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February 26, 2014

40th Parliament, 2nd Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcripts 2014-Feb-26 (PDF)

L106 - Wed 26 Feb 2014 / Mer 26 fév 2014

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 26 February 2014 Mercredi 26 février 2014

ORDERS OF THE DAY

SUPPLY ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE CRÉDITS DE 2014

SUPPLY ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE CRÉDITS DE 2014

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

ORAL QUESTIONS

TAXATION

TAXATION

TAXATION

TAXATION

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

JOB CREATION

AGRI-FOOD INDUSTRY

TAXATION

ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURIES

INVASIVE SPECIES

TAXATION

SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION

ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVES

HOSPITAL FUNDING

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

VISITORS

ORDER OF BUSINESS

CORRECTION OF RECORD

VISITORS

ORDER OF BUSINESS

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

NUCLEAR ENERGY

BRANDT HUBER

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

WASTE REDUCTION

AYSHI HASSAN

CHINESE NEW YEAR

ANDREA MCAULEY

RANKED BALLOTING

NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVES

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL

FILM FESTIVAL INC. ACT

(TAX RELIEF), 2014

TORONTO RANKED BALLOT

ELECTIONS ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE 2014 SUR UN MODE DE SCRUTIN

PRÉFÉRENTIEL POUR TORONTO

INVASIVE SPECIES ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE 2014 SUR LES ESPÈCES

ENVAHISSANTES

STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY

AND RESPONSES

INVASIVE SPECIES

ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY

INVASIVE SPECIES

ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY

INVASIVE SPECIES

ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY

PETITIONS

PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES

TAXATION

WASTE DISPOSAL

ONTARIO DRUG BENEFIT PROGRAM

TENANT PROTECTION

WASTE REDUCTION

TIRE DISPOSAL

ONTARIO DRUG BENEFIT PROGRAM

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

CHARITABLE GAMING

HYDRO RATES

WASTE REDUCTION

ONTARIO DRUG BENEFIT PROGRAM

OPPOSITION DAY

TAXATION

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

SUPPLY ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE CRÉDITS DE 2014

Mr. Milloy, on behalf of Mr. Sousa, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 164,

An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014 / Projet de loi 164, Loi autorisant l’utilisation de certaines sommes pour l’exercice se terminant le 31 mars 2014.

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

Hon. John Milloy: This is, actually, the final piece of three administrative, routine matters that have come before the House this week. The Supply Act, as it’s called, is one of the cornerstones in this Legislature. Passing it will constitute the final authorization by this Legislature of the government’s program spending for the fiscal year that’s coming to a close. If passed, this bill would give the government the authority to finance its programs and honour its commitments. As I said, Mr. Speaker, it’s an administrative and routine matter. I look forward to the debate and discussion, but it’s something that’s dealt with on a regular basis by the Legislature.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Further debate.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: It’s a pleasure to actually have the opportunity to debate this morning on behalf of Tim Hudak and the Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus. The government House leader mentioned that this is the cornerstone and that it’s an important debate for us to have. I couldn’t agree more, Speaker.

I have been in this chamber for eight years now, getting elected on March 30, 2006, with Christine Elliott and Peter Tabuns, in a by-election. My first opportunity to debate in the assembly, my maiden speech, was about the budget.

I learned very quickly thereafter that there are three major opportunities for legislators in this assembly to speak: It is on motions of supply, where you have the flexibility to talk about the issues in your community; it is the throne speech, where you’re able to bring your constituents’ concerns and their values to the floor of this assembly as we set the stage for the vision for the province, and you actually have input into their views; and, of course, the budget.

I find the budget is an excellent opportunity to talk about those combined and shared experiences that our constituents, our stakeholders, our families, our friends, face. We can bring those to the floor with the flexibility of telling their stories and trying to shape government policy.

I think that my party has made it very clear, particularly over the past two years but even more so in the last year, that we have a different approach for how we would take the province of Ontario. We have talked about creating a million jobs. We have talked about making life more affordable in Ontario by looking after energy rates that have become far too high in the province of Ontario. We have talked about eliminating red tape so that our small job creators, our small businesses are able to continue to thrive in a province that was built on prosperity but right now seems to be having some very basic and troubling challenges.

Speaker, I like to tell the story—and you’re going to hear a lot from me, because I had this great opportunity this past January on behalf of Tim Hudak to visit almost 30 different ridings. I found that to be an actual dream come true. There’s a lot of young pages here, and I look at them, and I was their age once before—I know you’re probably doubting that, Speaker, that I was ever that young, but I was young once.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: You still are.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I still am, says my good friend from Timmins–James Bay.

I arrived in this province, like many other people here, not from a different nation but from a different province. I always dreamed about going to Ontario. You know, I’d heard about Toronto, but I’d only ever seen it on television, and Ottawa was a place, because I was politically interested, that I had always wanted to visit. Who would ever know I would move to this province?

The point is, Speaker, when I was the young age of Abbey Jackson, who is our page from Barrie—when I was her age, Ontario was the beacon of Confederation. She was the strongest province. She was our economic engine, and she was so for a very basic reason. She had a strong economy that was fuelled by energy prices that were affordable. They were able to ensure that we had a branch-plant economy in this province, and that branch-plant economy made life here in Ontario not only affordable but gave people the opportunity and hope for a job. If they could get a job, that meant they could buy a house.

If they could buy a house, they probably would buy a car. If they could buy a car, they started to think about having a family of their own. Over the years, they would send their children to schools that they helped fund publicly. They would use hospitals that were built by people like Bill Davis. They then sent their children to universities and colleges in this province, and then they could retire here. That was the dream that myself and many others in this chamber who came from a different place—that was the dream, regardless of our political affiliation. That was the dream that brought us here.

I’ve now had an opportunity, as I stated at the very outset of my remarks—I had an opportunity not only to come here, to move here, to get a job, to have a home and buy a car, have a child, use some of those services, but I’ve also had the opportunity to stand in this assembly for almost a decade. Eight years I have spent in this assembly. The entire decade of my 30s, I have been right here. What I have noticed is a steady decline, Speaker, in Ontario’s prowess as a leader in Confederation and a leader in North America and a leader in the world.

I remember a time when people from all over the world, all over Canada, would come here. Today, those kids, those people with a dream, are going to Alberta. They might be going to Newfoundland. They could be going to Saskatchewan. But the problem is, they are not coming here. So those young kids that are about the age of our pages are now starting to think, where are they going to dream of getting their job or going to university? And unfortunately, because of the last decade, I don’t think it’s in Ontario.

And I think it’s for one major reason. As I travelled the province these past two months, I started to talk to a lot of people, find out what their concerns were. The number one issue in Ontario today is high energy prices. From there stems our prosperity. From there stems job creation. From there stems people’s affordability in their own province, where they live in their home, what they can afford to put into that home.

The one thing that I think that we can offer in the Ontario PC Party is our affordable energy plan, and I say this because I spoke about this previously when I talked about the branch-plant economy. Why were job creators coming here to make investments in Ontario? They were coming here because our industrial policy was linked to our energy policy, and it was for over 100 years, until the last decade. When that veered off, when that track became off the track, when the former Minister of Energy, Mr.

Duguid, became energy minister—when they became more about a social policy than an economic policy, we saw a rapid increase in the rates that people pay, a rapid increase on the bills that people pay. What are we hearing? We’re hearing from job creators, we’re hearing from seniors, we are hearing from families that they can’t afford it anymore.

I want to tell you a little bit about some of the places that I had an opportunity to visit. I want to tell you about some of the people whom I had the opportunity and the privilege to speak with. I want to tell you what their concerns were so that, as we move forward as a province, we can adequately address some of the challenges that they are facing, because, as I’ve stated, the best way for us to become an economic leader in Confederation again, become the place where people from all across the world come, is by addressing our province’s energy policies.

I had this wonderful opportunity to travel, and my first visit was to the beautiful city of London. I had the opportunity to work with our candidate there, Chris Robson, and to meet with a great deal of people in his community. In fact, he took me to a stable of people who were already badly beaten by this government. They were horse people. Not only were they threatened with their livelihood and their jobs because of this government’s destructive policies on gaming, but they were also, on the other hand, dealing with high energy costs to heat their barns and to heat their homes.

I really feel that they were in double trouble. They were facing some severe challenges because of government policy, not of which the least was energy policy.

After I left London, I went over to another riding with Jeff Yurek. Jeff Yurek is our London–Elgin–Middlesex MPP, a strong addition to the Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus since he joined us. I went to visit with him, and we did a round table with energy stakeholders. Those energy stakeholders weren’t next era. They weren’t the big guys. They weren’t the people that were being made whole by this government when they cancelled gas plants. These are the people that actually pay for that little black box of problems that they’ve created on the other side.

These are the people that told me that Hydro One’s billing problems were so severe and so bad that they were concerned that they weren’t going to be able to keep their business in operation. They were young mothers who came around the table at Jeff Yurek’s constituency office to tell me that they opposed this government’s wind turbine policy and because of that were being sued by a big, bad wind company. That is who I met with in Jeff Yurek’s riding.

Jeff also took me to Cole Munro food processing. Cole Munro food processing was incredible. It is a small fish-packing plant right in the heart of southwestern Ontario. It is a company whose profits went up 1% last year. You’d think that we would want to encourage that, but their hydro bill went up by 30%. That’s unsustainable. But I congratulate my colleague Jeff Yurek for his attention to this and his desire to assist his constituents at Cole Munro.

I, from there, went to visit Kitchener after that. I had an excellent meeting with the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy. In fact, the meeting that was supposed to have gone on for 30 minutes lasted for two hours. We had some of the best experts in sustainable energy meeting with myself and our candidate there, Tracey Weiler, to discuss the important issues of the day. And when I came away, I was more convinced than ever that our concerns on the Green Energy Act were absolutely, 100% validated, when we met with those academics and when we met with those experts in the field.

I think they would agree with me that this government policy of the Green Energy Act is actually catastrophic for the province.

From there, I had an opportunity to meet with the Kitchener chamber of commerce. Again, what were people talking about? The high cost of energy in the province. Tracey Weiler was standing there, in the proud tradition of Elizabeth Witmer, talking about these very important issues that she wants to bring to Queen’s Park, and I admired that. I thought it was absolutely important and absolutely critical.

From there, I had the opportunity to move on and visit Oakville, and I was there with our candidate, Larry Scott. Larry and I met with the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. We had an opportunity to sit there around the table with the likes of Ford and Tim Hortons. We focused exclusively on energy.

I gave them much of the same speech, and the discussion focused around a lot of the same issues I talked about earlier: coming from a different place to what the greatest place on earth is, and then finding a decade of decline, where there is no environment for major companies around the world to set up here when they can find cheaper and more sustainable power elsewhere. We’ve got to fix that problem, and I’m here on behalf of Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC caucus to tell you we will fix that problem.

I had an opportunity as well to spend some time during the by-election in Thornhill, where I was going door to door with our new MPP, Gila Martow. Gila has a great presence at the doorstep. She’s feisty. I can tell you one thing, Speaker: We need more feisty women in the Ontario PC Party—because we only had seven of us and now we’ve got eight, but we’re looking for a few more.

