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February 16, 2010

39th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2010-Feb-16 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Tuesday 16 February 2010 Mardi 16 février 2010

BY-ELECTION IN LEEDS–GRENVILLE

BY-ELECTION IN OTTAWA WEST—NEPEAN

BY-ELECTION IN TORONTO CENTRE

ORDERS OF THE DAY

ENERGY CONSUMER

PROTECTION ACT, 2010 /

LOI DE 2010 SUR LA PROTECTION

DES CONSOMMATEURS D'ÉNERGIE

INTRODUCTION OF MEMBER

FOR TORONTO CENTRE

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

ORAL QUESTIONS

LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORKS

LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORKS

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING

LABOUR DISPUTE

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

MINING INDUSTRY

NORTHERN ECONOMY

HEALTH CARE

SCHOOL CLOSURES

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

AGENCY SPENDING

HEALTH CARE

PROMOTING ONTARIO

CORRECTION OF RECORD

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CITY OF VAUGHAN

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

FAMILY DAY

AMBULANCE SERVICE

LONG-TERM CARE

ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS

KINDNESS WEEK

GREEN POWER GENERATION

TABLING OF SESSIONAL PAPERS

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

BRITISH HOME CHILD DAY ACT, 2010 /

LOI DE 2010 SUR LE JOUR

DES PETITS IMMIGRÉS BRITANNIQUES

MOTIONS

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

PRIVATE MEMBERS' PUBLIC BUSINESS

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

ABORIGINAL RIGHTS /

DROITS DES PEUPLES AUTOCHTONES

PETITIONS

HEALTH CARE

CEMETERIES

DOCTOR SHORTAGE

CEMETERIES

PENSION PLANS

CEMETERIES

TAXATION

SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING

CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETIES

CEMETERIES

ORDERS OF THE DAY

ELECTION STATUTE LAW

AMENDMENT ACT, 2010 /

LOI DE 2010 MODIFIANT DES LOIS

EN CE QUI CONCERNE LES ÉLECTIONS

VISITORS

ROYAL ASSENT /

SANCTION ROYALE

ELECTION STATUTE LAW

AMENDMENT ACT, 2010 /

LOI DE 2010 MODIFIANT DES LOIS

EN CE QUI CONCERNE LES ÉLECTIONS

ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

HOSPITAL SERVICES

The House met at 0900.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Good morning. Please remain standing for the Lord's Prayer, followed by a moment of silence for inner thought and personal reflection.

Prayers.

BY-ELECTION IN LEEDS—GRENVILLE

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I beg to inform the House that, during the recess, a vacancy has occurred in the membership of the House for the electoral district of Leeds—Grenville by reason of the appointment of Robert W. Runciman to the Senate of Canada, effective the 29th day of January, 2010. Accordingly, my warrant has been issued to the Chief Electoral Officer for the issue of a writ for a by-election.

BY-ELECTION IN OTTAWA WEST—NEPEAN

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I beg to inform the house that, during the recess, a vacancy has occurred in the membership of the House by reason of the resignation of Jim Watson as the member for the electoral district of Ottawa West—Nepean, effective the first day of February, 2010. Accordingly, my warrant has been issued to the Chief Electoral Officer for the issue of a writ for a by-election.

BY-ELECTION IN TORONTO CENTRE

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I beg to inform the House that, during the recess, a vacancy occurred in the membership of the House by reason of the resignation of George Smitherman as the member for the electoral district of Toronto Centre, effective the third day of January, 2010. Accordingly, my warrant was issued to the Chief Electoral Officer for the issue of a writ for a by-election.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

ENERGY CONSUMER

PROTECTION ACT, 2010 /

LOI DE 2010 SUR LA PROTECTION

DES CONSOMMATEURS D'ÉNERGIE

Resuming the debate adjourned on December 10, 2009, on the motion for second reading of Bill 235,

An Act to enact the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2009 and to amend other Acts / Projet de loi 235, Loi édictant la Loi de 2009 sur la protection des consommateurs d'énergie et modifiant d'autres lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Further debate?

Mr. John Yakabuski: It's a pleasure to join this debate this morning.

If I could begin by just taking a moment in this House to convey my congratulations to my former colleague, now a member of the Senate of Canada, the Honourable Bob Runciman. I'm certainly more than ecstatic that the Prime Minister chose Bob Runciman to represent this country in the Senate of Canada at this time, and I wish him, his wife, Jeannette, and his family all the best on this exciting new phase in his life. I'm looking forward to his good work continuing in the Senate, as he did for 29 years in this House as well. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for that opportunity.

This morning, we're returning to second reading debate on Bill 235,

an act respecting energy retailers:

An Act to enact the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2009 and to amend other Acts.

It's kind of passing strange the way this bill got here. You see, well over a year ago, the member for Timiskaming—Cochrane, Mr. Ramsay, introduced a private member's bill that had great support in the industry, and particularly from the Ontario Energy Association. The president of the OEA at that time, Shane Pospisil, who, as you know, Madam Speaker—we've just switched from Mister to Madam; we make that transition so quietly sometimes. Madam Speaker, as you will recall, as the president of the OEA, Mr.

Pospisil was very active in trying to effect change in the energy retailing sector and was looking for ways to ensure that the sector was viable but also brought about something that was absolutely necessary, and that was better consumer protection to that sector. Now, Madam Speaker, you will recall that Mr. Pospisil was an assistant deputy minister to the Minister of Energy during the term of this government, so he had a great deal of experience on both sides of the issues—not only as the president and CEO of the Ontario Energy Association, but previously as the assistant deputy minister to Mr.

Duncan on his first foray as energy minister.

I know it has been kind of a revolving door—energy ministers in this province. So it was George Smitherman, the former member for Toronto Centre and former Minister of Energy, who talked about bringing in legislation dealing with the energy retailers' side of the business but never actually did it. But that was not uncommon for George.

He did a lot of talking but a lot less doing sometimes, unless it was something that he felt would further his interest in trying to be mayor of Toronto, which—so many of the things that are happening in the energy sector today were actually brought in because George knew they would be skewed as being very positive in the city of Toronto and help him along with his quest to be mayor.

What I am surprised with, quite frankly, is that the Premier is actually so complicit in this, in allowing the energy sector still to be used as George's private domain to put forth his own agenda and promote his own cause. But it has been a kind of revolving door in the ministry. I know that right now, this week, Brad Duguid is the Minister of Energy. We're not sure what will come next week, because our good friend, and a fine gentleman he is, Gerry Phillips briefly became the energy minister for the second time to fill a void, to fill a gap, with the resignation of George Smitherman.

Of course, today, Brad Duguid is the one taking orders from the Premier's office as to what to do in the energy sector to make sure that the political stuff is being taken care of; not necessarily the needs of the energy sector, or the needs of the industry, or the needs of the consumers, but that the political needs of, particularly, George Smitherman and other members of the Liberal Party are being well served by the orders from the Premier's office to the Minister of Energy.

So we are curious as to what might happen next week. Will we have a new energy minister? We don't know that. We can't predict that, just as we couldn't necessarily have predicted Mr. Bilodeau's gold medal on Sunday in mogul skiing. Congratulations—Canada's first gold medal ever achieved on Canadian soil at the Olympics. So, Pierre Bilodeau, thank you very much—

Mr. Ted Arnott: Alexandre Bilodeau.

Mr. John Yakabuski: Alexandre Bilodeau, congratulations. Thank you very much.

That's why Ted is here; he's here to correct me, and it's wonderful to have him nearby because he'll always make sure that I'm getting the facts straight.

But congratulations; it was a great day for him and a great day for Canada. Everyone who was watching there Sunday was exceedingly and justifiably proud.

But just as that isn't easy to predict, it's not easy to predict where this government is going in the energy sector. One thing is certain: Look at the politics of the issue, and that's exactly where they'll be heading. They'll be heading down that road of what they can do to politically advance their cause, not necessarily what is necessary in the energy sector.

So you have to ask yourself—change was asked for, change was needed, changes were expected much sooner than this government ever did anything about it. Several years ago, it was clear that there was a problem with energy retailers in this province. There was a problem with whether or not consumers were being properly informed, properly treated, and if there was a problem, if they were given the proper opportunity to exit themselves from these energy contracts.

Myself, I might be at somewhat of an advantage—or disadvantage, depending how you look at it. As the energy critic, I probably get—and I'm not going to presuppose what anybody else in this House has go through their office—as many or more requests from consumers about concerns with energy contracts that they have signed at their home and at the door.

It has made it clear to me, as I know it is clear to every member of this House—I know that there's not a single member of this House, I would be pretty confident in saying, who hasn't had some contact with a consumer who has a horror story to tell about an energy retailer or the representative—in fairness, the representative—of an energy retailer come to their door. In many cases, they can absolutely prove that there was a misrepresentation on the part of that agent.

That's one of the things that absolutely something had to be done about; there was a clear environment out there where people were going to the door and saying things that they had no right to say or that were, in fact, completely untrue.

One of the things that this legislation—I don't want my friends across the way to think that I'm negative, because I am not a Negative Nelly; you know that. No, I want you to understand that we support the premise behind bringing forth legislation to protect consumers, because that has to be our highest priority.

The challenge is sometimes just getting it right. Sometimes they have a good idea here, but then you ask yourself, "If it was such a good idea on December 10, 2009, was it not just as good an idea in January 2009 or December 2008?" I can't remember exactly when David Ramsay brought in the private member's bill. Because I remember having conversations with—

Mr. Dave Levac: It was a good idea before that.

Mr. John Yakabuski: It was a good idea before that. The member from Brant is absolutely right, and I know he's one of the guys who has raised this issue himself. He's probably had issues in his own riding with people bringing that to his attention. But, yes, it was a good issue before that, and you have to ask yourself, why did the Minister of Energy at the time, George Smitherman, take so long to react and bring in a piece of legislation?

I remember having conversations with the minister—because I was the energy critic, and still am—and saying, "What's happening here?" "Well, Yak, we're coming with something. We're coming," and then he actually made the public announcement before we left, before we shut down the House in June, that he'd have new legislation coming in September. Well, September came and went; the leaves turned colour. October came and went; Halloween passed. November came and went; Remembrance Day ceremonies were over. The only thing that changed is that George stepped down as the Minister of Energy to run for mayor of Toronto and left it to Gerry Phillips to bring forth this piece of legislation.

Now, there is clearly a need for the protection, but there are definitely some issues with this legislation as well. That's what our job is, as opposition, and you're going to hear this not only from us. I'm actually very pleased that the issue is being brought before the House early in this new—what do we call this? It's not a session. Whatever we call these things whenever we break.

Mr. Michael A. Brown: Maybe we should prorogue.

Mr. John Yakabuski: No, we're not prorogued. We're not prorogued yet, I say to the member from Algoma—Manitoulin. We're not prorogued yet; the Premier apparently wants to. But when we come back from a recess, a break.

I'm actually pleased that the government is moving quickly on this so that we can get this issue to committee and get this dealt with as quickly as possible, so that stakeholders in the industry also are aware of the commitment, not only of the government but of this entire legislative body, to bring forth legislation that will protect consumers from nefarious acts at the door. The sooner we get this dealt with in second reading debate, which we've resumed this morning, the sooner we get this to committee.

