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May 15, 2017

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2017-May-15 (PDF)

L082A - Mon 15 May 2017 / Lun 15 mai 2017

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 15 May 2017 Lundi 15 mai 2017

Introduction of Visitors

Government advertising

Oral Questions

Hydro rates

Hydro rates / Tarifs d’électricité

Hydro rates

Hydro rates

Hydro rates

Hydro rates

Disaster relief

Ontario budget

Hydro rates

Employment standards

Climate change

Hydro rates

Transportation infrastructure

Protection of privacy

Hydro rates

Deferred Votes

Stronger, Healthier Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017 / Loi de 2017 pour un Ontario plus fort et en meilleure santé (mesures budgétaires)

Withdrawal of Bill 83

Members’ Statements

Dutch Heritage Month

Lyme disease

University of Toronto Mississauga

Andrew Wilder

Michel Dallaire

Nutrition for Learning

Opioid abuse

Pre-eclampsia

Services for the developmentally disabled

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Justice Policy / Comité permanent de la justice

Introduction of Bills

Retiring the Debt Retirement Charge Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur l’élimination de la redevance de liquidation de la dette

Motions

House sittings

Petitions

Provincial debt

Privatization of public assets

Employment standards

Long-term care

Ontario Northland Transportation Commission

Water fluoridation

Medical assistance in dying

Services for the developmentally disabled

Hydro rates

Medical assistance in dying

Prix de l’essence

GO Transit

Orders of the Day

Fair Hydro Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 pour des frais d’électricité équitables

The House met at 1030.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Good morning. Please join me in prayer.

Prayers.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I’m pleased to rise today to introduce five very important people in the gallery. Please welcome Ernie Hardeman, his wife, Susan, and three of my grandchildren: Anika, Freya and Willem.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to come and see your grandfather and your Uncle John.

I’m also very proud to say that they’re here today to attend the Dutch flag-raising ceremony, to celebrate our heritage. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

L’hon. Marie-France Lalonde: C’est à

titre de ministre déléguée aux Affaires francophones que j’aimerais accueillir et souhaiter la bienvenue à tous nos organismes de la région de la province de l’Ontario. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park aujourd’hui, et merci de votre engagement pour la francophonie en Ontario. Bienvenue.

M me Gila Martow: Nous avons des invités spéciaux à Queen’s Park aujourd’hui pour une journée francophone. Veuillez accueillir le président de l’Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario, M. Carol Jolin; le président de l’Hôpital Montfort, le D r Bernard Leduc; M. Alain Beaudoin, mon ami et président de l’AFRY; et M. Stewart Kiff.

Aussi, des représentants de la Ligue des Africains du Canada : Persévérance Mayer, Hervé Ngamby, Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Ba, Jean-Marie Vianney, François Musabemungu, Akinbayo Oshuntoye, Jude Gbekou Komi, Elvis Horacio Sodi et Emmanuel Mabondo. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park, tout le monde.

Ms. Soo Wong: On behalf of the member from Barrie, I would like to welcome her constituents Simon and Doreen Beekhuizen, who are here today for the Dutch heritage reception. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Also, one of the classes from my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt, from Agincourt Junior Public School, will be arriving very shortly with principal Mr. Robert McKone and teachers Mr. Morteza Abba, Ms. Linda Chung and Ms. Sophia Karkas, who will be joining us here very shortly. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: I’d like to welcome to Queen’s Park today the Ontario PC candidate for Ottawa–Orléans and a future member of provincial Parliament, Cameron Montgomery. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Lorenzo Berardinetti: Good morning. I’d like to introduce one of the page captains today, Hayden Cox. He’s here with his mother, Irit Hartman, his father, Wayne Cox, sister Jordyn Cox, grandmother Patricia Cox and grandfather Aba Hartman. They’re in the members’ gallery this morning. Also with him are French teachers Mr. Crimmins and Madame Jang-Naruse, and classmates from Clairlea Public School, located in the riding of Scarborough Southwest. Good morning, and welcome to you all.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Our intern Monica has her mother, Nicole, here today, and her grandparents Lorraine and Wayne Stefanick.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I would like to express a warm welcome to an old friend, Edgardo Sepulveda, who is with us today in the gallery. Welcome.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Today we have proud parents in the Legislative Assembly. I have the parents of my legislative assistant, Brynne Moore. Her parents are here from Ottawa: Debra Darke and Cliff Moore. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

We also have another great individual, Manoochehr Ghiassi. He is the father of my chief of staff, Ali Ghiassi. He’s here as well. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Ted Arnott: I’m pleased to welcome Mayor Allan Alls of the town of Erin, as well as Christine Furlong from Triton Engineering, who are here today. Welcome to the Ontario Legislature.

M. Gilles Bisson: On aimerait reconnaître tous les francophones qui sont ici aujourd’hui pour nous parler des questions telles que la ville bilingue d’Ottawa qui doit être en place. De la part de M me Horwath et des néo-démocrates, on dit : bienvenue à Queen’s Park.

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: I would like to welcome the youth and staff from Ontario children’s aid societies who are here to celebrate Youth Civics Day at Queen’s Park to commemorate children and youth in care. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thought it was a francophone filibuster. I wasn’t sure about that one.

The member from Windsor–Tecumseh.

Mr. Percy Hatfield: Thank you, Speaker. On behalf of my colleague from Essex, Mr. Natyshak, we have guests of page Maddison Rose with us this morning. Maddison’s grandmother Jane-Anne Rose and her aunt Meghan Rose are here in the gallery. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

M me Nathalie Des Rosiers: J’aimerais accueillir à Queen’s Park un résident d’Ottawa–Vanier, François Baril.

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s my pleasure to welcome Marit Stiles, the TDSB trustee for ward 9 in Davenport. Welcome to Queen’s Park today.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: It’s a great pleasure to introduce the guests of page captain Kaitlin Grierson from Toronto Centre: her mother, Catharine Ann Matthews; her father, David Harry Grierson; and her grandmother, Kae Matthews. I would like to welcome them to the House.

Hon. Marie-France Lalonde: I would like to welcome David Moscrop, who is in the members’ gallery today. He just finished a PhD in political science at UBC, and his dissertation question was: “Can we make good political decisions?” So I hope we can show him that we can. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Hon. Reza Moridi: It’s my great pleasure to welcome Dr. Nasser Kanani, a professor at Berlin university, and Dr. Saeid Nasseri, who’s also a professor of mechanical engineering at Berlin university. They are accompanied by Ms. Nahid Milani-Nia and her husband, Mr. Mashoud Nasseri, who are visiting Ontario. Please join me in welcoming them.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Welcome.

Government advertising

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Leeds–Grenville has given me notice of his intention to raise a point of privilege with respect to the government’s advertising of what it has called its fair hydro plan.

Contrary to my preference in these matters, the member from Leeds–Grenville did not copy the other parties on his notice when he filed it, so I am assuring the government House leader and the third party House leader that I will give them the opportunity to provide me with their own submissions on this matter, if they wish.

Now I will hear from the member from Leeds–Grenville.

Mr. Steve Clark: Thanks, Speaker. Pursuant to standing order 21(c), I wrote to you and I provided a copy of the letter—I’m paraphrasing—to you and the House leader and the third party House leader this morning. So I gave it to them, Speaker.

Thank you for allowing me to present the point of privilege. As you know, Speaker, you ruled back on March 23 on a point of privilege that was tabled by my House leader, the member for Simcoe–Grey, regarding the contempt that we believe is evident from the Minister of Energy concerning recent government advertising and announcements regarding electricity pricing.

In your ruling on March 23, you ruled:

“The statement of the Minister of Energy that he will be introducing legislation at some point, as noted by the member for Simcoe–Grey, does not alter this limitation on my authority or sphere of jurisdiction. It is not open to me to interpret or presume what might be in that possible legislation.

“Consequently, I cannot find that a prima facie case of contempt has been established.”

Well, now that the Minister of Energy has tabled the legislation in question, I again contest that the minister’s actions were a prima facie case of contempt by the government running advertisements presupposing the will of this Legislature by outlining a clear timeline and result of the legislation, all of which is available in both my submission, the previous submission from the member for Simcoe–Grey and also the readily available audio.

I want to turn back to the letter that Mr. Wilson did file on March 20, where he cited Speaker Stockwell in a ruling on January 22, 1997. In that letter and in this House, we’ve used Speaker Stockwell’s two-pronged test, but we’ve also quoted Erskine May in regard to the definition of “contempt” on page 251. I’m going to quote Erskine May now: “Generally speaking, any act of omission which obstructs or impedes either House of Parliament in the performance of its functions or which obstructs or impedes any member or office of such House in the discharge of his duty or which has a tendency, directly or indirectly, to produce such results may be treated as a contempt....”

In my submission, I also quote page 258 and page 260 of Erskine May with similar comments about how members are obstructed by the actions of this minister.

In my first letter to you, Speaker, and also in Mr. Wilson’s letter, Speaker Stockwell had those same exact passages that I just quoted from and referenced those pages on how government advertising was dealt with in his case. The two prongs that Speaker Stockwell laid out—again, the House is sitting for question period; I’m not going to quote them all, but they are provided to you. However, the two prongs laid out by Speaker Stockwell are whether the claims are definite and unqualified and whether they presume

an act of the House before the House has had the ability to offer its approval to them, thus relegating our Legislature to a pro forma or inferior body.

In both tests, it appears that the Minister of Energy has committed a prima facie case of contempt. The advertisement in question not only definitely states a result of the legislation, which was “25% off your hydro bill,” but also presents an unqualified timeline, which was “starting this summer.” By both committing this House to a result and a timeline, the minister has satisfied the first test of making definite and unqualified claims.

With regard to Speaker Stockwell’s second test on whether the statements relegate this Legislature to a pro forma or inferior role in the legislative process, we know the legislation was tabled on Thursday, and the minister held a press conference and described the necessity of this legislation to facilitate the 25% reduction. Further, in my submission to you, sir, I have quoted Hansard from the Minister of Energy, where he confirmed many times, on April 11, April 26 and May 8—in fact, on May 10, the minister said this:

“We are acting as quickly as we can to bring forward a comprehensive piece of legislation that will ensure a 25% reduction by summer—so much so that the OEB, in anticipation of our plan, have brought forward an additional 9%, bringing the reduction right now to 17%....

“By July 1 of this year, if passed through the legislation, we will see an additional 8%, bringing that total, on average, to 25%.”

Additionally, the minister even wrote to members on May 11. He said in that letter, “If the legislation passes, starting this summer Ontario’s Fair Hydro Plan will reduce electricity bills by 25% for a typical residential customer.”

Looking to your ruling back on March 27, you referenced the fact that the legislation wasn’t tabled; now it’s tabled, as of Thursday. I’ve also quoted sections in my letter about the timeliness of my appeal. I’ve also reaffirmed, Speaker, that you affirmed the principle of timeliness in your ruling on May 7.

