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November 15, 2006

38th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2006-Nov-15 (PDF)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Wednesday 15 November 2006 Mercredi 15 novembre 2006

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

HERSHEY CANADA

CANADIAN FILM INDUSTRY

CONSERVATION AREA

WATER AND SEWER

INFRASTRUCTURE

SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

CORNWALL HOSPITALS

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

ONTARIO ECONOMY

BIRTH OF MEMBER'S GRANDCHILD

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

SOCIAL POLICY

VISITORS

MOTIONS

HOUSE SITTINGS

LEGISLATIVE PAGES

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

FIRE SERVICES

ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVES /

SENSIBILISATION CONTRE L'INTIMIDATION

OSTEOPOROSIS /

L'OSTÉOPOROSE

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL

FISCAL POLICIES /

POLITIQUES FISCALES

FÉDÉRALES-PROVINCIALES

FIRE SERVICES

ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVES

OSTEOPOROSIS

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL

FISCAL POLICIES

FIRE SERVICES

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL

FISCAL POLICIES

ORAL QUESTIONS

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

COAL-FIRED GENERATING STATIONS

MANUFACTURING JOBS

ELECTORAL REFORM /

RÉFORME ÉLECTORALE

BORDER SECURITY

FIREFIGHTERS

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

PROPERTY TAXATION

PAPER MILL

PETITIONS

HIGHWAY 417

TUITION

FAIR ACCESS TO PROFESSIONS

PROSTATE CANCER

FRAIS DE SCOLARITÉ

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

FAIR ACCESS TO PROFESSIONS

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

HEALTH PREMIUMS

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

ORDERS OF THE DAY

BUDGET MEASURES ACT, 2006 (NO. 2) /

LOI DE 2006 SUR LES MESURES

BUDGÉTAIRES (NO 2)

PUBLIC SERVICE OF ONTARIO

STATUTE LAW AMENDMENT ACT, 2006 /

LOI DE 2006 MODIFIANT DES LOIS

AYANT TRAIT À LA

FONCTION PUBLIQUE DE L'ONTARIO

The House met at 1330.

Prayers.

MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

HERSHEY CANADA

Mr. Norman W. Sterling (Lanark-Carleton): I rise today to share a story of good corporate citizenship. When Hershey Canada discovered traces of salmonella in an externally sourced ingredient

used to make its chocolate at its plant in Smiths Falls, management immediately contacted the Food Inspection Agency of the Canadian government. Hershey stopped production immediately and issued a voluntary recall of all products affected.

I want to remind parents that Halloween products were not included in this recall and were not affected.

The Hershey plant is a huge part of the Smiths Falls economy, employing some 500 individuals and supporting many local businesses, including 300 local dairy farms. Hershey is also a tourist attraction, offering

free tours of their factory. Last year, this included 300,000 visitors.

I know that for the 500 workers this unscheduled layoff is frustrating. I hope they are proud to work for a company that is so concerned about the safety of its products and those who use them. I know that

Hershey is doing everything it can to solve the problem and get those workers back to work.

I want to commend Hershey for acting quickly and for issuing a voluntary recall before any reports of illness. I'm sure all members of the House would join me in expressing our support for Hershey Canada and the

community of the town of Smiths Falls.

CANADIAN FILM INDUSTRY

again this year, dropping from 1.6% to 1.1%.

fluctuations, leaving the long-term vitality of the sector in part dependent on a strong domestic industry.

internationally as a film industry to watch.

Prescriptions on fostering a strong domestic industry include Ontario reintroducing a film development fund and providing marketing support. Large American studios, thanks to deep pockets, can allocate

multi-million dollar budgets toward promotion.

We in Ontario need to support marketing of Canadian films in the form of allocating screen time for Canadian movie trailers. Such a measure would help give exposure to upcoming Canadian productions. Canadian

movies have been winning over audiences abroad; there is a local audience waiting to be tapped into. With an adequate amount of exposure via marketing and screen time, box office receipts for Canadian moves can grow.

CONSERVATION AREA

Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn (Oakville): Recently, I had the pleasure of representing this government and the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, David Caplan, at the official dedication of a

new 650-acre parcel of open space in north Oakville.

In partnership with Conservation Halton, the Liberal government is continuing its commitment to building a permanent greenbelt around the greater Golden Horseshoe. This government's strong commitment to

environmental conservation has been a tremendous benefit to my community of Oakville, and the latest initiative builds on previous government announcements that have protected hundreds of acres of parkland, including the expansion of Bronte Creek

Provincial Park by 168 acres.

This newest conservation area will create an important east-west link between the Niagara Escarpment and the Golden Horseshoe greenbelt. The new park is a fitting way to celebrate Conservation Halton's 50th

anniversary as a community-based organization that is dedicated to the protection, maintenance and management of local natural resources. The organization is complemented by a team of dedicated ecologists, land use planners and educators.

To mark this great occasion, Conservation Halton is holding a contest to name the new park. It runs until November 30, and it's open to all residents of Oakville.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, the environment is an issue that is near and dear to me. I would like to wish all the participants in the name-the-park contest good luck, and eagerly await the winning entry.

WATER AND SEWER

INFRASTRUCTURE

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): I rise, on behalf of John Tory and the PC caucus, to warmly welcome members of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association in the

gallery today. They are here today and tomorrow to meet with MPPs and bring attention to the current state of our water and waste water systems in the province.

I have repeatedly questioned the McGuinty Liberals' ongoing avoidance of responsibility on this issue. I have stated and questioned the Minister of the Environment in April, June and October of this year, and

not once have we heard an answer.

We have seen numerous watermain breaks, which have caused severe hardship and financial burdens on communities and businesses across the province. It has become clear that this government is either not willing

or has no plan to address our aging water and waste water infrastructure. This is in spite of the fact that their own expert water panel report is nearly one year old and, as well, that the tools have been in place since 2002 through the

Sustainable Water and Sewer Systems Act.

I certainly hope that the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, who at one point stated, "This is an important priority for our government," will have the courage to

respond to the needs of Ontario and stop hiding behind their rhetoric.

I encourage the members of the OSWCA to ask Liberal MPPs for a straight answer as to when they will respond to their own report and when consultations will begin. It's time for the Liberals to stop saying

anything to get elected, to stop breaking promises, and to get some real work done.

SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION

Ms. Judy Marsales (Hamilton West): I am pleased to rise in the House today to applaud the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, as

well as the local French public and French Catholic boards. These boards have worked together to bring forward a plan to build a single transportation system that will cover the entire city by 2008.

I am proud to announce that Hamilton has taken on the challenge that, in 2006, our government began implementing: reforms for student transportation. The Hamilton school boards are expected to begin this plan in

February so that some bus routes can be incorporated by the fall of 2007. This is a huge responsibility that these boards assume, as this plan will transport 28,000 students in over 500 vehicles to schools. Bell times will be staggered, along with

school hours, so that every school bus will be filled and the overlapping of services will no longer be required. According to the manager Daryl Sage, "one bus, one road, one policy and one department" is how best to describe the plan. The

collaboration will include a single database of students, a single digitized route map and one department for all school boards to field calls about busing issues. The goal is to gain efficiencies while maintaining the level of service.

We in Hamilton West commend the Hamilton school boards for developing a thriving partnership which will deliver student transportation effectively, efficiently and with the best of care: another fine example of

leadership being demonstrated in Hamilton.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton): Ottawa headlines today: "McGuinty Will Reconsider Provincial Cash for O-Train if Track Altered"; "McGuinty Puts Light Rail in Doubt." The $200 million

promised by the Premier to Ottawa mere days before a federal election at a star-studded Liberal love-in designed to save federal Liberals is now in jeopardy.

You'll remember, Mr. Speaker, that on May 14, 2004, three levels of Liberals said anything to get elected and promised $600 million to the people of Ottawa. It was a great photo op. But in a change of fortune,

now that the Martin-Chiarelli Liberals have been ousted, this Liberal government is planning to break one more promise to voters and renege on its $200 million.

Liberals at all levels can't get this one right. First the former Liberal mayor couldn't convince voters that his Liberal plan was the right one. Then the federal Liberals condemned federal Conservatives on

their value-for-money audit. Now, with the Martin-Chiarelli Liberals out, the McGuinty Liberals are reconsidering their $200-million promise.

Council should have the right to determine its own transit needs without interference from the crowd opposite. The Premier should follow the federal government's example: Respect Ottawa council's rapid transit

decision and keep the $200 million he promised to Ottawa in Ottawa.

CORNWALL HOSPITALS

Mr. Jim Brownell (Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh): Shortly after I was first elected MPP, I presented the newly minted Minister of Health and Long-Term Care with the plans for two hospitals in

my riding: the Winchester District Memorial Hospital and the Cornwall Community Hospital. Since that time I have gotten to know the minister, and he has become a true friend to both myself and my riding of Stormont-Dundas-Charlottenburgh. That is

why it is my pleasure to tell him today about the realization of a project we have both worked hard on.

On Thursday, November 9, I was present for the launching of the first phase of the redevelopment for the Cornwall Community Hospital. It was an exciting day for me and for all the people of Cornwall and area who

have worked so hard to make this redevelopment a reality.

With construction well under way on the St. Joseph's complex continuing care centre, development beginning now in the Cornwall Community Hospital, and construction slated to begin next year on the Winchester

District Memorial Hospital, my riding is poised to have some of the most advanced and comprehensive health care facilities anywhere in the province.

I want to thank Minister Smitherman, hospital chief executive officers Jeanette Despatie, Trudy Reid and Bonnie Ruest, the hospital boards and all the people of Cornwall, Winchester and across the riding who

have worked hard to make health care renaissance a possibility and to bring those projects to fruition. The strides we have made this term are immense. I can't wait to see what we can achieve in our second term.

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

Mr. Phil McNeely (Ottawa-Orléans): Last week was constituency week, an opportunity for every member in this House to spend some time in their ridings. Over the course of the week we met

with constituents and community groups, attended events in our communities and even had a chance to host events ourselves. I had the pleasure of hosting the Honourable Mike Colle, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, in my riding. He kindly

spoke at a breakfast round table, an information session with local community groups from Orléans and the surrounding area. It was great to welcome the minister to my riding and to introduce him to some of my friends and colleagues from

organizations like the Catholic Immigration Centre, the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services centre, LASI World Skills and the Somali Centre for Family Services.

Representatives from these groups had the opportunity to hear the minister speak about Bill 124, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, an excellent piece of legislation. If passed, this bill will help

foreign professionals to find work in their chosen fields. Ottawa is becoming one of Canada's main points of entry for immigrants from around the world. As of 2001, there were 185,000 people born outside Canada residing in the Ottawa-Gatineau

area, making up 18% of our metropolitan population. This legislation would help ensure that the skills and talents of the thousands of internationally trained professionals coming to Canada do not go to waste.

I'd like to thank the minister for attending our round table and discussing with our Ottawa-Orléans immigrant servicing agencies the ways that the McGuinty government is helping new Canadians to find work

in their own professions. Yes, the McGuinty word is good on the --

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

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. Members' statements.

