that issue today.

The average age is certainly increasing. Most of the skilled tradespeople in our province are over the age of 50. Although we are bringing on more people in pre-apprenticeship, just as many people are leaving

the trades as they begin to retire. As well, I think we have the problem that a lot of jobs in Ontario have gone to western Canada. I can tell you also that there is still an inability to attract enough employers to satisfy all the needs of the

apprenticeships that we'll need in this province.

I was talking to the college this morning, and one of the problems they have is funding, particularly for capital improvements and tools and resources for the apprentices to use as they take on more

apprenticeships in the colleges. Of course, as well, there is the overall funding that the colleges are having a problem with. Many of the colleges in Ontario are looking at deficit budgets for the upcoming year -- the first time in history that

that has happened.

However, I do believe that this should be a non-partisan issue. It's the responsibility of the federal government and the provincial government to do as much as we possibly can to keep these skilled

tradespeople coming on stream as we try to build our economy, not only here in Ontario but across our country as well. So we look forward to continual improvements in the apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. We need to attract more

young men and women to these particular positions. I look forward to announcements and very positive things happening in this particular area over the next few months.

Mr. Rosario Marchese (Trinity-Spadina): I have to tell you, it really is very difficult to be enthusiastic in my response to these little mini-announcements that the minister makes on a

regular basis. So I say, it's hardly revolutionary what he presents today. This little project of 25 people in a new pre-apprenticeship project for high school leavers is mini-nice, but again, it isn't revolutionary.

I want to point this out to the minister because he takes up a lot of time in this Legislative Assembly bringing these announcements on a regular basis. He never talks about why it is that at the elementary

level we have lost home economics, for example; why it is that at the elementary level we've lost industrial arts programs; and why it is that he would not talk to the Minister of Education, at the elementary and secondary levels, to be able to

say, "We need to reinstitute these kinds of programs because we believe that giving the students that experience is very useful as we prepare them for pre-apprenticeship programs." So he doesn't have to go too far -- the minister is but within his

arm's reach -- to be able to say, "Let's work together on these matters." Yet not one word from him or the Minister of Education to talk about the value of the home economics and industrial arts that we've lost for the last 10 years and that this

Liberal government has made no effort to bring back into the system.

Why is that? Why is it that this government doesn't believe it's important? And why is it that the Minister of Education just introduced and passed -- Bill 52 will be passing soon in third reading. Bill 52,

Monsieur Bentley, does the following: The Minister of Education creates equivalent learning programs that will be offered outside of the educational system by non-teachers, we have learned from the minister, which in my view and the view of many

boards and teachers is contracting out what we normally have done in the secondary school system. The Minister of Education is quite happy to do that -- happy to contract out the work to non-teachers. This is the new norm in the Ministry of

Education at the secondary level.

Monsieur Bentley, I wanted to share something else with you. You will recall, the last time you made a statement on this matter, that I urged you to look at what Quebec has done and learn, madame la ministre,

from what Quebec has to teach us from time to time. Just to repeat it for your benefit and the benefit of the other French-speaking folks and for the Premier, in fact, the Quebec government passed the Quebec act, fostering the development of

manpower training, mapping the situation after 10 years of experimentation. The scope of the act and its main provisions were adopted in 1995. By 2005, the act reached all employers with a payroll superior to $1 million a year. That includes

around 11,000 employers. The goal is to improve manpower qualifications through increased investment in manpower training. A concerned employer must spend at least 1% of its payroll each year in training its personnel.

Now, if the minister of post-secondary education wanted to be bold, this is what he should be listening to as he debates this with the Minister of Education as we speak. That's what he should be listening to,

because that's innovation, and that's bold, instead of these little mini-announcements that he introduces here on a regular basis.

Apprentices and trainees are included in the personnel for eligible training expenditures defined by regulation. A fund was established, independent from the state, under the name fonds national de formation

de la main-d'oeuvre, sometimes labelled the partners fund. When an employer doesn't reach the 1% minimum, he or she must pay the difference to the ministry of revenue. This is important stuff. Further, the act also binds government ministries, one

by one, and public corporations. For the government, the idea was to set an example to the private sector employers for the unions. The provision was welcome as a means to protect training budgets within ministries against the budget cuts that

were expected 10 years ago.

Now, you see, Minister Bentley, that's what I'm talking about: bold. Reflect with us. We're willing to debate these kinds of radical, innovative ideas, but don't come here day in and day out with little

mini-announcements that don't amount to much.

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I seek unanimous consent for the representatives of

each of the three parties in the Legislature to speak for up to five minutes on the White Ribbon Campaign.

The Speaker: Mr. Bradley has asked for unanimous consent for the representatives of each party to spend up to five minutes discussing the White Ribbon Campaign. Agreed? Agreed.

WEARING OF RIBBONS

Hon. Sandra Pupatello (Minister of Economic Development and Trade, minister responsible for women's issues): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I would ask consent of the members of this House

and you that we would be allowed to wear this white ribbon symbolizing organizations in opposition to violence against women, ribbons being available in both lobbies.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Ms. Pupatello has asked for unanimous consent to wear the white ribbon. Agreed? Agreed.

WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN /

CAMPAGNE DES RUBANS BLANCS

Hon. Sandra Pupatello (Minister of Economic Development and Trade, minister responsible for women's issues): This past Saturday, November 25, marked the International Day for the Elimination

of Violence Against Women. On this day, people of all nations joined together in calling for a world in which women are treated equally and with respect and are able to live lives free of violence.

November 25 is the start of a two-week period of commemorations and campaigns. Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is a global movement that runs through International Human Rights Day on December

10. This year's theme reflects the understanding that advancing human rights and ending violence against women go hand in hand. Equality is a human rights issue, and inequality is understood as one of the root causes of violence against women.

The annual White Ribbon Campaign also launched on Saturday. It urges men and boys to wear a white ribbon as a symbol of their opposition to violence against women. Awareness of violence against women leads to

action against it. The YWCA is launching its annual Rose Button Campaign to raise awareness of violence against women.

Over these next few weeks, these campaigns will raise public awareness worldwide. We'll all be reminded of our collective responsibility to take action and eliminate the abuse.

In Ontario, we are taking action. Over the past two years, our government has implemented major initiatives through our four-year, $68-million domestic violence action plan. These measures are making a

difference.

A few days ago, I was proud to also launch our government's groundbreaking new public education campaign. It teaches children and youth, boys and girls aged eight to 14, about healthy, equal, respectful

relationships. Using a new interactive website, equalityrules.ca, which I urge every member of this House to visit, our campaign recognizes that if children better understand the kind of behaviour that's acceptable, then they're more likely to

have healthy, equal relationships. Our goal is to teach the right behaviours at an early age, to stop the violence before it begins.

I have met with many courageous women who have escaped an abusive partner, and I celebrate each one of them. Together with all the women and men who are working to put an end to abuse, we are making progress.

We still have a long way to go. We recognize International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and I ask that we raise our voices against this issue that crosses all cultural, social and economic boundaries.

I ask every member of this House to be sure that the women in your communities know that if they suffer abuse, there is help and support for them and their children. I ask that we join together in

strengthening our resolve to put an end to violence against women.

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): It is my privilege to rise on behalf of the Progressive Conservative Party to say a few words concerning International Day for the Elimination of

Violence Against Women and the White Ribbon Campaign.

While it doesn't represent an excuse for complacency of any kind, the White Ribbon Campaign should be a source of pride for Canadians, not just because of the contribution it has made here and elsewhere to the

awareness and understanding, better policies and programs when it comes to violence against women, but because it was and is a Canadian initiative which showed global leadership and has been taken up accordingly all around the world.

In its first year of existence, I received a call from Jack Layton asking if I would come with him to Union Station to hand out white ribbons, and I agreed. I can well remember the somewhat puzzled looks of

commuters, people receiving these ribbons from men advocating an end to violence against women. You could tell just from the somewhat hesitating looks that people gave you, men or women, that they weren't sure whether we were people seeking

absolution or whether we were people who were there trying to point a finger of blame at somebody else. But of course it wasn't about those things. That wasn't what we were. We were, I think, a group of men who were there to say we were prepared

to take some responsibility, which is usually the starting point when you're trying to find a solution to any problem as severe and as complex as this one.