It was great to have Gila Martow out on the trail with us. When we were going door to door, the number one issue—whether we were in a factory or in a shopping centre, they were talking about the high cost of energy in Ontario. In fact, that’s why Gila Martow was sent to Queen’s Park with a higher percentage than her predecessor was: because of those key, invaluable issues.

From there, I had the opportunity to join my leader, Tim Hudak, on a day in Ottawa, but also, as we went from Toronto to Ottawa, we stopped in a few communities. We stopped in Cobourg with my friend Rob Milligan. He assembled one of the best round tables I’ve been to. He sat there with his business leaders, folks in the energy sector, people who were concerned about the economic prosperity of the people of Northumberland–Quinte West. I want to congratulate him.

What we heard when we were standing and we were sitting and we were discussing and we were talking and we were batting around ideas—what did we hear from the people of Northumberland–Quinte West, those job creators, those visionaries that were planning for the future? They told us the high cost of energy was driving away jobs from Northumberland–Quinte West. You don’t have to take my word for it. You don’t have to take Mr. Milligan’s word for it. You don’t have to take Tim Hudak’s word for it. You just have to take the word of all those job creators that were there, that produced a report to say the high cost of energy is driving jobs away from Cobourg.

From there, we went with Scott Stewart to Peterborough. Tim Hudak and I had the opportunity to meet with the media. We had the opportunity to speak with the public. We had time to talk to our candidate, Scott Stewart, in Peterborough, about the high cost of energy in Ontario.

While we were in Peterborough, we talked about the Million Jobs Act. We talked about the situation this government has put us in by losing 330,000 manufacturing jobs. Peterborough has been hit like every other community. What do we need to get back on track? Tim Hudak has got a plan in the Million Jobs Act; we’ll talk a lot more about that tomorrow. But I can tell you, we talked about the high cost of energy.

From there, I had the opportunity to drive up to Lindsay with our very good friend and outstanding colleague Laurie Scott. She’s a great MPP. She has been representing this chamber since 2003. She left, as you’ll recall, out of loyalty to the province and to the party, to allow our leader to run there. When he was not successful, Laurie Scott came roaring back to this assembly. She has been standing up for her constituents against wind turbine developments since she arrived back at Queen’s Park. If you can believe it, Speaker, this Liberal government is attacking a Buddhist temple in her constituency.

Ms. Lisa M. Thompson: And the airport in Peterborough.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: And the airport in Peterborough.

I had the opportunity to do a round table with job creators and seniors in Laurie Scott’s riding. That is where this Hydro One billing issue really came bubbling up. People had not been given bills for months at a time, and finally, when they did receive a bill, it was for thousands of dollars. They were told, “Pay up now or disconnect.” That’s what we’re telling seniors in Ontario under this Liberal government, and I think it’s wrong. I think it’s dead wrong, and we have to change that.

The day that I was most excited about on my tour was when I actually was able to get back to my own community of Nepean–Carleton. In Bells Corners, I met with Tim Hudak and Randall Denley, our Progressive Conservative candidate in Ottawa West–Nepean. We met with the Ottawa coalition of business improvement areas, and what they said to us was that the high energy rates are killing small businesses in eastern Ontario, specifically within the city of Ottawa. They wrote a letter to Premier Wynne.

They hand-delivered it to the Minister of Energy, who has a few of these BIAs in his riding, and they’ve never yet received a response, so they were very upset. We met with the likes of Alex Lewis from the Bells Corners Business Improvement Area, Tom Moss from the Barrhaven Business Improvement Area. We met with them from the market. We met with them from Orléans. We had an opportunity to sit with some of the brightest visionaries on the local Ottawa economy, and they were telling us the number one cost of doing business for them is high hydro rates.

They also did talk quite extensively about the minimum wage, so I have referred them to speak with their local Minister of Labour, who will have some input into that. But that Ottawa coalition of BIAs, I think they’re 18 to 22 strong, representing the whole city in terms of small business and large business—they have some very serious concerns about this community.

From there I had the opportunity to go to a number of winter carnivals. Obviously that’s my favourite part of the job, is being out there. I can take my daughter. We bring our skates and, as a former hockey and ringette player, I like to get out on the ice every once in a while. I don’t skate as fast as I used to, but I can tell you I’ve been getting a lot of practice this year, Speaker. It’s really, really important because she’s now at that age. I can tell you, this is what my favourite part of the job has been this winter. I will have three winter carnivals in a day.

I have the largest geographic riding, and population-wise, in the city of Ottawa. What I’ll do is I’ll take my daughter and all of her friends. I load them up in my minivan and I’ll go do the ribbon cutting or the chili competition, and the three or four kids in the minivan go off and they skate. They get their face painted. My daughter has been to more winter carnivals this year than I probably was from the age of 5 to 15. I always make a joke with her.

I tell her that I’m grooming her to be my successor, so that she’ll have a poll captain in every village in my riding, to which she says, “No, no, I don’t want to do that.” That’s fine.

She’s a great little girl and she has lots of great little friends. She’s at school today in Nepean and she’s enjoying—

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Chip off the old block.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: She is. She’s not shy, that’s for sure. She comes by it honestly with this Celtic heritage that I bring to this assembly.

You know what, I want to go back to this tour that I’ve taken because I had a great weekend in the riding. I saw several of my constituents. Their number one issue, not surprisingly, was hydro. They also wanted to see an election called. The folks in Nepean–Carleton are telling me that that’s what they want. They’ve lost confidence in this government. They’re expecting that the NDP will actually stop propping up this government. I think that’s an important message for you to understand.

But the issue is that we continued on. I have a friend, Andrew Lister, who’s running for the Ontario Progressive Conservatives in Orléans. I went there with our finance critic, Vic Fedeli. Vic spoke for a great deal of time on the implication of a gas tax for the city of Toronto and what that will do for us in Ottawa. He talked about the debt retirement charge that should have been paid off by this government and wasn’t. We talked about energy prices. We had their BIAs. We had business owners. We had people from a wide spectrum. We had seniors that were there. They were tired of this government’s policies.

They have encouraged us to win that Ottawa–Orléans seat so we can send some common sense to Queen’s Park from that area.

From there we drove off to Rockland, to the area of Glengarry–Prescott–Russell, the riding of Roxane Villeneuve Robertson. I’ve spoken about her before. Her father is a former agriculture minister and francophone affairs minister. We went to Rockland to meet with their chamber of commerce. Vic Fedeli, our finance critic, gave a wonderful speech. He dissected the challenges Ontario is facing today. Again, not surprisingly, when we were in Rockland, the people of Rockland, the job creators in Rockland, told us their number one issue was energy. So that was, I think, really important.

The next day, I flew off to Toronto, because I have an office here, as we all do, in this assembly. I came to do some work and I worked with my leader, Tim Hudak. We toured a factory with Gila Martow, Kohl and Frisch, in Vaughan. As we walked through this wonderful factory—this a factory that supplies Walmart. They’re a major player in Canada. Number one issue: energy. A major job creator in Toronto that’s almost 100 years old, their major issue is hydro. From there, I met with a number of energy folks. I had a luncheon. I’m going through my calendar, Speaker.

I don’t have notes; I’m just going through my calendar to actually tell you what I did in the month of January. It’s true. I can give you my calendar. It’s not that exciting. There’s not really any entertaining things in there other than work.

Hon. Ted McMeekin: What did you have for breakfast?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Today? I had a nice cup of tea.

Interjections.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I think the Liberals are heckling me, Speaker, to get a life. I’ll tell you something: I will not stop working until this government is defeated, and that is why I’m reading into the record my calendar.

I gave two speeches that week, one in Toronto and one in Cambridge. I won’t get into who was exactly there, but I can tell you there were energy executives, and I remember standing up and talking a little bit about Hydro One. I thought to myself—

Mr. Steven Del Duca: How much did they pay?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Well, I can say this. I stood up in Cambridge, and I stood up in Toronto, and I said this: “Enbridge can find me once a month. Why in the hell can’t Hydro One find my constituents once a month? A private company can do that. Hydro One is fumbling all over the place.”

I still maintain the CEO, Carmine Marcello, should be fired. He knew about the problems with Hydro One’s billing as far back as 2010. He has been with the company for over 25 years. He does not have the confidence of the people of Ontario to fix that problem. It’s time that he takes leave and puts somebody in place that actually knows what they’re talking about.

That brings me to later that evening. I had an energy round table in Tim Hudak’s area, and we were meeting with wind energy folks. When Tim Hudak stands here and he talks about the Green Energy Act, Tim Hudak knows what he’s talking about. You want to know why? His community is actually being assaulted, like my community and Lisa Thompson’s community, with wind turbine development that is not wanted, that we cannot afford. So I met with Mothers Against Wind Turbines. They stood there and they told me about their real concerns. They told me about their high energy prices.

They talked about the fear of their children moving away from Ontario, like the exact same fear my father had when I left Nova Scotia. That is Ontario today. That’s in the Niagara region, Speaker. If the Liberals don’t—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Well, folks, there seem to be three ministers that are really projecting their voices this morning. I guess they want us all to hear their thoughts. But the Speaker doesn’t want to hear their thoughts until it’s their turn. So we’ll keep it down, won’t we, folks?

Continue.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Thank you, Speaker. You know what? This is a message I don’t think the Liberals want to hear. That’s why they’re trying to speak over me. I’m only bringing to the floor the collective experience of the people who I met and the experience that I brought, and that brought me to this assembly. And I’m happy that my colleague is here from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, my seatmate. He has stood in this House on numerous occasions defending the people of Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke on the high hydro rates that are killing this province.

Speaker, I had that wonderful opportunity to do that during the month of January, and I think that the really important thing here and the message that I want to leave with you—well, I actually have 15 more minutes, so I’ll find some more to talk about. But the message that is very strong with me—

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Not enough research last night. You should have stayed longer.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Oh. The message that was very important to me in the month of January, and what I received loud and clear from all of those communities that I had gone to, was that people feel that there is a real energy crisis in the province of Ontario. So I think that is critical and that is key.

I then went on tour in the month of February as well. Tim Hudak kept me quite busy—a lot of kilometres on my car; my minivan looks quite beaten up. Of course, I had to drive down the 401. I lost a tire. I should actually show the picture to the Minister of Transportation, because I think we have a real problem with the winter road maintenance. I’ve never seen roads this bad in the province of Ontario in my life.

I then went down to have an energy round table with Jim McDonell in the Cornwall area, and we met with a number of seniors that were there as well as the mayor, Bryan McGillis, of that local community. While we were there, it was very clear to me how bad this propane crisis is in Ontario and how bad the Hydro One crisis is in Ontario. I had one woman stand and tell me that her OAS does not cover her hydro, let alone her propane bill. What concerns me is that the poor little minister of whatever she is from Vanier—she doesn’t quite understand that there are people out there who don’t make as much money as her, and there are people out there who are trying to—

Hon. Glen R. Murray: A point of order, Mr. Speaker?