ONTARIO ECONOMY

Ms. Deborah Matthews (London North Centre): I rise today to speak about the McGuinty government's commitment to ensuring that Ontario can and will prosper in the new economy.

Recent remarks made by members of the official opposition criticizing the McGuinty government's auto strategy are just another example of how out of touch they are with Ontario's economic reality. Members

opposite believe that cutting taxes whenever you can will solve all of our economic concerns. The Harris-Eves government took that approach, telling everyone that tax cuts would pay for themselves and that everything would be okay. The truth is

that between fiscal 2000-01 and fiscal 2003-04, tax revenues declined by 0.7% while expenditures increased by 22%. Over their entire term in office, Ontario did not attract one new auto plant despite 19 new ones being built in the US. They refuse

to learn from their mistakes, and their federal cousins are now going down that very same road.

Fortunately, we on this side of the House recognize that there needs to be investment in research, innovation and commercialization for Ontario to compete in the new economy. That's why we're investing $1.7

billion over five years into research, commercialization and outreach programs. It's why we have the $500-million automotive investment strategy fund that's leveraged over $7 billion in --

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

BIRTH OF MEMBER'S GRANDCHILD

Mr. Bruce Crozier (Essex): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I'd like all of you to join a proud grandma and grandpa in welcoming into this world baby boy Cowan Eric James Crozier. He was born

yesterday and lives with his mother Jolean, father David and big brother Benjamin in Calgary.

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Mr. Norman W. Sterling (Lanark-Carleton): I beg leave to present a report on charitable gaming from the standing committee on public accounts and move the adoption of its recommendations.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The member may wish to make a brief statement.

Mr. Sterling: As you know, the public accounts committee reviews the auditor's report, which was presented in late November 2005. I believe the auditor will be presenting his next report early

in December, next month. This particular report, worked on by the all-party committee, relates to the oversight of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission, particularly on municipal licensing of bingos, break-open tickets and that kind of thing.

One of the particular concerns of the public accounts committee related to the

interpretation by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission as to whether or not the existing order in council that is the regulation under

the act permitted the AGCO, the authority, to oversee municipal licensing services. It is clear that the intent of the legislation is such. Unfortunately, there appears to be a difference with regard to the legal opinion the AGCO has and the

Auditor General for Ontario.

The committee therefore recommends, as one of its major recommendations, that within 30 days this problem be resolved to give the AGCO clear authority to oversee municipal licensing activities in the province of

Ontario. This is necessary in order to ensure that when a bingo is held or the proceeds from break-open tickets are received, a proper amount is given to the charities for which they were intended. So this oversight is very, very important.

As well, there are recommendations in the report dealing with the training of municipal licensing staff to ensure that they are providing the oversight needed in their municipalities over this important gaming

activity in the province of Ontario. All members of the committee from all three parties want to ensure that the charities that are intended to benefit from these particular charitable gaming activities do, in fact, receive that money. I recommend

that all members of the House read the report. With that, I will adjourn the debate.

The Speaker: Mr. Sterling has moved adjournment of the debate. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

SOCIAL POLICY

Mr. Jeff Leal (Peterborough): I beg leave to present a report from the standing committee on social policy and move its adoption.

The Acting Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Tonia Grannum): Mr. Leal, from the standing committee on social policy, presents the committee's report as follows and moves its adoption:

Your committee begs to report the following bill, as amended:

Bill 50,

An Act respecting the regulation of the profession of traditional Chinese medicine, and making complementary amendments to certain Acts.

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

The bill is therefore ordered for third reading.

VISITORS

Hon. George Smitherman (Deputy Premier, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I wonder if all members will join me in welcoming a delegation from the

Sherbourne Health Centre, a fantastic health care provider in the great riding of Toronto Centre-Rosedale.

MOTIONS

HOUSE SITTINGS

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): At the special request of the member for Niagara Centre, I have a motion to present to

the House.

I move that, pursuant to standing order 9(c)(i), the House shall meet from 6:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 15, 2006, for the purpose of considering government business.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Mr. Bradley has moved government notice of motion number 228. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?

All in favour will say "aye."

All opposed will say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

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

The division bells rang from 1354 to 1359.

The Speaker: All those in favour will stand one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Ayes

Balkissoon, Bas

Barrett, Toby

Bartolucci, Rick

Bentley, Christopher

Bountrogianni, Marie

Bradley, James J.

Brownell, Jim

Caplan, David

Chudleigh, Ted

Colle, Mike

Crozier, Bruce

Delaney, Bob

Di Cocco, Caroline

Dombrowsky, Leona

Duguid, Brad

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Hardeman, Ernie

Hoy, Pat

Jeffrey, Linda

Klees, Frank

Kwinter, Monte

Leal, Jeff

Marsales, Judy

Matthews, Deborah

McMeekin, Ted

McNeely, Phil

Miller, Norm

Milloy, John

Mitchell, Carol

Munro, Julia

O'Toole, John

Orazietti, David

Parsons, Ernie

Peters, Steve

Phillips, Gerry

Ruprecht, Tony

Scott, Laurie

Smith, Monique

Smitherman, George

Sterling, Norman W.

Takhar, Harinder S.

Van Bommel, Maria

Watson, Jim

Wilkinson, John

Witmer, Elizabeth

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Yakabuski, John

Zimmer, David

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

Nays

Bisson, Gilles

DiNovo, Cheri

Horwath, Andrea

Kormos, Peter

Marchese, Rosario

Martel, Shelley

Murdoch, Bill

Prue, Michael

Tabuns, Peter

The Deputy Clerk (Ms. Deborah Deller): The ayes are 48; the nays are 9.

The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.

LEGISLATIVE PAGES

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): I beg the indulgence of the House to allow the pages to assemble for introduction. I would ask all members to join me in welcoming this group of

legislative pages, serving in the second session of the 38th Parliament:

Ian Attema from Erie-Lincoln; Sarah Bax from Brant; Connor Boyce from Sudbury; Andrew Curtis from Scarborough East; Shannon Edgar from London-Fanshawe; Or Grunebaum from York Centre; Mackenzie Gunn from

Durham; Sara Hicks from Peterborough; Simon Jefferies from Cambridge; Colby Koecher from Trinity-Spadina; Philip Lee from Ottawa West-Nepean; Gloria Lee Shing Koon from Halton; Alexandra Le-Heeralal from York South-Weston; Julian Li from Don

Valley West; Mariam Nawroz from Whitby-Ajax; Daniel Rickert from Kitchener Centre; Arianne Sawh from Mississauga East; Kelsea Shadlock from Simcoe-Grey; Eshan Shah from Bramalea-Gore-Malton-Springdale; and Philip Spencer from

Barrie-Simcoe-Bradford.

Applause.

The Speaker: Thank you.

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY AND RESPONSES

FIRE SERVICES

Hon. Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services): Today I rise for two important reasons; first, to pay tribute to the men and women of the Ontario fire service and

the organization that represents them, the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association. I'm also pleased to inform the Legislature of the appointment of a new fire marshal of Ontario.

Last summer, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle informed me of his intent to retire after more than 16 years as fire marshal. While I was disappointed to hear this news, it also gives me an opportunity to reflect on

and applaud him for the important contributions he made to Ontario's fire services over the years. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a successful career and wish Bernie much happiness.

One of Bernie's greatest achievements was helping develop and implement the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, the most progressive fire safety legislation in Canada. Ontario's falling death rate from

preventable fires is largely the result of the tireless work conducted by the Office of the Fire Marshal under his leadership.

As Bernie departs, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Patrick Burke, currently the fire chief of the Niagara Falls fire service, will be Ontario's new fire marshal. His extensive background in fire

prevention and suppression began on the trucks. His career in the fire service, both in Windsor and Niagara Falls, spans well over 30 years. He is also president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, where he works with fire chiefs from

across Canada to reduce the loss of life and property from fire. His many years of front-line service and work at all levels of the fire service make Patrick Burke an ideal choice to succeed Bernie Moyle. I am delighted that Chief Burke has taken

on the job as fire marshal, and I know that the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association is delighted as well.

OPFFA members are committed to the safety of all Ontarians, and they deserve our support. When I met with the OPFFA yesterday at their annual legislative conference, I assured them that their efforts are

recognized and appreciated by the McGuinty government.

We actively support Ontario's firefighters in many ways. Through the Ontario fire grant, the McGuinty government has invested an unprecedented $30 million into fire services across the province, the first time

in more than 20 years that the province has invested in Ontario's fire services. These funds help provide training and equipment and support fire prevention and public education programs.

OPFFA members and fire services get out our recent Fire Prevention Week message by reminding people to "Watch What You Heat" and prevent cooking fires.

Prevention is as important as response, and we're seeing some encouraging results. Over the past decade, preventable residential fires have been reduced by a third while preventable fire deaths have dropped by

almost half, to the lowest in Ontario's history.

The OPFFA is our ally in fire safety. They supported our recent improvements in the Ontario fire code, which make working smoke alarms mandatory on every storey of every home and consolidate stricter fire

safety requirements for hotels and motels.

We not only recognize their contributions, we honour them. Each year, we award the Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery. There's also the firefighters' memorial at Queen's Park, a worthy project that we were

pleased to support.

The Premier also recently announced a new honour for firefighters, police and military personnel who have died in the line of duty: the Tribute to the Fallen. The first plaques for firefighters will be

presented at the annual firefighters' memorial ceremony in October 2007.

As I assured the OPFFA yesterday, and as I assure the members of this House, the McGuinty government will continue to support and honour these very special people.

ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVES /

SENSIBILISATION CONTRE L'INTIMIDATION

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne (Minister of Education): I rise in the House today to recognize Bullying Awareness Week.

Tous les élèves ont le droit de se sentir en sécurité à l'école et sur le terrain de l'école. Nous savons que les écoles sécuritaires sont une condition

préalable au rendement des élèves.

During this week, I hope that students, teachers and parents alike will take some time to consider the issue of bullying and the role it may be playing in their lives or in the lives of others.

Our government takes bullying prevention very seriously. Bullying and violent behaviour are never acceptable in Ontario's schools or communities. That is why our government has invested more than $20 million

in various initiatives to reduce these incidents and change attitudes towards bullying. I'd like to highlight some of these initiatives.

Our safe schools action team, led ably by my parliamentary assistant, Liz Sandals, released its bullying prevention report, Shaping Safer Schools, in late 2005, and recommendations from the report led directly

to the implementation of a comprehensive, province-wide bullying prevention plan. As part of that plan, we have invested $3 million in a three-year partnership with Kids Help Phone, thus doubling the 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, toll-free

helpline's capacity to provide anonymous counselling to students who are dealing with bullying issues.

That partnership was expected to help an additional 30,000 students each year. In fact, for the first half of 2006 alone, I can report that the Kids Help Phone counsellors received and responded to 21,583

contacts from Ontario youths -- an increase of 16% compared to the same period in 2005. And for bullying-related calls, the increase was a remarkable 224%.

