Datasets:

---

A-Geese

/

ontario-mpps-transcript

like 0

Follow

A++Geese 3

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Donna Skelly", "text": [ "Good morning, Mr. Speaker. I am so very proud to rise this morning to recognize our government’s recent investment in Hamilton. The Ontario government is investing up to $2.5 million to support the construction of Kemp Care Network’s new 10-bed children’s hospice, which will help families connect to comfortable and dignified end-of-life care, close to home, in my city of Hamilton.", "Keaton’s House-Paul Paletta Children’s Hospice will offer families comprehensive palliative care for children and youth living with progressive life-limiting illnesses. Mr. Speaker, the hospice is expected to open in 2026 and will include a number of features and services, including 10 bedrooms for children where family members can stay with their child, and space for day wellness programs and therapies such as massage, movement, recreation and music.", "Through the 2024 budget, our government is adding up to 84 new adult beds and 12 pediatric beds, bringing the total to over 740 planned beds. Once these beds open, the Ontario government will invest up to $2,268,000 in annual operational funding for Keaton’s House-Paul Paletta Children’s Hospice to support the delivery of nursing, personal support and other end-of-life care services.", "I am so proud of our government for taking action to connect Ontario families with the care they need close to home. I am also proud of organizations in my community, such as Kemp Care Network and McMaster Children’s Hospital for making this expansion of Keaton’s House-Paul Paletta Children’s Hospice possible." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "You will know that the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion will be marked on June 6. All Canadians should remember that 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed at Juno Beach in France on June 6, 1944, as part of a massive Allied invasion. The invasion led to the liberation of German-occupied France and was pivotal in ending the Second World War.", "Victory in the Normandy campaign, however, came at a terrible cost. Canadians suffered the most casualties of any division, more than 5,000 Canadian troops dying in the invasion and the Battle of Normandy that followed. We all owe these brave men and women an immeasurable debt of gratitude.", "As the years pass, sadly, the number of veterans who fought in the campaign declines. They are from a resilient generation who endured many hardships and experienced the unimaginable horrors of war.", "We recently were able to celebrate Hamiltonian Jack Frederick Finan, a 104-year-old Canadian veteran who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Many dignitaries were on hand, including the Governor General, when the French ambassador awarded Jack France’s highest military honour, the French Legion of Honour.", "I’d like to remark that hundreds of Canadian aircraft were in the air on D-Day, including the legendary Lancaster bomber, and that Mr. Finan is Canada’s oldest living pilot of the Lancaster bomber.", "There are many celebrations across Canada to help commemorate the 80th anniversary of the pivotal D-Day invasion. In Hamilton, you can visit the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum that has one of the last flying Lancaster bombers.", "I encourage all of us—let’s take a moment to pause and pay tribute. We will remember them." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Will Bouma", "text": [ "I am pleased to rise this morning to speak about the wave of excitement that washed over Brantford–Brant last Saturday. The Woodman pool opened for the first time this past weekend and welcomed a capacity crowd of swimmers of all ages. The new pool’s opening was eagerly awaited by the Brantford–Brant community, ever since the old pool closed in 2020.", "While the pool’s official opening is still slated for June 29, these summer weekends have been too beautiful to waste, and Mayor Kevin Davis has called for the pool to be opened every weekend in June while the finishing touches are being completed.", "The pool is part of the newly revamped Woodman Park Community Centre, which keeps Brantford entertained year-round. Once the Woodman project is completed, it will include a community garden, accessible playground equipment, games tables, walking paths and shade structures.", "This project represents the great things that we can achieve when all three levels of government work together, as the pool was funded by both the provincial and federal governments alongside the city of Brantford.", "I am proud to represent a government that places a high importance on community recreation projects such as this one. By ensuring the people of Ontario have state-of-the-art facilities to enjoy, our government continues to make Ontario the best place to live, work, play and raise a family." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Lorne Coe", "text": [ "Two new schools are going to be built in west Whitby, thanks to our Minister of Education, the Honourable Stephen Lecce: $30.5 million for an elementary school at Maskell Crescent and Coronation Road, creating 634 student spaces and 49 child care spaces; and $23.4 million for a new elementary school at Cisco Drive and Limoges Street, creating 634 student spaces.", "On May 17, the Minister of Education also announced funding for new schools and one school expansion across Oshawa and Clarington, which will result in the creation of 3,155 new student spaces and 98 child care spaces. This was an historic day, as the overall investment was $139.5 million and is the single largest in Durham history.", "We are working to ensure Whitby children have access to state-of-the-art schools close to home that give them real-life job skills to succeed in the future. Our government is getting it done once again for hard-working families in the region of Durham." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Jess Dixon", "text": [ "On Saturday morning I went to the Westin Harbour Castle hotel in Toronto, signed in, went up the elevator and up some stairs to the very top of the building, about 400 feet up, and stepped off the edge. I was, luckily, attached to some fairly strong harnesses at the time, but that doesn’t really make it any less unnerving, because the one thing your body doesn’t want you to do when you’re on the edge of a building is jump off of it, which I did.", "I did this to raise awareness of a fundraising campaign for ProAction Cops and Kids, which is an incredible charity that I became aware of in my work as an MPP. ProAction Cops and Kids has five chapters: Toronto, Durham region, Hamilton, Halton and Peel. Essentially, what it does is it allows kids who are under-resourced to connect with police officers who donate their time to run sports programs, baking programs, sailing etc., and ProAction covers all the costs of equipment and facilities. I became involved because I am so incredibly passionate about the idea of community policing and prevention-based policing, which is about building strong relationships between the community and police, particularly children.", "1030", "A huge thank you to ProAction team members Jean Milligan, Michelle Marchetti and Nicole Benoit—I know you all worked incredibly hard—and to all of the officers and kids who participated in going over the edge with me on Saturday morning." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Jill Dunlop", "text": [ "I would like to introduce three of my interns who are here visiting today. From the ministry office, we have Alex Bullen and Alex Jones, and from the constituency office, Kayleigh Aitken.", "Welcome to Queen’s Park, guys." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Logan Kanapathi", "text": [ "I would like to extend a warm welcome to members of Disability Without Poverty here today, including Sabrina Latif, Lisa Presutti, Vienna Psihos, Rabia Khedr, Janet Rodriguez, Hossam Khedr. I am looking forward to meeting with them later today. Welcome to Queen’s Park." ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens", "text": [ "It’s a great honour and a pleasure to be able to welcome John Whitehead here from St. Catharines. He is a diabetes advocate from Niagara.", "Thank you for all your hard work that you’ve done over the years. Welcome to your House, John." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon", "text": [ "Good morning, everyone. It’s always a pleasure to be here in the chamber with you, and especially today, when I welcome such amazing Bangladeshi community leaders from the east end of Toronto. They’re up there in the gallery: Hydari, Islam, Hosne, Sanjoy, Afia, Sayed and Jalal. They really make the city a more vibrant, livable, beautiful space.", "Thank you for coming. Welcome to your House." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "June is ALS Awareness Month, and I’m delighted to welcome Tammy Moore and Ilayda Ulgenalp from the ALS Society of Canada back to Queen’s Park today. Welcome." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Chris Glover", "text": [ "I’d like to welcome a good friend of mine, Janet Rodriguez. Janet is an incredible advocate for people with disabilities.", "Welcome to your House." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I want to wish a warm welcome to my incredible OLIP intern, Evan Cameron, who’s up in the public gallery today." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "I would like to welcome the members of Disability Without Poverty to the House today. I’m looking forward to seeing you later at your reception." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Natalie Pierre", "text": [ "I have a couple of introductions. First off, I’d like to welcome to Queen’s Park MPP Crawford’s Oakville student youth council: Aiden Pinto, Elliott Dixon, Sakeena Iqbal, Mariam Naboo, Anbo Yuan, Ahmed Anjum and Tianyang Jiang. We’re honoured to have you here today and advocating for financial literacy.", "Second, I’d like to welcome the group from Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving to Queen’s Park today. With us today or joining us shortly are students from Niagara Catholic District School Board schools, including Denis Morris, Blessed Trinity, Saint Francis, Saint Paul, Saint Michael, Holy Cross, and Notre Dame College School; from the board office, Camillo Cipriano and Aldo Parrotta; and school staff Patricia Beck, Nikki Royer, Ana Krlin, Carey Bridges, Chaundra Collin, Sue Sparks and Brandy Delaney.", "Welcome to Queen’s Park." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam", "text": [ "I would like us all to welcome Caleb Smolenaars, who is an intern who actually resides in Oakville North–Burlington. He is currently interning for myself in Toronto Centre and for the great member from Kiiwetinoong." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto", "text": [ "Today I want to welcome Rabia Khedr from DEEN Support Services. Thank you for being here." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "We have some family here of my EA, Athena, from Whitefish River First Nation: Mariette Sutherland and her daughter Violet Sutherland.", "Also, from Grassy Narrows: Chief Rudy Turtle; council members Arnold Pahpasay, Little Bear Copenace, John Clint Kokopenace; Melissa Bunting; Maka Fobister; Zuri Joseph; Zaagaate Bunting; Keewayten Bunting. Meegwetch." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. George Pirie", "text": [ "I just want to welcome students from Roland Michener Secondary School from my hometown, South Porcupine, who are visiting today. Welcome." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "With the agreement of the House, I’d like to continue with the introduction of visitors. I heard a no.", "That concludes our introduction of visitors for this morning." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 9(g), the Clerk has received written notice from the government House leader indicating that a temporary change in the weekly meeting schedule of the House is required, and therefore the afternoon routine on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, shall commence at 1 p.m.", "I’m going to recognize the member from Don Valley West on a point of order." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Stephanie Bowman", "text": [ "I seek the unanimous consent of the House for the Speaker to immediately put the question on second and third reading of Bill 195, the Cutting Taxes on Small Businesses Act, without debate, to provide immediate relief to Ontario’s small businesses." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member for Don Valley West, Ms. Bowman, is seeking the unanimous consent of the House for the Speaker to immediately put the question on second and third reading of Bill 195, the Cutting Taxes on Small Businesses Act, without debate. Agreed? I heard a no." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "This question is for the Premier. People have a right to know what their government is doing on their behalf and with their tax dollars. It’s why we have strict rules around things like government communications and record-keeping. It’s why emails of senior government officials are subject to freedom-of-information laws.", "But this government and this Premier don’t seem to think that that kind of transparency matters. We’ve seen a disturbing pattern of government members and senior staff using their personal accounts for government business. On Friday, the Premier himself confirmed that his chief of staff regularly uses his personal email for government business. My question is, why?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The government House leader." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "I’ve answered this question a number of times for the Leader of the Opposition. If the leader has additional information—or any information whatsoever—that she would like to provide to the commissioner, I encourage her to do so, Mr. Speaker.", "I and members of this government, we’re not investigators, although we do have many former police officers amongst our ranks. That is not our job, Mr. Speaker. So if she wants to raise those issues, I encourage her—as opposed to bringing it up here in the Legislature, she could provide that information to the commissioner and allow the commissioner to do the job that we as a Legislature empower him to do." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "I’ll just repeat my question. My question to the Premier was, why?", "Let me try to tell you why, because there’s only one reason why this government would repeatedly be using personal emails to avoid detection. These aren’t just emails about upcoming staff meetings; we are talking about major government decisions that impact the public. We’re talking about the greenbelt. We’re talking about secret meetings. We’re talking about code words and government business that was being done on massage tables in Vegas. They did everything they could to cover their tracks.", "1040", "Now, the Premier himself is doubling down. He’s saying his chief of staff did nothing wrong when he repeatedly gave false testimony to the Integrity Commissioner. So does the Premier think he or his chief of staff are above the law?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Again, Mr. Speaker, it’s the drive-by smear from the NDP. They have no relevance in this place at all. It is obvious that the people of Ontario have overlooked the NDP and have completely forgotten about them as an effective opposition party. The evidence of that, of course, is the fact that in the last two by-elections, “other” received more votes than the NDP.", "They have absolutely no policies when it comes to the economy. They understand that their continuing support of the federal Liberal Party that supports a carbon tax puts them offside of the Canadian people, including the people of Ontario who have said loud and clear that they do not want a carbon tax and that it is harming them. So they’re offside on that.", "They’re offside on law and order. This is a party that opposes the police at every step of the way. They’re offside on the infrastructure funding that we’re bringing in place. They’re offside on the reforms that we’re doing in the education system. They are a party that is increasingly irrelevant to the—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Order. Final supplementary." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Speaker, you know when you’re getting close to the truth, because you get a desperate response like that. That’s the truth. Multiple independent officers of the Legislature have warned this government about avoiding disclosure rules. Explosive reports from the Auditor General, the Integrity Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner and RCMP criminal investigation under way into this government—it all shows the same thing. This is a government that wasn’t just deleting emails related to the greenbelt. They were also using their personal emails to avoid detection.", "The Premier himself conducts his government business on his personal devices and refuses to disclose the details of those phone records to the public, even though it’s required by law. When the Liberal government got caught covering up their gas plant scandal, you know what happened? Someone went to jail. Why is the Premier following the Liberals down the same path of code words, cover up and criminal investigations?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Members will take their seats.", "Member for Brampton North come to order. The member for Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke come to order.", "Government House leader may reply." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "When the Liberals of course broke the law and somebody went to jail, it was the NDP who quickly stood up and supported them to maintain them in office. That’s actually what happened.", "Now, colleagues, I don’t know about you. I don’t feel very desperate. I don’t feel very desperate. I’m actually happy. I’m happy, because we have a government that is moving in the right direction for the people of the province of Ontario, out of the ashes of the Liberal and NDP coalition that put this province in the ground. What are we doing? We’re investing in health care. We’re investing in infrastructure. We’re investing in hospitals in all parts of the province. And do you know who agrees with us, Mr. Speaker? The people of the province of Ontario, who elected two Progressive Conservatives in two by-elections, while at the same time sending a message to the Leader of the Opposition that they prefer “other” than they do the leader and the NDP—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member for Hamilton Mountain come to order. The member for Waterloo come to order.", "Leader of the Opposition, next question." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "This year we see that wildfires are already up from this time last year. Last year was one of the worst fire seasons on record.", "So far this year, there have already been 94—four fires just this week. But inexplicably, the budget to fight those wildfires is down 37.5%. And you know what, Speaker?—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "While they blather away over there, I’m talking about an issue that is going to affect many, many, many people in many communities across this province. So they should be listening. Wildfires are going up. Money to fight wildfires is going down. So my question to the Premier is, can the Premier tell us how that makes any sense at all?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Order.", "Government House leader." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Mr. Speaker, you can’t make this up. I have offered to cross the floor once in awhile and write questions for the NDP so that they can do better. But I can’t read budgets for them; I assume they do that.", "The Minister of Natural Resources has actually increased funding to fight forest fires by 92%, colleagues. That is what we have increased the budget by to fight wildfires. Of course, Liberal and NDP math would suggest that a 92% increase is actually a decrease. But do you know what the good news is? The good news is that we’re making those investments. The bad news for the people of the province of Ontario is that these two opposition parties, both irrelevant to the people of the province of Ontario, but the NDP historically irrelevant—they always vote against all of these.", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "She just called me a “mad dog.” Do you know what I am? I’m a dog with a bone, because I want better for the people of the province of—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Stop the clock.", "The House will come to order.", "Start the clock. Supplementary question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Speaker, the government can shrug off these concerns, but the fires are still coming. The concerns are coming from an increasing number of townships and cities, from First Nations that have been evacuated in previous years—and some are already being evacuated now, especially in northwestern Ontario. It’s coming from farming communities, where they have to contend with poorer air quality, with less productive days. And importantly, it’s coming from the front-line wildland firefighters themselves. They’re worried that they may not have the fire crews that they need this season.", "So I’m going to ask the Premier, who’s sitting in his seat right now, if he could stand up, answer this question: Can he explain why he thinks this is enough when those who fight the fires are telling you it’s not?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I’m going to ask the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw her unparliamentary remark." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Withdraw.", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Order.", "The government House leader may reply." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Speaker, it is precisely because of the seriousness by which we take this is that we have increased funding by 92% to fight those fires. We have done that in every community across the province of Ontario, and we’re not doing it in isolation. We work, of course, with the Minister of Northern Development to help us highlight some of those areas. We work with the Solicitor General to ensure that in many of the communities that did not have fire protection before, they actually have fire protection, and in some of the unincorporated areas so that they could actually participate in this.", "We’ve made the investments. Imagine that when we came to office, this sector was so underfunded by the previous Liberal and NDP coalition government across the province of Ontario that we’ve had to increase it by 92%. Of course, the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberals voted against those increases—because you know what happens: When the camera is on, they say one thing, but when the camera turns off, they do something completely different. We’re consistent. We’re always there for the people of the province." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I believe this is the final supplementary." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "“Consistent”? Consistently underfunding, cutting, leaving people desperate and alone with a fire season before them. Speaker, we are down as many as 200 firefighters in Ontario—that’s the truth—with as many as 40 wildland firefighters being laid off just since May. That’s the truth. Fires are raging right now. That’s the truth. And this government hasn’t backed up those firefighters with the resources that they need to keep people safe and communities safe while fires are raging in this province. It is time to do right by the firefighters.", "I want to be very specific with my question to the Premier: Will the Premier assure Ontarians that there will be fully staffed crews and planes for every single region that needs it?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Members will please take their seats.", "1050", "Government House leader." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Again, Mr. Speaker, that is why the Minister of Natural Resources has brought forward a plan that saw an increase in funding by 92%. That is why the Solicitor General brought forward a program to ensure that we had fire services in unincorporated areas, so that they could participate. On both occasions—", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "—the NDP and the Liberals voted against those supports.", "We’ve increased support for new technologies by over $20 million. In fact, Ontario is such a valued partner that we are called upon to participate and to assist other provinces and internationally whenever we can, Mr. Speaker. That speaks to the professionalism of Ontario’s fire crews, it speaks to the investments that we have made and it speaks to why, again, the NDP and the Liberals have become so irrelevant in the province of Ontario: because for a decade and a half they underfunded it, and it took us to bring those resources so that we could fight fires not only in Ontario, but around the world—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Next question. Once again, the Leader of the Opposition." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Speaker, the Deputy Premier just said, “It’s raining,” so I guess none of us have to worry. Boy, I tell you, that is—" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "I did not." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "You did.", "Anyway, this question is for the Premier. Grassy Narrows—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Order." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "I did not." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Hansard caught it." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "That’s a lie." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "She just called it a lie.", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Let’s stop the clock, first of all.", "Secondly, as the member is aware, unparliamentary language cannot be permitted. I’m going to ask the Deputy Premier to withdraw her unparliamentary comment." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "I will withdraw my unparliamentary language, but the official opposition also—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I’m going to ask the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health to withdraw, without reservation, her comment." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "Withdraw. I—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Okay, no. The Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs will come to order.", "The Minister of Health will please withdraw her unparliamentary comment." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "I withdraw." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Thank you.", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Order. The member for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry will come to order. The member for Mississauga–Malton will come to order. The Minister of Health will come to order.", "Start the clock. The Leader of the Opposition has the floor." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Thank you, Speaker.", "This question is for the Premier. Grassy Narrows has been searching for justice for generations. They are living through one of Canada’s worst environmental and human rights catastrophes. They are now suing Ontario and Canada. Judy DaSilva, a grandmother from Grassy Narrows, has a simple ask which I’m going to read out today to the government. She says this: “Stop poisoning us, let us protect our land and our people and we will be healthy again.”", "So my question to the Premier is, will this government stop the ongoing poisoning of the people of Grassy Narrows today?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Members will take their seats.", "The Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Greg Rickford", "text": [ "The member opposite knows that one of the first actions we took upon forming government in 2018 was to actually index the mercury disability benefits to inflation after not being increased for inflation since the inception of the mercury disability fund. As a result, most beneficiaries saw their monthly payments nearly double, Mr. Speaker. The mercury disabilities investment fund was then replenished with over $127 million, based on a triannual assessment that we received in June 2021. These funds will ensure that the mercury disability fund is resourced to provide benefits to beneficiaries for many years to come. The next actuarial assessment is expected in June of 2024.", "In June 2022, the Mercury Disability Board marked the opening of its new clinical space in Kenora, along with the successful launch of reformed assessment clinics. We’re working with communities—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Perhaps the minister didn’t hear my question. It is the responsibility of a government, surely, to ensure that the people are not being actively poisoned by the fish they eat or the water they drink, right? The lawsuit that we’re talking about doesn’t prevent anyone on the other side, the Premier or his cabinet, from taking decisive action to stop the ongoing contamination of the river today, tomorrow and every day after that. They’re the government; they have the power to do the right thing right now.", "So, back to the Premier: How can they knowingly allow this terrible poisoning to continue on their watch?