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May 18, 2021

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2021-May-18 (PDF)

L0265 - Tue 18 May 2021 / Mar 18 mai 2021

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Tuesday 18 May 2021 Mardi 18 mai 2021

Orders of the Day

Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 visant à assurer à la population ontarienne des déplacements plus sûrs

Members’ Statements

Optometry services

Tamil Genocide Education Week

COVID-19 immunization

Volunteer service awards

Nurses

Mike Nemesvary

Education funding

Tamil Genocide Education Week

Sport a Rainbow

Manufacturing sector

Visitors

Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day

Question Period

Long-term care

Long-term care

Long-term care

Border security

Long-term care

COVID-19 response

Pipelines

Long-term care

COVID-19 immunization

Nursing education

Long-term care

Long-term care

Long-term care

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Government Agencies

Introduction of Bills

Haitian Flag Day Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur le Jour du drapeau haïtien

Petitions

Optometry services

COVID-19 response

Injured workers

Sex offender registry

Government anti-racism programs

Anti-racism activities

Road safety

Government anti-racism programs

Optometry services

Government anti-racism programs

Road safety

Orders of the Day

Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 visant à assurer à la population ontarienne des déplacements plus sûrs

The House met at 0900.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Good morning. We’ll begin this morning with a moment of silence for personal thought and inner reflection.

Let us pray.

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 visant à assurer à la population ontarienne des déplacements plus sûrs

Ms. Mulroney moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 282,

An Act in respect of various road safety matters / Projet de loi 282, Loi concernant diverses questions de sécurité routière.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll recognize the Minister of Transportation to lead off the third reading debate.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be splitting my time with the Associate Minister of Transportation and my parliamentary assistant, the member for Scarborough–Rouge Park.

I’m pleased to have this opportunity to rise in the House today to once again discuss the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act. At the outset, I want to thank the Associate Minister of Transportation and my parliamentary assistant, the member for Scarborough–Rouge Park, for their help in developing this legislation.

I also want to thank the stakeholders who worked with us on the development of this bill. In particular, I want to thank the Ontario Good Roads Association, CAA South Central Ontario, the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the Ontario Road Builders’ Association, the Ontario Trucking Association and the Ontario Safety League for their contributions to the development of this bill before the House.

J’ai dit lors du débat en deuxième lecture que la sécurité routière est une question non partisane, et c’est vrai. Tous les membres de cette Assemblée sont unis dans notre objectif, qui est de rendre les routes de l’Ontario plus sûres. Et c’est l’intention de la Loi visant à assurer à la population ontarienne des déplacements plus sûrs.

We have heard the calls from across the province to do more to reduce the risks on our roads. This bill, if adopted, would strengthen penalties for stunt driving, street racing and other high-risk driving behaviours. It would also enhance protections for vulnerable road users, improve commercial vehicle and highway worker safety, and strengthen the province’s oversight of the towing and vehicle storage sectors.

We’re proposing a series of escalating sanctions for aggressive driving behaviours that focus on the most severe repercussions for the worst offenders. These are people who regularly disregard the law and put the lives and safety of other road users in jeopardy. This bill will send a clear message: Driving is a privilege, and those who threaten the safety of others have no place on our roads.

Our government is committed to improving Ontario’s road safety record. For 20 years, Ontario’s roads have consistently been among the safest in North America. Even as our population has grown and the number of drivers and vehicles on our roads have increased, Ontario’s roads remain among the safest on the continent.

We have approximately 10.6 million licensed drivers in this province, and we’ve had them for 20 years running. During that time, Ontario has ranked among the top five jurisdictions for road safety in North America, and that’s a record that we can all take pride in.

Despite our strong record, the costs of unsafe and aggressive driving are too high. In 2017, the direct cost of motor vehicle collisions in the province was an estimated $4.6 billion. This figure includes the cost of property damage, health care, police and ambulance services, traffic delays and more.

The human cost, Mr. Speaker, is even higher. Despite our outstanding road safety record, on average, one person is killed on Ontario’s roads every 14 hours. That means that every day someone leaves their house, goes to work, goes to the grocery store or goes out for another routine reason, and never returns home, leaving a family shattered. The fact is that we need to do more now, especially as we’re seeing an increase in high-risk and aggressive driving. It’s time that we say enough is enough, and that is the intent behind the proposed legislation before the House today.

If passed, this bill contains measures to combat stunt driving, aggressive driving and street racing. The Associate Minister of Transportation will discuss these measures in more detail, but I also want to spend some time discussing them, given their importance. As I mentioned earlier, it’s clear that the current consequences for these irresponsible and illegal choices are not working. Our government recognizes this fact and has worked closely with road safety organizations, municipalities and enforcement agencies to make the necessary changes and ensure we get it right.

To start, drivers caught street racing will face a 30-day roadside vehicle licence suspension and a 14-day vehicle impoundment—an increase to the current penalties of seven days for both a driver’s licence suspension and vehicle impoundment. We’re also proposing escalating post-conviction driver’s licence suspensions for individuals convicted of street racing, to align more closely with those imposed for impaired driving. On top of that, we’re proposing a lower speed threshold for stunt driving offences on municipal roads to reflect the increased danger that exists when people engage in this behaviour in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, more must be done to protect all road users. No one should have to worry about getting hit by a car when they’re getting off a streetcar, cyclists should not have to worry about being doored, and the hard-working people who build and maintain Ontario’s roads and highways should not have to worry about the aggressive drivers on the roads around them.

The Moving Ontarians More Safely Act would allow municipalities to use cameras to enforce illegally passing streetcars with doors open to pick up or drop off passengers, creating new vehicle-based offences.

Proposed amendments to the Highway Traffic Act contained in this bill, if passed, would improve the quality and integrity of how we collect and report data for cyclists involved in dooring collisions, and the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, if passed, will introduce an additional layer of protection for construction workers near roads and highways by authorizing the use of automated flagger assistance devices. These devices will reduce the potential for serious injuries and fatalities by allowing workers to control traffic through construction zones from a greater distance from passing traffic.

These measures represent concrete action that we can take together to ensure people and families get to where they need to go safely.

There are also some concerning trends that we have seen in the towing and storage industry that we set out to address through the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act. Continued incidents of violence and crime in the towing and storage sectors have demonstrated the need for meaningful change in the way that the industry is regulated. Last June, we struck a provincial task force that worked closely with stakeholders to find ways to make the towing industry safer.

They heard concerns about a confusing patchwork of requirements that resulted in regulatory gaps that bad actors have exploited, left people without meaningful recourse when they have been treated unfairly and resulted in safety concerns for both road users and tow truck operators.

One of the task force’s key recommendations was to bring forward legislation to strengthen provincial oversight and enhance standards in the industry. This bill is a response to that recommendation. The Moving Ontarians More Safely Act would improve provincial oversight of the towing industry by establishing a province-wide certification system that will require tow operators and tow truck drivers and vehicle storage operators to have a certificate to operate, creating a level playing field with clear requirements for all.

La

loi sur la sécurité et l’encadrement du remorquage et de l’entreposage des véhicules, si elle est adoptée, permettra de créer un poste de directeur des normes du remorquage, des véhicules et de l’entreposage. Elle améliorera la protection des clients et assurera un traitement équitable des conducteurs lorsqu’ils sont victimes d’une collision ou d’une panne. Elle contribuera également à réduire la criminalité et la fraude et à promouvoir la sécurité des usagers de la route et des opérateurs de remorquage.

Mr. Speaker, last week the Standing Committee on General Government studied the bill, and I thank them for their work. I also want to thank them for the time that they took in hearing from witnesses—33 in all—as well as reviewing the written submissions. Like us, the witnesses share a common goal of making our roads safer, and they made a number of suggestions on how we can do that. I want to assure members of this Legislature and the province that this bill is not the final word on road safety.

While the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act is intended to respond to emerging trends, we know that we have additional work to do when it comes to addressing stunt driving. And as we work on those additional pieces, we will take into consideration the ideas that were tabled at the committee. With respect to the amendments that were proposed at committee, some of them, we believe, are already addressed in this legislation; some are best addressed through the development of regulations and policy; and some require more study and more consultation.

I want to spend some time talking about e-bikes, because this was a topic of great interest at the committee and in the written submissions. I know that there is some concern about the way the legislation was drafted. Our government consulted extensively on the proposed changes to the e-bike

definitions before drafting this bill. Between 2019 and 2021, my ministry engaged with over 100 stakeholders on our e-bike proposal, which included hosting multiple consultations and posting our proposal to the Regulatory Registry three times between October 2019 and just last week in May 2021. In general, stakeholders were supportive of the e-bike proposals, particularly as the proposal was updated multiple times to be responsive to, and incorporate, new stakeholder feedback.

We have taken the comments into consideration and drafted a bill with the primary intention of ensuring that all e-bikes currently permitted today will be permitted in the future. These amendments are anticipated to increase ridership and support Ontario’s commitment to the environment.

In transferring responsibility for regulating the use of e-bikes to municipalities, we are ensuring that, within a provincial framework, cities and towns can make the choices that are most appropriate for them and their citizens. We believe this is the right way forward, and it is consistent with how our ministry approaches expanding transportation options. Our government knows that municipalities are in the best position to decide how to safely integrate the use of larger e-bikes in their communities.

The e-bike redefinition proposed in this bill would introduce three classes of e-bikes and allow municipalities to choose which classes of e-bikes to permit on their infrastructure, and where. This approach will enhance safety and mobility while allowing for the consideration of specific municipal needs.

Additionally, this approach has been supported by tourism and industry stakeholders as a way to allow for e-bikes to provide greater access to transportation infrastructure—and safely—within close proximity of vulnerable road users, such as on paths and on scenic trails.

A bicycle-style e-bike class with a maximum weight of 55 kilograms also allows us to open this class of e-bike to younger riders in a more measured fashion, thereby reducing the current age requirement for operators from 16 to 14 years of age. This change will also permit passengers under the age of 16, allowing children to be passengers on e-bikes, enabling parents to legally use their e-bikes or cargo e-bikes to transport their children.

The new helmet requirements proposed in this bill more closely align with the bicycle rules in place today and will also allow riders 14 years and up to operate a bicycle-style e-bike, which will further encourage the use of these vehicles as an even more attractive alternative to traditional motor vehicles.

It’s crucial that stakeholders understand that the terminology used to define bicycle-style e-bikes is required to allow for a clear delineation between Ontario’s larger and smaller e-bike styles. While the wording used within this legislation defines what a bicycle’s appearance is, it in no way limits those e-bikes used today, such as the reverse tricycle and a variety of smaller types of cargo e-bikes.

Monsieur le Président, le ministère a été clair dans son intention, et nous serons tout aussi clairs dans la communication de cette intention à nos intervenants et aux utilisateurs de bicyclettes électriques. Avant la mise en oeuvre des changements, des documents de communication seront diffusés pour s’assurer que l’intention qui sous-tend la proposition est claire et respectée. Le ministère des Transports continuera de consulter les intervenants et de travailler en étroite collaboration avec eux dans le cadre de ce projet de loi.