Our government has also provided funding in the amount of $1,500 for every elementary school, $2,000 for every secondary school and $1,500 for each school authority for resources to support a bullying

prevention program in every publicly funded school in Ontario.

And we've established a registry of bullying prevention programs on the ministry's website to provide one-stop access to a wide range of products that may be purchased to help schools and boards combat

bullying.

Au début de la présente année scolaire, une brochure sur la prévention de l'intimidation a été envoyée aux écoles, pour qu'elles la transmettent aux parents par

l'entremise des élèves. Elle a aussi été affichée sur le site Web du ministère. Si les parents soupçonnent que leurs enfants font l'objet d'intimidation, ils peuvent y apprendre ce à quoi il faut faire

attention, ce qu'il faut faire et où aller pour trouver de l'aide.

Especially important in this age of information technology, our government has also developed cyberbullying software for grade 7 and 8 students. This software is intended to make our children safer online by

raising awareness of the cyber landscape, especially around issues such as internet luring, cyberstalking and the use of gaming websites.

The ministry has created a bullying prevention training program for principals and vice-principals, and training for teachers is being planned for the 2007-08 school year.

Let me also add that last month our Premier announced $2 million in funding to support character building in schools and inspire students to become caring and contributing citizens. We firmly believe that

character education in our schools will be fundamental in the fight to reduce bullying.

Our government is making significant progress on bullying prevention as part of our $26.2-million investment to make Ontario schools safer. We are making progress by working with the people who teach our

children and who run our schools.

Bien que les progrès soient manifestes, nous ne sommes pas au bout de nos peines.

So I ask that everyone join the effort to reduce bullying in schools and playgrounds around our province.

OSTEOPOROSIS /

L'OSTÉOPOROSE

Hon. Jim Watson (Minister of Health Promotion): November is Osteoporosis Month.

Osteoporosis has been named the "silent thief" because it results in pain, disfigurement, loss of work, disability, reduced independence, patient isolation, and can even lead to death. Yet, for far too long,

too many have suffered from osteoporosis without even being assessed for the disease, let alone diagnosed or treated.

Notre gouvernement est déterminé à ce que cela change. Nous sommes conscients du besoin de traiter cette maladie et également de sensibiliser la population aux moyens de réduire les

facteurs de risque afin d'éviter que cette maladie n'afflige les Ontariens et Ontariennes. Voilà pourquoi nous avons lancé notre stratégie révolutionnaire de lutte contre l'ostéoporose l'an dernier.

The $4-million osteoporosis strategy has five key components:

(1) Public education to improve early recognition of osteoporosis, and emphasize the importance of physical activity as well as calcium and vitamin D intake for bone health.

(2) Early diagnosis to give primary care doctors and other health care professionals the tools they need to determine when a person should get a bone mineral density test.

(3) More research to expand the knowledge base about osteoporosis, improving both prevention and treatment in the future.

(4) Improved quality of care for osteoporosis sufferers through the integration of services in the system.

(5) Guaranteeing a consistent province-wide level of care by helping medical professionals share best practices.

I'm pleased to report that in addition to this strategy, our government is working with partners on a number of innovative osteoporosis initiatives, both prevention-focused and treatment-focused.

We have provided funding to the Dairy Farmers of Canada for their Power4Bones program, which was launched in January of this year. Power4Bones encourages grade 5 students in Ontario to take care of their

bones. The program responds to research outlined in the 2004 chief medical officer of health's report Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives, which shows Ontario's children and youth are not eating well enough or getting enough physical activity to keep

their bones healthy and strong.

I'm proud to say that for the first time, we've partnered with the Dairy Farmers of Canada on their extremely popular milk calendar, a great way of reaching millions of people across Ontario about our message

of prevention. My colleague from Lanark-Carleton asked if I was going to be posing in the milk calendar, and I'm pleased to report I am not. We want people to read the milk calendar and not go away ill. This Saturday, November 18, the 2006 milk

calendar will be available in most daily newspapers across Ontario.

We now know that it is equally important to reach out to those most likely to be afflicted by osteoporosis: those over 50. The statistics are chilling: One in four women and one in eight men over the age of 50

suffer from this disease. That's why our government is providing funding to Osteoporosis Canada for the delivery of the bone health program for seniors and the education program for seniors. The goal of these programs is to improve bone health and

prevent osteoporotic fractures by raising awareness about the modifiable risk factors, signs and symptoms of the disease, while promoting the benefits of early diagnosis and options for treatment.

Earlier this month, the Minister of Natural Resources will be pleased to know, I joined members of the Ottawa

chapter of Osteoporosis Canada for their fourth annual Bone China Tea fundraising event, held at

the Château Laurier. This marked my fourth year of involvement with this event that supports the important work of Osteoporosis Canada in the areas of research, advocacy, education and patient support. The Ontario government is particularly

proud of its partnership with Osteoporosis Canada.

I would like to point out today in the gallery the presence of Mr. Charles Hain and Dr. Famida Jiwa, two of our partners from Osteoporosis Canada, and commend them for their tireless efforts with respect to

patient health, advocacy and awareness. Thank you both very much for being with us today.

En travaillant ensemble sur le plan de la prévention, du diagnostic et des traitements, nous aiderons les Ontariens à demeurer indépendants et actifs jusqu'à un âge avancé.

Pendant tout le mois de novembre, je vous encourage à promouvoir la santé des os en commençant par vous et votre famille.

If we coordinate our efforts and continue to educate Ontarians about the prevention of osteoporosis, we can dramatically reduce the number of people who will suffer from this terrible disease, now and into the

future.

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL

FISCAL POLICIES /

POLITIQUES FISCALES

FÉDÉRALES-PROVINCIALES

Hon. Marie Bountrogianni (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, minister responsible for democratic renewal): I rise today to speak about an issue that affects everyone in this House; in

fact, it affects all Ontarians and Canadians. I'm talking about the fiscal imbalance. This issue affects our patients, our students, our workers and our municipalities. Perhaps most importantly, it affects Ontario's families and their futures.

At the heart of this issue, and the main concern for us here in Ontario, is fairness -- fairness for all Canadians, including the 39% who live in Ontario.

In June, members of this House voted unanimously in support of a resolution calling on the federal government to treat all Canadians fairly. Under the leadership of Premier McGuinty, we have done just that: We

have taken Ontario's message for fairness to the federal government.

When we hosted the Strong Ontario Summit this past summer, experts and leaders from across the province told us to take this message one step further to ensure that all Ontarians understand how unfairness in

our country's fiscal arrangements affects our daily lives.

We're doing precisely that. Yesterday, the Premier announced fairness.ca, a new website designed to inform Ontarians about what the fiscal imbalance is, how it affects them, what they can do to help, and the

steps our government is taking in urging the federal government to address this issue. We're encouraging Ontarians to speak out and work with us by urging the federal government to address this unfairness towards the people of Ontario.

People everywhere can go to fairness.ca to learn more about this important issue, and I urge all members of this House to do so. Ontario is only as strong as all of us who call this province home. Working

together, we can fight for Ontario's fair share of funding from the federal government.

Les Ontariens et Ontariennes estiment qu'un Canadien est un Canadien, qu'une Canadienne est une Canadienne et ce, indépendamment du domicile, et que nous devrions tous et toutes être traités de

façon équitable. Pour les soins de santé, l'éducation, la formation professionnelle et l'infrastructure, toute la population canadienne, y compris celle qui vit en Ontario mérite le même niveau de soutien de la part

du gouvernement fédéral.

Compared to other provinces, Ontario receives $86 dollars less per capita from the Canada health transfer and the Canada social transfer. This shortfall amounts to about $1.1 billion each year that we should

have to make available to our hospitals, our clinics, our colleges and our universities. An Ontarian with a bad hip is no less a Canadian than someone living in another province with a bad hip, yet the federal government provides Ontario with $171

less for hip replacement than other provinces.

Un étudiant ou une étudiante de collège de l'Ontario n'est pas moins canadien ou canadienne qu'un étudiant ou qu'une étudiante de collège qui vit dans une autre province. Mais, le

gouvernement fédéral offre à l'Ontario 112 $ de moins par étudiant ou étudiante de collège qu'aux autres provinces.

On average, the federal government provides an unemployed worker in Ontario with $684 less for skills training than it gives to an unemployed worker in another province. And through the employment insurance

system, an unemployed worker in Ontario receives an average of $3,640 less in EI benefits than unemployed workers in other provinces. In total, Ontario workers come up short by $1.9 billion annually in EI benefits and training.

As Ontarians, we are all affected in some way by this unfairness. It's time to stand together as a province and get our fair share.

In the 21st century, we must invest in our people and their skills. That is how we compete in the global community. When the federal government gives less to the workers in Ontario and gives less to Ontarians

for infrastructure, health care and education, it holds us back from our potential. This is simply unacceptable.

Ontarians are proud of their contributions to support public services in other provinces through the equalization program, which is designed to ensure all Canadians have access to reasonably comparable

services at reasonably comparable levels of taxation. However, equalization has grown by over 30% in the last four years alone and is scheduled to grow at 3.5% per year well into the future. In fact, some provinces that receive equalization have

higher fiscal capacity after federal transfers than Ontario, which does not receive, and has never received, equalization. This calls into question the legitimacy of the program, and this unfair treatment must stop.

Ontario doesn't want a special deal from the federal government. All we ask for is that the federal government treat us fairly.

I encourage all Ontarians, including all members on both sides of this House, to stand behind the Premier as he fights for fairness for all Ontarians.

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

FIRE SERVICES

Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): It's a pleasure to follow the comments made by the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. On behalf of John Tory and the PC caucus, I too

would like to welcome the Ontario professional firefighters to Queen's Park on their lobby day.

I also want to congratulate and thank Bernard Moyle, the fire marshal for the province of Ontario, who has spent 16 years in that position. He's done an absolutely phenomenal job, and we wish him very well in

his retirement. I know that he has one retirement home in the beautiful riding of Simcoe North, and we're pleased to see him in that area.

I'd also like to welcome Chief Patrick Burke from the Niagara fire service to the new position of fire marshal. I know he'll do an outstanding job.

Overall, though, I just want to say to all of the professional firefighters here today that it's a pleasure to have you with us, and we'd like to listen to your concerns. I'd like to mention, in particular,

Michael Gagnon, who's here from the Midland fire service, and I want to thank to Sudbury fire service for once again sending a calendar home to my wife; she does appreciate it each year.

ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVES

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): In response to the minister's recognition of Bullying Awareness Week, isn't it sad that we have to have the Minister of Education rising in this House to give

credit to Bullying Awareness Week? Why isn't the government doing something about it? In her own statement, she admits that bullying has increased 224% within the last year. You've done absolutely nothing about this.