Since that time, through the efforts of the White Ribbon Campaign and successive governments, because of changing attitudes and because of the efforts of lots of individuals, a campaign like this has never

been more embraced, and that's good. We all know, however, that there is still so much more to be done, as the minister just said.

Thirteen women, for example, have been murdered by their spouse or partner just in the GTA so far this year. Three to six women each month across the province fall victim to the same circumstances, and those

are the ones who have lost their lives. There are thousands more who live and who suffer, many of whom suffer behind closed doors without anyone knowing.

I'm absolutely sure other members of this House have had the experience I've had canvassing door to door and encountering a woman who answers the door with obvious signs of trauma, usually on her face. In the

occasions -- and I regret to say it's been plural when that has happened to me -- I want to say something, but I don't, maybe because I'm a stranger or maybe because I'm a man. But you know, often more so from the sadness in the eyes, that this

was no accident that happened. That's why we need to have days and weeks like this to keep a keen focus on what we can do to eliminate and eradicate this plague.

As they say, talk is cheap. We spend far more time around here than we should, on all sides, diminishing what we've all done at one point in time or another when we've had the responsibility. The fact is that

most of the initiatives by all the parties have represented steps forward. This is the kind of issue, as the minister said, like so many, on which we should be trying to work more effectively together to determine exactly what the next steps

should be.

I recently sat next to a woman at a dinner who is very involved in one of our foremost shelters. She told me of the fact that there was no secondary housing for women to move to as they try to get their lives

back together. She was too polite to tell me that there had been a program which disappeared a few years ago and that it hadn't been restored. I called a public-spirited landlord, and that shelter has two apartments today, but let's be frank: That

kind of ad hoc phone call made by anybody is not a program that will effectively address the overall shortage of primary and secondary shelter. While I know we can't do everything all at once, I'm equally convinced that we could work together and

do something better than the status quo.

Fifteen years ago, I was handing out ribbons with Jack Layton, and today I join my colleagues here in this place, where I think we can do so much if we put our minds to it.

Dans les deux cas, nous avons le même espoir: que les hommes travaillent avec les femmes pour renouveler notre promesse et redoubler nos efforts pour assurer que cette violence appartient au

passé.

In both cases, the hope is exactly the same: that we, men and boys working together with women, can renew our commitment, can double our effort, and make sure that this violence is a thing of the past.

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth): Wednesday, December 6, 1989, was the day of the Montreal massacre. It was a day that started off as a very ordinary day for me, as it did for many, many

others. At that time I was working as a manager in a housing co-operative here in Toronto, and I'll be honest: I don't really recall the routine events of that day. It was like any other until I heard the CBC Radio announcer in the evening with a

partial report of what had happened. Like the announcer, I was totally horrified by even the first intimation of what had happened at that school.

Shortly after 5 p.m., a man named Marc Lépine had entered the École Polytechnique in Montreal, armed with a rifle, and proceeded to a mechanical engineering class, where he forced the males in the

classroom out at gunpoint, uttered the words, "I hate feminists," and then opened fire on the women who remained. He then continued his rampage in other parts of the building, opening fire on other students and staff. Fourteen women were murdered

that day, nine injured, by a man who was enraged that women were pursuing studies in a field that he felt should be left to men like himself.

Canada's national psyche changed that day. We could not escape the fact that the attitudes and beliefs that perpetuated violence against women were prevalent in our society -- prevalent and deadly. The day's

events compelled a national dialogue about how underlying causes for violence against women continue to be inadequately addressed. Part of that dialogue included a man whom I know quite well, Jack Layton. The Leader of the Opposition alluded to

him. He and others, like the Leader of the Opposition, saw that men had a collective responsibility to change attitudes and behaviours so that workplaces, schools, streets and homes were safe places for everyone. He saw that men had a

responsibility to support women's groups in their efforts to get government, the courts and law enforcement to translate their words of condolence into action.

Thus the White Ribbon Campaign was started in 1991. Men were encouraged to wear the white ribbon to signal a personal pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women, to make a

commitment to the full equality of women. Over the past 15 years, the campaign has implemented awareness and education programs aimed at schools, workplaces and communities. White Ribbon has been working alongside women's groups, learning from

their experiences and finding ways to lend financial and moral support to their work.

This response to a Canadian tragedy has gone on to become adopted internationally by some 35 countries as a model for awareness and outreach to address what is truly a global epidemic.

The experience in Ontario is still troubling. One in two women will be the victim of sexual violence. Some 209 women have been murdered at the hands of men in domestic situations over the past 10 years --

three this November alone.

Members of this Legislature know that my predecessor, Marilyn Churley, was one of the most dedicated advocates for women's equality in the Legislature's history. She worked to get this House to bring forth the

necessary policies that would change the situation. That work is now carried on by my colleague Andrea Horwath.

The white ribbon I wear today signals my support for the efforts of the member for Hamilton East. She advocates that the government bring forth a spectrum of programs and support that help women break the

cycle of violence. For example, research shows that women are vulnerable to return to an abuser because they cannot locate housing for themselves and their children or don't have the financial means to support themselves and their families. They

need resources and services that will help them settle safely outside the home.

My colleague has introduced a workplace harassment bill aimed at ending violence in the workplace, and that bill remains on the order paper. We're all well aware that private members' bills can be useful

mobilization tools, and her bill has garnered a groundswell of support. I call on all members of this Legislature to respond accordingly and make her legislative proposal a reality. By doing so, we clearly demonstrate that the words uttered here

are not hollow, that the ribbons we wear are not just decorative.

VISITORS

Hon. Christopher Bentley (Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: In asking whether this is a point of order, I know all members of the House would

want to join me in welcoming members of OUSA, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance: Paris Meiller, Scott Courtice and the other representatives in the galleries.

ORAL QUESTIONS

MARIJUANA GROW OPERATIONS

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): My question is for the Premier. As the Premier is aware, yesterday I visited the residents of 2600 Jane Street, an apartment building that saw a

massive raid on a series of marijuana grow-ops last week. The residents there told me that they're very concerned about the safety of the building in which they continue to live. Children have recently begun suffering from asthma; adults are

getting headaches they didn't have before. There actually was a fire in one unit not too long ago.

As I indicated to the Premier in a letter I sent to him earlier today, I would like to know if the government of Ontario is prepared to work with the city of Toronto and others to take whatever steps are

necessary on an urgent basis to assure the residents of 2600 Jane Street, the people who live in this building, that all necessary advice on health and inspections will take place quickly so that the residents will be satisfied as to their health

and the safety of the apartments. Also, will the government agree to establish, again on an urgent basis, a province-wide series of rules and protocols that can be followed so we can get help to people more quickly if incidents of this kind happen

in the future?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I want to thank the leader of the official opposition for the question. I want to thank him for sending me advance notice

of this. I think that's a wonderful precedent, by the way. I would like to see him follow that in the future. But I want to thank him for the sincerity he brings to this particular challenge before all of us.

Let me say that I too was disturbed by the bust that took place during the course of the weekend. I was also pleased, of course, that the police were able to locate this particular locale for a grow-op and to

learn that arrests have now been made.

I say to the leader of the official opposition, and he's probably aware of this, that Toronto Public Health visited the building during the course of the weekend. I also understand that they are there today. I

understand that during the course of the weekend they determined that there was no threat or health hazard coming from common areas in the building. I understand that today they're now investigating units adjacent to the grow-op locale itself,

with a view to ensuring that those do not present a health hazard either.

Mr. Tory: I would hope that the Premier will consider the establishment of some sort of protocol or set of rules across the province so that when these things happen going forward -- there

have been 450 of these so far this year, not all in apartment buildings, thank goodness -- people can get this kind of assurance they need and these inspections a bit faster.