Mr. Speaker, we believe that the bill, as it has been presented to the House, will have real and immediate effects in making our roads safer, but as I have said, we will not stop here. This is our government’s second road safety bill in less than three years, and we will continue to consult with road safety stakeholders and members of the public to ensure that we have the right system of education and enforcement in place to improve our safety record, because there is always more to do, Mr. Speaker. The Moving Ontarians More Safely Act allows us to deal with some of the imminent challenges that will face the province as we approach the summer.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the work that we have done to date, and I look forward to continuing that work alongside all the members of this House, to work towards safer roads for this great province.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): The minister did say she would be sharing her time. We turn to the Associate Minister of Transportation with responsibilities for the GTA.

Hon. Kinga Surma: It’s an honour to rise in the House to continue the debate on the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, which, if passed, will protect road users against stunt driving and street racing. Also known as the MOMS Act, this proposed legislation is another step in our government’s ongoing efforts to keep Ontario’s roads among the safest in North America.

Each year, millions of people travel along the province’s roads and highways, and thankfully most of those trips pass without incident. Whether it’s going to an appointment or a truck delivering essential goods, we are lucky to have a highway network where everyone can feel safe while travelling. But our success doesn’t mean we can become complacent and rest in our pursuit of making our roads and highways as safe as possible.

The proposed legislation before the House today is the next step in that ongoing pursuit. As the Minister of Transportation mentioned earlier, a safe and efficient transportation network is essential to a well-functioning society, and given the current state of road safety across the province, there’s never been a better moment to bring this legislation forward.

Among the countless impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a disturbing increase in incidents of high-risk driving. Let me repeat some of the troubling statistics. Between March and August of last year, driver’s licence suspensions issued at roadside for stunt driving and street racing increased by 52% compared to that same period in 2019. Between March and June 2020, a driver involved in a collision was 65% more likely to be speeding compared to the year prior.

This picture becomes even more worrisome when looking at the numbers related to young drivers. Nearly one in five drivers involved in a collision between March and June of last year were aged 16 to 25. And, more concerning yet, these young drivers represented 42% of collisions where the recorded speed was 50 kilometres per hour or more above the posted limit. The dangers of such reckless behaviour are devastatingly real and life-altering.

COVID-19 did not cause these troubling trends. It’s true that with lower traffic volumes we’ve seen an increase of reckless driving behaviours on our roads and highways, but we had seen these trends starting to go up well before the pandemic. For example, there was a 130% spike in the number of roadside licence suspensions due to street racing and stunt driving between 2013 and 2019; and between 2014 and 2019, there was also a 46% increase in the number of repeat suspensions for stunt driving or street racing.

Imagine thinking you have the right to drive 50 kilometres per hour or more above the posted speed limit simply for your entertainment, all while putting the general public at risk. The impacts of such reckless behaviour are devastatingly real and life-altering. The risk of fatality or serious injury is approximately 11 times greater when vehicles are involved in a collision at 50 kilometres per hour or more above the speed limit. And, unfortunately, this is becoming more and more of a common occurrence.

We’ve all seen someone going 150 kilometres per hour on the 401, or 90 kilometres per hour in your local school zone. These stories and the data tell us it’s time to reassess the effectiveness of Ontario’s existing penalties and sanctions in deterring stunt driving, street racing and other high-risk driving behaviours. We cannot sit idly by and do nothing while bad actors break the law. If passed, the MOMS Act will serve notice to the drivers who put public safety at risk.

Our government will target these irresponsible drivers with increased suspensions and penalties that ensure Ontario’s roads remain as safe as possible. Let me be clear: Driving is a privilege, not a right. If someone is going to abuse that privilege, they will face tough consequences. That’s why the MOMS Act contains a series of severe penalties to address street racing and stunt driving and to protect Ontarians from those who engage in this irresponsible behaviour. If passed, this legislation sends a strong and clear message that stunt driving and street racing will be treated with the same severity as alcohol- and drug-impaired driving.

To start, we are proposing to increase the period of immediate roadside driver licence suspensions from seven days to 30 days. The duration of immediate roadside vehicle impoundments would be extended as well, from seven days to 14 days. To those who are careless enough to drive dangerously, we will take away your ability to make that mistake again.

Another trend that has emerged throughout this pandemic is an increase in repeat offenders caught street racing and stunt driving. These are the people who have already been caught and sanctioned for their actions but fail to get the message and continue to display poor behaviours on our roads and highways. Their persistence further proves we need to do more to deter reckless driving, so they don’t consider any penalties or sanctions as a mere slap on the wrist.

That’s why we are targeting repeat offenders by introducing escalating post-conviction licence suspensions for drivers convicted of street racing and stunt driving, similar to the suspensions imposed on drivers convicted for driving while impaired. These suspensions range from a minimum of one to three years for a first conviction all the way to a lifetime driver licence suspension. And it’s not just a matter of taking away your car or your ability to drive. You may also face six months in jail. Again, Mr. Speaker, driving is a privilege, and if that privilege is abused, we must stop it in its tracks.

We are also proposing to lower the threshold for stunt driving charges on roads with lower speed limits. The reality is, stunt driving and speeding are not the same across the board. We need to combat this behaviour where it is most dangerous to our road users, pedestrians and the general public.

Under the MOMS Act, if passed, drivers caught going 40 kilometres per hour or more above the posted speed limit on roads with a speed limit of less than 80 kilometres per hour will be subject to stunt driving charges. This means those who are speeding on roads within our towns, our cities, our neighbourhoods, where the public is most vulnerable, are held to a tougher threshold for their irresponsible behaviour. These substantial increases to the existing penalties send a strong message to reckless drivers: Your behaviour will not be tolerated.

As I mentioned earlier, street racing and stunt driving offences are often committed by young and novice drivers. We recognize this fact. That’s why the measures described today will work in concert with existing sanctions and conditions imposed on these drivers under MTO’s graduated licensing system, as well as other programs, because we also know that the driving behaviours learned at an early age can become habitual and regular practices. We have a responsibility to take action early and often so that young drivers engaging in this type of reckless behaviour are quickly taught that there is zero tolerance for it.

To help get this message across, young or novice drivers who consistently commit high-risk driving offences, including street racing and stunt driving, are subject to the ministry’s Novice Driver Escalating Sanctions Program. This program applies in addition to the new penalties proposed under the MOMS Act. Under this program, they risk their licence being cancelled for engaging in street racing, stunt driving and other threatening behaviours that put the public at risk.

Mr. Speaker, addressing these types of issues is not just about punishment. It’s also about public education and ensuring that everyone, especially our young people, understand the risks and consequences of their actions.

Our government will continue to work with stakeholders on public education and communications to further deter and denounce high-risk and aggressive driving behaviours. We will not only be communicating the dangers, but we will also be implementing a mandatory driver education course for those convicted of stunt driving or street racing. This training will include educating individuals on the risks and consequences of these behaviours so that those caught face the reality of the devastation their actions could cause.

Thankfully, our government has many partners who all share the goal of improving road safety throughout the province. The fact that we have so many hard-working people and organizations dedicated to tackling these critical issues is a credit to our collective resolve to make a difference, and we enlisted their help, the help of their valuable network, when we were developing the measures within the MOMS Act. Municipalities, road safety stakeholders and enforcement officials were all consulted to ensure that the proposed measures strike the right balance to address these issues and effect change.

We are extremely grateful to our safety stakeholders, municipal leaders and law enforcement for their support throughout the drafting and throughout the presentation of this bill.

By presenting this legislation, we’re already raising more awareness of the dangers of stunt driving and aggressive driving. And to those supportive stakeholders, I say, please do not stop there. Keep the conversation going. We need everyone to be aware of the harsher penalties, and we need your help in educating our young drivers.

Our government will continue to engage this network and leverage their many valuable perspectives, experiences and resources. To that end, we will be launching further consultations on stunt driving to ensure that we effectively reach the public, especially our young people. I will personally be holding these consultations to ensure we are taking a strong, meaningful and intelligent approach in our language to put the brakes on these unacceptable behaviours. We all have a right to feel safe while driving.

Mr. Speaker, while my remarks have focused primarily on stunt driving and street racing, we know other unsafe driving habits need to be addressed. As the Minister of Transportation described earlier, the proposed legislation before the House today takes decisive action to protect road users against unsafe and aggressive driving and establish oversight for the provincial towing and vehicle storage industry. If passed, the measures in the MOMS Act target the bad actors on Ontario’s roads who put everyone’s safety at risk and help protect vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and highway construction workers.

We will also be launching a public education campaign to educate the public on the dangers of distracted driving, to support the measures in this proposed legislation.

There’s no question that responsible driving makes roads safer for everyone, and while Ontario has much to be proud of when it comes to our road safety record, we must never stop pursuing ways to combat reckless and unsafe driving. That’s why MTO officials are continuously monitoring trends and driving behaviours to identify concerning trends as they emerge. Their hard work and dedication will allow our government to make the necessary changes to the rules and penalties based on evidence.

Again, this is work we’re pursuing in a highly collaborative manner. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders, municipalities, enforcement agencies and other jurisdictions to better understand the data and trends and ensure that we utilize all the best available research and tools to help combat this issue. We will use this research and data to continue to explore further measures aimed at reducing and preventing unsafe driving.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that safety is important to all members in this House, and I thank the members for their interest in improving safety on our roads. Road safety, particularly for vulnerable road users, is a shared concern. Since forming government three years ago, we have presented two pieces of legislation aimed at improving safety on our roads, which also includes the Getting Ontario Moving Act, to ensure our roads are safe and to protect our most vulnerable. I want to assure the members opposite that this is an ongoing conversation.

Mr. Speaker, again, I will close with one last statistic—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Excuse me. I apologize for interrupting. I want to say to the members opposite: Your conversations are starting to bother me. I’ve been very lenient up to now. Please stop it. I’m trying to listen. Thank you.

Back to the associate minister.

Hon. Kinga Surma: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have one last statistic to share with you: Every three and a half hours, someone is injured in a speed-related crash in Ontario. That means that at least six people will have been injured by the end of today due to reckless driving. I think all of the members of this House will agree that even one death or serious injury on our roads is one too many. That’s why our government will never end our pursuit to make Ontario’s roads the safest in North America. The more robust road safety measures put forward in the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act will help put us in a better position to achieve that outcome.

And Mr. Speaker, there’s something I would like to add: I am very much excited to continue hosting consultations on this matter. I can tell you that the stakeholders, particularly our safety stakeholders as well as law enforcement, have been very clear about the concerning trends we have seen prior to the pandemic and, in fact, during the pandemic. It is getting warmer outside.

I know that when it’s warmer outside, people like to get outdoors as well as like to enjoy driving and going to different trails, but we need to do this now so that we can ensure that we don’t see another spike in stunt driving and aggressive driving and distracted driving. So I will continue to consult with safety stakeholders. I am very much happy that this will be in place for the summer period, and I look forward to hearing from the parliamentary assistant.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): The parliamentary assistant, the member for Scarborough–Rouge Park—

Interjection: —is just on time—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): —and ready to take

part in the debate. I turn it over to him.