Finally, Speaker, if you can indulge me one more minute, O’Brien and Bosc affirm the principle on page 143:

“The matter of privilege to be raised in the House must have recently occurred and must call for the immediate action of the House. Therefore, the member must satisfy the Speaker that he or she is bringing the matter to the attention of the House as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the situation.”

Speaker, because of your ruling, because of the decision that the government made on Thursday, I’m bringing this matter to the House. I know that it has many of the same categories as the previous case that the member for Simcoe–Grey brought forward in March of this year.

I take this very seriously, sir, as I believe the government should as well, and I look forward to your ruling.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I rise in response to the question of privilege raised by the member for Leeds–Grenville. This is, Speaker, the official opposition’s second kick at the can, so to speak, against the fair hydro plan. This is yet another distraction from the fact that the Conservatives really don’t have a plan, but instead continue to oppose rate relief proposed under our plan.

With any question of privilege or contempt, there must be a tangible nexus between the impugned behaviour and the alleged contempt of Parliament. On March 23, 2017—the first time you ruled on this question—you effectively laid out a test as to what criteria must be met before a Speaker can make the determination the member seeks. You said:

“For the Speaker to conclude that the communications constitute a prima facie contempt of the House because of their definitive, unconditional language, as the member from Simcoe–Grey invites me to do, then I must first have found that contempt exists because the role of the House and the outcome of a future matter before it are both taken for granted and assumed to be a foregone conclusion.” This means that the role of the House and alleged behaviour must be concurrent. They must exist at the same time.

Today, the role of the House is to analyze, debate and possibly propose amendments to Bill 132. The future matter before it is a vote on second reading after debate. The question is, what present or persisting conduct takes the Legislature for granted and assumes the passage of the bill is a foregone conclusion? Respectfully, the Speaker will find he cannot point to any such conduct.

The member for Leeds–Grenville seems to be under the impression that the only difference between the first time his party raised this matter and now is that there is now a bill. I submit to you that the opposition has failed to account for the totality of changed circumstances. First, on the question of hydro rates themselves, they have been dropping since the beginning of this year. The government removed the provincial portion of the HST to cut 8% off hydro bills on January 1, and then the Ontario Energy Board cut rates by 17%, effective May 1. As I stated, Speaker, in the first hearing, the House must allow for flexibility on how policies come to fruition.

Second, the advertisements about which the member complains share no temporal link to Bill 132. Government communications from the point of the bill’s introduction have clearly stated “if passed,” which has been accepted as appropriate deference to the role of the legislators in this House. This is an important change. The government has proactively deferred to the independence of the Legislature, as there is a bill before it. The examples submitted this morning by the member were from back in March, before any bill was before this House. The role of the House was crystallized at the introduction of the bill.

Prior to that, there was no role for the Speaker to consider. From the moment the House has had a role, the government’s communications have reflected the required deference.

The government has no desire to take any role of the House for granted, particularly the foundational role of debating and voting on legislation. What the member from Leeds–Grenville asks of you is to associate a previous advertisement with a current bill, when the two have had no temporal overlap whatsoever. Accordingly, he is asking you to turn a blind eye to government communications released following the introduction of the bill.

Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to speak—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: —on this matter and seek your leave to make written submissions which will include the updated government communications the member from Leeds–Grenville has failed to discuss.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Regrettably, I make comment of how I was going to say that it was very genuine that everyone was listening carefully to both submissions, until such time as some individuals decided not to.

I thank the members for their submissions. I still offer both the third party and the government an opportunity—a little bit—in order for submissions to be made, if they so desire. I will take these under consideration and reserve my ruling for later on.

I thank the member from Leeds–Grenville.

Oral Questions

Hydro rates

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Premier. Last week, we revealed a leaked cabinet document showing that skyrocketing hydro prices were going to be back to normal in Ontario. Hydro bills will hit a record high in 2024 and then, in 2028, the average bill will hit well over $200. Those families already faced with a ridiculously high hydro bill will see it jump another 6.5%, and 10.5% in 2028. Hydro rates will be higher than they’ve ever been before.

Mr. Speaker, why does this government refuse to actually fix the structural problems in hydro? It’s about time they actually act on hydro, not simply a farce.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Glengarry–Prescott–Russell will come to order.

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know that the member opposite knows that he’s referring to a document that is out of date. It’s a document that was part of the deliberation as we developed our fair hydro plan.

The reality is, as a plan is developed, and it may be—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Leeds–Grenville will come to order. And by the sounds of it, I may have to move to warnings, and I will do so real quick if called upon.

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: As a plan is developed, there is much input and there are many iterations of options and information that come forward in the development of a plan. We want an Ontario with an even playing field. Our fair hydro plan is about moving in that direction, creating a fairer Ontario where people have the opportunity—all Ontarians—to achieve equally. Taking 25% off all the electricity bills of residents in this province, from their residential bill, that is the fair thing to do and that’s what our plan will do.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: The Premier’s defence is that the document was out of date? We’re talking about just a few months ago; 2017 is out of date? The only thing out of date is this government in how out of touch they are with the population of Ontario.

The Liberal press secretary called these leaked cabinet documents on energy “false and inaccurate.” Now the new speaking point is “out of date.” The Minister of Energy said he has seen thousands of graphs so he couldn’t comment on the leaked cabinet document.

Well, if he can’t comment on that recent document, will the Premier pledge here today to show us a graph, a recent graph, that will actually show hydro rates going down? That would be wonderful, Mr. Speaker.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: A document can be false and out of date at the same time because it is not the document on which our plan is built; it was part of the process of developing our plan.

When I talk about a fairer Ontario, I talk about an Ontario where people have the opportunity to live out their dreams. We recognize that we have wonderful institutions in this province: We have a wonderful health care system; we have a wonderful publicly funded education system. They are strong. They have been built up over the last number of years, and we intend to keep them that way. But there are people in this province—even though our economy is doing very well, there are people who are not sharing in that.

Our budget is about addressing those concerns. We recognize that it is the first balanced budget in nearly a decade in Ontario. We have the opportunity now to invest in people and make sure that that playing field is more level.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Final supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: My question was, given that the recent cabinet document says that hydro rates are going to go out of control again—and that’s their graph—will the Premier commit to showing a new document that shows hydro rates actually going down?

This fair hydro plan is a borrowing plan: It kicks the can down the road. It does nothing on reining in executive salaries. It does nothing on these bad contracts. It does nothing on the water power we’re spilling every day. It does nothing on the hydro we’re giving for free to Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. It’s not a plan; it’s a re-election gimmick.

When will the Premier actually show us a hydro plan with hydro rates going down?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I’m very pleased to rise to show the official opposition leader a plan on how to reduce rates, if passed, by 25%. I know he doesn’t have a plan, so what they want to do is stand up and complain. But, you know what, Mr. Speaker? We made sure that we looked after families, farms—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We looked after families, farms and 500,000 small businesses right across the province. Again, it just shows that the party opposite has no idea what to do on the energy file and has no plan, because all they have to do is to look at the 2010 long-term energy plan and the 2013 long-term energy plan. You know what? We have a plan coming forward in 2017 that will continue to show that prices will continue to be lower, unlike that party—no idea on how to work for electricity—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. New question.

Hydro rates / Tarifs d’électricité

Mr. Patrick Brown: My question is for the Premier. The government has a fictional 25% band-aid solution. Their hydro scheme doesn’t help struggling families; it’s all about helping a party with struggling polling numbers.

Now, the reality is that under this leaked cabinet document, it says very clearly that because of their hydro plan, there will be a temporary 25% decrease, but it will be matched—now this is as reported in the CBC, from the Liberal cabinet document—by a 61% increase after the next election. So get a temporary decrease and then it skyrockets 61%. People can’t afford their hydro bills right now in Ontario and they put forward a plan that’s going to have hydro rates go up 61%?

Mr. Speaker, it’s unbelievable. When will this Premier actually act on solving the structural problems at hydro?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: It is not to be believed because the Leader of the Opposition is using a document that was given to the CBC but is out of date. It was not the document on which the plan was built.

Let’s just deal in the facts.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: The facts are, Mr. Speaker, that the document that the Leader of the Opposition is referencing is not the document on which our plan was built. Our plan will reduce people’s bills across the province by 25%. We were very, very clear that we were asking right now—this generation—to pay costs of investments that have been made in our electricity system to upgrade it because it had been neglected, and that those costs needed to be spread over a longer period of time. That’s what we’re doing. That’s how people will receive a reduction.

We talked about this plan for some time. We came up with it and it will reduce people’s bills by 25%.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Patrick Brown: Again to the Premier: The government simply can’t come clean. There is a recent Liberal cabinet document—I realize they’re frustrated that there are now whistle-blowers exposing this government, but their numbers do not add up. Their plan doesn’t help Ontarians. It’s a temporary decrease for a massive increase. Even the Minister of Energy said the fair hydro plan “will cost more and it will take us longer to pay off.” Thank you for that assessment.

But the reality is, how much more is it going to cost Ontarians? Because every time this government touches hydro, they make it worse. And with projections of it going up 61%, that gives Ontarians a heart attack.

They say this document is outdated because it is a few weeks or a few months old. My question is this: If you’re saying that graph is not accurate, will you release the most recent graph, and show Ontarians that you don’t have a plan to skyrocket hydro rates?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I know the leader of the official opposition is having a very hard time understanding how a plan works and how a plan evolves because they don’t build plans. They wait for a magic weekend in November to actually devise plans for the entire province.

On this side of the House, we’ve been working hard for the last six months on making sure that we can deliver real relief for families in this province, and in the short term they will see a 25% reduction, if this bill passes, on average.

As we move past, for the next four years we are holding these costs to inflation to make sure that families have predictability—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Leeds–Grenville, second time.

Finish, please.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I was saying, we’re holding it to the cost of inflation for the next four years. After that, we will continue to find ways to pull costs out of the system to ensure that we can keep rates as low as possible.

I know they’re waiting for their magic weekend to make things magically appear. We’re acting now, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Final supplementary?

M. Patrick Brown: Encore à la première ministre : encore une fois, les gens méritent de savoir la vérité. Si le document qui a été écoulé n’est pas exact, quels sont les vrais chiffres? Comment vite est-ce que les frais vont augmenter? Combien de plus est-ce que les familles vont payer?

L’hon. Glenn Thibeault: Le gouvernement ici travaille fort pour réduire les prix pour les gens en Ontario de 25 %. Pour le gouvernement maintenant, c’est très important à changer, parce que le parti opposé n’a pas changé une fois—pas une fois—pour tous les gens dans la province.

But this government, we’re making sure we’re acting and we’re bringing forward legislation that, if passed, will make sure that we see a 25% reduction.

Mais toute l’opposition oublie les gens dans la province du milieu rural.

Some 800,000 rural families will see reductions between 40% to 50%. There’s absolutely no idea on how to deal with that on that side of the House. We’re acting, making sure we’re addressing all of them.

Hydro rates

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is to the Premier. Thanks to documents leaked by a whistle-blower last week, we now know for sure that hydro rates will soar as a result of the Liberal government’s hydro scheme. And what’s worse is that these documents prove that the Premier knows it too.