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Members will please take their seats.", "Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Greg Rickford", "text": [ "Our world-class resource development sector is matched only by their compliance to the highest environmental protection standards out there, and we enforce it. But in the situation of Grassy Narrows, as I said earlier, we came on to this file in 2018; even the former Premier of what is now the non-affiliate Liberals, or whatever they’re called, admitted to me that it was high time we took action. In 2018, that’s exactly what we did.", "We’re taking good care of those beneficiaries from Wabaseemoong and Grassy Narrows First Nations. The mercury disability fund, having been replenished, will ensure that all people currently on that registry are going to get the benefits that they deserve for those historical damages." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Steve Pinsonneault", "text": [ "My question is for the Minister of Energy. People in my riding of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex and across the province are facing hard times. As this federal carbon tax continues to drive up the cost of living, families cannot afford ever-rising grocery and gas prices. My constituents, who rely on their cars for their primary form of transportation, are being punished with high fuel costs driven by this punitive tax. They need relief.", "The governor of the Bank of Canada has stated that the carbon tax contributes 15% each year upwards on inflation and that scrapping this tax altogether would lower inflation. It is clear to every Ontarian that this carbon tax is not helping them, it’s not delivering the environmental gains the Liberals claim it would and it’s costing all of us.", "Can the minister please explain how, unlike the Liberals, our government is achieving our energy objectives without introducing a costly carbon tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd Smith", "text": [ "I’m delighted to talk about our energy initiatives and how they’re also helping the environment and keeping costs low in our province so we can see record investment in Ontario of the types that we have been seeing, multi-billion-dollar investments.", "Now we’re announcing the development of new, clean, affordable, reliable energy generation, like our nuclear facilities in the clean energy capital in the Durham region, the first small modular reactor in the western world; refurbishing the Pickering nuclear generating stations; continuing with refurbishment at Darlington and at Bruce, building out new nuclear power at Bruce, as well; and new clean energy storage, the largest procurement in Canadian history, just happened a couple of weeks back. We’re not going to go back to the Liberal ways of providing energy to our province where electricity prices triple under their watch.", "Now, I heard the leader of the Green Party this morning saying he wanted to go back to the ways of the Green Energy Act—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member for Ottawa South will come to order. Order.", "Member for Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, supplementary." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Steve Pinsonneault", "text": [ "It’s reassuring to see our government continue delivering affordability and fight the terrible carbon tax as we roll out our real, practical solutions to make Ontario’s electricity grid not just more affordable but cleaner and more reliable.", "Our province boasts one of the cleanest electricity systems in the world. However, rather than bolstering our energy endeavours, the federal government prioritizes taking money from families by forcing them to pay a carbon tax. Their provincial buddies, led by the carbon tax queen, Bonnie Crombie, continue to prop up this failed tax policy.", "1100", "It’s time for the Liberals to face reality and acknowledge that this tax only hurts the hard-working people of this province. My constituents in Lambton–Kent–Middlesex and all other Ontarians want to see the end of this carbon tax today.", "Speaker, can the minister please tell the House how the government is fortifying Ontario’s economy through our clean energy advantage without the use of a carbon tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd Smith", "text": [ "Speaker, the queen of the carbon tax, Bonnie Crombie, the leader of the Liberal Party, is ebullient in her support of Justin Trudeau’s federal carbon tax, which is going up every April 1, including two months ago, with a whopping 23% increase that is affecting the price of groceries and gas and home heating, as the member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex mentioned. The Liberals and the Greens and the NDP, their leadership was having a press conference this morning, and they want to go back to the ways of the Green Energy Act, where we paid over-market prices for energy and electricity generation in our province.", "We brought in a new way of doing business, Mr. Speaker. It’s competitive procurements that are driving down the cost of energy in our province. Bills like Bill 165, keeping energy costs low, is what our Premier and what our government believes in. And the result is massive, massive multi-billion-dollar investments in our—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member will take his seat.", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member for Beaches–East York will come to order. The House will quieten down, please, so I can hear the member who’s answering the question or posing the question.", "The next question." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Chandra Pasma", "text": [ "Every parent’s worst nightmare is receiving a phone call that something has happened to your child at school. On May 14, Landyn Ferris’s mother received that phone call. Landyn was left alone at school despite having a seizure disorder and was found unresponsive.", "Landyn should have come home safely to his mother that day. We want every child in Ontario to come home safely at the end of the day. But parents of children with special needs are warning that this could happen again if we don’t address the funding shortfall and the lack of resources for special education.", "Will the Premier address that gap today and ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect our kids?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Members will please take their seats.", "Minister of Education." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "The loss of a child is indeed an unspeakable tragedy, and I believe all of us are deeply saddened by what has transpired at the Trenton High School—the loss of this young man. All of us express condolences to his family.", "Now, there is an active coroner’s investigation, police investigation and school board investigation into the circumstances of what led to this tragedy, and I would ask all of us to responsibly allow that process to carry forth with the commitment that the coroner will inevitably bring forth recommendations to learn from this and to ensure it never happens again. That is our obligation. It’s the sombre obligation we will fulfill for this child and every child in this province." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Chandra Pasma", "text": [ "School boards are spending tens of millions of dollars more on special education than what they’re getting from this government and they still don’t have the resources they need to keep our kids safe. Kids who should never be left alone are being left alone at school every single day in Ontario.", "We don’t need to wait for the results of the investigation into Landyn’s death to take immediate steps to make children safer in our schools. We could properly invest in special education today and make sure that children have the caring, qualified adults around them that they need to stay safe.", "Will this Premier make that commitment today so that no one else receives this awful phone call?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Members will please take their seats.", "The Minister of Education." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "The answer, Speaker, is yes, we will continue to make those investments. This year, in special education, funding is up over $100 million when compared just to last year. There are 3,500 additional EAs supporting kids with exceptionalities. There are 9,000 additional education workers hired because of our funding. We’ve increased special education funding by over half a billion dollars when compared to when we started in 2018.", "Now, we recognize there’s more to do, which is why in budget 2024 we increased in-class supports for children with exceptionalities by an additional $10 million. We announced more funding for students with disabilities to pursue co-operative education, more training of our staff.", "It would be irresponsible to draw conclusions at this point on what transpired, but be assured, we take this seriously. We’ll continue to invest, we’ll continue to hire, continue to do everything humanly possible to ensure the safety of children within our care." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto", "text": [ "My question is for the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Residents in my riding of Mississauga–Lakeshore and across the province are seeing the devastating impact of the federal carbon tax. Families are cancelling their summer vacation plans because they cannot afford the high fuel costs, and small businesses are stretching every dollar on a tight budget.", "It is concerning that the NDP and Liberal members in this House are choosing to ignore the hardship people in our province are facing as a result of this carbon tax. As our government works to build a healthy future for Ontarians, we are also continuing our efforts to fight against this regressive Liberal carbon tax.", "Can the minister please explain how our government is strengthening Ontario’s environmental protection without imposing a costly carbon tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Andrea Khanjin", "text": [ "Speaker, the member is absolutely right: At a time when families are trying to get a little relief to enjoy their summer with their kids and their family, now is not the time for a job-killing carbon tax.", "The carbon tax has proven that it is a tax policy; it is not an environment policy. But under the leadership of this Premier, we’ve been able to prove that we can protect the environment, grow the economy and create good-paying jobs without a carbon tax.", "We’re working with industry, not against industry. For example, take green steel in Hamilton and Sault Ste. Marie. We’re creating electric vehicles made here in Ontario, creating high-paying jobs, while using our green steel. Instead, the Liberals, with carbon Crombie, would drive manufacturing jobs—and we’ve seen it: 300 manufacturing jobs out of this province.", "Instead, Speaker, our government is balancing the environment while creating good-paying jobs and creating the right economy that will spur economic growth." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto", "text": [ "Thank you to the minister for that answer. Under the leadership of this Premier and this government, we are creating jobs and economic growth right across this whole province. But the carbon tax undermines this progress as it raises the cost of living at a time when many people are struggling to make ends meet. The 23% increase to the carbon tax has only made things worse.", "The Liberals haven’t met a tax they don’t like and that’s why they are reaching their hands deep into our pockets. The federal government must scrap this costly tax that does nothing to protect the environment.", "Can the minister please tell the House how our government is keeping costs down while preserving the health of our environment?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Andrea Khanjin", "text": [ "Just look to our great transit projects. Not only are we building more transit projects, but we’ve introduced One Fare, making transit more affordable for Ontario families so they can discover Ontario this summer. And if they want to discover more of Ontario’s beautiful parks, it’s this government that’s creating the first Ontario urban provincial park and creating new parks, something that hasn’t been done in 40 years.", "Do you know what else is going to help those families get to discover their beautiful province? It’s the 10 cents off of gas that we’re giving them in relief. Those Ontarians can enjoy their summer in an affordable fashion. But if it was up to the Liberals and the opposition, they’d continue taxing Ontarians, making their summer holiday plans more expensive. Perhaps that’s because Bonnie Crombie would rather go glamping in her Maserati." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "In April, Premier Ford said, “We’re there to retrain the workers, find them new opportunities, new jobs,” but workers in Terrace Bay have still heard nothing.", "Quoting from a letter received this week: “The government has forgotten the north and continues to give money to conglomerates with no accountability. Our families are being torn apart looking for work that doesn’t exist.”", "Premier, we need you to answer two questions: Is a deal for the mill imminent? And if not, what training will you provide for those with family responsibilities who cannot leave home for weeks at a time to work?", "1110" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The parliamentary assistant and member for Ajax." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Patrice Barnes", "text": [ "This government is laser-focused on empowering or workers. We understand that workers need to be reskilled and retrained, and that is why we continue to invest in our workers, especially through our SDF funding. We commit and continue to commit to supporting our workers to get in well-trained jobs as they move forward in their new positions.", "We continue to do pre-training programs that provide $28.3 million from 2022 to 2023 and the $1.25-million In-Class Enhancement Fund to support delivery of quality retraining programs." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "I did not hear an answer that responded to the Terrace Bay situation, but I’ll continue.", "Speaker, this government is failing to use all the tools at its disposal to keep people working at the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay. American manufacturing contracts must have at least 70% American content, yet you lowered local content rules to a mere 10% and gave the Ontario Line to a Japanese corporation—$9 billion paid by Ontario taxpayers, with not one of the trains built in Ontario.", "We have the expertise, facilities, skilled workforce and supply chain. What we’re missing is a commitment from this government to keep people in northwestern Ontario working.", "Premier, will you commit to the maximum possible local content in all future contracts?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "To reply, the Minister of Transportation." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria", "text": [ "There has been no other Premier in the history of this province that has been committed to more Ontario jobs than this Premier—over 700,000 more people are working today because of Premier Ford and this government’s policy, including building transit across this province.", "That member knows how many of those investments are supporting communities all across the north and all across this province—thousands of workers employed because of this government’s plan to build transit all across this province. It’s because of this Premier that we’re building in the north, whether it be the Ring of Fire, Highways 11 and 17, supporting transit workers in Thunder Bay. It’s because of this Premier that we have over $40 billion worth of new foreign direct investment into this province, and because of this vision of this government, $70 billion are being invested into public transit to help support—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Thank you.", "The next question." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Stephanie Bowman", "text": [ "The government has been very busy over the last week defending their latest blunder: the billion-dollar booze boondoggle paid for by Ontario taxpayers. They could have waited for about a year for the deal with the Beer Store to end. Instead, they keep the gravy train chugging along by wasting taxpayer dollars to cancel the deal today.", "While small businesses struggle, this government gives money out hand over fist to big-box stores and—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Stop the clock. The member will take her seat.", "The House will come to order.", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Order.", "Start the clock. Member for Don Valley West." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Stephanie Bowman", "text": [ "Do you know the last time small businesses got a tax break? In 2010, under an Ontario Liberal government. Speaker—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Stop the clock.", "I cannot hear the member for Don Valley West. Okay. The warnings are starting next time.", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member for Kitchener–Conestoga is warned.", "Start the clock. The member for Don Valley West has the floor." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Stephanie Bowman", "text": [ "Speaker, this Premier has yet to keep two big promises, maybe because they don’t relate to beer: a middle-income tax cut and a corporate tax cut. Both of those would help small businesses.", "My question to the Premier: Will he help fix his broken promise today by passing Bill 195, the Cutting Taxes on Small Businesses Act?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The Minister of Finance." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy", "text": [ "I don’t know where to begin on this one.", "Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite had read some of the budgets passed by this House that her party voted against, she’d know that we cut the small business tax in our first mandate. She would know that we also accelerated the capital cost appreciation to help small businesses invest in capital.", "It boggles the mind. In fact—boggle, boondoggle—the only way you can get to the Liberals’ numbers on alcohol is if Bonnie Boondoggle increased taxes and increased fees.", "Mr. Speaker, this party is reducing fees, reducing taxes, helping small businesses so they can compete across the province and provide more consumer choice and convenience." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Stephanie Bowman", "text": [ "Speaker, I asked the government a simple question about a bill. It’s too bad they won’t answer it.", "Small business owners need help from this government. The CFIB wants Bill 195 passed. The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario wants Bill 195 passed.", "The CFIB has said that for every dollar spent at a local small business, 66 cents stays local, versus with multinationals, like some of those benefiting from the billion-dollar booze boondoggle, only 11 cents stays in Ontario.", "Bill 195 is not complicated. It cuts the effective tax rate on small businesses in half, from 3.2% to 1.6%, and increases the income threshold for this deduction from $500,000 to $600,000. It will reduce taxes on small business by up to $17,900 a year. It will help them.", "Through you, Speaker, to the Premier: What will it be, yes or no, to helping Ontario small businesses by passing Bill 195?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The Premier." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Doug Ford", "text": [ "Well, Mr. Speaker, let’s start off with the CFIB and their quote about the alcohol: “Speeding up the process to allow more Ontario small retailers to sell beer and wine is a very positive move for entrepreneurs and consumers.” It’s so positive for the economy that small craft brewers are going to see an increase of $800 million to $1.2 billion more. This is creating over 7,500 new jobs that didn’t exist before—compared to the Liberals, who signed the worst contract I’ve ever seen in business in my entire life.", "It’s all about taxation when it comes to their leader, Bonnie Crombie. That’s all they believe in, is taxing. We don’t believe in taxing. We have never increased a tax in six years. We’ve decreased taxes. We’ve given money back to the people. We’ve given over—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Stop the clock.", "The Premier will take his seat. The members will please take their seats.", "The member for Ottawa South is warned. The member for Hamilton Mountain is warned. The member for Brampton North is warned.", "Start the clock. The next question." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MPP Zee Hamid", "text": [ "The question is for the Minister of Energy. The federal carbon tax is a tax that farmers, small business owners and Ontario families have repeatedly said no to. While our government continues to deliver measures to make life more affordable, the Liberals and NDP fail to empathize with Ontarians who are struggling. They have no problem seeing this carbon tax triple over the next six years—triple.", "While the cost of living is at an all-time high, it is beyond disappointing to see opposition members fail to do the right thing and hold the federal government accountable.", "Speaker, can the minister please tell the House why the Liberals must stop playing politics and finally scrap the carbon tax once and for all?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd Smith", "text": [ "Thanks to our amazing member from Milton. It’s great to be able to take on this question, especially in the moments after the last question from the Liberal member over there.", "1120", "Now, I know a leopard can’t change their spots and neither can a Liberal. The Liberals love to tax. Bonnie Crombie, the queen of the carbon tax, is happy to support Justin Trudeau’s federal carbon tax, which is driving up the price for everyone and every business in Ontario. Anybody who gets anything trucked to them is paying more because of Justin Trudeau and Bonnie Crombie’s carbon tax.", "We’re not in favour of a carbon tax. We’ve lowered taxes. We’ve lowered fees. We’ve cut red tape. As a result, our economy is thriving with multi-billion-dollar investments from Windsor to Umicore in Loyalist township and into the north. And we’re not done yet." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Zee Hamid", "text": [ "Thank you to the minister for his response. Our government knows that we can build a growing economy, produce clean energy and make the transition to Ontario-built EVs without jeopardizing affordability for people in this province.", "Unfortunately, the federal government is unwilling to listen to provincial leaders and Canadians on this topic. Speaker, when Bonnie Crombie was a federal leader, she was one of the first to support the carbon tax. Now, as the Ontario Liberal leader, she continues to side with her federal buddies on this punitive and regressive carbon tax.", "The last thing people need right now is another expense on their bills. Ontarians cannot afford the carbon tax, and they cannot afford the carbon tax queen, Bonnie Crombie. Can the minister please explain how the Liberal taxes are killing businesses and draining Ontario families’ household budgets?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd Smith", "text": [ "Thanks again to the member for Milton. It’s no surprise to anybody from coast to coast in our country, especially here in Ontario, the impact that the federal carbon tax which is fully supported by the queen of the carbon tax, Bonnie Crombie, is having on residents in our province. It’s driving up the cost of everything from groceries to gasoline to home heating.", "Now, we’ve taken a different approach here under the leadership of Premier Ford and our team. We’ve cut taxes. We’ve cut fees. We’re keeping energy costs low. You’ll remember not so long ago when the Ontario Liberals were in power, our electricity bills tripled under their watch. It chased jobs out of our province by the thousands—300,000 jobs left our province. Now this morning, I was astonished to hear that Mr. Green, Mrs. Green and the Liberals—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Okay, I’m sick of that. We’re going to start referring to members by their riding name or their ministerial title." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd Smith", "text": [ "The member from Guelph and the member from Kitchener Centre were out in full support of the Green Energy Act, which drove up the cost of electricity, tripling it. They want to go back there, and we know what will happen if the Liberals were ever, God forbid, be coming to power. They would do the same thing to our energy sector—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Thank you. Take your seat.", "The next question." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Jessica Bell", "text": [ "My question is to the Premier. In Toronto, 523 people died from opioid overdoses. Toronto’s public health officer, Dr. Eileen de Villa, had this to say: Overdose is “more than a public health issue—it’s a human tragedy that” requires a response filled “with empathy, care and compassion.” Experts are calling on this government to take an effective and evidence-based approach to addressing the opioid crisis, an approach that includes harm reduction, overdose prevention, along with housing, health care and mental health supports.", "My question is to the Premier: How many more people have to die before this government properly addresses our opioid crisis?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Michael A. Tibollo", "text": [ "Mr. Speaker, our government is the first government to have in place a minister responsible for mental health and addictions, because we take opioids and all addictions very seriously. Our government is the first government to make investments of $525 million annually and $3.8 billion over 10 years, and to build a system of care.", "If you listen and look at the Roadmap to Wellness, you’ll see that there’s a continuum of care that’s being built throughout the province of Ontario to ensure that people are able to access services where and when they need them. That means giving them treatment, low-barrier access to withdrawal management, accessing those services through mobile crisis response teams, through paramedicine that is now being incorporated into that continuum of care and giving people, after withdrawal management, the opportunity to get into treatment and with that treatment then reintegrate with social supportive housing.", "We are building a system of care and ensuring that everyone is getting the treatment when and where they need it." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Jessica Bell", "text": [ "Back to the minister: People are not getting the treatment that they need; 523 people died of an opioid addiction in Toronto last year alone. That is 523 people too many. My riding has been very hard hit by the opioid crisis. The Neighbourhood Group in University–Rosedale has a memorial board of over 25 people in the community who have died from overdoses: people like Patty, a staff person who worked hard to save people in the community. These people have family. They have friends. They contribute to the community. They are loved. These are preventable deaths, Minister.", "This is my question: When will this government take meaningful action to stop people needlessly dying?