I've had the opportunity to meet in the intersession with some of those stakeholders and groups, who expressed some of their concerns. Some of their concerns strike me as legitimate. We have to ask ourselves sometimes, do we need a sledgehammer if a fly swatter will do? I'm not suggesting that this is a minor problem, not in the least, but some of the scope of this legislation goes beyond energy retailing and into—and I think this is something the members on the opposite side should be very worried about.

I see the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities listening carefully, because I know that these are things he would be concerned about. We're actually looking at ripping apart the mandate of the Ontario Energy Board in this piece of legislation. That is something that should concern us all.

You know, my friend from Peterborough, Mr. Leal, is more of a historian than I am, but I do believe it was the Davis government that brought in the Ontario Energy Board. My father would have been a member of that government. That was brought in to protect; its mandate was to protect the energy consumer in the province of Ontario. It took the politics out of the issue.

It took the responsibility of running the Ministry of Energy and left it with the Minister of Energy and his or her ministry, but it took the issue of protecting the consumer—and sometimes that meant protecting the consumer from the Minister of Energy and the minister, and at that time Ontario Hydro, which had an essential monopoly—almost a monopoly—of power generation and distribution in the province of Ontario.

So what this piece of legislation does, in some ways—but if it does it in any way, it's something that we should be concerned about in all ways—is what it does to the Ontario Energy Board, because the establishment of that was done for very, very good reason: that the consumer had to be able to confidently know that there was a watchdog in place whose mandate was there to protect them. That has never gone away.

Now, what the Minister of Energy and the ministry have a responsibility to do is to ensure that the Ontario Energy Board actually has the arrows in its quiver, the tools in its arsenal, as they say, to effect that protection to consumers in the province of Ontario. It is not the job of the ministry to take that quiver and empty it so that the Ontario Energy Board becomes a mere shell of what it was intended to be, and those are concerns that have been raised to us in the Progressive Conservative caucus by stakeholders here in the province of Ontario about what this piece of legislation might be doing to the Ontario Energy Board.

If you want to ensure that there's protection—and we support the premise behind the legislation, absolutely. But I believe we can accomplish that without eviscerating the Ontario Energy Board itself. That's something that I think the government needs to take a real look at, and I'll get into more details about some of those concerns—more specifically, how that might impact the Ontario Energy Board and the business itself.

We have to remember that when you enact a piece of legislation, you cannot ensure everything. The only way to ensure that there would not be a problem in the sale of any product, be it electricity or gas at the door, be it a vacuum cleaner, be it a product that is sold over the Internet, be it a product that is sold in a retail establishment—the only way you could ever be absolutely, 100% certain that there would never be anything worrisome or of an illegal or a nefarious or unsavoury nature happening during one of those transactions is to make those transactions illegal.

I believe the member from Algoma—Manitoulin has actually brought forth a private member's bill that would make the sale of energy contracts at the door illegal, and I understand, to some degree, where he's coming from, but he also has to understand that if an energy contract should be illegal at the door, then perhaps selling anything at the door—some people might argue that selling anything at the door leaves so much grey area and has so little control in place as to effectively disinvolve any agency or the government from having any ability to protect the consumer at all.

But one thing that industry does have in place and is actively—and they have made their pitch. I know they met with David Ramsay over his private member's bill, and I know they met with George Smitherman when he was the Minister of Energy, and I know they met with myself as the critic, and I'm quite certain they would have met with the critic for the New Democratic Party as well.

There were some undertakings offered by the industry that I think need to be at least looked at. They've raised some concerns with the bill about some of the effects that portions of this bill might have. If you're not going to go down the road of making the contracts illegal, which my friend from Algoma—Manitoulin would like to do—and I respect his views—then it seems kind of counterintuitive to create the environment that would actually push the people out of business anyway without having had some input into the legislation that governs them.

There are a number of issues that they have raised, and I'm not in a position to make a determination, based on what we do know, that this would be the right way to go, the somewhat right way to go, the not-so-right way to go or the wrong way to go.

But I think that it's part of the process, and it's why I'm saying that it's a good thing that the government is bringing this bill forward early, in this first week back after the winter break, so that we can get some of the things dealt with, so that we can have some of these stakeholders join us at committee, so that we can hear from them with the myriad of concerns that they've raised with us and I know they have raised with members of the government caucus as well.

One of the concerns they have talked about, for example, is the third party verification. The way they put it is, if you have a third party verification, as one stakeholder said to me, that's all fine and good, but that will be 80 jobs immediately cut out of their company; 80 jobs will be cut from their payroll if you have that third party verification.

The other thing that they raised, for example, was a 30-day time to verify. There are a number of issues that could come into play, whether it's a billing cycle change, but also, whether that is a proper length of time versus any other industry. Their view was that the best way to get that contract verified was to have a verbal verification, reaffirmation within 10 days or after 10 days of signing the contract.

They also offered something that the government should think about, too: an opportunity for the buyer, the purchaser of the contract, to get out of it without any penalty after the first bill. They can then make their determination whether or not it's something they want.

What brought these contracts about in the first place was a desire for certainty. Back in the early part of last decade, there was a move to deregulate the electricity industry. At that time, energy contracts—and quite frankly, the side that has caused the most angst is the electricity side of it; not the gas side of it so much, but the electricity side of it. Back in the early 2000s there was a move by the then government to deregulate electricity prices.

What happened was—the timing probably couldn't have been worse—it spawned the sale and the introduction of these energy contracts, because what some people wanted was certainty. They wanted to know, because there were all kinds of speculation at that time as to what could happen to electricity prices as the market became deregulated. A lot of people wanted certainty in their pricing, and an energy contract was supposed to bring that.

Then, in November 2002, after a summer of really difficult situations in the marketplace where prices skyrocketed, the government of the day made the decision that they would re-regulate prices. That rendered all of these contracts null and void, but the business was still out there signing contracts.

What we've got today—and I see my friends there chortling a little bit but not overly loud, kind of under their breath, because of the problems that beset the previous government. But what of today, when a person signs a contract because they want certainty and they get anything but? I'm not suggesting that that isn't one of the reasons, but the biggest reason that they have no certainty in the contract today is because of the absolute mess this government has made of the electricity sector.

On the IESO website, they call it a provincial benefit. Now, if you're one of these people who has purchased an electricity contract from an energy retailer, then that provincial benefit is anything but, because whatever the amount may be, whether it's seven cents, eight cents, 8.2 cents, whatever the rate may be that you purchased that electricity at for a five-year contract—it's usually a five-year contract—from the retailer, in Dalton McGuinty's electrical embarrassment you are now paying that provincial benefit on top of that contract price.

This month, I believe the provincial benefit is 3.28 cents per kilowatt hour. So whatever you're paying that energy retailer, tack on another 3.28 cents because of the contracts that Dalton McGuinty has signed here in Ontario.

At one point in 2009—and I can't tell you exactly which month it was; I don't have that note with me—the provincial benefit, and take note of this, I say to the member from Algoma—Manitoulin, was 4.18 cents per kilowatt hour. That was at a time when the market price of electricity was below a cent per kilowatt hour, but what was Dalton McGuinty doing in Ontario? Here we were in Ontario in the summer of 2009, after he had killed some 200,000 manufacturing jobs in Ontario since 2005, with 146,000 net jobs lost last year.

While the market price of electricity was at some times under a cent—sometimes it was below zero—we were actually spilling water at our hydraulic stations, letting it go by without spinning the turbines, because Dalton McGuinty had to allow whatever wind was out there into the system. So we were spilling water, renewable energy, past our dams because we couldn't use the power. If you understand how the electricity system works, you can't have more electricity being produced at any given time than is being used. It has to be an exact match.

You can't just produce all the energy you want and hope that you've got a buyer for it—no. You can only produce what is being used. It has to be an exact match.

So what was happening? We were actually having water go by our dams, not turning the turbines. Water, which we can produce electricity out of at about two cents a kilowatt hour, was going by the turbines, letting all of the wind turbines go at 13.5 cents—or whatever contracts Dalton has signed secretly that we don't know about—and selling that power to the United States, because we were exporting it; we had too much. We were selling it to the United States at whatever the market price would be, which on some days was under a penny, some days it was two pennies, and some days it was actually a negative price.

So you have to ask yourself, wouldn't you really want to try to fix this? Wouldn't you really want to be doing something in the energy sector to try to make it actually representative of what our needs are and what our abilities to produce are?

What does he do? He then signs a contract with Samsung in Korea—$437 million of free money to Samsung; just, "There you go. Good luck to your Olympic team." Some $437 million to create, purportedly, 1,440 jobs: That translates to $303,000 per job.

I don't have a crystal ball, but I'm pretty confident that if I went out there and canvassed the province of Ontario and went around to company XYZ and entrepreneur ABC and said, "Look, here's the deal: We're the government of Ontario"—assuming I was the government, and I know I'm not, before they remind me of that. "Listen, fellas, here's the deal: We'll give you $303,000 for every job you produce. We're here to create jobs. We want to create jobs in the province of Ontario. My name is Dalton McGuinty, and I am the job producer, the job creator."

Mr. Gilles Bisson: I don't think so. You got that wrong. He's not the job producer; he's the job killer.

Mr. John Yakabuski: Yes, but that's what I'm claiming to be—this is a claim. I want to just bring my friend from Timmins—James Bay into the mix here. This is just play-acting at this point.

"So here I am, folks. I'm going to give you $303,000 for every job you create." Well, I guarantee you there would be no limit to the number of jobs people would be willing to create at $303,000 a pop. They might be analyzing the cloud cover of the day and drawing pictures of it. It might be counting the number of stray cats that go by the bus stop at Yonge and Eglinton. I don't know what it might be, but they'll find a job for that person. At $303,000 a pop, they'll get themselves a job. They'll create a job. That's the job creation program that the Premier's using the Ministry of Energy for, and he's using your tax dollars—$437 million to Samsung.

Just slide her out there, folks, because, you see, people aren't paying attention sometimes. They only see the headlines in some of the newspapers that are quite friendly to the Liberal Party, as you know. I would never be one to criticize the media, but there are times when even the most objective observer would say that they seem to have taken the position that they need to be the cheerleader for the McGuinty government.

Mr. Jeff Leal: I think we got the endorsement of the Barry's Bay Bugle—

Mr. John Yakabuski: There is no Barry's Bay Bugle. It's the Barry's Bay This Week, I say to my friend from Peterborough. But I haven't seen the endorsement for your program in there at any time recently.

The agenda of the government is to try to promote their so-called energy plan. The cost of their energy plan will come back to haunt not only them but the public here in the province of Ontario.

Getting back to that provincial benefit, it's not only the person who signs an energy contract with an energy retailer that pays the price of that provincial benefit. This provincial benefit is basically, so we can put this into the package, the cost of those sweetheart deals that Dwight Duncan and George Smitherman have signed over the years with their friends in what they see as the answer, with the renewable energy contracts that are priced significantly higher than the market.