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): A point of order: the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I never knew that “poor little minister from Vanier” was an appropriate form of address for the Minister of Community Safety. She’s many things, but she isn’t little in spirit, and Vanier isn’t very poor.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Well, we might want to be careful how we describe, with our adjectives, fellow members.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Sure. I unreservedly apologize to the minister. I did not want to refer to her as poor.

The point is, we went down to the Long Sault, and we were standing there with some folks who had worked for Hydro One, telling us about the laissez-faire attitude in that community. Then, they also talked to us about the challenges they face living on a fixed income. With that fixed income that they live on—not unlike the people of Overbrook in Ottawa, they were wondering how they were going to pay their hydro bill on the limited income that they have. That was a real challenge, and one that this government does not have an answer for.

From there, I had the opportunity to meet with my own constituents. I had a full day of constituency meetings. I talked a lot about health care that day—on autism, we talked quite a bit; about cancer drugs that aren’t being approved. A lot of my constituents, when they were coming in, they were scratching their head. They were saying, “They have enough money to cancel two gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga, but they don’t have enough money to pay for my child’s cancer drugs?” Or, “They don’t have enough money for my child to get appropriate autism services?”

Mr. John Yakabuski: Priorities.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My colleague from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke speaks about priorities. There are no priorities in this government because there are too many priorities in this Liberal government, because Kathleen Wynne flails around whichever way the wind is blowing, trying to be everyone’s friend. Well, I think it’s time for leadership in Ontario. I think the person who can offer that is Tim Hudak. I think he’s got the opportunity to do that, and I think that’s consistent with what we’ve heard.

Let me tell you about the trip to Sarnia I took with Bob Bailey. What a wonderful day that we took with—

Mr. John Yakabuski: Great member.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: He’s a great member. He’s been actually very vocal on the energy file. When I was in Sarnia and we met with the chamber of commerce there—they consider themselves to be the energy capital of Ontario, but they can’t understand this government’s preoccupation with the so-called advanced manufacturing, when they still think we have to invest in manufacturing and make sure there’s a climate ready for manufacturing in the province of Ontario that this government doesn’t seem to want to deal with.

We had an opportunity to go to the UWO research park. We toured it with Tom Strifler, the director there.

We met with some constituents of Bob’s. It was interesting when we were meeting with the constituents because what I had heard in Long Sault earlier in the week and what I had heard in St. Thomas earlier in that month was the exact same thing I heard in Sarnia—a senior citizen brings in his hydro bill and brings in his OAS cheque, and his OAS cheque is less than his hydro bill, courtesy of Kathleen Wynne and her Ontario Liberal government. Speaker, that’s what I saw in Ontario during the months of January and February.

While I was out working, we didn’t know where the Minister of Energy was; we didn’t know where the Premier was—she was on a campaign stop boasting about her rented campaign bus. But those are the challenges.

In the time I have left in this 10 minutes, let me tell you how we will address these challenges that Ontarians are facing. Our leader, tomorrow, will talk about his Million Jobs Act, and I hope it has support from all of the parties in this assembly.

Let me tell you how we will address energy. Energy is a key component in the Million Jobs Acts. We actually do have a policy on energy and how we would make it more affordable for seniors, those on a fixed income, mums and dads, small business owners and manufacturers. We have said this: We will end, without a doubt, the FIT program. No more subsidies for wind and solar, making life more unaffordable for people in Ontario. We’re going to change that. We’re going to make sure that people pay for power at the appropriate rate. We’re going to end that program. And I cannot be more clear than saying that a Progressive Conservative government under Tim Hudak will scrap the Green Energy Act.

Secondly, we are going to make sure there are sensible trade arrangements with neighbouring jurisdictions. If we can get cheaper power from Manitoba or Quebec, or we can export without a loss, we’re going to do it; we’re going to revisit that. I once was in a debate about four years ago, maybe even three years ago, with a Liberal now-cabinet minister who told us, “We can’t deal with the province of Quebec because we don’t know if they’re going to separate.” That’s not an appropriate response to our energy issues in Ontario.

We have to make sensible trade agreements so that my friend Steve Clark in Brockville doesn’t have to deal with a neighbouring community on the other side of the St. Lawrence Seaway trying to come over to poach his businesses, Fortune 500 companies—because in upstate New York, they actually have cheaper power than they do in Brockville, Ontario. We have to stop that. Ontario’s Progressive Conservative leader, Tim Hudak, has made that commitment, and I’ll stand with Steve Clark in trying to get those jobs back to eastern Ontario. That’s what we’re going to do.

Third, it is without a doubt one of the biggest scandals in Ontario today: the Hydro One over-billing scheme and the challenges that they have as a result of their utter incapability—

Mr. John Yakabuski: Incompetence.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: —incompetence and mismanagement.

We also saw before Christmas that the Auditor General came out and proved once and for all that the sense of entitlement of OPG has run away for far too long. People in this room without a pension and people at home watching without a pension are subsidizing, on their hydro bills, pension plans of the OPG that we could only dream of. That has to stop. Under the Ontario Progressive Conservative plan, our leader, Tim Hudak, has said we will monetize the OPG, we will monetize Hydro One, and we will make them more accountable. Again, I ask you, if Hydro One can’t find my constituent, why can Enbridge?

Why can the company Propane Levac? Why can other companies find my consumers or my constituents—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services is spinning her chair and talking loud and thinking I can’t see it or hear it. I would suggest that she cut it back a bit, because it’s not fooling me.

Continue.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Thanks, Speaker. It’s not fooling the people of the province of Ontario either. They’re tired of this government. They want an election. They want a party in place that actually has a vision for where to take the province. They know we have a plan on energy; they know we have a plan on bringing jobs back. So let’s get at it.

Clinging to the office tower here on the second floor with Kathleen Wynne’s fingernails going down the wood panelling so she can’t be removed from office—is a pathetic reason to try and be Premier. You either have to have a vision to be Premier, you have to understand who you want to help, you have to understand why you want to be here, or you should leave.

I think it’s time that we had a provincial election. I think it’s time that we actually talked about how we can get Ontario out of the rut she’s been in for 10 years under the management of this government. We have had a decade of darkness, a decade of decline. It’s time for a change in the province of Ontario. We’re offering that.

I go back. The reason I decided that, yes, I wanted to speak to supply after the government decided to change their speaking order today and not deal with the World Trade Organization ruling that has found them in non-compliance and has embarrassed our nation—I was supposed to have spoken to that for an hour today, but they decided they didn’t want to come into compliance with the WTO; they wanted to embarrass Stephen Harper. That was more important for them, that we talk about supply.

So I decided what I would do this morning when I woke up was to talk about the people I met. I thought I’d tell you about the experiences that they had. I thought I would tell you what’s happening in Ontario outside Wellesley Street. I thought I’d talk to you about the constituents that my colleagues have who are concerned about their future. An election, for those people, can’t come soon enough.

We’re dealing with real people’s problems. This isn’t a think tank; it isn’t 37 panels of good buddies from downtown Toronto sipping lattes and having some cappuccino. This isn’t about the union elites that want to meet with Kathleen Wynne. This isn’t about the Working Families Coalition that’s really about big unions, not about real people. This is about the people that my colleagues represent.

I see him now, my colleague from Carleton–Mississippi Mills. I had the opportunity to be in his riding as well; we share a boundary. We went to his riding. The number one issue is energy.

They’re tired in Carleton–Mississippi Mills, they’re tired in Nepean–Carleton, they’re tired in Huron–Bruce, they’re tired in Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, they’re tired in Etobicoke–Lakeshore, they’re tired in Northumberland–Quinte West, they’re tired in Oxford, and they’re tired in Perth–Wellington. They want an election. Under this government, rural Ontario is languishing.

I look at my colleague from Perth–Wellington. We had an opportunity to do a phone-in show on a radio station in the month of January, and the number one issue people were talking about—what was it? Yell it out. It was energy. His community is like mine in many respects. Those people who are being hit with high energy prices are also the same people they put out of the work in the horse racing industry. I’ve never seen an economic plan like it.

One thing we have to do in the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, in order to turn this province around, is again make energy a focus of our economy, make sure that energy is the number one issue for the people we represent and make sure that we turn this province around with affordable energy rates, so that we can once again lead Confederation, and I believe we can.

People come from all over the world to marvel at this province. They saw what Bill Davis did to build it. They saw Mike Harris turn it around and bring in a million jobs, and they will see Tim Hudak do the same thing. We will have clear priorities. It will be completely different from the mess we’ve had, that decade of decline, the decade of despair, the decade of darkness. It was a time when they took in more revenues than they’d ever taken in their life, yet still posted record deficits.

Our third-largest spending priority in the province of Ontario today is the debt and the deficit. It ranks this way: health care, education, the debt and the deficit to pay for the cancelled gas plants, the debt and the deficit to pay for the scandal at Ornge, the debt and the deficit to pay for the eHealth scandal, the debt and the deficit to pay for all of the Presto and Metrolinx problems—the debt and the deficit to deal with all of the scandal, the little black box of scandal that that government has given to the province of Ontario in the last decade.

That concerns me, as a mother, to no end. When I think of my daughter and I put the three or four kids into the car or the minivan and we’re driving—this government has loaded $20,000 worth of debt on each one of those children’s heads, and they’re only eight years old. They’re paying for the problems and mistakes of this government, and the only party with a plan to get us out of it and put us back on track here in the province of Ontario is our party with our leader, Tim Hudak.

I think in the weeks ahead, we will have confidence motions. I can tell you, we had 12 yesterday. It shocked me to no end, and my constituents as well, that the New Democrats under Andrea Horwath stood up 12 times yesterday to defend this Liberal government, even after they found out last week that the OPP had launched a search warrant into the cancelled gas plants and the deleted emails. To me, that was quite a shocker, and it was shocking that they would stand up and provide confidence to that level of corruption, but they did.

Speaker, I can tell you this, and I can tell you right now: We are going to be on the side of people who want change in Ontario. We are the ones with a responsible plan. We are the ones who are going to continue to work on behalf of the people of Ontario whom we have met with. We have brought their shared experiences to the floor of this assembly, and we are going to do something about it.

So as I conclude, I want to thank all members for this spirited discussion. I thank them for letting me have the opportunity to speak for 40 minutes, almost uninterrupted. I’m going to have a wonderful time going back into my community to tell them what our plan is, and I’m looking forward, when there is actually an election, to being part of that change that restores Ontario to its rightful place as a leader in Confederation, under the leadership of Premier Hudak, with people like John Yakabuski, Lisa Thompson and Doug Holyday. I call him Doug Ford sometimes—

Interjections.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: But sometimes I make the mistake.

I can tell you one thing: It’s time for a change.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Further debate?

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of New Democrats, I want to speak and actually talk to the point that we’re dealing with here today and what we dealt with yesterday, and that is both the issues of the concurrence votes on estimates and on the supply motion that’s before us today.

To listen to the Conservatives, they say this is a prime opportunity—

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): The member from Nepean–Carleton and her group: We just listened intently to your presentation—

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: You have my apologies, Speaker.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): —and I think now it would be nice of you to give respect to the member from Timmins–James Bay.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Sorry, Speaker.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): So if you want to have your little conference, take it outside.