In addition to the threats of fire and the health problems associated with mould, yesterday the residents told me about a lot of suspicious behaviour that had been going on in the building. They told me about

complaints to building management going unheeded. They told me about power outages that happened two or three times a week for months on end, probably related to the grow-ops. They are looking for compensation for some of these hardships. I wonder

if you could arrange for someone in the government to confirm -- if you look at the wording of the victims of crime act, it would suggest that these people are eligible to use that process, if they wish, to make their applications, as others

would, to see if they can get that compensation. I wonder if someone in the government might provide that information to these people so they will know if they can submit such an application and make it easy for them to do so if they wish to do

so.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: I know that the member of provincial Parliament involved, Mario Sergio, is making inquiries in that regard. I have had a brief opportunity to speak with the Attorney General

about that, and Minister Kwinter as well, to see if there is something in existence at present, some funds, that might be available. But at the same time, I would not want to somehow lead the public to believe that the property owner is not

without some responsibility in this matter. We want to make sure that all steps there are taken, as well, to explore those possibilities.

The leader of the official opposition makes a good point, though, in that people may very well be asking themselves to whom they should turn. I think the most important information I can convey is that if

someone suspects that either in their apartment building or in a neighbouring house there might be a grow-op or some suspicious activities, the first responsibility we have as citizens is to notify the police, of course. I think it's very

important that Ontarians understand that the first resort in these kinds of issues is to phone your local police.

Mr. Tory: The residents did in fact say they did that. And they, by the way, found no fault with the police. They said the police came around and so forth and so on. But I think there's

probably more needed here. A lot of people are too intimidated, as they are in other circumstances in some of the challenged neighbourhoods in Toronto, to speak up. But in any event, I agree with the Premier in that regard.

Premier, the OPP, as I mentioned earlier, reports that there have been more than 400 of these discovered in Ontario this year. This past Friday, an

article in the Ottawa Citizen said that the criminals who run

these illegal operations are getting bolder and using lethal booby traps to protect their own drug-growing operations. So if you combine this with the health and safety risks in apartment buildings, they're threatening innocent people who are

living in these buildings. A lot of the people said yesterday they think the penalties for these crimes are too low. In fact, there was a justice in BC who recently said he thought they were a tap on the wrist. The sentences tend to range from one

and a half to two years.

Since 2004, my college from Simcoe North has been calling, as I have been, for us to call on the federal government together for tougher sentences. I wonder if the Premier and the government would join us in

saying to the federal government that they should be putting tougher penalties in place for these grow-op operators so that they get the message that this kind of stuff is just not acceptable.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: In short, yes, I am more than prepared to do that. The leader of the official opposition has proposed that we have a resolution in the House. I'll also ask him to consider

another option: It may be speedier for us to co-sign a letter, all three leaders of the parties, and to direct that to Prime Minister Harper. There are a number of bills before the House of Commons at present which deal with toughening up gun

laws, for example, and other penalties. It may be possible, in view of the fact that there could be an election called at any time, that the fastest thing that we might do is to ask the Prime Minister to amend an existing piece of legislation.

EMPLOYMENT

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): I think -- my question is for the Premier -- that in this ecumenical spirit, we should ask the NDP to draft the letter, but that is a different

matter.

My question, again, is for the Premier. This time it's on the economy. In the wake of the Premier's announcement in northern Ontario last week, the reviews were negative. One industry executive quoted in the

Globe and Mail said that the government's response to this crisis has been sporadic at best and not the grand master plan that's required. Of course, as if any proof was needed, the day after, Tembec announced its Timmins sawmill would close

indefinitely and Bowater warned its employees that a major restructuring was on the way.

Your Minister of Natural Resources claimed the forestry sector had got off scot-free. This is almost as insensitive as the Minister of Energy saying that the people up north should have some good wine and a

blanket if they can't afford electricity, when you see tens of thousands of people who have lost their jobs.

My question is this: Nearly a year ago, this House adopted a resolution calling for a comprehensive plan to deal with job losses in the province. When will you be tabling that plan?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Hon. Christopher Bentley (Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities): It gives us an opportunity today to bring the Leader of the Opposition up to date on many of the things we've been

doing.

training system that will benefit workers and businesses in the province of Ontario.

Just a week and a half ago, we launched Employment Ontario, which is an initiative to coordinate the 470 providers, in 900 locations, in the province of Ontario that provide every type of training from basic

literacy to advanced apprenticeship training, to ensure that we can deliver what the worker needs and what the business needs in the location where they happen to be. It includes a referral network by the providers, a 1-800 number to actually find

out where you can get the information and information in 21 additional languages. I'm looking forward to providing the leader with more information.

Mr. Tory: That's all very interesting, but what the resolution in this Legislature approved by members of all three parties in fact said was that the House call upon the government to bring

forward a comprehensive program dealing with job losses and so on, and we have not seen that. Even in the auto sector, where we've had some successes at attracting new investments, we've seen at the same time huge job losses that contradict the

constant claims of nothing but upward progress. A story in the Globe and Mail, on November 23, 2006, says that parts makers have been hit by a "foreign onslaught," and it goes on to say that despite several recent announcements of investments,

they "have not offset several plant closings and job cuts" and that this sector "has lost 10,000 jobs since the start of 2005."

My question was, and I'll repeat it for the Premier: When are we going to see the comprehensive jobs program that was endorsed by all sides in this House? When are we going to see that -- not a hodgepodge of

individual initiatives but a comprehensive jobs program? That's what was called for by all three parties, including the Liberal members. When are we going to see it?

Hon. Mr. Bentley: In fact, the jobs program consists of the initiatives to spur investment, whether they are tax measures, advanced manufacturing initiatives or auto sector initiatives. On the

other side, when workers need retraining, when businesses need access to retrained workers, just two weeks ago we invested in literacy and academic upgrading programs, acknowledged by all to be the single most important potential driver for

improving productivity. The federal government is decreasing that.

We just announced today 800 more places for pre-apprenticeship programs throughout the province of Ontario, one of the routes to ensure we have more skilled trades for the future. That's the way you ensure

that the businesses in the province of Ontario will have the workers they need to properly compete, investments in Job Connect, which connect youth and adults with the jobs that businesses need. It's fine to talk about the comprehensive plan, but

we're actually delivering it.

Mr. Tory: It was the Liberal Party, Mr. McGuinty's party, the Premier's party, that actually did vote in favour of bringing forward a comprehensive plan. "Comprehensive plan" means you pull it

all together and it's a plan that has a number of different elements to it. Since October 2004, this province has lost more than 10% of the manufacturing jobs it once had. And the government, for a full year now, has not brought forward a

comprehensive plan. Just last week, in fact, the McGuinty Liberal government used its majority to reject another possible job preservation measure, brought forward this time by the NDP. Instead, the government seems to be quite content to use

words like "cycles," "inevitabilities" and "contractions" and shrug it off. I'm asking why they won't, for once, do what they said they would do, what they voted for almost a year ago, and bring forward a comprehensive program altogether, come in

here and make a statement for jobs in Ontario. We're waiting for it. The people are waiting for it. The communities are waiting for it. When are you going to do it?

Hon. Mr. Bentley: The question to which we've not received an answer is, when will the Leader of the Opposition stand up for Ontario and tell Prime Minister Harper to deliver on the labour

market partnership agreement, tell Prime Minister Harper that workers and businesses in the province of Ontario deserve the same level of support as workers and businesses in every other province? When will he pick up the phone and tell Harper,

"Show us the money"? Harper promised in January. Harper has not delivered. The Canada-Ontario agreement is essential for the businesses of Ontario to compete, essential for the workers to get the training they need to compete. I don't see why a

worker who's in need of training in Ontario should get less than they get anywhere else. It's time for our fair share. Pick up the phone.

MINIMUM WAGE

Ms. Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park): My question is for the Premier. Many Ontario families are working harder than ever before. Many are working two or three jobs just to make ends meet.

Many are a paycheque or two away from poverty. Their provincial government is supposed to be on their side. Instead, respected advocacy group Campaign 2000 tells us Ontario's child poverty rate has gone up, in one year, from 16.1% to 17.4%. A fair

minimum wage is the best way we all know to ensure that hard-working Ontarians are able to share in our wealthy province's prosperity.