These are the contracts that are so much higher than the market price of the product they are producing that that is the additional cost; that's part of what is calculated in the provincial benefit. So when you see the provincial benefit and it continues to rise, that is the cost of George Smitherman's Green Energy Act. That's part of it. It's going to continue to rise the more contracts they sign with foreign-based nationals like Samsung that offer no guarantees to Ontario, only guarantees of profit in Korea. That's quite a job creation program that he has embarked on.

But he gets the headline he is looking for, and that makes him happy.

The provincial benefit not only affects people who sign a retail energy contract. All of these people who are major energy consumers—over 250,000 kilowatt hours a month—also are victims of the energy policy of this government. I say "victims," and I emphasize that, Madam Speaker. You see, when the economy was a little better—and the longer Dalton McGuinty has his fingers on the pulse, the farther in the past that better economy is going to be.

But when the economy was better and the demand for electricity was higher, and therefore the market price of that electricity was higher, the provincial benefit, although it was very minuscule in nature, did actually amount to a benefit to those large consumers. What it meant then was that when the market price of electricity might have been 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour at any given time—because they pay the market price based on the hourly price, and it can be low at 2 in the morning when the demand is low, but it can be very high at 5 o'clock in the afternoon or 6 o'clock in the evening.

It fluctuates on a continuous basis. When the market price was high, that provincial benefit would actually act to mitigate the cost for that major power consumer. So when the times were good, energy prices were high, but, as I say, the provincial benefit was very minuscule. So energy prices were high and the businessman and the producer, the manufacturer, took it on the chin because they paid a high market price for energy.

Then, when business got poorer and they had to lay off people and they were struggling just to keep their heads above water, electricity demand dropped because they were producing fewer products. When the electricity demand dropped, the price went down too. But just when that manufacturer was hoping that, "Oh, great. The price of electricity has gone down. Here it is today at"—we'll just say, for example, it's three cents a kilowatt hour. "Oh, that's great because, you know, two years ago it was 6.9 or 7.3," whatever. "This is fantastic.

It's down to three cents a kilowatt hour." But then when they get their bill in that infamous month, I think it was August or something this past year, tack on 4.18 cents. Tack on another 4.18 cents for every kilowatt hour used, because that was the provincial benefit. I don't what dictionary the Ministry of Energy uses, but I'll tell you, when you're taking a provincial benefit of 4.18 cents per kilowatt hour, it's time to get the salve out, because that's painful. That's painful. Every manufacturer, every major consumer in this province, was experiencing that this past summer.

Did you hear a word from this government about trying to address that? Not a word. No, because that didn't fit into the plan with trying to convince the people out there that we had an answer. Just sign more of these expensive contracts; send George Smitherman out there to sign more of these expensive contracts; negotiate behind closed doors with Samsung of Korea for more of these expensive contracts—a $437-million expensive contract—while our manufacturers were taking it on the chin, in the teeth. That's what was going on in the province of Ontario with this Ministry of Energy.

We're talking about protecting consumers. That's the whole premise of this bill: protecting consumers. Good Lord, you have to ask yourself: What took so long for them to think of the consumer in this province? While the summer drifted on, dragged on, and job losses continued and escalated, where was the government? Planning a mayoralty race for the city of Toronto. Can you imagine that? That's what our Ministry of Energy was being used for, to catapult a former member, a former minister, into city hall.

Hon. Monique M. Smith: If you want to run for mayor of Barry's Bay, we'll help you. It's just an offer.

Mr. John Yakabuski: I would never use my position to advantage myself in that way, I say to the government House leader. She was offering to help me become mayor of Barry's Bay. I appreciate the offer but I'm going to decline because I feel that it would not be proper for me to use my office as a member of this Legislature to try to propel myself into another office.

I say this to the government House leader, should I choose at some time to seek another office, I will declare that to this House well in advance, and if she's prepared to help me at that time, I will gracefully accept any help she's prepared to give me, but will not do so while working on behalf of the people of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke in this Legislature.

Look, I've got great respect for George Smitherman, and we got along quite well as minister and critic, but I was really disappointed with the way he handled his exit from this place. I think it could have been done in a much greater and more fitting manner than to basically just try to pave the golden sidewalks down Bay Street to city hall from the Minister of Energy's tower. Where is the Ministry of Energy? I'm not even sure where it is. He never invited me over to his office for a meeting.

Hon. John Milloy: What kind of a critic are you?

Mr. John Yakabuski: Well, I don't have to know where the office is, I say to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. It's not that important that I know where the office is, but I tell you, I know what the issues are, and this McGuinty government is failing to deal with the issues other than in the most political sense possible. That is what is truly regrettable here in the province of Ontario. There has to be a better way.

Getting back to the OEB, an agency whose very conception was based on the protection of the energy consumer, it's now being told, "You're not important any more. The Minister of Energy will take care of things." We know how the Minister of Energy took care of things and we know how the Minister of Energy will take care of things. The Minister of Energy tends to look after the Minister of Energy.

Now I'm not implying that the new Minister of Energy has his sights set on a mayoralty campaign, because they can't all run for mayor of Toronto; I know that. Well, we have one going for Ottawa, but he didn't have anything to do with energy.

Of course, you really have to ask yourself the motives when people jump. I can understand when people go from provincial politics to federal politics. It is a natural ascension. It's the senior House in the country, and it's a natural progression. When somebody indicates they are going to run for federal Parliament, I give them all the credit in the world, but they don't know when that election is going to be. But when you say you're going to run for mayor, you know when that election's going to be. It's already scheduled. There's nothing that can change it.

There's not a falling of a government or a non-confidence vote or the Governor General or the Lieutenant Governor dissolving the Parliament of the day. No, it's a predetermined date. So when you're sitting in this House and you say, "I'm going to quit to run for mayor," you've already quit, because everything you do from that day on is about your run for mayor, not to serve your constituents as MPP.

What should have happened in this House was that when Mr. Smitherman and Mr. Watson determined they were going to run for mayor, they shouldn't have just resigned their cabinet posts; they should have resigned their seats on the same day. Because once they declare they're running for mayor, they're running for an election that has been scheduled. That's what they're doing. Nobody is silly enough to believe that they're actually working as an MPP after that. Everything they do is to try to build their profile for the job they want, not the job they want out of.

That's the thing that I think people shouldn't be using this Legislature for. I think that everyone who's thinking about these things in the future should question that action.

Anyway, we do have a lot to cover here and we are running painfully short of time. There are issues with this bill that we want to address on the part of the stakeholders as well.

I've had some opportunity to meet with a number of stakeholders and discuss what should or shouldn't be in this bill. One thing that we want to advise consumers—and I commend the government for bringing forth this legislation; we just have to get it right. This Legislature is doing the right thing by bringing in protective legislation. It can't do it outside the OEB; it has to work in concert with the OEB—

Mr. Jeff Leal: That's why we took our time to get it right.

Mr. John Yakabuski: To the member from Peterborough: I'll accept your version of that.

Listen, by getting it right, we'll actually produce something that is in the best interest of the consumer at the end of the day. The consumer has to be the number one priority, and we understand that.

I want consumers to remember one thing, and this is something that, in discussions I've had, in discussions that the OEA has had with the retailers and the stakeholders: If someone comes to your door and says they represent the utility, they're lying. They can't. They're representing a retailer. If they come to your door and they say, "We can save you money on your electricity bill," they can't say that. You cannot say that unless it is in fact the case. So if anybody comes to your door and makes statements like that, be wary. If you have any doubt in your mind whatsoever, do not sign that contract. In fact, if you have any doubt in your mind, don't sign any contract.

The consumer, who must be protected, must also be given the proper advice about protecting themselves. I understand, because my mother-in-law was one of the people who signed an electricity contract. Born in Lithuania, never worked off the farm or out of the house, never drove a car—she signed one of these contracts. She's 76 years old. She certainly didn't clearly understand what she was signing. Now, we were able to have that contract reversed.

In fact, the company dealt with the agent, who not only misrepresented the product they were selling at the door but misrepresented the company they were supposed to be representing. That agent was dismissed. That's the kind of action that has to happen if a company is aware that they have a rogue agent out there.

I want to make it clear that in my area, and in general, the problem exists more with the selling of electricity contracts than gas contracts because electricity is regulated. Even the industry itself has said it's questionable as to whether they can offer a five-year contract that offers much benefit to the consumer because there is a regulated price on the product that they're selling. It's not likely to suffer the vagaries of the marketplace like gas prices, which can fluctuate on an ongoing basis.

Anyway, that's something that the industry has to do as well, to ensure that when they have somebody working for them who doesn't play by the rules, who doesn't follow the law, who misrepresents people, they should be the first ones to get rid of them. They shouldn't have to be told to get rid of them. They should get rid of them.

That's one of the concerns they raised about the 30-day verification period. If we don't have a verification period for 30 days, how do we even identify which agents are the problem out there, which agents are causing the grief, which agents are doing things wrong? If we can have that reaffirmation of the contract on a more orderly, quick basis, we can actually identify the rogues quicker.

I'm not a policy analyst nor, as I say, do I have a crystal ball, but I think some of these things are issues that we need to look at in committee—not as an opposition, not as a government, not as a third party, but as three partisan members of this Legislature that all have a common goal in this place. I know my friend from Timmins—James Bay and I have talked about this. We often differ on things, but we share our views about the importance of protecting the consumers. I know my friends on the government side want to do that as well.

We've got to ensure, when we get this bill to committee, that everything we are doing is not based on what is going to be to your political advantage in the government.

That sometimes is a hard thing to square because when you're in government and you get into 2010, when the election is in 2011, sometimes the only thing you can think about is getting re-elected. And sometimes the only thing we can think about is getting elected. So we have to caution ourselves and ensure that the goal is not about the politics of the issue but about what is right for consumers, what is right for energy users, what is right for jobs, what is right for workers, what is right for widows, what is right for single mothers—

Mr. Toby Barrett: Orphans.

Mr. John Yakabuski: For orphans, all of those people. You've got to make sure that the most vulnerable are being protected when you bring in a piece of legislation. Sometimes, and it has happened in the past with all governments, you bring in a piece of legislation and the result of it is that you actually harm the people you are trying to protect.

You remember that bill—was it 210 or whatever it was—Sandra Pupatello brought in when she was the Minister of Comsoc, Community and Social Services? She brought in that adoption law. Remember, she brought in that bill where you were going to open up the adoption records and reveal who was adopted and who wasn't? You remember when she brought in that law and she said, "We've got everything right here. We don't need to listen to the opposition. We don't need to listen to the people coming to committee"? What happened? You remember what happened, folks over there? I see the member from Etobicoke nodding his head.

Yes, we remember what happened: She had to tear the whole damned thing up and fix it because she didn't get it right. She didn't listen. So what we need to do today, members on all sides of this House, is listen to the people on all sides of the issue. We've got to make sure that we get it right—the number one priority, as always.

The former Minister of Consumer Services there—I see him sitting there—was a great advocate for consumers. I know that, and I know he continues to be. He knows that protection of the people is priority number one—priority, people, protection.