I refer to a statement that I made in this House on May 16, 2006. In that statement, I refer to the fact that the previous two ministers did nothing about this issue. I challenged the former minister at the

time to take up Lions Quest, which is a program developed by Lions Clubs across this province. They have tried to get an appointment, a meeting, with the two previous ministers of education. They're asking this minister for a meeting so they can

talk about their program, which talks about how to deal with bullying. It was developed by the Lions Clubs in this province, highly successful, being used in York region and across the province. It is volunteer-driven, not a cost to the

government.

Now what do we have? The minister standing up and saying she is going to have the ministry develop another program about bullying. Minister, deal with the facts. You have a problem with bullying. People across

the province know there's a problem. You're not doing anything. I'm asking you, meet with the Lions Club, implement the Lions Quest program across the province, get the volunteers engaged and do something about the issue.

OSTEOPOROSIS

Mr. Norman W. Sterling (Lanark-Carleton): I just want to read from the Ontario osteoporosis strategy, which is put out by the ministry. In 2001, the ministry established a committee, including

the Osteoporosis Society of Canada and other stakeholders, to develop an action plan with "specific, feasible recommendations for actions to advance osteoporosis prevention and care." This strategy that we heard about today is based on that action

plan. I just want to thank the minister for following the wonderful lead that the former government made in this area. I congratulate them on taking up the initiative and carrying it on.

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL

FISCAL POLICIES

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): I'm pleased to respond to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Here we have another day and yet another Liberal website being launched. We do look forward

to seeing if it's done by Bensimon Byrne, for example, who have received a lot of business after having done the Liberal campaign commercials. I really do hope that this website, the fifth or sixth website, will be successful because, my goodness,

Dalton McGuinty is running out of time. He has been Premier for some three and a half years and has not yet been successful in securing a better deal from Ottawa. And we hope he is successful. We hope the Premier is successful, but, my goodness,

he's had a lot of troubles getting a better deal. He is hurting himself. The problem is that we have in the Premier the chief salesman for the province, who has a reputation for not keeping his word, for saying one thing and for doing another --

we have, quite frankly, a salesman for this province who can't close a deal.

I hope this website works, because if he can't get it done, it's time for him to step aside and allow John Tory and the Ontario PCs to get a better deal for the province of Ontario.

FIRE SERVICES

Mr. Peter Kormos (Niagara Centre): New Democrats are proud and pleased to join in paying tribute to the men and women of the Ontario fire service. These are brave, committed professional

firefighters who protect lives on a daily basis, who risk their own on a daily basis and who do it with fearlessness, with selflessness and an incredibly high level of professionalism.

If we're going to pay tribute to these firefighters, let's not do it with hollow platitudes. If you want to pay tribute to Ontario's firefighters, then pass the NDP's Bill 111, the Bob Shaw act, the bill that

Andrea Horwath, our WSIB critic, introduced and that received second reading approval by this Legislature. It's not going to stop firefighters from getting those horrible and deadly cancers as a result of rushing into burning buildings. It's not

going to stop them from getting cancer because they're still going to do that job. But it will provide economic justice for them and their survivor families. You want to pay tribute --

Interjection: What about 206?

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Minister of Health.

Interjections.

The Speaker: I can wait. I need to be able to hear the member for Niagara Centre.

Mr. Kormos: You want to pay tribute? Provide economic justice to firefighters who are suffering and dying from cancer, leaving widows and widowers and children fearful for their economic

future.

You want to provide justice? Then ensure that firefighting services across this province have adequate levels of minimum staffing and that their cash-strapped municipalities, whose taxpayers simply can't pay

any more, receive the financial resources necessary to obtain those levels of minimum staffing. That's how you pay tribute to firefighters.

Firefighters are less interested in plaques and pins than they are in being able to do their dangerous jobs with adequate resources and with the expectation that when they suffer illness and injury as a result

of doing that job, as they inevitably will, there's going to be some economic support for them and their families.

I say to those firefighters that Bill 28, which this government has sat on for a year now, has finally been dragged back into this Legislature. Opposition members, both the official opposition and New

Democrats, are going to guarantee that it gets through committee and gets third reading passage by December 14, and that the government isn't going to sit on it and allow it to malinger in some legislative orbit anymore. I pay tribute to those

women and men, and New Democrats do it with meaningful impact and commitment.

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL

FISCAL POLICIES

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): I'm pleased to respond to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. I want to provide some context to the minister's comments today. You see, Speaker,

the McGuinty government promised $300 million of new provincial funding for child care and has broken that promise. But if you listen to the McGuinty government now, it's the federal government's fault that the McGuinty government broke that

promise.

The McGuinty government promised to fix the inadequate and flawed school funding formula, but they've broken that promise. And if you listen to the McGuinty government, they'd have you believe that that is the

fault of the federal government today. The McGuinty government is raising university and college tuition fees through the roof, but they'd have you believe that that is the fault of the federal government.

The McGuinty government has broken the promise to reverse the downloading onto municipalities, but they would have you believe today that that broken promise is the fault of the federal government. Then there

is the issue of affordable housing, the promise to build over 20,000 units of affordable housing -- another promise which has been broken. But if you listen to the McGuinty government, they'd have people believe that that is the fault of the

federal government as well.

Here is some other context. The McGuinty government in fact received money to reduce university and college tuition fees. Did they reduce the fees? No. They increased them. The McGuinty government received new

federal money for affordable housing, hundreds of millions of dollars of it. Where is it? It's sitting in a bank account.

Here is the worst: The federal government contributes, through the national child benefit supplement, hundreds of millions of dollars to the poorest kids in Ontario and the McGuinty government claws --

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

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. It's time for oral questions.

ORAL QUESTIONS

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

Mr. Robert W. Runciman (Leeds-Grenville): Through you, Mr. Speaker, to the Premier: This morning I participated in a news conference with the Leader of the Opposition, John Tory. The purpose

was to announce our Wastebusters initiative and launch a new website, www.wastebusters.ca, and blow the lid off the McGuinty government's astounding waste.

The lack of respect for taxpayers demonstrated by this government is nothing short of scandalous. From the $91 million to fire nurses, to the $16 million to the "I won't raise your taxes" Liberal-friendly ad

firm, to hundreds of thousands to redraw the provincial trillium, this government has time and time again broken its promise to provide better value for money, to manage prudently and to guarantee a better return on investment.

Will the Premier please tell us why he continues to break these promises?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I wish the member opposite and the leader of the official opposition the very best with this new adventure they are

pursuing. We will remain focused very much on the people's interests. We have brought about a number of important changes that demonstrate our continuing respect for taxpayers' money. Let me just list some of those.

We have a new sunshine law that discloses salaries to include those people working at the OPG and Hydro One. We have given the Auditor General new power to audit hospitals, school boards and children's aid

societies -- the broader public sector. Through our new freedom of information legislation -- that has been expanded to include Hydro One, OPG and universities. In terms of fiscal accountability, we now have new legislation to ensure that the

Auditor General signs off on the province's books six months before an election so that no one ever again can hide a deficit. That is also a bill that was voted against --

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

Supplementary?

Mr. Runciman: The word is "disrespect" not "respect." We have a 19% increase in people making over $100,000 a year in the province of Ontario.

Ontarians work hard to make money. They pay their taxes and expect those taxes to be managed prudently. What they get instead from this government is money blown out the door at an astonishing clip.

We want Ontarians to tell us about examples they see by visiting our website at www.wastebusters.ca -- examples like how this government spent $2 million on commercials that claim, "The doctor will see you

now," while patients are languishing in hallways, stacking up in emergency rooms and waiting for hours in walk-in clinics because they can't get the care they need because the government is more concerned about dealing with a PR crisis than an ER

crisis.

Premier, please tell us how this ad has increased in any way Ontarians' access to medically necessary services.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The member opposite doesn't believe we should be bringing to the attention of the people of Ontario the fact that we have a new website. The fact is, we are now closing in

on the one million mark in terms of the number of Ontarians who have visited our website. One of the things they discover when they do so is that not only are health care wait times coming down, but we are giving them information about where the

10 fastest wait times are in Ontario, so that health care consumers, in a sense, now have a real choice in terms of whether they want to go to the local hospital or to one of the 10 fastest hospitals. That gives them new information, which was

never before collected. We have now made it available to Ontarians. We're being open, public and transparent about that, and Ontarians are flocking to that website. I think that is a very strong demonstration of the fact that they appreciate

receiving that kind of information.

The Speaker: Final supplementary.

Mr. Runciman: I asked the Premier about a $2-million ad. He might as well have burnt that $2 million on the lawn of Queen's Park in terms of any benefit that patients across this province have

received from it.

On November 1 of this year, the House debated a motion that stated that "the government should spend every single taxpayer dollar wisely and with respect for the taxpayers." Forty-eight Liberal MPPs stood and

said no to the idea that taxpayer dollars should be treated with respect; 48 Liberal MPPs said they disagreed with their promises contained in the election platform on which they ran. This was to provide better value for money, to manage

prudently, to guarantee a return on investment. So we know how the Liberal caucus feels, and it's that attitude that led us to establish the Wastebusters website, www.wastebusters.ca. Can the Premier tell us how he plans to start keeping those

promises that he made to Ontarians during the last election?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: Let me tell you about some of the other things we've done in the interest of Ontario taxpayers. We have banned taxpayer-funded partisan advertising. Now the Auditor General

must approve all our ads. That was something that the party opposite voted against.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. The member for Erie-Lincoln will come to order. Order, Minister of Health Promotion; the member for Renfrew. And I won't warn the Minister for Economic Development and

Trade again.

Premier?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: By the way, that piece of legislation which requires that all advertising be vetted by the Auditor General of course was not supported by the party opposite.

We also cancelled the previous government's Householder program; that saves us $10 million. We have started doing more work in-house instead of farming the work out to outside consultants; that has saved us

$27 million so far. One very interesting idea that we put together is that shortly we'll begin to issue paperless pay stubs. We'll give notice to our public servants of the fact that they have received their pay online; that will save us almost

$600,000. We have a whole bunch of ideas that we have put together that are so far saving us over $800 million.

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): My question is for the Premier. It's very interesting to hear him talk about the list that has saved $800 million, and yet time after time when I've

asked him and the Minister of Finance to actually publish the list of the $800 million, there has never, ever, been any such list published.

You talked about some things you say you've done in the interest of Ontario taxpayers. Let me ask you about a few things that are not in the interest of Ontario taxpayers. You say you're managing money

appropriately. We have a response to a freedom of information request indicating that your government, the McGuinty Liberal government, through the Ministry of Education, spent $558,623 on the production of a television ad on student success. It

specifically said, when they answered us, that that doesn't include the cost of the media buy. Based on the precedent that you've got for the health department, that's another $2 million. So it's $2.5 million you spent on your self-aggrandizing

political propaganda you run on the air. Will you please tell us, in light of the fact that school boards are struggling, that classrooms are short of money: How did that $2.5-million spending of the taxpayers' money help any schools or students

in Ontario?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): Although the leader of the official opposition was not here at the time, I'm sure that from time to time he would have

looked at the mail that was received in his mailbox and he would have been subjected to the veritable deluge of partisan propaganda with the face of the then Premier of the province of Ontario, and many members of the cabinet as well were

published in those publications. We have a different approach. It's not one that is supported by the Conservative Party, obviously. They don't believe that there should be any vetting of any kind of any advertising put out by the government of

Ontario. We see things differently. That's why we have a new law in place. That's why we insist that all of our advertising be vetted and approved by the Auditor General. That, we think, is the appropriate thing to do, not only in the interest of

the government but, more importantly, in the interest of the people of Ontario.