Mr. Vijay Thanigasalam: Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise and stand here before you and my colleagues today to discuss the proposed legislation, the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, also known as the MOMS Act, at third reading.

The fact that our roads are among the safest in North America should be a point of pride for everyone across our great province. Every day, people can get into their cars, ride their bikes or take transit and have confidence that the rules and laws of the road are helping to keep them and their families safe.

Our government is very proud to be road safety champions. That’s why we must take decisive action to address the rise of concerning incidents and trends that threaten public safety. We have all witnessed aggressive driving, heard the troubling reports of street racing on our roads and read the news of the violence in the towing industry. In each instance, we always think that we must do more. If passed, the MOMS Act will help address these recent challenges and ensure that Ontario continues to meet the highest safety standards for both users and those who work on the province’s roads and highways.

A key element of this proposed legislation is the introduction of new measures that target the dangerous acts of street driving, stunt driving, and aggressive and unsafe driving. Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in aggressive driving, like street racing and stunt driving, over the past five years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this concerning trend.

As I listened to the Associate Minister of Transportation’s remarks, I was struck by the shocking list of statistics and examples of stunt driving and street racing seen in Ontario recently. That someone would knowingly choose to drive a car at such drastic speeds, sometimes twice and even three times the speed limit, just for their entertainment is reckless, irresponsible and will not be tolerated. I think she put it best: Driving is a privilege, and if you abuse that privilege, we will stop you from hurting yourself and everyone on the road around you.

Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike share Ontario’s roads, and everyone has a shared responsibility to follow the rules of the road, but drivers need to be more aware of their speed, slow down and be respectful of our collective responsibility to keep our roads safe, because there’s no question that speed kills. Where speed is a factor, collisions are more likely to cause serious harm, which is why these selfish acts of street racing and stunt driving are so dangerous.

Mr. Speaker, these aggressive and selfish actions have no place on Ontario’s roads. There’s a reason why road safety experts don’t use the term “accident” to describe collisions, especially when they involve drivers speeding, street racing or driving aggressively on our roads: because these incidents are preventable. The proposed measures within the MOMS Act, if passed, will help us stop drivers who choose to engage in aggressive and unsafe driving, especially those who take

part in street racing or stunt driving.

One way we can achieve this goal is through the implementation of more severe consequences for their unacceptable, aggressive and unsafe driving behaviour. That’s why, if passed, the MOMS Act introduces escalating post-conviction driver’s licence suspensions for those convicted of street racing or stunt driving. Under this new penalty structure, an individual would have their licence suspended for at least one year on their first conviction. Should there be a second conviction, they would see an increased minimum three-year suspension.

A third conviction would result in a lifetime suspension that may be reduced if certain conditions are met. And a fourth, and any subsequent convictions, would earn offenders a lifetime suspension.

But we cannot wait for drivers to be convicted of these offences to stop them from repeating their bad choices. Right now, drivers caught street racing or stunt driving can have their licence suspended and vehicle impounded for seven days on the spot. If passed, the MOMS Act would increase these sanctions to a roadside licence suspension of 30 days and a 14-day vehicle impoundment. These more serious on-the-spot consequences reflect the severe and deliberate disregard for public safety shown by those who engage in street racing or stunt driving. Our government is sending a clear message that Ontario will not tolerate driving behaviour that puts people at risk.

The people who work to build and maintain Ontario roads and highways are integral to our growth and prosperity. They keep our highway system working, whether it is paving the roads, building new lanes or filling potholes. They are the people we often see as we pass through construction zones, no matter the weather outside or the time of day. They are the people we often see whenever we drive by. Without them, without our highway workers, our highways would grind to a halt.

Our government values their hard work and dedication and believes that everyone deserves a safe place, no matter where you work. If passed, the MOMS Act would permit the use of automated traffic control devices to help control the flow of traffic around a construction zone. We have all passed a construction zone where workers at the job site are standing on the road, holding signage to direct traffic to stop while work is going on up ahead. The use of this automated solution can improve safety for these workers.

Ontario’s construction industry has responded positively to our proposals. Bryan Hocking, chief executive officer of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association, said, “Although sometimes considered as an inconvenience by drivers, construction zones are workplaces first. Our members have noticed increased incidents of stunt driving, speeding and distracted driving. Initiatives that crack down on stunt driving, that allow for the use of automated flagger devices are important tools that will make construction zones safer for workers and make our roadways safer for all Ontarians.”

Mr. Speaker, tow truck drivers provide a vital service for drivers throughout Ontario’s roads and highways; ask anyone who has found themselves stuck on the side of a busy road or highway waiting for help, or anyone stuck waiting in traffic behind a collision or a breakdown. Ontario’s tow truck drivers play a critical role in keeping our roads safe and supporting traffic flow on our highways. But unfortunately, we have seen that some within the tow truck industry are operating illegally, with dangerous consequences for both the public and tow truck drivers.

Tow truck drivers shouldn’t have to worry about being assaulted on the job or whether or not they will make it home safely at the end of the day.

As I said before, everyone deserves a safe workplace, and drivers who have been in a collision or are stuck with a broken-down car shouldn’t have to worry about calling a tow truck driver for help. But we have all heard the recent news about violence in the industry, which adds more stress to an already difficult situation. When someone needs to call for help, they must be assured that the tow truck driver arriving on the scene has only their best interests in mind.

Mr. Speaker, we know that there are many tow truck drivers and operators who provide trustworthy and reliable services. But we will not tolerate the ongoing violence and criminal activity we have seen from the bad actors in Ontario’s towing industry. That’s why, last year, our government struck a provincial tow truck task force to help promote road user and tow truck operator safety. The task force also looked at ways to prevent crime and fraud throughout the towing experience and create a level playing field with clear requirements that allow legitimate operators in the towing industry to prosper.

Through the MOMS Act, we are using the findings that came out of the towing task force to propose much-needed changes in Ontario’s towing industry. Under the proposed legislation, our government would establish a director of towing and vehicle storage standards to oversee the certification process and appoint towing inspectors to enforce the legislation and investigate complaints. That means tow operators, tow truck drivers and vehicle storage operators would be held to a higher standard and need a provincial certificate to operate, ensuring a more level playing field between different tow operators.

These changes will also help to protect drivers and give them confidence that when they are waiting by the side of the road for a tow, a capable and reputable tow truck driver will be there to help them and get them to a safe place. Everyone deserves to know that they are in good hands, no matter which tow truck driver arrives on the scene to help them or their loved ones.

Another change we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic is a big increase in the number of cyclists on our roads. As summer approaches, and considering the bicycle industry’s record-breaking sales, more Ontarians will be cycling to get around than ever before. According to Bike Share Toronto, a network of 6,850 bikes and 625 stations across the city, 2020 was the busiest year in its 10-year history, with Torontonians taking 2.9 million trips across its network.

Also in 2020, Bike Share Toronto launched the largest expansion of its network, bringing more bikes and stations to across the city. My constituents in Scarborough–Rouge Park benefitted from the expansion, as Bike Share expanded its infrastructure to the Highland Creek Trail and the Waterfront Trail to the Rouge Hill GO station.

Bike Share Toronto also launched an e-bike pilot program, which added 300 pedal-assist e-bikes and 10 charging stations to the Bike Share network. E-bikes offer an affordable, convenient, active and green way to travel while also helping to reduce congestion on roads. For example, our government recently introduced a pilot program for cargo e-bikes earlier this year. Cargo e-bikes offer businesses an environmentally friendly alternative for transporting goods locally, and we are looking forward to seeing how municipalities introduce cargo e-bikes on their roads.

As the popularity of bikes continues to grow, the safety of cyclists remains a top priority for our government. We are proposing measures within the MOMS Act that will update the definition of an e-bike. By updating the definition of an e-bike to create three distinct classes—bicycle-style, moped-style and motorcycle-style—municipalities will choose which class of e-bikes to allow on their transportation infrastructure, and where, to ensure people’s safety.

When it comes to cycling infrastructure, we know there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works in one community may not work in the next. By defining e-bikes into three distinct classes, we are giving municipalities another tool to protect the safety of the people on their roads and in their communities.

Ontario is home to some of the best trail and road cycling in the world, including in my riding of Scarborough–Rouge Park. During the pandemic, record numbers of Ontarians have taken to cycling to exercise and enjoy the outdoors while following public health advice to physically distance. At the same time, the number of people choosing cycling as their primary means of transportation has also increased. Combined with the benefits to one’s health and the environment, I can understand why so many people are turning to this green, sustainable form of transportation.

But anyone who regularly rides a bike knows about the hazards of drivers opening car doors in the path ahead. Also referred to as dooring, these incidents can result in serious injuries to cyclists, and they are entirely preventable. That’s why we’re making changes that will improve how the province collects data on collisions involving bicycles. Proposed measures in this legislation will better track collisions involving car doors hitting bicycles or e-scooters. This information will provide our government with more insight into dooring collisions involving bikes and consider what we can do to stop them from happening.

Another all-too-familiar incident for people who use transit to get around—especially Torontonians—are drivers that illegally pass a streetcar when its doors are open. People shouldn’t run the risk of being hit by a car as they exit a streetcar. That’s why we are proposing to allow the use of automated camera enforcement as evidence against a vehicle owner who illegally passes a streetcar on the left or passes a streetcar with its door open to pick up or drop off a passenger. As a transit rider myself, I know this is a long-awaited change that Toronto transit riders will welcome.

When it comes to Ontario’s road safety record, we have so much to be proud of, but there’s always more we can do. The Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, if passed, will target those who engage in unsafe and aggressive acts of driving and take meaningful action to address collisions on our roads. We’re also proposing changes to Ontario’s towing industry to improve safety for customers, tow truck drivers, tow operators and vehicle storage operators. We are considering the safety of those who build and maintain Ontario’s roads and safe highways. We are taking action to make bikes and e-bikes safer to use.

Our government is taking concrete action to protect people and families on our roads across Ontario.

Before I wrap up, I would like to thank the Minister of Transportation and the Associate Minister of Transportation for their commitment to improving the safety and reliability of the province’s transportation network. I look forward to hearing the rest of today’s debate.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): We have time now for questions and comments.

Mr. Michael Mantha: There are a few things that I know are reflective of some of the discussions and ideas that the opposition party have brought many times to the floor of this Legislature, so it’s nice to see that in this legislation as well.

I will always come to the floor of this Legislature with a lens from a northern perspective, and when I hear the minister make comments that every 14 hours, a person is killed on our highways, that’s concerning. I drive from Algoma–Manitoulin into Toronto every week, like everybody does from their constituency. I see some of those drivers who are just flying by me. Yes, we need to address those individuals.

However, I’m going to bring something else to the floor of this Legislature, that from northern Ontario—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): I hope it’s a question; please pose it.

Mr. Michael Mantha: Every snowstorm, we are losing community members as well. This was a perfect opportunity to get something done in regard to winter road maintenance. Why did we not do that?

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Thank you for your comments. The minister to respond to the comments. I didn’t hear the question. Minister?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know what the question is, because the member raises his concerns and I understand that.