Premier, my question for you is, why won't your government raise the minimum wage to a living wage: $10 an hour?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I appreciate the question and I appreciate the member's ambition when it comes to helping Ontario's most needy. But she

should recognize, at least from time to time, that we are taking steps in the right direction. I think we're the first ones to bring about increases in Ontario's minimum wage in some nine years. I think it has gone up three times now and it's

going to go up again. We will give every consideration to how we should move it beyond that point.

Again, I appreciate the member's ambition, but we like to think that we are going in the right direction and look forward to doing more.

Ms. DiNovo: I quote from an editorial in the Star of October 19 of this year, where they say, "In effect, they are arguing" -- that is, the government -- "that the living standards of our

poorest workers must continue to suffer for them to be able to hold on to their jobs." Mr. Premier, it's too little, too late, this $8 an hour. In 2003 we brought that in and we wanted it immediately. Now we need $10 an hour immediately, and this

is just catch-up. This is just catching up to what the rate was in 1972.

I ask this government again: Things are getting worse for working families. As Ontario's rising child poverty numbers show, we are a national and international disgrace with our child poverty rate. Why won't

this government provide Ontario's lowest-paid workers some real protection against poverty, and that is a $10-an-hour minimum wage?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: Again, I appreciate the member's tenacity and perseverance in this regard, but in government I think it's really important that we understand that there is some connection

between an employer's ability to employ and the cost of that employment. That has to do with the amount of minimum wage. We are absolutely moving in the right direction. We brought the minimum wage up some three times now. It's on its way to $8

per hour.

But there's more than just the minimum wage when it comes to meeting the needs of our most vulnerable, particularly our children. That's why we have in place free vaccinations for children. Over one million

children have received those, saving families $600 per year per child. We have also put in place $8.5 million more per year for our student nutrition program, so that 84,000 more children are being served. That's a 45% increase. We're also going

to be the first province to fund insulin pumps for children. So I appreciate again the member's tenacity and perseverance when it comes to minimum wage, but we're moving forward on a number of fronts.

Ms. DiNovo: Mr. Premier, if only we could vaccinate our children against poverty. More than one third of low-income children live in families where at least one parent works full-time

throughout the year. It is unacceptable that someone can work full-time, and work hard, and not be able to lift their family out of poverty. This is happening now: 13,500 children are using food banks now. This House has passed second reading of

my $10-an-hour minimum living wage bill. Why won't this government make this speedily a law?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: I am not sure how much more I can add at this time, except to say that we will be doing more when it comes to providing additional supports for Ontario children. We are

pleased with the progress we've made but hardly satisfied when it comes to taking into full consideration the extent of the challenges faced by Ontario's most vulnerable families.

I say again for the record that we have increased the minimum wage some three times. I believe the NDP voted against those increases. We will be increasing it one more time. We've helped out when it comes to

vaccinations, when it comes to student nutrition programs, when it comes to our new program to fund insulin pumps for children. Those are areas in which we have moved and in which we will continue to move.

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): My question is to the Premier. Mr. Premier, under your government the income gap between low-income families and well-off families continues to widen.

Campaign 2000 reports that for every $1 earned by the poorest 10% of families with children, the richest 10% earn $14. The national child benefit supplement aims to shrink that gap by providing low-income children with $1,500 a year for food,

shelter and clothing.

My question is, why, in the face of rising child poverty, does your government continue to claw that money back from Ontario's most vulnerable citizens, our children?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of Community and Social Services.

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur (Minister of Community and Social Services, minister responsible for francophone affairs): Our government recognizes that it is difficult to live on a low income and

particularly on social assistance. But since we have taken office, we have made steady progress each and every year to help Ontario's poorest citizens. We have made certain that every single increase to the national child benefit supplement stays

in the hands of the people who need it the most. We are continuing to flow through these increases, and by the end of March 2008, social assistance recipients with children will have received an additional $75 million in support. That is a

significant investment.

Our government is also helping individuals on social assistance who don't have children. In 2004, we invested more than $100 million to provide a 3% rate increase for every person on social assistance -- the

first increase in 12 years. This year --

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

Mr. Prue: Back to the Premier again. Ontario has enjoyed years of prosperity and personal and corporate wealth, but under your watch poverty is on the rise. Instead of action, your government

ignores mounting evidence that we are losing that battle.

Campaign 2000 reports that the average low-income two-parent family is as far behind today as they were 11 years ago. That's some progress your government is making.

When is your government going to provide real protection against poverty by keeping your promise and fully -- and I underline that word "fully" -- stopping the clawback of the national child benefit

supplement?

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: Increases to income only tell part of the story. We are also helping social assistance recipients become more financially independent by making important changes that will

help them find a job, increase their earnings and, for those who can, move off social assistance into paid employment.

In addition, our government is helping Ontario's most vulnerable adults and families in ways that are too often overlooked, such as increasing $8.5 million in student nutrition programs to serve healthy meals

and snacks to more than 270,000 students across Ontario. We are also investing $301 million as part of the new Canada-Ontario affordable housing program agreement.

We cannot undo more than a decade of harm in three short years --

The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary.

Mr. Prue: My question is back to the Premier, because the honourable minister never seems to quite get around to the real question.

Here's what the Toronto Star says about your record: "Provincially, the Liberal government of Premier Dalton McGuinty refuses to make up for past damage by the previous Conservative regime by raising the

minimum wage to $10 an hour, ensuring hard-working families can rise out of poverty. And it steadfastly refuses to stop clawing back the national child benefit supplement from families on social assistance. Or to increase welfare payments to those

same families."

Mr. Premier, my question is back to you because you're the man in charge. If your government really believes growing inequality is not right, why don't you do something about it?

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: As I explained, we have raised social assistance twice since we came into power. There is always more to do. Every ministry is responsible for helping to improve the

quality of life for children.

The member of the third party wants to show that they are the answer to child poverty. Look what they did when they were in power. The Ontario child care supplement -- one out of five children were on social

assistance when they were in power. They reduced services, they increased taxes and they also increased tuition fees for children. So they speak today about what they have done, but this government is the government --

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): My question is for the Premier. Ontarians continue to visit the wastebusters.ca website, and over the last little while we've heard quite a few

interesting examples: $1.2 million spent by the Ministry of Education on hotels, over and above another $2.3 million on travel; $1.4 million spent by the Ministry of Health on hotels, over and above another $6 million spent on travel. Today we

have another unbelievable example. In 2005-06, the Ministry of Health spent over $5.5 million on furniture. When you go to the Staples website, you can get a chair for $100 and you can get a desk for $250. At that price, the Ministry of Health

could have purchased 50,000 chairs or 22,000 desks. That would be pretty good going, even for them.

Can the Premier tell us why the Ministry of Health is spending this kind of money, this dramatically increased sum, on furniture instead of spending it on health care for people?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of Government Services.

Hon. Gerry Phillips (Minister of Government Services): I would say to the Leader of the Opposition and to the public that we relentlessly pursue cost savings. Every two weeks, I sit down with

a group of people who are working on how we are going to achieve our $750-million savings target. And we're hitting it. We have already identified and actually banked $100 million in IT savings, $250 million on procurement policies, $50 million on

finding ways to handle our accommodation on a much more effective basis. So I would just say to the public that we relentlessly pursue cost savings on a daily basis -- every two weeks I sit down -- and we are achieving those targets. We have now

saved $750 million, but we won't stop there. On a daily basis, we will keep looking for ways that we can make sure that every penny of the taxpayer's dollar is spent effectively.

Mr. Tory: I say to the minister, with respect, that we've never had one single, comprehensive, line-by-line report on that $750 million you now claim to have saved. Never once has there been a

report outlining how you saved it. I would also point out to the minister that the $5.5 million spent by the Ministry of Health on furniture is $1 million more than was spent on furniture in the previous three years combined.

When 1.2 million Ontarians are without a family doctor, when we hear every day that people are waiting in emergency rooms to get care, when we have situations where services have been delisted and we hear

there are all kinds of problems in the health care system, my question was and is, how can you justify seeing the Ministry of Health spend $5.5 million on furniture -- more than the previous three years combined -- if you're really attending, as

you say you are, to saving money? This is disrespectful of taxpayers' money, and you know it. What are you going to do about it?

Hon. Mr. Phillips: Again, I would just say to the member and to the public, the $750 million I talked about has actually been fully realized. The Ministry of Finance has fully booked

those.