Mr. Tory: I think it is a disgrace that the Premier of this province hides behind the Auditor General in not answering a question. The one thing he didn't opine on, I'll say to the Premier, is

he did not opine on whether it was right to spend $558,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money producing a television ad and then another $2 million to put it on the air extolling your own virtues. He didn't say that.

It gets worse. When you were Leader of the Opposition, the Premier said, and I quote, "Our government will use consultants only when absolutely necessary and when there's nobody in the public service to do

that work." This year, so far, consulting spending in the Ministry of Education is up, from 2003-04, 1,277% -- hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent on consultants. How is that in the best interests of taxpayers? How is that doing what you

said you would do?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: I think that a lot of creativity, in every sense of the word, has gone on with this particular approach.

With respect to that particular education website, again we put Ontarians on notice about a new program. The leader of the official opposition and his party may not support the notion of ensuring that young

people continue to learn until at least the age of 18, but we do. It's a new program that we're putting in place. We've almost tripled the visitors to our education website. It was 2.5 million in 2003. So far, it's up to 6.8 million this year

alone. We are driving Ontarians in record numbers to a website to get all kinds of new and important information about how to ensure that young people continue to learn till the age of 18.

We understand the value of doing that in a knowledge-based economy. No, we will not apologize for ensuring that Ontarians are made aware of a new program designed to ensure that we provide more educational

opportunities to young people.

Mr. Tory: The suggestion to the Premier is not that he apologize for that website or for that program; it's that he should consider apologizing for spending $558,000 of the taxpayers' money on

a television ad. It's an absolute scandal.

It doesn't end there. It's going to go on and there's going to be lots more coming into wastebusters.ca. But perhaps you could tell us how it is in the best interests of hard-working Ontario taxpayers, who are

struggling to pay their taxes, people who are losing their jobs -- 105,000 manufacturing jobs lost on your watch -- that the Ministry of Education in 2005-06 spent nearly $1.2 million on hotels -- not teachers, not classrooms, not computers, not

supplies. That is as much as the government grant to the Northern District School Area Board. It's more than double the grant to the Asquith-Garvey District School Area Board. It would wipe out the whole shortfall in the Huron-Superior Catholic

District School Board.

What is this? It's government spending and largesse at its worst. It's a disgrace. What do you have to say about it -- $1.2 million on hotels for the Ministry of Education?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: A few things on that point: First of all, as somebody with a mortgage and three kids in university, I have some vague, passing acquaintance of what it means to have a

substantial amount of money removed from my paycheque and sent to the government of the day for taxes. I understand that.

The second point is that the leader of the official opposition is somehow arguing that our bureaucrats here and anybody who's devoted to public education should hole up at Queen's Park or in the Mowat Block.

We don't agree with that. There are thousands of schools around this province. Our responsibility is to get out there, speak with those people, find out what's happening on the front lines, work with them in a co-operative and collaborative way

and improve the quality of public education for all our children. That's what we've done before and that's what we'll continue to do.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Order. Minister of Health. The member for Renfrew.

COAL-FIRED GENERATING STATIONS

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): Premier, this is an op-ed column published before the last election. It's entitled "How Liberals Will Clean The Air," written by Dalton McGuinty. I've

highlighted one line of it. Premier, could you please read the highlighted section?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I'm very interested in receiving the supplementary question.

Mr. Hampton: I'm shocked and surprised; it was only one line. Since the Premier doesn't want to read it, I'll read it for him. Dalton McGuinty said, "Under my plan, Ontario's dirty,

coal-burning power plants will be shut down by 2007."

That was then. Three years later, Dalton McGuinty has scored a broken promise hat trick. He's broken the promise not once, not twice, but three times. Nanticoke, Ontario's biggest polluter, is still operating

at full tilt, polluting our air and contributing greatly to climate change.

My question to the Premier is this: What's your deadline now for shutting down Nanticoke? Is it 2014? Later than 2014? When?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: To the Minister of Energy.

Hon. Dwight Duncan (Minister of Energy): This government sees as a noble goal cleaning up our environment, and we remain committed to closing the coal-fired plants and reducing the emissions

associated with them.

Later today, if it hasn't already been released, the Ontario Power Authority will release a document giving us a proposed strategy, something we asked them for and something we think is appropriate. We're

going to look at that and invite public discussion on it.

Make no mistake, the goal remains the same: Close coal, get ourselves out of dirty coal-fired generation, respecting the importance and reliability of electricity. We think that was then, and is now, an

important public policy goal, and we're moving in every direction to achieve it. Emissions from those plants are down 17% already. We will continue on that path until our power system is cleaned right --

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

Mr. Hampton: I'm shocked and surprised. First, the Premier doesn't want to read his own quote, and then he doesn't want to answer a question on his own quote.

Before the last election, the former Conservative government promised to shut down Nanticoke by 2015. Here's what Dalton McGuinty said about that: "The [Conservative] government says it would like to shut down

those plants by 2015. We [Liberals] say that 2015 is too late, that it's eight years too late. By 2007, we're going to have cleaner air in this province, come hell or high water."

Before the election, 2015 was eight years too late for Nanticoke. Now you're saying 2014 may be too soon. Premier, what happened to your promise?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: I'd like to remind the leader of the NDP about their campaign document. Here's what it said: "We will close ... Ontario's coal-fired generating stations by 2007." Then, in

March 2004, he said, "You should close the worst one or the worst two," but that it's not realistic. Then he was in northern Ontario, and he said, "Keep the coal plants open." When he's in southern Ontario, he says, "Close the coal plants."

This government remains firm and committed to the goal of cleaning up our electricity supply. It is a challenging task. This government's moving in that direction. Emissions are down 17% from coal-fired

generation to date. We will continue to move in the right direction, with or without that support. It's the appropriate public policy. It means cleaner, greener power. I wish they'd support us on things like greener --

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.

Mr. Hampton: To the Premier: I'm really shocked and surprised. First, the Premier won't read his own quote, then he won't answer the question, and now the Minister of Energy won't answer the

question. So I'll try again.

Nanticoke is the single biggest polluter in Ontario and Canada's worst greenhouse gas emitter. If we want to clean up our air and get serious about addressing climate change, Nanticoke has to be shut down. The

reality is this, Premier: Before the last election, you used kids with asthma, you used seniors with oxygen tanks and you used people worried about climate change as pawns in a quest to win votes. And all the time you had no plan, no plan

whatsoever, to shut down Nanticoke. Premier, how could you do that?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: To the Minister of Energy.

Hon. Mr. Duncan: Unlike the member opposite, we believe reducing emissions associated with coal-fired generation is an important public health issue. That is why we are moving aggressively to

close the plants. I'll remind the member of what he said himself in that CBC radio interview: "You can't in the space of three years close all the coal-fired plants." Now, that was after he said he would do that. Then he sent a letter to the

Premier, dated September 26, 2005: "Why not support spending money on implementing clean coal technology?" His critic says it doesn't work.

This is a challenging goal. We are moving towards it: a 17% reduction in the amount of coal-fired generation to date. The emissions related to coal are down, including CO 2 . That is a bona fide

public health policy, an environmental policy. We will continue --

The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Supplementary.

Mr. Hampton: I realize that shutting down Nanticoke is a big undertaking, but here is the reality under the McGuinty government: You are no closer to shutting down Nanticoke today than you

were when the Premier made his promise. Many of your private gas plants are stalled. Some of your wind farms have been cancelled. Your sweetheart deal with Bruce Power could cost Ontario Hydro consumers $460 million a year in penalty fees. And

you're blowing $40 on nuclear for every dollar you put into conservation and energy efficiency. I say the McGuinty government's talk on this is cheap.

My question to the Premier is this: When are you actually going to do something that could be legitimately described as action when it comes to shutting down Nanticoke?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: Well, let's just review what the member just said. I imagine he hasn't heard of the Eastview landfill gas station -- up and running since we took over; Glenn Miller hydro

station up and running; Kingsbridge wind farm up and running; Hamilton digester gas up and running; Erie Shores wind up and running -- 1,350 megawatts of clean, renewable power online; Big Becky, the tunnel under Niagara Falls, under

construction.

Unfortunately, your government didn't do these things when they should have been done 10 years ago, eight years ago. In three years, there are 3,000 megawatts of new power online, 10,000 additional units, $15

billion dollars in investment, hundreds of new jobs. We're much closer today to closing Nanticoke than we would have been had this government not taken those steps. We will continue to aggressively pursue that agenda in as fast a time frame as we

can --

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. Final supplementary.

Mr. Hampton: Here's the reality: Nanticoke produces as much pollution as 3.3 million cars in one year. It's Ontario's single largest source of smog-causing nitrogen oxide emissions, of

greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, and of mercury and sulphur dioxide. And it's a major contributor to the air pollution that kills 5,900 Ontarians a year, something the Ontario Medical Association calls a public health crisis. So

I would assume, then, that the Premier can tell us, when will Nanticoke be shut down -- 2014? Later than 2014? When is the McGuinty government going to shut down the biggest single air polluter in the province, Nanticoke coal-fired station?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: It is vitally important that as we move to that closure, we continue to reduce the emissions associated not just with Nanticoke but with all the coal-fired plants. The member

is very careful with his question. He doesn't remind people that when he's up north, he says, "Keep the coal-fired plants open," and when he's down south, he says, "Close them." He says one thing in the north and one thing in the south. He opposed

every one of our clean, green energy projects because they were private power. Well, yes they were. And do you know what? They're working and producing clean power that will give us the flexibility to close Nanticoke at an appropriate time,

ensuring system reliability.

We acknowledge that this has been a difficult, challenging file. We remain committed to the eventual removal of all coal-fired generation in Ontario. We're going to continue reducing emissions as we move

towards that goal, not only of NO x and SO x , but more importantly, CO 2 , mercury and particulates, so that our air is cleaner, our environment is better and all Ontarians benefit from a healthier, cleaner environment

and place to live. That's our goal; we're moving toward it.

The Speaker: New question. The member for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke.

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): My question is for the Premier. I'd like to read you a couple of quotes:

"We're going to shut down those dirty coal furnaces by 2007, no ifs, ands or buts."

"Under my plan, Ontario's dirty coal-burning power plants will be shut down by 2007."