It's three Ps, not the three Ps that you're sometimes doing with public buildings and that you chastised us for. Do you remember when you guys used to rip us because we were going to build the new Royal Ottawa Hospital in Ottawa, the mental health hospital, and we were going to use a public-private partnership? You guys said it was crazy, and then you do the same thing. You just put a different kind of bow around the hospital when you cut the ribbon. You describe it differently. We don't want that kind of stuff.

You see, that's the kind of stuff that the public is wary of and that they don't like. They don't like that kind of repackaging of the same stuff. What they want is an honest approach to consumer protection. We have the opportunity here with Bill 235 to do that.

It is an important time to remember what—

Mr. Bob Delaney: Where is Bob Runciman? We miss Bob.

Mr. John Yakabuski: My friend from Mississauga is wondering where Bob Runciman is. As I said when I opened up here today, Bob Runciman, one of the greatest people ever to serve in this chamber, is now serving in the upper chamber of Canada as the honourable senator from Ontario. I'm very proud of that man. I'm very proud that he's there and thank him for the good work that he's done.

I know I shouldn't be paying any attention to those interjections, but when the name Bob Runciman is uttered in this chamber, I take notice. I take notice because he's one of the finest people ever to represent anybody in this chamber, and I'm very proud to have called him a friend and a mentor. When his name is mentioned, I will take notice.

Now, back to protection. I don't know when the government House leader—and she sometimes doesn't tell us things in a timely fashion, but for the most part we're trying to get along. We want to find out as quickly as possible when this bill might go to committee, because I'm anxious, and I anticipate with great—

Mr. Jeff Leal: Zeal.

Mr. John Yakabuski: Zeal and fervour—is it zeal because it rhymes with Leal? Is that why you say it? But I anticipate with great Leal—

Mr. Jeff Leal: Zeal.

Mr. John Yakabuski: And Leal—this coming forward at committee to hear what the industry, what consumers, what all of the people have to say about this bill so that at the end of the day we get it right.

I believe there's an opportunity: We can get it right. I believe we will get it right because you know what? We have to get it right. I'm not being aggressive here; you know that's not me. But I do want to warn you folks over there: Don't try to turn this into a political game. Don't try to turn this into some kind of a political game. You've been using the energy ministry, you've been using the energy sector, you've been using the industry and playing political games with it thus far. It's time to stop. It's time to stop and revert to why we're here.

I know that every one of you over there remembers what motivated you to become a member of this Legislature. I know what motivated you to put your name on that ballot, to run for a nomination if you had to run for one and to run for election. It was because you were committed to serving the constituents who were going to elect you. We cannot forget when we get here as a body, as a group, that owe that same commitment to the people of Ontario.

I'm looking forward to bringing this bill to committee, seeing every improvement that we can make to it happen and then proceeding with a piece of legislation that protects consumers in Ontario. I have many points that I can't get to at this point, but if we don't recess until 10:15, if they're prepared to let me go on, I'll go on. If not, we'll bring this up at a further time.

Don't forget the people.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Julia Munro): Comments and questions?

Mr. Gilles Bisson: As my good friend Mr. Yakabuski, the member from Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, was saying—we were just having this chat, in fact, as we walked in this morning—we often differ as far as outlooks on particular issues from party to party, but at the end of the day we're all here to serve. I agree with him on that. But I've got to say, listening to a debate about consumer protection for electricity consumers, to which the Liberals have offered a bill, and now we have the Conservatives debating on their lead, is a little bit much for me.

I take a look at what the effect is of what both the Tories started and the Liberals are now continuing when it comes to hydro policy and the negative effect it has had on our economy. In northern Ontario, we have lost in the tens of thousands of jobs, and one of the reasons is electricity prices. It happens to be that the industries we have in the north are huge consumers of electricity. In fact, paper mills, mines, smelters and refineries use an enormous amount of electricity by the very nature of what it is they have to do.

A number of them have closed down, and one of the reasons they cite is the price of electricity. So to listen to my good friend the critic on energy for the Conservatives talk about consumer protection on electricity, I've got to say it's a little bit hard for me to listen to, because I look at the faces of those people who have lost their jobs across the north as a result of electricity prices—one of the big reasons—and I look at what's happening at Xstrata today. It's not the only reason, but it's one of the contributing factors. It is hard to take.

Listening to a debate by Liberals and Conservatives on energy policy is a little bit like watching two people having a pillow fight in the same bedroom. You both agree at the end of the day on the ultimate means; you're just fighting for who's going to hang onto the pillow and whack who. That's what the debate is all about. I say, if we want to have a real debate about energy prices, let's do something in order to attack the price of electricity for both consumers and industrial users in this province, because if we don't, there are going to be a lot more job losses in this province.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Julia Munro): Comments and questions?

Mr. Dave Levac: I appreciate the opportunity to offer the member from Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke a few comments. I'll be very brief in answering some of the questions and comments he made about the bill because there wasn't an awful lot about the bill that he talked about specifically; he was more interested in scoring some political points against the former member from Toronto Centre—Rosedale. I'm more interested in talking about the bill.

The bill will be going to committee. There's an answer for the member right off the bat: The bill will be going to committee after second reading. We've been doing that since we've been elected. We've been bringing bills to committee and we do have an honest response from the people out there. There will be people who will be against the bill who will be coming to committee and making their points. Quite frankly, we're continuing the trend of making sure that bills come to committee, which will be done. I'll say it three times now. That's twice, now the third time: The bill will be going to committee.

The second thing that the member might want to know is that there will be some consultations. Later on this year, there will be some consultations on the draft regulations to ensure we get that part right, which has never been done on an ongoing basis from the previous government—and I'm glad you mentioned the record of the previous government. The record of the previous government got us to where we are today, and I'm glad you recognized that.

We are going to be moving to committee. We are going to be listening carefully. There are seven key points in the bill that I want the member to know that I'm sure he had in his notes somewhere, which he wanted to talk about. The salesperson's practices at the door are going to be confined, refined to the point where your mother-in-law would never have to go through that again. We're talking about the protection of the people at the door. We're going to put the rules and regulations in place that will ensure that we don't have the messes that each and every one of us has had to deal with at the door.

There are six other points that I'll get into later in detail as the parliamentary assistant—

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you.

Mr. Toby Barrett: The member for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke gave us a tremendous amount of information this morning and also information about the bill we're debating, Bill 235, energy retailers. There's no question the past seven years have been uncertain for people who consume electricity, which is just about everybody in the province of Ontario. As MPPs, we get complaints about the people who come to the doors of some of our constituents and the contracts that they get talked into signing.

It is difficult for people to get out of these contracts, although there are possibilities of rectifying some of these problems. But it has been seven years of what I consider lack of leadership in really dealing with the electricity file.

What people are concerned about is the cost. They're concerned about the price. It wasn't that long ago when we were in government that we locked in the price at something like 4.7 cents a kilowatt hour. We know that coal and water can produce electricity at much less than that, and both these commodities are underutilized right now. I think manufacturing, given the job losses, is probably using maybe half the electricity that they were at one time. As far as pulp and paper, the high cost of electricity put much of them out of business—they're not using any right now in much of northern Ontario.

You look at the cost of nuclear and natural gas. Wind is being subsidized at something like 14 to 17 cents a kilowatt hour; solar, up to 80 cents a kilowatt hour. If you're a member of the Samsung corporation, you're looking at a subsidy far beyond that. And I see no talk of subsidies yet for biomass, wood pellets or prairie grass.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Julia Munro): Comments and questions?

Mr. Bill Mauro: It's good to be back here in Toronto in the Legislature and have an opportunity to go on the record and offer my support on Bill 235, the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2009, introduced by our government today and just beginning the second reading process. We're very excited about it.

I would suggest to those who are interested in this particular issue that I can probably offer comments that would be consistent with most members in the Legislature: that this is one issue, certainly in my riding association—not my riding association, I apologize, my constituency office; sometimes in my riding association it comes up as an issue—that has seized the staff in my constituency office since I was first elected in October 2003.

This idea of energy retailing at the door is still a relatively new phenomenon in the province, although not quite so new anymore. But certainly in my riding association and in my constituency office, my staff have been seized on a regular basis with dealing with this issue from people who have been the subject of energy retailers on a door-to-door basis.

High-pressure tactics are sometimes, if not always, used in the retailing of these contracts, sometimes preying—I would say it's not an overstatement—on people who find themselves in the position of being alone, who don't have the supports necessary to make what is probably the right decision, leaving some people feeling very vulnerable and finding themselves having entered into contracts that they wish they would have been able to get out of.

I would commend one of my staffers, Sharla Knapton, in my constituency office in Thunder Bay—Atikokan, who has done a tremendous job on this file, and who has, in fact, helped a lot of people who have found themselves tied into these contracts to get out of these contracts after the fact. Obviously, this government bill is going to make it less likely that more people will find themselves in this situation in the future, so that the work of staff in constituency offices will not necessarily be required as much in the future.

It's a very good bill, and we're very happy to bring it forward and support it.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Julia Munro): The member has two minutes in which to respond.

Mr. John Yakabuski: I thank the members for Timmins—James Bay, Brant, Haldimand—Norfolk and Thunder Bay—Atikokan for their comments. It seems that we all agree on one point: We've all dealt with issues surrounding energy retailers in our ridings on more than one occasion.

To the member from Brant: The industry itself has indicated quite clearly that they want a best-practice-at-the-door part of this legislation to be enacted, so that they have the best practices with which to guide them when they are conducting themselves at the door. So when we get to committee, we can make sure that the best parts of the bill are retained, and if there are areas that can be improved upon, that we do exactly that. So I am looking forward to that part of it.

The one thing that I'm pleased with from the responses is that we all agree—whether they think I may have been partisan in any part of my address. In an hour you may slip out of the mode for a moment, here or there, and fail to address the exact bill, just because an hour is a long time. But certainly, what we saw here today was that there is a commitment on the part of all of us to work together to bring about better consumer protection for the energy consumer in Ontario.

With respect to my friend from Timmins—James Bay, pricing of the product is a big issue which he raised as well, which we think that the government can't forget as well.

This bill, as it is, is a good start. We have to work on it, we have to make it better and we have to make sure that all sides are being heard when we bring the final piece of legislation. Thank you.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you. It being close to 10:15, this House stands recessed until 10:30.

The House recessed from 1010 to 1030.

INTRODUCTION OF MEMBER

FOR TORONTO CENTRE

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I beg to inform the House that the Clerk has received from the Chief Electoral Officer and laid upon the table a certification of the by-election in the electoral district of Toronto Centre.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Ms. Deborah Deller): I've received a letter addressed as follows:

"Mrs. Deborah Deller

"Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

"Room 104

"Legislative Building

"Queen's Park

"Toronto, Ontario

"M7A 1A2

"Dear Mrs. Deller:

"A writ of election dated the 6th day of January, 2010, was issued by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor to the province of Ontario, and was addressed to Eric Morse, returning officer for the electoral district of Toronto Centre, for the election of a member to represent the said electoral district of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of this province in the room of George Smitherman who, since his election as representative of the said electoral district of Toronto Centre, has resigned his seat.