We have been talking about winter maintenance in this House for some time. Our government has taken action, Mr. Speaker, on improving standards for winter maintenance. We take road safety very seriously across the province and especially in the north where winter conditions make driving much more challenging. That’s why we began a pilot project this year to study how we can improve clearance on Highways 11 and 17 in the north. Obviously as the winter season has come to an end, we’re reviewing the information that was collected through that pilot project, and we’ll be looking at ways to improve our winter clearance standards in the north.

Mr. Speaker, that’s just one of the things we have done, one of the actions that we’ve taken to improve winter clearance in the north by our government. And we’re going to continue to do more.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): The next question?

Hon. Bill Walker: I want to thank Ministers Mulroney and Surma and also PA Thanigasalam for all of their efforts.

We’ve had significant issues with this stunt driving in our riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, particularly in the summer tourist season, on all of our highways. I want to thank them so much for listening. They accepted a number of delegations with municipalities from my riding who gave their impact.

I just wonder if they would please tell me all of the enhanced measures, or at least some of the enhanced measures because they’ve done so much, to protect the people on our roads across this great province.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Back to the associate minister to respond.

Hon. Kinga Surma: Now I don’t know if I should start with the previous legislation that was led by the former Minister of Transportation in terms of getting Ontario moving again, but in terms of stunt driving, this is a shared concern across the province of Ontario, and it is especially a concern here in the GTA. I have spoken to law enforcement both at the city of Toronto and in York region who have just seen a huge escalation of these trends.

When we were having consultations with safety stakeholders, one of the things that they emphasized very much to me was to please extend the vehicle impoundment and licence suspensions. We’ve done both of those things. We certainly hope that it truly will be effective, but it’s more about that we need to raise the awareness, we need to educate our young drivers, and we also need to educate repeat offenders to certainly not do this again.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): The next question?

Mr. Joel Harden: I listened closely when members of the government were talking about the impacts of e-bikes for this legislation, because e-bikes are very popular back home in Ottawa Centre. I’m a cargo bike user myself. I’ve flirted with the idea of electronic assistance to that machine as I age.

Felicity Borgal recently did an interview with CBC Ottawa asking the government if a cargo bike, as per this legislation, is over 55 kilograms in weight and she already possesses it, is it now illegal? Is the government, through this legislation, asking our police to take those bikes off the road? What about the freight companies, the delivery companies, whose bikes may be declared illegal? I know the government has met with a lot of e-bike advocates; they have been telling this government to bring in the California legislation, which is pioneering. I see aspects of that in this bill, but there are also aspects of this bill that would make existing safe e-bikes illegal.

I want the minister or another government member to clarify: Is that the intent of this bill? I sure hope it isn’t.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Back to the parliamentary assistant to respond.

Mr. Vijay Thanigasalam: Thank you to the member opposite for that question. As you know, the ministry has added the minimum weight limit of more than 55 kilograms for a Cargo E-Bikes Pilot Program to align with the maximum proposed weight limit with bicycle-style e-bikes. Both proposals were considered together last October 2020 and November 2020, and posted to the regulatory body as well.

As you know, this proposal right now doesn’t change the definition. It will be under the Cargo E-Bikes Pilot Program so that, this way, we will not take away what’s already in the system. We will give more options to the city so that, either e-bike or cargo e-bike, the municipality will have the option to decide where and how they can enforce this legislation.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): The next question?

Mr. David Piccini: I’d first like to congratulate the minister, associate minister and PA for the work that they have done on this. It’s important, both personally and professionally, seeing the impact that this has had on too many in my community, including some very difficult realities in the last few months that have gripped our community.

I have a proud trucking industry, and this act proposes measures to improve truck safety. So, I’m wondering if the minister could elaborate a little more on some of the measures to improve truck safety and why this is good for truckers in Northumberland–Peterborough South.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Back to the minister to respond.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: First of all, our drivers have been doing so much for all of us throughout the pandemic. They never stopped working. Since the beginning, they have been heroes, keeping food on our table and goods on our shelves. Our government has been consulting with trucking stakeholders throughout the pandemic to know what we can do to assist them as they continue to work, but also what we can do through legislation to assist them.

We have responded to their requests to address the hours-of-service declaration and make sure that we can create an out-of-service declaration that would be issued by police and MTO enforcement officers to prohibit a driver from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a designated period of time, and it will create a legal obligation for the driver and the operator to comply. This is consistent with regulations that will be coming in to improve driver safety and the overall safety of our roads.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): The next question?

Ms. Sandy Shaw: Many communities in Ontario have been what I call victims of car meetups and street racing. I know in Hamilton, in September, we had a massive gathering in a parking lot in Ancaster. They took over our streets. While I understand that this is a problem across the province, in Hamilton we have seen no charges laid.

I understand that there’s a multi-jurisdictional team that includes the OPP and Hamilton Police Service. My question to you is, what has happened to charges that were being—were there no charges laid in this particular incident in Ancaster that happened way back in September?

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): Back to the associate minister to respond.

Hon. Kinga Surma: Thank you very much to the member opposite. I certainly cannot speak on behalf of law enforcement, but we will raise the issue with Minister Jones, the Solicitor General, to provide you with some clarity on that particular instance.

But one of the reasons why we also included places like parking lots for folks to be able to be charged for stunt driving was exactly for that reason. In fact, I actually went up into a helicopter with law enforcement with York Regional Police—which I have to admit was one of the best, most informative experiences in being an MPP. We witnessed that happening in a Tim Hortons parking lot. Thankfully, law enforcement was able to break that up before anyone got hurt, but in a span of two hours, there were three incidents of stunt driving. One can only assume what is happening on our roads and highways, which is why this legislation is so critical.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): We don’t have time for another question and response, so we turn to further debate.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I am very glad to be able to start my remarks, as the official opposition critic for infrastructure, transportation and highways, as we are discussing here at third reading the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, or the MOMS Act, Bill 282.

Speaker, I will tell you, this is my very first opportunity as critic to speak to this bill in this House. Interestingly, when it was first introduced, it was introduced in such a rush that, because we’re cohorting, I was not here or able to be. And it just passed through within days to committee, which is a bit frustrating when we want to take the time to be thoughtful. As we saw at committee, there was a lot to talk about that came from the community, fine-tuning some concerns that were raised. I will take the opportunity later this afternoon—as I look at the clock, I think the bulk of my one-hour lead is going to be later today—to share a number of those specific concerns.

This is a bill that makes changes to the Highway Traffic Act. We’ve spoken at length in this House and across our communities about the need to address stunt driving in a thoughtful way, in an effective way. We did hear some folks at committee both grateful that we’re moving forward on this but also, again, with some suggestions that are maybe more for regulation and for the government to consider as they are moving forward on that. So, I hope they will take that into consideration.

But also, a lot of safety pieces that we talk about, that we want to crack down on folks who are breaking the law, that we want to have either stiffer penalties or we want to have more prevention when it comes to the education side—I think about the successful Mothers Against Drunk Driving campaigns that we all grew up with about drunk driving, the perils of that. I think that there is conversation to be had around what stunt driving education campaigns look like, about the dangers. Again, we had fantastic input at committee, and beforehand, folks like MADD have really worked hard to keep our roads safer on this issue and others.

There are issues in here about dooring. We’ve talked about dooring, and we brought some thoughtful amendments to committee that were defeated, unfortunately. But I don’t think we’ve closed the door on the dooring conversation, because as we are starting to track those collisions—I won’t call them accidents because they’re preventable—and being thoughtful, hopefully, we’ll realize that the amendments that were brought forward, as suggested by community and the NDP-tabled amendments—hopefully, the government will reverse course and actually adopt those.

There was a lot of talk—and I actually think that the government was surprised by it. They can correct me, but I think they were surprised by the backlash or the reaction from the e-bike-using community, the e-bike enthusiasts, because I think, if I’m being generous, Speaker—and I cannot impugn motive, so I have no idea what the government was thinking, but I did believe the minister when she came to committee and said that the government’s intent, and she’s repeated it today, was to support e-bike use across communities.

However, what we have heard from retailers, from folks and families, businesses and grandmas that are using their e-bikes or cargo bikes and whatnot, is that they are very concerned that now those bikes will be deemed illegal because of some of the technical pieces of this bill.

I’m telling you, I was not an e-bike expert before this bill got tabled on that Monday morning, what, two weeks ago. I was not. I don’t have one; I don’t know. I do now. Wow, they’re a really, really not just vocal group, an educated group. They know and love their e-bikes—certainly, those who are connected to the industry, whether they’re looking to import new bikes that meet the needs of communities and business and tourism, or whether they’re retailers who are connecting folks with the power-assisted support they need to get around as they age, like my colleague from Ottawa was suggesting; he’s right on the cusp there. However, their concerns are legitimate.

As we get into the nitty-gritty of the bill and the technical pieces, and we’ll talk about that this afternoon—about the weight of the e-bike itself, or whether it’s the gross vehicle weight or if it’s just the bike alone. The government is out of step with other jurisdictions. They’re out of step with international standards. I don’t know what this is going to look like now.

Now that this bill has passed to third reading, we can’t amend it again. We had that chance at committee. We were able to amend it. The government chose not to amend any part of it, and there were—well, I guess it would be a prop if I were to show you all of my amendments. But these are all of the amendments, Speaker, and none of them passed. They were thoughtful, and they were based on experts. They weren’t just that the member from Oshawa decided she had better ideas about e-bikes. No, she didn’t. No, I have had to learn that.

We’re going to get into it this afternoon, amendment by amendment. I know that the e-bike community are quite eager to hear what it is that was suggested. They’re going to continue to hold the government not just to account, they want to know if it’s okay for them to ride their bikes, if it’s okay for them to use their e-bikes in their communities. Are the retailers now—they’re in limbo—going to be in trouble for selling something that is deemed illegal? Are the police now responsible for driving around with micrometers to measure wheel size?

This was problematic heading into committee. Committee was disappointing. The canned messaging that we heard from the government over and over did not indicate that there is that specific understanding. We’ve missed our opportunity to amend the statute. I heard the minister when she just said something about there being three types of amendments: those that they disagree were needed—fine, they’re the government, they can disagree—those that can be left to regulation, and that third column or third category of some amendments that we proposed that require more study and consultations.

Well, that’s all well and good, but the time has passed. Right? The time has passed for amending the statute, so that’s frustrating and disappointing.

But this bill also, of course, deals with towing and storage safety and enforcement. Everyone in this House has heard local stories or has read the paper, seen it on TV. It has been a chaotic system—I say “system” loosely—for towing and storage. What we have here is enabling legislation, which is important, but the regulations could still be years away. So, it remains to be seen whether we see an improvement in safety on our roads when it comes to towing and when that will happen.

Those are reassurances we’d like from the government, not just as debate continues but as we have the opportunity to hear from them on those regulations, whether they will be years away or not—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Percy Hatfield): I apologize for interrupting the member from Oshawa, who will have an opportunity later today to conclude her hour-long lead, but the time for debate in this matter this morning has expired.