Those quotes came from none other than yourself, Premier. You have now broken that promise not once, not twice, but three times. How could you be so completely wrong? You now trot out the OPA to say you plan

to shut down coal-fired power by 2014. Premier, why would anyone believe a single word you say on this subject, or any other, for that matter? Isn't this just further proof that you will say anything, you will do anything, just to get a vote?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: Again, to the Minister of Energy.

Hon. Mr. Duncan: This government remains committed to the goal of reducing emissions associated with coal-fired generation. But let me remind the member opposite of what happened to coal

emissions under his government. Emissions from coal plants: SO 2 , 51% increase; nitrous oxide, 25% increase; CO 2 , 56% increase. Under this government, SO 2 , down 28%; nitrous oxide, down 34%; CO 2 , down

15%. We acknowledge the challenge associated with getting our coal-fired generating down. We acknowledge the difficulty. We remain committed to the goal. We've already had significant achievement. We're going to continue to move in that direction.

It's the right thing for Ontario; it's the right thing for the people of Ontario.

Mr. Yakabuski: Premier, this is about your promise. This is about your credibility. You said that your coal shutdown policy was based on the best advice available to you at that time. We know

that advice never came from OPG, which operates the plants. We know it never came from the IMO. Premier, I asked your energy minister at estimates to give the names of those so-called experts who advised you on this policy. He told me at that time

that he would supply me with those names. None came forward at estimates; they have not come forward since. I'm going to ask you today: Give us the names of those experts or plain and simple admit that your policy was just plain and simple made

up, that you perpetrated on the people of the province of Ontario to get their vote, a big, fat lie.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order. I need the member for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke to withdraw.

Mr. Yakabuski: I withdraw that, Speaker.

The Speaker: Minister?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: Mr. Speaker, the member is right: We certainly didn't take advice from OPG when we got to office, because you decimated the company. You politicized it. We had to change the

board. We had an energy system --

Interjections.

The Speaker: The member for Leeds-Grenville, the member for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke and the member for Simcoe-Grey need to all come to order.

Minister?

Hon. Mr. Duncan: We had an energy system that was on its knees and a public generator that was effectively bankrupt. We have moved cleanly and deliberately on the coal file in a prudent

fashion to ensure system reliability. We look forward to the day when they're closed. We've laid out plans; we're putting out discussion papers for further input.

Again, I remind the member: SO 2 increase, 51% under your government; nitrous oxide increase, 25%; CO 2 increase, 56%. We've reduced all of them. We're continuing on that path in a way that

ensures system reliability as we restore the damage that party did to Ontario's electricity sector.

MANUFACTURING JOBS

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora-Rainy River): My question is for the Premier. Premier, Statistics Canada says that the value of manufacturing shipments from Ontario factories has now declined to

the lowest level since the blackout of 2003. In just one month, Ontario's manufacturing shipments fell an astonishing 5%. Ontario's manufacturing recession is getting worse each month under the McGuinty government; 136,000 good-paying

manufacturing jobs have been lost while your government has done virtually nothing.

Premier, when is the McGuinty government going to get off the sidelines and start doing something about the disastrous loss of manufacturing jobs in Ontario?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I'm not sure where the leader of the NDP has been, but he cannot have been in Ontario and he cannot have had the

opportunity to observe the efforts we've been making in our government. Whether you're talking about the half-billion-dollar partnership we have with the auto sector, which he opposes; whether it is the half-billion-dollar partnership with the

manufacturing sector, again, which he opposes; whether it's the $900-million support, so far, for the forestry sector, which he opposes, we have done much to partner with Ontarians.

I can say this as well: Had you asked any economist three years ago what would happen to the Ontario economy if the dollar were to appreciate by 40% and the price of oil were to triple, I bet you that

economists would have said that the Ontario economy would be suffering severe hardship. The fact of the matter is that those circumstances did obtain. What happened here in Ontario? Ontarians, working hard and demonstrating their

entrepreneurialism, generated 250,000 net new jobs. That's the real story here in Ontario.

Mr. Hampton: The Premier believes that Wal-Mart jobs will replace good manufacturing jobs. I'm afraid, Premier, that's just not the case.

You talk about $900 million for the forest sector. No one across northern Ontario has seen even a fraction of that amount from the McGuinty government.

You talk about the auto sector? The biggest decline is, in fact, happening in the auto manufacturing sector, which posted a decline of 8.2% in one month. Premier, you have to only pick up a paper anywhere in

southern Ontario to see a list of auto parts plants that have closed or are closing.

My question again is this: When is the McGuinty government going to stop blaming this or blaming that, get off of the fence and start doing something about the disastrous loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs

in Ontario?

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The only blaming that's going on here is coming from the other side today.

The leader of the NDP may not be satisfied with the fact that, for the first time since the invention of the car, we are now, two years running, the number one auto producer in North America. He may not be

satisfied with that, but we think all of the workers in the auto sector are.

Beyond that, with our ReNew Ontario $30-billion, five-year infrastructure plan, we are creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, to say nothing of our $15-billion plan for energy. Today in Ontario, there are at

least 100 hospital construction projects under way, there are 3,000 school repair, renovation or construction projects under way, there are countless kilometres of roads and bridges that are being built, to say nothing of all of the investment in

new public transit. That is the result of the budgetary policy coming from this government and that will serve to help Ontario families in this period of more economic --

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

ELECTORAL REFORM /

RÉFORME ÉLECTORALE

Mr. Tony Ruprecht (Davenport): I have a question to the minister of democratic renewal on election reform. Minister, I understand that the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform began its

deliberations a number of weeks ago. From looking at their website at www.citizensassembly.gov.on.ca, I see that they have posted a number of dates and locations for public consultations. This is a great opportunity for all Ontarians to share

their views on this important topic of election reform.

Minister, my question is the following: If my grandmother or my cousin had a great idea of how to make democracy and the election system more efficient and meaningful, could they enter this public consultation

process easily? How difficult is it for ordinary citizens to participate in this reform?

Hon. Marie Bountrogianni (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, minister responsible for democratic renewal): I'd like to thank the member from Davenport for his question. I know that he

believes very strongly in the work done by the citizens' assembly and its significance for the people of Ontario.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The member for Niagara Centre will come to order. I will not warn you again.

Minister.

Hon. Mrs. Bountrogianni: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to see the enthusiasm of the NDP for the citizens' assembly. We're advancing an ambitious democratic renewal agenda. We want to

encourage many Ontarians to review our electoral system, and that is why we asked the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform to hold public consultations.

Le calendrier de consultation publique est affiché en ligne. Le site Web sera mis à jour au fur et à mesure que d'autres sites sont ajoutés. À ce jour, 37 sites ont été

confirmés.

If Ontarians cannot attend, like your grandmother, but would like to express their views, online, fax and mail submissions are also welcome. The examination of Ontario's electoral system will re-engage voters

and reduce voter cynicism. This government has taken an unprecedented step in empowering the citizens of this province and wants them to have the final say on any potential electoral --

The Speaker: Supplementary.

Mr. Ruprecht: The right to vote for one's representative came at a high price. Even in our own country, right here, it took over a hundred years for our electoral system to evolve so that all

Canadians can vote and have a right the vote. Yet, two days ago, at this municipal election that we've just had, we had an abominable turnout. The voter turnout was less than 50%. Madam Minister, you need a plan. My question is the following: We

want to engage as many Ontarians as possible, including our young people. How do we go about that, and what are we doing to increase especially the number of youth engaged in this particular process?

Hon. Mrs. Bountrogianni: Our government feels it's very important to engage the youth in this process, and that's why a Students' Assembly on Electoral Reform has been established, with one

student from each of the 103 ridings. They're in the gallery today, and I thank them for the work they're about to do. They will spend this weekend learning and debating our current electoral system as well as others from around the world, and

they will then make a recommendation to the Citizens' Assembly based on their values. This is an example of how we can engage the youth and work to increase their future participation in our democracy. I would like to thank them for their hard

work. They're joining us today in a reception at 4 o'clock. I'd like to welcome everyone here to meet their students, the students who represent their ridings, and to encourage them on this very important democratic process.

BORDER SECURITY

Mr. Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): My question is for the Minister of Tourism. I think he's perhaps just in the lobby. Okay; there's the Minister of Tourism.

My question concerns the western hemisphere travel initiative or passport issue. This program may soon require all travellers to carry a passport in order to cross the US border and enter into the United

States. Tourism operators, including the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association, have expressed great interest in this issue. Many believe that the passport requirement, if implemented, would have severe negative impacts on Ontario

tourism.

Almost six months ago, this House unanimously passed a resolution stating that the passport issue would cause significant and unnecessary damage to tourism and trade in both countries. Our leader, John Tory,

initiated the resolution and all parties in this House endorsed the call for action. Will the minister inform the House, since that resolution passed six months ago, what specific actions he has undertaken to address this pending crisis in Ontario

tourism?

Hon. James J. Bradley (Minister of Tourism, minister responsible for seniors, Government House Leader): You know how the government says, "I'm glad you asked that question"? I'm actually glad

you asked that question, because you have identified an issue which, as you know, the province of Ontario has taken a leadership position on in terms of raising the issue.

You will recall that initially the federal government said -- the Prime Minister was at a conference in Cancun, and he said, "Folks, get used to it. Get ready; it's a done deal." The province of Ontario said,

"We don't believe that is the case. We should continue to fight this." As you will know, the Premier and I went to Washington to lobby on behalf of the position of the province of Ontario that this would be disastrous for us. We have had ongoing

meetings with representatives in the United States Congress, representatives of the administration in the United States, those who are involved in state Legislatures, governors of the various jurisdictions that are near the border and people who

are interested in tourism and on an ongoing basis have made that case. I have been in discussion personally with a senator in the United States who took a lead on this issue and had a positive effect. So we've enlisted allies on the US side and

we're in a much better position today than when we were going to throw in the towel a while ago.

Mr. Arnott: The minister does not fully appreciate the gravity of this situation. Among the travelling public, there continues to be a great deal of confusion about the passport issue as to

when they are going to need a passport or be turned back at the border. We do know that the passport requirement begins to kick in in less than two months, starting with air travellers entering the United States. But the provincial government has

done next to nothing to clarify this for the travelling public.

Last Wednesday, during constituency week, I attended an important briefing on the passport issue at the US consulate just down University Avenue. Ministry of Tourism staff were there. A senior State Department

official told us that notwithstanding the extension to the passport requirement for land crossings to June 2009, the administration hopes to implement it sooner than that, as soon as logistically possible. I've arranged for a meeting this Friday

with the new US Consul General, Mr. John Nay, to discuss the passport issue and Ontario tourism. Will the minister join me for that meeting and work with me to help find solutions so that the deepening crisis in tourism can be reversed?