Continue.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: As I was saying, Mr. Speaker, this debate is about supply and about concurrences that have been before the House. To listen to the Conservatives speak, they say, “Oh, this is a real opportunity for all of us in the opposition to gang together and to bring the government down and to have an election.” Well, listen, there may very well be an election in this province, but the province of Ontario needs the authority to pay the bills. These Tea Party Republicans, the Conservative Party of Ontario, quite frankly, are taking a play out of the Republican playbook in the United States.

They’re saying, “Let’s take Ontario and push it over the fiscal cliff and then have an election.”

Well, can you imagine what would happen if we actually did what Tim Hudak wants? We would be in a situation, as of the vote yesterday, for the province of Ontario to have lost the authority to pay the bills. That means to say that air ambulances wouldn’t fly. That means to say that ambulances would close. That means to say that Elections Ontario couldn’t even run the darn election.

So what kind of plan does Tim Hudak have? It’s more of the same. It’s what Tim Hudak has been doing for the last two and a half years. He comes into this minority Parliament as the party who’s in the best position to be able to influence the government in a minority Parliament, and he says, “You know what? I’m dealing myself out. I’m going to be the oppositional leader who doesn’t propose anything and who just stands on the sideline and swipes at the government, swipes at the opposition NDP,” and does what they’ve been doing for two and a half years.

I think Ontarians are starting to understand. If New Democrats won by-elections in places like Waterloo, London, Windsor and recently in Niagara Falls, it has to do with the public that has looked at what Tim Hudak is doing, and they’re saying, “I’m not buying it.” The public understands, as we do, and Conservatives agree, that there is a displeasure with the Liberal government. We all understand they’ve done a bunch of things that we’re really not happy with, everything from the energy file—where they stole the Conservative plan to deregulate and privatize hydro, then the Liberals did it themselves. We understand that there are issues, but there’s a time and a place to deal with it.

For Ontario to be in the position, as of yesterday, to have not had the ability to pay the bills, I say to Tim Hudak and the Conservatives, I just don’t know where you guys are coming from, other than saying you’re a bunch of Tea Party Republicans who have taken your plays out of Mitt Romney and others in the Congress of the United States and have decided to try to push Ontario over the fiscal cliff.

There is a responsibility with being elected. There’s a responsibility, that the public puts onto us as elected members, to do what is right in this Legislature. There are times to be hyper-partisan. I get it. We all do it, from the government side to the opposition side. There are times to propose and there are times to oppose, but this is not a time to oppose. This is a supply motion.

So, let’s be clear about what this means. If we were to listen to Tim Hudak and we were today to vote down the supply motion, as of the time of the vote, Ontario would lose the ability to pay the bills.

Mr. John Yakabuski: That is wrong.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: That means that there would be no authority—

Interjection.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: See, my learned friend from the Conservative caucus says I’m wrong. Go and check the standing orders and go and check the precedents. What happens when you vote down a supply bill? The government loses the authority to pay the bills. It means to say that all of Ontario would shut down because this Legislature would not give the authority to the government of Ontario to pay the bills. Then they would say, “Well, we just have to go to the Lieutenant Governor and the Lieutenant Governor would issue a warrant in order to pay the bills.

We don’t have to worry about that.” Do you think for one minute that the Lieutenant Governor, once this House votes by majority to turn down the supply motion or to turn down concurrences, would all of a sudden undo the mess that this House created? The Lieutenant Governor is not the one to make that decision. It is this Legislature that makes this decision. And for Conservatives, under Tim Hudak, to all of a sudden try to pretend as if this is another opportunity in order to bring down the Liberal government and that we’re propping up the Liberals is preposterous. You know what I’m upset about?

We’re propping up Hudak—

Interjection.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): The member from Renfrew. I guess you were ignoring me. Twice I asked you to keep it down.

Continue.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: So I say, really the question here is—we’re propping up Tim Hudak’s bad leadership. That’s what the Conservatives are asking us to do. A leader with common sense, something that I thought the Tories really believed in, would understand the difference between voting down a throne speech and voting down a budget. When it comes to supply and concurrence, it means to say you’ve lost the authority to spend the money and to pay the bills of the province of Ontario.

I think Conservatives, who are supposed to be the party who understand fiscal matters and are supposed to be the ones who really get the economy would be the first ones to figure out you cannot throw this province into a fiscal crisis. It makes absolutely no sense.

The Tories are doing what the Tories do best and what Tim Hudak has learned over the two and a half years here. They’ve decided that they are not going to in any way recognize what the people of Ontario told us in the last election, and that is, “We are not giving the government a majority. We’re creating a minority Parliament. We want people to come into this Legislature and take their responsibilities seriously, to oppose when necessary, to propose when it’s right, and always to remember what’s important to the people back home.”

For Tim Hudak to all of a sudden say that voting this down would just cause an election and would have no consequence whatsoever on what happens in Ontario is preposterous.

The rules are clear. This is a supply bill. If the House votes down supply, it means the government loses the authority to pay the bills. That means the jails close down, the hospitals close down, much in the way of our provincial transportation system closes down—hospitals, education and the rest. I don’t believe that’s what Ontarians want. Some Ontarians—and I would agree, probably a majority—are very upset with this government. I get that.

But what they don’t want is for all of us here in this Legislature to play games, create a fiscal crisis in order to have a provincial election, and to have nobody have the ability to get provincial services until such time that a new government would be formed, because the reality is it would probably take about 60 days for all of that to happen. By the time you have an election, by the time you gazette the members and have the members reported into the House, by the time you have a throne speech and by the time you can reintroduce the Supply Act, you’re probably talking about 60 days.

Can we really afford to shut down all government services that the province of Ontario gives for 60 days?

Unfortunately, my aunt Doris just died two days ago. She died in the United States. If she was in Canada and wanted to go to an emergency room, she couldn’t have gotten to the hospital, period.

So Tim Hudak—I just say that leadership is somewhat questionable. For these guys to all of a sudden play politics with an issue like supply doesn’t make any sense.

The last point I’m going to make is this—I checked this fact out yesterday: There has not been a case in the history of this province where a government has fallen on a supply motion or on an interim supply bill. It has not happened, and for Tim Hudak to try to say otherwise flies in the face of reality and speaks volumes about the Conservatives. They are about politics. They’re about the politics of self-interest. They are about trying to create a fiscal crisis in order to do the things that are to their political advantage. If that’s what Tim Hudak’s leadership is all about, I say it fails the test.

Yes, I will vote for supply, along with the rest of our caucus.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Further debate?

Mr. Steven Del Duca: It’s a great opportunity for me to rise in my place today and speak, after having had a chance to listen to the two members of both opposition caucuses speak on this. Far be it from me to ever stand in my place and perhaps inadvertently or accidentally get in the way of two of the members opposite doing a wonderful job of attacking each other and demonstrating to the people of Ontario yet again—not for the first time and hopefully not for the last—why neither is particularly fit to show leadership for this province.

It’s funny, as I was driving down to Queen’s Park this morning and I was thinking about what I might say with respect to the Supply Act and how important it is to make sure that we can continue to pay our bills, as was mentioned earlier—I was looking forward to the discussion in the Legislature. I didn’t know that I’d be showing up and I’d have the opportunity to listen to the member from Nepean–Carleton provide us with sort of a day in her life or a week in her life or a month in her life. It was fascinating to hear her talk about the tour that she has taken across this province and rhyme off the names of so many other candidates running—

Interjection: Leadership tour?

Mr. Steven Del Duca: If I was the leader of her party, I’d be a little bit concerned about the work that she might be doing. It sounded an awful lot like a leadership tour.

The bottom line is, we’re here today to talk about the Supply Act and why it’s important. It has been mentioned by others in this place. I just want to make sure it is understood that we need to move forward on this. We need to pass this legislation to make sure that Ontario pays its bills and to make sure—we say that at a high level, but in a very granular way, what that means is that we’ll be able to continue paying the nurses, the doctors, the teachers, the folks who work at municipalities.

We’ll be able to continue to provide financial and income support for those who need it: people with disabilities and special needs, children’s aid societies, and the list goes on. Why anybody on the opposite side would want to put the province of Ontario into a position where we couldn’t continue to pay those individuals working in these kinds of settings is beyond me. It’s beyond the people of my community in Vaughan, and I’m certain that the people who elected those members of the official opposition, the PC Party, to come to this place expect better.

I hope that we will continue moving forward on the Supply Act, that it will get passed, and we will return to doing those things that the people of our respective communities elected us to do.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Further debate? Last call for further debate. Seeing none, pursuant to standing order 64, I am now required to put the question.

Mr. Sousa has moved second reading of Bill 164,

An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour will please say “aye.”

All those opposed will please say “nay.”

I heard a nay. In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Sorry, they didn’t have five members. Sorry.

The vote is carried. This bill, therefore, is ordered for third reading.

Second reading agreed to.

SUPPLY ACT, 2014 /

LOI DE CRÉDITS DE 2014

Mr. Gerretsen, on behalf of Mr. Sousa, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 164,

An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014 / Projet de loi 164, Loi autorisant l’utilisation de certaines sommes pour l’exercice se terminant le 31 mars 2014.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): Orders of the day?

Hon. John Gerretsen: Speaker, you’ll be very pleased to know that there’s no further business at this time.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Paul Miller): There being no further business, this House stands recessed until 10:30 this morning.

The House recessed from 0959 to 1030.

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Introduction of friends—of guests.

Laughter.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We’re all friends here.

The member from York–Simcoe.

Mrs. Julia Munro: I would agree with you that we’re all friends.

Attending in the Legislature this morning, I’d like you to help me welcome Debbie Gordon, Josh Garfinkel, Ian McLaurin and Carmela Marshall, who are here this morning as guests of my colleague John O’Toole. We certainly appreciate their participation here today.

Mr. Taras Natyshak: I’m pleased to welcome one of my friends and, actually, my council representative in Lakeshore and Belle River, Dave Monk, who is a councillor from the town of Lakeshore. He’s here as a part of the delegation at the OGRA/ROMA conference to speak about municipal issues.

Hon. Michael Chan: It’s really my pleasure to welcome everyone who’s here from the Ontario Arts Council visiting Queen’s Park today, and in particular the chair, Martha Durdin, and CEO Peter Caldwell—as well as two members from my riding of Markham–Unionville, Eric and Malarville.

Mr. Bill Walker: It’s my pleasure to welcome David Adair, from the Georgian Bay Symphony; Ian Boddy, from the Tom Thomson Art Gallery; and Heather Fullerton, from the Georgina Arts Centre, in the great riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound.

Miss Monique Taylor: It gives me great pleasure today to welcome some staff members as well as a co-op student from my riding. I have Sandra Troulinous, Angelica Garcia-Hennings and Haley Naso. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Vic Dhillon: I’d like to welcome my wife, Shaminder, who’s here today to observe our son Robin, who’s the page captain.

As well, I will be joined shortly by some friends from my riding. Mr. Jagmohan Sahota will be bringing his guests who are here from India and who operate a very well-known college in India: Dr. Zora Singh, Tajinder Singh, Meera Mehta, Vinay Kohli and Sagmitra Singh.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I think it was more important to get the applause for your wife than it was for your guests. I just wanted to let you know that.