I would say to the public and to the member of the opposition, I think for three years we've spent virtually nothing on furniture. We were very conscious of making sure that the furniture budget was well

handled.

I would say this: As we move forward on our accommodations strategy, moving to smaller space, where our public servants use smaller space, there will be a need to purchase some furniture, to spend money on

furniture, because they do require less space and smaller furniture. But apart from that, we are using our old furniture.

Again, I would say to the public, $750 million of savings fully booked, and we're looking for more savings on a daily basis. We are going to look after the taxpayers' dollar, unlike the previous government,

where we found an over $5-billion deficit when we arrived.

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): My question is for the Premier. Stakeholders from Children's Mental Health Ontario have been working hard to shape your government's policy framework on

children's mental health. They're worried, though, that the new policy for helping children with mental health problems is not going to be backed up by government investment. How much money will you commit towards implementing the new children's

mental health policy framework here in Ontario?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): The Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): I'm happy to inform the member from Hamilton East that as recently as this morning, I spoke at the annual conference for

Children's Mental Health Ontario and addressed more than 300 people there who are absolutely thrilled with the work our government is doing with that sector to ensure more ready access to children, youth and their families, and also more

coordinated services and a more integrated system, which is what parents and service providers have told us they need.

Last week the member from Hamilton East inadvertently misrepresented the situation in children's mental health. I would have hoped that she would have started her question by --

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The minister needs to withdraw the word.

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: "Misrepresented"? I withdraw, Speaker.

What she presented to the House was in fact inaccurate, and I spoke with her about that and would really have appreciated her recognizing that fact. I look forward in the supplementary to hearing her

acknowledge that, and I will speak some more about what we are doing in children's mental health.

Ms. Horwath: Again to the Premier: One in five children suffers from mental health problems in the province of Ontario. The earlier they are detected and treated, the more the costs are

avoided down the road. The minister will know that. She will also know, if she was in fact listening to the people at Children's Mental Health Ontario, that they are saying that integration and coordination of service is simply not enough, that in

fact agencies are doing a lot of that already.

This sector has lost 30% of its capacity to treat children with mental health problems over the last several years. It has been virtually frozen for 14 years, including the last three years under the McGuinty

government. Notwithstanding a piddly amount that you may be proud of, they are losing ground significantly in this province, and the minister knows very well that's true. How does bringing forward a policy framework without attaching the necessary

funding enable mental health providers to serve the growing number of children who are needing and waiting for help?

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: One of the things I like about my portfolio is that it's really supposed to be about kids; it's not supposed to be about partisan politics.

I want to tell you of my disappointment in the member not recognizing that it was 12 years that went by, including years when your party was the government, when funding for children's mental health was

frozen, as in absolutely no increases -- cut, in fact, in some of those years. That's the lost ground that we are working hard to recover now, and that has included an increase, since we have been in government, of $38 million per year, effective

this year. Out of that increase we are either expanding or adding almost 200 new programs for kids. We have announced increases that are non-program-specific, increases to operating --

The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. New question.

DAIRY FARMERS

Mrs. Carol Mitchell (Huron-Bruce): My question is for the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. As you know, Ontario's agriculture industry has been very innovative, and they have

remained competitive in light of challenges to supply management in international trade.

Today dairy farmers are visiting from across the province to discuss exciting and innovative programs that go beyond their enormous contribution to our province's economy. Within Huron-Bruce I have 282 dairy

farms, and I've met with them many times and talked about how to strengthen our rural communities. But what they are here to talk about is to describe their remarkable commitment to children's health and well-being in all of Ontario. Minister,

could you please explain how our government's active living mandate to improve the learning environment of Ontario students will be significantly enhanced by the dairy farmers of Ontario?

Hon. Leona Dombrowsky (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs): I'm happy to have this opportunity to respond to that.

Interjection.

Hon. Mrs. Dombrowsky: I heard the member from Simcoe North say what a great member the member from Huron-Bruce is, and I agree with you. I agree with the member from Simcoe North. I'm also

delighted to see in the gallery today members from the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. They've joined us, as the member has indicated. They're here to talk about dairy issues, obviously, but I'm particularly impressed that the focus of their visit here

today is one of the programs that I think they're most proud of, and that is the milk-in-schools program they have established across Ontario. Right now, because of this important focus to provide good, nutritious milk to our students in Ontario,

they provide 26 million cartons of milk to the children in our schools. They're here to ask for this government's and all parties' continued support for initiatives like this to expand access to milk --

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

Mrs. Mitchell: It's great to see that our agriculture industry is supportive of our government's efforts to make our schools healthier places for all of Ontario's students. Minister, given the

size and distinctly rural nature of my riding, there are many schools in my various communities, and they each have different needs and requirements. How does the McGuinty government's active healthy schools plan fit into encouraging healthy

lifestyles for all of Ontario's children and youth?

Hon. Mrs. Dombrowsky: Minister of Health Promotion, please.

Hon. Jim Watson (Minister of Health Promotion): I'm very pleased to answer the question because we work closely with agriculture and the Ministry of Education to promote and push forward our

wellness agenda. We know there has been a 300% increase in obesity rates in the last 15 years in Canada, and we have to be aggressive. That's why we've removed junk food and sugary soft drinks from vending machines in elementary schools. We've

brought in 20 minutes of physical activity. We are, for the first time in 30 years, working with dairy farmers with their very successful milk calendar that just came out and was distributed across the province. We want to commend the dairy

farmers for the work they do with milk programs and providing fridges in schools. We also are very much in tune with the nutrition and health message that the milk farmers provide. So we look forward to people looking through this milk calendar. I

see that in October they have chicken cacciatore, and I look forward to --

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Mrs. Christine Elliott (Whitby-Ajax): My question is for the Attorney General. In the Toronto Star this weekend, Helen Henderson wrote a column with respect to your government's sudden

decision to cut off the hearings on Bill 107. Among her concerns is your repeated refusal to explain how you will possibly keep your promise to fund a lawyer for every complainant to the Human Rights Tribunal. She states that you have "failed to

allay concerns about funding for the new system" and that your "approach has been flawed from the start."

In the Toronto Sun, David Lepofsky also expressed his profound dismay at your government's handling of the file. He wrote:

"McGuinty promises a new legal clinic to help with the horrendous burden that Bill 107 dumps on discrimination victims.... Yet neither Bill 107 nor his recently announced amendments to it keep the Liberals'

extravagant pledge of a free independent legal counsel for every complainant at the Human Rights Tribunal."

Minister, these are two known champions of vulnerable people. You've continually failed to answer my question about how you're going to keep this promise. Will you at least listen to them and finally provide a

clear answer?

Hon. Michael Bryant (Attorney General): We're listening to them. We're listening to everybody who's been contributing to this debate for some 20 years. If the member looks back in Hansard, one

of her predecessors, in that he was an Attorney General critic for the third party in 1991, called on the then government of the day to hurry up and move forward with human rights reform. So there's been an enormous amount of debate, and there's

clearly more than one position on this, but the consensus that has in fact developed is that it is time to move forward and not delay reform any further. Why? Because we can't continue to allow the delays that face complainants who go before the

human rights system to continue. That's why we have this bill before the Legislature, that's why we've had this debate for more than 200 days, that's why we had the committee hearings, and that's why it's going to come back to the Legislature for

third reading vote.

Mrs. Elliott: In side-stepping my question last week, Minister, with respect to funding your legal support centre, you stated that recent technical briefings held by your ministry staff

allowed you to draw on the expertise of different individuals to presumably draft a funding plan.

I received a copy of a letter to you dated November 23, 2006, from Elisabeth Bruckmann, the staff lawyer from Parkdale Community Legal Services whose presentation to the justice policy committee I referred to

in asking you that question. In that letter she expressed her dismay at your response that these technical briefings presented any opportunity for consultation. She continued to say:

"I would ask that you refrain from further allegations that you have held broad consultations on this bill when you have not. I would specifically ask that you not suggest that I was included in a consultation

with your staff when you ought to know that was not the case."