Third reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Optometry services

Mr. Jeff Burch: People in my riding of Niagara Centre are concerned about the future of their eye care. After decades of underfunding, optometrists and their patients are suffering. In Ontario, the government only covers an average of 55% of the cost of an OHIP-insured visit, the lowest rate in Canada. Now, as of September 1, OHIP-covered eye exams are at risk.

Georgina from Welland is a kindergarten teacher. She has seen countless young students struggle to learn until they received an eye exam and it became apparent they needed glasses. Georgina said, “Their parents ... are often struggling financially and do not have extra funds to pay for an eye exam or glasses. I have spent money from my own pocket to purchase glasses or replace broken or lost glasses for my students.”

Georgina’s mother is a senior on a very fixed income. In her regular eye exam, her eye doctor observed that her retina had detached. Without this intervention, her mother might have lost her sight completely. Georgina is not alone in her concern. Countless seniors have reached out to my office, worried about the future of their eye care.

Speaker, eye care is health care. I urge this government to provide the financial supports necessary for optometrists to continue to keep their doors open and provide OHIP-covered eye examinations.

Tamil Genocide Education Week

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: I stand here with a heavy heart and heart-wrenching memories of Tamils who perished during the last stages of the brutal war in Mullivaikkal in May 2009. This is a very emotional moment for the Tamils, including myself, having been brought up in the Vanni region during my early childhood.

Today marks the 12th year of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day.

Bishop Rayappu Joseph, a passionate human rights advocate and a respected religious leader who recently passed away, witnessed Sri Lankan armed forces supress over 147,000 people, including women and children. Mr. Speaker, the war ended 12 years ago. Injustice done to them still remains unpunished today. Sadly, until now, the United Nations hasn’t set up a mechanism for independent international investigation. There is no road map to end the ongoing oppression on Eelam Tamils. We urge the Canadian government to involve with the United Nations to end this.

Through Bill 104, we are seeing new hope and our voice is being heard. Thank you to the members of the Ontario Parliament for passing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I pay my deepest respects for those who have lost their lives. I understand and share the pain of those who have lost their loved ones. Our prayers go out to them, and their memories live with us.

COVID-19 immunization

Ms. Jennifer K. French: One of the first things my office staff checks each day is who is eligible for vaccines. There is so much new information, and it is a challenge for anyone to keep up. When we know that there are appointments available, my office circles back to people who have reached out for help, to get them to try again to book appointments. We have been very glad to do the vital work of helping neighbours get vaccinated.

Speaker, since the beginning, health units have had to figure things out for themselves, because while the province is responsible for the distribution of vaccines, they have not shown organized leadership. What we have is a patchwork system of programs across the province.

None of the government announcements have come with more people or more funding, and if the government really wants to focus on these hot spots and divert vaccines to them, then they need to provide the needed support to make sure they can get a lot of people vaccinated in those hot spots.

When the province announced their list of hot spots, many were surprised by how many priority areas were missing. Oshawa has been missing. The Durham health department has found that the L1L neighbourhood in north Oshawa has the lowest vaccination rates in Durham region and a high rate of COVID transmission. Beginning May 17, it has been deemed by public health to be a local hot spot, and people who live or work in L1L will be able to book vaccine appointments.

I am glad more people will be vaccinated, but south Oshawa also needs special consideration. The health department has told me: “We support vaccine prioritization in south Oshawa, along with other areas in Oshawa.”

I know that the health department was not given the opportunity to recommend areas to the province for “hot spots.” Well, Speaker, I am recommending Oshawa neighbourhoods now to this government. Let’s ensure folks who need protecting can have access to vaccines.

Volunteer service awards

Ms. Donna Skelly: Good morning. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my gratitude to our pandemic heroes. These men and women, boys and girls come from all walks of life, Ontarians who have stepped up to support their communities and help their neighbours weather the storm.

This spring, I will be hosting a virtual award ceremony to recognize and to honour some of these outstanding individuals in my riding of Flamborough–Glanbrook. The award recipients have been nominated by members of the community who have observed or been touched by their efforts. These inspiring individuals include:

—Kevin Keyte, a dedicated volunteer at Glanbrook Community Services, who, with his positive spirit, has delivered meals to isolated residents;

—a group of women known as the St. James United Church mask makers, who have created over 4,000 masks and donated proceeds of the effort to organizations that support the community;

—the small army of volunteers at the Food with Grace Waterdown food bank, who have gone above and beyond to collect and distribute donations to those in need; and

—John Gatto, the head custodian at St. Matthew Catholic Elementary School in Binbrook, who has been the first line of defence against the virus, keeping the school clean and staff and students safe.

As we persevere in our efforts to bend the curve once and for all, let the sacrifices of these and countless other pandemic heroes remind us all of our responsibility to do our part just a little while longer.

Nurses

Mr. Percy Hatfield: Good morning, Speaker. Down my way during Nursing Week, we honour an outstanding individual who has served the community through excellence in delivering patient care. Because of COVID-19, for the second year, the dedication of each and every nurse in Windsor and Essex county is being recognized.

The local president of our RNAO

chapter is Crystal Hepburn. She says, “This year, this award recognizes the extreme dedication, loyalty and hard work that all of our nurses are providing to ensure our community continues to be safe and healthy during this pandemic.”

Speaker, as a symbol of their service to our community, there will be a dedicated bench in Leamington’s Seacliff Park to recognize the valuable contribution of the nurses in Windsor and Essex county. The nurses have already established a similar bench in Windsor’s Jackson Park and at the health and wellness centre in Amherstburg.

Our nurses have been recognizing one of their own since 2008. The nurse of the year award carries the name and honours the contribution of a former president of the ONA, Lois Fairley. She spent her career as a nurse and head nurse looking after patients at our former Salvation Army Grace Hospital.

Speaker, as you know, this year’s theme to Nursing Week is “Still Standing. Still Strong. Still Proud.”—a theme that reflects the challenges that nurses have withstood throughout this pandemic and their remarkable resilience and dedication. During this pandemic, nurses have worked hard each and every day and night, every single shift, month after month. They are exhausted, yet they have persevered and continue to care for all of us in need. The courage, professionalism and compassion they display is humbling.

Nurses are loved, trusted, respected and appreciated by their patients and by all of the people in Ontario and in this House, our provincial Parliament.

Mike Nemesvary

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: My statement today is about a constituent of mine named Mike Nemesvary, who I had the pleasure of speaking with on March 18, 2021. Mike started out with a dream to become the premier freestyle skier in the world, and he was well on his way to achieving it. For well over a decade, Mike competed at the highest levels in Canada and internationally, winning dozens of championships, including world cups as well as Canadian, European and British skiing titles.

Mike was reaching the pinnacle of his world-class skiing career when his entire world changed. A tragic accident in 1985 left him a quadriplegic.

The ‘Round the World Challenge is a six-month, 40,000-kilometre, 20-country journey to raise awareness and funds for enabling technologies which will improve the freedom, independence and acceptance for people with disabilities, especially those with spinal cord injuries. In March 2001, Mike became the first quadriplegic to independently drive his heavily modified truck around the world, completing the ‘Round the World Challenge.

In March 2021, Mike celebrated the 20th anniversary of this project with a virtual tour around the planet, retracing his tour and highlighting the accomplishments of two decades ago. More importantly, it compared where the world was then to where it is now.

To find out more about Mike and the challenge, you can visit www.roundtheworldchallenge.com.

Education funding

Ms. Sandy Shaw: It’s been a very difficult year for our kids. This morning, I rise to recognize the strength and the resilience of the children and youth in Ontario.

After more than a year of disruption, we know that online learning doesn’t work. Students are frustrated and falling behind, and some are just not showing up. Parents and educators are exhausted trying so hard to make it work, and 70% of teachers surveyed worry the kids won’t catch up academically. Yet we continue to see this government flat-lining education funding and now proposing a hybrid model of learning for next year, but without additional funding.

Tragically, we are seeing the devastating impact of social isolation on children’s health and well-being. Bruce Squires, the president of McMaster Children’s Hospital, reports that the number of youth being admitted after a suicide attempt has tripled this year. An Ontario Soccer survey found that without youth soccer, 40% of respondents reported feeling anxiety, stress and worry, while 20% noted depression.

Our kids are not okay and we need to start listening to them. Students are calling on the Ontario government to allow COVID-safe outdoor graduation ceremonies. Kids are pleading, “Let us play.” Unfortunately, the PC government just voted down our motion to safely re-open outdoor recreational facilities to boost physical and mental health. The Premier just teased that summer camps will be open, but so far has provided no details.

Kids don’t need to be held in suspense. They don’t need more empty words without a plan. We must act to prioritize the mental health of Ontario’s three million children and youth now.

Tamil Genocide Education Week

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: Today, May 18, marks the 12th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide. This is a day when Tamils in Canada and around the world will join together in remembering the end of the 25-year-long civil war that claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians on both sides.

As Tamils commemorate those who were lost, it is also important to acknowledge the process of rebuilding, which is ongoing today. Today, I’ll also reflect on the pain and suffering of this atrocity. It is also apparent that significant steps have been taken towards the preservation and expansion of the cultural heritage of the Tamil people, including here in Ontario. In this House, we unanimously passed the member from Scarborough–Rouge Park’s Bill 104, which dedicates a week to educating about genocides so we never repeat them.

Notably, a campaign to establish a chair in Tamil studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough—the first of its kind in Canada—has reached its $3-million philanthropic goal. More than 3,800 donors contributed to the grassroots campaign, which was spearheaded by the Canadian Tamil Congress and Tamil Chair Inc. in 2018.

Tamil is among the world’s seven classical languages and it reflects a rich cultural heritage that spans more than 2,000 years. The east part of Toronto is home to the largest concentration of Tamil people outside of the Indian subcontinent. I’m inspired by the strong ties of kinship shared between members of the Tamil Canadian community and the dedication Tamils show to improving the lives of their neighbours.

As a member of provincial Parliament for Scarborough–Guildwood, I truly appreciate the strength and perseverance of the Tamil Canadian communities across Ontario, and I stand here and join with all of you in wishing them a peaceful and prosperous future.

Sport a Rainbow

Mr. Dave Smith: Yesterday was International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Today, I’d like to introduce you to a very good friend of mine, Rose Powers.

Rose is an absolute force for good in our community. I first met her when we were both involved in hockey in Peterborough. Rose was the president of the Peterborough Girls Hockey Association, and at the time I was director of player development for the Peterborough Community Church Hockey League. Rose helped me immensely with a number of projects, like the Under the Lock tournament and Hockey Day in Canada. She has a reputation that if you want something done well, you enlist Rose’s help.

Rose has a project that she’s been working on for the last couple of years, and it’s one that everyone needs to know about. It’s called Sport a Rainbow. The concept is really simple: You take the pledge and you sport a rainbow sticker to show your support. Here is the pledge: “By Sporting a Rainbow, I understand that all athletes, coaches and competitors deserve to participate in sport free of judgment. I will help by speaking up against hateful speech and actions in my sport.

“Because it’s about more than just the game.”

Speaker, I proudly took the pledge when Rose first started it, and I encourage everyone to go to www.sportarainbow.ca, take the pledge and get behind this fantastic initiative because, as Rose says, it’s more than just the game.