Introduction of guests?

Ms. Laurie Scott: I’d also like to welcome everyone here today from the Ontario Arts Council and introduce Brad Copping, a glass artist from my riding—his shop is in Apsley—and Diane Davey and Dawn Cattapan. Welcome to the Legislature.

Hon. David Orazietti: Given we’re introducing invasive species legislation today, I want to introduce Steve Hounsell, chair of the Ontario Biodiversity Council; Dave Ireland, Biodiversity Education and Awareness Network; Kim Gavine, Conservation Ontario; Julie Cayley, Ducks Unlimited; Nancy Goucher, Environmental Defence; Gillian McEachern, Environmental Defence; Dilhari Fernando, Invasive Species Centre; Mark Stabb, Nature Conservancy of Canada; Angelo Lombardo, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters; and Daniel Pujdak, Chiefs of Ontario.

Mr. Rob Leone: I would like to welcome the students and staff from Southwood Secondary School, my alma mater, to Queen’s Park today. They are going to be witnessing proceedings here.

ORAL QUESTIONS

TAXATION

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, Premier. My question is for the Premier.

We heard loud and clear, during our finance tour and pre-budget hearings: high taxes, skyrocketing energy rates, and red tape. But more than anything, Premier, there is absolutely no support for your provincial gas tax increase.

Premier, in the last 10 years, you have doubled our debt, tripled our hydro rates, and now you want to dig deeper into the pockets of hard-working Ontarians. Why is it that to solve the problems you’ve created, your default is always to increase taxes—health tax, diamond tax, all sorts of new taxes? When you spend the money on rich subsidies for wind power, Ornge and cancelling gas plants—people understand.

Will you support my opposition motion today and commit to not raising taxes on students, families and seniors?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I guess I would just respond to the member opposite by saying, why is it that his party is not interested in long-term thinking? Why is it that his party is not interested in making investments in the people, in the infrastructure and in the business climate that we know are going to be necessary in order for this province to thrive? That really is the question that I think has to be answered at this moment.

Our plan is to invest in infrastructure and, yes, that includes transit, but it also includes roads and bridges and water systems across the province. I don’t know if the member opposite had an opportunity to go to ROMA/OGRA, but there’s not a municipality in this province that isn’t interested in stable, predictable infrastructure funding. There’s no plan coming from the other side on how they would do that. We have that plan.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Premier, your tax-and-spend government is killing businesses and hurting families.

Speaking of OGRA/ROMA, let me share with you some of what we heard. The mayor of North Bay described your gas tax plan this way: “It’s an awesome program if the idea is to drive manufacturers and companies out of the province.”

The mayor of East Ferris wrote to you last month and called your gas tax “another assault on rural municipalities.”

The Trillium Automobile Dealers warned that “hiking taxes on drivers and vehicles will increase the cost of using public transit.”

Premier, we’ve heard loud and clear: high taxes, skyrocketing energy rates, and red tape. Will you support our motion today and not increase taxes?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I’ve had the opportunity to see the mayor of North Bay within the last few weeks, and I saw the mayor of East Ferris yesterday. I know that they are very committed to having the right infrastructure built in their communities. That’s why I put the question to the member opposite: How can he not support stable, predictable funding for infrastructure? How can he not support $100 million a year in roads and bridges and water system funding that municipalities across the province can count on?

That’s the kind of investment that I know municipalities across Ontario need. That’s why it’s part of our plan.

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

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Premier, you’re bringing in nearly $50 billion more in revenue since the time you first took power, and now you want to add a 10-cents-a-litre hike in gas.

Here’s what Bill Love had to say at our pre-budget consultations: “It’s not a revenue problem; it’s really a spending problem.” I think he said it best.

Now, you’re also planning to raise corporate taxes by 0.5%. Listen to what the Ontario chamber’s Liam McGuinty had to say—and, yes, I think you know who that is: “The bulk of studies show that lowering corporate income taxes has a significant impact on investment.”

Premier, you don’t need that extra money. But what we do need is real leadership here. I’ll ask you once more: Will you support our motion today that promises no new gasoline, no new corporate or no new payroll taxes?

Interjections.

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

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I just say to the member opposite that I think it would be a very good opportunity, given that this is his line of questioning, for him to talk to the municipal leaders from across the province and tell them that he actually doesn’t believe in investing in infrastructure, Mr. Speaker. He doesn’t think there needs to be an investment in their roads and bridges and in transit. I think that would be important. I think he could go on to say that, furthermore, he believes that cutting education workers and cutting health care workers, cancelling full-day kindergarten, cutting tuition supports—that’s what their plan is.

We think the reverse of that is what is needed. We believe that investment in people, making sure that they have the education supports that they need, making sure that municipalities have the infrastructure that they need—and that we would partner with them on that. We believe that those are the kinds of investments that are needed right now.

TAXATION

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question, as well, is to the Premier. I can think of a billion reasons why Ontarians should be wary of your government’s new gas tax for Toronto transit. It’s like a billion popping red flags. The people of this province have seen time and time again that this tired, old Liberal government can’t manage their money. They are tired of giving more to the provincial treasury, and that’s because this government consistently finds ways to squander their hard-earned tax dollars at a rate of about $1 billion at a time.

The Ornge scandal, the gas plant scandal, the eHealth scandal, the Hydro One scandal, the miscalculation of the hydro debt retirement charge are billion-dollar babies of Premier Mom and her predecessor, Premier Dad.

Why is the Premier—

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

I’m going to ask the member to address the Premier properly, as we do for everyone in this place. No first names. No personal names. Titles only. Please finish. You have 10—

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Why is the Premier asking Ontarians for more money when she can’t manage the money that they send to Queen’s Park now?

Interjections.

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

Premier.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So let’s just—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I heard it over here again, and if I hear it again, I’ll ask the person to withdraw or leave. It’s enough. We’re respectful in this place.

Carry on.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have been called worse things than a mom.

It is extremely important to me that, in answer to both the questions from the opposition and, in fact, the questions from the third party, it is clear that we have said that we are going to invest in transit. That is true. We’re going to invest in infrastructure. There have been a number of reports and a number of suggestions about how we might do that. We will bring a plan forward in our budget. I know that it’s in the interests of the opposition to focus on one particular revenue tool and to ride that one. We have not made a decision on how we will put together that plan. That is the work that we are doing right now.

What I will say, Mr. Speaker, is that we know very clearly that avoiding investment in infrastructure, as the opposition did in the past and would do again, is irresponsible, is not in the best interests of this province, either now or in the future.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Speaker, I have to laugh at her. Just last week, we had a sinkhole in Waller Street in Ottawa. That’s the infrastructure of the province of Ontario. It’s crumbling after a decade of decline.

The Premier should admit that she does not have a plan. She just wants the money. Her claim for the people of Ottawa and London and Windsor and Sudbury, to wait until her budget to tell them how much money they’re going to have to send to Toronto for Toronto taxes, is a stall tactic. This government is desperate for cash, and she doesn’t care where it comes from. She just wants it, to spend their money. They’ve had an inability to manage the economy, whether it’s in the energy sector, whether it’s jobs and the economy, or right now with the transit plan here in the GTA. This is the great province of Ontario. She has squandered the opportunity.

Will the Premier admit she won’t tell us what she’s going to do with that transit tax because she doesn’t know?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: This is exactly the kind of rhetoric that has made it so impossible for governments to take action on important long-term issues for decades.

The fact is that we have been investing in transit since we came into office. We’ve been investing in infrastructure, and we exponentially have increased the number of dollars we’ve put into infrastructure compared to what their government did. The fact is, we are going to continue to make those investments.

We are having an honest conversation with people across the province about the needs for infrastructure. That’s why the $100-million infrastructure fund for roads and bridges, for northern and rural communities—that’s why that fund is in place, because those communities said to us that they need predictable infrastructure funding. We need partnerships—municipal, federal, provincial—working together. That’s the process we’re working on.

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

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: This Premier has had a decade to put forward a plan and to spend money wisely. She had an opportunity this past year to invest in the 401, but people were losing tires on the side of the road. She had an opportunity to deal with the sinkholes in Ottawa, but they’re still happening. She had an opportunity to build subways in Toronto; she didn’t do it.

She wants the people’s money, and she wants billions of it from all across this province, for just downtown Toronto, but she doesn’t know what she’s going to use it for.

The other problem this Premier has is that she is losing jobs, she is hiking energy rates, and she has no plan. She wants to cling to power.

She has an opportunity this afternoon; she can support our motion. Will she do it? Yes or no?

Interjections.

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

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I’m sorry, but the rant is just ridiculous—$500 million for the Queensway Carleton Hospital—in the member’s riding, Mr. Speaker—and $2 billion a year for both the southern and the northern highway programs. It is just ridiculous to suggest that this government has not invested in infrastructure. We have done it year over year; we are going to continue to do it.

The reality is that there was an infrastructure deficit when we came into office in 2003, and that infrastructure deficit had been built, had been left, by the previous government. We’ve been climbing out of that hole, we’re going to keep climbing, and we’re going to make those investments for the future.

TAXATION

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Premier. More and more studies show that experts are figuring out what families have been telling us for some time. Families feel like they’re being squeezed right out of the middle class. An internal federal government document says that the middle class is being “hollowed out.”

Given all that, is the Premier ready to back away from her plan to hit households with new taxes, tolls and fees?

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Member from Eglinton–Lawrence, come to order.

Premier?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Same question, different party. It’s surprising, coming from the NDP, that there isn’t a question about how they would build transit and how we would work together as a collective, all of us, to make sure that the investments are made for the future.

Nonetheless, I understand that people in the middle class—that there are constraints and there are pressures on people. That’s why we have made many of the changes that we’ve made, whether it is expanding the 30%-off tuition grant—230,000 students received that last year, and we’ve now expanded that to five-year programs.

Securing retirement with pension reform: You know, if there is any issue that is of concern to people across the middle class, it’s what their retirement is going to look like. I’m surprised that the leader of the third party isn’t working with us on that.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Yesterday, I asked whether the Premier agreed with her federal leader, who said this weekend, “The middle class is already having a hard time making ends meet, and struggling with debt. Tax increases for them are not in the cards and not on the table.”

The Premier didn’t answer my question, so I’m going to ask her again: Does the Premier agree with her federal leader that middle-class families experiencing hard times shouldn’t be asked to pay more?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: As I said yesterday, we need a federal partner. It would be terrific to have a federal government that would work with us. If we had a federal government that could work with us and that understood that having a long-term infrastructure plan was something that was critical, then we might be having a different discussion. We don’t have a federal government that is interested in doing that, unfortunately. I will continue to call on the federal government, but it may take a change of government to actually get that in place.

I just want to talk about some of the other things that we have—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Order.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: And by that—

Interjections.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, Justin Trudeau isn’t the only one concerned about middle-class families. During the Liberal leadership race, one candidate made it clear that this was the wrong way for Ontario to go:

“Lots of people are calling for an ‘adult conversation’ about road pricing, property tax hikes, and even regional sales taxes….

“Glen Murray does not think it’s the right way to go….

“The middle class is taxed out.”