This is to certify that, a poll having been granted and held in Toronto Centre on the 4th day of February, 2010, Glen Murray has been returned as duly elected as appears by the return of the said writ of election dated the 12 day of February, 2010, which is now lodged in record in my office.

"Yours sincerely,

"Greg Essensa

"Chief Electoral Officer

"Toronto, February 12, 2010."

Mr. Murray was escorted into the House by Mr. McGuinty and Ms. Smith.

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: Speaker, I have the honour to present to you and to the House Glen Murray, member-elect for the electoral district of Toronto Centre, who has taken the oath and signed the roll and now claims the right to take his seat.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Let the honourable member take his seat.

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

Mr. Norm Miller: I am pleased to welcome district of Muskoka Councillor Fran Coleman, who's in the east visitors' gallery. She's bringing 2,300 petitions to do with health care today.

Mr. Peter Shurman: Good morning, Speaker and everybody. I'd like to introduce my friend John Moore of Newstalk 1010, sitting in the west members' gallery.

Mr. Michael Prue: I'm pleased to introduce Michael Musing, the father of Michael Musing, father of page Max, who is here to observe the proceedings today and to see how well his son does as a page.

Hon. Brad Duguid: I'm delighted to introduce Josifina Orido and Hani Louis, mother and father of Julia Louis, who is a page here today, and her sister Joanne Louis. I saw the family yesterday skating, met them for the first time, and it's great to have them here in the Legislature.

ORAL QUESTIONS

LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORKS

Mr. Tim Hudak: Speaker, before I ask my opening question to the Premier, I'm delighted to take a moment to congratulate the organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. The opening ceremonies were a spectacular success. We want to thank them for getting the games off to a great start and to bronze medal winner Kristina Groves of Ottawa, along with athletes from across Ontario and Canada. The Ontario PC caucus will be cheering for them as they own the podium.

To the Premier: Can you say with confidence that your unaccountable, unelected local health integration networks, or LHINs, are not handing out sweetheart deals to Liberal-friendly consultants?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: It's good to be back, Speaker. I want to take the opportunity to welcome all members back. There is much work before us. We've accomplished much together, but there's still obviously so much more to do.

With respect to our local health integration networks, we are proud of the people who serve on those bodies throughout the province of Ontario. They are an effort on the part of this government to ensure that more and more of the decision-making with respect to the investment of health care dollars in communities is made by people living in the communities themselves.

I thank the people who do that work on our behalf and on behalf of the member opposite, and I look forward to more questions.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Tim Hudak: Premier, at the beginning of your summer of scandal you rushed to announce a list of government ministries and agencies subject to new rules prohibiting sole-source contracting. But not-for-profits such as your LHINs, these regional health bureaucracies, were not included in your June 17 announcement.

Premier, when you made that announcement, why were LHINs excluded from the ban on sole-source contracts?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: Let me just remind all the members of what we did at the time. My honourable colleague is correct: We found that the rules that we had inherited from the previous government were inadequate, so we made them stronger.

We've said under our new rules that there can be no more sole-sourcing of consulting contracts; we will not pay consultants for any hospitality, incidental and food expenses; we're requiring that expenses in fact be posted online for our senior executives of our 22 largest agencies; and what's more, those same 22 largest agencies' employees must now have their expenses approved by the Integrity Commissioner. We think that's a huge step forward in an era of heightened transparency and accountability.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Final supplementary?

Mr. Tim Hudak: It's only the second question of the session and the Premier is already dodging giving direct answers, and we all know why: After Dalton McGuinty put out his new rules banning sole-source deals, he was caught sole-sourcing sweetheart deals to the Windsor Energy Centre, the Casino Niagara lease and your mother of all untendered contracts, your sweetheart Samsung deal.

The Toronto Central LHIN appears to be following your lead. How do we know? Well, we called them and asked. Freedom-of-information records that were released to the Ontario PC caucus show that the Toronto Central LHIN sole-sourced an $80,000 contract to your good friends the Courtyard Group.

Premier, why is it you're always diverting funds meant for Ontario patients to your Liberal friends?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: Again, my honourable colleague is making statements that have no foundation in fact.

Just so we're clear, we're now requiring that our local health integration networks provide a written declaration that they are in compliance with government directives, including those relating to procurement. I can also assure Ontarians there will be more random audits to ensure that this is in fact the case—that is, that LHINs are complying with the new rules we have in place.

LOCAL HEALTH INTEGRATION NETWORKS

Mr. Tim Hudak: Back to the Premier: We're not the only ones very curious about the problems that the regional health bureaucracies, your LHINs, created. The Ombudsman will soon be releasing his report on your regional health bureaucracies.

The Toronto Central LHIN, which made the sweetheart deal with the Courtyard Group, is the same bureaucracy the Premier gave the $15 million to, which helped the former mayor of Winnipeg's by-election campaign this past month. Premier, you know as well as we do that Courtyard is run by John Ronson, who, the eHealth boondoggle taught us, is very well connected to the McGuinty Liberals.

Premier, why was the money for patient care diverted to the man who runs election campaigns for the Liberals instead of to Ontario patients?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: It has been said that hope springs eternal, but maybe from time to time it runs dry. It had been my hope that this year, my honourable colleague would begin to understand the nature of the real challenges facing the people of Ontario, particularly insofar as they relate to jobs, the economy, the desire for better health care and the like. But so be it; he pursues his own chosen path.

Again, I continue to have confidence in our local health integration networks. I have confidence in the new rules that we have put in place. We have confidence in my Minister of Health, who has recently sent a directive to our local health integration networks demanding that they abide by those same new, strong rules that were not in place at the time that my honourable colleague was in government.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Tim Hudak: The big winner, Premier, in the sweetheart deal the Toronto Central LHIN handed to Courtyard was none other than Karli Farrow. Karli Farrow, of course, Premier, is your former health policy adviser who billed the health care system over $46,000 for just two months of consulting. Farrow was paid thousands of dollars for meetings with other Courtyard consultants including Michael Guerriere, another infamous character from your eHealth boondoggle. Farrow even charged Ontario patients for a lunch she had with Tess Romain, who worked in the health minister's office.

Are contracts LHINs hand to former Premier's office staff and Liberal-friendly firms part of a second career program you have for disgraced eHealth consultants?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: My honourable colleague is well aware that there are rules in place governing what former members of staff can and cannot do, and those have to be cleared by the Integrity Commissioner. I have every confidence that they, in fact, have.

I believe my colleague is talking about an $80,000 contract—I think that's the neighbourhood—which was to help implement a diabetes strategy for the Toronto LHIN. That's a program that helps people with diabetes manage the disease. We think that's a very important and worthwhile investment to be made on behalf of Ontario taxpayers, and I would hope that my friend would support that kind of effort being made by the LHIN.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Final supplementary.

Mr. Tim Hudak: Here's the problem: There is one set of rules for Liberal-friendly consultants and one set of rules for everybody else. It goes further. Matt Anderson, the CEO of the Toronto Central LHIN, is the one who inked the sweetheart deal with Michael Guerriere. Anderson was your appointee to the eHealth board and he sits on it today. As the eHealth boondoggle revealed, Anderson is related to Guerriere through marriage.

At a time, Premier, when you've shut down emergency rooms in communities like Fort Erie and Port Colborne, at a time when we saw fatalities over the Christmas holidays that may have been related to the closed ERs, Liberal-friendly consultants are getting rich and Ontario families are getting nothing in return.

Premier, I ask you, is there anywhere in the health care system where former staffers and Liberal-friendly consultants are not cashing in at Ontario patients' expense?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: I just want to quote from a letter sent by the Minister of Health, Deb Matthews, to our LHIN board chair. The letter is dated February 4, and it reads as follows, in part:

"Public confidence and trust is crucial to continuing this progress. As health care leaders, we need to spend tax dollars wisely and we need to be accountable for our decisions. I can't overemphasize how important it is to ensure that every single dime we spend within our health care system is spent in a way that would be acceptable to a thoughtful taxpayer.

"Last summer and fall our government brought in tough new rules to increase accountability and transparency. The rules must be taken seriously and I expect them to be followed."

I could not have said it better myself. We expect LHINs and all of our government agencies to abide by the tough new rules that we've put in place.

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is to the Premier. Every day in Ontario, millions of people get up and make our province work. These women and men will lead the way for Ontario's recovery but only if their government is on their side lending a helping hand. Instead, they see their government raising their taxes, closing their local emergency rooms and ignoring their voices.

In this session, will the Premier start putting the well-being of Ontarians at the heart of his plans, or will he continue to focus on the priorities of his well-connected friends and funders?

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I ask you to withdraw it.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Stand right up.

Hon. Rick Bartolucci: Withdrawn.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. Premier?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: It's good to be back.

I want to welcome the question from my colleague. We have never taken our eye off the ball, which represents the interests of our families. Right now, today, at this point in our history, they're very concerned about jobs and the economy. That's why, since this House recessed, for example, we have rolled out the first part of our plan to bring full-day learning to our four- and five-year-olds, knowing that a strong start in school makes for a strong finish that ends with jobs. I know that my honourable colleague supports that program.

I know that my honourable colleague also supports our new partnership with Samsung, the biggest deal of its kind anywhere in the world: 2,500 megawatts of clean energy, four new manufacturing plants, 16,000 jobs.

Finally, I know that my colleague supports the tax cut received by 93% of Ontarians, effective January 1 of this year.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Ontario families are facing tough times. Since this session in the Legislature started, 200,000 people have lost their jobs. Thousands more wonder whether they're going to have enough money to retire on. Hospitals are closing clinics and emergency rooms, and fees for everything from transit to health services are rising.

Can the Premier explain why, when so many people are struggling, his biggest priority is a $4.5-billion tax cut for some of Ontario's richest corporations?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: There are two independent reports I want to recommend to my honourable colleague. One is from Jack Mintz. He works out of Calgary. He tells us that our package of tax reforms will lead to nearly 600,000 more jobs over the course of the next 10 years.

Interjections.

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: Now, my colleagues don't appreciate Dr. Mintz, but I would then instead refer them to a report prepared by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and I think the title says it all. It says, Not a Tax Grab After All: A Second Look at Ontario's HST. I would strongly recommend both of those reports to my honourable colleagues. Our tax reforms, in fact, cost the treasury billions of dollars over the first two years.

This is about investing in our families; it's about investing in jobs; it is about investing in a bright future.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Final supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Last week, the Royal Bank announced their CEO would be taking $10 million home after the bank pulled in $3.9 billion in profits. They're getting a tax cut from this Premier. Meanwhile, a local paper tells the story of Barb Pickering. You want to know about Barb Pickering? She spent Thursday afternoon on the phone, calling pain clinics around the GTA in search of one that would take her on as a patient. Why? Because her local hospital closed the pain clinic that she was using.

Can the Premier explain why the Royal Bank needs a tax cut but Barb Pickering's hospital can't keep the services going that she relies on every day?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: I know my colleague is interested in the quality of health care that we provide to all our families, and I want to remind her just a little bit about our record. During the course of the past six years, as we've enjoyed the tremendous honour of serving Ontarians in government, we have made dramatic new investments in health care: 42% more by way of increase in funding for our hospitals; thousands more nurses; more doctors—800,000 more Ontarians now have access to a family doctor. We've reduced wait times. We have nurse practitioner-led clinics, the first of their kind in North America.