Can the Premier explain why she is so clearly putting her desire to get re-elected ahead of the well-being of Ontarians?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Again, the document to which the leader of the third party refers is a document that—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. The member from Glengarry–Prescott–Russell, second time. If it happens again, I’ll name him.

Carry on.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: —is a document that was not used to establish our plan.

In the development of a plan, there are many options that are put forward. There’s modelling that is done. Our plan was built to reduce people’s bills by 25% across the province and to keep those bills down in the immediate term. In the mid-term and in the long term, we will develop a long-term energy plan that will continue to take costs out of the system.

Our fair hydro plan was designed to meet the needs of residents across this province. They’re already seeing those initial reductions. By summer, they will see a 25% reduction.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: This is the height of arrogance. Ontario families who are struggling under the crushing weight of the damage that this Premier has done to our hydro system are frustrated, and rightfully so. For two months, the Premier bragged about her hydro plan, not once telling Ontarians that it will actually make their bills go up.

How can this Premier justify this disgusting betrayal of Ontarians?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: We’ve been saying all along that we had to clean up our electricity system. One of the things that we did was remove coal. We talked to many families, and in one family in particular there was a young man named Matthew. We talk about crushing weight: This young man had asthma so bad, he couldn’t go outside and play. Because of the investments that we made, that this government made by eliminating coal, he hasn’t had to visit the hospital in one year. That is a very positive thing.

When you think about the investments that we’ve made, we know they came with a cost. What we’ve done is we’ve brought forward a plan. We worked with stakeholders, we worked with the community, we worked with everyone involved in this sector to come up with a plan to reduce bills by 25% on average, if we can get this legislation passed.

We want to see this relief for families as soon as possible. We want to ensure that we help families—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Nepean–Carleton, come to order.

Final supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The Premier has prioritized her party and her high-powered friends at every opportunity. She has sold the majority stake in Hydro One against the wishes of 80% of Ontario families, and her borrowing scheme will end up costing these same families more on their already skyrocketing hydro bills.

But do you know who benefits, Speaker? Bay Street bankers and Liberal insiders. That’s who benefits from 14 years of Liberal government in the province of Ontario. When will this Premier do her job and look out for regular Ontario families instead of those who are already at the top?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Because of the Ontario fair hydro plan, if it passes, 25% on average will be the reduction for every family in this province; 800,000 families in rural Ontario and in northern Ontario will see a 40% to 50% reduction; and low-income individuals and First Nations individuals will see significant relief, if this legislation passes.

I know they can only add a very small line on the last page of their 13-page document, but we’re making sure that we’re bringing an additional 50% on the Ontario Electricity Support Program for the most vulnerable.

I know, Mr. Speaker, that they don’t like seeing infrastructure and jobs being created in this province, but that’s what we’re doing. When we make $2.8 billion on the sale of Hydro One, surpassing our goal of $9 billion, we’re creating jobs, we’re making sure that we’re building our province up and, at the same time, reducing electricity rates.

Hydro rates

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier. The leaked documents show that hydro bills in Ontario will rise by over 50%, if the Premier’s borrowing scheme is passed into law. Given that this plan will actually increase people’s hydro bills and given that the Premier is not disclosing all the facts, we have called on an independent review of the legislation by the Financial Accountability Officer for the province of Ontario.

Will this Premier co-operate with the FAO so that the public has the full truth, the unbiased facts, about her $40-billion borrowing scheme?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: We have, and we always will, work with the Financial Accountability Officer, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we have a very good working relationship and have expanded his authority recently. We will, of course, work with the Financial Accountability Officer.

But the plan that we brought forward, which is not based on the document that the leader of the third party is talking about—that document was part of the development of the plan, but it was not used in the final analysis of the plan that we brought forward. Our plan is designed to reduce people’s electricity bills, because we had to make investments in the electricity system in this province. The fact is that the shutting down of the coal-fired plants, the rebuilding of lines across the province—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order. Premier.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: —the development of clean renewable electricity in this province has meant that there was a cost associated with that. We are spreading that cost out over a longer period of time, making structural changes to reduce people’s electricity bills.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, we asked the Premier months ago—in fact two months ago today—not to ram this bill through the House. Bringing this bill in at the last minute, especially now that we know how much damage it’s going to do to Ontario families, is absolutely undemocratic. Shutting down the public’s right to review this bill is not how a government with integrity should work.

Will this Premier at least allow the FAO to conduct his assessment on the long-term impact of this borrowing scheme and direct her minister to release all documents—every single document—that they relied on to put this scheme together, to the FAO—and do it immediately?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: As the Premier said, we welcome and encourage the FAO to review our fair hydro plan. The FAO already received a full technical briefing last month, and we’ve responded to all follow-up requests for information. Remember, Mr. Speaker, that it was this government that created the FAO, and we expanded its authority and oversight again last fall.

But what’s disappointing is that the NDP knows all of this, and yet, they try to distract from the legislation we have tabled. We’ve been clear all along: Our plan is spreading out the costs over time and over our system, but it will reduce the burden on ratepayers today and it will share costs more evenly with future generations, who will also benefit from our investment. But the NDP doesn’t seem to want to provide relief to ratepayers. They don’t support our plan to reduce bills by 25%, if passed, and they have no credible ideas to replace it.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Final supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: This is nothing more than a new gas plant scandal, except that this time, it’s going to cost families 40 times more than the $1 billion it cost them for the Liberals to buy that election. Everything seems to go up under the Liberals, Speaker—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’m going to ask the member to withdraw.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Withdraw, Speaker.

Everything seems to go up under this Liberal government, including the cost of an election.

How can the Premier ram this legislation through this House without sufficient time for debate, public input, and without an assessment from the FAO?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Let’s talk about what’s been going up. Highways and bridges have been built and are being created, creating jobs, thanks to the Minister of Economic Development and the work by this Premier—going up, Mr. Speaker. We’re making sure that schools are going up. Hospitals, programs that go in those hospitals: going up. Thanks to the leadership of this Premier and this government, our province is being built up right across this province.

You know what’s going down, Mr. Speaker? If we get this legislation passed, 25% of everyone’s hydro bills across this province; 800,000 families will see a 40% to 50% reduction in their hydro bills. And for our low-income individuals: a 50% reduction when they actually get on to the OESP program.

Let’s not forget that our First Nations individuals are going to see their delivery charge eliminated. But it’s quite upsetting that either opposition party doesn’t think that it’s important enough to vote on, Mr. Speaker.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please. Thank you.

New question.

Hydro rates

Mr. Todd Smith: My question this morning is for the Minister of Energy. To the minister, Speaker: At what point was the minister going to inform the people of Ontario that he was bringing back the debt retirement charge at four times the cost that it was when it was removed from bills last time?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I believe the opposition member knows that the debt retirement charge comes from when the original Ontario Hydro corporation was dismantled, and then the hidden debt—we had to find a way to pay for that, Mr. Speaker. I know that’s something that his party was involved in, and I know that’s something that he probably is well aware of.

But when it comes to making sure that he’s looking at the fair hydro plan, I hope he can get an understanding of how to do a plan, because I know they have this magic weekend planned in November where they think they can come up with a plan. So one of the things that will happen—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Nepean–Carleton, second time.

Finish. Wrap up, please.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I was talking about the weekend. When you do a plan, Mr. Speaker, you just don’t go with the first one that you get. What you should be doing is reviewing it and making it better and better. Hopefully they can use that advice—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Supplementary?

Mr. Todd Smith: Speaker, the minister didn’t answer the question yet again, but what he’s doing is bringing back the debt retirement charge. It’s going to be $22 a month, which is four to five times larger than the old debt retirement charge, only he’s calling it something else. He can call it whatever he wants, but it’s going to be a big hit on the pocketbooks of the people of Ontario, particularly electricity customers.

The fact is it’s not just going to pay for energy costs, though, Speaker. The minister gets pretty wide latitude in his bill to include whatever he deems necessary in this new charge. How much of the new debt retirement charge will be going to pay interest or fees and commissions to bankers and bond traders as part of the government’s latest debt retirement charge on steroids?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I know that they can project without actually doing any work, or have any plan into that, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been working with the system operator, with the Ontario Energy Board, with all of our utilities right across the province.

Let’s talk about the 2017 long-term energy plan that actually projects where our costs are going to go. The 2010 long-term energy plan predicted that costs today should be $178. We took costs out of the system, Mr. Speaker: $3.5 billion from renewing the Samsung agreement. Then the 2013 long-term energy plan—its average was $170 today—pulled more costs out of the system. The average today is 156 bucks.

When we get this plan passed through this House—if we can pass it with their support—we will see an additional 25% reduction coming, making sure that costs are low for the next four years and continue moving forward into the future.

Hydro rates

Mr. Peter Tabuns: To the Premier: Thanks to the Premier and her privatization of hydro, people’s hydro bills are already sky-high. Now we learn that the Premier plans to ram through legislation that will drive them even higher. Families are struggling. Businesses are struggling.

Why doesn’t the Premier get that people can’t take any more of her hydro hikes?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I know I’ve talked about this in the past, but the criticism of the NDP’s obsession with Hydro One doesn’t just seem to revolve around that side. Tim Kiladze of the Globe and Mail calls the belief that ownership of utilities in Ontario affects rates one of the biggest misconceptions about electricity. Martin Regg Cohn agrees, writing “Hydro One can only charge what the OEB deems reasonable.”

Obviously, they don’t get how rates work, Mr. Speaker. The Ontario Energy Board will set the rates, not Hydro One. When we’re looking at a plan that is reducing rates by 25%, the only thing that they had, when talking about a 5% reduction, was a conversation with the federal government. Well, I believe, they’re sending the member from Bramalea–Gore–Malton to actually have that conversation there tonight. Maybe he can start having that, and add something to their plan.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Again to the Premier: What the minister was talking about, this borrowing scheme, is a $40-billion plan to avoid the Liberals losing the next election. That’s why that $40 billion is being spent. It will make life harder for families and businesses that are suffering under already sky-high hydro rates.

Is the Premier so desperate to win that she plans to pass this bill at the last minute, knowing that it will end up costing Ontarians more on their hydro bills?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I know the honourable member is talking about our plan and the costs that are projected out to 2027. Well, that means that we’ll be in government by then, Mr. Speaker, for 24 years, making sure that we can continue to find ways to pull costs out of the system. We’ve done that over and over again on a consistent basis. We have found ways to pull out $3.5 billion by renegotiating the Samsung agreement, taking $1 billion out of the FIT price contract. We also suspended the LRP II contract, which also reduced billions of dollars from the system.

So when looking at what we’re doing as a government, we continue to find ways to reduce costs out of the system and, if passed, a 25% reduction is coming for all families, small businesses and farms in this province—once we can get this legislation passed through this House.

Disaster relief

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs. Across eastern and central Ontario, communities, families and municipalities are working to repair the damage caused by recent flooding. It is clearly a very difficult situation, and I know that the thoughts of every member of this House are with them.