Minister, you clearly have no plan for this legal support centre, so there's no big hurry. Why, then, do you refuse to accept John Tory's compromise vote on this bill: to vote first thing in the spring in

exchange for full and meaningful consultations now?

Hon. Mr. Bryant: Again, a full and meaningful consultation and task force have taken place here in Ontario and in Canada, and by the United Nations Human Rights Committee. There has been full

consultation around this bill before, during and after its introduction. At some point, we have to say that we have to reform this system wherein we have process gridlock. There seems to be agreement that we need to reform it, so we have debate as

to how those reforms will take place. At some point, we have to say that the positions are before the government, the positions are before this Legislature, and people will have an opportunity to support it, to vote for it, or vote against it. But

the idea that we continue to delay making that decision, and thereby delay the desperately needed reforms to the human rights system, is not one that I can accept.

SERVICES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): My question is for the Premier. On Friday, families who have children with severe disabilities were dealt a severe blow by the Ontario Court of Appeal

because your government refused to enter into

section 30 agreements, which direct the appropriate level of care to these children while in the care of their own parents. In 2005, the Ombudsman told you to restore the agreements with families so

that children with multiple disabilities would receive the comprehensive care that they so much deserve and need.

Why do you continue to ignore the Ombudsman? Why are you not entering into

section 30 agreements with the families of severely disabled children?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of Children and Youth Services.

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): I think it is 63 kids who have been returned to the custody of their parents, as they should be. This is a file that we

inherited from the previous government and corrected quickly once it came to our attention. The Ombudsman, in fact, was quoted in the media reports that I saw on Saturday as recognizing that our government has acted quickly.

I want to just reinforce the fact that children who require special services for their exceptionalities are receiving those services and in fact will be receiving even more of those services in a more timely

manner and that this has absolutely nothing to do with protection. If kids are in need of protection, that's a different issue and it is only when they're in need of protection --

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

Ms. Horwath: I think the minister will know that there are still hundreds of families that are in crisis this very day and you're turning your back at this moment on some of the most severely

disabled children in Ontario. The McGuinty government has a responsibility to help these families and enter into

section 30 agreements or something else that is going to help them get the services they need. Families are still feeling pressured --

you should know this -- to give up their children to the children's aid society to obtain ongoing treatment, treatment that is different depending on where you come from in the province of Ontario. The treatment is not the same and the way to get

treatment is not the same, depending on what community you're coming from. So rather than dragging these families through the courts or suggesting that they give up custody of their disabled children, why doesn't the McGuinty government follow the

Ombudsman's recommendation of 2005 and provide the services that they and their children need so desperately?

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: It's absolutely wrong for the member to suggest that anyone in our government is suggesting that parents should be giving up custody of kids who need special care. That is

shameful. That's absolutely shameful. In fact, since our government has been in office, we have increased the funding for kids with special needs by more than $140 million. Earlier this year --

Interjection.

Hon. Mrs. Chambers: The member thinks that's funny, but it's really serious. It's very, very important that we care for these kids. I want you to know that earlier this year we announced an

increase in base funding to our children's treatment centres that is resulting in more than 4,800 more kids receiving the services --

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.

PROGRAMME ONTARIEN DE SOUTIEN

AUX PERSONNES HANDICAPÉES

M me Monique M. Smith (Nipissing): Ma question s'adresse à la ministre des Services sociaux et communautaires.

Avoir un emploi, c'est avoir un meilleur revenu et avoir la possibilité d'apporter sa contribution à la collectivité, de rencontrer d'autres personnes et d'atteindre ses objectifs

personnels.

À l'heure actuelle, plus de 20 000 bénéficiaires du programme ontarien de soutien aux personnes handicapées, le POSPH, travaillent. C'est environ 9 % des personnes visées par

le programme.

Si l'on peut croire la clientèle et les porte-parole du programme, de nombreux autres bénéficiaires seraient désireux et capables de travailler, à condition d'avoir le soutien

nécessaire. Quel soutien offrirons-nous à ces gens?

L'hon. Madeleine Meilleur (ministre des Services sociaux et communautaires, ministre déléguée aux Affaires francophones): Premièrement, je voudrais remercier la

députée de Nipissing pour son engagement envers la communauté de personnes handicapées.

Oui, elle a raison : il y a seulement 20 000 personnes qui travaillent et il y en a beaucoup plus qui veulent travailler. Alors, sa question me permet de vous parler d'importantes modifications

amenées au programme. Ces modifications sont mises en place afin d'encourager les bénéficiaires à entrer sur le marché du travail et avoir une plus grande autonomie financière. Nous avons introduit une exemption de

base toute simple de 50 % sur tous les gains, ainsi qu'une nouvelle prestation liée à l'emploi de 100 $ par mois. Les bénéficiaires du programme pourront ainsi garder une plus grande

partie de ce qu'ils gagnent.

Prenons le cas d'un bénéficiaire célibataire, par exemple, qui a un revenu mensuel de 600 $. Désormais, on ne déduira plus que 300 $ de son chèque au lieu de 330 $.

Ce bénéficiaire recevra une indemnité supplémentaire de 100 $ pour couvrir une

partie de ses dépenses de travail. Cela --

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

M me Smith: Ça fait du bien de savoir que notre gouvernement est d'accord avec la communauté des personnes handicapées et estime que trouver un bon emploi est

essentiel si l'on veut améliorer la qualité de vie et le bien-être financier des personnes handicapées et de leur famille.

Pourriez-vous partager un autre exemple qui démontrerait l'amélioration de la qualité de vie résultant de ces modifications que vous avez annoncées?

L'hon. M me Meilleur: Notre plan pour aider davantage les personnes handicapées à trouver un emploi stimulera l'économie tout en renforçant les collectivités

de la province de l'Ontario.

Nous avons apporté d'importantes améliorations au programme pour mieux aider les personnes qui travaillent et encourager davantage les bénéficiaires de ce programme à entrer sur le

marché du travail. Par exemple, nous avons porté à 600 $ par mois le montant maximal pour les frais de services informels de garde d'enfants.

Pour répondre à la question de la députée, ceci veut dire qu'une mère célibataire, ayant un enfant de six ans, qui gagne 1 500 $ par mois et qui demande les deux

montants maximaux, touchera désormais 452 $ de revenu de plus par mois. C'est une énorme différence, qui améliorera le niveau de vie de milliers de personnes et de leur famille.

Nous continuerons à chercher des façons d'aider les personnes handicapées à entrer sur le marché du travail et avoir une meilleure qualité de vie.

ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): My question today is for the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. It's about outstanding order paper questions. Minister, in late June

you received five questions that should be simple for your ministry to answer. You've had all summer to prepare the answers, and last week we were informed that the answers would not come until on or about December 15, the day after the House is

scheduled to adjourn. Minister, you should be ashamed of yourself for this blatant attempt to cover up information.

Like Bill 107, you are muzzling Parliament. Not only do you not answer questions in question period, now you don't have the courage to answer order paper questions when the House is sitting. Minister, can you

explain to the citizens of Ontario why you can't answer order paper questions that were tabled six months ago?

Hon. Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services): I thank the member for his question. I don't know the order papers that he's referring to, but I will certainly

look into it and guarantee the member that I will get a response for him.

Mr. Dunlop: If that is the case, I hope you will be able to get that answer by the end of this week. Many of the questions involve the costs associated with Caledonia. They included how the

funding was allocated for the 1,000 police officers in the province because, as you know, the Ontario Provincial Police received not one of those police officers unless they were under municipal contract policing. Those are the kinds of questions

we wanted answered. We didn't want to see this House run until December 15 and then prorogue, and you not ever having to answer the questions. Minister, can we expect those by the end of this week?

Hon. Mr. Kwinter: Now that you've given me an idea of the kinds of questions you're asking, I can understand why you didn't get the answers. Just so you'll know, when we talk about Caledonia,

we have tabled the ballpark figure on that. We are in the middle of the fiscal year; we don't have them broken down to that point.

The other thing is about funding for the OPP officers. As you correctly said, those who are under municipal contract were included, but for us to include funding for officers who are already covered in our

budget is like taking the money out of one pocket and putting it in the other. We are already funding them 100%, so why would we provide money to fund them additionally?