That's the kind of investment, that's the kind of priority that we attach to health care for our families.

So my colleague may say that there are outstanding issues with respect to health care, and she is right. There will always be more work to be done there, but she cannot claim legitimately that we have not made health care a priority for Ontario families.

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is to the Premier as well. You know the Premier isn't just concerned about his well-connected friends; it seems the prospects of his party can also inspire swift action. After months of telling local hospitals to close clinics and emergency rooms, the government announced plans to spend $15 million on renovations to the Toronto Grace Hospital in Toronto Centre, where a by-election was taking place. What's the difference between Toronto Grace and the hospitals across Ontario that are currently left scrambling for funds?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: I really do appreciate the opportunity to speak to this particular issue. The Salvation Army has a stellar record in the history of this province. They made it clear to us that they could no longer continue the responsibilities that they've taken on at this particular hospital site. They made it clear to us as well that we could help. If my friend is now telling me that she is against that help, that we should have stood by and allowed that hospital and those services at that site to shut down and to close, then she should say that.

We felt the appropriate thing to do, the responsible thing to do, was to provide that support for that hospital, just as we've increased funding by 42% for hospitals Ontario-wide during the course of the past six years.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Nortel pensioners have been waiting for over a year for help from the government. The government threw them a meagre lifeline, but only when a by-election was called in the riding where many of them lived. Can the Premier maybe explain that coincidence to us?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: Again, we're very proud of the partnership that we have with all of our hospitals. We're proud of the continuing support that we provide at our hospitals, as I say, some 42% over the course of the past six years. Contrast that with a cost-of-living increase, I think in the range of 11%, and you can see that we are truly putting our money—it's not our money—taxpayers' money where their priorities are, which is their health care system. We're proud of the fact that we are able to find some assistance for this particular Salvation Army hospital. It's a hospital which is delivering services that are so important to the members of the community that it serves.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Final supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The Premier travels the province telling hard-working people that they need to expect less. They're told to pay a new sales tax, watch their local hospitals close ERs and clinics, and watch jobs disappear. The government can't help them. Then they see the money flow, but only when it helps the McGuinty Liberals and their friends. Is it any surprise to the Premier that people see his government as arrogant and out of touch?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: Just so we're clear, and I think it's helpful to understand what we've done with respect to hospital funding: We've increased funding by $4.6 billion since 2003. That's a 42% increase. Every hospital in the province has seen its budget increase every year. I contrast that to the days that were there under the two previous governments.

These are challenging times. There's no doubt about that whatsoever. I know that my honourable colleague understands that. I'm sure that every member in this Legislature understands that. We're going to have to make difficult choices, but they will be responsible choices. They'll be informed by the values and priorities of Ontario families. Ontario families insist that we be there for them when it comes to their health care and their education, and we most certainly will.

GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question is also for the Premier. When in opposition, Dalton McGuinty said he was against spending public money on partisan advertising, but records released as a result of freedom-of-information requests show that you paid $700,000 to Narrative Advocacy Media, a firm closely connected to the Liberal-friendly ad firm Bensimon Byrne. The auditor rejected Narrative Advocacy's work, saying the primary objective of their ads was to promote the partisan interests of the McGuinty Liberals.

So my question is for the Premier. Will the McGuinty Liberals pay back the $700,000 of public money that they spent for their own version of the Liberal Party Adscam?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: To the Minister of Revenue.

Hon. John Wilkinson: Happy Family Day to all. Glad to see us all back.

I've had an opportunity as Minister of Revenue to crisscross this province, and what people are asking me is, where's a good place they can go to find the information that they need to know about how tax reform—the largest tax reform in 40 years—affects them, their family and their business?

As a result, our ministry has created a website at ontario.ca/taxreform, and just last week we started an advertising campaign telling people they should take a closer look. That's why we are running those ads, because people are telling me that they need to find that information. That's why it's important that we will always share with the good people of Ontario where that accurate information is.

It's important for us to always make sure that any government advertising is approved by the Auditor General. We're proud to have brought in that bill, and we'll continue—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I can tell you what Ontario families are telling me. It's bad enough that you use tax dollars to promote a tax, but you use public money to also promote your own Ontario Liberal Party—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Start the clock.

Please continue.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

They used tax dollars to promote a tax, but what is worse, they use public money to promote the Ontario Liberal Party. They handed over $700,000 to a Liberal-friendly ad firm, Narrative Advocacy, whose Amanda Alvaro has close ties to Gerard Kennedy and is connected to their good friends at Bensimon Byrne. The fact that the advertisements did not run is not the point. It doesn't change the fact that they wasted taxpayer money. Why do they keep wasting taxpayer dollars that are earned by hard-working Ontario families so that they can give their friends in the Ontario Liberal Party our tax dollars?

Hon. John Wilkinson: As I was mentioning, our tax reform is all about creating new jobs, and I thought the questions today would be about the need for our economy to generate more jobs. By merging our sales taxes and taking that additional revenue and permanently cutting taxes for both people and business, we're creating a new competitive environment that will allow for additional investment—some $47 billion, according to a leading economist, that will lead to 591,000 net new jobs.

But what I find interesting is that the member is raising this issue when today, when I had a chance to look at your website, I see that it is inaccurate. That is exactly why people need to have a place that they can go to where the information is accurate. They can take a closer look and examine how tax reform impacts them, their family and their business as we prepare for a year of tax reform, which started on January 1 with a tax cut to 93% of Ontario—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. New question.

LABOUR DISPUTE

M me France Gélinas: J'aimerais commencer par souhaiter à tout le monde une bonne Semaine de la bonté. Happy Kindness Week, everybody.

My question is to the Premier. As you know, the economy in northern Ontario has been devastated by the policies of this government. Right across the north, people are witnessing the destruction of our way of life. In Sudbury and Nickel Belt, more than 3,000 workers of Vale Inco have been on strike since mid-July. That's seven months, with no end in sight.

My question is this: Sudbury is being brought to its knees. Why is this government refusing to take any action whatsoever to deal with this crippling labour dispute?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: The Minister of Labour.

Hon. Peter Fonseca: I want to thank the member for the question. I do understand how difficult and frustrating this time is for the people of Sudbury.

The ministry has been meeting with officials from both the company and the union, working with those officials and assisting the parties to come to the table to resolve their differences.

I want to thank my colleague Rick Bartolucci, who has been a tremendous advocate for the community and has been assisting—

Interjections.

Hon. Peter Fonseca: Minister Bartolucci has been doing the right thing. He has been working with the parties, encouraging them to come to the table to resolve those differences that they have.

Our ministry's sole focus is on bringing the parties together to find common ground, to resolve the differences that they have.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

M me France Gélinas: To all of this work, I would say: How is it working so far? It has been seven months.

There's so much that this government could do but is not doing. I've got constituents who are losing their homes. I see families falling apart, breaking up. Food bank use is way up in my riding.

Vale Inco is one of the cornerstones of the Sudbury economy. The longer this strike drags on, the more the people of Sudbury suffer. When will the Premier and his government take notice of the situation in Sudbury and finally do something to get the talks moving again and get the people back to work?

Hon. Peter Fonseca: Our mediation team at the Ministry of Labour is working 24/7 to get the parties to the table, to assist them in this bargaining process. I do understand how frustrating and difficult it is.

Minister Bartolucci has shared with me the stories of the hard-working miners, the work that they do and the impact that they have on the community. What we urge the parties to do is to think about their positions and the position of the other party, resolve those differences, find that common ground and understand that the best way to move forward is to have that open dialogue at the table. We will do everything we can to assist the parties to resolve those differences.

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

Mr. Glen R. Murray: My question is for the Minister of Community and Social Services. Minister, people in Ontario are facing growing challenges as a result of the worldwide economic recession. This government has made great strides in improving the social assistance system, everything from raising rates to making necessary rule changes.

However, we cannot stop there. As part of the poverty reduction strategy, it was announced that the social assistance system will be reviewed. I have not heard any updates recently but I do understand that there has been work done regarding a review. Minister, could you inform the Legislature and Ontarians as to the progress of the social assistance review?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: First of all, let me congratulate the member from Toronto Centre for his election. I know that he was always a strong advocate for the most vulnerable.

We are looking for ways to improve our programs, to more effectively support clients in their transition back to employment. As part of the poverty reduction strategy, I have appointed, as Social Assistance Review Advisory Council chair, Gail Nyberg from the Daily Bread Food Bank.

The council has been hard at work, providing me with recommendations on possible short-term changes to social assistance rules. My ministry is currently reviewing these changes.

This review demonstrates our commitment to working with our municipal partners to simplify and modernize the social assistance rules and to better integrate employment services and harmonize housing supports.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Glen R. Murray: Minister, short-term changes to the social assistance system are a good start but they can only be the beginning. What Ontarians need are not just short-term changes but changes that will help people overcome barriers in the long term and give them the tools necessary in order to get ahead in life.

Minister, we have an opportunity with the social assistance review to help provide these tools. Is the social assistance review council examining the overall social assistance system, and if so, what are they looking at addressing?

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur: Yes, the council will submit recommendations by April 2010 on the scope and terms of reference that will guide the development of the larger social assistance review. Their recommendations will include a long-term vision for social assistance in Ontario as well as the vision's core objectives that will form the basis of their review. I will continue to work with the council, with Ontarians and with my colleagues, especially the Minister of Children and Youth Services, who has spearheaded the poverty reduction strategy, as we move forward with this review on social assistance.

We all agree that the moral imperative for reducing poverty is clear. Children should have the opportunity to succeed in life and people facing challenges should be given the tools that they need to help them reach their full potential. I'm very confident that this advisory council will give me very good recommendations—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. New question.

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

Mr. John Yakabuski: My question is for the Premier. Since we last sat in this House, Dalton McGuinty made a multi-billion dollar sweetheart deal with a foreign company. He paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to avoid answering embarrassing questions by settling lawsuits launched by Kelly McDougald and the family in Caledonia. He gave away 15 million of our health care dollars to help elect the former mayor of Winnipeg to Toronto Centre. He is handing out millions more to help his candidate in Ottawa West—Nepean.

I would like to ask the Premier, how much are the votes in Leeds—Grenville worth to you?

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I'd just ask the honourable member to withdraw that comment, please, of impugning motive.

Mr. John Yakabuski: Withdrawn.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Premier?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: To the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.

Hon. Brad Duguid: That was one of those questions that was kind of all over the place, but we seized on the initial beginning of it when the member brought up the $7-billion investment in Ontario's economy as a result of the Samsung initiative. That $7 billion brings with it 16,000 new jobs to this province over the course of six years. How out of touch can the opposition be if they can, at this time in our history, not be in support of the creation of 16,000 jobs in this province?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Please continue.

Hon. Brad Duguid: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Along with those 16,000 jobs will be the creation of four green manufacturing plants. Wind towers, solar inverters, solar module assembly and wind blades are all going to be made in this province. We're taking steps to build a strong, green economy—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. Supplementary?