Hon. Mr. Bradley: I don't want to interfere with the member's individual meeting. I know that he may have some confidential matters to discuss with that individual at this time. But let me

tell you, if you want to listen only to what the US administration is saying on this and not to what the United States Congress is saying, that's fine. I know the administration's position. The administration can't wait to implement this, and time

after time they've said that. I have said to the US ambassador to Canada that that is not acceptable for the people of Ontario and the people of Canada. I will not engage in crackpot realism which says the inevitable is what the administration

wants, when I know in the system of the United States government, the Congress has a big say in this. The Congress implemented a 17-month delay so that they could look at alternatives. We have allies in state Legislatures and in Congress across

the United States, if not in the administration. The federal government can deal with the administration as they see fit and will do so. I am pleased now that the federal government has joined us publicly in the position --

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

FIREFIGHTERS

Ms. Andrea Horwath (Hamilton East): My question is for the Premier. Professional firefighters are here from across Ontario on their annual conference and Queen's Park lobby day. They're united

in calling for presumptive legislation for firefighters as described in my Bill 111, which people will remember was supported by all parties at second reading about a month ago.

Presumptive legislation means that firefighters and their families would no longer suffer the indignity and devastation of having their compensation claims for workplace occupational diseases denied at the

WSIB. Science unequivocally links certain cancers to firefighters' exposure to toxins and chemicals that they face on the job in their daily work.

Premier, will you and your government clear the way, for Bill 111 or an identical bill under your own pen, clear the way to ensure that this legislation goes forward before the end of your mandate?

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

Hon. Steve Peters (Minister of Labour): I thank the member for her question and thank her, as well, for her advocacy on behalf of all the firefighters and their families who are here. As a

government, we certainly extend our condolences to those family members who have lost loved ones as a result of cancers within the workplace. We respect their hard work and dedication. Since we've taken office, we have had a very good working

relationship with the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association. I think we've demonstrated on a number of fronts how we've been able to move forward on initiatives that were long outstanding with them.

The issue of presumptive legislation is not something new in this province. There have been ongoing discussions, and we are engaged in serious discussions with the Ontario professional firefighters and the

WSIB, because this is a very complex issue. It is an important issue. At the same time -- the member would like to think that there's a very simple fix to this -- it is important that as we move forward, we get this legislation and make sure it is

the right legislation. We're going to continue to engage and work with the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association and the WSIB to get it right as we move forward.

Ms. Horwath: I appreciate that response, but firefighters will be telling all members today that Bill 111 is getting it right. It is exactly what they want to see in terms of legislation and

it's what needs to happen in the province of Ontario to give them justice for their occupational diseases. It has the support of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, some 40 municipalities,

including every single major city in the province of Ontario, as well as many editorial boards of newspapers. Our firefighters have broad public support for this cause, and everybody in this Legislature knows it.

Firefighters are here in the galleries today, as we've already acknowledged and recognized. What we need to hear and what they need to hear from the government is a simple yes to Bill 111. Are you going to say

yes to Bill 111? Will you guarantee that we'll see presumptive legislation in the province of Ontario like so many other provinces already have? All we need to hear is a simple yes.

Hon. Mr. Peters: As a government, we support the concept of presumptive legislation but, at the same time, we want to make sure we get the legislation right. That's why I asked my

parliamentary assistant, the member from Thornhill, to undertake a comprehensive review of what other jurisdictions are doing. That report was completed and presented to me. That report is now part of the ongoing discussions with the Ontario

professional firefighters and that will make the basis of that discussion.

As well, I welcome the member's further comments. That report is available on the Ministry of Labour's website, and I would appreciate any comments that she may have in that regard. We value the hard work of

our professional firefighters. We're going to continue to work with them. As well, I point out that it is not something that we alone can do. We need to work with the firefighters and the WSIB. We're going to work with all those individuals to

ensure that this is the best legislation.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Ms. Jennifer F. Mossop (Stoney Creek): My question is for the Minister of Transportation. Minister, as you're well aware, the area I represent, Stoney Creek, hosts many, many visitors,

hundreds and thousands of visitors every year to our museums, our wineries and the wonderful Niagara Escarpment. We're also in an area where many hundreds and thousands of buses and visitors transit the highway going from Toronto into the Niagara

region to visit all the amenities there. We have a lot of people coming from the United States past our door and going off to Toronto.

This is all good. It's all good for tourism and it is all good for the economy, but there is a downside. One of the reasons I actually ran for election and ran with this party is concern for the environment.

There is an impact on the environment with all this traffic, especially the larger vehicles, and I would like to know what is being done to address this issue.

Hon. Donna H. Cansfield (Minister of Transportation): I would like to thank the member for her unwavering commitment not only to the environment, but to her riding and to the arts and culture

of this province. I want to tell not only the member, but the other honourable members of the House, about something very exciting that occurred this week. I was proud to stand with our partners in the Ontario Motor Coach Association when they

unveiled the 2007 engine. Actually, they are ahead of the game. The legislation requires them to have something by next January. They have gone way out on a limb, and gone out first and foremost. In fact, industry reports indicate that the new

engine will use ultra-low-sulphur diesel fuel, which will cut particulate matter emissions by 90%. Nitrous oxide emissions will be cut by 50% from the level of four years ago. Already, they're making the switch to the new ultra-low-sulphur fuel as

of this month. We're pleased to be a part of what they consider a sustainable approach to dealing with clean air in this province.

Ms. Mossop: This is all good news. I also am appreciative that our government has moved forward with the ethanol initiative as well, because that will cut emissions tremendously. But we're

still dealing with a lot of the volume -- a lot of volume. If you have ever travelled that area -- quite frankly, what I do when I have an event in my riding where a cabinet minister is coming down for a visit, is ensure that we always get those

cabinet ministers travelling down for their visit during rush hour so that they can experience the parking lot called the QEW that commuters in my area have to experience day in and day out. Cobwebs sort of form on the front of the car sometimes

while you're waiting to move forward about 10 feet. That creates an additional problem for our environment because the cars are just idling and filling up the air. So I also need to know from you what we're doing, as a government, to clear up that

parking lot and get things moving.

Hon. Mrs. Cansfield: There's no question that what the member is talking about is the use of sustainability as part of planning, using your highways differently, integrating the concept of

sustainability into the planning, and that's exactly what we're doing.

Let me tell you about some of the activities. Within my own ministry, all our activity and operation has been improved to reduce overall energy consumption. By 2010, the province will have provided $1.6

billion in gas tax money to Ontario municipalities. We have established the Greater Toronto Transit Authority to take a region-wide approach to transit and to transportation. We're really interested in alternative fuels, and we have developed the

greater Toronto transportation fare card, which will enable people to move back and forth with ease in the transit system. We have invested $110 million in HOV -- high-occupancy vehicle -- lanes where 10,000 to 15,000 cars every day take a

commuter with them to and from work, which makes a difference in the congestion in our highways.

PROPERTY TAXATION

Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): I have a question to the Premier. I would like to call your attention to James Wallace's recent Osprey column, entitled "Triple Whammy... Property Assessments in

2008." After question period, the assembly will be voting on your time allocation motion that shuts down debate on the bill that Mr. Wallace references in his column. As you know,

schedule A results in three years of assessments hitting seniors

and working families all at once, conveniently after the next provincial election. Premier, why is it that neither your Minister of Finance nor his parliamentary assistant even mentioned this provision of the bill during debate? What is the

McGuinty government trying to hide?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I know this is something that the member opposite has a particular interest in, but it is without foundation.

To repeat something that's been stated in here so many times now, we are working as hard as we can to clean up the mess created by the former government when it comes to property tax assessments. It's not the

kind of thing that we can clean up overnight. It's the kind of thing that took a lot of time to create by way of a mess. What we have committed to doing is getting the best possible advice that we can, taking the necessary and appropriate time to

ensure that we come up with some kind of solution that will in fact be both meaningful and helpful to Ontario homeowners in particular. So we're going to take the necessary time to get it right.

Again, I just don't understand where the member opposite is coming from when he says that somehow there's some kind of a conspiracy, some kind of a hidden plot here to wreak havoc on the people of Ontario.

Mr. Hudak: I'd encourage the Premier to read his own legislation. Bill 51 resets the date for property taxes after the next election. We'll see an assessment time from January 1, 2008, reset

from January 1, 2005. This is three years of assessment increases all coming down on the backs of working families and seniors, conveniently after the next election. I can't believe you don't know that's in your legislation. Maybe the Premier is

simply in denial and is willing to say anything or do anything to get re-elected, including denying this provision of his legislation. I refer him to

schedule A of Bill 151. In fact, not a single member of the Liberal caucus -- not the Premier,

not the finance minister, not the PA, not a single Liberal member -- refers to this

section of the bill, a triple whammy of property assessments happening after the next election.

Premier, please tell me you've made a drafting error. Please tell me you're not trying to hide another big tax increase until after the next election. Please tell me that you've actually read your bill.

Hon. Mr. McGuinty: The member opposite is telling us that there is a conspiracy afoot here for all to see and it's related to a provision found in the bill itself.

We have heard the public's concerns about the assessment system. We have done a few things that are helpful, in addition to the fact that we're taking a serious look at this and reviewing it now. We've already

increased the property tax credit for seniors from $500 to $625. That's an increase of 25%. The party opposite voted against that. And last year we granted MPAC more time to conduct assessments and allow the public more time to appeal

assessments.

I think, as Dr. Phil says, the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. If Ontarians want to know what we're going to do with respect to this particular issue, they should look at what we've

already done for seniors, they should look at the effort we've made to work with MPAC to give them more time to address these issues, and they should look at our commitment to work with Ontarians to clean up the mess left by previous

government.

PAPER MILL

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay): My question is to the Premier. The community of Iroquois Falls is very concerned about Abitibi Consolidated's proposal to sever its hydroelectric dams

from its forest products company in Iroquois Falls. Mill workers in Iroquois Falls and community members are looking around the province at what's happening in other paper mills, where they've had to buy their electricity from the grid and are in

pretty dire straits as a result when it comes to their economic situation because of electricity prices.

I have a simple question: Are you prepared to tell Abitibi-Price no to severing those power dams to make sure that electricity generated by those dams continues going at the rate it is to that particular

mill?

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

Hon. David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources, minister responsible for aboriginal affairs): I appreciate the question from the member. This is a local issue for me, one that I've certainly

kept on top of and have been speaking to the company about.

I must say to the member, quite frankly, that this issue doesn't concern me at all. The papermaking facility in Iroquois Falls is one of the best in the world. It is a very sustainable operation. It's got some

of the best workers in the world in that particular area making high-quality paper. Their markets are sound. It's a very efficient operation. The company is obviously just trying to increase its cash flow so that they can invest more in their

facilities right across Canada, especially in Ontario. We're seeing those investments coming forward, and I think it's a very positive move on their behalf.

Mr. Bisson: You should be concerned, because what it means is, if Abitibi decides in the end to either spin off those power dams to sell their electricity on the market or become exporters

themselves of the electricity, that mill is going to go down. The community needs to know that they have a champion. They look at you and they're not seeing it.

When we were in government the same proposal was made, and our government said no and stopped the severance of that dam. We ask you again: Are you prepared to do what we did back in the early 1990s, making

sure that Abitibi doesn't become an exporter of electricity and continues to be a producer of paper in the community of Iroquois Falls?