Manufacturing sector

Mr. David Piccini: Today, I rise to highlight the phenomenal work being done by Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association and a recent virtual career fair that they held. A special thank you to the phenomenal team: Fred, Darla, Melissa and the entire team at NMA for doing this.

The fair was an industry-led event to recruit college, university and high school graduates looking at a rewarding career in manufacturing. The purpose of the event was to hire new talent; open new connections and relationships; learn about and promote internships, apprenticeships; and to continue to build relationships between industry and post-secondary institutions.

The event included a keynote speaker who gave a virtual plant tour of Charlotte Products in Peterborough. Both items focused on careers and manufacturing, and it was directed towards students in my community.

The event had 27 manufacturers in attendance, 170 graduates, six post-secondary schools and high schools, Speaker. This was truly a remarkable event. I’m told students have already been in for internship interviews. Students have been asked to come and many are well on their way to a rewarding career in manufacturing. I also know that local high school teachers are now in direct contact with manufacturers in our community. Building these important linkages is critical, Speaker.

This event, along with Mirmil’s recent expansion to Campbellford, hiring now to grow their company to over 100 employees with well-paying jobs, like machine operators, drafters and engineering personnel, shows that manufacturing in Northumberland is alive and well.

Speaker, I would again thank the remarkable team at NMA. Thank you for the work you do, and thank you to all manufacturers in Northumberland–Peterborough South.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. That concludes our members’ statements for this morning.

Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Algoma–Manitoulin has informed me he has a point of order he wishes to raise.

Mr. Michael Mantha: Thank you, Speaker. On a point of order, I want to welcome Natalie Mehra, along with the Ontario Health Coalition, who packed the gallery, and all the guests who are joining us today, particularly

—from Sudbury: Shawn Mathe, Krystal Martin, Eric Boulay, Amanda McGaughey, Melissa Wood, Roma Smith, Dot Klein, Laura Ann Varey;

—from Val Caron: Joanne MacNeil, Monique Mussar;

—from North Bay: Sue McIntyre, Ann McIntyre, Robert Lawrence;

—from Sault Ste. Marie: Juanita Wood-Arbus, Shirley Sinclair, Marie DellaVedova;

—from Blind River: Al Dupuis, Jo Arnold;

—from Manitoulin Island: Christine Mick;

—from Iroquois Falls: Frances Anne Côté, Ben Lefebvre;

—from Thunder Bay: Evelina Pan, Paul Pugh; and the many more from northern Ontario. Welcome.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you for the introduction of the virtual visitors.

The member for Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: Point of order: I, too, would like to welcome the guests who are in the gallery today virtually. There are over 500 of them. The Ontario Health Coalition has brought them in. I’ll just say welcome to Christine Collins from Ottawa. There are so many other people from Ottawa. Thank you very much for being here, and I do—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Scarborough–Rouge Park has a point of order he wishes to make.

Mr. Vijay Thanigasalam: Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to rise for a moment of silence to honour and remember the lives lost in the Tamil genocide as we mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day today.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Scarborough–Rouge Park is seeking unanimous consent of the House for a moment of silence in recognition of the Tamil genocide. Agreed? Agreed.

Members will please rise.

The House observed a moment’s silence.

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

It is now time for oral questions.

Question Period

Long-term care

Ms. Andrea Horwath: As has already been mentioned, there are hundreds of families and residents of long-term care watching across Ontario today, and they’re demanding answers from the Ford government. We’ve offered to put their questions to the government today, hoping, on their behalf and our own, that the Premier and the Minister of Long-Term Care will answer those questions.

The first one is from Sherry Coulson Hutchinson in Wiarton, and Sherry says this: “I have been watching with horror how this government has ignored conditions in” long-term-care homes, “even after the military said that residents were dying not just with COVID, but because they were dehydrated, starving and lying in their own urine and feces.”

On behalf of Sherry and so many others, why did the Premier break his promise of justice and a full investigation of those deaths from neglect and dehydration?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: As I’ve said on a number of occasions, not only for Sherry but for all the people of the province of Ontario, we certainly were put on the defence during the first phase of this battle with COVID. That is why, even prior to the pandemic, we began to reform the long-term-care system in Ontario. We began renovating those outdated homes that still had ward beds. We put in thousands of additional spaces throughout the province. We knew that there was also an issue of staffing in the sector. That’s why we began a study into the staffing, what were issues that were being faced.

Of course, we increased pay. We knew that pay was an issue. We increased pay for the PSWs through pandemic pay.

That work continued not only before, but during and after. Obviously, when we had vaccines—despite the shortfall in the early months, when we had vaccines, the very first people who we vaccinated were those people in our long-term-care homes.

There is a lot of work left to be done. We will continue that work for future generations of the province of Ontario.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I just would like the members of the government side to look around these galleries and imagine these people actually here, because I can tell you for sure that if they were able to be here, they would be.

Here’s what Pamela says. Pamela lost both of her parents to a COVID-19 outbreak in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon. Her dad, Ted, was a resident there. Her mom was a frequent visitor and volunteer. She says this:

“My elderly mother felt compelled to volunteer her time daily, so my dad had the care he needed.... She became a front-line volunteer for a ‘for-profit home’!!”—her emphasis, not mine.

“After losing both” of them, the “Premier ... passed a bill that has made it significantly difficult for us to seek compensation from these million-dollar corporations.”

On behalf of Pamela and so many others, why was it this Premier’s first act to protect the for-profit owners and operators of these homes and himself from legal liability?

Hon. Paul Calandra: The Leader of the Opposition will know that that’s actually not the case. The Premier undertook a commission of inquiry to understand what it was that happened.

Look, we knew in advance of the pandemic that there were significant issues in long-term care. I just mentioned that. There needed to be a build-out of long-term care. We needed renovations in some of the older homes, including in Bobcaygeon. We put millions of dollars, frankly—hundreds of millions of dollars—into doing that in advance of the pandemic. We wanted to know why staffing wasn’t staying in long-term-care homes. We started that work before the pandemic.

But we’ve gone further, Mr. Speaker. We said there have to be four hours of care. We’re hiring 27,000 additional PSWs, 2,000 additional nurses, building out thousands of beds. We’ve engaged the coroner so that we can act on the recommendations of the commission of inquiry. Those families that want justice will be guaranteed that justice, and we will get to the bottom of this and make sure that these long-term-care homes are working for the people of Ontario for decades to come.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, on the contrary, it actually did happen, and it was Bill 218, in case the government members forgot.

This is from Joyce Maxwell in Barrie: “I live in Barrie, just blocks from Roberta Place where my mom was a resident until her passing.... It is also the place where all but one of the 129 residents entrusted to its care were infected by COVID-19 ... and where 71 residents subsequently died....

“I am here to demand justice and accountability for the residents of this home, and of the other homes in Ontario that failed our senior citizens so miserably.”

My question on behalf of Joyce and many, many others is, why has the government not provided justice? Why have they not provided accountability to the residents and to their family members in long-term care?

Hon. Paul Calandra: I think the Leader of the Opposition would expect that, first and foremost, what we have to do is ensure that, as we are still in the midst of a pandemic, we make sure that our homes and the people within those homes have the highest level of service and protection that they can get. That is why one of the first groups of people that we vaccinated in phase 1, Mr. Speaker, when we finally started to get vaccines from the federal government were the residents of long-term-care homes, and the impact of that has been dramatic.

But also, at the same time, we undertook a commission of inquiry. We knew that we had to get to the bottom of what it was that happened, and the commission of inquiry has helped us identify historical and systemic problems in long-term care that had not been addressed in the many years prior to this government taking office.

That’s not an excuse, Mr. Speaker, for not taking action. That’s why we took action: 27,000 additional PSWs are going to be hired, four hours of care, thousands of homes being built, older homes being renovated. There’s a lot of work to do. We will get it done, Mr. Speaker.

Long-term care

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is to the Premier. But I can tell you, those hundreds of family members and residents watching are probably insulted and disgusted by the fact that the Premier and the Minister of Long-Term Care refused to answer their requests.

But I’m going to put another one forward. This is from a front-line hero in long-term care from the Peterborough area, who says, “I sat in full PPE with a 92-year-old Navy veteran of” World War II “who survived his ship being bombed twice. He cried telling me he would rather die than live in isolation because this wasn’t living; this was what they used to do to punish people in the war, this was worse than jail.”

Melodie McCullough from Peterborough says this: “Why did you make it so ordinary people can’t sue long-term-care homes? Why was there no investigation into the deaths ... that were caused by neglect?” Does the Premier have an answer to Melodie’s question?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To respond, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I would hope that the Leader of the Opposition would agree that the very first thing that the government should do in the midst of a pandemic is make sure that the people of the province of Ontario, including the residents of long-term care, are taken care of. That is why the vaccination effort started with long-term care.

We also understand, Mr. Speaker, that there is a significant amount of investments that had not been made in the years leading up to the pandemic. That’s why, before the pandemic, we started making those investments. During the pandemic, we continued to make those investments. And after, we’re budgeting for 27,000 additional PSWs, over 2,000 new nurses for the system, thousands of beds, to build new homes, and to fix and renovate those old outdated homes. At the same time, we’ve engaged the coroner on this. We’re the first province to have a commission of inquiry into long-term care.

Those are the first steps, Mr. Speaker. Not one person who wants to seek justice will be stopped from seeking that justice, not by this government.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, does the government House leader hear his own drivel? Four thousand people died in long-term care because they waited over a year for this government to do anything, anything at all, to take care of them.

Here’s another quote from somebody who is watching, June Casselman of Markham, Speaker: “Our 90-year-old mother is in long-term care in Unionville. Her home was in lockdown from December 2020 to present, with the exception of approximately 12 days when the residents were able to leave their rooms. I can see the light in my mum’s eyes dimming.... It is worse than jail for these residents.”

Speaker, my question on behalf of June and many others is, why are these residents still being kept separate from their families and loved ones?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, as I said on a number of occasions, and I appreciate that the Leader of the Opposition might not agree, our first priority, obviously, is the safety and security of the people in long-term care and their families.

We are in the midst of a third wave in the province of Ontario. Despite the fact that our vaccination efforts have been very, very successful, with over seven million Ontarians receiving their first dose—and if I’m not mistaken, it’s close to 90% of those in our long-term-care homes—there is still work to be done. But our first priority is to keep those people safe, Mr. Speaker. That is what we are trying to do.

That is also why we are making historic investments in the long-term-care sector, Mr. Speaker. I have been there with the people who have suffered. I have had homes in my own riding that required the attention of the Markham Stouffville Hospital.

I do not need the Leader of the Opposition to suggest that I don’t care about people in our long-term-care homes. It is why we’re fighting so hard to increase investments in the sector, so that the devastation over the last 15 years is not the hallmark of the next 15 years.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, this government utterly failed residents in long-term care and their loved ones. They should have, in fact, made them their first priority, but they didn’t. They should have moved heaven and earth to protect those seniors in long-term care. They should have provided the justice and accountability for those folks when the homes failed them.