Last week, I was able to join the Premier, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the member from Glengarry–Prescott–Russell in Cumberland as they visited communities along the Ottawa River, and I know that the minister was in Minden Hills and saw these efforts first-hand.

Many of our MPPs have been working with their constituents to ensure they’re getting the help that they need. I know the member from Ottawa Centre was in the Westboro Beach area. I saw the member from Nepean–Carleton at Constance Bay, bagging sand.

Could the minister please elaborate on our government’s efforts to respond to these flooding events?

Hon. Bill Mauro: I want to thank the member for the question, and I want to thank our first responders, our municipal leaders, residents and volunteers for their efforts in response to this crisis.

On Friday, May 5, ministry staff reached out to all eastern and central municipalities to ensure they had a point of contact with us and had information about our relief programs. The Premier, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and I have seen the hard work people are doing locally to respond to the floods. I know a number of MPPs, including the member for Ottawa South, have been on the ground working with constituents, as well.

Speaker, we want to assure and reassure residents that we’re working closely with our municipal partners to activate the program where it will be needed. Last Friday, I activated the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians Program for areas in central and eastern Ontario, including areas along the Ottawa River, Renfrew county and Minden Hills, where I met with Mayor Devolin and council and staff. I look forward to providing a bit more detail in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: Thank you to the minister for his answer. I understand that the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians Program, or the DRAO Program, is a new program which was introduced in 2015 to be faster and more responsive to the needs of people in the province. It helps victims of natural disasters get back on their feet by offering financial assistance for emergency expenses and for repairing or replacing essential property.

The program is activated when a sudden and unexpected natural disaster causes costly and widespread damage. It has been activated in the areas that you mention, Minister, and residents can apply to receive assistance through this program. But for the members of this House and for those watching who have experienced some flooding damage, would the minister elaborate on how the DRAO Program works?

Hon. Bill Mauro: Again, thanks to the member. I want to note that there are still a number of areas under assessment by staff. When those assessments are completed, a recommendation will be made to me about whether or not to activate the program in additional areas.

The DRAO is a new program introduced in 2015, designed after much consultation. No fundraising, Speaker—a major change in the new program—no fundraising is required on the ground. The program can now be activated much quicker—within days or weeks—as opposed to a number of months, which sometimes could have been the case under the previous program; great advancements on the program.

This is a program, Speaker, I will reiterate, that’s not a replacement for insurance. It provides financial assistance for essential property in a resident’s primary home. Some things like cottages or finished basements are generally not covered, but essentials are. We’re there on the ground trying to provide help for people.

I encourage anyone who has experienced flooding to take photos of the damage and keep receipts and records of any communication with your broker. Go online if you’re unsure. Feel free to call in. We’re there to help.

Ontario budget

Mr. Victor Fedeli: My question is for the Premier. Just before noon today, the government will call for a vote on the budget bill, even though most of the members on our side haven’t spoken to this bill yet. In fact, only three of us have given a speech on it.

If this bill passes, it will be sent to committee at 1 o’clock today. There will be less than one hour’s notice to the public to scramble here to Queen’s Park and make a presentation on this budget. They can’t come tomorrow, Speaker; it’s all over at 7 o’clock tonight. That’s what this government calls being open and transparent: one hour’s notice; in and out in the same day.

I ask the Premier: Why is this debate about your budget 24 days shorter than normal budgets?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Government House leader.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I appreciate the question the member is asking, given the fact that it’s his party and his caucus who have been delaying the work of this assembly in dealing with a very important bill.

This is a piece of legislation that will, if passed, provide historic investments in our health care system and create the OHIP+ pharmacare program—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Leeds–Grenville is warned.

Carry on.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: This bill, if passed, will create the OHIP+ pharmacare program, providing children and youth with free access to over 4,400 prescription medications. I have not yet once heard from members opposite as to what their plan is going to be when it comes to providing universal pharmacare for our children and youth.

The party opposite is only interested in one thing and one thing only, and that is to delay the passage of this important bill.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Back to the Premier: The government doesn’t want the people of Ontario to have a chance to discuss this budget. This fits right in with what the Financial Accountability Officer said. He told us that there’s a “broader pattern” of secrecy, and it’s all because of political direction. He went so far as to say, “It is highly disappointing that instead of looking to maximize the information” provided, “the government is focusing on how it can restrict disclosure of information.” He finishes with, “They are impeding the ability of MPPs to perform their constitutional duties of holding the government to account.”

I ask the Premier: Why the rush? Why don’t you want us to see what’s in this budget? What are you hiding?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Be seated, please.

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: Mr. Speaker, let me be really, really clear as to what’s going on here. We are working with the Financial Accountability Officer. He has been given much more power in order to initiate his recommendations. We work closely with him, contrary to what the member is saying.

And contrary to what the member is saying, they are now providing delay tactics to one of the most progressive budgets in history, one that is a balanced budget in our economy, one that provides for the people of Ontario, one that is providing medicines for our young people, with free tuition coming this fall, and enabling our economy to grow. They are opposing the people of Ontario.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. Be seated, please.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

New question?

Hydro rates

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Premier. Last month, more than 100 people attended a hydro town hall in my riding of London West. They shared the anxiety they felt every time they open their hydro bills. They shared their fears for the future of their children and grandchildren because of the $40-billion hydro debt the Liberals are passing along.

Many at the town hall, like Steve Everett and his wife, were seniors living on fixed incomes, who have been hit hard by soaring hydro bills. Since the Everetts’ rent doesn’t include electricity, they are doing everything they possibly can to cut back their usage. They do their laundry off-peak and only turn the lights on when absolutely necessary. Over the winter, they even shut off their electric heat, using blankets and a ceramic heater instead, and dressing in layers to keep warm, but still they faced hydro bills of $200 a month on top of their $800 monthly rent.

Speaker, why is the Premier planning to implement a scheme that will jack up hydro rates even higher than they are now?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I hope that the member, in her town hall, had the opportunity to tell this family particularly about the fact that they will see their electricity bill come down by, on average, 25% if the legislation passes. I hope that she also had the opportunity to make sure that they are signed up for the Ontario Electricity Support Program, so that they would be able to benefit from a further reduction.

I hope that the member also made it clear that we are moving to put rent control in place. I don’t know what date the building that they live in was built, but I hope that she assured the group that we are moving to put rent control in place for all private rentals across the province. I hope she made sure that they got all of that information at the town hall.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Again to the Premier: It’s not only renters who are being affected by the Liberal government’s hydro fiasco; London homeowners are also starting to worry that they will lose their homes. Kurt and Phyllis Gopaul from London are seniors who live on fixed monthly incomes of $1,475. Their hydro and gas bills are eating up more than $400 a month, almost one third of their monthly income. They applied for the OESP, but they were told they don’t qualify. They are worried that skyrocketing energy bills will make it impossible for them to afford their bills, and force them to have to give up their home.

Instead of a $40-billion borrowing scheme that will cause hydro bills to soar, will the Premier listen to the concerns raised by Londoners? Will she reverse the privatization of Hydro One and bring down hydro rates once and for all?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: A few things in relation to the honourable member’s question: If passed, the Ontario fair hydro plan will reduce that senior couple’s bill by 25%. One of the other things that the Ontario fair hydro plan did is that it enhanced the Ontario Electricity Support Program, so more people can qualify for that program. Right now, 192,000 families qualify for this program. We want more families on this, specifically seniors. They can see another $580 reduced on top of their bill when it comes to the 25%. That’s significant when you put those two together.

When you’re looking at making sure that this relief is sustainable for the next four years, that relief is staying at the cost of inflation, and we will ensure it stays as low as possible moving forward.

Employment standards

Ms. Daiene Vernile: My question is for the Minister of Labour. We continue to hear more and more about precarious work and the nature of changing jobs in Ontario. In today’s workplace, people are no longer working 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, with weekends off. It’s common for people to be self-employed or have part-time work or temporary work. As a government, we need to make certain that we’re doing all we can to provide support for these changing conditions.

I can tell you that in my riding of Kitchener Centre, I heard that kind of feedback at a recent forum where we gathered to discuss the issue of poverty. Businesses and workers want our laws to reflect the realities of our modern economy.

When the minister announced the Changing Workplaces Review, it was very encouraging to hear that we’re taking this issue very seriously. Could the minister please tell us more on the Changing Workplaces Review?

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Thank you to the member for the question. I’m really happy to stand in the House today to speak on this really important issue, because we all know that the world of work is changing. We’re facing the challenges that it presents head on by doing the Changing Workplaces Review.

We started this important conversation over two years ago. We’ve talked to poverty advocates, organized labour and business. We’ve talked to hard-working people in Ontario. What we found is that precarious work is on the rise, and we need to address it. Fundamental changes are needed. We want to reward those successful employers in Ontario who are committed to fair, productive and respectful workplaces by levelling the playing field so that certain employers can no longer get ahead simply by taking advantage of vulnerable workers.

The advisers have submitted their final report and recommendations. I’m considering them. I look forward to sharing them very, very soon.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Daiene Vernile: I want to thank the minister for his answer. I know that we’re all looking forward to that report. As the minister said before, the Changing Workplaces Review is a very important opportunity to make certain that we provide protection for workers and that we help businesses in our province to prosper.

When you look at the overarching stats, there’s lots to be proud of. We have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. Our growth here in Ontario is outstripping all G7 nations.

But not everyone is sharing in the benefits of our current strong economy. Action is needed to see that no one is left behind. In my riding of Kitchener Centre, people are working hard each and every day, and we’re looking forward to how the Changing Workplaces Review is going to make everyday lives that much better. Could the minister please tell us more on what we can expect to see in the upcoming release of this report?

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Thank you to the member for that question again. I also want to thank her for her own involvement in this and the interest in this important review that she has shown.

What’s clear to me and to the government after reading the report is responsible change—if we make the right decisions here, we can ensure that every hard-working Ontarian has a chance to reach their full potential, and that’s what we need. The majority of employers in Ontario treat their employees well, but there’s still a growing number of hard-working Ontarians whose rights are being violated. That tradition of decency that has been the hallmark of Ontario workplaces I think is being eroded at the expense of those good Ontario employers who play by the rules and understand the value of respect and dignity.

That needs to change. No person in Ontario should be made to feel unappreciated or undervalued. No one should ever feel like they can’t get ahead. We aim to change that.

Climate change

Mr. Ted Arnott: Our next question is for the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. We all know that life just keeps getting harder for the people of Ontario under this Liberal government, and we all know of their reputation for scandal, waste and mismanagement, but now we learn that they’re setting up the Ontario Climate Change Solutions Deployment Corp. How is this new agency not redundant? How much is it going to cost to administer? Does it overlap with other existing ministry functions and programs? Why do we need it? Will the minister commit to this House that this new agency will not be become just another Liberal slush fund?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I always find it entertaining getting questions from the party that managed to double hydro rates.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Simcoe–Grey, it’s time.