Now I understand why those questions haven't been answered.

FOREST INDUSTRY

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay): My question is to the Premier. Last week in Thunder Bay, you announced your long-awaited policy on electricity pricing for the forestry sector. Since

then, Tembec has announced an indefinite closure of their sawmill in Timmins, putting 150 people out of work in that mill, plus those people who work in the woodlands. In Gogama, all 48 workers at that local mill have been basically given an

eight- to 10-week layoff. And Bowater, the very day you made your electricity announcement, sent a letter out to its employees saying that despite your announcement, employees can still expect a lot of layoffs.

Premier, my question is simply this: Will you finally admit that (1) your energy policies have failed the forestry sector, and (2) your recent announcement, last week, in Thunder Bay is woefully inadequate to

respond to the crisis that you created in the forestry sector?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): The Minister of Energy.

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy): Last week's announcement, which brought the level of provincial support to the forestry sector to more than $1 billion, was an important announcement

that was welcomed in many parts of the industry.

This government has acknowledged from the beginning that that is a sector that is in difficulty. I think the member himself has acknowledged that there are factors well beyond the price of electricity that

have impacted on that sector. We remain committed to working with all the communities in Ontario, particularly those in northern Ontario that have experienced the most difficulty as a result of the situation that sector has found itself in, as

well as communities in southern Ontario that have been impacted by the challenges that industry faces.

Last week's announcement of $140 million, on top of the previous $900 million, is designed to assist the industry to move forward into the future, a future that we acknowledge has many challenges. But this

government will continue to work with the forest sector and with the people of northern Ontario to ensure that --

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

Mr. Bisson: Minister, nobody's buying it in northern Ontario. Last week I was in Espanola and Nairn Centre. This morning I was at Bowater, meeting with workers, along with Charlie Angus, my

federal member, and they're not buying it. They're saying that all they see are the layoffs; all they see are community leaders and others across northern Ontario reaching out to your government saying, "We want to work with you at finding

solutions." They called on you to do something very direct, and that was a northern Ontario energy policy that reflects the true cost of power in northern Ontario. I was with those workers at Bowater this morning, and they've asked me to come back

here and ask you again: Will you finally listen and will you do what northerners have asked you to do, and that is to create a northern Ontario energy pricing system that would help our industry get back on its feet?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: The industrial price of electricity is now lower today than it was when we took office. I would remind the member opposite that both he and his leader in the past have opposed

regional prices.

We commissioned Navigant to do a study and found out that what that member is proposing could lead to a higher price for electricity in northern Ontario, which not only would not assist matters but would

indeed set it back.

I'd remind the member what he himself said in this House on March 3, 2005, with reference to electricity: "Yes, there are other issues out there. I'm not going to stand here and say it's only electricity,

because we know it's partly the low American dollar; it's partly the regulations -- for example, some of the regulations around the environment...."

This government has responded to each of the recommendations in the task force that were brought forward. The policy that we have implemented on energy has reduced the industrial cost to where it was when we

took office. We're going to continue to pursue those types of policies.

COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOLS

Mr. Phil McNeely (Ottawa-Orléans): My question is to the Minister of Education. Minister, we promised that we would create stronger communities when we came into government, and we have

delivered this promise in many ways. The McGuinty government understands that Ontario's schools are a key part of having strong communities and that they are much more than a building for teaching and learning. We know that after schools are

finished for the day, many school buildings do not sit empty; they play host to Scouts, Girl Guides, basketball players, youth groups, senior groups and adult learners.

During the Tory years, there were so many education cutbacks in the classroom that school boards had to gain extra funds by charging for their grounds and facilities to community groups like the ones I've just

mentioned. With the increase in costs to use facilities, community groups had to increase registration costs, resulting in new barriers to participation in community programs.

The McGuinty government put an end to this. We're keeping the doors open to the community. Minister, can you tell this House more about the community use of schools program?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne (Minister of Education): It was a great pleasure on Saturday to join the Minister of Health Promotion in Ottawa -- the enthusiastic Minister of Health Promotion, I might

add, even though, in a game of two-on-two soccer, we lost to Emma and Tiffany at St. Paul's school. But there you go.

What we were able to say on Saturday was that our government is committed to ongoing funding of community use of schools. The $20 million that we've put into the system for the last couple of years has borne

fruit. Thirty-six per cent of boards have been able to totally eliminate fees for the use of double gymnasia for community groups and for youth; a significant reduction in the hourly Saturday custodial rates, with 56% of boards being able to

totally eliminate those fees.

What we know is that in this country we need community spaces, we need town squares, we need places where community groups and youth can partake in activities, they can be part of organizations. They won't be

able to afford to have those kids involved if the fees are so high. That's why we're putting $20 million on an annual basis --

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

Mr. McNeely: Thank you, Minister. It was very nice to have you in Ottawa this past weekend.

It's clear that our government is on the side of Ontario's families who want affordable access to quality facilities. Minister, with Statistics Canada reporting that as a society obesity and a lack of physical

activity are a persistent issue, what has your ministry done to expand the physical fitness and healthy habits of students and all Ontarians?

Hon. Ms. Wynne: Minister of Health Promotion.

Hon. Jim Watson (Minister of Health Promotion): I want to thank the member for Ottawa-Orléans and my colleague the Honourable Kathleen Wynne for coming to my riding and visiting Saint

Paul's secondary school.

To put in perspective what the community use of schools does to help with fitness and wellness, prior to this program, to rent a gymnasium in the school was $10.42 an hour. Now, on average in Ottawa that goes

down to $1.37. We are very proud of this program. It's removing economic barriers for groups -- Cubs and Scouts and Guides and floor hockey and basketball leagues -- to use these facilities. We also have the $10-million healthy eating and active

living strategy that we've launched. This Wednesday and Thursday -- members of the House will want to know about the first-ever Healthy Eating and Active Living Conference, an international conference our ministry is sponsoring. We have the

Honourable Roy Romanow and Dr. Andrew Pipe as two of the keynote speakers. Over 600 people have registered to participate. We've had to cut off registration because of capacity problems. It's a great success: medical officers of health, sport and

recreation folks from all over the province, coming, listening and learning. We look forward --

The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. New question.

TAXATION

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): A question to the Premier: Premier, as you know, in about six weeks' time, January 1, 2007, under a federal government program, pensioners will be able to split

pension income among both spouses. For example, to a retired police officer or firefighter with pension income of some $40,000 per year, this will work out to substantial tax savings of some $2,500. I think the Premier full well knows that the

provincial share of that sum is about $500. The worry that retired police officers, retired firefighters, retired pensioners of all walks of life are concerned with is that the Dalton McGuinty government's appetite for tax hikes will cause this

money to be clawed back, that that full benefit will not be transferred because Dalton McGuinty wants to take that money away. Premier, please tell us that's not the case, that you will allow these tax savings to go back to retired pensioners

across the province of Ontario.

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I know that the member opposite had the opportunity to raise this with the Minister of Finance, and I know that the

Minister of Finance answered it in his usual fulsome way.

Let me say that the member opposite is mistaken in his assertion that somehow what we plan to do on this side of the House is going to have an adverse effect on the people of Ontario. We intend to work

wherever possible with the federal government. We intend to do whatever we can to ensure that we grow a stronger and still more prosperous economy.

PETITIONS

LANDFILL

Mr. Norman W. Sterling (Lanark-Carleton): "Whereas there is currently a proposal to more than double the size of the Carp landfill in west Ottawa; and

"Whereas this site has been in operation for some 30 years and had been expected to close in 2010; and

"Whereas the surrounding community has grown rapidly for the past 10 years and is continuing to grow; and

"Whereas other options to an expanded landfill have yet to be considered; and

"Whereas the municipal councillors representing this area, Eli El-Chantiry ... and Peggy Feltmate, and the MPP, Norm Sterling, all oppose this expansion;

"We, the undersigned, support our local representatives and petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to ensure that the Minister of the Environment does not approve the expansion of the Carp landfill and

instead finds other waste management alternatives."

I have signed it because I'm in agreement with that.