Instead, they protected the for-profit owners and themselves from legal liability. Instead, they left residents abandoned. Instead, they’ve broken their promises, time and time again. And to this very moment, they have not committed to implementing all of the recommendations of the long-term care commission.

Speaker, on behalf of all of the families watching today and so many others, I want to ask this government: When will they take the profits out of long-term care? When will they stop protecting the for-profit owners and operators and themselves from legal liability? And when will this Premier finally show some commitment to change and fire his Minister of Long-Term Care?

Interjections.

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

Government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: This is an opposition leader who, between 2011 and 2014, held the balance of power in this Legislative Assembly. She could have focused on long-term care. She could have focused on health care. Instead, she chose to focus on a stretch goal for insurance, accomplishing nothing.

When we took office in 2018, and even before, we understood that there was a problem in long-term care, Mr. Speaker. That is why we moved immediately to build thousands of new spaces for long-term care, so that we could bring down the waiting list. That is why the Minister of Health moved towards the creation of Ontario health teams. That is why we started to increase ICU capacity. That is why we looked at a staffing strategy, and right now we’re hiring 27,000 additional PSWs. That is why we announced last Friday the hiring of 2,000 new nurses. That is why we have said that we’re going to build 30,000 spaces over the next 10 years.

Our priority is making sure that we get it right, that we put the 15 years of the past behind us and that the next 15, 20 and 30 years are the best in long-term care. We’ll get the job done for those—

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

Long-term care

Ms. Sara Singh: Good day, Speaker. My question is to the Premier.

Thousands of Ontarians are watching today and every single one of them deserves answers from Conservatives and this Premier. Suzanne Baril is one of those people. Here is what she has to say:

“I’m raising my voice in memory of my mom, Viviane Baril.

“My mom passed away on April 15, 2020. She was alone for a month before her passing.

“I was at my mom’s side for 12 years except for the last month. My mom was an RN who provided exemplary care to her patients.

“She did not deserve to die the way she did. I fought for 12 years bringing issues within the LTC to the attention of management.

“I was lied to repeatedly and promised that these things would change.

“It only got worse. Please be responsible and fix the LTC system.”

Speaker, after decades of Liberal neglect, Conservatives have only made the crisis in long-term care even worse. When will this government listen to people like Suzanne, take responsibility and start fixing Ontario’s broken long-term-care system?

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

Hon. Paul Calandra: I thank the member for that question, because it highlights what we have been talking about for weeks in this place. Suzanne, in her email, I suspect, to the member, highlights it very much more effectively than I ever could have. For 12 years she had been working and expressing some of the problems that we found when we took over, when the people gave us the awesome responsibility and the privilege of governing in 2018. Exactly what Suzanne has talked about is what we have found, Mr. Speaker. There was not enough staff; there had to be a staffing strategy. There were not enough homes, so we moved very quickly to build 30,000 new spaces.

I had a 118-year waiting list in my riding for long-term care—unacceptable in one of the richest provinces in the country, if not North America, and we could do better. But that’s what these reports highlighted for us, whether it was the Auditor General or the commission of inquiry, that for decades leading up to this and in particular over the last 15 years, the lack of investments, the lack of attention by the previous Liberal government made it even more difficult to address the pandemic. But we won’t stop, Mr. Speaker. We’ll get the job done for the future generations.

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

Ms. Sara Singh: Well, Liberals neglected long-term care, I think we all understand that, but this government has only made the situation worse. Their inaction throughout the pandemic cost us precious lives in the province of Ontario.

That’s why Sharon Robbins is also joining us today in the gallery; she’s listening in from Kawartha Lakes. She says to the Premier, “You keep calling us ‘friends,’ you keep talking about an ‘iron ring’ around LTC, but you don’t do anything.

“You almost eliminated in-person inspections of homes and those homes where there have been disastrous outcomes during COVID and where the military ... identified abysmal conditions have faced no consequences!”

Speaker, Sharon has a question for the Premier: When is he going to hold for-profit companies who run these long-term-care homes accountable, and when is he going to start protecting the citizens of Ontario instead of protecting his friends on the boards of those long-term-care homes?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Of course, the very first step in accountability was the commission of inquiry, Mr. Speaker. A number of recommendations were received through the commission of inquiry, many of which have already started to be taken care of by the government. Also, the Auditor General’s report—very, very important. At the same time, we’ve engaged the coroner. I think these are steps that people would expect their government to take, Mr. Speaker.

At the same time, we understand the challenges in the system: not enough staff, not enough time spent with patients or with residents of long-term care. That is why we have a North American-leading four hours of care for long-term care. That is why we’re hiring 27,000 additional PSWs. That is why we’re building 30,000 new spaces. That is why we’re hiring 2,000 new nurses.

It is a great first step. There is more work to be done, Mr. Speaker, as we come out of the pandemic. That is why we vaccinated our seniors in long-term-care homes first. There’s more work to be done, absolutely, but for the first time in decades, this is a government that’s committed to getting it done.

Border security

Mr. Robert Bailey: It’s a privilege to rise in the House today. My question is to the Solicitor General.

We know that stricter border measures stop the spread of COVID-19. This reality is backed up by hard evidence and data. Countries from around the world have implemented strict border policies to stop the entry of COVID-19, with great success. But we also know that this isn’t just about international travel from overseas. COVID-19 can enter Ontario from the United States as well. I read today that the Prime Minister is considering opening our borders with our southern cousins.

Can the Solicitor General remind the House what our government’s position is on opening our borders so soon?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you for the question from Sarnia–Lambton. He’s absolutely right, and he has every right to be concerned. I think it’s really important for the members opposite to understand that it was one individual who travelled into Ontario and devastated the long-term-care home in Barrie. I would hope that the members opposite would join us in asking—no, demanding—that our federal government keep border restrictions in place while these variants of concern continue to put our friends and families at risk.

I would plead with the members opposite: Please join us in our fight to ask the federal government to keep the borders closed until we can deal with COVID-19 and shut down the variants travelling.

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

Mr. Robert Bailey: I, too, was shocked reading in the National Post of plans that are being devised by Minister Bill Blair’s ministry. Although we all look forward to our American friends being able to visit once again, now is not the time.

Back to the minister: Can she provide any examples of why she has concerns about a return of our American travellers?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: We do know that, in fact, mobility is a factor in the spread of COVID, which is why now is not the time to open our borders. According to the Centre for Disease Control, only 47.3% of US citizens have received one dose of the vaccine. We are over 56% here in Ontario, and we really are not ready to open up yet. As of May 10, the Centre for Disease Control forecasted between 84,000 to 406,000 new COVID cases will likely be reported during the week of June 5.

On May 17, just one day, the US had over 16,000 new cases of COVID-19. Some of the hardest-hit states, according to the Johns Hopkins centre, are right on our border: Michigan, New York, Illinois and Wisconsin. It’s not the time for the federal government to open our borders. They need to do the right thing and keep the variants out of Ontario.

Long-term care

Ms. Jennifer K. French: My question is to the Premier. This past April 20 marked one year since Mary Walsh died from COVID-19 at the Orchard Villa long-term-care home in Pickering. Her daughter Marie Tripp says she is “sure she was dehydrated and starving.” Marie has video proof of PSWs not wearing full PPE during the outbreak. She believes that if management had provided personal protective equipment and proper training, things would have been different. Marie wants to know who is at fault. She wants to know which ministers in this province will take responsibility for the circumstances at Orchard Villa.

Speaker, I want to know why this government looked away for so long. We’ve all read the reports, and families know that more should have been done. Marie’s message to the government is: “We the families of deceased loved ones need answers, clarification, and justice. Will we get answers? Will we get justice?”

Will this government take any responsibility for its failure to keep people safe?

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

Hon. Paul Calandra: Of course, Mr. Speaker. That is why the Premier launched a commission of inquiry before any other province had. There’s a significant number of recommendations in there that are already well under way in the province of Ontario.

Look, we understood how difficult the first phase of this pandemic was. As was highlighted by the Auditor General and by the commission of inquiry, we were left in very challenging circumstances during the first part of this battle, because the previous government had left us so underprepared. But we’re making a difference. We’ve added nursing care. We’ve added 27,000 PSWs. We’re adding thousands of beds, and we’re well on our way to ensuring that the next generation of Ontarians have the best long-term-care system in the world. That does not alleviate anybody from what has happened during the first wave, but that is why we had a commission of inquiry, and we will get to the bottom of it.

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

Ms. Jennifer K. French: Peter Morris in Oshawa lost his mother to COVID in the second wave in November of 2020. She had been living in long-term care in Peterborough. Peter believes COVID was brought into the ward by staff. His message to the government is this: “Her death was preventable. No restrictions on LTC employees working in multiple settings were in place. No paid sick leave was available to LTC workers who could avoid work if they experienced COVID symptoms.

“I blame my mother’s death on a government which failed to act with foresight and common sense in the face of predictable outcomes. There was no iron ring.”

Speaker, the Premier promised an iron ring to protect the vulnerable seniors, but instead what he delivered was an iron ring around for-profit operators. So, I will echo Peter Morris’s words in asking whether or not this government will indeed take responsibility for their failure to protect seniors, and if they will indeed take the profits out of long-term care.

Hon. Paul Calandra: As I said, the initial response, of course, was to ensure that there was a commission of inquiry so that we could understand what happened during the first wave. The Auditor General concluded a report as well. What was significant in both of these reports was the highlighting of the fact that the previous government, over 15 years, failed to make the important investments in the long-term-care system. That’s what we understood, and that’s why we moved very quickly, even before the pandemic, to address some of the shortfalls in the system.

I understand Peter. I understand that the fact that we’re adding thousands of nurses and PSWs to the system does not diminish the pain that he feels right now. It doesn’t diminish the pain that anybody feels who lost a loved one. But what we can do is make sure that we have the best system in place, with the best quality of care. That means four hours of care. That means new homes. It means refurbishing the old homes and the wards that had been left unrefurbished for years. That means adding thousands of nurses. We’ll get the job done for future generations, without sacrificing our understanding of the past.

COVID-19 response

Mr. Roman Baber: To the government House leader: The Canadian Paediatric Society quoted a student yesterday saying that kids are depressed, suicidal and lonely. They need school, and they need sports. But yesterday, government MPPs were whipped to vote with the government against a motion to open outdoor sports. For those watching at home, “whipped” means the MPPs were forced by the House leader, under the direction of the Premier, to vote for the government against the motion to open the outdoors. Every doctor is telling them that the outdoors is safe and they actually want to open the outdoors.

But to avoid admitting they were wrong, they vote against the opening. So they force MPPs to vote against the motion, or else they’ll have a seat for them right here next to me.

My question to the government House leader: Without telling us that they’re listening to the experts or reciting the months of the year again, was yesterday’s vote in which the government refused to open outdoor sports the right thing to do for our kids? And was it good for our democracy?

Hon. Paul Calandra: Actually, Mr. Speaker, that gentleman will know quite well what it feels like voting with the government, because he did so on every occasion. When we initially brought in the state of emergency, that member was very happy to vote in support of that state of emergency. All of the measures that we have brought in to keep the people of the province of Ontario safe, that member was very happy to vote in favour of. He stood in his place and went through the lobby in a very safe way, wearing a mask to ensure that we could continue working on behalf of the people of Ontario in a safe, effective way.