Does the Premier agree with her Minister of Transportation? Is she actually ready to back away from her plan?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Mr. Speaker, I’m not going to back away from a plan to build transit. We have not brought forward our plan in terms of the revenue stream. The leader of the third party and the members of the Conservative caucus who are interested in focusing on a tool and an issue within a broader discussion—fine; that’s their prerogative. The fact is that we have not brought forward our plan, but will I back away from building transit? I will not.

Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, I think that the members for Parkdale–High Park, Bramalea–Gore–Malton, Davenport, Beaches–East York, Hamilton Mountain, Hamilton East–Stoney Creek, Toronto–Danforth and Trinity–Spadina, all of whom said, “I pledge to support new ways to raise funds for a better transportation network in the GTHA,” don’t want to back away from building transit either, so I stand with those members.

TAXATION

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier. The Premier can argue that Justin Trudeau’s views don’t apply to Ontario. She can claim that the views of the Minister of Transportation are irrelevant. But I want to ask her about her own party as well. The 2011 Liberal platform specifically and clearly ruled out new taxes. Page 53 of the Liberal platform says that they will keep their promises “without resorting to higher taxes.” Does the Premier agree with the promises she made to the people of Ontario when she was elected?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we are committed to continuing to build transit. I have not said what the plan will be. We are going to bring the plan forward in our budget. There are a number of suggestions that have been made about how to put in place a revenue stream to build transit. We are going to bring forward a plan to do that.

In case the member opposite had not noticed, I’ve only been the Premier for the last year. This is a new government, a new Premier, and we are putting our plan in place. I would expect that the leader—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Carry on, please.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I would expect, Mr. Speaker, that the leader of the third party would support, at least in principle, the notion of building new transit and having the money to pay for that transit.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, our economy is made up of people, and if they’re not doing well, our economy will not do well and will not prosper. The Premier seems determined to move ahead with her plan to hit families with new costs that will make life more expensive for them, and she doesn’t seem to care that everyone from her Minister of Transportation to her federal leader disagrees with her and agrees with us. Is this Premier finally ready to back away from this wrong-headed move?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I completely agree with the leader of the third party that if people are not doing well, then the economy is not doing well. If people can’t get to work, if businesses can’t move their goods around and can’t expand, then they can’t create the jobs that people need.

We’re going to continue to support people. We’re going to support them in the ways that we have. We are going to continue with the reduction on tuition. We’re going to continue on the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit. We’re going to continue to modernize the child care system. We’re going to continue to put the Ontario Child Benefit in people’s hands. Those are all very important issues. And we are going to invest in infrastructure and in transit to make sure that in the immediate future, there are jobs, and that in the longer-term future we have the economic growth that we need for the people in this province.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, adding new taxes, tolls and fees will make life more expensive for families, and they’re already struggling with the highest hydro bills and auto insurance rates in the entire country.

Yesterday, the Premier said she’s “very cognizant of the burdens that middle-class people are feeling.” Well, if that’s the case, I don’t understand why she doesn’t feel that she has an obligation to listen to Ontario families, to listen to her federal leader, to listen to her transportation minister and back away from her plan to put more taxes, tolls and fees on the backs of those families.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I have spent a lot of time listening to people, Mr. Speaker. I have travelled the entire province in the last year, and I have spoken to people in every part of this province, in every corner of the province. I agree with the member opposite that people are feeling stretched; they are feeling pushed. They want a certain economic future. They want to know that there’s some stability. They want to know that jobs are going to be there.

So it’s our responsibility as government to make sure that we address the issues that may be holding the economy back. Infrastructure is one of those. So while we work to put more money in people’s hands by reducing auto insurance—and that is happening—by reducing electricity prices, by making sure that young people have access to post-secondary, we also have to invest in the infrastructure that will allow the economy to thrive.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr. Rob Leone: My question is for the government House leader. The House leader still has an opportunity to walk away from his job-killing gas tax. Business leaders in his riding are telling us loud and clear that this government has the wrong priorities. He should also find it troubling that in an

article published on April 5 in the Waterloo Region Record, the Premier said that there are no guarantees Kitchener–Waterloo will get to use any new money to fund transit projects for the region.

Now, as the government’s lone wolf from a region where a Liberal MPP qualifies as an endangered species, I would think he would attempt to put his constituents’ interests first. But to my amazement, Mr. Speaker, the government House leader said, “We need to have a conversation about what’s going to work for Toronto and Hamilton (first).”

Will the government House leader stand up for his constituents and say no to the job-killing gas tax, or will he continue to toe the party line at their expense?

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Forgive me; I’m going to provide the member with an opportunity to either rephrase his question or redirect it. It has to be to his portfolio, which is not the government House leader, under the circumstances. As minister, he’s the minister responsible for government services. So I would ask you to decide how to either—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Excuse me. Order.

I would ask the member to either redirect the question to the appropriate minister or to rephrase the question so that it fits into his portfolio. You have that choice. Please.

Mr. Rob Leone: I’ll direct that question to the Premier.

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: Mr. Speaker, in Kitchener–Waterloo, we are making the biggest transportation and transit investments in the history of this province. We are working with Chair Seiling and with the member from Kitchener Centre to build the most amazing rapid transit line. We are now buying up and building tracks to get two-way GO service.

What is his party doing? We put four GO trains in, and the Tories take four Via trains away. Your party has just overseen the biggest reduction in rail service to Kitchener in the history of the country, and you have the nerve to ask that question?

Why don’t you call the federal members from your area and ask them to put the four Via trains back? Then we’d actually have eight. Put four Via trains back so you—

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

Interjections.

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

Supplementary?

Mr. Rob Leone: Mr. Speaker, I want to know who’s in charge over there. The transportation minister says that there’s going to be money to be used for transit in the area; the Premier made no commitment that gas tax revenue will be used for our transit area.

I want to know if the people of Kitchener Centre and Waterloo region will stand up for this Toronto-first strategy, at the expense of residents of Waterloo region.

It’s a simple fact which the government does not seem to understand: When the cost of doing business goes up, jobs go down. Failed green energy policies have driven the cost of doing business up, and the gas tax threatens to do the same thing. The Ontario Trucking Association and the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce both agree that a 10-cent gas tax, road tolls and other misguided revenue tools will lead to more job losses.

Will they finally stand up for residents in Waterloo region and say yes to jobs and no to more taxes?

Hon. Glen R. Murray: I’m curious. I’m still waiting for the answer from the member. There were four Via trains. We added four GO trains. I know his math isn’t very good, but I think even the PhD could figure out that that was eight. The Tories took four away. We’re back to four.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Oxford, come to order.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): It seems that I can’t get order until I actually stop everything going on. Stop the clock, please.

The member from Oxford, the member from Halton, and the member from Cambridge, who asked the questions, come to order.

Carry on.

Hon. Glen R. Murray: The other thing we’re doing with the member from Kitchener Centre is, we are assembling land and building Highway 7, which is critically important.

GO service, LRT service and Highway 7: That sounds like the best deal the people in Kitchener have had in several generations. Why is that happening? Because we are spending 2% of the province’s GDP on infrastructure.

They spent 0.25%. I want to conclude by commending Mr. Flaherty and the Tories. They are consistent federally. They’re spending 0.25%—

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

New question.

JOB CREATION

Ms. Catherine Fife: My question is to the Premier. During the economic downturn, Sarnia lost more than 7% of their workforce, and it still hasn’t recovered. There are families in Sarnia who used to rely on a paycheque from Ethyl in Corunna, Dow or the UBE parts plant, but those jobs have left, and 5,000 jobs that used to be in Sarnia before the recession haven’t returned.

Does the Premier think that the Liberal status quo is working for communities like Sarnia?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: The Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Mr. Speaker, I am proud and happy to say that there are 8,000 more people working in the Sarnia area than there were a year ago today. There’s no question that this is an area that has been challenged by the recession and the change in manufacturing. It’s an incredibly important part of this province.

I met, in fact, just yesterday with local leadership from Lambton county, talking about the chemical sector. I know that there are many people in the Sarnia area that are employed in that important sector. But most importantly in terms of indicators, the unemployment rate in January 2013 was 9%; in January of this year, it is down to 6.9%.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Catherine Fife: Again to the Premier: The Liberal government claimed the HST would create 600,000 jobs, which we have yet to see. They claimed no-strings-attached giveaways would create jobs, but in southwestern Ontario, anyone can see that that plan isn’t working.

According to the Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board, unemployment in their community is 8%; in Guelph, it’s 7%; in London, it’s 8%; and in Niagara, it’s a whopping 9%.

Clearly, the status quo isn’t working. Ontario needs a smarter plan. Will the Premier admit that this province needs a targeted plan that rewards job creators, gets hydro rates under control and provides some relief for small businesses, or is she going to stick with the status quo?

Interjection.

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

Minister.

Hon. Eric Hoskins: The facts from Stats Canada show there are 8,000 more people working in Windsor and Sarnia than there were a year ago today. The unemployment rate has dropped down to 6.9%. This is proof that our jobs plan is working.

Certainly, the discussions that I had yesterday with members who are concerned about the chemical sector, which is one of the sectors that’s extremely important in that entire area—they were very positive about the outlook. They appreciate the efforts the province has been making to partner with them to make sure that the progress that we’re beginning to see continues, and it’s progress that we’re seeing right around this province, with almost 450,000 jobs created since the bottom of the recession, and 80% of those jobs in the private sector. We added 7,800 youth jobs last month alone in this province. We’re seeing the progress and we’re seeing the importance of our jobs plan.

AGRI-FOOD INDUSTRY

Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn: I’ve got a question this morning for the Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment. Ontario’s agri-food sector is a very strong driver for the Ontario economy and it’s one of the priorities of this government. However, it’s also an industry that’s had its challenges of late, especially in the Leamington and Essex county areas. There have been a number of stories recently—today as well—in the news stating that a company may be looking to move its business into the Heinz facility.

Now, I know our government’s been very, very active in this area, but today, Speaker, through you to the minister, would he please provide this House with an update on what our government has been doing to assist the community of Leamington?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: I appreciate the question from the member from Oakville. Although I can’t talk about the specifics—the reference to the articles in the media that have appeared today—I can say that since day one I and many members of the government, including, of course, the Premier, have been working very collaboratively with the local leadership, the business and political leadership in Leamington and the Leamington area, as well as representatives of the employees who were affected by the Heinz closure.

I want to say that the mayor of Leamington has been very proactive on this as well. I spoke with him last week. Of course, the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corp., led by Sandra Pupatello, has been very involved. And can I say, most importantly, as well, Teresa Piruzza, the MPP from Windsor West, has been very active, working with the company and prospective investors to bring jobs to this important part of the province.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn: Thank you, Speaker. Through you, back to the Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment, I’m sure we’re all pleased to hear about that ongoing support the government has provided in the Leamington area.

Now, Leamington, like the region of Chatham–Kent–Essex, is the hub of Ontario’s agri-food sector. I’m sure that all the workers and the growers in that area are going to be pleased to hear that efforts are being made that are ongoing to ensure economic growth in the area and to make sure that growth continues.

Speaker, today, through you, can the minister update the House on any concrete and specific examples of the work our government is doing to attract new business to this wonderful area?