Carry on.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: They managed to double hydro rates in one summer in—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All right, we’ll play that game. The member from Kitchener–Conestoga, come to order.

Carry on.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s very kind. They managed to double hydro rates in one summer. Talking to us about costs is a little amusing.

The green Ontario corporation operates very much like its counterpart in Quebec, which has been hugely successful. It will deploy billions of dollars into home heating retrofits, reducing the energy and heating costs of Ontarians and cutting the costs to businesses. In the supplementary, I can already give you a list of people who are doing that. It works very much on the model of OCWA as a very highly—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, come to order.

You have one wrap-up sentence, please.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: It will continue in that tradition, Mr. Speaker. There are many good models around the world. It’s a much more efficient system for delivering programs.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary? The member from Perth–Wellington.

Mr. Randy Pettapiece: Let the minister be further amused, then.

The government wants to stuff the board of directors of this climate change agency with green energy insiders and lobbyists. Of course, under the Liberals’ terrible long-term hydro contracts, many green energy firms have already cashed in big-time. The result? Amongst the highest hydro rates in North America. Now they’re appointing insiders and lobbyists to spend cap-and-trade tax money on Liberal vanity projects instead of putting the money back in the pockets of hard-working Ontarians.

We need the minister’s personal guarantee. Will he tell us that his green energy friends will see no personal or commercial benefits from this boondoggle in the making?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: Oh, Mr. Speaker, this is so very simple. People go and retrofit their homes. When they retrofit their homes, they buy a high-efficiency furnace or a geothermal system, and this corporation gives them a grant to help with the cost of that. This corporation helps them sort out what is the most—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Lanark, come to order.

Finish, please.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think you and I are having a good aerobic workout this morning.

The opposition in lieu of this would cut $8 billion of subsidies to Ontario families and businesses to help them reduce GHGs, and they would increase the cost of carbon reduction per tonne by 400%.

Hydro rates

Mr. John Vanthof: My question is to the Premier. The upcoming May 24 weekend, otherwise known as the May Run weekend, is a rite of passage in northern Ontario. Camping is a big part of our culture in the north. There are many beautiful places, but one of the most beautiful places is the River Valley park, close to River Valley.

Tony deBoer and his family have owned and operated this park for years, but they are being squeezed by hydro costs. This year, for the same amount of power, their costs went up by $2,400.

Why has this government ignored the plight of struggling small businesses like Tony’s in River Valley Park?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Not knowing the specifics of the small business that the honourable member is talking about, the one good news item that I can say to him is to tell those constituents that the Ontario fair hydro plan, if passed, will bring forward a 25% reduction for all 500,000 small businesses right across our province.

Then, of course, there are folks who live in the rural or remote parts of northern Ontario—and he is right: The River Valley area and throughout northeastern Ontario are beautiful parts of our province. These families are going to see a 40% to 50% reduction on their electricity bills.

That’s all thanks to us bringing forward the RRRP, the rural or remote rate protection plan. We’ve increased that. We’ve increased that from $20 to $60 to $135 on average for a Hydro One R2 customer. That is significant relief on top of the 25% reduction.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. John Vanthof: Again to the Premier: River Valley park is a place where northern families have come for years to relax and enjoy nature, and they’re also struggling to pay their own hydro bills. I guess the question they all want to ask is: How much is their power going to go up after the “fix” for the next election? How much is it going to go up after—after—the four years? How much is their power going up? You should know, Minister. How much is their power going up?

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Well, it’s going down by 25% if we can get the opposition to actually vote in favour of this.

Those families that are in his area—I know that the Minister of Agriculture was just up there talking about some great work that we’re doing. In talks about agriculture in that part of our great province, they were talking about the 40% to 50% reduction that they’re going to see on top of that.

We’ve got the 2017 long-term energy plan that is going to come out in the very near future, projecting where energy costs and electricity costs are going to go. But, rest assured, we are going to continue to do everything we can to pull costs out of the system. We’ve got market renewal happening; we’ve got market reform; we’ve got a capacity option. All of these things, all of these items, will continue to take costs out of the system because we have a plan that will work for all families, no matter where they live in our great province.

Transportation infrastructure

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn: My question is for the Minister of Transportation. In June 2014, when Ontarians elected our government, they gave us a clear mandate: to deliver on infrastructure projects that Ontarians are both depending on and deserve. From hospitals to transit, we’re fully committed to doing just that, and, as our balanced 2017 budget demonstrates, we’re reinforcing that commitment.

I know that many of our infrastructure projects are complex and often require solutions that are both creative and prudent to get the job done. To that effect, I am aware that the minister made an announcement recently about how to ensure that critical projects are going to be delivered on time. Would the minister please elaborate on what exactly that plan is and why it’s so important?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I want to begin by thanking the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore for his question. As minister, I take my job to create an integrated transit network for this region very seriously because I understand that the people of the greater Toronto and Hamilton area rely on a transportation network that works for them and for their families.

Projects like the Eglinton Crosstown, a $5.3-billion project, the single largest public transit project in Ontario’s history, will transform the way the people of this region literally move themselves and their loved ones around the region.

On Friday I announced Metrolinx’s strong plan to ensure that we deliver successfully on the Eglinton Crosstown, as promised, by 2021. Our plan means purchasing 61 light rail vehicles from Alstom Canada, a company that is already making and delivering quality 100% low-floor vehicles for the Ottawa LRT. Seventeen of the vehicles from this contract will be used on the Finch West LRT, another critical transit project which will be in service in December 2021.

I look forward to providing more details in the follow-up.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn: I want to thank the minister for that answer. I’m pleased to hear that Metrolinx has a strong plan in place to make sure we deliver on our transit commitments. I know that in my riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore the Kipling Mobility Hub, which the minister announced just last month, is one example of a project that’s moving forward and will transform my community. It’s absolutely critical that this project and others open on time.

I’ve heard some questions since the minister made his announcement on Friday, and those questions are: Why now and why Alstom? They want to make sure that Ontarians are getting the best deal for these vehicles and that they can depend on Alstom to deliver. So, Speaker, through you to the minister: Can the minister please provide some clarity on why Metrolinx is taking this step now, and how they will ensure that Alstom delivers?

Hon. Steven Del Duca: I thank the member for the follow-up question. They are valid concerns, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to follow up.

Regardless of the outcome of what’s known as the dispute resolution process with Bombardier, a process that we know could take up to one year, our agreement with Alstom will help to ensure that we have vehicles ready in time for the crosstown, which, I mentioned, will enter into service in 2021. If Bombardier is found not to be in default of the contract and can successfully deliver, these vehicles—the vehicles that we purchased from Alstom—will still be used; however, they’ll be used on the Hurontario LRT in Mississauga and southern Brampton. This is both a responsible and creative solution that puts Ontarians first, both commuters and taxpayers.

As I said in my previous answer, we already know that Alstom can deliver a quality vehicle on time because it’s exactly what they’re doing for the Ottawa LRT. We truly believe that this is a path forward that provides both Metrolinx and the people of this region with the assurance that critical transit will be delivered on time, as our Premier and our government have promised.

Protection of privacy

Mr. Jeff Yurek: My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. I’ve received information about additional breaches of confidential health information, this time from the Markham region. A concerned father reached out to my office to inform me that, upon receiving his children’s health card renewal forms, he noticed something terribly wrong. A father of twins, a boy and a girl, recently received their health card renewals. The girl’s information was right; the boy’s information contained the wrong name, address, date of birth and health card number—obviously from another child in this province.

This problem is widespread and serious. When front-line workers breach the confidentiality of private records, they face either fines or loss of employment. Would the minister tell the House how many people have lost their jobs over this confidentiality breach?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: To the Minister of Government and Consumer Services.

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: I was deeply concerned to learn about this privacy breach because I take the privacy of Ontarians’ information very, very seriously. Unfortunately, some Ontario residents may have received notices containing information about another person’s privacy information. It is very important to note, though, that the health card version code was not provided on the form that was sent out. That information, the health card version code, is essential to accessing OHIP services.

I’ve been working very actively with ServiceOntario to get to the bottom of this. Actions are being taken to fix this issue and resume the mailing of renewal notices as soon as possible. Of course, the privacy commissioner was informed, letters have been sent out to families, and many corrected forms have since been returned.

I will add more in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jeff Yurek: Back to the minister: This breach of confidential health information seems to not be a priority for this government, obviously, when the Minister of Health won’t even respond to the question.

This government has brought forth Bill 119, Bill 41 and now Bill 87 to give this government more access to Ontarians’ personal health information. How can Ontarians trust this government to keep this information confidential when it can’t even get the basics right?

Ontarians have lost confidence that this government has the ability to protect private information. Will the minister himself take personal responsibility for this breach of privacy?

Hon. Tracy MacCharles: I want to assure the member opposite that both the Minister of Health and I take this very seriously. It’s important to note that this is a printing error that occurred—a printing error in a batch of 50,000 renewal notices that go out every week, in the context of over 51 million transactions that go out from ServiceOntario every year.

I do take it seriously. We have set up a 1-800 line for families who wish to get more information. It’s important to note, again, that the health card version code was not included in these mail-outs the member is asking about, and that is critical to getting health care services.

We’ve had some inquiries back, and I’ve shared information with members opposite who have had queries from their constituents. We’re here to provide information to any MPP who requires further information in this regard.

Hydro rates

Mr. Wayne Gates: My question is to the Premier. Recently, I met with a group of seniors about their outrageously high hydro bills. They work hard to conserve energy, but their bills keep going up. They are worried that privatization will drive up their bills even further. Like 80% of Ontarians, they want the government to immediately stop the sell-off of Hydro One. However, this scheme will mean skyrocketing hydro bills after the next election.

Maybe someone will leak the PC Party plan for hydro, although we know they promised to privatize it last time.

My question to the Premier: Why has she ignored these seniors and millions of Ontarians and sold off the public’s majority ownership of Hydro One?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Energy.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: I once again thank the honourable member for his question. Let’s be clear: The broadening of ownership of Hydro One will not reduce one single cent off anyone’s bills in this province. But do you know what will reduce people’s bills by 25%, if we can get this passed? It’s the fair hydro plan.

He is right. I do agree with the member from the third party. They have a plan, Mr. Speaker. We disagree with it. We don’t think it actually does anything near what we should be doing for families across the province. But it makes you wonder why the official opposition can’t come up with a plan to talk about what they would do to help Ontarians. They’ve got to wait for a magic weekend in November.

The people of Ontario can’t wait for the PCs to come up with a plan. That’s why we’re acting now for Ontario families, by bringing forward a plan that will reduce rates by 25%, if passed.

Deferred Votes

Stronger, Healthier Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017 / Loi de 2017 pour un Ontario plus fort et en meilleure santé (mesures budgétaires)

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

Bill 127,

An Act to implement Budget measures and to enact, amend and repeal various statutes / Projet de loi 127, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre les mesures budgétaires et à édicter, à modifier ou à abroger diverses lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1156 to 1201.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All members please take your seats.