Hon. Mr. Ramsay: Again I'd say to the member that we feel that for our companies to be strong, they have to examine every business transaction and process of raising their revenues that they

can, and to develop a revenue stream from the hydro side of the company strengthens the company. A stronger company means more jobs in northern Ontario, and we think that's very important. We want to encourage all our companies -- as we are, all

of them -- to generate as much electricity as possible. We're encouraging our other companies to get into the business, to get into cogen to further enhance their water power facilities if they can, Espanola being one example where there is

potential.

We want to work with the companies. We want the companies to be strong. We want to make sure that they exercise all the possibilities they have in order to be sustainable.

PETITIONS

HIGHWAY 417

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas modern highways are the economic lifelines to communities across Ontario and crucial to the growth of Ontario's economy; and

"Whereas the Ministry of Transportation has been dealing with the planning and design of the extension of Highway 417 for several years; and

"Whereas the previous Conservative government followed through with their commitment to extend Highway 417 to Arnprior; and

"Whereas Highway 417/17 is part of the Trans-Canada Highway system; and

"Whereas local municipal governments, the county of Renfrew and MPP John Yakabuski have continued to press the Liberal government on this issue;

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

"That the Liberal government move as swiftly as possible to approve the extension of Highway 417 through Arnprior to Renfrew and beyond and that this be included in their next five-year plan."

I support this petition and affix my name to it.

TUITION

Mr. Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): My petition reads, "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario," from the University of Toronto Students' Administrative Council.

"Whereas the Ontario Liberal government cancelled the tuition fee freeze after only two years and approved fee increases of up to 36% over the next four years; and

"Whereas tuition fees in Ontario have increased by more than four times the rate of inflation over the past 15 years; and

"Whereas a majority of Ontarians oppose tuition fee increases and support greater public funding for colleges and universities; and

"Whereas improvements to student financial assistance are undermined by fee increases; and

"Whereas the Ontario government's recent increase to student loan limits is set to push student debt to approximately $28,000 for a four-year program; and

"Whereas per student investment in Ontario still lags significantly behind the vast majority of jurisdictions in North America;

"Therefore we, the undersigned, support the Canadian Federation of Students' call to stop tuition fee hikes and petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:

" -- reduce tuition fees to 2004 levels for all students in Ontario and implement an immediate tuition fee freeze;

" -- increase public funding for post-secondary education to promote access and quality;

" -- expand access to financial aid in Ontario, especially for part-time students; and

" -- double the number of upfront, need-based grants for Ontario students."

I'm in agreement with the petition and would affix my signature thereto.

FAIR ACCESS TO PROFESSIONS

Mr. Phil McNeely (Ottawa-Orléans): "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas foreign-trained professionals are being denied recognition of foreign credentials and international work experience, preventing them from finding employment in their chosen fields and denying them the

opportunity to fully realize their potential, it is necessary that Bill 124, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, be passed as quickly as possible to address this growing social issue;

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

"That Bill 124, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, be passed as quickly as possible to help foreign-trained professionals work in their chosen fields."

I have the signatures of approximately 30 people here and I'll be adding my signature to that petition.

PROSTATE CANCER

Mr. John O'Toole (Durham): I'm pleased to have this chance to present a petition from the riding of Durham which reads as follows:

"Whereas prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests are frequently used to screen patients for prostate conditions, including cancer; and

"Whereas there is currently a double standard because men usually pay to have a PSA test as part of a routine medical examination, while women have all cancer screening tests covered by OHIP;

"Therefore we, the undersigned, urge the" McGuinty government "to review its policy on funding PSA testing for men with a view to including this as a service wholly covered by OHIP."

I'm pleased to endorse that, present it to Andrew from Scarborough East, and sign it on behalf of my constituents.

FRAIS DE SCOLARITÉ

M. Gilles Bisson (Timmins-Baie James): J'ai une pétition ici de la part des étudiants de l'Université Laurentienne qui dit :

« Attendu que le gouvernement libéral de l'Ontario a annulé le gel de frais de scolarité après deux ans seulement et a autorisé des hausses de frais de scolarité qui,

dans certains cas, s'élèvent jusqu'à 36 % sur les quatre prochaines années;

« Attendu que les frais de scolarité en Ontario ont augmenté de plus de quatre fois le taux d'inflation depuis les 15 dernières années;

« Attendu que la majorité des Ontariens et des Ontariennes s'opposent aux hausses des frais de scolarité et sont pour l'augmentation du financement public accordé aux collèges et

universités; et

« Attendu que les améliorations apportées à l'aide financière aux étudiants sont amoindries par les hausses des frais de scolarité;

« Attendu que la hausse récente par le gouvernement de l'Ontario des limites d'emprunt entraînera une augmentation de l'endettement étudiant à près de 28 000 $ pour

un programme d'études de quatre ans; et

« Attendu que l'investissement par étudiant en Ontario est encore très loin derrière comparativement à la grande majorité des juridictions en Amérique du Nord;

« Par conséquent, nous, les soussignés et soussignées, appuyons les revendications de la Fédération canadienne des étudiantes et étudiants en faveur de l'arrêt

des hausses des frais de scolarité et demandons à l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario :

« (1) de réduire les frais de scolarité aux niveaux de 2004 pour tous les étudiants et étudiantes de l'Ontario et de mettre en oeuvre un gel des frais de scolarité;

« (2) d'augmenter les dépenses publiques pour l'éducation postsecondaire pour promouvoir l'accès et la qualité; et

« (3) d'améliorer l'accès à l'aide financière aux études en Ontario, surtout pour les étudiants et étudiantes à temps partiel; et

« (4) de doubler le nombre de bourses initiales accordées en fonction du besoin pour les étudiants et étudiantes de l'Ontario. »

Je signe cette pétition de la part de M me Martel.

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

Mr. Jeff Leal (Peterborough): I have a petition today dealing with access to trades and professions in Ontario.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

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

pursue their livelihoods and careers; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I agree with this petition, will affix my signature to it, and give it to our new page here, Julian.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

Mr. Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): I have more petitions to do with Hydro One forestry services in Parry Sound-Muskoka.

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas Hydro One Networks Inc. provides hydro to many communities in the region of Parry Sound-Muskoka; and

"Whereas there have recently been several lengthy power outages in this region affecting both private residences, schools and businesses; and

"Whereas rural customers pay among the highest distribution and delivery charges for electricity;

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

"That the Minister of Energy and the Ontario Energy Board require Hydro One Networks Inc. to make improvements in line maintenance and forestry management in the region of Parry Sound-Muskoka to ensure

reliable energy for its customers."

I support this petition, affix my signature, and give it to page Daniel.

FAIR ACCESS TO PROFESSIONS

Ms. Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park): I have a petition on Bill 124.

"To the Legislature of Ontario:

"Whereas internationally educated professionals could make much greater contributions to Canada's society and economy than they are currently allowed to make;

"Whereas a lack of fair and timely recognition of their credentials is a key element in preventing them from making that contribution;

"Whereas this lack of recognition imposes unfair and unnecessary burdens on these new Canadians and their families;

"Whereas Bill 124, the" so-called "Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, 2006, will not, as written, provide the access to credentials recognition needed by internationally educated professionals;

"Whereas the Legislature needs to substantially strengthen this bill;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislature of Ontario as follows:

"To amend the bill in these eight areas:

"

(1) Establish independent regulatory appeal tribunals to hear appeals to rejection of registration in a professional body, these tribunals to be adequately resourced for high-quality reviews in a timely

way.

"

(2) Provide legal and professional advice to new Canadians seeking recognition of credentials. This includes provision of trained advocates, without charge to applicants....

"

(3) Name the regulated professions that are covered by the act in the act and give authority to allow the adding of more regulated professions in future.

"

(4) Fully establish a fair registration practices code in the legislation.

"

(5) Establish a department within the access centre established by the act which will evaluate the equivalence of standards between regulatory bodies and educational institutions in different countries and in

Ontario. This data will be provided to regulatory bodies to assist them in determining equivalence of credentials.

"

(6) Give the minister, upon recommendation from the fairness commissioner, power to eliminate registration practices that are contrary to the fair registration practices code.

"

(7) The fairness commissioner to report annually to the Legislature on the impact of this legislation on the employment of internationally educated professionals and to report on the success rate of

internationally educated professionals applying for certification.

"

(8) The fairness commissioner to be appointed by the Legislature."

I agree with this petition and affix my signature thereto.

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

Mr. Bruce Crozier (Essex): Thanks to the Newcomer Women's Services of Toronto, I have this very positive petition on access to trades and professions in Ontario directed to the Legislative

Assembly of Ontario.

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

pursue their livelihoods and careers; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In support, I sign this petition.

HEALTH PREMIUMS

Mr. Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): I have a petition to the Parliament of Ontario.

"Whereas, according to the Department of National Defence, there are over 30,000 serving military personnel calling Ontario home; and

"Whereas, according to the most recent census data, there are more than 1.6 million senior citizens over the age of 65 living in Ontario; and

"Whereas the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario plans on eliminating this illegitimate tax for all Ontarians after it forms the government in 2007; and

"Whereas, as an interim measure, the illegitimate health tax should be removed from those who protect Canada and those who have built Ontario;

"We, the undersigned, call on the government of Ontario to immediately eliminate the illegitimate health tax, beginning with serving military personnel and senior citizens."

I have also signed this.

IMMIGRANTS' SKILLS

Mr. Tony Ruprecht (Davenport): I have a petition that has to do with access to trades and professions in Ontario. It's addressed to the Parliament of Ontario, and it reads as follows:

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

pursue their livelihoods and careers; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Since I agree with this petition, I am delighted to sign it and send it over to you with page Or.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

BUDGET MEASURES ACT, 2006 (NO. 2) /

LOI DE 2006 SUR LES MESURES

BUDGÉTAIRES (NO 2)

Resuming the debate adjourned on November 1, 2006, on the motion for second reading of Bill 151,

An Act to enact various 2006 Budget measures and to enact, amend or repeal various Acts / Projet de loi 151, Loi

édictant diverses mesures énoncées dans le Budget de 2006 et édictant, modifiant ou abrogeant diverses lois.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): Pursuant to the order of the House dated yesterday, I am now required to put the question.

Mr. Sorbara has moved second reading of Bill 151,

An Act to enact various 2006 Budget measures and to enact, amend or repeal various Acts.

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

All those in favour of the motion will please say "aye."

All those opposed will please say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Call in the members. This will be a 10-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1554 to 1604.

The Acting Speaker: All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time.

Ayes

Balkissoon, Bas

Bartolucci, Rick

Bentley, Christopher

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Broten, Laurel C.

Brownell, Jim

Bryant, Michael

Cansfield, Donna H.

Caplan, David

Colle, Mike

Crozier, Bruce

Delaney, Bob

Dhillon, Vic

Di Cocco, Caroline

Dombrowsky, Leona

Duguid,