Mr. John Yakabuski: I think Korea was on the podium before these winter games started.

You spend like you don't understand that you have a record-breaking $25-billion deficit. Your latest insult to Ontario families is wasting their money to sell a tax that the McGuinty Liberal caucus hasn't been able or willing to sell. You've given up on your caucus, enlisting the services of an ad company tied to the infamous Bensimon Byrne that you paid over $13 million to, including for a redesign of the Ontario trillium to look like a logo for the Ontario Liberal Party.

You used to say, Premier, "You don't need to spin people and tell them you're doing good work for them. Let the policy speak for itself." When will you stop spending Ontario families' money like it's your own partisan slush fund?

Hon. Brad Duguid: I think I'd better refer this to the Minister of Revenue.

Hon. John Wilkinson: What part of 591,000 net new jobs do you not get over there?

I've had an opportunity, as have all members, to talk to our constituents. What our constituents are telling us is that they're looking for jobs. They are happy to hear that there is an investment, the largest green energy investment in history, being made right here in Ontario: 16,000 jobs. They understand that the world has changed and that we need to reform our tax system.

Because of those reforms, because we are taking the step of going to one sales tax instead of two in this province, taking that additional revenue and permanently cutting taxes for people and for business, we are making Ontario more competitive. We believe that the business community will in fact make the investments already shown by Samsung that will lead to more jobs. On this side of the House we are for those jobs.

MINING INDUSTRY

Mr. Gilles Bisson: My question is to the Premier. In December 2009, Xstrata announced the closure of its copper smelting refinery in Timmins. Premier, can you tell us what you have personally done since last December's announcement to avert this closure?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: I know that Minister Gravelle has been very actively involved on this particular matter. We have been doing everything that we can to lend shape to very welcoming economic macro-conditions, hence the reason for our corporate tax cuts, to make us more attractive, hence the reason for the elimination of capital taxes in Ontario this year. The Mining Act lends some certainty and creates some new opportunities as well. Those are the kinds of things that we continue to do, broadly speaking, but I'm sure that my honourable colleague would like to hear from my minister, and I'll be referencing this question to him on the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Premier, changes to the Mining Act and tax cuts haven't worked. They're shutting the plant down. Over 3,000 people will be losing their jobs directly/indirectly because of this closure. People are wondering where you're at. They know where the minister is at. He has come and met with us a couple of times, but we need the support of the Premier. The people of Timmins and area want to know very clearly: What are you going to do as Premier in order to avert this closure?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: To the Minister of Northern Development and Mines.

Hon. Michael Gravelle: Indeed it was devastating news when the announcement was made in December. It was on that basis that I went at the behest of the Premier to Timmins to meet with Mayor Laughren and the economic development corporation, to reassert our very strong commitment to the Timmins area. There is no doubt our commitment is there in terms of the support we have for the northern Ontario heritage fund. There has been over $15 million that has gone to the northern Ontario heritage fund since 2005—$45 million in federal-provincial investments.

I realize that this is an extraordinary challenge. I continue to work very, very hard with the community. We're going to be up there again very soon, in fact. The challenge indeed is there, but we have the opportunities there. There are interesting and very positive developments with Lake Shore Gold and Detour Gold. We heard about a wonderful announcement in terms of Northgate Minerals, in terms of Kirkland Lake. There are some positive things happening. We have to keep working hard with the community. I'm committed to—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. New question.

NORTHERN ECONOMY

Mr. David Orazietti: My question is to the Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry. For too long, northern Ontario's most precious resource, our youth, have been leaving for larger cities and other provinces with the hope of finding opportunities. Although this has been a constant challenge in northern Ontario, I know it's an issue our government is taking very seriously.

In Sault Ste. Marie, there have been numerous investments through the northern Ontario heritage fund, which was created by a Liberal government about 20 years ago, and I'm pleased that the draft northern Ontario growth plan focuses on creating more opportunities for youth in the north, as both of these programs are aimed at mobilizing a new generation of entrepreneurs and community builders and reversing the trend of youth out-migration.

Minister, I know you recognize how important these initiatives are. Can you explain to the House how they benefit young people in northern Ontario?

Hon. Michael Gravelle: I thank the member for the question. He's certainly quite correct. Youth out-migration continues to be a very important issue affecting northern Ontario. That's why our government has introduced some specific programs that aim to prepare northern Ontario's highly skilled young workforce for future employment to secure a more prosperous future for tomorrow's northern families and workers.

In 2005, our government introduced the youth internship and co-op program and the young entrepreneur program, all of which have been remarkably successful. To date over $28 million has been approved for the youth internship and co-op program, and over 1,500 internships and co-op placements have been created, many of them leading to full-time jobs. The young entrepreneur program is also an extraordinarily successful program. Over $6.6 million has been invested in that program, creating jobs in northern Ontario for young people with innovative ideas, keeping them in northern Ontario where we want them to stay.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. David Orazietti: NOHFC's youth internship and co-op program and young entrepreneur programs are helping youth find employment and assisting them with their entrepreneurial ventures, which is an important step in stemming youth out-migration in northern Ontario. In fact, in Sault Ste. Marie we've invested $3.4 million, creating over 180 youth employment opportunities with local businesses.

However, as you are aware, youth out-migration does not only apply to our youth; it's part of a broader challenge across northern Ontario.

I understand the NOHFC has many other programs available for northern residents. Many of my constituents have benefited from these programs, which have helped create new jobs. Minister, what other programs does NOHFC offer to help northern Ontario residents build a stronger, more prosperous future for their communities and families?

Hon. Michael Gravelle: I think all northerners are very grateful to and very much appreciate the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. It's certainly a vital tool in building stronger, more prosperous northern communities.

We have seven unique programs that we've adapted to help foster hope and employment opportunities across the north. I think they really are proof that our government is ready to invest in northerners.

We've increased it from $60 million to $80 million in the past year, and we do believe very strongly that we can help build a greater future.

To date, the NOHFC has approved over $500 million toward nearly 3,000 projects, which has leveraged over $1.6 billion, which is helping to create or retain more than 13,000 jobs in northern Ontario.

I certainly look forward to updating the House about some of our new programs, including the northern entrepreneur program, again a program that is going to help create jobs in the north, keeping them where they need to be for our economic future.

HEALTH CARE

Mr. Norm Miller: I have a question for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. I wrote to you on January 21, requesting a meeting with district of Muskoka councillor Fran Coleman and myself to discuss local health issues. Your staff called my office to advise that you would not attend the meeting. My office was told that it would be "inappropriate for the minister to discuss budget issues." Yet the next week, in the midst of a by-election, you not only met but intervened directly with $15 million to keep Toronto Grace hospital open. Minister, how do you explain this contradiction?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Thank you for the question. I'm very pleased that we were able to find a solution when it came to Toronto Grace hospital. I want to welcome representatives from the Salvation Army who are here with us today.

What I can tell you is that we have always supported Toronto Grace hospital and the services provided at that site. It is a very special place. It provides exceptional care to its patients. It provides care to people, some of whom have faced great challenges in their life. They provide palliative care, complex care, rehab services. They are top-quality services. They are a vital part of our health care system.

We have a strong relationship with the Salvation Army. I was absolutely delighted, when I met with them, that they were willing to reconsider their decision and remain committed—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. Supplementary?

Mr. Norm Miller: That was a blah-blah-blah answer. You didn't explain the contradiction.

Minister, today I will present over 2,300 petitions collected in a few short days, signed by concerned residents of Parry Sound—Muskoka. They have watched health care services disappear over the last several years under this government.

Minister, Councillor Fran Coleman is here at Queen's Park today, ready to meet with you to discuss health care issues of critical importance to the people of Parry Sound—Muskoka. My question is: Will you meet with us to ensure that health care dollars are going to front-line services—doctors, nurses, medical procedures for patients—not your new health bureaucracy?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I am always pleased to meet with people and I would certainly welcome the opportunity to meet after question period.

Let's just take a moment to think about what we have in fact been able to accomplish over the six years we have been in office. Almost 900,000 more Ontarians have access to family health care than they had when we took office. There are 1,800 more doctors practising medicine in Ontario than there were in 2003. We've got more than 5,600 international medical graduates practising here in Ontario: almost a quarter of the workforce. We've increased medical school spaces by 23%.

We've opened a new medical school, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and we recently announced 100 more—in fact, by 2013 we will have doubled the number of graduates from our medical schools. Every year, twice as many will graduate as when we took office.

SCHOOL CLOSURES

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is to the Minister of Education. As a result of this government's education funding formula that pits parents against parents, schools against schools, and forces boards to close schools, Parkwood Hills Public School in Ottawa, which has 400 students and is operating at 96% capacity, has been designated for a closure. The vote to close this school failed at committee, but it was subsequently approved at the board at a meeting two weeks ago because one trustee was absent due to a family emergency.

My question is this: Will the minister commit today to putting the brakes on this school closure until these voting irregularities can be investigated?

Hon. Leona Dombrowsky: First of all, I think that it's very important for me to state today that our government is absolutely committed to supporting school boards and the important work that they do to support students in their area. These boards are elected by their community to make the very best decisions in the interests of their children. We respect that process. I would say that while I appreciate that the honourable member—there may be people in the community who do not agree with the decision. We do have faith in the school boards and we do respect the decisions that they make.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The committee voted to keep it open. One person was missing from the board meeting, and then it got voted on to be closed. So there are voting irregularities here that are forcing a school to close when it's at capacity. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Even the president—maybe this will convince the minister, Speaker—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): The members will come to order, please. Please continue.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Maybe this will convince the minister: Even the president of a local Liberal riding association who sits on the school board voted to keep Parkwood Hills open. Parents have real questions about the integrity of this particular process.

Will the minister make a commitment to the parents and the children of Parkwood Hills school to undertake a review of this controversial vote today or does she plan to stand back while Ontario parents watch yet another school shut its doors while questions remain unanswered at a school that is at capacity?

Hon. Leona Dombrowsky: This government will allow the board to do the work it was elected to do. What I can say to you is—and I have served as a trustee for 14 years; I have served on committees that brought reports to the board that were not always supported—that is the function of the process that is in place at the board level. It is the collective wisdom and understanding of the board that determines the direction the board will pursue. That has happened in this case. We respect that.

I respect that there are some people who are not happy or content with the decision. There are tools at the board level—there could be motions to reconsider a decision that happens at the board level—and I would encourage people in the community who feel strongly that they may want to engage the trustees to consider those types of things.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Ms. Leeanna Pendergast: My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources. Minister, as you know, my riding of Kitchener—Conestoga is largely rural, with the three townships, as well as urban with south Kitchener. As such, I've received calls from constituents who have real concerns about coyote sightings. Media stories throughout the province have documented stories of Ontarians who have come too close to coyotes for comfort. In some cases, there have been documented incidents where livestock and coyotes have come into conflict.

My hometown is on the Grand River, and we listen to the coyotes regularly, perhaps a lot more frequently. Are there more coyotes? Is the coyote population in the province increasing? And if it is, what steps can Ontarians take to keep themselves and their families safe?