He was supportive of every single one of those measures. So, he would know how important it is to keep the people of the province of Ontario safe, because on so many occasions he did the very same thing.

Now, he has changed his mind, Mr. Speaker. But one thing that will remain consistent with this government is that we will put the people of the province of Ontario first. We will put the health and safety of the people of the province of Ontario first; that, I can guarantee him.

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

Mr. Roman Baber: I’m not sure of the government House leader’s reasoning behind that. He knows full well that I’ve opposed the lockdown since May. He knows why I’m sitting on this side of the House. He threatened to kick me out when I opposed the lockdown in June.

The response by the government House leader is exactly what you’d expect from the government by now. They keep pretending that they’re not told that the outdoors is safe. They keep pretending that they don’t hear anything or read anything, and they stick to their ground until it becomes impossible—and then he recites the months of the year. Then they roll over and they pretend like it’s a victory of some sort, like with sick days. They will open the outdoors on their terms, and then they’ll have their MPPs do photo ops about how much they enjoy the outdoors or how great it is for mental health.

Now, all of this would be funny if it weren’t tragic for our kids, so my question is: The doctors already told them that the outdoors is safe. They don’t need to wait for that. So, when will you capitulate, own your failure and open the outdoors?

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

Hon. Christine Elliott: As I indicated yesterday, yesterday was not the day to open the outdoors for all of the recreational amenities. But we encourage everyone to go outdoors to enjoy this warm weather. The parks are open. Please use them. Please go for a walk, a run. Walk your dog. Take your children and grandchildren out. We want people to go outside and enjoy the outdoors.

As you know, we still have high levels of hospitalizations, high numbers of people in our ICUs. We want to make sure that when people do go out, they use the proper public safety measures that we’ve asked people to do and that they have been doing for over the last year. But please, go outside and enjoy the outdoors.

Pipelines

Mr. Robert Bailey: My question today is to the Associate Minister of Energy. Mr. Speaker, my constituents remain very concerned with the Michigan government’s ongoing efforts to close line 5 and endanger their well-being and livelihoods. In the United States, a ransomware attack recently shut down the Colonial pipeline. It’s an 8,800-kilometre pipeline that carries 2.5 million barrels per day from Texas right through to Pennsylvania. The unexpected shutdown of this major pipeline led to shortages and price hikes of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel in the United States. It has created an absolute mess, with several states declaring a state of emergency.

Can the Associate Minister of Energy tell this House, is the aftermath of the Colonial pipeline attack a sign of what awaits Ontarians if Michigan governor’s actions to shutter Enbridge’s line 5 are successful?

Hon. Bill Walker: Mr. Speaker, through you, I want to thank sincerely the member from Sarnia–Lambton for his question and for all of his tireless advocacy on behalf of his constituents. They’ve been extremely fortunate to have him represent them and work on their behalf for many, many years.

Mr. Speaker, I share the member from Sarnia–Lambton’s concern. We were all troubled by the news of the ransomware attack on the Colonial pipeline on May 7. It definitely speaks to the importance of keeping line 5 open and its key role in our energy and economic security.

In fact, it serves as a real-life example of what happens when a major pipeline is taken out of commission. A shutdown of line 5 would have serious consequences and impact each and every one of us. A House of Commons multi-party committee in Ottawa confirmed that it would cause energy shortages, transportation bottlenecks and job losses, none of which we can afford.

I want to assure this House and the great people of Ontario that we will support every effort to ensure that line 5 continues to operate safely, as it has for over 60 years.

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

Mr. Robert Bailey: I’d like to thank the minister for his assurance that our government will continue its advocacy to keep line 5 open. There is so much at stake for my constituents, and frankly for all Ontarians and Canadians as a whole. The massive shortages and price hikes caused by the Colonial pipeline hack have not been seen since 2014. In fact—not on my question; just a comment—this morning, I saw that 19 governors in the United States are advocating for reopening and taking another look at the Keystone pipeline.

We must continue to do whatever it takes to ensure Canadians and Ontarians do not face a similar fate if line 5 is to be shut down. Mr. Speaker, can the minister please update this House on the latest developments in the effort to keep line 5 operating safely?

Hon. Bill Walker: I agree with the member for Sarnia–Lambton: The Colonial pipeline attack highlights the consequences of suddenly losing one third of your fuel supply. Just imagine the chaos that would ensue if you decommissioned 50% of your supply of fuel needs permanently.

I can assure the member from Sarnia–Lambton that our government will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the energy workers, the families and the communities in his riding, across the province and on both sides of the border, frankly, that have had their livelihoods put in jeopardy as a result of the decision of the Michigan governor. Our government remains steadfast in our support for keeping this critical infrastructure available.

Long-term care

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: In September 2020, I tabled a private member’s bill calling on this government to create an independent seniors’ advocate in Ontario. Kitchener Centre residents supported it and so did this government, because people understood that it’s the government’s responsibility to protect us, especially during an unanticipated crisis like our current COVID-19 pandemic. That includes creating ways to raise concerns about how older adults are being treated before, during and after the pandemic.

Beverly Summerfield, a Kitchener resident who is joining us virtually today in the gallery with the OHC, could have asked her question to the seniors’ advocate, but the government refuses to call it in committee and make it law. So, Beverly writes:

“Why, after learning from the military of the abhorrent conditions in which our seniors suffered, did you proceed to do nothing other than pass legislation to protect yourself and those in a position of authority from legal culpability/ramifications?

“Where was the iron ring you promised?”

On behalf of Beverly and in the memory of those we have lost, where was the iron ring, and who is going to take responsibility for this chaos?

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

Hon. Paul Calandra: Of course, we take responsibility for ensuring that we have the best long-term-care system in North America. We understand the challenges that were faced during the first wave of this pandemic and even into the second wave. It’s one of the reasons why the very first people to get vaccinated were residents of long-term care.

Setting that aside, we knew in advance that we had to make some serious changes in our long-term-care system. We knew that there was a problem with staffing. In fact, one of the very first meetings I had after getting the privilege of being elected as an MPP was with a PSW in my riding, Rupal, who continues to text me on occasion and lets me know what’s happening. One of the things she said is that we have to be organized. There’s a bill before this Legislature that would allow them to be organized. She also said to me that we need more PSWs.

That’s why I’m so proud of the fact that we are hiring 27,000 additional PSWs so we can get to the level of care that is needed in our long-term-care homes; that’s four hours of care.

There is nothing that I can say or do that will diminish the loss that Beverly, Peter and others are facing when it comes to the loss of their loved ones—nothing. But what I can make sure that I do is work with this government, make sure we work with all legislators, to give people the best long-term care in North America.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary.

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: Back to the Premier: Beverly is not the only person with questions. Bruce Thompson, who is also joining us virtually today, is the acting chair, family council, for Almonte Country Haven, a 96-bed, for-profit long-term-care home in Almonte, Ontario.

Bruce writes, “During the first wave we lost over 30% of our residents due to understaffing, PSWs working in more than one home, little or no PPE, no testing capabilities, no infectious disease specialists and no direction from the government.” Bruce has one ask, “We want the Ford government to implement all recommendations of the COVID-19 commission on long-term care.”

Through you, Mr. Speaker, and back to the Premier: On behalf of the residents, the staff, the caregivers and the hundreds of family members of this home, will the government immediately implement all recommendations of the COVID-19 commission on long-term care?

Hon. Paul Calandra: We are well on our way to doing just that. But Bruce raised a very good point in his email to the member. He highlighted the fact that testing was woefully inadequate in the province of Ontario. This is what we faced during the initial phases of the pandemic: We inherited a system that could do 5,000 tests a day. We knew we had to increase that, so we brought that up to 75,000 tests a day.

We knew that ICU capacity was a major part of the problem with hallway health care. That is why we increased the capacity in our ICUs from 1,800 to a little over 2,300. We increased critical care beds across the province of Ontario because we knew that this was inadequate. This is what had been given to us by the previous Liberal government. We also knew there was a capacity issue, so that’s why we’re building thousands more spaces. That’s why we’re hiring 27,000 additional PSWs and 2,000 additional nurses.

Bruce is quite correct: There were a lot of things that we inherited that have to be fixed, and we will fix those.

COVID-19 immunization

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I, too, want to welcome those from the Ontario Health Coalition who are packing the galleries today, including Michelle Jones from Scarborough. Michelle’s grandmother is in long-term care, and both Michelle and her grandmother acquired COVID-19 in November, they believe, from a resident who had visited the hospital for dialysis during an outbreak at the hospital. “So much for the iron ring,” says Michelle.

My question is to the Minister of Health. This government rolled out a vaccination plan that is not easy to use or accessible to all. The vaccine-keen are finding their way, but we cannot over-rely on vax-hunters to pick up the government’s slack. There are people in Ontario who face systemic barriers to health every day. Where is the plan for the Ontarians who have systemic barriers to vaccinations? Speaker, not everyone has a computer. They certainly cannot use a library computer during lockdown. Some people are vaccine-hesitant or lack confidence in vaccines, and they certainly lack confidence in this government.

What is the minister’s plan to reach the people in Ontario who are eligible to get the vaccine but face systemic barriers to getting it? How will you track individuals and provide socio-economic data—

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

Hon. Christine Elliott: Thank you very much to the member for the question. We do have a comprehensive, three-phase plan for our vaccine rollout. We’re now in phase 2 of the plan, and I can advise that to date over 7.2 million vaccines have been delivered. We have over 5.3 million bookings for vaccines in the future. Clearly, many people are finding their way through the system and aren’t finding it that difficult to negotiate.

But for those people who don’t have a computer, they can also make calls to our online call centre and book their vaccines that way. We also have numerous pharmacies that are offering vaccines, both Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines. People can make their own appointments through their own vaccine clinics at their pharmacies.

There are many ways for people to access these vaccines. We are making sure that anyone in Ontario who wants a vaccine will be able to get one.

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

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: Back to the minister: As your government just said, it just takes one to ignite an outbreak. The Ontario science table said to prioritize hot spots for four weeks to save more lives; you said no. Hot spots have some of the most vulnerable people in our communities that have a high proportion of essential workers, and they have not seen three waves. They’ve actually just seen a tsunami of one wave, continuously, since the virus started last year.

If the minister and this government are so confident in their plan, why not accept my request to collect socio-demographic data, including race, ethnicity, disabilities and languages spoken, so that we can better track who and where the vaccine is getting to?

Tomorrow, I’ll provide amendments to Bill 283 at committee that will require the collection of race-based data and other important information collected when someone gets a vaccine, while protecting of course their privacy, which you require. This will allow the government to see that this life-saving vaccine is truly equitably distributed.

Will the minister fix her bill today and support these amendments so we can better track who is receiving the vaccine?

Hon. Christine Elliott: As the member will certainly know, we are tracking the socio-demographic information by asking people if they wish to disclose it or not. We are making the receipt of the vaccine subjec