On May 3, 2017, Ms. Jaczek moved second reading of Bill 127. All those in favour, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Chan, Michael

Chiarelli, Bob

Colle, Mike

Coteau, Michael

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Del Duca, Steven

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

Hoggarth, Ann

Hoskins, Eric

Hunter, Mitzie

Jaczek, Helena

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sandals, Liz

Sousa, Charles

Takhar, Harinder S.

Thibeault, Glenn

Vernile, Daiene

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bisson, Gilles

Brown, Patrick

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Coe, Lorne

Fedeli, Victor

Fife, Catherine

Forster, Cindy

Gates, Wayne

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Michael

Hatfield, Percy

Hillier, Randy

Jones, Sylvia

MacLaren, Jack

MacLeod, Lisa

Mantha, Michael

Martow, Gila

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Paul

Munro, Julia

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Sattler, Peggy

Scott, Laurie

Smith, Todd

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 53; the nays are 40.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Second reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Pursuant to the order of the House dated May 11, 2017, the bill is referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

There being no further deferred votes, this House stands recessed until 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The House recessed from 1204 to 1300.

Withdrawal of Bill 83

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The government House leader has given me notice of his intention to raise a point of privilege with respect to the withdrawal last week, with unanimous consent of the House, of Bill 83 by its sponsor, the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry.

I am prepared to rule on this matter without hearing further from the government House leader or anyone else, as standing order 21(

d) permits me to do.

The government House leader states that the member sought to withdraw his bill as a result of having been subject to pressure to do so. The House leader indicates that one of his staff witnessed a meeting among the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry and others during which, the staffer speculates, this pressure was asserted.

First, let me emphasize the speculative nature of the assertion that is made. No recounting of events or discussions is made by a first-hand participant of the alleged meeting. It is not a sound policy to proceed to publicly conjecture about the private discussions of another.

Second, in the absence of a complaint from the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry himself that he believes his privileges have been interfered with, then there is no basis for the Speaker to deal further with this matter.

Members’ Statements

Dutch Heritage Month

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: I’m pleased to rise today to celebrate Dutch Heritage Month. I want to recognize the consul general of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Anne van Leeuwen, and all of the people who are here at Queen’s Park for this important occasion.

It is in this month that we recognize the important contributions that Dutch Canadians have made to the economic, political, social and cultural development of Ontario society. May is historically significant for the Dutch Canadian community. Every year on May 5, the Netherlands celebrates Liberation Day. It’s a celebration of freedom and all of those who put their lives on the line to help a nation, freeing them from oppression.

I remember my mother’s stories about liberation. The efforts of those Canadian soldiers are the reason my father later came to Canada and the reason why Canada and the Netherlands have such a strong friendship to this day.

The people of the Netherlands have not forgotten the sacrifices of our soldiers, and neither should we. Though this was not a battle on our home front, the impact that our veterans made must be remembered and celebrated. As Canadians, we must strive to keep the memory of these heroes’ sacrifices alive. We must continue to celebrate Holland’s liberation and take pride in our veterans’ victories and their lives.

As a Dutch Canadian and a person born liberated because of their efforts, I want to say to those veterans: Thank you. We will always be indebted to you and it is because of you that we are celebrating today.

Lyme disease

Mr. Wayne Gates: November 2014 was the first time I rose in this House to speak about Lyme disease in Ontario. Back then, I talked about people with good jobs who were being forced into poverty because they were being forced to pay for their own medical care. In 2014, I believed, as I continue to believe today, no one in Ontario should have to choose between living in poverty and decent health care. We must do better.

I still speak with Amanda Wilson, a resident from Fort Erie, who continues to suffer from Lyme disease. I must say, I’m incredibly proud of her. She fought the disease, and now she organizes to help others who are just like her. But she is one of the people who have lost their livelihood because of this disease.

We cannot let the people of Ontario suffering from Lyme disease continue to feel like they are alone. We need a stronger strategy—one that combines prevention, treatment and education. Ontario is home to some of the most gifted doctors in the world, and we need to equip them with the tools they need to help people suffering from Lyme disease.

It’s been almost three years since I first rose and spoke on the issue of Lyme disease in this House. Today, I say that this government has not done enough. The Premier and her cabinet can do better. They must do better. The people of the province of Ontario are counting on them.

University of Toronto Mississauga

Mr. Harinder S. Takhar: We are very lucky in my riding of Mississauga–Erindale to have the beautiful University of Toronto Mississauga campus, which provides world-class education.

It is interesting to note the university’s growth from just over 6,000 students in 2000 to over 13,500 students today, many of them international students. Furthermore, an economic impact report prepared by KPMG states that the economic contribution of UTM is about $1.3 billion annually to the local and provincial economy.

It is important to highlight some of the investments our government has made to keep the UTM campus expanding and evolving to meet contemporary needs. This includes the eighth major renovation which has happened at UTM over the past decade. The project is an expansion of the north building and is partly funded by our provincial government, which has contributed about $52.5 million. I personally had the privilege of seeing the progress made on a daily basis during my morning walk. Another such project involved UTM’s 63 labs in the William Davis building.

Two labs will be rebuilt with the remainder receiving improvements to the HVAC and electrical systems. This comes partly thanks to $14.3 million invested from the provincial government.

It is inspiring to see that our government remains committed to improving education through infrastructure and technological investment, especially at the gorgeous UTM campus.

Andrew Wilder

Mr. Bill Walker: I rise today to pay tribute to a great constituent who has served our province and his community with distinction: retired Constable Andrew Wilder.

Drew recently retired after 30 years of serving in the Ontario Provincial Police. In addition to his public service, Drew has dedicated many years to service in the community through St. John Ambulance, where he has served as the chair for the Grey Bruce Huron branch. In fact, there are three generations of the Wilder family volunteering for St. John Ambulance in Grey, Bruce and Huron counties. Through his leadership, Drew helped to secure a new training facility for St. John Ambulance in Hanover.

As members are aware, there are 42 St. John Ambulance divisions, from Sault Ste. Marie to Niagara Falls, and some 1,800 volunteers who contribute 175,000 volunteer hours every year.

In addition to Drew’s work with St. John Ambulance, he has also has dedicated many hours volunteering on various other committees, including the boards of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the children’s aid society. He is also a proud supporter of military and all emergency services personnel and initiatives.

In 2012, Drew was the recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, in addition to having been made a member of the Order of Merit for his many notable and exceptional services.

Later this month, Drew will be made an officer in the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem at a ceremony at Queen’s Park. With Drew’s lifelong volunteer efforts, stellar work ethic and integrity, I think there could not have been a better candidate for the order.

I am proud of the work of Drew and all of the volunteers at St. John Ambulance. They’re helping make our communities safer.

I invite the members to join me in extending our heartfelt thanks to Drew Wilder for his dedication and commitment to our province and in wishing him continued success in the future.

Michel Dallaire

M me France Gélinas: J’aimerais inviter toute la communauté à une célébration en hommage à M. Michel Dallaire, qui nous a quittés le 25 avril dernier à l’âge de 60 ans.

Michel Dallaire était à la fois poète, parolier, romancier, nouvelliste et photographe. Il maniait la plume avec un incroyable talent. Il avait le sens du beau et de l’inédit dans ses photographies. Il laisse derrière lui une oeuvre impressionnante et originale, mais aussi le souvenir de collaborations enrichissantes et d’amitiés solides. Sa disparition est une grande perte pour toute la communauté artistique.

On invite les proches, les amis et les admirateurs de M. Dallaire à rendre un dernier hommage à ce grand artiste parti trop tôt. Une célébration à sa mémoire aura lieu le vendredi 19 mai de 16 h à 18 h au Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario sur le campus du Collège Boréal à Sudbury. Si vous ne pouvez pas être présent mais aimeriez rendre hommage à Michel, nous vous invitons à laisser un message écrit ou vidéo sur le groupe Facebook « En mémoire de Michel Dallaire ».

En espérant vous voir en grand nombre lors de cette commémoration de la vie d’un homme qui a touché le coeur de chacun grâce à ses mots, ses photos ainsi que sa grande générosité. Michel était un de mes amis, et je suis très triste qu’il nous ait quittés.

Everyone is invited to a special ceremony in memory of Michel Dallaire at the TNO on Boréal campus in Sudbury on Friday, May 19, from 4 till 6.

Nutrition for Learning

Ms. Daiene Vernile: It gives me great pleasure to tell you about Nutrition for Learning. This is a vital organization in my region that’s feeding hundreds of children every day. A full stomach is essential for good learning and, with this breakfast program, students in Kitchener-Waterloo are able to have a healthy breakfast that prepares them to focus and engage at school.

Nutrition for Learning administers 137 programs with healthy and nutritious food for students in my region, and with the help of provincial funding in this year’s balanced budget, it ensures that kids in K-W schools continue to have a balanced breakfast.

Recently, I visited St. John’s Catholic school in my riding of Kitchener Centre. It’s one of the schools that’s benefiting from the program. At the breakfast gathering, there was fresh fruit, yogourt, and bagels and cheese.

I spoke to one young girl from Eritrea. Her name is Victoria. She told me that her mother leaves for work at about 6 a.m. every morning. Victoria gets dropped off at a babysitter, but there are other kids there and she sometimes doesn’t get enough to eat. She was often going to school on an empty stomach. But since she started participating in the Nutrition for Learning breakfast club, she told me that she’s now having breakfast every day, her tummy doesn’t hurt anymore, and she feels energized and ready to learn.

Funding for Nutrition for Learning was included in this year’s budget. The executive director, Mary Dalton, couldn’t be happier, and nor could we.

Opioid abuse

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: In this House, we have all grown increasingly aware of the opioid crisis in Ontario. The Ontario Drug Policy Research Network notes that, over the past year, the increase in opioid overdoses has grown substantially.

I want to acknowledge the government’s efforts in trying to get a grip on this troubling trend, and I applaud the move to better tracking. I’m pleased for my colleagues in Ottawa to hear that $2.5 million has been pledged to fund a local harm reduction strategy in their community.

At the same time, I want this government to be aware that the opioid crisis also exists outside of Ontario’s larger cities. Constituents from my riding are concerned that they’re being ignored by a focus on Toronto and Ottawa. In the Niagara region, deaths from opioid overdoses have almost doubled since 2009, rising from 16 to 29. ER visits related to opioids climbed to 618 from 418. This past November, an individual died from a carfentanil overdose. This drug is a hundred times more potent than fentanyl, which in itself is many times stronger than heroin. In 2016, our region also saw 10 pharmacy robberies related to the opioid crisis.

I call on this government to be proactive rather than reactive and partner with our local communities to curb this crisis sooner rather than later.

Pre-eclampsia

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: For many, Mother’s Day is a special opportunity to say thank you to mothers, sisters, aunts, even mentors who often take a leadership role in our lives. However, Mother’s Day is not always a happy occasion for everyone, and yesterday I joined women in Kingston from across the province to remember and honour those who have been impacted by pre-eclampsia in the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia.