Hon. Eric Hoskins: Again, it’s our role as government to do everything we can to support this community as they move through this challenging time. I have to say that I’ve been deeply involved since day one in doing what I can to make sure that investment in jobs comes to this community. We’re working closely with Heinz and with potential investors, working with them about Heinz’s plans for their plant so we can work with the community to move forward.

Of course, late last fall, we provided funds through our communities in transition fund as well to support the workers who were affected and will be affected by the layoffs. But I’m optimistic that we’re going to find a solution that’s going to bring new, good, high-paying, sustainable jobs to Leamington and the Leamington area. Quite frankly, it’s due to the hard work of so many great, dedicated individuals in the business community, through the development corporations in the Windsor-Essex area, the mayor and his staff in Leamington, and the government officials working hard on this.

TAXATION

Mr. Monte McNaughton: My question this morning is for the Deputy Premier. In the past 12 months, Ontario has lost 30,000 vital manufacturing jobs. You will know that London, and specifically your riding of London North Centre, and all of southwestern Ontario—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock. I’ll listen carefully to this, but I’m getting a sense that there seems to be a theme where you’re going after somebody in a riding. That’s not appropriate. Make sure you ask your question to the person whose portfolio is responsible for the question.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Mr. Speaker, then, this is for the Premier. In the past 12 months, since you’ve become the Premier, we’ve lost 30,000 vital manufacturing jobs. You will know that London and all of southwestern Ontario has lost a number of companies: Invacare, Kellogg’s, Tender Tootsies, Worthington Cylinders, Wescast Industries, Imperial Oil lubricants and Ethyl Corp.

Premier, these job losses are occurring across southwestern Ontario. Why is your government persisting with your half-baked idea to raise gas taxes 10 cents a litre to pay for Toronto’s transit? Premier, with thousands and thousands of jobs being lost in London, do you think now is the time for a $2.6-billion tax grab?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: I know that the Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment is going to want to speak to the job creation that has gone on in the southwest. But I just want to, once again, say there have not been decisions made about a revenue stream and what tools would be used or what tools would not be used. I just want to be very clear about that.

We’re very sensitive to whatever we do to have a revenue stream in place to build infrastructure—that it be fair, that it be dealt with in a way that is sensitive to how people are struggling in their day-to-day lives, and that, by region, the money that’s raised in one region is used to build the infrastructure in that region.

The attempts to cloud the waters on this issue when what we’re talking about is continuing to invest in infrastructure across the province, I think, are really irresponsible.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Interjections.

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

Supplementary?

Mr. Monte McNaughton: Speaker, back to the Premier. Of course, Premier, you are from Toronto so it’s no wonder you are calling for all of Ontario to pay its share in the costs for public transportation in downtown Toronto—

Interjections.

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

Finish, please.

Mr. Monte McNaughton: And Premier, despite all their talk, the leader of the NDP refuses to hold your government to account and actually continues to support your each and every move.

Premier, here’s a nice and easy one for you: In January, London’s unemployment climbed higher once again, as 3,300 more London residents lost their jobs. With so many London residents currently out of work, do you think it’s right to force the city of London drivers to pay for Toronto’s transit that most will never use?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: The member opposite knows perfectly well that that is not something we have ever supported. It’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about investing in transit across the province. Whatever the revenue stream is and however we decide in our plan to put in place that revenue stream, we will do it in a fair way.

I want to be clear that the way I do politics, the way we do politics, is that we believe that government has to work for the whole province. The extension of his question is that somehow we come here with a narrow view of our responsibility and we only look to our own riding and we only think about the people we directly represent. Well, that may be the way he does politics, that may be the way their party does politics—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Stop the clock.

I am going to mention the same thing once again, and that is that we have members who are provoking other members while the questions and answers are being put, and that’s not helpful to this debate in this House. I’m going to ask you and remind the government side again—there are members who are using members’ names on that side. I don’t like it. It’s got to stop. It elevates the temperature that it shouldn’t be, so let’s bring it down.

New question?

ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURIES

Miss Monique Taylor: My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Yesterday, the minister defended the closure of the acquired brain injury clinic at McMaster Children’s Hospital. If the minister had bothered to talk to the pediatric ABI experts, she would know the importance of the clinic’s cutting-edge, coordinated and integrated approach.

Dr. Robert Hollenberg, a highly regarded pediatric neurosurgeon who co-founded the ABI clinic, wrote to me. He said “an archaic model not supported by any research or accepted best practice guidelines.” He further reported that the clinic had been praised by colleagues across Ontario and that similar programs are now being funded in Ottawa and Toronto.

Will the minister explain why she didn’t do her homework?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Well, Speaker, I can assure the member opposite that what I said yesterday is absolutely true. Children will still receive care for brain injuries at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Instead of having to wait two weeks for an appointment—because that clinic only operated one day every two weeks—they will be able to get the care they need in a more timely way.

We are transforming health care. When services can be provided in the community instead of in the hospital, then that is often more appropriate care. Sometimes patients need care in hospital, and they’ll get that care quickly. If services can be provided in the community, then they should receive those services in the community.

This is a reorganization, but I can assure you that children who need care because of an acquired brain injury will receive that care.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Miss Monique Taylor: Speaker, the clinic population has quadrupled in the last few years as a result of developing awareness of the prevalence of ABI and its potentially life-altering effects on young people, but now, following the acute stage, no comprehensive or multidisciplinary care will be available to these young people.

Dr. Hollenberg says, “This will not only overwhelm already busy primary care pediatricians and family physicians in the community, but will also frustrate and dismay the majority of the ABI population who truly need a comprehensive, multidisciplinary follow-up clinic staffed by professionals.”

Is the minister going to continue to justify this cut, or will she finally do something about it?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Our commitment to people with acquired brain injuries, I think, speaks for itself. We have almost doubled our funding for services for people with acquired brain injuries. We’re spending an additional $36 million for people with acquired brain injuries. We’ve also more than doubled supportive housing supports for people with acquired brain injuries.

Speaker, this is often a lifelong disability, and it’s really important to get people back into the community, living as full and normal and productive a life as they possibly can. That happens when they’re in supportive housing.

INVASIVE SPECIES

Mr. Phil McNeely: My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.

In Ontario, we are fortunate to have a wealth of biodiversity. This biodiversity, along with our natural heritage, is severely threatened by invasive species. As well, invasive species can cost the Ontario economy tens of millions of dollars.

Once established, invasive species can be extremely difficult and costly to control and remediate. For example, the negative impact of invasive zebra mussels is estimated to cost $75 million to $91 million a year, and that’s just one species.

I’ve read about Asian carp, and I have attended meetings in Chicago on Asian carp, and I’m very concerned about their spread in Ontario’s Great Lakes. These fish can grow to 100 pounds, and are a threat to our $2.2-billion recreational fishing industry and the commercial fisheries.

As well, every year, invasive plants cost the agriculture and forest industries in Canada about $7.3 billion.

I know that stopping the spread of invasive species is a priority for your ministry, and I’m—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you. Minister of Natural Resources.

Hon. David Orazietti: I want to thank the hard-working member—he has more to add, obviously—from Ottawa–Orléans for this very important question.

Indeed, this legislation has broad support from many stakeholders, many of whom are here with us today. I appreciate the opportunity to inform members about this legislation and about what our government is proposing.

If passed, Ontario would become the first and only jurisdiction with stand-alone legislation in Canada. This is landmark legislation that would help by providing the powers to intervene earlier, leading to significantly reduced environmental and economic costs for Ontarians.

The new legislation would provide a stronger legislative framework with which to prevent, detect, control and manage invasive species that impact our natural environment, by including prohibitions on activities such as possessing and transporting invasives, enabling rapid response and ensuring modernized inspections.

Speaker, this is a risk-based approach that considers the full range of costs to the environment and the economy.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary.

Mr. Phil McNeely: Thank you, Minister, for letting us know about this important legislation. As I previously mentioned, invasive species are causing significant damage to the natural environment, and managing invasive species of Ontario is a complex and challenging task.

I’ve heard from many of my constituents in Ottawa–Orléans about the damaging effects of the emerald ash borer. This insect is a serious threat to ash trees across Ontario. The beetle kills approximately 99% of the ash trees as it moves through an area, and has infested many trees in my riding and across the whole city. I’m glad your ministry has taken action on invasive species such as emerald ash borer.

I understand this proposed legislation will provide many tools to address these challenges in Ontario. Could the minister please tell the members of this House what other steps our government has taken to stop the spread of invasive species?

Hon. David Orazietti: Again, I appreciate the question from the member from Ottawa–Orléans. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to outline the important measures we are taking to combat the spread of invasive species.

In 2011, our ministry established an invasive species research centre in Sault Ste. Marie, the first of its kind in the province, to help combat invasive species. We provided nearly $10 million toward the establishment and operation of this centre, in partnership with the federal government. The invasive species centre would support the proposed legislation by working with our partners to help deliver research and technology that can help us better understand invasive species and develop the options to combat them, and also to develop education and outreach programs to help Ontarians be more aware of the risks of invasive species, and the part they can play in helping to defend our province.

In the province of BC, the mountain pine beetle has cost the BC government $917 million. These are effects that we certainly do not want to see in this province, so we’re going to work very hard to ensure that we do everything we can to combat invasive species in Ontario.

TAXATION

Mr. Rod Jackson: My question is to the Premier.

The current NDP MPP from Niagara Falls demonstrated yesterday that he fully supports the government’s agenda to introduce a provincial gas tax to fund GTA transit. This extra 10 cents per litre for gas is going to bankrupt families and businesses already struggling to keep up with rising costs. Today, it costs over $1.32 for gas.

As of January, Niagara has one of the highest unemployment rates in this province. This government has failed Niagara. Their new MPP failed Niagara by propping up this government. Premier, why should the residents of Niagara pay for you to ride the subway?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Finance.

Hon. Charles Sousa: I heard a lot of nonsense today and for the last week in this House about what is happening and what is actually occurring. Let me say this: There were over 200 pages in the last budget and economic update. Nowhere does it call for what they have just suggested.

If they read what’s here, this is what they’ll learn. They’ll learn that we have cut personal income tax by $355 per average family. We have actually cut $8 billion, in tax relief for businesses. We’ve cut the small business tax from 5.5% to 4.5%. We’re helping more businesses grow as a result of stimuluses that we’ve been putting in.

The individuals across the way here—all they want to do is take away on the one hand, and the other one wants to just give it away. We have to take a balanced approach, Mr. Speaker. We cannot take extreme points of view in order to grow our economy. That is exactly what we’ll do.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Rod Jackson: I’ll tell you what’s extreme: It’s continuing to tax the Ontario people to the point where they can’t afford the rent anymore.

The truth is that the gas tax, trades tax, Liberal health care premium tax—remember that one—they’re just euphemisms for Liberal scandal tax. The problem is this government’s affinity for scandals.

The solution is not to gouge the taxpayer. You would have enough money for transit if your weak ministers didn’t blow millions on Ornge, eHealth, gas plants or the Pan Am Games. The latest tax will cost an extra $5 every time you fill up your tank.