Hon. Linda Jeffrey: My sincere thanks to the member for this question, because it is of concern to Ontarians.

The honourable member correctly points out that this is an issue for many Ontarians. The Ontario coyote population is not threatened; therefore the ministry does not keep hard numbers of the populations of coyotes. That being said, the anecdotal evidence collected by the ministry does point to an increase in human interaction.

Public safety is of the utmost importance for this government, and that's why my ministry has taken significant steps to keep Ontarians informed and safe. MNR is now collecting data from coyote sightings near human populations to better coordinate future responses. We also released a coyote fact sheet on my ministry's website, and we've shared it with local municipalities. This details the steps that anyone can take to keep themselves safe.

Coyotes have adapted well to living near human populations, and this has increased the number of sightings.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Ms. Leeanna Pendergast: Minister, safety education is paramount. We teach our children safety when living near the water and wildlife, but what more can individuals in Ontario do to keep themselves safe? I am aware of some organizations and municipalities in the province that have called on the province to provide bounties for culled animals and would appreciate knowing the ministry's response to this.

Minister, just how concerned should Ontarians be about coyote-human interaction?

Hon. Linda Jeffrey: Providing Ontarians with accurate information on how best to deal with their local nuisance coyote population is very important. Coyotes are usually fearful of humans. However, during winter and early spring, when the food resources are scarce, the coyotes are emboldened to explore new urban and rural areas.

Homeowners can take steps to protect themselves. Keep your pets inside when you know local coyotes are out; keep your garbage and your pet food stored and sealed indoors, if possible; and be aware of where your children are at all times.

Ontarians should always exercise caution around wildlife, but aggressive behaviour towards people is unusual for coyotes. My ministry is open to working with any municipality and my ministry's regional offices are providing technical advice on a daily basis.

With regard to the issue of bounties, they're illegal and largely ineffective. If homeowners have specific concerns, our Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act sets out the legal obligations for landowners or their agents when dealing with nuisance animals.

AGENCY SPENDING

Mr. Jim Wilson: My question is for the Premier. On October 21, my office filed a freedom-of-information request with the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario for the personal expenses of the president, the director of corporate services and the director of research. From 2007 to 2009, the Higher Education Quality Council spent $12,223 on hospitality and catering. Of that, they repaid $1,558 the day after we filed the freedom-of-information request.

My question to the Premier is this: Given your new expense rules, why is it that these items were only repaid after we filed the FOI request?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: To the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Hon. John Milloy: I think members are aware that the Higher Education Quality Council was established as part of the Reaching Higher program. They provide advice on higher education in Ontario. It's an arm's-length body of the government and is subject to the rules of government expenses. When the Premier introduced new, tougher rules, HEQCO, as did other agencies, adopted those rules, but in the spirit of the new rules, they took the extra step of applying them retroactively and reimbursed some of the expenses.

As I say, they have embraced the new rules going forward, as have other agencies across the government.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Jim Wilson: One of the expensed items was a $400 engraved watch from Birks jewellers. In addition, there was $260 in ineligible alcohol expenses and $769 in reimbursements to agency executives without detailed receipts—all against the new rules. On top of that, the CEO, James Downey, billed a whopping $11,628.29 for a three-month stay at the Sutton Place Hotel. That's over $3,800 a month for a luxury hotel room.

My question to the Premier is this: Who is holding these unelected and mostly unknown government agencies to account?

Hon. John Milloy: HEQCO aligns itself with government directives. When the new policy directives came forward from the Premier several months ago, and the honourable member is aware of those, it adopted the new tougher rules. In the spirit of the new rules, they took the extra step of applying them retroactively, and a number of expenses were reimbursed. As I say, HEQCO is following the lead of other agencies.

I'll remind members of the new policy. The new policy includes new and simplified guidelines for travel, meals and hospitality expenses for all OPS employees, political staff and employees at Ontario's agencies, boards and commissions. HEQCO has aligned itself with these new directives.

HEALTH CARE

Mr. Paul Miller: My question is to the Minister of Health: 2010 is threatening to be a very hard year for the people of Hamilton because of this government's wrong spending decisions. Instead of managing health care dollars wisely, we have seen wild spending on insider consulting contracts and bloated executive salaries. Now Hamilton hospitals are being forced to slash jobs and cut programs.

When will this minister protect health care in Hamilton by spending our health care dollars properly?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: This government's commitment to health care, I think, speaks for itself. We have increased spending. We have better results. We are actually posting our results on the website. People know that they have much better health care now than when we came to office in 2003.

We are, however, facing some very serious economic challenges in this province, and I know the member opposite is aware of that. That is why we have asked hospitals to do the very difficult work, to look hard at the programs and services they offer and put together balanced budget plans. They have embraced this task, I must say, with real enthusiasm, and I think they have brought creative solutions. They are working with the LHINs to really create the best possible health care for people right across this province, including the Hamilton area.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary.

Mr. Paul Miller: That's an interesting response. Last week, St. Joseph's Healthcare announced 12 nursing and staff cuts as well as significant increases to patient and visitor parking fees. This follows the devastating cuts of 149 jobs at Hamilton Health Sciences, as well as reduced patient services. Shockingly, these hospitals warn that the cuts we know of today could just be the tip of the iceberg. Even deeper cuts may be around the corner as the minister speaks.

When will this minister explain why the people of Hamilton are losing their health care services while this government continues to pour our precious health care dollars down the drain?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Perhaps I could remind the member opposite about some of the investments that we have made in Hamilton Health Sciences. They have had—get this, Speaker—a more than $150-million increase in their base funding since we were elected. I just want to repeat that: a $150-million increase in base funding. That's the funding they get year over year. On top of that, there is funding for other special initiatives, such as reduced wait times.

We have also, in the Hamilton area, invested $93 million in the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN for their aging at home strategy, a strategy designed to take pressure off hospitals and provide services as close to home as possible. We've invested over $76 million in funding to reduce wait times. That's 32,000 more procedures than otherwise would have been done.

We are in difficult times—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. New question.

PROMOTING ONTARIO

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: My question is to the Minister of Tourism and Culture. Minister, the 2010 Winter Games present a unique opportunity that Ontario needs to take

part in and seize on. It's presenting a global stage for Ontario to showcase its strength. As the world watches with interest, Ontario needs to take action. We need to take action to showcase the beauty of this province and attract potential tourism. We need to take action to encourage investment and strengthen our global partnership. While we appeal to the international markets, we need to continue our commitment to Ontario businesses. We need to ensure that Ontario businesses play a vital role in any marketing of Ontario that is undertaken in Vancouver.

Minister, what action has this government taken in this forum?

Hon. Michael Chan: In Vancouver, to Canada: Go, Canada, go.

I want to thank the member from Northumberland—Quinte West for the question. Ontario businesses are playing a vital role in promoting the province in Vancouver. Take for instance the Sprucewood Handmade Cookie Co., from the member's riding. They produce delicious cookies that come with both taste and success. The Sprucewood cookie company's cookie is one of 10 products that are in high demand at Ontario House. Here's a great example of the culinary tourism experience that Ontario has to offer.

Businesses like these are playing a vital role as we showcase Ontario as a great place to live, to visit and to—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary.

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: Minister, as the games unfold, many memorable stories will unfold for both Ontario and Canada. One such story should be Ontario's success in reaching out to the world. As we reach out, we need to showcase our diversity, our education system, our competitive tax system and our commitment to research and innovation. These are our greatest strengths. We need to show the world that Ontario is a great place to live, work and invest. Increased activity in tourism is one such venue. Will the minister assure Ontarians that he will move forward to create such opportunities?

Hon. Michael Chan: The past week I had the privilege of being in Vancouver to represent Ontario. We are showcasing all that Ontario has to offer through our pavilion, Ontario House. Our commitment to research and innovation is evident. Among the many leading-edge companies on display at Ontario House is Toronto's InteraXon. Their thought-controlled computer technology has made lighting up the CN Tower, the Parliament buildings and Niagara Falls with your brainwaves a reality. Our government is committed to showcase to the world that there is no place like Ontario.

We will continue to do so as we welcome the G8 and G20 countries, worldwide events, the international Indian film festival and, of course, the 2015 Pan American Games, to Ontario.

CORRECTION OF RECORD

Hon. John Wilkinson: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I just want to correct the record. The website that I referenced is properly found at www.ontario.ca/taxchange.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): There being no deferred votes, this House stands recessed until 3 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1138 to 1500.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

CITY OF VAUGHAN

Mr. Peter Shurman: I rise today to recognize the city of Vaughan for two recent achievements. In December 2009, the city of Vaughan was awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award program recognizes those governments that have succeeded in preparing a high-quality budget document that contributes to better decision-making and enhanced accountability. The criteria and guidelines that the city had to follow in order to qualify for the award require that the budget be an effective policy document, operations guide, financial plan and communications tool.

And if that weren't enough, a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada, entitled City Magnates II: Benchmarking the Attractiveness of 50 Canadian Cities, recognized the city of Vaughan as having one of the top two performing economies in Canada. The report, which assesses the appeal of Canadian cities to skilled workers and mobile population, gave the cities of Vaughan, Calgary and Edmonton an A grade for a strong economy.

While I and the residents of my Thornhill riding have known for years that the city of Vaughan is a great place to live, work and raise a family, I am pleased to see that the city is earning the recognition it deserves.

My congratulations to Mayor Linda Jackson, the city manager and all members of the city's financial management staff on these fine achievements.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Mr. Glen R. Murray: It is my pleasure to speak about an issue that is very important to my constituents and very important to me.

For many years, I have worked hard to deliver affordable housing to those who need it most. I believe that elected representatives can work together with private sector partners and community groups to make sure that every person has a key in their pocket to a safe place to live at the end of the day.

I am proud to be part of a government that is spending more money on affordable housing than we ever have in the history of our province. Under the affordable housing agreement, alongside the federal government we are investing $1.2 billion in affordable housing. Some of the biggest affordable housing projects in Ontario are right now in my constituency of Toronto Centre. Seven hundred and eighty affordable housing units are being built in Regent Park, and we are providing almost $6.5 million for 130 home ownership units and 80 home ownership loans.

There is still work to be done, but our government is committed to moving forward on this issue and helping all Ontarians find a safe place to live.

AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

Mr. John O'Toole: I'm rising today in response to the needs of the agricultural sector in our economy. I'm concerned that this government is so busy struggling with its debt and tax controversies that it doesn't have enough time to recognize agriculture.

Agriculture needs farm-friendly policies at Queen's Park—and not struggling to control red tape. Agriculture needs fair compensation to farmers impacted by government-imposed regulations not of their making. Farmers need a say in the rules and regulations that make it harder for them to do their jobs as producers of food for our tables in Ontario and indeed around the world. Many farmers are looking for a workable risk management plan for non-supply-managed commodities, a new long-term risk management initiative with stable and sustainable funding for the industry.

In recent weeks, I've had the privilege of meeting and speaking with many farm and agribusiness leaders in my riding of Durham, people like Charles Stevens of Wilmot Orchards, who is also a director on the OFVGA; Kirk Kemp and Mike Gibson, who are the new owners and operators of Algoma