I’d like to extend a special thank you to Jaymee Davis for her work in organizing this community’s first preeclampsia walk–-only one of three in Canada—to raise awareness and support those who suffer from the condition. Women who have been affected in the world amount to roughly 10 million, and 500,000 babies are lost each year.

As a mother myself, I know what a wonderful and sacred gift a child is. I remember vividly the excitement and the nerves that a pregnancy brings. But for those women who have been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, what should be a joyous event can become something entirely different.

Sponsored by the MotHERs Program, this event connected people from around the province together, with families driving from as far as Windsor and Fonthill to be there.

I was deeply impacted, and I will remain impacted, by the stories I heard yesterday. Working together to support events like this, we can raise awareness, and hopefully, one day, eventually find support and a cure for pre-eclampsia.

Services for the developmentally disabled

Ms. Sylvia Jones: It is unacceptable that in Peel region in the last 36 months, more than 33 adults who have a developmental disability have been abandoned by their families.

It is unacceptable that individuals who have a developmental disability are cut off from the Special Services at Home funding program when they turn age 18 and therefore have no immediate funding.

It is unacceptable that there are 1,105 individuals who have a developmental disability waiting for funding for day supports and respite services.

It is unacceptable that there are more than 65 people on the then-existing “pressures list” who have been identified by the Ministry of Community and Social Services as requiring a high level of support but there is no long-term, secure funding available.

It is unacceptable, while the Ministry of Community and Social Services reports that they have provided funding for 800 residential supports across the province, that Peel region only received supports for an estimated 12 people.

It is unacceptable that the new funding promised to the community to support an additional 600 adults has been diverted by the ministry to pay for transitional-aged youth.

It is unacceptable.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I thank all members for their statements.

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Justice Policy / Comité permanent de la justice

M. Shafiq Qaadri: Je demande la permission de déposer un rapport du Comité permanent de la justice, et je propose son adoption.

Speaker, I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Justice Policy and move its adoption.

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

Bill 89,

An Act to enact the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017, to amend and repeal the Child and Family Services Act and to make related amendments to other Acts / Projet de loi 89, Loi édictant la Loi de 2017 sur les services à l’enfance, à la jeunesse et à la famille, modifiant et abrogeant la

Loi sur les services à l’enfance et à la famille et apportant des modifications connexes à d’autres lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Shall the report be received and adopted? Agreed? Carried.

Report adopted.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): This bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

Introduction of Bills

Retiring the Debt Retirement Charge Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 sur l’élimination de la redevance de liquidation de la dette

Ms. Thompson moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 133,

An Act to remove the debt retirement charge / Projet de loi 133, Loi visant à supprimer la redevance de liquidation de la dette.

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

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member for a short statement.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

In 2011, the Auditor General revealed that the government had already collected enough funds through the debt retirement charge to pay off Hydro One’s stranded debt, though to date it has not been removed from the hydro bills of businesses throughout Ontario. Subsection 85(4) of the Electricity Act, 1998, is amended to provide that the debt retirement charge is not payable on electricity consumed on or after the day this bill receives royal assent.

Motions

House sittings

Hon. Kevin Daniel Flynn: I move that, pursuant to standing order 6(c)(i), the House shall meet from 6:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, May 15, 2017, for the purpose of considering government business.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Mr. Flynn has moved notice of motion 11. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour, say “aye.”

All those opposed, say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1319 to 1324.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those in favour, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Albanese, Laura

Anderson, Granville

Bailey, Robert

Baker, Yvan

Ballard, Chris

Barrett, Toby

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Chan, Michael

Cho, Raymond Sung Joon

Clark, Steve

Colle, Mike

Crack, Grant

Damerla, Dipika

Delaney, Bob

Des Rosiers, Nathalie

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Dong, Han

Duguid, Brad

Fedeli, Victor

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Fraser, John

Hardeman, Ernie

Hillier, Randy

Hoggarth, Ann

Jaczek, Helena

Jones, Sylvia

Kiwala, Sophie

Lalonde, Marie-France

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

MacLaren, Jack

MacLeod, Lisa

Malhi, Harinder

Mangat, Amrit

Martins, Cristina

Matthews, Deborah

Mauro, Bill

McGarry, Kathryn

McMahon, Eleanor

McMeekin, Ted

McNaughton, Monte

Milczyn, Peter Z.

Moridi, Reza

Munro, Julia

Naidoo-Harris, Indira

Naqvi, Yasir

Nicholls, Rick

Oosterhoff, Sam

Pettapiece, Randy

Potts, Arthur

Qaadri, Shafiq

Rinaldi, Lou

Sousa, Charles

Thibeault, Glenn

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vernile, Daiene

Walker, Bill

Wong, Soo

Yakabuski, John

Yurek, Jeff

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): All those opposed, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Nays

Bisson, Gilles

Gélinas, France

Gretzky, Lisa

Taylor, Monique

Vanthof, John

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 62; the nays are 5.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I declare the motion carried.

Motion agreed to.

Petitions

Provincial debt

Mr. Bill Walker: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s provincial government finances are a mess because of 13 years of Liberal waste, mismanagement and scandal; and

“Whereas this government is running eight consecutive budget deficits; and

“Whereas the government has racked up $302 billion in debt, the highest debt in the country; and

“Whereas the debt servicing costs us $11 billion in lost tax dollars every year; and

“Whereas the payments to service the debt are the third-largest expenditure and the fastest-growing expense in government, and money not spent on critical and core public services such as health care and education; and

“Whereas each $1 billion of it equals the loss of:

“—one year of long-term care for 17,000 seniors;

“—one year of home care for 55,000 people;

“—3,550 palliative care beds for one year;

“—8,000 new affordable housing units;

“—$260 a month for one year for each ODSP recipient;

“—one year of free tuition for 2,000 students;

“—10,000 new school playgrounds;

“Whereas if interest rates do go up, the cost of servicing Ontario’s debt will increase higher still, taking out even more money out of key public services that the people of Ontario need;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To take immediate action to stop sticking us with the tab for waste, mismanagement and scandal that’s made life harder for Ontarians.”

I fully support it, affix my name and send it with page Matthew.

Privatization of public assets

Miss Monique Taylor: I have a petition named “Hydro One Not for Sale! Say No to Privatization.”

“Petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the provincial government is creating a privatization scheme that will lead to higher hydro rates, lower reliability, and hundreds of millions less for our schools, roads, and hospitals; and

“Whereas the privatization scheme will be particularly harmful to northern and First Nations communities; and

“Whereas the provincial government is creating this privatization scheme under a veil of secrecy that means Ontarians don’t have a say on a change that will affect their lives dramatically; and

“Whereas it is not too late to cancel the scheme;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows”—

Interjection.

Miss Monique Taylor: It’s unfortunate that the member across thinks he needs to heckle me in the middle.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Read the petition, please.

Miss Monique Taylor: “That the province of Ontario immediately cancel its scheme to privatize Ontario’s Hydro One.”

It’s not too late for the Liberals to go home, either.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’m not impressed. I wish the member from Hamilton Mountain would refrain from comments other than reading her petition.

Employment standards

Mrs. Cristina Martins: I have a petition from Fight for $15 and Fairness. It’s a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas a growing number of Ontarians are concerned about the growth in low-wage, part-time, casual, temporary and insecure employment; and

“Whereas too many workers are not protected by the minimum standards outlined in existing employment and labour laws; and

“Whereas the Ontario government is currently reviewing employment and labour laws in the province;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to change employment and labour laws to accomplish the following:

“—ensure that part-time, temporary, casual and contract workers receive the same pay and benefits as their full-time permanent counterparts;

“—promote full-time, permanent work with adequate hours for all those who choose it;

“—offer fair scheduling with proper advance notice;

“—provide at least seven (7) days of paid sick leave each year;

“—prevent employers from downloading their responsibilities for minimum standards onto temporary agencies, subcontractors or workers themselves;

“—end the practice of contract flipping, support wage protection and job security for workers when companies change ownership or contracts expire;

“—extend minimum protections to all workers by eliminating exemptions to the laws;

“—protect workers who stand up for their rights;

“—offer proactive enforcement of the laws through adequate public staffing and meaningful penalties for employers who violate the laws;

“—make it easier for workers to join unions; and

“—all workers must be paid at least $15 an hour, regardless of their age, student status, job or sector of employment.”

I couldn’t agree more with this petition. I have hundreds of petitions. I will affix my name and send it to the table with page Katie.

Long-term care

Ms. Sylvia Jones: My petition is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas seniors and families deserve long-term-care beds that provide high-quality care in their community;

“Whereas, according to the Ontario Long Term Care Association 2016 report, 97% of residents need help with daily activities such as getting out of bed, eating or toileting;

“Whereas there are currently 26,500 people on the wait-list for long-term care, and that number is expected to double in the next six years;

“Whereas long-term-care homes require stable and predictable funding each year to help pay for the rising cost of operations, provide quality care and invest in more beds;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, call on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to move quickly to pass Bill 110, the Long-Term Care Homes Amendment Act, 2017, and ensure that funding for food and utilities reflect changes in the cost of living.”

I support this petition, affix my name to it and give it to page Maddison to take to the table.

Ontario Northland Transportation Commission

M me France Gélinas: I have this petition that comes from all over the northeast. I would like to thank Lynn and Gilles Joliat from my riding, in Chelmsford. It reads as follows:

“A Petition on Intercity Transportation.

“Whereas the residents of northern Ontario, particularly people who are sick or elderly, depend on public transportation for appointments in southern Ontario;

“Whereas intercity bus routes have been eliminated by Greyhound, for example, all daytime routes between Sudbury and Ottawa; and

“Whereas there have been serious reductions at Ontario Northland, including the elimination of Northland’s train services;”

They “petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to: Ensure that Ontario Northland offers adequate and equitable intercity transportation service from northern to southern Ontario.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name to it and ask page Maddy to bring it to the Clerk.

Water fluoridation

Mr. Lorenzo Berardinetti: I have a petition addressed to the Ontario Legislative Assembly.

“Update Ontario Fluoridation Legislation.

“Whereas community water fluoridation is a safe, effective and scientifically proven means of preventing dental decay, and is a public health measure endorsed by more than 90 national and international health organizations; and

“Whereas recent experience in such Canadian cities as Dorval, Calgary and Windsor that have removed fluoride from drinking water has shown a dramatic increase in dental decay; and

“Whereas the continued use of fluoride in community drinking water is at risk in Ontario cities representing more than 10% of Ontario’s population, including the region of Peel; and

“Whereas the Ontario Legislature has twice voted unanimously in favour of the benefits of community water fluoridation, and the Ontario Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care and Municipal Affairs and Housing urge support for amending the Health Protection and Promotion Act and other applicable legislation to ensure community water fluoridation is mandatory and to remove provisions allowing Ontario municipalities to cease drinking water fluoridation, or fail to start drinking water fluoridation, from the Ontario Municipal Act;

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

“That the Premier of Ontario direct the Ministries of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Health and Long-Term Care to introduce legislation amending the Health Protection and Promotion Act and make changes to other applicable legislation and regulations to make the fluoridation of municipal drinking water mandatory in all municipal water systems across the province of Ontario.”