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): I have a petition here from the Canadian Federation of University Women, Leaside-East York branch. It reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the national child benefit supplement was created to reduce the depth of poverty across Canada for low-income families earning less than $35,000;

"Whereas the government of Ontario claws back the supplement from families receiving income from Ontario Works or the Ontario disability support plan;

"Whereas Premier McGuinty decried the discriminatory nature of the NCBS clawback and vowed to end this practice in his first mandate;

"Whereas the government of Ontario has failed to end the clawback for those families on OW or ODSP;

"We, the undersigned from CFUW Ontario Council, petition the Legislative Assembly to end the clawback of the national child benefit supplement."

I am in accord with this, will affix my signature thereto, and send it down with page Sarah.

BORDER SECURITY

Mr. Bob Delaney (Mississauga West): I have a petition to the Ontario Legislative Assembly. It's signed by a number of people from all over Mississauga and Oakville and Brampton. It's about

cross-border travel between the United States and Canada. It reads as follows:

"Whereas the United States government, through the western hemisphere travel initiative, is proposing that US citizens will require a passport or single-purpose travel card to cross the Canada-US border;

and

"Whereas a passport or single-purpose travel card would be an added expense, and the inconvenience of having to apply for and carry a new document would be a barrier for many Canadian and US cross-border

travellers; and

"Whereas the George Bush government proposal could mean a loss of as many as 3.5 million US visitors to Ontario, and place in peril as many as 7,000 jobs in the Ontario tourism industry by 2008, many of which

are valuable entry jobs for youth and new Canadians; and

"Whereas many of the US states bordering Canada have expressed similar concerns regarding the punitive economic impact of this plan, and both states and provinces along the US-Canada border recognize that the

importance of the safe and efficient movement of people across that border is vital to the economies of both countries;

"Be it therefore resolved that the Legislative Assembly of Ontario support the establishment of a bi-national group to establish an alternative to the proposed US border requirements, and inform Prime Minister

Harper that his decision not to advocate on behalf of Ontarians is ill-advised and contrary to the responsibilities of elected representatives in Canada."

This is an excellent petition. I'm pleased to affix my signature and to ask page Shannon to carry it.

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer (Kitchener-Waterloo): I'm very pleased to submit these petitions on behalf of the Canadian Federation of University Women in Kitchener-Waterloo and in Owen Sound and area

and in Sarnia-Lambton.

"Whereas the national child benefit supplement was created to reduce the depth of poverty across Canada for low-income families earning less than $35,000;

"Whereas the government of Ontario claws back the supplement from families receiving income from Ontario Works or the Ontario disability support plan;

"Whereas Premier McGuinty decried the discriminatory nature of the NCBS clawback and vowed to end this practice in his first mandate;

"Whereas the government of Ontario has failed to end the clawback for those families on OW or ODSP;

"We, the undersigned from CFUW Ontario Council, petition the Legislative Assembly to end the clawback of the national child benefit supplement."

I'm pleased to add my name.

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): I have several hundred signatures on a petition put together by the Canadian Federation of University Women from their clubs in Hamilton, Stratford,

Oakville and Mississauga. It's to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and it reads:

"Whereas the national child benefit supplement was created to reduce the depth of poverty across Canada for low-income families earning less than $35,000;

"Whereas the government of Ontario claws back the supplement from families receiving income from Ontario Works or the Ontario disability support plan;

"Whereas Premier McGuinty decried the discriminatory nature of the NCBS clawback and vowed to end this practice in his first mandate;

"Whereas the government of Ontario has failed to end the clawback for those families on OW or ODSP;

"We, the undersigned from CFUW Ontario Council, petition the Legislative Assembly to end the clawback of the national child benefit supplement."

I agree with this and send it down to the table by page Eshan.

FAIR ACCESS TO PROFESSIONS

Mr. Bill Mauro (Thunder Bay-Atikokan): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly about access to trades and professions in Ontario:

"Whereas Ontario enjoys the continuing benefit of the contributions of men and women who choose to leave their country of origin in order to settle in Canada, raise their families, educate their children and

pursue their livelihoods and careers; and

"Whereas newcomers to Canada who choose to settle in Ontario find frequent, arbitrary and unnecessary obstacles that prevent skilled tradespeople, professional and managerial talent from practising the

professions, trades and occupations for which they have been trained in their country of origin; and

"Whereas action by Ontario's trades and professions could remove many such barriers, but Ontario's trades and professions have failed to recognize that such structural barriers exist, much less to take action

to remove them, and to provide fair, timely, transparent and cost-effective access to trades and professions for new Canadians trained outside Canada;

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

"That the Ontario Legislative Assembly urge the members of all parties to swiftly pass Bill 124, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, 2006, and to require Ontario's regulated professions and trades to

review and modify their procedures and qualification requirements to swiftly meet the needs of Ontario's employers, Ontario's newcomers and their own membership, all of whom desperately need the very skills new Canadians bring working for their

organizations, for their trades and professions, and for their families."

SCHOOL FACILITIES

Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton): "Whereas Longfields and Davidson Heights in south Nepean are some of the fastest growing communities in Ottawa and Ontario; and

"Whereas the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has voted to authorize the final design phases for a grade 7 to 12 school to serve the Longfields and Davidson Heights communities; and

"Whereas the government of Ontario has lifted a three-year moratorium on school closings in order to make way for new educational facilities;

"We, residents of Nepean-Carleton, petition the Parliament of Ontario to ensure that the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board continues with plans to build a new grade 7 to 12 school no later than autumn of

2008 to serve the Longfields and Davidson Heights communities."

Myself, along with Farley Mowat -- the Farley Mowat -- as well as school board trustees and local city councillors have all signed this petition. Therefore, I affix my signature.

NATIONAL CHILD BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT

Ms. Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): I have a petition that has been sent to me by the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Sudbury chapter, and I want to thank them. It reads as

follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas the national child benefit supplement was created to reduce the depth of poverty across Canada for low-income families earning less than $35,000;

"Whereas the government of Ontario claws back the supplement from families receiving income from Ontario Works or the Ontario disability support plan;

"Whereas Premier McGuinty decried the discriminatory nature of the NCBS clawback and vowed to end this practice in his first mandate;

"Whereas the government of Ontario has failed to end the clawback for those families on OW or ODSP;

"We, the undersigned from CFUW Ontario council, petition the Legislative Assembly to end the clawback of the national child benefit supplement."

I agree with the petitioners, and I affix my signature to this.

Mr. Ted Chudleigh (Halton): "Whereas the national child benefit supplement was created to reduce the depth of poverty across Canada for low-income families earning less than $35,000;

"Whereas the government of Ontario claws back the supplement from families receiving income from Ontario Works or the Ontario disability support plan;

"Whereas Premier McGuinty decried the discriminatory nature of the NCBS clawback and vowed to end this practice in his first mandate;

"Whereas the government of Ontario has failed to end the clawback for those families on OW or ODSP;

"We, the undersigned from CFUW Ontario council, petition the Legislative Assembly to end the clawback of the national child benefit supplement."

I'm pleased to sign this petition, as I agree with it.

COMMUNITY MEDIATION

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The member for Mississauga West, to correct the rotation.

Mr. Bob Delaney (Mississauga West): Thank you very much, Speaker. I appreciate that. I have a petition to the Ontario Legislative Assembly. It has been signed by a number of residents of

Meadowvale in north Mississauga, and it reads as follows:

"Whereas many types of civil disputes may be resolved through community mediation delivered by trained mediators, who are volunteers working with the parties in the dispute; and

"Whereas Inter-Cultural Neighbourhood Social Services established the Peel Community Mediation Service in 1999 with support from the government of Ontario through the Trillium Foundation, the Rotary Club of

Mississauga West and the United Way of Peel, and has proven the viability and success of community mediation; and

"Whereas the city of Mississauga and the town of Caledon have endorsed the Peel Community Mediation Service, and law enforcement bodies refer many cases to the Peel Community Mediation Service as an

alternative to a court dispute; and

"Whereas court facilities and court time are both scarce and expensive, the cost of community mediation is very small and the extra expense incurred for lack of community mediation in Peel region would be much

greater than the small annual cost of funding community mediation;

"Be it therefore resolved that the