Stop the taxes. Stop the overspending. Stop the scandal. Ontario deserves a responsible government just as much as Niagara deserves responsible representation.

Instead, Premier, do you think you could use the money from your next inevitable scandal to fund GTA transit instead of dipping into all our pockets again?

Hon. Charles Sousa: We’ll continue to work on behalf of the good of Ontario, including all the infrastructure projects that we’ve been doing in Barrie. That individual across the way has not supported these very initiatives that are for the benefit of our competitiveness for the future.

In fact, the members opposite like to quote a very prominent economist. This is what he has to say about their plan: “It’s extremely unlikely to produce any jobs. A few calculations should have made that evident,” said Don Drummond.

This is what somebody else had to say about their job-killing plan: “Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak’s latest economic offering is a simplistic, headline-hunting plan that’s more concerned with austerity than job creation. And it ignores many of the most important drivers of economic growth.” That was said by Michael Warren on January 14.

Better still, this is what an individual had to say about the Ontario Liberal plan. He said that things are looking much better in Ontario than they were and that the Ontario economy is starting to grow again—courtesy of Jim Flaherty—

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

SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION

Mr. Wayne Gates: I’d just like to remind my colleague that I beat—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Stop the clock.

As a learning moment: Identify who you have the question for. Leave that for another time. Carry on.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier. Local schools are the heart of communities. Concerned parents from Niagara-on-the-Lake made passionate and informative presentations last night to keep their local school, Parliament Oak Public School, open. Parents in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the chamber of commerce and the Lord Mayor Dave Eke and council are all working to ensure that Parliament Oak Public School does not close its doors.

This school sits on a historic site, where the act against slavery was signed in 1793.

Will the Premier listen to local voices and ensure that Parliament Oak Public School stays open?

Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: Minister of Education.

Hon. Liz Sandals: I want to congratulate the member for his recent election.

I think it would be useful to review the process around how school closures work. I think we do have to acknowledge that one of the problems that we have in Ontario today is that the birth rate has gone down. I’m sorry; I can’t do anything about that as Minister of Education—

Interjection.

Hon. Liz Sandals: Yes, the member from Cambridge is working on it.

The reality is that we do have, in many communities, more seats in our schools than we actually have children, or are ever likely to have.

But it’s actually local school boards that are charged with addressing this particular issue of trying to figure out what schools need to stay open and where there are too many schools, and we can talk about that process more in the supplementary—

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Thank you; yes, we will.

Supplementary.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Students at Parliament Oak scored well above the provincial average for literacy and math. The school has attracted new families to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The accommodation review committee recommends that the school stay open, and $1.6 million has been invested in renovating Parliament Oak since 2009.

I was with the parents in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and so was the Premier. Parents know that Parliament Oak Public School should be a model for schools for the Niagara region and the entire province.

Will the Premier assure parents, families and the community in Niagara-on-the-Lake that Parliament Oak Public School will not close?

Hon. Liz Sandals: As I was saying, this is actually a question for your local school board, because in fact, under Ontario’s Education Act, it is the local school board that is charged with making the decision around what schools will be open, what schools will be closed, where the students will attend, and managing the whole issue around whether we have enough schools.

Certainly, if you want to intervene on behalf of your community, you can make an intervention with the local school board. But it is the trustees, who are locally elected, who are responsible for the accommodation review process, which you describe, which is ongoing.

ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVES

Ms. Dipika Damerla: My question is for the Minister of Education. As you know, today is Pink Shirt Day, and it all started when a boy in grade 9 in Nova Scotia went to school wearing a pink shirt, and he was mercilessly bullied for looking gay.

Two thirds of kids who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered feel unsafe at school. Almost three quarters of kids report hearing homosexual slurs at school every day.

Minister, bullying in our schools and in our society is a real problem, with devastating results. I know that this is an issue that all members of this House feel strongly about, so would the minister please tell us what she’s doing to fight bullying in our schools?

Hon. Liz Sandals: I thank the member for the question, and I’m delighted to be able to speak about this issue, because it’s very important to me and, I think, important to members from all three parties.

Two high school students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, didn’t stand by while that grade 9 student in Nova Scotia was bullied for wearing pink. They went out and they bought pink shirts too, and took a brave stand against bullying.

I’m proud to be a member of this Legislature, which passed aggressive anti-bullying legislation. I’m proud to see so many members from all parties wearing pink today in honour of those Nova Scotia students and showing their support for our anti-bullying initiatives, knowing that we all stand united when it comes to protecting our kids from bullying.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Ms. Dipika Damerla: Thank you, Minister. Those two grade 12 boys encouraged their classmates to wear pink too. They went home that night and emailed their friends, and word spread. What they essentially did was, they changed the culture at their school, and that is what we need to do, not just in our schools but in society at large. Would the minister tell us what we are doing outside of our schools to help counter bullying?

Hon. Liz Sandals: The member is absolutely correct, and as a government, we took, actually, a precedential action for Canada. For the first time in Ontario and Canada, we recognized cyberbullying in our Accepting Schools Act. In fact, we included cyberbullying as part of the definition of bullying. That means that in Ontario schools, if a principal believes that actions that occurred online have a negative impact on the school climate, the principal has the authority to take action.

But that’s not all we’re doing. We’ve provided bullying prevention training for up to 25,000 teachers now, and close to 7,500 principals and vice-principals. We work with Kids Help Phone to provide a bullying prevention hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We’re bringing together experts to advise on the best possible way to make sure that we continue with bullying prevention programs all across our schools, to keep our kids safe in their learning environment.

HOSPITAL FUNDING

Mr. Jeff Yurek: My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Minister, back in June, I asked your ministry to give me a breakdown of the capital costs for the St. Joseph’s forensic mental health care centre in St. Thomas. After a dizzying array of emails going back and forth between the Minister of Health and the Minister of Infrastructure, I could not get a straight answer.

Today, we learned that you shortchanged the hospital on $3.9 million in annual operating costs and only authorized the money at the last minute. This financial mismanagement is unsettling, but it’s what we’ve come to expect from this government.

Minister, what other financial oversights have you made with this facility?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Speaker, I am very, very happy that the member opposite has asked me this question.

Any member who has had a hospital built in their riding—and there are many of us who have had a new hospital built in their riding—will know that sometimes hospitals are built for future expansion. We have something called the post-construction operating program, that ramps up operating money as the hospital actually increases their capacity. This is the normal business of new hospitals opening. It applies as well to the hospital in St. Thomas.

I was very pleased that we were able to follow through on that commitment. We are not shortchanging any hospital anything. This is an additional $3.9 million in funding so that more people can be cared for in that wonderful new facility.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Jeff Yurek: Back to the minister: Minister, this government has squandered billions on moving gas plants, billions in the Ornge fiasco, and we’re not even close to uncovering how much the Pan Am Games are going to cost us. You yourself have presided over more scandals than any other minister. Your ministry couldn’t give me a dollar amount for the capital costs—and apparently still can’t—for the hospital that you built in St. Thomas, and you only authorized the $3.9 million in annual operating costs at the last minute, after receiving a call from the London Free Press.

For a minister with so many scandals under her belt, who is making major financial decisions on an ad hoc basis, I’m concerned that you pose a risk to worthwhile projects like the St. Joseph’s forensic mental health care centre. Minister, what other financial irregularities are you responsible for?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I think this is this member’s way of saying “thank you” for building not just one new hospital but two new hospitals in his riding, so I am very pleased to say “you’re welcome,” and I’m glad that people in the St. Thomas area are getting access to better care.

You will know that the previous capacity of the old facility was 80 beds. The new building was built with expanded capacity for 89, and over time, as we always do, we will be ramping up funding. This was very much a normal part of business, and I was very happy to confirm that we are expanding to ramp up capacity at the hospital as it gets up and running.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Mr. Michael Prue: My question is to the Minister of Labour. It has been more than three years since I introduced my private member’s bill to protect employees’ tips. Bill 49, as amended by committee following second reading, is still languishing somewhere on a Liberal list. Meanwhile, thousands of hard-working Ontarians continue to wait for the protection which you yourself promised them.

Will this bill be called for third reading by this government?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: I thank the member for the question. I think the member opposite knows that we have worked very closely together on this very important bill. I’ve spoken in support of the bill, and, in fact, we have worked in quite a collaborative way in making sure that all the necessary amendments that need to be made to the bill in the committee get made. I want to thank the member for the hard work and collaboration on that bill.

When this bill comes for third reading—as the Speaker, you know, and the member opposite knows—that’s not a decision that I as the Minister of Labour am responsible for. That is up to the three House leaders to decide what matters come to the floor of this House, and I will leave it in their good wisdom. I support the bill, and I urge all three House leaders to bring that bill to the floor of the House.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?

Mr. Michael Prue: With all due respect, it is up to the Liberal government to call the bills that they say they support. The minister has repeatedly expressed his support for this bill, and he’s done so again today. His party has made amendments to make the bill even more palatable to them. All of the amendments that were made during committee were made by the Liberal Party.

Workers across the province have waited long enough. If the bill is passed today, they will still have to wait until August 26 to finally stop some of their bosses from stealing their tips. When will this government call this bill?

Hon. Yasir Naqvi: Again, I want to thank the member. We worked shoulder to shoulder on this very important bill. I have spoken in support of it, and we have made some necessary amendments. Again, it’s up to the three House leaders to decide when they’re going to bring the matter forward to the floor of this House, not me as a member.

I do want to talk about one important issue. I wish that that member from the NDP would have shown the same kind of passion for minimum wage, as well, because when it comes to an issue like minimum wage, he and his party have been absolutely silent.

For over a year we’ve been working on the issue of minimum wage, and I did not hear from that member, who claimed to speak on behalf of vulnerable workers, to talk about the issue of minimum wage—that we should increase minimum wage, that we should index it to the cost of living. I hope that this member will speak to his leader and his caucus and support Bill 165, the Fair Minimum Wage Act.

VISITORS

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Before I entertain a few points of order that I know are coming, I would like to introduce, in the Speaker’s gallery today, the Ontario council of universities’ research group, who are here to observe. We welcome you and thank you for being here in the gallery.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): The member from Parkdale–High Park on a point of order.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Because it is the day to wear pink, I would like to move a unanimous consent motion that all parties this afternoon could have up to five minutes to speak about the importance of this important day.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Point of order.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I have to do the unanimous consent first.

The member from Parkdale–High Park is seeking unanimous consent to this afternoon speak up to five minutes on pink day—or bullying. Do we agree? Agreed.

The member from Nepean–Carleton on a point of order.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I appreciate the comments by my colleague from the third party. I’m just rising to say that the Ontario PC Party also wanted to seek unanimous consent for the same five minutes, so I’m pleased that that—

Interjections.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: No, no. We had talked—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): No, no, no. I have to hear this, please, so can you please explain in more in depth?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I appreciate this, Speaker. We spoke beforehand. I appreciated the comments by the Minister of Education, as well as the comments from the MPP for Mississauga–Streetsville, but we did obviously want to have our opportunity to speak, and our education critic will address that.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): We don’t need, then, unanimous consent. Therefore, that’ll be taken care of and—I’m going to have to direct this because “this afternoon