I affix my signature to this petition, as I agree with it, and give it to page Eesha.

Medical assistance in dying

Mr. Monte McNaughton: I have an important petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas Bill C-14, the federal legislation which legalized medical assistance in dying (MAID) in Canada explicitly affirms it is not intended to compel anyone to act against their deeply held beliefs; and

“Whereas the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has adopted the effective-referral protocol for MAID, which may compel health care professionals to act contrary to their deeply held beliefs; and

“Whereas the effective-referral protocol for MAID is globally unprecedented; and

“Whereas there are viable alternatives for the provision of effective access to MAID that would allow all health care professionals to continue to practise with ethical integrity; and

“Whereas this effective-referral-protocol policy may compel health care professionals to make a dehumanizing choice between their profession and their faith, conscience or commitment to the Hippocratic oath;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To immediately take action to protect the rights of Ontario citizens by eliminating the effective-referral protocol for medical assistance in dying, upholding the conscience rights of health care professionals.”

I’ve affixed my name to this petition and I’ll send it to the table.

Services for the developmentally disabled

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: I have a petition entitled “Support Families by Eliminating Waiting Lists for the Passport Program Now.” They’ve come from all over the province. I’d like to thank Hugh Paulin from my riding for signing the petition.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas when children living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities turn 18, support from the Ontario government drastically changes;

“Whereas families in Windsor-Essex and across Ontario are met with continuous waiting lists when trying to access support under the Passport Program;

“Whereas waiting lists place enormous stress on caregivers, parents, children and entire families;

“Whereas all Ontarians living with ASD and other developmental disabilities are entitled to a seamless transition of services;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To take immediate action to eliminate the waiting lists for Passport funding so that people living with ASD and other developmental disabilities and their families can access the support they deserve.”

I agree with this petition, will sign my name to it and send it to the table with page Katie.

Hydro rates

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly, titled “Support the Ontario Fair Hydro Plan.”

“Whereas electricity prices have increased and in too many cases become unaffordable for Ontarians;

“Whereas Ontario is a prosperous province and people should never have to choose between hydro and other daily necessities;

“Whereas people want to know that hydro rate relief is on the way; that relief will go to everyone; and that relief will be lasting because it is built on significant change;

“Whereas the Ontario Fair Hydro Plan would reduce hydro bills for residential consumers, small businesses and farms by an average of 25% as part of a significant system restructuring, with increases held to the rate of inflation for the next four years;

“Whereas the Ontario Fair Hydro Plan would provide people with low incomes and those living in rural communities with even greater reductions to their electricity bills;

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

“Support the Ontario Fair Hydro Plan and provide relief for Ontario electricity consumers as quickly as possible;

“Continue working to ensure clean, reliable and affordable electricity is available for all Ontarians.”

I certainly support this, Speaker, and send it to you via page Claire.

Medical assistance in dying

Mr. Robert Bailey: This petition is to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas Bill C-14, the federal legislation which legalized medical assistance in dying (MAID) in Canada explicitly affirms it is not intended to compel anyone to act against their deeply held beliefs; and

“Whereas the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has adopted the effective-referral protocol for MAID, which may compel health care professionals to act contrary to their deeply held beliefs; and

“Whereas the effective-referral protocol for MAID is globally unprecedented; and

“Whereas there are viable alternatives for the provision of effective access to MAID that would allow all health care professionals to continue to practise with ethical integrity; and

“Whereas this effective-referral-protocol policy may compel health care professionals to make a dehumanizing choice between their profession and their faith, conscience or commitment to the Hippocratic oath;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To immediately take action to protect the conscience rights of Ontario’s health care professionals by abolishing the effective-referral protocol for medical assistance in dying.”

I agree with this and send it down with Emma.

Prix de l’essence

M me France Gélinas: J’aimerais dire merci à M. Ernest Lefebvre de Onaping dans mon comté pour la pétition sur le prix de l’essence.

« À l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« Alors que les automobilistes du nord de l’Ontario continuent d’être soumis à des fluctuations marquées dans le prix de l’essence; et

« Alors que la province pourrait éliminer les prix abusifs et opportunistes et offrir des prix justes, stables et prévisibles; et

« Alors que cinq provinces et de nombreux états américains ont déjà une réglementation des prix d’essence; et

« Considérant que les juridictions qui réglementent le prix de l’essence ont : moins de fluctuations des prix, moins d’écarts de prix entre les communautés urbaines et rurales et des prix d’essence annualisés inférieurs; »

Ils demandent « à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« D’accorder à la Commission de l’énergie de l’Ontario le mandat de surveiller le prix de l’essence partout en Ontario afin de réduire la volatilité des prix et les différences de prix régionales, tout en encourageant la concurrence. »

J’appuie cette pétition, je vais la signer, et je demande à Eesha de l’amener à la table des Greffiers.

GO Transit

Ms. Sophie Kiwala: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Cambridge, Ontario, is a municipality of over 125,000 people, many of whom commute into the greater Toronto area daily;

“Whereas the current commuting options available for travel between the Waterloo region and the GTA are inefficient and time-consuming, as well as environmentally damaging;

“Whereas the residents of Cambridge and the Waterloo region believe that they would be well-served by commuter rail transit that connects the region to the Milton line, and that this infrastructure would have positive, tangible economic benefits to the province of Ontario;

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

“Direct crown agency Metrolinx to commission a feasibility study into building a rail line that connects the city of Cambridge to the GO train station in Milton, and to complete this study in a timely manner and communicate the results to the municipal government of Cambridge.”

I agree with this petition and I sign it and give it to page Maddy.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Unfortunately, that concludes the time we have available for petitions this afternoon. I apologize to the members whom I was unable to recognize, but the time is now up.

Orders of the Day

Fair Hydro Act, 2017 / Loi de 2017 pour des frais d’électricité équitables

Mr. Thibeault moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 132,

An Act to enact the Ontario Fair Hydro Plan Act, 2017 and to make amendments to the Electricity Act, 1998 and the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 / Projet de loi 132, Loi édictant la Loi de 2017 sur le Plan ontarien pour des frais d’électricité équitables et modifiant la Loi de 1998 sur l’électricité et la Loi de 1998 sur la Commission de l’énergie de l’Ontario.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): I recognize the Minister of Energy to lead off the debate.

Hon. Glenn Thibeault: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise and be able to speak to this act, but, first off, I do think it’s important that I let you know and this House know that I’ll be sharing my time with the member for Mississauga–Streetsville.

I also want to thank all members who are in the House in the Legislature this afternoon to debate the proposed Fair Hydro Act. This act, if passed by this Legislature, would deliver the single largest reduction to electricity rates in Ontario’s history, starting this summer.

Before talking about the measures within the proposed legislation, I’d like to explain why electricity rates in this province have been increasing. That’s a challenge that this proposed legislation would effectively address, if passed. So let’s begin with a brief overview of Ontario’s electricity system.

By all accounts, Ontarians currently benefit from a clean and reliable supply of electricity. According to the Independent Electricity System Operator’s Ontario Planning Outlook, released last fall as part of the Ministry of Energy’s long-term energy plan consultation process, we’re well positioned to meet our electricity needs for the next 10 years.

The next decade’s worth of secure energy supply is a result of significant investments our government has made to modernize and upgrade Ontario’s electricity system—important investments that included more than $50 billion in electricity generation and grid infrastructure rebuild right across our province. These investments demonstrate our government’s ongoing commitment to improve the energy system.

But now let’s jump back 14 years in time. Many in this House may remember that, prior to 2003, we struggled with an electricity system that was unreliable and was in desperate need of repairs and, of course, upgrades. Governments of all stripes ignored the necessary maintenance and investments the system needed. The system our government inherited was at risk of disruptive brownouts and blackouts. Mr.

Speaker, try to imagine running an automotive assembly line in Oshawa or a software development company in Ottawa or a critical care unit in a hospital—for example, in my hometown of Sudbury—under the threat of debilitating power failures. But now let’s fast-forward to the present day. Ontario’s supply mix is not only reliable; our electricity supply mix is also clean and green. That’s an incredible accomplishment, something we should all be proud of, especially when you consider that in 2003, coal represented a quarter of Ontario’s electricity supply mix.

It’s also an important testament to the leadership and resolution that it took for the province to rid itself of dirty coal. The former vice-president of the United States, Al Gore, hailed this momentous achievement as the largest greenhouse gas reduction project in North America. He also provided our province with some high praise, stating, “Ontario has distinguished itself as a leader in Canada and around the world.” Our decision to end coal-fired electricity remains the single largest climate change initiative undertaken in North America.

The benefits of eliminating coal are many. It reduced smog days in Ontario from 53 in 2005 to zero last year, which is improving the health of all Ontarians. Long-term health care savings are estimated to reach $70 billion by 2040, by reducing emergency room visits, hospital admissions and respiratory illnesses. Ontario will also be benefiting from these investments to strengthen our clean and reliable electricity system for decades, both economically and environmentally. Cutting coal reduced the province’s GHG emissions by 30 megatonnes, the equivalent of removing seven million cars from Ontario’s roads.

Closing Ontario’s coal plants eliminated some of Canada’s largest sources of pollution, including greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, along with other air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, mercury, arsenic and lead.

Putting dirty coal-fired electricity generation in the rear-view mirror places Ontario at the forefront in combatting global climate change, one of this generation’s greatest challenges. But in the advent of extreme weather like floods and droughts, and our rising concerns about our ability to grow food in some regions of Ontario, climate change impacts our daily lives. We must work collectively to reduce our carbon footprint. By going coal-free, and doing so a year ahead of schedule, electricity generation in our province is one step closer in helping to meet our GHG emission reduction targets.

These targets were outlined with the November 2015 release of the Ontario climate change action strategy. This forward-thinking strategy was followed by the release of the five-year climate change action plan in June 2016.

The CCAP essentially outlines the key actions the government is taking and will continue to take to reduce carbon emissions in the province, and in all likelihood will significantly impact how energy is used in Ontario.

Of particular importance for Ontario’s energy sector, the CCAP also proposes to use conservation, energy efficiency and fuel-switching to reduce the use of fossil fuels such as oil, gasoline and natural gas, and increase the use of clean electricity and clean fuels. Equally important, CCAP, which leverages the targets set out in the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon Economy Act, 2016, clearly stipulates Ontario’s GHG emission reduction targets.

Those targets are as follows: a 15% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2020, followed by a 37% reduction below 1990 levels by 2030, and subsequently followed by an 80% reduction by 2050. Based on greenhouse gas reporting data available to the public, Ontario has already met its 2014 target in the form of a 6% reduction in emission levels below 1990 levels, Mr. Speaker.

We established the cap-and-trade system as well, a market-based system aimed at achieving the most cost-effective emissions reductions. By definition, a cap-and-trade program wil