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Michael A. Tibollo", "text": [ "Once again, I have visited your community, and I’ve visited pretty well every community in the province of Ontario to understand the specific needs of those different communities. We are building a system of care that’s community-based, that meets the person where they are, and we are assisting everyone.", "Even a single death is one death too many, and I take those deaths very, very seriously and make sure that we do build these continuums. We’ve invested in opening over 400 beds. That’s 7,000 treatment spots that didn’t exist before this government came to power, and we’re going to continue building a system of care and meeting people where they are.", "But we’re not only looking after the individuals who we know are in greatest need in marginalized communities, with investments in the Black community, in Indigenous communities, in remote communities, in rural communities; we’re building mobile health units that are moving around the province, as well, to assist wherever we can in meeting people and giving them the supports they need, regardless of—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Thank you very much.", "The next question." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Natalie Pierre", "text": [ "My question is for the Minister of Long-Term Care. All seniors in Ontario deserve to be treated with dignity and to receive the quality of care they need. The previous Liberal government failed to invest in long-term-care facilities and services. This led to unnecessary hospitalizations and, in some cases, forced seniors to move to a long-term-care home outside their community. Now, the provincial Liberals are supporting a tax that is burdening existing long-term-care homes with higher costs of operation while making it more expensive to build new homes.", "Our government remains focused on helping seniors get the right care in the right place. We’re building more homes faster, and we won’t stop calling on the federal Liberals to scrap the punitive carbon tax. Can the minister please tell the House how our government is improving long-term care for seniors despite facing challenges from the Liberal carbon tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stan Cho", "text": [ "Thanks to the amazing member from Burlington. I’ve got to—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stan Cho", "text": [ "Thank you for all your hard work, yes.", "But, Speaker, I’ve got to say very honestly, I absolutely hate talking about the carbon tax, and I’ll tell you why—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stan Cho", "text": [ "You see, the Liberals over there groan, and we groan every time we talk about it, too, but we groan for different reasons. We groan because, as the member stated, this has made it very difficult to build long-term care in Ontario. They groan because they are sick of hearing of the carbon tax and refuse to do anything about it. In fact, Bonnie Crombie doubles down, stays silent when the federal Liberals triple this tax. What does that result in? Higher construction costs, higher operating costs for long-term care in this province.", "When will the Liberals finally do the right thing, stand up to Bonnie Crombie, stand up to Justin Trudeau and say, “Get rid of this tax. It’s costing our seniors in Ontario”?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Natalie Pierre", "text": [ "Thank you to the minister for the response. It’s shameful that for over a decade, the previous Liberal government neglected this sector. Now, rather than supporting the people of Ontario, they’re throwing their support behind a tax that makes life more unaffordable for Ontarians. As Premier Ford has warned since day one, the carbon tax is raising the cost of everything.", "At a time when families are already struggling to make ends meet, it’s unfair and unjust for the liberals to keep hiking the carbon tax, just like they did on April 1. Unlike the Liberals, our government will continue to speak up for Ontarians, continue to fight for our seniors and continue to deliver real affordability. Can the minister tell the House what our government is doing to combat the negative effects the carbon tax has on our long-term-care sector?", "1130" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stan Cho", "text": [ "Mr. Speaker, we’re doing a lot, and we were doing a lot before the pandemic hit. We were doing that after the carbon tax was tripled—and keeps going up. And what are we talking about? Well, in the latest budget, what did we do? We introduced another $155 million for a construction funding subsidy to offset those increased costs. But we also did more. We increased, to the highest level ever—$353 million, for a 6.6% increase to operational costs. Why, Speaker? Because long-term-care homes are paying more for everything: to transport food to the homes, to transport seniors, to transport food itself, to transport equipment itself. But we went further: a one-time, $202 million in funding, $2,543 per space, in every single one of these members’ ridings, to offset those increased costs, the pressures associated with the carbon tax. I wish we didn’t have to do that, because that could go to better outcomes for seniors.", "Stand with us. Stand with our seniors—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Stop the clock.", "I am standing, I’ll say to the minister, and I’ll ask the members again to make their comments through the Chair, not across the floor of the House like that.", "Start the clock. Next question." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "My question today is for the Minister of Health. Today, I’m asking for support for a constituent of mine, Noor Ayesha. Noor has a rare form of cancer, and her doctors have told her it can only be treated by a drug named Pemazyre. The drug is approved by Health Canada; Quebec and other provinces are close to funding the drug; and it is the standard of care in the United States, United Kingdom and China, yet not covered here.", "Noor’s family applied for funding under the CBCRP program but were denied. Having access to this treatment could mean more time for Noor to spend with her 18-month-old daughter.", "So my question for the minister: With Noor’s doctors and experts asking for approval, why are Noor and others with this rare cancer being denied access to this life-saving drug?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "I’m happy to look into the individual case. But I will say that Ontario has led Canadian provinces and territories. When Health Canada receives and gives approval for new drugs and new therapies, when it goes through the pCPA pricing process, and when there is an assessment on when the drugs are appropriately used in the population, Ontario actually leads Canada in getting it on the drug formulary and making sure that we have access here in Ontario." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I really appreciate your attention to this, and I know it means a lot to Noor and her family.", "Again to the Minister of Health: While some drugs save lives, there are others that have no place in our ORs. For example, desflurane, also known as des, is an anaesthetic gas that is being banned in jurisdictions across the world and in Canada because of its negative environmental impact and the availability of more cost-effective alternatives. Several hospitals in Ontario have banned this gas. Health Sciences North in Sudbury saved $250,000 last year, and Trillium Health in Mississauga saved $125,000 last year, all while slashing emissions.", "My question for the Minister of Health: Will you take an important step today, ban desflurane and save hospitals thousands of dollars, cut emissions while also ensuring good patient outcomes?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Sylvia Jones", "text": [ "I want to go back to the member’s original question and highlight some of the drugs that, actually, Ontario was the first to list—Trikafta, of course, for cystic fibrosis being the one that comes to mind immediately.", "The member opposite is inserting herself and her party into clinical decisions that should best be left to clinicians and to hospital leadership, and I will continue to let them lead." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "M. Guy Bourgouin", "text": [ "Ma question est pour le ministre des Soins de longue durée. Aux élections de 2022, vous avez dit que Kapuskasing recevrait 60 nouveaux lits de soins de longues durées pour 2025. Ils ne sont pas construits.", "J’ai parlé à Extendicare et je vous ai écrit deux lettres. Cette compagnie privée ne voit pas cette construction comme priorité et dit qu’elle ne va pas construire, malgré les subventions du gouvernement. On parle maintenant de deux ans d’attente pour des lits de soins de longue durée.", "Monsieur le Ministre, allez-vous construire les 68 lits de longue durée à Kapuskasing, tel que promis?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stan Cho", "text": [ "Thank you for the question from the member opposite. I have received your letters requesting an update on this project in Kapuskasing, because Kapuskasing—like everywhere else across this province—has a similar problem, and that problem is that we have a shortage of long-term-care spaces in Ontario. That has been a problem that’s been developing for a long time now.", "This government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, came along in 2018 and said we’re changing that: $10 billion, the biggest capital expansion ever into long-term care; 58,000 new and upgraded spaces; until this point, 18,200 homes built or with shovels in the ground—and more to follow.", "Now, the speaker asked about the 68 allocated to Kapuskasing. Our message to Extendicare is very clear: You have an allocation. We expect you to get shovels in the ground. We are here to help support that. As I said, we will be reaching out to the company as well to make sure that that is followed through on.", "But I appreciate that the member understands the similar problem that we face across this province. Seniors took care of us; it is our turn to take care of them. Let’s build these homes." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "M. Guy Bourgouin", "text": [ "Extendicare veut une extension. Ils veulent se retirer de leurs responsabilités.", "Votre gouvernement a promis 33 000 nouveaux lits de longue durée d’ici 2025.", "Monsieur le Ministre, allez-vous retirer le contrat à Extendicare et le donner à des partenaires qui ont la volonté de construire? Nos citoyens méritent mieux." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stan Cho", "text": [ "Great point by the member: If you’re holding an allocation out there, we expect you to build. Let’s make that very, very clear. And we have put supports out there to that end.", "What supports are we talking about, Speaker? In the latest budget passed by our fine finance minister just a few short months ago, there was $155 million for construction funding subsidy in those tough and expensive-to-build areas. But we went further, Speaker: 6.6% increase to level-of-care funding. That’s operational support for things like staffing, for food for residents. We went even further: $200-million one-time funding for deferred maintenance, for capital costs. All of these supports are meant to make it easier to get shovels in the ground.", "We understand the pandemic presented challenges. We understand the neglect by the Liberals presented challenges to long-term care. We are going to get over those hurdles, and my message to Extendicare once again is clear: Get shovels in the ground. Let’s get these built in Kapuskasing. In fact, let’s get this built all over our great province. We owe it to our seniors." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Aris Babikian", "text": [ "My question is for the Solicitor General. It is clear to everyone but the federal government and their provincial buddies that the Liberal carbon tax is hurting Ontario’s economy. As the Liberals impose one tax hike after another, it is costing more for a police cruiser, fire truck or an ambulance to fill up their tank.", "Speaker, individuals and families across Ontario rely on police and firefighters to keep their communities safe. It’s imperative our first responders have the resources they need to do their job. The carbon tax is impacting the very institutions that provide essential services for Ontarians. We need the federal Liberals to listen and remove this tax.", "Speaker, can the Solicitor General please tell the House how our government is ensuring Ontario’s safety by fighting against the carbon tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Michael S. Kerzner", "text": [ "I want to thank the member for the question and for the great work he’s doing in Scarborough–Agincourt.", "Mr. Speaker, last week I had the privilege of going down to Windsor and meeting with fire chief Stephen Laforet. I spoke with him on the amazing work he’s doing, and I want to congratulate the member from Windsor–Tecumseh for representing his community with a concern for public safety.", "It is absolutely undeniable: Bonnie Crombie, as mayor of Mississauga, saw the fire department bill for carbon tax as part of the fire department budget for Mississauga fire. And you know what? She approved it. She approved it with the line for carbon tax.", "She was wrong for Mississauga, she was wrong for not saying she knew what was going on with the bill for carbon tax and she’s wrong for Ontario.", "1140" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Supplementary question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Aris Babikian", "text": [ "Thank you to the Solicitor General for the response. The public safety of Ontarians is of paramount importance. That is why we are calling for the removal of a tax that only adds more obstacles for the front-line workers who keep our communities safe.", "But, Speaker, the same cannot be said for the NDP and the Liberal members in this Legislature. They continue to ignore the harmful effects the carbon tax has on our day-to-day lives. Unlike the opposition members, our government is standing firmly behind our first responders. We won’t stop fighting until this tax is abolished.", "Can the Solicitor General tell the House why the federal government must scrap the tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Michael S. Kerzner", "text": [ "It’s simple, Mr. Speaker: Every dollar to fuel a vehicle in public safety—and public safety is very important to this government; it’s important to Premier Ford morning, noon and night, and it’s a priority for this government.", "When you look at the numbers, 18 cents per litre for gasoline is just the carbon tax portion. If you look at the fact that an average SUV for public safety is 100 litres, you multiply it per year and it’s a minimum of $6,500.", "When I met with Chief Jason Bellaire, also last week in Windsor—a great police service that keeps Windsor safe—the chief told me that the bill for their fuel is almost $1 million. That means with the carbon tax portion, they could put another constable on the road to keep Windsor safe. Bonnie Crombie—", "Interjections." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Pursuant to standing order 36(a), the member for Kitchener Centre has given notice of their dissatisfaction with the answer to their question given by the Minister of Health regarding desflurane. This matter will be debated today following private members’ public business." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "Point of order." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Point of order. The Minister of Education." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "I do want to welcome Pat Daly, along with his beautiful family, who are with us: Carol, Michael, Kyle, Monica and Robyn.", "Pat has served for 39 years as a school board trustee, of which 31 years were as the chair of his school board and the last six as the president of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association. This man is a leader in Ontario.", "He is joined by the bishop of Hamilton, Bishop Crosby. I want to welcome you, and Lorena and Nick and Anne and your family. Thank you for your leadership for the people of Ontario." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member for Nickel Belt has a point of order." ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "Very quickly, I would just like to invite everybody to Diabetes Canada. They’re in 230 today and they would like to see as many of you as possible." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Point of order. The member for Toronto Centre." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam", "text": [ "I would like to invite all members of the House to join us at the ceremonial flagpole today at 12 o’clock for the raising of the Pride flag.", "I should also comment that there will be the provision of a celebratory lunch as well as a live performance from Singing Out, Canada’s largest 2SLGBT choir. They will be here with us today." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I’m pleased to welcome a former member who served in the 41st Parliament: Glenn Thibeault, member for Sudbury. Welcome back.", "There being no further business at this time—", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I’m going to say this once again: If a member has a point of order and wants to raise a point of order, I need them to say so." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Point of order. I recognize the member for Thunder Bay–Superior North." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "I just wanted to let members know that Disability Without Poverty also has a reception at noon today. So there are many places to visit over the noon hour today. I hope you can make it." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "The member for Mushkegowuk–James Bay, I believe, on a point of order." ] }, { "speaker": "M. Guy Bourgouin", "text": [ "Merci, monsieur le Président. Je vois en haut mon interne qui était ici, Kaitlin Gallant, qui va finir bientôt; mais aussi, mon assistante qui va nous laisser bientôt aussi et qui s’en va travailler ailleurs. Merci pour tous les services que tu m’as faits et tout l’ouvrage que tu as fait pour la législation. Encore, merci d’être ici." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 3 p.m.", "The House recessed from 1146 to 1500." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "We have some special guests with us in the House today from the municipality of Chatham-Kent; specifically, Dresden: Brian and Beth McCabe.", "Welcome to the Legislature. We’re delighted to have you here today." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Jamie West", "text": [ "I see that, over here, my friend Lisa has come to join us. I’d just like to welcome Lisa Arnott to Queen’s Park." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I say to the member for Sudbury, she’d let you do that, but she wouldn’t let me." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.", "First reading agreed to." ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Would the member for Guelph like to briefly explain his bill?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "This bill enacts the Affordable Electric Vehicles and Accessible Charging Act, 2024. The act requires the Minister of Transportation to establish an electric vehicle strategy that aims to increase the affordability of electric vehicles and the accessibility of charging stations.", "The bill also amends the Building Code Act to provide that no person shall construct a building for residential occupancy unless they ensure that charging stations for electric vehicles are installed in accordance with the building code." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong", "text": [ "I’m so eager to present this petition. I received it from Sally Palmer. She’s a professor at McMaster University, and she’s very passionate about OW and ODSP. With the cost of living, it’s so much more important, more than ever, for this petition.", "What it’s asking for is that they want the rates for Ontario Works, because they have been frozen since 2018, and their small increases in the Ontario Disability Support Program—it has really left recipients struggling well below the poverty line. So they’re advocating for doubling of the ODSP and the OW rates. That’s what they’re asking this government to do.", "I have a lot of signatures on this petition, and I want to thank Sally Palmer, the professor at McMaster University, for sending these through and making this a very important issue in this Legislature.", "I fully support this petition. I will sign it and give it to page Jasnoor to deliver to the table." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Ted Hsu", "text": [ "This petition comes from a small business person who lost his business during the pandemic because he paid his workers too much and can’t restart it because he’s working 24/7 to take care of his parents. He’s a family caregiver.", "This petition calls on the Ontario government to support 24/7 family caregivers, including through financial compensation, so that those who are caring for their loved ones can have some relief from financial distress and the resulting mental stress." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "I would like to thank Mrs. Clarke from Hanmer in my riding for these petitions. The petition is called “Improving Broadband in Northern Ontario.”", "As you know, Speaker, people, students, businesses rely on the Internet to go about our day, whether it’s for your business to conduct your business, for students to study, for people to communicate with their community.", "Unfortunately, the program that the government has put into place is a program that is 100% privately delivered. The government gives the private sector a lot of money to build infrastructure and run Internet. This does not work in many parts of northern Ontario, where there are no providers who want to set up shop. It doesn’t matter how much money the government wants to give them; they do not want to set up shop in northern Ontario because there is no money to be made. But the people of northern Ontario, we need Internet access, just like everybody else. We want it to be affordable and we want it to be high-speed. We want to be part of the connection that the Internet brings.", "So I fully support this petition. I think it’s very much needed, and I will ask my good page Myah to bring it to the Clerk." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "This is a petition that a number of people in my riding brought into my constituency office to support access to spinal care in Ontario.", "The petition raises significant concerns about the number of people waiting for complex spinal surgeries and also raises concerns around the compensation formula to access spinal care in Ontario.", "The petition is calling on the Legislative Assembly to address the increasing wait times and to make complex spinal surgeries available in a more timely manner. It also calls on us to improve access to surgery for complex spinal conditions and to immediately address the inefficiencies and inequities in the OHIP compensation process for complex spine cases, and to resolve it in a fair and timely manner.", "I support this petition and will ask the page to bring it to the table." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "This afternoon, I’m presenting, yet again, a petition entitled “To Raise Social Assistance Rates.”", "We know, as all of the people in Ontario are struggling to afford to put groceries on their table, the people that are living on OW and ODSP are struggling even more. They are living well below the poverty line. Those rates have been frozen in time, and it’s well beyond time that we address the kind of suffering that those people and families that rely on this income are struggling—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I’m sorry. I have to interrupt the member and remind all members that, under the new standing order, I would ask you to briefly summarize the petition; indicate, if you wish, the number of signatures on it; as well as indicating, if you wish, whether or not you support the petition. But we can’t have additional editorial comment because the standing orders prohibit it now.", "I’ll come back to the member for Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas to continue." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Thank you for that reminder, Speaker.", "This petition to raise social assistance rates has been signed by thousands and thousands of people across Ontario. We have been presenting them here. They’re the hard work of the Hamilton Social Work Action Committee and Dr. Sally Palmer.", "We think that these rates that have been frozen in time are unfair. People are struggling, living well below the poverty line, so I agree wholeheartedly that we need to address this injustice. We need to raise the rates and we need to help people that are struggling, including children living on social assistance and ODSP.", "1510", "Thank you very much. I’m going to give it to page Victoria to take to the table." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Adil Shamji", "text": [ "I’m pleased to present this petition on behalf of one of the caring parents in my riding who, regrettably, has become a victim of an apparent contradiction in some of the rules in our province.", "On the one hand, anyone is entitled to adequate time to unload themselves or passengers from a vehicle. But at the same time, if a vehicle is struck while the door is open by another vehicle, the parked vehicle with the open door is the one that is found to be at fault. This becomes deeply problematic for people who are unloading children from car seats in the back of their vehicle, and, indeed, this caring parent was a victim of that.", "So the following petition, supported and signed by over 4,000 people and which has received significant media coverage, calls for an amendment of the legislated fault determination rules in our province to ensure adequate protection for parents in parked vehicles as they buckle and unbuckle their children so that they are not inappropriately found at fault.", "I fully support this petition, am pleased to sign it and to hand it to Paige." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MPP Jamie West", "text": [ "This petition is entitled “Fight the Fees!” It talks about the increases of tuition since 1980, going up from 215% for undergrad and by 247% for domestic grad tuition. They also say that it takes almost 10 years to repay that debt after students graduate.", "They talk about international students, as well, where their average tuition is over $14,000, compared to just over $3,000 for domestic students and the need for student financial assistance. They also want to ensure that students have legislation to protect their rights to organize, and funding for student groups.", "The calls for action they have are: (1) free and accessible education for all; (2) grants, not loans; and (3) legislate students’ right to organize.", "I want to thank the students from Canadore College and Nipissing University who collected these.", "I support this petition. I’ll affix my signature and provide it with page Myah for the table." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I’d like to thank Sally Palmer and the group from McMaster University, and I think it would be fitting, today of all days, on Disability Without Poverty day, to read this petition. It’s a petition asking us to double OW and ODSP rates.", "During the COVID pandemic, CERB, basic income was found—the income to survive was $2,000 a month. People are living in legislated poverty, and it’s time we recognize this and double ODSP and OW rates and stop the clawbacks.", "I support this petition. I will sign it and hand it to page Grace." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "I would like to thank Louise Laplante from Hanmer in my riding for this petition. It is called “Blood and Plasma Donations Not for Sale.”", "Speaker, you will remember, in the 1980s, 30,000 Canadians got infected by HIV and hepatitis through blood products; 8,000 Canadians died. There was a Royal Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Krever, who made recommendations. His number 2 recommendation was to make sure that we never pay for blood and blood product donations.", "In Ontario, we passed the Voluntary Blood Donations Act that forbids the privatization of blood product collection and payment. But right now, Grifols has a contract and is opening up pay-for-plasma donations in Ontario, which will not only supposedly help with our supply, but they also sell Canadian plasma, Ontario plasma, back to the States. I think this goes completely against the Voluntary Blood Donations Act of Ontario, and so do the people who have signed the petition asking us to respect our own laws.", "I fully agree with this petition, and I ask my good page Sophia to bring it to the Clerk." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Ted Hsu", "text": [ "This is a petition that comes from high school students in my riding of Kingston and the Islands and asks the government of Ontario to provide mandatory standardized training for all employers and employees regarding anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in the workplace, as well as understanding Judaism and Islam." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MPP Jamie West", "text": [ "I’d also like to thank Sally Palmer for these petitions to raise social assistance rates. I know that she’s been sharing with all of our colleagues. Basically, in a nutshell, it talks about how OW for a single individual is $733 and the Ontario Disability Support Program would be, for a single individual, $1,308. When we compare that to CERB, for example, that supplement was $2,000 a month, which would be more than double what you would receive on OW. The call, really, is to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP to move these people out of poverty. I think that’s a wonderful idea.", "I support this petition, I’ll affix my signature and provide it page Jasnoor for the table." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "This is a petition signed by university and college students in the Waterloo region. It’s entitled “Stop Bill 166.” It’s discussing the drastic underfunding of colleges and universities and making a call to request funding for mental health supports and anti-hate supports. They also ask that the government bring back the Anti-Racism Act and re-establish the committees as a way of fighting the very hate that this bill intends to address. They want to also ask the government to stop the political interference in colleges and universities, believing that this is a pillar of our democracy.", "I support the “Stop Bill 166” petition. I will sign it and hand it over to page Tristan." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "J’aimerais remercier MmeJulie Boucher de Chelmsford dans mon comté pour ces pétitions : « Soutenez le système d’éducation francophone en Ontario. »", "Comme vous savez, monsieur le Président, les francophones de l’Ontario ont le droit constitutionnel à une éducation dans la langue française. La demande pour des écoles françaises continue d’augmenter et ça fait qu’on a besoin de près de 1 000 nouveaux enseignants et enseignantes à chaque année. Malheureusement, le système en Ontario n’en éduque que 500 par année.", "Il y a une étude qui a été faite et un rapport qui a été rendu au gouvernement pour aider avec ces défis. Donc, ils demandent au gouvernement de financer le rapport du groupe de travail sur la pénurie des enseignants et enseignantes dans le système d’éducation de langue française, et de travailler en partenariat avec eux pour résoudre le problème pour que tous les enfants francophones de la province aient accès à une éducation de langue française de qualité.", "J’appuie cette pétition. Je vais la signer, et je demande à Farhan de l’amener à l’amener à la table des greffiers." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Ted Hsu", "text": [ "This is, again, from high school students in the riding of Kingston and the Islands and asks the Legislative Assembly to modify section 11, subsection (1), of the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act to include hate crime prevention and response as a function of adequate and effective policing and to take other measures against hate crime in Ontario." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MPP Jamie West", "text": [ "This petition is entitled “Privatize Public Health: Keep Our Community” Public Health Ontario “Labs Open.” There were originally 9,000 signatures. I think this is the tail end that has been sent into me.", "Basically, the people who are signing this who are literally from across the province are concerned with the closure, or potential closure, of six of the 11 Public Health Ontario labs. They point out the inequities in northern Ontario and rural Ontario as well, and that the cost of water testing would be $150 if these labs were to close.", "As well, they point out the important work that Public Health Ontario labs do for medical testing, which helped us keep up with demand during outbreaks. They would like to prevent the public health labs in Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton, Peterborough, Kingston and Orillia—their asks are to stop the closure and to invest more in public health.", "I support these petitions. I will affix my signature and provide it to page Maya for the table.", "1520" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.", "Second reading agreed to." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "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." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "Thank you, Speaker. And I just want you to know that I will be sharing my time with the member from Humber River–Black Creek.", "I cannot tell you how happy the people of Nickel Belt were when the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act was announced. They actually promoted it. There was a clip on the local television to talk about it, and everybody thought, “Yes, finally, we will be able to get more homes.” Because, you see, Speaker, the demand for homes in my riding is really, really high.", "I was really proud, last Wednesday morning, to attend the grand opening of the Iamgold Côté Lake gold mine, which was just across the street from the community of Gogama in my riding. The Minister of Mines was there, and many dignitaries from all over. People from Japan, people from all over were there. There are over 1,800 workers who come and work at this mine and all of them are looking for housing. Right now, they sleep in bunkers. I don’t know if you’ve ever had the pleasure to sleep in bunkers; it’s not exactly desirable. But they go to Gogama, and they see that there are many, many beautiful homes that nobody lives in. I have pictures here. I’m aware that I’m not allowed to show you those pictures, but I can talk to you about some of those properties.", "There’s the home at 52 Conrad Crescent that has been there. It has a beautifully treed backyard. There is the home at 8 Low Avenue—a beautiful white home kind of up on a hill—that is available, that is empty. There’s the home at 56 Conrad Crescent, a nice little bungalow with huge parking. There’s about a dozen or so—one at 11 Low Avenue, a very nice home with a nice balcony. We have 34 McGowan Street. We have many, many empty houses.", "You know, Speaker, that those houses are empty because there used to be a huge Ministry of Natural Resources office in Gogama, so they had houses for their employees to live in. They also had lots of garages and lots of infrastructure for them to do their work. The ministry comes with big trucks and a place to fix them and all of this. And all of this sits empty and belongs to the province.", "In many parts of the north, we have no municipalities. We have what is called a local services board or a local road board, but they do not have the power of a municipality. So when a property such as a house sits empty—people don’t pay their taxes; it just sits there—then the property, if you were in a municipality, would go back to the municipality. But given that you’re in northern Ontario and we have no municipality, the property goes back to the province.", "In September 2020, I was really proud when we did the sod-turning ceremony for the Côté gold mine. The Premier was there, the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Northern Development and Mines—anyway, the names of the ministries have changed since, but there were, like, six or seven ministers from the Ford government who came to the sod-turning ceremony.", "Understand that this gold mine was being developed, that it would create hundreds and hundreds—really, thousands—of jobs to mine that gold that they had found at Côté Lake, that it was just across the street from Gogama, that there were lots of empty buildings that belonged to the provincial government in Gogama that people could buy. I made sure that I mentioned all of this to all of the ministers who were there, to make sure that they would quickly be up for sale. I guarantee you, if you put them up for sale today, they will be sold by the weekend. But nothing happened. So on January 6, 2021, I wrote a letter to Premier Doug Ford and to his chief of staff—that was Jamie Wallace at the time—to tell him:", "“I am writing to you about the economic potentials of Côté gold mine for my constituents and for the community of Gogama. Gogama is a beautiful, small, isolated northern community in my riding of Nickel Belt. It was once home to 1,200 residents.” There are now many empty homes, and I named the homes, and I gave them the pictures and explained to them how those homes became the property of the provincial government and asked him if he could quickly put those homes up for sale.", "This government says that they are for police, but not in northern Ontario. They closed the police forces, two of them, in my riding. The OPP does not have an office in Gogama anymore, so the police station is closed, and the homes where the police officers used to live just next to the police station are beautiful, beautiful homes with a stone fireplace and nice big trees—anyway, beautiful homes. They also sit empty since the Ford government closed the OPP station in that community. I explained all of that to the minister and said, “People need homes. Please put those homes up for sale.”", "That was on January 6, 2021. But I also—on January 7; it took me one more day—wrote to the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, basically telling her more or less the same thing. I also wrote to the Minister of Finance, because apparently, when the houses are first repossessed, they could belong to the Ministry of Finance. But people didn’t know for sure, so I also wrote to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. I also wrote to the Minister of Infrastructure, because I figured those are infrastructure and it will be the Minister of Infrastructure who will eventually put those houses up for sale. I wanted to make sure that everybody knew.", "The grand opening was in September 2020. I wrote to all of those people in 2021, and it took a year and a half before I got an answer back. The answer back came to say, “Estimated timeline is a minimum of 12 to 24 months, due to the complication with resolving” the issue of who owns what property.", "1530", "So I had written in January 2021. They’re telling me it’s going take 12 to 24 months, so 12 months later, I wrote back to all of those good people and heard nothing. Twenty-four months later, I wrote back to all of those ministers and said, “Are those homes going to be up for sale?” And on August 11, 2023—so you’re talking three years after the sod-turning, two and half years after I had written to everybody, followed up 12 months later, followed up again 24 months later—I got a letter from the Ministry of Infrastructure, signed by the Minister of Infrastructure, telling me that the “Estimated timeline is a minimum 12 to 24 months” to put those homes up for sale. We are now in June 2024 and none of those homes have been put up for sale.", "How much red tape exists in government? It is so hard to understand. The government owns those properties. Some of those properties, like the property that the Minister of Natural Resources used to use, have not been used for 11 years. The OPP station has been closed for four years. The rest of the homes that people have abandoned, they were abandoned in, I would say, early 2012. They’ve all been empty for 12 years.", "Don’t get me wrong, the government pays to maintain them. They pay people to come and cut the grass and trim the trees. They pay people to come and shovel the driveways. They pay people to make sure that the home, the water pipes and all this are taken care of.", "The government knows that they own these properties, they pay to maintain them, and yet, after writing to all of those people, after there are 1,800 people across the street that are looking for a home, there is too much red tape to put those homes up for sale.", "We’re not talking million-dollar homes here. In my riding, most of those homes would go for, I don’t know, $250,000. How could it be that they can make decisions about billion-dollar greenbelt homes in three weeks’ time, and they cannot make a decision to put 12 homes that they own, that they maintain in Gogama, up for sale in four years? If that’s not red tape, I don’t know what to call this—that they don’t care about northern Ontario? I think they do.", "I was at the grand opening of the gold mine. I got to try to lift the first gold nugget that came out of the mine. Did you know, Speaker, that a gold nugget about that big—I couldn’t even lift it. It is very heavy. I was pretending that I was going to lift it and put it in my pocket—you know, gold. I couldn’t even lift it. I had to ask the member from Sudbury to come and help me lift it so I could take a picture pretending.", "Anyway, that being said, the Minister of Mines was there; he gave a beautiful speech. He knows about this situation. Anybody I talk to on the other side knows that those homes should be put up for sale, and yet, four years later—I stopped counting the number of letters that I have written, but we are over 30 letters that I have written about this, pictures that I have sent. How many times have I spoken about this in the House, and yet nothing has been done?", "So my view of the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act is that people have to realize that the province is not only southern Ontario. Northern Ontario is beautiful. Northern Ontario is part of Ontario. When you put a piece of legislation forward that talks to something that is really, really pertinent to northern Ontario, you have to make sure that we are included in this.", "But I would say the present legislation, Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, the way it is written right now, it’s not going to help northern Ontario. We face housing issues the same way that everybody else does. As I said, when you open up a new mine, when 1,800 new workers move to a new mine, they move their family. They need a place to stay. They need a place for their spouses and their kids to go to school, and all of this is available right there, belongs to the provincial government, and I cannot get them to put it up for sale. All I get is more or less the very same letter that was sent to me in 2021, 2022 and 2023, but there has been a change of minister—I mean, it’s still the Minister of Infrastructure. There’s a new Minister of Infrastructure on the different answers that I get, but it is the same answer—copy and paste from one year to the next. How could it be, Speaker? Those people matter.", "They fully agree that mining is important to northern Ontario. Well, mining means that when you open up a new mine—were there a lot of people at Côté Lake before? No. There were five camps, one of them in pretty poor shape. There were a few people with trailers around Côté Lake. That was it; that was all. Now it is a fantastic facility. You wouldn’t believe it.", "There are trucks that are—how can I explain? Bigger than—oh, I don’t know how many feet up, but they are huge, huge, huge trucks that you have never seen. I got a picture of myself beside the tire. I’m not even 25% of the size of the tire, never mind the truck. All of those are self-driving. They go 50 kilometres an hour down to the drilling. The drilling, again, is directed off-line. There are no workers there. Everything is done remotely. It is a fantastic gold mine.", "They still need workers. Workers still need a place to live. Don’t get me wrong; many of them live in Timmins, many of them live in Sudbury and travel, but many of them come from Gogama, come from Mattagami First Nation, from Biscotasing, Westree, Shining Tree, areas around there. They want to be able to rent those homes. They want to be able to buy those homes, and the government has so much red tape that they cannot put them up for sale.", "I know that I was sharing my time with my good colleague, and I’m sorry I took too much of my time, but I’ll sit down now." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "I recognize the member for Humber River–Black Creek." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Tom Rakocevic", "text": [ "I thank my friend and colleague for her speech. Of course, there’s not a lot of time left to say—but any kind of legislation we have here to talk about housing has to include tenants, because the reality is, this government shows little to no interest at all. They talk about—they brag, in fact, saying that they’re leading in terms of rental housing starts, but I think it’s really patently obvious why that would even happen. It has nothing to do with them; it’s more of a chicken or an egg thing, because if the average cost of rent is $2,500, $3,000 a month, all of a sudden, a landlord can make tons and tons of money doing that, building more rental units that nobody can afford. The relief addressed by supply and demand might be a correction in five, 10, 15, 20 years, but it doesn’t bring relief to tenants who are being evicted right now in this affordability crisis.", "On the subject of the affordability crisis, this government is not interested whatsoever in that. I’ll tell you what they’re interested in: beer. They’re interested in beer. I couldn’t get my head around it, why the common theme in the last six years—every once in a while, we would be debating beer. First, it was tailgate parties at football games. It was a buck-a-beer that never happened.", "I’ll give an example of where I think it really comes from, because if you can’t fix a person’s problems—and this government really can’t; in fact, they’re making problems worse every day with legislation they continue to introduce here—what can you do? Well, I can think of something: Get them drunk. Get everyone drunk. We’ll put them to sleep with a good glass of wine on a hot Sunday afternoon. You might want to go to sleep after that.", "1540", "So how do we get people drinking? Well, imagine going to the grocery stores. You’re trying to purchase things. You’re like, “Oh, my God, look at the price of this. I can’t afford this. I can’t afford that. Oh, look, there’s beer here. That’s new. Oh, my God—a bottle of wine. You know what? I’ll just take this home and have a drink.” And guess what? Forgot about the problem of groceries. But it’s not enough, because people start to wake up and they say, “Oh, my God, it’s really—it’s unaffordable.” What do we do? Well, let’s bring beer a little closer. Let’s put it in the convenience stores, and you know, we’ve got lots of convenience stores around the province. So now you’re going in there to do what you needed to do, because you couldn’t make it to the grocery store. Guess what? There’s beer there.", "What’s it going to cost the taxpayers? A billion dollars, a year early? I mean, this contract is ending anyway. What’s the rush to take $1 billion of taxpayers’ money to put beer in corner stores? How is this a priority for this government?", "The final thing I have in the last minute is this carbon tax. Do you know what? I finally heard a minister get up today. Do you know he said? “I’m sick of talking about the carbon tax.” Hi. I mean, half of every question period is about the carbon tax. You want to get them to talk about other federal issues, like, I don’t know, talk to auto manufacturers about making cars harder to steal. “No, we can’t talk about that.” But 30 minutes every morning about the carbon tax. Do one question, man—one question. We get it. Everyone gets it. The penguins in the Antarctic get it. Martians get it. We get it. You can’t change it. Talk about something else. You say you’re proud of doing things to change the province of Ontario, but all you want to do is talk about the same thing.", "I’m commiserating with you. I know it’s hard. It was really good to hear the minister say that. I wanted to give him a hug after, because I know it’s not easy to meet your hundred-times-a-day quota. But, look, you have more to offer. I know you do. You’ve got fabulous members over there. I want to hear about something else, okay?", "Thank you very much, Speaker. Have a wonderful afternoon, everybody." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "We’re going to go to questions." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Saunderson", "text": [ "I want to thank the member opposite for his comments, but I do want to pick up on the grocery shopping and the LCBO. As you know, the Liberal government 10 years ago signed an agreement that has been costing this province over $500 million annually. We’re moving proactively to transition, and we anticipate the point of sales will increase government revenues by about $300 million. We’ll create 7,500 new jobs. So, why not move forward with it now? That’s my question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Tom Rakocevic", "text": [ "I appreciate it. It wasn’t a question about the carbon tax; thank you.", "So the solution is: Instead of paying $500 million, you’re going to pay $1 billion to cancel the contract. Again, you know what? When I go and purchase a bottle of wine or a bottle of beer, I go to the LCBO public workers. And the money goes back into government coffers directly. It doesn’t go indirectly. It goes directly there to pay for things like health care, reconstructing roads and other things like that.", "But there is an absolute religion on this side to privatize everything and at any cost. So I understand how it goes in line with their brand and their ideology, but we are spending $1 billion when we have record deficits and massive priorities that we need to be spending on countless other things But no, let’s put beers in corner stores and spend a billion bucks to do it. Come on." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Next question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Thank you to the member from Nickel Belt and the member from Humber River–Black Creek for their debate this afternoon. In Hamilton, we have close to 1,900 people who are homeless. Visible homeless is in the hundreds. We can drive through our city at any time, and there are encampments of tents everywhere.", "We have lost 16,000 low-income rentals that were under the $750 mark. We are currently losing. For every one house we build, we are losing four to the private rental market. This is an absolute crisis. With numbers continuing to decline in the rental market, there’s no hope in sight for so many people who cannot afford to pay the rent.", "Do you see anything in this bill that will provide relief and a remedy to the absolute crisis that we’re seeing in our communities?" ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "The direct answer to your question is: no. There is nothing in this bill that will protect anybody from illegal evictions. There is nothing in this bill that will make it more affordable to rent a place. There is nothing in this bill to help renters.", "The situation you describe is very similar to the situation in my community, where there will be encampments this summer—everywhere.", "The number of people facing homelessness is increasing. Many of them have mental health and addictions issues. The number one step to be able to help them is to be able to house them. All of this is becoming out of reach. It is a crisis. It should be recognized as a crisis, but it is not even mentioned in that bill." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Next question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Riddell", "text": [ "I was so impressed with the member from Humber River–Black Creek that—he was talking about the carbon tax. We do talk about the carbon tax a lot in this House because it’s so important to the people of not only Ontario but Canada.", "I would just like to ask the member what his opinion of the carbon tax is. Maybe—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "To respond, the member for Humber River–Black Creek." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Tom Rakocevic", "text": [ "I want to thank the member for the question. I love talking about the carbon tax. In fact, we have voted against the carbon tax and many factors. I’ve been in the chamber actually voting against it in many ways.", "I want to talk about something. Let’s pretend this is question period in the morning and I’m in the government. Do you know who likes Justin Trudeau more than the federal Liberals themselves—because I don’t think they like him very much right now; I think they’re having a little bit of buyers’ remorse. It’s this government. Can you imagine if Justin Trudeau wasn’t there—that they could just focus all the venom and hatred in that one direction and jump on any train to lead there? What would they talk about, honestly? We’re sitting here, in the most cynical moments ever of this government, constantly talking about this. I want you all to go home, if you have a faith that you follow, and say a moment of prayer to him and just thank him that he’s there in Ottawa so you can direct all your venom towards—because do you know what? In the last couple of years, you guys were working really well together, I can tell you that." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Next question." ] }, { "speaker": "M. Guy Bourgouin", "text": [ "Ma question est pour ma collègue de Nickel Belt. J’ai écouté vos paroles, puis moi aussi, quand j’ai vu le projet de loi 185 de réduire le « red tape », j’étais encouragé, mais disons que ça n’a pas duré longtemps. On a commencé à regarder le projet de loi, puis on réalise que ça ne répondra pas aux besoins du nord de l’Ontario.", "Moi, j’ai des communautés—j’en ai parlé souvent, que 65 %, 70 % de la communauté de Hearst, ils n’ont pas de médecin de famille. Mais même si on en trouve un, je ne sais même pas si on est pas capable de lui trouver un logement ou une maison. Ça n’existe pas. On a une pénurie. Mais aussi, on a une pénurie pour des domiciles abordables, des domiciles subventionnés et des domiciles avec de l’aide.", "Montrez-moi dans ce projet de loi où ça va répondre aux besoins des communautés du Nord pour répondre aux besoins qu’on a dans nos communautés." ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "Je ne donne pas de faux espoirs à personne. Il n’y a rien dans ce projet de loi qui va aider les petites communautés du Nord qui font face à une pénurie de logements. Tu peux nommer n’importe quelle petite communauté du Nord. Nous, aussi, on a des problèmes de logement. Nous, aussi, on a des familles entières qui ne savent pas où ils vont demeurer, et ça, ça a un impact sur toutes—toutes—les communautés.", "Je parlais d’une mine qui vient d’ouvrir. Comment tu fais pour attirer des travailleurs? Les travailleurs viennent. Ils sont intéressés dans l’emploi. Ils savent comment faire ça. Mais ils ont un conjoint, une conjointe; ils ont des enfants. Ils ont des besoins, et il n’y a pas de logements.", "Il n’y a rien dans le projet de loi qui a été présenté qui va aider les petites communautés du Nord à faire face à la pénurie de logements à laquelle on fait face en ce moment." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Next question.", "1550" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Matthew Rae", "text": [ "My question is for the member from Humber River–Black Creek. I know we heard often at committee from a variety of stakeholders, and we heard from the Ontario home builders and the greater Ottawa home builders. They said the number one concern they had was increasing costs, was the high interest rates of the federal Liberal government and also the high cost of the carbon tax increasing the cost of building materials and homes.", "I know the member has said he has voted against it in this place, and I appreciate he is willing to vote against the carbon tax. But will he call his federal NDP colleagues, who are supporting Justin Trudeau, and ask him to scrap this tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Tom Rakocevic", "text": [ "To the member: Listen, when you go home tonight, just take a moment for Justin Trudeau and just thank that he’s there so that you can talk about him and his carbon tax. Please do that. Take a moment to do that.", "And I want the member, after he leaves, to go back and say to his team, “Guys, you know what? We’re doing stuff here, okay? We’re actually doing some stuff”—I’m not going to say it’s great. “We’re doing other things. Can we just ask one carbon tax question in the morning so that we could talk about something else?” Because all we hear about from this government, by and large, is just beer and carbon tax. And then, when it’s not about the carbon tax, it’s beer, and then it’s more carbon tax on top of it.", "Please. There are probably millions of people watching the legislative network. We know that, right? And they’re getting tired of hearing the same things. It’s almost as if the government of Ontario is doing nothing but complaining about carbon tax—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Thank you. We don’t have time for another back-and-forth question and answer, unfortunately.", "We’re going to move to further debate." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak about Bill 185. It has a pretty serious impact on my region, the region of Waterloo. I’m grateful to see the member for Cambridge and the member for Kitchener South–Hespeler here.", "We, as a region, rely solely on groundwater. We are not attached to a lake. We rely solely on groundwater. If we run out of groundwater, it will cost $2 billion at today’s estimates to build a pipeline to a lake to get more groundwater. So, by removing regional planning, we remove hydrogeologists from looking over our approvals. We remove the view of the watershed when we think about the land used for development. For example, recently, with the expanded boundaries put forward by lower-tier municipalities, we will now pave over the water recharge area. What that means is, this type of land is full of gravel and it helps our water from the sky replenish our groundwater to ensure that we have water for the generations to come. What I worry about is that that water will be scarce as we pave over the water recharge area and we create sprawl development, and we don’t have this level of oversight by the region to ensure that we have sustainable water resources going forward.", "Also, our regional official plan: The region of Waterloo put a lot of time and energy into creating a plan that protected our countryside line, that recognized the Waterloo moraine and environmentally sensitive areas. Now, with that regional planning gone, we will jeopardize the protection of our farm economy, as well as our environmentally sensitive spaces that sequester carbon, that filter water and are important for our biodiversity.", "I truly believe that this focus on sprawl development will actually hinder housing. If you ask any construction worker—I talked to a friend of mine this weekend and he said, “We are already building at 110%. We can’t double what we’re doing right now. We are maxing out our capacity.” We know there is a lack of labour, that we face labour shortages, and we also know that we face supply shortages. We have a construction price index problem, so our inflation rates have gone down, but our construction inflation has not, which needs addressing.", "Sprawl development, we also know, is two and a half times more expensive for municipalities to service than density, and so we look to see more double-digit property tax increases going forward because of this focus on sprawl development. And we know that tall-and-sprawl only benefits a small group of developers, rather than the missing middle development that opens up the possibility of construction of more units to many more people, which is why we believe in ending exclusionary zoning.", "In the region of Waterloo alone, in greenfield developments, we have over 38,000 units that have been approved that have not been built. We know that focusing on greenfield development will not get us further to our housing targets.", "Our farming sector, the OFA in my area, has asked and written and sent emails. Our experts in the farming sector in my region have asked us today to not pass Bill 185. They know that we are losing 319 acres of farmland every day and that we can’t eat money. The price, because of speculation, because of this government’s focus on sprawl development and zones going out and then in and out and then in have not only delayed housing development in the region of Waterloo by two years—our regional official plan came out in the summer two years ago—because of flip-flops, all of that housing has been put on hold.", "In addition to that, we know that farmers are struggling to buy land because now we know that—I could name about five developers who are buying up farmland only to sit on it. This leads to a lack of development. They are not going to put barns. They’re not going to invest money into the soil, because they’re renting it from developers who are sitting on it, waiting for the prices to go up, waiting for the right moment to flip it or sell it or turn it into something else.", "So I beg that this government focus on density, focus on all kinds of housing, not just sprawl, because this will lead to better transit access. It will lead to more affordable housing, and it’s a better, more efficient way to use the scarce resources we have to put more units on the market. Instead of building big mansions, we can build multi-plexes, and that will service a lot more people in the province of Ontario.", "I hope you will not support Bill 185, because I want to see water and food for my kids going forward." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "We’re going to go to questions for the member." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I’m delighted to respond to the remarks from the member opposite. I know she comes from a great career in municipal politics. Certainly, I have beloved memories of my own time. So I know municipalities like to decide or are the ones to decide where buildings should or should not go. But as you’ll likely know, and likely experienced this, as I did, the permissions process takes a long, long time with the advent of public consultation. Our government does, through Bill 185, want to speed up the process, especially for important projects such as housing, but also for schools. So we’re looking at ways to adopt projects faster to help communities grow.", "My question to the member opposite is whether you still see the value in speeding up approvals to help with housing, help with schools, help with university residences for your riding. I just wanted to get your perspective." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I think my recommendation going forward to be—I know that there has been some consultation now as opposed to Bill 23, which didn’t get consultation from municipalities. When I joined council after Bill 23, it caused utter chaos. Our planning departments in the municipalities are experiencing utter, utter chaos because of the constant regulatory changes that are coming from this government. It’s affecting our staffing levels; it’s affecting morale; it’s affecting workloads.", "So, yes, I agree with speeding up the process, but I think we really need to be keyed into the labour issues we’re facing in our planning departments. One way we could speed up approvals is ending exclusionary zoning. To be honest, we wouldn’t have to bring these small and medium-sized builds even to council at all if we got rid of exclusionary zoning. When we’re building a subdivision, let’s just allow schools to be built. Instead of—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Thank you. We’ll have to go for a next question." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Thank you very much to the member from Kitchener Centre. Really, this all begs the question: Who’s in charge of planning in this province? Because we know it’s not the planning departments of municipalities across the province, it’s most likely developers that are leading planning. It’s most likely the OLT that’s going to make the decision on planning. It’s not going to be the people who live in communities, who have no say now because they do not have any longer a third-party right to appeal any decisions that are made on land that could be theirs, in fact.", "So my question to you is, do you think that the chaos you’re talking about is simply a function of the fact that this government has taken planning out of the hands of expert planners and put it into the hands of speculators, land speculators and developers and their OLT that they are stacking with their friends and—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Thank you.", "Back to the member for Kitchener Centre for the response.", "1600" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I think you make good decisions when you base it on data. What I would like to say is that I don’t think it’s all developers, because we had a lot of delegations in one of the earlier bills and they support density. This was an Ottawa home builder; our member over there would get to know these home builders. It’s not all home builders that support this bill.", "I think if we really want to get home building done, we need to talk to all developers and all home builders, and leaving out stakeholder groups like environmentalists is nearsighted. I worry about some of the sensitive areas and if we don’t have expertise from biologists, hydrogeologists etc. and we don’t even allow them to speak, I think we will go very far in doing harm by not including many perspectives on what good planning actually means." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "We have time for another quick question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "I appreciate the member from Kitchener Centre’s eloquent defence of her region and the financial and environmental cost of low-density sprawl development. I’m wondering if the member can tell us what are the financial and environmental benefits of intensification through gentle density and missing middle housing." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I think we know that we need to move away from car dependency. We hear all the time how much gas costs, so why are we building homes so far away from where people live, where people’s families are, when we could be building it close to transit?", "We know we have a scarcity of building supplies. If you talk to anyone, cement is the number one most expensive thing that we can use right now. So these gentle density houses in the middle of town, we can use wood and sustainable resources and reduce our cement dependence." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "We’re going to move to further debate." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Andrea Khanjin", "text": [ "I move the question now be put." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Ms. Khanjin has moved that the question be now put. I’m satisfied that there’s been sufficient debate to allow this question to be put to the House as there’s been over six hours of debate and 18 members have participated. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.", "All those in favour of the motion that the question be now put, please say “aye.”", "All those opposed, please say “nay.”", "In my opinion, the ayes have it.", "A recorded vote being required, it will be deferred to the next instance of deferred votes.", "Vote deferred." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Orders of the day?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Jill Dunlop", "text": [ "Point of order: If you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to see the clock at 6." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Do we have unanimous consent to see the clock at 6? Agreed." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Pursuant to standing order 100, Ms. Gélinas has 12 minutes for her presentation." ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "The bill is quite simple. It gives the number of patients that a nurse can be responsible for for one shift. To give you an example, if a patient is in intensive care on a ventilator, the law would say you need one nurse to one patient. On the flipside, if patients are admitted to the rehab unit on a nightshift, then you would have one nurse to seven patients, and there is a list that is given for people in ICUs, specialist care, in-patient, palliative care, rehab etc. that are listed in the bill.", "I brought this bill forward because our health care system is in crisis. From Chesley to Wingham, from Marathon to Hawkesbury, from Red Lake to Carleton Place, we have seen over 1,000 emergency room closures in our province. Ontario has never, never seen that before.", "If you look at the reason behind the closure of emergency rooms, the closure of important hospital services in different hospitals, up to permanent closures of hospitals, the number one reason why this is happening is always a lack of staff, and the number one reason why we have nursing shortages is burnout. Our nurses are burnt out.", "I want to quote quite a few nurses. The nurses are watching right now. They know that I’m bringing this bill forward, and many of them are hoping that things will change, so they sent me quotes.", "First: “I believe a legislated ratio is the single most important factor that would improve my own willingness to remain at bedside and within the nursing profession.”", "Another quote: “I left a direct-care role in the hospital due to poor patient-to-nurse ratios and constant understaffing. Many times I felt unsafe and overwhelmed due to the short-staffing and increased patient needs.”", "Third quote: “Higher wages would attract more nurses and better ratios would stop burnout and address nurses leaving the profession.”", "Another quote: “I think wages and better staffing ratios would keep RPNs in Ontario.”", "Another quote: “We should be implementing standard ratios. Education has them. Why not health care?”", "Another quote: “I left direct patient care due to increase in violence ... and increased patient ratios.”", "Another quote: “It’s increasingly difficult to provide quality care for patients when your patient ratio keeps growing.”", "Another nurse: “We’re still working in unsafe nurse-patient ratios so often. Our workplace environment impacts the care that the people in the province receive.”", "Another nurse: “It’s disappointing, stressful and exhausting. Nurses deserve better than what we have been provided for staffing and for patient ratios currently.”", "I could go on, but I know I only have 12 minutes.", "I would like to quote from WeRPN. They did a review called The State of Nursing in Ontario. They found out that nearly 48% of their members intend or are considering leaving the profession. When they asked what would sway them to remain, 72% of them said better nurse-to-patient ratios.", "It’s not only nurses and RPNs; nurse practitioners also are watching this bill. They said, “The introduction of improved patient-to-nurse ratios is an important step towards addressing the deepening crisis in our health care system, acknowledging the overwhelming evidence seen first-hand by nurse practitioners in the field. Simply put, proper nurse-to-patient ratios improve patient outcomes and reduce nurses’ burnout.” I fully agree with them. Research is showing us that between 34% and 54% of nursing personnel are showing signs of burnout. The number one reason? Workload.", "I was able to identify thousands of peer-reviewed publications dealing with the nursing ratios and how they can help address the burnout in our nurses. You do not have to take my word for it, Speaker. Go on your phone. Any of you, go on your phone right now and google articles dealing with nursing ratios in peer-reviewed medical journals, and you will see over 3,000 articles will come up. Let me quote from a few of those.", "The National Academy of Medicine—this is a USA journal—looked at nurses’ well-being and found that 54% of nurses exhibited substantial burnout symptoms. The report from the National Academy of Medicine cites higher nurse-to-patient ratios as a factor associated with nursing burnout.", "1610", "I then looked at some of the reports from Australia. Why not? They published this: Effects of Nurse-to-Patient Ratio Legislation on Nurse Staffing and Patient Mortality, Readmissions, and Length of Stay. Just so you know, Speaker, in 2016, Queensland, which is in Australia, implemented minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in their hospitals. After a few years, they did a study. They looked at 231,902 patients and found that the ratio that they had implemented—in addition to producing better outcomes, the costs avoided due to fewer readmissions and shortened lengths of stay were more than twice the costs of the additional nurse staffing.", "The hospitals in Queensland implemented the very same ratios that I have in my bill. In 2016, they did a study. They reviewed 231,000 patients, which was basically every patient who came through, and found that they produced better outcomes, fewer readmissions and shorter lengths of stay—length of stay is how long you stay in the hospital—and it cost them half as much as the cost of having those extra nurses. “Minimum nurse-to-patient ratio policies are a feasible approach to improve nurse staffing and patient outcomes with good return on investment.”", "I also looked at The Lancet. How can you look at health care and not look at The Lancet? They have been there since 1832. It is a leading journal in the medical field. They have a landmark study showing that a patient’s risk of dying after surgery varied by the number of patients for whom each nurse had responsibility. They looked at over a million patients in nine European countries. They found that each additional patient added to a nurse’s average workload was associated with 7% higher odds of the patient dying. The evidence showed that better hospital nurse staffing is associated with better patient outcomes, including fewer hospital-acquired infections, shorter lengths of stay, fewer readmissions, higher patient satisfaction and lower nurse burnout. That comes from The Lancet.", "Another study, this one for the International Council of Nurses, representing national nursing associations worldwide, “issued their position statement on evidence-based nurse staffing, concluding that plenty of evidence supports taking action now to improve hospital nurse staffing, echoing Nightingale’s”—you all remember Nightingale, one of the first nurses—“call to action over 150 years ago, that if we have evidence and fail to act, we are going backwards.”", "Two minutes left; I still have many, many reviews, some of them from the US, where they have staffing ratios. I want to name that Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas and Washington have staffing committees. They publicly report in Illinois, in New Jersey, in Rhode Island, in Vermont. Staffing ratios are not new to the States, not new to Australia, not new to the UK.", "I have a study here from India, who also implemented staffing ratios, and I want to quickly read their conclusion: “Considering Indian resources”—that’s from India—“best international norms and Indian research evidence, we recommend following nurse-to-patient ratio in each shift for Indian hospitals.”", "Same thing with the British journal that’s in the UK—but I won’t have time to share that.", "The European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing says the same thing: If you want to recruit and retain a healthy workforce, the easiest way to do that is to implement nursing ratios.", "Anybody who follows health care will know that the NDP in British Columbia is in the process of implementing staffing ratios in the hospital. So yes, I was partly inspired by our colleagues in British Columbia, but also by the hundreds of thousands of nurses here in Ontario who are burnt out, who are on sick leave, who are on long-term disability because they cannot cope with their workload anymore.", "The body of evidence is there. It’s a win-win. It is safer for patient outcomes, number of deaths, number of long-term stays. It is better for nurses if you look at the overburden and the burnout of nurses and it is better for hospital budgets. They will actually save money. So it’s a win-win-win: hospitals supported, our nurses supported.", "It is time that Ontario takes a serious look at putting in place nursing ratios. It exists throughout the world. There are over 3,000 peer-reviewed papers that looked at the effect of nursing ratios. They all say the same thing: better for patients, better for nurses, better for hospital budgets. I hope people will see fit to support this bill." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Further debate." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "In hospitals, primary care, public health, home care, long-term care, hospices and in the community, nurses provide the people of Ontario with exceptional care and support when they need it most. Our government recognizes how important nurses are to communities in every corner of this province. We sincerely appreciate their tremendous dedication to patients and families and their integral contributions to our health care system. And under the leadership of Premier Ford and Minister Jones, our government is taking bold action and making innovative changes to grow and support the nursing workforce, now and into the future.", "The year 2023 was another record year, adding 17,000 more nurses registered and ready to work in the province, as well as 2,400 new physicians and thousands of personal support workers. Since 2018, nearly 80,000 nurses and more than 12,500 doctors have joined our health care system and another 30,000 nursing students are currently studying at Ontario’s colleges and universities, providing a pipeline of talented health care workers for the future. Our government continues to build on this progress and our actions taken to date.", "We are implementing a broad range of initiatives and are making significant investments to ensure Ontario maintains a high-quality nursing workforce. With an investment totalling more than $225 million over four years, our government is expanding nursing education in universities and colleges by increasing enrolment by 2,000 registered nurse, 1,000 registered practical nurse and 150 nurse practitioner seats. With these investments, thousands of additional nurses will join the health care workforce in the years ahead, and this is in addition to our government launching the largest medical school expansion in over 15 years.", "In our 2024 budget, Building a Better Ontario, our government invested $743 million over three years to further address immediate health care staffing needs and grow the health care workforce. This is the same budget that the NDP and Liberals voted against.", "By making the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership program permanent, up to 1,500 internationally educated nurses each year will become accredited nurses in Ontario. More than 4,200 nurses have participated in this program since its inception in 2022 and over 3,300 internationally trained nurses are already fully registered and practising in Ontario.", "Our government has broken down a number of barriers for internationally educated health care professionals, including nurses, to make the process to begin working in Ontario faster and easier. Regulatory changes are allowing internationally educated nurses to register in a temporary class, to begin working sooner while they work towards full registration, and our as-of-right rules allow nurses and other health care workers from other provinces to start working as soon as they arrive in Ontario, without having to first register with a regulatory college. We reduced redundant language proficiency testing as well and are providing financial support to temporarily cover the costs of examination, application and registration fees for internationally educated and retired nurses.", "Health regulatory colleges are now required to comply with time limits to make registration decisions, while, in some instances, are prohibited from requiring Canadian work experience for the purpose of registration.", "1620", "We are also helping to recruit and retain health care workers in smaller, remote and rural communities like my own, through our expanded Learn and Stay grant, where up to 3,700 eligible post-secondary students enrolled in priority health care programs such as nursing are provided with upfront financial support to cover educational costs in exchange for a commitment to work in the region where they studied for a term of service.", "Through the Community Commitment Program for Nurses, over 4,000 nurses hired in 2022-23 and 2023-24 will receive incentives of up to $25,000 in exchange for a two-year commitment to work in a hospital, long-term-care home, home and community care agency, primary care service provider, or mental health service provider in a high-need area of Ontario.", "The Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing, which is jointly offered by the Ministry of Health and the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario, provides tuition support to registered practical nurses and personal support workers to pursue further education to become registered nurses and registered practical nurses, respectively, in exchange for working in home and community care, acute care or primary care.", "Our government also continues to create new pathways to connect more people to high-quality care across the province, including the Clinical Scholar Program, which pairs an experienced front-line nurse as a dedicated mentor with newly graduated nurses, internationally educated nurses, and nurses wanting to upskill. Over 100 hospitals are participating in the Clinical Scholar Program since its launch last year, and 435 experienced front-line nurses have provided more than 17,000 mentorship touch points to new graduate, internationally educated or upskilling nurses. This is another way we’re recruiting and retaining nurses and ensuring that they have the support they need to confidently transition into the nursing profession.", "Emergency departments are also being supported through ongoing and increased investments to bolster and stabilize the emergency department nursing workforce through incentives and removing barriers for nurses who are interested in working in emergency nursing, while also focusing on retaining emergency department nurses and nurse leadership. In collaboration with Ontario Health, education and training for the development and standardization of emergency department skills and competencies is being offered to nurses working in smaller, rural and northern hospitals. Through this initiative, over 3,000 training grants were allotted to nurses last year, and we expect that close to 9,000 nurses will access training or grants this year.", "We also expanded the scope of practice for registered nurses, as well as for midwives and pharmacists. Registered nurses who complete additional education requirements approved by the council of the College of Nurses of Ontario are now able to prescribe certain medications and to communicate a diagnosis. These registered nurses can prescribe medications for conditions such as immunization, contraception, smoking cessation and topical wound care, as well as prescribe over-the-counter medications.", "Our government also invests more than $46 million annually to fund nurse practitioner-led clinics, with Ontario being the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement this innovative model of primary care. These clinics provide comprehensive, accessible and coordinated family health care services, serving more than 80,000 people who might otherwise face challenges in accessing primary care. These clinics are also supported through our government’s recent significant investments in interprofessional primary care teams. This will connect more than 328,000 people to primary care teams in areas where it’s needed the most and add more than 400 new primary care providers and 78 new and expanded primary care teams across the province, which will include family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, community health centres and Indigenous primary care health organizations. In our 2024 budget, we are building on this investment with a $546-million investment over three years to connect approximately 600,000 people to interprofessional primary care. Again, this is the same budget the members opposite voted against.", "Speaker, our government has a plan, and it’s working. But we are not stopping there. We are making record investments in health care and building a stronger, patient-centred health care system that is focused on providing people with a better health care experience and better health outcomes. We are growing and supporting our health care workforce, including recruiting, retaining and supporting a strong, stable nursing workforce, to ensure that they have the tools and resources to provide patients with the connected and convenient care they need and deserve, when and where they need it." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "I’m more than honoured to rise today in support of my colleague from Nickel Belt’s bill, a bill to improve patient-to-nurse ratios in hospitals in Ontario.", "Speaker, our health care system is in crisis. You know it. I know it. Everyone in Ontario, apparently except the government, knows it. And do you know who knows it more than anyone? It is the nurses that are working currently in Ontario.", "Things aren’t getting better, despite the words that were just read to us. There are longer waits in emergency hallways. We have more code zeros, which means that the ambulances aren’t available at any given time. There are 2.4 million people who don’t have a doctor in Ontario, and there are hospital closures. We have Minden, now Durham—permanent hospital closures, and this year Ontario saw over 1,200 emergency departments shutting down, in large part because of a lack of nurses.", "So, Speaker, and to my colleagues, what comes to mind when you think of a nurse?" ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "Caring." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Caring, professional, dedicated—" ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Compassionate." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Compassionate. They come in early; they leave late. But unfortunately, now when you talk about a nurse, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind right now?" ] }, { "speaker": "Interjection", "text": [ "Burnout." ] }, { "speaker": "Interjection", "text": [ "Exhausted." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Burnout, PTSD, exhausted—they are working under incredible, incredible conditions. They are heroes for staying there despite this government’s complete disrespect of this profession.", "There’s an organization called WeRPN that represents 59,000 regulated health professionals, and they identified that 48% are considering leaving the profession—no wonder—and 72% identified patient-to-nurse ratios as the key issue.", "So if this government is actually concerned or is actually listening, here’s your solution, because the first step in any problem is admitting that you have a problem, which we do in Ontario: better patient-to-nurse ratios. It’s a win for nurses, it’s a win for patients and it’s a win for hospitals. Improving patient-to-nurse ratios will benefit nurses because they won’t be overloaded, it reduces stress levels, and it makes them less likely to be sick or go on long-term disability.", "I can only imagine the anguish experienced by urgent care nurses when they’re expected to go from caring for one patient to handling up to five very sick patients simultaneously. It’s a win for patients who receive treatment with better care and have a better chance of recovery. It’s also a win for hospitals because not only will they have better patient outcomes, there is compelling data to say that they will reduce costs. A recent study revealed that a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1 to 4 would prevent over 1,500 deaths yearly while saving hospitals $117 million per year.", "It doesn’t matter how many beds you say are open or how many hospitals are open. Without nurses, a hospital or long-term-care beds are just furniture; they’re just buildings. And don’t say we don’t have the money. We’re spending a billion dollars on beer in this province. We need to spend it on our health care.", "I’m hoping this government will finally listen to the stories we’re telling you and finally admit that there is a problem in health care, in nursing, and here is your solution." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "M. Guy Bourgouin", "text": [ "Quand l’année a commencé, les infirmières étaient déjà claires. On pouvait lire dans les médias que les syndicats des infirmières avaient conduit des sondages. Les résultats des sondages : 90 % des travailleurs dans les hôpitaux du nord de l’Ontario disaient qu’il manquait de « staff » et près de 50 % pensaient à quitter leur emploi dans les prochaines années à cause du stress, de l’anxiété, de la fatigue.", "Ce sondage-là avait été fait sur plus de 750 membres de CUPE et inclut des infirmières praticiennes, le personnel de support et les autres travailleurs de nos hôpitaux. Ce n’est pas normal, ces chiffres-là.", "On parle des institutions qui représentent 50 000 employés au total à travers l’Ontario. L’article ne s’arrête pas là. On découvre aussi, sans grande surprise, que le secteur perd des employés qualifiés à cause des conditions de travail pénibles et de « burnout » qui en découle. Ces chiffres me rentrent dedans. Je viens de Kapuskasing. J’ai grandi à Dubreuilville. J’ai de la famille partout dans le Nord.", "Je vous l’ai écrit dans une lettre ouverte, il y a à peine un mois. Dans le Nord, on manque de tout. On ne peut pas laisser notre système de santé continuer à s’effondrer. Pendant que les infirmières quittent le secteur public pour gagner le salaire et les conditions du système privé et que le gouvernement paie la facture en double, le Nord en arrache.", "1630", "Je salue l’effort constant de ma collègue la députée de Nickel Belt, France Gélinas, qui ne passe pas un jour sans amener des solutions pour le système de santé. Aujourd’hui, c’est simple ce qu’elle apporte, mais ça aurait un impact tellement important. Amener un quota d’infirmières-patients, ce n’est pas censé être controversé. C’est déjà le cas dans plusieurs provinces et d’autres pays, et ça marche. On ne réinventera pas la roue. Dites-moi, comment peut-on continuer de faire fonctionner nos cliniques et nos hôpitaux sans personnel qualifié? Soulignons-le : le gouvernement n’a actuellement aucun plan de rétention du personnel, mais ma collègue la députée de Nickel Belt en propose un aujourd’hui et j’espère sincèrement qu’on va se rallier derrière sa motion.", "Il y a un autre article, cette fois-ci, dans le Timmins Today. On lisait que 81 % des infirmières rapportent un stress élevé et que 58 % d’entre elles se sentent malades à l’idée d’aller travailler. C’est urgent. Il faut changer la donne. Il faut supporter la motion 192, un quota d’infirmières-patients." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Merci. Further debate? The member for Toronto–St. Paul." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Jill Andrew", "text": [ "This Conservative government must support our Ontario NDP legislation and pass the Patient-to-Nurse Ratios for Hospitals Act. Thank you to our health critic from Nickel Belt. This act is a life-saving piece of legislation. There are simply not enough nurses in our hospitals to take care of patients with often complex needs.", "As we once said, we need at least 22,000 more nurses here in this province. This government spoke of nurses as “health care heroes” during the pandemic, yet they didn’t even ensure they had the appropriate PPE to keep all of them alive. Some of our health care professionals died on this government’s watch. In fact, nurses were taken to court by this government. And I don’t need to reiterate the disaster that was this government’s Bill 124 on nurses—racialized and women, predominately, in that sector, I might add—and other public sector workers.", "This government has sat idle while over a thousand emergency room closures last year happened. This is simply not good enough. Over 3,200 different studies have been conducted proving that a lower nurse-to-patient ratio is necessary to save lives and prevent burnout of our nurses. This piece of legislation is a win-win. It’s a win for the government, it’s a win for the official opposition, but most importantly, it’s a win for the nurses, their patients and their families.", "One such report was WeRPN’s latest survey of over 1,300 registered practical nurses. The 2024 report found that “unsustainable workloads, wage compression, pressured working environments and a lack of support have continued to drive RPNs out” of the profession. The current nurse-to-patient ratio directly impacts patient care. Today, this government can turn the page and do something positive for a change that will directly impact all of our nurses, all of the nurses who have been advocating day in and day out over the last six years, begging this Premier to stop his privatization-of-health-care schemes.", "I want to thank Joyce, my local community member and an RPN, for expressing her concerns to me via email. I echo every single one of them:", "—introduce nurse-to-patient ratios to reverse deteriorating patient care and ensure workplace safety for nurses and patients;", "—pay nurses what they’re worth;", "—establish a fair and professional level of compensation for RPNs that reflects their knowledge; and, yes,", "—reduce reliance on for-profit nursing agencies that are siphoning out our nurses, yet another way of prompting up this government’s privatization scheme.", "So absolutely, we need this patients-to-nurses ratio legislation passed today." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Thank you. Further debate? I recognize the member for Ottawa Centre." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "I want to begin, as the member of Toronto–St. Paul’s just did, by thanking the member from Nickel Belt. The member from Nickel Belt is the best Minister of Health this province is yet to have, but I see a day coming soon when this member is going to sit on that side of the House, and we are going to make sure we do what she is proposing today: make sure there are livable, attractive working conditions for every single health care professional in this province.", "Do you know what we call people like the member from Nickel Belt back home, Speaker? We call them solutionaries. That’s what we call them, because it is easy for us, given the havoc in the health care system, to talk about all of the problems and we need to assess them, but we need to also celebrate the moments when someone puts forward a viable solution that people are doing elsewhere.", "As my friends in government are talking about how “everything’s fine, there’s nothing to look at here,” I want to remind them that we are breaking records in hospital services closing. I want to note the fact that there were 1,199 instances in the past year where health care services were closed. That includes 868 emergency rooms. Those are not the kinds of records we want to break in the province of Ontario. Who suffers when the workplace ratios are so bad? Patients suffer, nurses suffer, the staff suffer, and there’s no amount of gloss you can put on this picture, Speaker.", "I want to zoom in on Winchester District Memorial Hospital’s birthing unit. They have been unable to fill a vacancy for two RNs since 2007, and because of that, they’ve had to close this birthing unit for 763 hours in recent years. This is alarming. Can you think of the joy that families experience when their child is coming into the world? Can you think of the stress put upon that family when they have to go further afield to a different birthing unit? And it’s unnecessary. Just like the billion dollars we are paying to private nursing agencies, like Canadian Health Labs, that is putting hospitals in deficit positions under this government as they talk about how wonderful the situation is.", "I want to thank people like Rachel Muir from ONA Local 83—hi, Rachel, if you’re watching this—who leads the Ottawa Hospital nursing unit. She remembers a time when she got into the nursing profession in the 1980s when you could count on having a patient-to-nurse ratio of four to five, but now people are getting upwards of six, eight, nine, 10, and we’re burning people out, and we don’t have to burn out.", "If deputy ministers in this government can get 16% pay raises, if we can pork-barrel out money to beer companies, we sure as hell can give money to nurses who work hard in this province. Thank you, member for Nickel Belt." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. John Fraser", "text": [ "I’m pleased to stand and rise today and support Bill 192 from the member from Nickel Belt and congratulate her again on bringing forward a sensible, thoughtful bill. These essentially are international standards. These are things that are accepted across the world.", "I come at this from—I’m the son of a hospital nurse. She worked at National Defence Medical Centre for 33 years on the floors. I used to pick her up at work when my dad was away. Here’s the thing I knew: If my mom finished shift at 11 o’clock, I didn’t need to get there at 11 o’clock. I should probably get there around 20 after and then, maybe by a quarter to 12, she’d be coming out. That’s because she stayed to make sure that her job was fully done, and she had good ratios back then.", "This isn’t going to work—and I want it to work—if you don’t have the nurses to fill it, to fuel it, to make it work. When I hear arguments from the government like, “You voted against this,” “You voted against that budget,” I could list off a bunch of things like the Nursing Graduate Guarantee that your party voted against; the late-stage nursing program to keep nurses in the profession—you voted against that.", "It’s not about that. We don’t have enough nurses, and things like Bill 124 that essentially take away nurses’ rights to bargain—nurses’ rights to bargain. The thing I remember about that is, there was a whole bunch of people who could still bargain. They were mostly men. Nurses are not exclusively women, but they’re mostly women, but you took away their bargaining rights. It’s a total lack of respect. If you want to keep people working for you, you need to respect them, and the Premier’s wrong-headedness and the Minister of Health’s wrong-headedness of continuing with Bill 124 did more damage than anything else.", "1640", "The second thing is, you’ve got to pay them. That’s the other thing about Bill 124, but right now, you’ve got to pay them. Why are nurses leaving to go to work for private agencies? The pressure they’re feeling at work, not enough staff to help them—they feel like they can’t do what they are taught to do, what they desire to do for their patients. They don’t have enough time. Why did my mom stay for 45 minutes? Because she wanted to finish the job. They want to finish the job, but they have to have enough people. That’s the point.", "The government needs to look at how they can do more not just to train more nurses but to retain more nurses, because that’s the problem. And unless we do that, unless we retain what we have and train up as much as we can, we’re not going to get to where we’re going to be able to do this. So I would hope that the government would vote for this today and support it, even though we know we can’t do it today. Because what it does is, it sets a standard that we have to achieve and that we all want to achieve.", "We’re talking a lot about nurses. That’s what this is about. It’s about patients. It’s about the care that patients need and deserve so they can get well. That’s why the member is putting this forward.", "I’m going to say one last thing about priorities: How is it that spending $1 billion to get beer and wine at the corner store a little more than a year earlier is more important than nurses and their patients, is more important than 2.3 million Ontarians who don’t have access to family medicine? How is it more important than people having to use their credit card instead of their OHIP card so they can get basic services? Those things are the things that are happening here in Ontario right now, and to spend $1 billion to make booze a priority over health care is just simply wrong." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Back to the member for Nickel Belt for a two-minute reply." ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "The bill is quite simple. I have shared with you testimonies from many, many nurses. Our nurses are burnt out. Many of them are out on sick leave. Many of them are out on long-term disability. Many of them are choosing to stay home. And 35,000 of them actually are choosing to not work in nursing. The number one reason for that is burnout.", "We have an opportunity to help those nurses right now. This is something they have been asking for for a very long time. This is something they are telling us: “I will come out of retirement. I will go back to bedside nursing if you put in nurse-to-patient ratios.”", "It exists throughout the world, from Australia to the US to the UK to India. It has been proven it works. It exists in Canada. Go out west. The NDP government put it in place in British Columbia, and it works. Nurses appreciate it, patient care improves, length of stay improves, the number of deaths decreases, and it’s cheaper for our hospitals. It’s a win-win-win.", "On a l’opportunité aujourd’hui de faire un grand changement. On a l’opportunité d’écouter les infirmières et de s’assurer qu’on répond à leurs besoins. En répondant à leurs besoins, on va s’assurer que les patients reçoivent des soins de meilleure qualité. On va s’assurer que les infirmières et infirmiers se sentent appuyés et ont une charge de travail décente. Et on va s’assurer, en même temps, que les hôpitaux épargnent de l’argent. C’est gagnant-gagnant-gagnant. J’espère que tout le monde va appuyer nos infirmières.", "I hope that everybody realizes that there are hundreds of thousands of nurses that are watching how we’re going to vote on this. They need the boost. Vote yes." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "The time provided for private members’ public business has expired.", "Députée Gélinas has moved second reading of Bill 192, An Act to amend the Health Protection and Promotion Act with respect to maximum patient-to-nurse ratios. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.", "All those in favour, please say “aye.”", "All those opposed, please say “nay.”", "In my opinion, the nays have it.", "A recorded vote being required, it will be deferred until the next instance of deferred votes.", "Second reading vote deferred." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "All matters relating to private members’ public business having been completed, we now have a late show.", "Pursuant to standing order 36, the question that this House do now adjourn is deemed to have been made." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "The member for Kitchener Centre has given notice of dissatisfaction with the answer to a question given by the Minister of Health. The member has up to five minutes to debate the matter, and the government may reply for up to five minutes.", "I recognize the member for Kitchener Centre." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I really appreciate the time to talk about this issue today. Not many people know what desflurane is, so I totally understand why this circumstance came about, but I look forward to the opportunity of talking a bit about it and why it is the lowest of low-hanging fruit in terms of reducing emissions and saving money for our health care system.", "The World Health Organization says that climate change is the biggest health threat facing humanity, and what we’re noticing is that people don’t always understand the impacts of climate change on their day-to-day lives, but we see more and more how it’s affecting our health with increased emergency room visits from slips and falls, extreme heat days, smoke inhalation, increasing rise in asthma and other health consequences.", "I’m sad that the member from Cambridge—he’s interested in this topic. There is a glacier called the Doomsday Glacier. It is enormous and it’s sitting on the edge of a bowl, ready to go into that bowl, which will lead to a massive sea level rise across the planet. So I’ll look forward to hearing what he has to say about that.", "Desflurane is not commonly known outside of medical circles, but more and more, the health sector has been moving away from this gas. I know the minister was curious what experts had to say, so I am here to share that today.", "The Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society recommends not using it. Ontario’s Anesthesiologists also support eliminating des from our hospitals. It’s also being banned in the European Union, Scotland and other jurisdictions around the world. So we know that experts in this field recommend banning des from our operating rooms. Why? Well, it costs more; it costs a lot more. In Health Sciences North, the hospital in Sudbury, they saved $250,000 by banning desflurane. In Mississauga, Trillium Health Partners saved $125,000 by banning it.", "Not only is it good financially for hospitals to ban this, but it’s also a good way to reduce emissions. Des makes up about 5% of the carbon emissions of our hospitals, and if hospitals were a country, they would be the fifth-largest emitter worldwide. So that’s a benefit not only financially but also environmentally. So I hope that we can look forward to the government banning this anaesthetic gas.", "Environmentally speaking, for example, the carbon emissions saved by Health Sciences North equated to driving to the moon and back four times. This is how much carbon emissions were reduced simply by banning desflurane.", "One might ask: Well, why aren’t we banning it already? Good question, because there is an alternative, sevoflurane, which is 26.8 times less carbon emissions, and it’s cheaper. So we already have anaesthesiologists using the alternative. The companies who produce desflurane also produce the sevoflurane. It won’t have a negative impact on our economy. And so it makes a lot of sense. So if we don’t do it based on the reduction in carbon emissions, we should do it just based on the reduction of our budget to hospitals, the savings that they would see.", "It’s part of a bigger work, though. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that the Ontario Medical Association is looking for changes as part of a bigger work, like creating an office of sustainability. Yes, banning desflurane is a first step in reducing emissions in hospitals and saving money, but the OMA is looking to create a bigger, more holistic approach to reducing waste, reducing emissions in hospitals and saving more money in our hospitals sector.", "1650", "We’ve seen since COVID the rise of single-use plastics and single-use apparatuses. Some of the stories are quite alarming of just throwing things out. A lot of newcomers who work in our hospitals sector are aghast at the amount of waste that we create, and I think if any of us has spent time in hospitals, we’re alarmed at the amount of garbage that’s going out the backdoor.", "To say a few more words about that, at the Trillium health network, for example, using inter-surgical circuits saved $37,000 in one year; bring-your-own reusable bags saved $19,000; using Stryker sustainability services, they reduced their budget by $145,000; using reusable gowns—they don’t have a number, but they saved 15 tonnes of waste; and addressing the HVAC optimization saved $4,400.", "I haven’t even mentioned a lot of the other types of waste and CO2reductions—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "That’s time.", "To reply, I recognize the member for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "To answer the member’s question: The use of desflurane is a clinical decision that should be best left with the clinicians, experts and the hospital leaderships, and our government will continue to trust medical experts on the best clinical tools to be used for patient safety.", "But, Speaker, if the member opposite is interested in climate change and the environment, I am more than happy to talk about our government’s initiatives and actions of our health care partners.", "Let me first tell you about Niagara Health System and the steps they have taken to be more energy efficient. The innovative design features at the St. Catharines site and recent investments across their other sites aim to lessen the footprint on the environment and lower long-term operating costs. The St. Catharines site is one of the first hospitals in Ontario designed to achieve certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, classification, the green building rating system.", "Niagara Health also invested approximately $10 million across all sites through an energy retrofit project that reduces energy use and operating costs. These improvements will save substantial amounts of natural gas and electricity for years to come.", "Speaker, let me tell you about another great example at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Sunnybrook has five key environmental programs: energy conservation, waste management, sustainable transportation, procurement, and an awareness and education campaign. Their green initiatives include the Harry Taylor Solar Energy Wall; gas scavenging in the operating rooms; composting and biodegradable food containers in the cafeteria; the Honeywell Energy and Facility Renewal Program; and the Green Task Force.", "According to the hospital, their energy improvements will save $2.6 million and reduce CO2emissions by 8,965 tonnes annually. That’s the equivalent of taking 1,410 cars off the road.", "Speaker, I am not quite done yet. The medical imaging team at the Toronto General Hospital provides high-quality care, diagnosis and image-guided intervention. The hospital actively works on energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives.", "Additionally, Haliburton Highlands Health Services has implemented a geothermal upgrade to improve energy efficiency.", "As the government of Canada is set to miss one of its own climate targets, under the premiership of Premier Ford, Ontario is on track to meet our Paris agreement and is responsible for 86% of Canada’s total emissions reductions. This achievement is only possible because of our government’s efforts, alongside my colleague the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, to build Ontario. This includes:", "—making Ontario the global leader in electric vehicle production;", "—working with the industry instead of against them, such as our government’s investments in green steel at AM Dofasco in Hamilton, which will see the equivalent emissions reduction of taking one million cars off the road;", "—our historic investments in conservation through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership, which already has protected over 420,000 acres of land, an area two and a half times the footprint of the city of Toronto;", "—holding polluters accountable by introducing new fines and tough emissions performance standards for large industrial emitters; as well as", "—historic investments in the critical infrastructure to get Ontarians to where they need to be, such as the Ontario Line, which takes 28,000 cars off the road every day.", "Again, Speaker, to answer the member’s question, these are clinical decisions that should be left with the clinicians and medical experts. Under the leadership of Premier Ford and Minister Jones, our government will continue to ensure a strong and robust public health system for all Ontarians for years to come." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "There being no further matter to debate, pursuant to standing order 36(c), I deem the motion to adjourn to be carried.", "This House now stands adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, June 5, at 9 a.m.", "The House adjourned at 1655.", "", "" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "It’s a pleasure to be speaking to Bill 185 at third reading on behalf of the good people of Ottawa Centre, who have, like everywhere, a lot of serious concerns about our housing affordability crisis, about the homelessness crisis.", "I would like to focus my remarks. I’ll begin, Speaker, with a metaphor from my childhood. I remember very well a guy on my block, Speaker—I grew up in rural eastern Ontario, a small town called Vankleek Hill. Every year when the season would come around and it was time to cut the grass, this neighbour of mine, who was a lovely guy—but my brother and I used to watch from the bay window after school and we used to see the gentleman pull a lawn mower out of his shed that we knew hadn’t been maintained. It was rusty. It wasn’t functioning. But he really believed, this neighbour, that he could just make the lawn mower work because he was a strong man. He worked in an outdoor occupation. He just believed he could will this thing to life by reefing on the cord. My brother and I used to bet, how many times does the cord have to be pulled for the engine to turn over? My brother, Adam, would say, “It will be 20 times,” and I would say, “It will be 25.” And we’d see this guy—and I almost wonder if it was his version of exercise because he was a bit of a gym rat, if memory recalls. But the lawn mower just would never turn over. But he’d be out there persistently in his yard trying to get this thing to turn.", "I think that’s a very useful metaphor for the housing crisis, Speaker, because I think we’re a little bit like that guy here in Ontario, in Canada. We have believed that we could pull the proverbial lawn mower out of the shed—our approach to building housing, which has been to say the private sector is going to solve this problem magically. In Ontario, we got out of the non-market housing business in a serious way in the mid-1990s and we have thought since that the market is going to create affordable housing for people, but it hasn’t. It hasn’t. We are in a situation—and I mentioned this earlier in questions to other members in debate, Speaker—in my city where a two-bedroom in the city of Ottawa to rent: In 2018, the cost was $1,300; today, in 2024, that cost is $2,488. The price of a home from the time the government was elected in 2018 has almost doubled relative to today.", "Now, you can’t just saddle this one government with this problem. That would be unfair. However, there was blind faith put in the market on the rental side, Speaker, as I’ve been standing in this place and debating, when this government decided to remove all rent controls from buildings built after 2018. And we’ve seen them. We’ve seen them pop up in Ottawa. We’ve seen renovations of buildings that have qualified for the abdication of rent control, and the cranes are beautiful and the new paint looks nice, but when you knock on the doors, as I know all of us do—but when I knock on those doors in the last two provincial elections, the most recent one in particular, and I talk to neighbours of what they’re paying for rent, it’s an astounding number that you hear back, Speaker. People are paying 35%, 40%, 45%—I’ve heard 50%—of their disposable income in rent. And I think that actually can be traced back to our province acting like that guy in the front lawn with the rusty lawn mower. We just think, if we let the market continue to pull—and there’s creative people who are involved in housing and financial products with respect to housing—that somehow that’s going to figure it out. But I think the evidence, increasingly, is showing us, Speaker, that we’re getting deeper and deeper and deeper into a hole, where people cannot afford a place to rent and they cannot afford a place to buy.", "And what’s happening as we wait is that the number of eviction notices are mounting, because we have let the market—we have assumed the market is going to solve this.", "There are people in the housing market who run organizations called real estate investment trusts that will buy up old housing rental stock that’s come into disrepair and evict the tenants. They’re called N13s, Speaker. And the amount of N13s filed in the city of Ottawa, Speaker, between 2021 and 2022 tripled; it increased by 545%. And what that is—if you listen to Professor Steve Pomeroy at Carleton University—is the market doing what the market does: trying to find a margin to increase profitability to your company and to the shareholders investing in your company.", "But what is happening, increasingly—we heard it with the case in Mississauga with the Chartwell eviction; I’ve heard it with building after building in the greater city of Ottawa. What’s happening is that we are losing affordable rental stock in the private market, certainly in the city of Ottawa. So, that is, I think, an example where we have to reckon with the fact that we are that guy with the rusty lawn mower. We are watching somebody from our proverbial bay window mess up, and we’re not doing something about it.", "So I think we have to take a step back, as I said at second reading of this bill, and we have to, as the member from—what is it?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Chatham-Kent–Leamington." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "Chatham-Kent–Leamington. As he rightly said, we have to listen to the experts. One of those experts, for me, Speaker—it’s not just Professor Pomeroy; it’s Carolyn Whitzman, who I mentioned during debate already. Professor Whitzman has given policy-makers like us three priorities we should be looking into.", "First, we should be trying to end homelessness, and I’ll explain why in the time I have. I’ve done it before. Homelessness is expensive, and we end up wasting a lot of public resources when people are chronically unhoused and unwell from being unhoused. Second, we have to introduce prudent measures to protect renters and rental stock that’s affordable in our communities. And third, we have to scale up the right kind of housing—the kind of housing we desperately need because we have watched the guy in the rusty lawn mower refuse to start up the housing market effectively.", "So let’s talk about ending homelessness. I know, when people hear me say those words, it seems unrealistic. When my teacher and friend Jack Layton used to say this, people thought Jack was unrealistic. But the fact of the matter is, Speaker, it doesn’t matter what angle you come at homelessness from. It makes no sense for the individual who—I’m sure, on our walk here today or walk in our communities, we’ve seen folks who are struggling with homelessness. It’s undignified for them, but it’s also vastly expensive.", "I looked at the numbers that the city of Ottawa staff did up for councillors back home when they were debating the housing allowance that the city has for people who come in and out of our shelter system. People who come in and out of our shelter system qualify for a housing allowance that amounts to $6,000 a year, and I had colleagues who—you know, everyone can have their opinion on a policy matter before any level of government. They were saying, in that particular debate, “That’s way too much money. Municipal taxpayers can’t afford that. We shouldn’t be doing it.” But the staff produced the evidence, Speaker, that showed that if people are chronically unhoused, each individual costs the city of Ottawa $53,000 per year. Because they were adding up the interactions with paramedics and police, and we can fold in the provincial angle of emergency rooms or jails.", "So homelessness is an expensive problem that we continue to let fester, and it’s hard to imagine ending it, given tent cities popping up everywhere, given the suffering that we’re seeing.", "But there is a country in the world—it’s a Nordic country, just like ours, Finland—that has literally ended homelessness with a systematic strategy from 1987 called “housing first.” They had bought up apartment units. And the philosophy of the program is that if someone has a home that is safe, it is much easier to help that person—with their consent, because the consent is critical—deal with whatever else is bedevilling their life; housing first.", "1650", "In Finland, they have ended homelessness. We had visitors from the city of Helsinki to Ottawa recently, and they have produced the evidence to the city. There were municipal workers in those intervening two decades that would walk around a city like Helsinki with a large circle of keys on their belt, like a caretaker in a building you could think of, and every one of these keys unlocked an apartment.", "Finland is a very cold climate, just like here. The thought of being homeless in a country like that is a very dangerous thing for someone’s health. But it’s worked. It’s gradually worked. They had to have the arguments there that my colleagues at the municipal level did around the housing allowance. They had to convince people that it was the right investment and, ultimately, it would be better for the human beings who were suffering, and it would be better for the country’s finances.", "So, it is possible, I still believe, to end homelessness, and the member for Parkdale–High Park is producing her own initiative to study this and to follow these best practices. I encourage us all to watch the member as that work unfolds because it’s worthy. It’s important.", "On the issue of protecting renters, I look at the fact that countries like Denmark which have a long and established record of producing non-market housing—the co-op market in Denmark is 30% of the housing stock. But even there, they had to worry about large real estate investment trusts coming into their housing market, buying up large amounts of their private rental stock and gentrifying it—throwing out the tenants, jacking up the rent, causing chaos.", "Denmark literally passed a law that was colloquially called the “Blackstone law,” because Blackstone, the large real estate investment trust, came into that country and started snapping up properties very quickly, jacking up the rent, throwing the tenants out, dramatically increasing the cost of housing. So the Danish government passed a law that forbade any rent increases for five years if you were buying multiple properties. It all of a sudden made that initiative not profitable, so the vultures leave.", "What are we doing? Last year, Blackstone made a $2.6-billion play in the city of Toronto—bought up big amounts of property. We’re that guy with the rusty lawn mower watching from the bay window, watching them do this. We can’t be that. We can’t be bystanders. We get voted into this place, I believe, Speaker, to make consequential decisions that will make people’s lives better. We can disagree on how to get there, but we can’t just watch it happen.", "We have to protect renters. For as long as I’ve been privileged to come into this place, I’ve enjoyed working with colleagues who believe in rent control that is robust, and real rent control that follows from tenant to tenant, so if one tenant leaves, the new person coming in doesn’t have a dramatically different rent because they don’t happen to know what the previous tenant was paying and because the law allows it. So, on this side of the House, we have been asking for tenant-to-tenant rent control. That is a real rent protection that could truly help people.", "If a landlord does substantial renovations to a property, they can still apply for some lenience with respect to costs to recoup those costs, but I don’t see a reason why we wouldn’t want to protect renters in the housing affordability crisis we have. I don’t know why we would watch a two-bedroom unit in my city become a $2,500 average investment per month. It’s crushingly unaffordable for people.", "We also need, thirdly, as I said, to scale up the kind of housing that we need. The kind of housing we need emphatically is non-market housing. There was a time in the province of Ontario—Conservative friends have mentioned it many times—that we had an NDP government. And the person who had this seat then, her name is Evelyn Gigantes—she still lives in Ottawa Centre; a good friend. We chat every now and again. If you’re watching, Evelyn, hello.", "Evelyn tells me that her proudest achievement in elected life is that, over the course of that time as a member of that government, non-market housing increased by a factor of 60%. Many of the co-operatives and community housing buildings that were built then still exist, but boy, they need some help. They need some TLC on the retrofit. They need some love.", "But those buildings were built. Let’s look at some of the numbers. We had, literally, progressive financing from the federal level, and from 1989 to 1995—so if I’m being fair, that predates the NDP government—more than 14,000 co-operative homes were developed in the province of Ontario.", "But then, when Premier Harris came to office in 1995, he made the decision as the leader of the province to end that initiative. There were over 17,000 proposed non-profit, co-op and community housing units scheduled to be built, given the trajectory we were on. Abruptly, that ended.", "And it ended, if you look at Hansard—and I invite us all to do so—because the government of the day believed that you didn’t need the government to build housing for people. The market was going to solve this problem. Well, here we are roughly 30 years later, reckoning with the fact that that rusty lawn mower has not started. That has not happened.", "So what are we prepared to do? Well, as we wait, Speaker, let’s just go over some of the affordability numbers. As we wait, according to Professor Whitzman, 1.5 million Canadians, right now, are in core housing need. What that means is they’re one to two paycheques away from homelessness, being evicted. According to her, for my city in Ottawa, the greater city of Ottawa, that’s about 45,000 households that close from being evicted.", "So what is Professor Whitzman’s solution beyond building homes that—let’s be honest, you can’t generate new homes overnight. Her other solution, which the province of British Columbia has embraced, is a housing acquisition fund: a $500-million housing acquisition fund.", "So when those older rental stock buildings in the downtown where I serve or anywhere else come up for sale, it’s not the Blackstones and it’s not the vultures of the world that come and snap them up, jack the rent, throw out the historic tenants and increase the cost of housing; it’s the acquisition fund in British Columbia that can play a role in buying up that housing stock, keeping the rents where they are, fixing up the buildings, making sure that those tenants have a voice.", "They’re also called community land trusts in other parts of Canada and around the world. We have the Ottawa Community Land Trust.", "And I want to acknowledge, just by way of being fair, the government has made some investments in this. On May 22, there were two important investments in deeply affordable housing in Ottawa Centre, one of them very close to my heart: the Cornerstone women’s shelter at 44 Eccles Street, $4.2 million for 46 studio apartments, with staffed help in that building. People coming into Cornerstone are fleeing violent homes. They’re dealing with significant trauma. That’s a worthy investment. That’s going to help somebody remake their life.", "The folks at the Ottawa Mission, one of our big shelters, run a rooming house on Florence Street. The government has invested, same announcement, $700,000 to refurbish eight units for people experiencing homelessness, so they can get access to those funds.", "But these two initiatives are part of a fund of $700 million for the whole province, the homelessness prevention fund. But I want you to contrast that to some of the other big capital investments the government is making, like $600 million for a parking garage for an Austrian wellness conglomerate at Ontario Place, or $250 million or whatever the number people are comfortable with to get out of a Beer Store contract early that was going to expire anyway.", "And you start adding up these numbers or—don’t even get me started on the escalating costs of transit. Don’t even get me started. Money being spent hand over fist. Consultants making their dividends at every single turn." ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Lawyers getting very rich." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "Lawyers getting very rich—the member from Hamilton Mountain is right.", "But these small experiments, which are really important, could be much bigger. You have partners in the city of Ottawa, the Ottawa Community Land Trust; my landlord for our community office, the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corp.; and Ottawa Community Housing.", "Ottawa Community Housing introduced Mosaïq Ottawa, which is their enterprise, their initiative, to move into the era of community housing that other countries have done, where you don’t just have very-low-income people living in a building together and clamouring to get on a wait-list to live in that building; you have people of different incomes living in the same building together, the children getting to know each other. That’s what the Mosaïq Ottawa building will be: 273 units of affordable housing at 820 Gladstone—every single unit snapped up right away. More developments coming afterwards is good, but it could be much bigger, is my point—absolutely bigger.", "1700", "I’ll end on this, Speaker: Everything I’m talking about will be anathema for someone who believes we have to let the market work, but a good friend of mine died recently, Ed Broadbent. Ed was someone who believed in having an industrial policy as a country, having an industrial policy as a province, having a plan, not hoping that the rusty lawn mower will one day start because we will it to be so. If we turned around as a Legislature and we increased that $700-million number to a $10-billion or $12-billion number, I bet you there are going to be partners in Niagara Falls, Windsor, Mushkegowuk–James Bay, London, Hamilton. You’re going to find all kinds of people ready to build non-market homes.", "But the private sector is not going to be keen on it, because that’s not what they do. That is not what they do. But we can lubricate the machine, we can make it work on the first pull and we can do it together, because the expertise already exists. We could end homelessness, we could protect renters, we could scale up the right kind of housing, and we could do it not just because it’s the right thing to do ethically; we could do it because it makes sense for the province’s finances too." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Rick Byers", "text": [ "I thank the member for his comments. I was thinking, as he was referring to the lawn mower throughout his remarks, that I cut the grass on my property over the weekend, so it hit home. There are a number of parallels there, because in thinking about a rusty lawn mower, rust builds up over time and, in fact, rust has a little bit of a red colour—you know, like the previous government.", "And then, things in a lawn mower have got to work together. You’ve got the fuel, which could be the federal government; the spark plug, which might be the municipal government; and the pull cord, the provincial government. All these things have got to work together when you’re running a lawn mower.", "And finally, there’s persistence. He talked about how he was looking at the fellow pulling the cord 20 times. Well, we’ve got 13 red tape bills, so ultimately it sounds like the grass did get cut. So aren’t there some parallels here, that the member could vote for the bill and get the job done, get the grass cut for housing?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "I want to thank the member for sharing in some humour with me. My brother and I would have a joke after pull 20, and it was that we should buy the guy a goat, because at least the goat ran on renewable energy and would cost him less. We have good friends, the Skotidakises, who make fantastic products from goats if you’re ever out in eastern Ontario. I make no commission for telling you that.", "Look, at the end of the day, I think we can all admit that the status quo isn’t working, so we do need to think creatively. The good thing about, I think, every single community in Ontario is that people are adamant about needing to create affordable housing. The member has a financial services background; that’s a whole other dimension of where we find the capital to make sure these projects can be built and paid for." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Lisa Gretzky", "text": [ "Thank you to my colleague from Ottawa. I like that you talked about—because I say this all the time—how when you invest in people in the front end, there’s a huge savings on the back end. Not only is it the right thing to do, but there’s a huge savings. When you invest in people on the front end and you ensure that they have safe, stable housing that they can afford; when they can go to the grocery store and purchase food; when they’re not worrying about having to try to juggle all the bills and put clothes on their children, there’s a savings to the education system, the health care system and the justice system.", "Feed Ontario put out the Ontario Hunger Report, and there’s a lot outlined in it, and I encourage the government members to actually read it, including the recommendations. But the heart of the report was that the people in this province, over the last seven years, have indicated that they are much worse off than they were prior to that. Six of those years have been under this Conservative government, and one of the key drivers of income insecurity and housing precarity is the cost of housing and the lack of truly affordable housing and rent control that we see from this government.", "So I’m wondering if you can tell me if there’s anything in this bill that’s going to address any of those core issues when we’re talking about income insecurity and people being precariously, or in many cases—because homelessness has also increased under this government. Is there anything to actually address that in the bill before us?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "The government would probably respond by saying that expediting approval processes for projects will help, and we’ve been hearing that for a while. That has been a refrain—that if we just get even more out of the private sector’s way, things will be better. But I am a little skeptical; I’ll be honest.", "I think, really, the philosophical difference we’re talking about here is, we have a disagreement in this House about what constitutes core needs.", "We don’t necessarily allow the financial services sector to run around with water meters and price how much money that comes out of your tap. We believe water is a human right. We believe primary and secondary education is a right. We say the words, “Housing is a right,” but we don’t mean it, because if we meant it, everybody would get access to a decent, stable home. We don’t say food is a right either, because if we meant it, we wouldn’t let Galen Weston and all of the big monopolies in the food sector gouge us. So I think that’s really a bigger question that I’m hearing from what you’re raising—we have to be asking ourselves, if these things are a right, what are we doing here to help people get access?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Trevor Jones", "text": [ "I thank you, to my friend opposite, for the whirlwind adventure. He’s definitely a professor by trade, because he has those articulate skills to take you on an adventure. It starts at a lawn mower and takes you to Finland and to British Columbia. My English teacher in high school used to say, “Fiction can be fun.”", "I want to ask the member opposite an important question, because this resonates with the community members in Chatham-Kent–Leamington and throughout rural ridings across Ontario. Bill 185 modernizes a little piece of legislation: the Line Fences Act. It’s outdated provisions; it’s problems that I was dispatched to as a police officer to resolve between neighbours—line fences. Could you share what the modernization of one little piece of legislation like this can do to resolve monumental problems across the province with line fences—the Line Fences Act?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "Thank you for that question. It takes me back to my childhood, when I’d hear about those disputes and my father attempting, as a neighbour, to intervene before other people had to be called.", "These are powers we do need to think about enhancing, because otherwise, we ask first responders to deal with this, and that’s not their job. I want first responders available to respond to critical, lethal incidents at the drop of a hat, which is what they signed up to do. That’s what I want them to do.", "Every single first responder I know in the city of Ottawa—paramedics, fire, police—says the same thing about homelessness calls: “Joel, I talked to the same guy five times today. He’s no more housed than the first time I met him this morning. What can we do to make sure that there are good services to help that person?” The good news is, in our city, we have an alternative 911 response coming on stream this summer. The police are working with our community health centres. I think that’s going to help in a similar way to the fencing issue. That’s going to put the first responders where they need to be." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Wayne Gates", "text": [ "Thank you for my colleague’s presentation.", "It’s very interesting; I met today with the Ontario Real Estate Association, and the conversation we had is something that I have in my office all the time—how do young people afford to buy a house in the province of Ontario?", "I have four staff. They’re all young, they’re good, they’re competent and very, very talented. But when we talk about being able to afford to buy a house—none of them own a house, because they can’t afford it.", "I asked the real estate association today, so they showed me a stat—in listening to the government. The average household income in Niagara, where I live and represent, is $73,000; the price of a house, as of April this year, is $664,594.", "So my question to you, as young people aren’t buying a home and are living in our basements—how do you believe a young family will be able to buy a house when the government says affordability is 80% of market value?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "Thanks for that question.", "The definition of housing affordability, as I said in debate earlier, is 30% of income; it used to be, after the Second World War, 20% of income, when the veterans came back and we were trying to line them up with homes after the sacrifices they made—but I believe in 30% of income being the right number.", "And I certainly don’t like where the federal government has been sliding around with this new word, “attainability.” Come on.", "At the end of the day, we work for a living; we bring money home to ourselves and our families; we use that money to buy things. Housing is one of the most critical things. For your community, those are quite staggering numbers.", "1710", "But the good news is, we don’t have to just watch this accident happen. We can do something. We can change it." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Christine Hogarth", "text": [ "My other interest here—I want to talk a little bit about some red tape cutting in this legislation. I have a lot of film industry in my riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore. Arts and culture are very important to our community.", "I just want to ask the member opposite about a filming fee. With the arts and filming in Ontario, Bill 185 proposes that Ontario no longer charge fees to third-party vendors to film at the Archives of Ontario. Previously, vendors had to pay a daily fee to film there. I’m just wondering what you think. And how will this help creators who are considering the archives as a site for their work?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "That’s a great idea. I love that spot, and I must admit that as I was prepping for this bill, that was something I’d overlooked. Anything we can do to make sure that the creative people of this planet—because people come to Ontario from all over the planet to film here. We need to bring them here. There are so many spinoff jobs involved from that, so many good things that happen to our economy, so many opportunities created for young people.", "I was at an event over the weekend that the Ontario Arts Council showed up to that was all about this: linking kids from communities that are struggling to performers in the arts. It was called MASC, the MASC community. If that will get more people to the archives to film, I’m down, absolutely." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "It’s always a pleasure to rise in this House, today to debate third reading of Bill 185, the government’s latest housing bill—though only about half of it actually deals with housing, which is kind of surprising when you consider that the biggest crisis facing the people of Ontario is the housing crisis.", "When we talk about the affordability crisis people are facing, it is being driven by the fact that they simply can’t afford to pay the rent or to own a home. But you wouldn’t know it from this bill. This bill, like many of the government’s recent housing bills, spends as much time undoing the mistakes the previous housing minister has done than it does actually advancing real solutions to addressing the housing crisis.", "This bill kind of reminds me of a firefighter dealing with a raging forest fire and being given a garden hose or a bucket to try to put it out. That’s the extent to which this bill actually addresses the housing affordability crisis, and it’s unacceptable. It’s unacceptable to a whole generation of young people wondering if they’ll ever be able to afford to own a home, let alone pay the rent.", "Over the last 10 years, average house prices—and I recognize that the Liberals and the Conservatives can share responsibility for this—in the province of Ontario have climbed 180%. Do you know how much income has gone up? By 38%. No wonder so many people can’t afford to own a home in the province of Ontario. No wonder so many young families are leaving Ontario for other provinces where they can actually find an affordable home.", "The cost of rent in this province is getting out of control. As a matter of fact, a minimum wage worker in the province of Ontario, just to be able to afford a one-bedroom apartment, would need to earn $25.96 an hour. Our minimum wage isn’t even close to that, let alone if you think about people living on social assistance. There is no city in Ontario where a minimum wage worker can afford a one-bedroom apartment. As a matter of fact, in the city of Toronto, it would take a couple, two people both earning the minimum wage—their combined income couldn’t even afford a one-bedroom apartment at 30% of their income. On average, it takes a young person 22 years to be able to save up for a down payment to be able to buy the average home in Ontario. That’s even worse if you live in the greater Toronto area, where it takes 27 years to save up.", "And yet, the Premier says no to legalizing housing. No wonder 16,000 people in Ontario on any given night are homeless in this province. And it’s getting worse, not better, Speaker. Housing starts in April in Ontario were down a whopping 37% from the same month last year. According to CMHC, “Over the rest of the year, we expect [housing starts] to continue to trend down in the province and particularly in the GTA.”", "Speaker, I know the members opposite will say, “Oh, it’s because of interest rates and labour shortages,” but that’s not affecting housing starts in other provinces like Alberta, where they’re up, or British Columbia, where they’re having housing starts on a per capita basis that’s 2.5 times higher than in Ontario. It is in Ontario, along with a couple of other provinces, where you see the biggest drop in housing starts. The government is not even close to being on track to even meet their own housing target, which many experts are saying won’t be sufficient at 1.5 million homes.", "And yet, the Premier’s response to that has been to be the most powerful NIMBY in Ontario, saying no to fourplexes and four storeys as of right province-wide, saying no to legalizing six-to-11-storey buildings along major transit and transportation corridors—two of the key recommendations from the government’s own Housing Affordability Task Force.", "But, Speaker, don’t take my word for it. Let’s hear what some stakeholders have to say. The Ontario Real Estate Association, led by the former Conservative leader, in response to Bill 185:", "“We are disappointed that the two key recommendations by the province’s own Housing Affordability Task Force (HTAF)—strongly supported by Ontario realtors—have not been included in today’s bill. We need to build more homes on existing properties and allow upzoning along major transit corridors if we are going to address the housing affordability and supply crisis in” Ontario. Bill 185 says no to that. The Premier has clearly said no to that.", "But don’t just take OREA’s word for it; let’s see what More Neighbours, one of the most vocal housing advocates in the province saying, “Yes, in my backyard”—and I endorse, “Yes, in my backyard,” Speaker. I quote More Neighbours:", "“The unwillingness of @fordnation”—this was on social media—“to embrace a generational consensus moment on the biggest issue facing the country is hugely problematic!", "“And while most changes proposed” in this bill “are good, they amount to trying to staunch a forest fire by filling up buckets of water from a kitchen tap.", "“Fairly obvious for weeks now that the Ontario government has totally given up on housing ... cutting red tape should mean ... implementing provincial zoning standards.”", "Do you know what those changes are, Speaker? Legalizing fourplexes and four storeys; six-to-11 upzones along major transit and transportation corridors. But the government said no to the fastest, cheapest way we can quickly increase housing supply where we already have infrastructure built. That’s the cheapest and fastest way to do it, and the government says no.", "Speaker, I like to be somebody who works across party lines. I will concede there are some good things in this bill. I’ve been advocating for advanced timber buildings up to 18 storeys. I support the changes to standardized designs to reduce the delays in modular and panelized housing—though I will say, Speaker, that if you talk to most of the people who want those standardized designs, they want them for fourplexes, because that’s where they can quickly increase housing supply in the most affordable way.", "I think it’s great that this bill is making it easier for universities to build housing. It’s unfortunate that the government is underfunding colleges and universities to such an extent that it’s going to be hard for them to find the money to actually build the housing.", "1720", "So let’s see what these changes amount to: tinkering around the edges. And let’s see what a journalist—probably the journalist who works the most on housing issues—has to say, John Michael McGrath from TVO:", "“None of those items from the government’s plan is bad”—I agree with him; none of them are bad. “They’re just not sufficient. In the face of a housing crisis that is, every year, driving thousands of Ontario residents to more affordable communities in other provinces, the Ford government is fiddling with the dials of housing policy, seemingly unsure of what it’s doing or even what it’s trying to do. Every new announcement is at least half composed of reversals of announcements from six, 12, or 18 months ago, and the genuinely novel and important bits—like this plan’s focus on water and sewer infrastructure—will require a commitment to long-term consistency that this government will have a hard time providing. The rest is simply ... half-measures.”", "As a matter of fact, if you talk to municipal planning staff, they will tell you that one of the biggest things delaying housing right now is the fact that they don’t even know what the rules are anymore, because the government keeps changing them every few months, and the cost and time and expense and wasted energy of trying to deal with all the flip-flops are actually delaying housing.", "Now, the government may be—I think they are, actually—pouring fuel on the fire of the crisis by their changes in this bill and to the provincial policy statement that would effectively wipe out protective settlement area boundaries in the municipal comprehensive plan reviews—essentially, regional planning. They’re doing that in order to—just like they did with the greenbelt scandal—incentivize, prioritize and impose costly sprawl on to municipalities. Why is this so negative? For one, it costs 2.5 times more for a municipality to service low-density sprawl than to service homes that are built in existing urban boundaries, where we already have the infrastructure for sewer and water in place.", "As a matter of fact, there are changes, ironically, in this bill—one schedule of the bill repeals their breakup of Peel region, and then another section of the bill changes regional planning to the extent that you go from having 11 upper-tier governments doing planning to 89 lower-tiers, which is going to complicate and delay building even more homes. And their push of sprawl will not only be more expensive, it threatens our farmland. We’re losing 319 acres a day. It forces people into expensive commutes. It will make the climate crisis worse and the housing crisis worse.", "Speaker, we have solutions to the housing crisis. We need to legalize homes so people can build homes in the communities they know and love, where we already have infrastructure built, not impose costly sprawl on them." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Anthony Leardi", "text": [ "I have a question that’s very important for rural Ontario residents and farmers, especially residents in the riding of Essex and farmers in the riding of Essex. We have an act that exists right now, it’s called the Line Fences Act, and presently, under the existing legislation, there is no particular allowance for electronic notice, nor are people who are non-owners of the land that they are farming automatically allowed to get notice when an application is made under the Line Fences Act.", "What this proposed legislation does is it cures those two things. This proposed legislation allows for electronic communication to be made under the act and, in addition to that, requires that the landowner and the occupier be notified when a line fence application is made. I think those are two very important things, especially for rural residents and farmers, because it’s often the occupier farmer who pays the cost of the line fence and not the actual owner of the property.", "So my question to the member is this: Does he support those two changes, and will he vote for them?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "I appreciate the member from Essex’s question. His question just really highlights my criticism of this bill.", "First of all, yes, anything that will reduce costs and disputes around how we adjudicate disputes around line fences, especially for farmers, is a good thing. So, as I said in my remarks, Speaker, there are some positive elements to this bill.", "But what the question misses and what this schedule of the bill misses is that we are in the biggest housing crisis this province has ever faced. It’s getting worse. Housing starts are going down. People’s ability to pay the rent is going—it’s unaffordable. A whole generation of young people are wondering if they’ll ever be able to afford to own a home.", "And while this bill has some positive elements, like changes to the Line Fences Act, it is wholly insufficient to even come close to addressing the scale of the housing crisis we’re facing. It’s as if the government is waving the white flag and saying, “We give up on fixing the housing crisis.”", "Well, Speaker, I want young people to know I’m not giving up. Greens aren’t giving up on fixing the housing crisis, and I will continue to come into this House each and every day to fight for real solutions, so everyone in this province can afford to own a home and pay the rent." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Guy Bourgouin", "text": [ "We see the housing crisis is all over, and northern Ontario is no better. We see a lot of people who want to move into—I call them “des maisons de transition,” so that they could sell their house, put their house on the market and maybe move into a small apartment, yet we don’t have that.", "We have a small university that can’t even give some housing for students, because there’s no affordable housing available, or “des dortoirs”—what do you call them, “les dortoirs” so that the students can live on campus? That doesn’t exist. There are a couple of rooms; that’s it.", "But affordable housing, sustainable housing, supportive housing—it’s max waiting times for two or three years.", "My question: Do you believe this bill, this red tape reduction, will fix that situation—not only for northern Ontario, but we hear in the south over and over that it’s across Ontario. Do you think that will fix this issue, or help fix this issue?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "I appreciate the member’s question. The short answer is, no, it’s not going to fix the housing crisis.", "I want to give you two quick responses to that. The first is, I’ve talked a lot in my remarks and in debate here about how we can change the market conditions to build more market housing that people can afford in the communities they know and love, but I also know it’s true that until the provincial and federal governments get back into providing the financial support to build non-profit, co-op and supportive housing, we will not solve the housing affordability crisis. We need market and non-market solutions.", "And when it comes to the market solutions, legalizing fourplexes is critically important not only in urban areas, but in rural areas. I can’t tell you—when I was doing my winter tour of rural parts of the province, including in the north, people told me, especially seniors, that they want to be able to downsize into a fourplex in the community they know and love, and not be forced to move away from where they grew up or where they raised their family." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Harris", "text": [ "It’s a pleasure to be able to rise and take part in debate with my colleague from just across the way in Guelph. Let’s talk a little bit about four as-of-right. I know that’s something that has kind of come up a little bit today, and obviously in committee. It’s interesting that roughly 70% of the province already has as-of-right for fourplexes that has been delineated through the municipality.", "I would like to ask: I know Mayor Guthrie in Guelph is supportive of fourplexes, and I’m sure that he’ll have the ability to make them as-of-right in his municipality. I’m just curious, and there’s no malice in this question at all: Why wouldn’t you want municipalities to be able to have the right to be able to go ahead and say that? Why mandate it? Why not let local decision-makers make those local decisions in their municipalities?", "1730" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "I appreciate my neighbour in Kitchener’s question, because we’re in a housing crisis, because we have a whole generation of people who simply cannot afford a home, because we don’t have enough homes. The government is imposing expensive, low-density sprawl onto municipalities and onto those individuals.", "Let’s be clear: If you legalize fourplexes and four-storey, that’s not mandating that you have to do it. It just means you have the right to build it if you want it. That’s how we did housing all over Ontario up until the 1960s and 1970s, when we started bringing in all these exclusionary zoning restrictions that prevented people from building that kind of housing.", "Also, legalizing six-to-11-storey along major transit and transportation corridors—I’ve talked to builders. Those two changes, legalizing fourplexes and legalizing six-to-11-storey along major transportation corridors, would cut building times in over half.", "We’re in a crisis. We’re in a race against time. We need to increase housing supply. At least on this side, among the Green caucus, we’re going to fight to be able to build homes as fast as we can. at the lowest cost we can, in the communities people love." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Thank you to the member from Guelph for his part in debate today. In Hamilton, we have close to 1,900 people who are homeless. Visibly, they say 263, but I think that number is way larger than that, just going around the city and seeing the amount of tents and the amount of people who are packed into those tents. In the last 10 years, we’ve lost 16,000 units that were under $750. They were affordable homes. Today, we don’t see that. To every one affordable home that’s built, we’re losing four to the private market rentals, so we’re just falling further and further and further behind.", "Do you agree with New Democrats that this bill is not the fix that people who are living rough on the streets are so desperate for? The solution that they’re looking for: Are we going to find it in this bill?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "The short answer to the member from Hamilton is, no, you’re not going to find that in this bill. Let’s just look at that radical organization called Scotiabank. They say that in the province of Ontario, if we’re going to address the chronic homeless crisis and the affordability crisis in housing, we need the government to get back into helping investing in non-profit, co-op and supportive housing. As a matter of fact, Scotiabank, that radical organization, says we need to build 250,000 government supported, deeply affordable, non-profit, co-op and permitted supportive housing units.", "What I’m tired of in this whole housing debate is it seems like some people think only the market is going to solve it, and some people think only the government is going to solve it. Well, I would say we need both and all hands on deck. We need to legalize housing so the market can build more homes that people can afford in the communities they know and love, and we need the government, as Scotiabank advises, to actually step in and do what they stopped doing in 1995: build non-profit, co-op and deeply affordable homes.", "Some 93% of the deeply affordable homes in this province were built before 1995. That’s when the government stopped doing it." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Good afternoon. I would like to start by saying to all the folks in Hamilton that our suffering and struggling with homelessness issues—for all the agencies, including first responders, that are dealing with this crisis almost single-handedly, I would like to say that the debate today on this Bill 185 will provide you some solace, some hope that help is on the way, but unfortunately, that is not the case. But let me again extend—the community thanks you; the community sees you. We appreciate what you’re doing. People’s lives are on the line, and you’re saving lives every day. It is something that is a lesson, an example, that I really wish that this government would take and put the spirit of what you do into a bill like Bill 185 that is called Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act.", "The reason I say that this bill is such a failure in the face of the affordability crisis and the housing supply crisis and the homelessness crisis that we’re facing is because this bill does nothing for renters. There’s no real rent control here. There are no protections whatsoever against renovictions. There’s no tenant-to-tenant protection, which means that when a tenant, perhaps, is illegally evicted, you can pay the same amount of rent; that they won’t evict tenants simply in order to jack up the rent. That’s not included in here.", "There’s no Landlord and Tenant Board reform. Right now, there are about 60,000 cases waiting at the Landlord and Tenant Board, and that would include people who are seeking redress for illegal evictions or illegal against-guideline rent increases.", "By the way, the government here does nothing to protect people against guideline increases, which means that your rent has gone up more than the provisions provide—nothing to protect you for that.", "There is nothing in this bill for inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning would mean that that gives the municipalities the ability to require developers to allocate a certain amount of their development, their buildings, to affordable units. Inclusionary zoning is not in the bill. Inclusionary zoning has been talked about for so long. It’s a no-brainer. But this government—I don’t know if they’re afraid of the developers, I think, or the lobbyists. I don’t know why they wouldn’t include that. It has been shown to be a solution to help us build the housing stock that people can truly afford.", "There are no fourplexes as-of-right. Why? You’ve made triplexes as-of-right. Why not fourplexes? Is it because the Premier went on a rant and said he’s against it, and you won’t see logic because you’re too afraid that you will contradict the Premier?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Lisa Gretzky", "text": [ "Fourplexes that are eight storeys." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Fourplexes that are eight storeys.", "I’m not a housing expert, but clearly our Premier is certainly not a housing expert.", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "I know. That is PC math right there.", "There’s nothing in here to address the idea of non-market housing. We have allowed the market to have free rein over our housing, and look where we are. We are in chaos. As we’ve been hearing time and time again, we have never been in a worse crisis in Ontario when it comes to housing affordability, or just housing in general.", "This statistic struck me in debate today: 70% of Ontarians are renters. A lot of people are renters.", "As I said, there’s nothing in this bill that provides renters the protections that they need. What we’re seeing time and time and time again is that people who live in apartments, who have lived there for 10 years, 20 years, like seniors, are being evicted—illegal evictions, renovictions. Sadly, they’re often being renovicted straight into homelessness." ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Dorothy is 72. I met her. She’s 72 years old." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Dorothy, a 72-year-old woman living in a homeless encampment in Hamilton.", "These are people who held jobs, who worked, and who just—there but for the grace of God we would be there. A lot of them fell on misfortune, or a lot of them bumped into the wrong landlord and had themselves kicked out of their housing, and now they’re living on the streets.", "We were speaking earlier—not only is it the human cost of homelessness, but the actual cost to the government and cost to taxpayers. The member from Ottawa Centre was talking about how expensive it is to provide the social services for people who are homeless.", "I would suggest to anyone who is interested that there’s a Canadian author, journalist, Malcolm Gladwell, and he wrote an article—it’s a bit old now, maybe from 2016—called “Million-Dollar Murray.” Essentially, it articulates this notion. They followed a gentleman whose name was Murray, who was homeless, and they followed him in and out of services, into jail, into hospital and all the services that were provided. Over the course of 10 years, it cost the municipality $1 million. If we had just provided a housing-first approach, provided this gentleman with stable housing, we would have saved $1 million, and he would have had better outcomes. He ended up, of course, dying on the street.", "1740", "So we agree with the government—with everyone, not just the government. We agree with everyone in Ontario that we need to build housing, that we need 1.5 million homes by 2031. At this point, it’s not even a stretch goal; that’s just what we need. We are in a housing crisis.", "I want to also identify the housing crisis has two components. It’s housing supply, which the government likes to talk a lot about, but it’s also housing affordability: Can you afford a home? This government is big on building and the Milton Friedman notion of just supply and demand will resolve the situation, but we need to look at things that we can do to make sure people can afford the homes that they have and that they don’t lose those.", "I have to say, by all measures, this government is coming up short when it comes to addressing the housing crisis, and that’s the point that I want to make: When we say there is a housing crisis, we mean that people can’t find decent and affordable places to live, be it a townhouse, a house, an apartment. I came to the realization that when the government says there’s a housing crisis, they mean that we have a shortage of those really expensive, single-family homes that they want to build on farmland and build on the greenbelt.", "So I’m here to say, when you hear the government say, “Housing crisis,” you need to think to yourself, “What do they mean precisely by that?” Do they mean that you and your family can’t afford rent in your apartment or your co-op building or your bungalow on the mountain? No. They mean the crisis is that we haven’t got enough developers building expensive sprawl on farmland.", "If the government were very serious about this—it completely baffles everyone, not just myself, why the government would have their own Housing Affordability Task Force commissioned—you hand-picked those folks, and then you went and ignored every recommendation that they made.", "So we know that you’re not doing very well right now when it comes to your progress on building homes. But do you know who’s really killing it in the country? That is BC. I’ll just read you the stats because this comes from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., CMHC. British Columbia, which is about 35% of Ontario’s population, issued building permits—about 52% as many units as Ontario. So this building permits data from Ontario points to an intensifying housing crisis in Ontario.", "Well, apparently, there may be hope on the horizon for British Columbia renters and homebuyers. In British Columbia, David Eby’s NDP government saw building permits issued in February up 7% from the year over, and that’s even more now that we’re into May and June. In Ontario—this data is from April—housing units tumbled 25%. Then, we heard most recently—so that was the worst performance since 2019, and an April stat shows that your housing starts are down by 37%, so it ain’t working. What you’re doing is not working. Even if your metric of success is just to build those big, single-family homes, that’s not working either. So we know BC is leading the country in housing starts, and Ontario is a laggard when it comes to this.", "Let’s be clear: BC has the same economic environment as Ontario has, the same excuses that you put forward when it comes to why you’re failing your targets. They have dealt with inflation; they’ve dealt with interest rates. Interest rates have no provincial borders, obviously, so they are doing the same thing, but why?", "They’re taking information and recommendations that were provided to you that you chose to ignore. Again, the minister said quite clearly that he was inspired by the Premier’s own Housing Affordability Task Force. Again, this is a task force that our government is choosing to ignore.", "I would like to also say that we haven’t got here just overnight. This government has rained planning chaos down on Ontario like I’ve never seen in my lifetime. We are essentially a Wild West of planning now. There have been so many flip-flops on the greenbelt, back and forth, so many changes to land use, so many changes to land use planning things, like the PPS, that municipal planners across Ontario are struggling to keep up, and this bill doesn’t help at all.", "I would say it just looks like, to anyone who—if anyone has a modicum of trust left in this government, I’d be surprised. But it certainly would appear to everyone that this planning chaos was driven by this government’s adherence to anything that land speculators, lobbyists or developers put before them. It’s hard to know why you’re beholden—well, I guess I know why you’re beholden to them, but it should be evident that it’s not working out well. It may be working out well for the government, it may be working out well for speculators, but it certainly is not working out well for the people of Ontario.", "We saw this when this government caved to billionaire speculators when it came to the greenbelt and urban boundary expansions. We have an RCMP investigation into your actions giving preferential treatment to insiders—preferential treatment; that’s like insider trading. It’s illegal, and your government—it was identified by the Auditor General that that’s what you did, by the Integrity Commissioner. We have investigations by the OPP and, certainly, by the RCMP.", "While these speculators may be making untold profits at the expense of public interest, it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Let me just identify some organizations and people who have also identified that the planning chaos that you’ve created in Ontario is setting us so far back from building homes or finding places for people to live.", "We heard from the Ontario Real Estate Association at committee, and they said, “We are disappointed that two key recommendations by the province’s own Housing Affordability Task Force (HATF)—strongly supported by Ontario realtors—have not been included in today’s bill. We need to build more homes on existing properties and allow upzoning along major transit corridors if we’re going to address the housing affordability and supply crisis in our province.”", "Then they go on say, “We commend Premier Ford and Minister Calandra for the actions ... but we hope to see them go further. The government needs to keep their foot on the gas with bold action....” That is exactly what we are saying." ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "That’s Tim Hudak, your former leader." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "That’s Tim Hudak. Sends us all a lovely Christmas card every year, doesn’t he?", "Then AMO: The Association of Municipalities of Ontario “calls on the province to support effective implementation of measures by limiting future changes to the land use planning process and restoring stability and certainty to the system.”", "I can only hazard a guess, because I’m not in the corner room and I’m not in the Premier’s office, but this instability, this chaos and this RCMP investigation is probably—certainly—nothing that’s welcomed by builders and developers in this province. You’ve made a complete hash of the thing for everyone, and this bill doesn’t show that you’ve learned a lesson at all.", "Finally, I would say—there are many other quotes here; I’m running out of time, but what I want to make sure that I put on the record is that your government has created this chaotic and unpredictable planning environment in the province. You have created an environment where investors are concerned about investing because they don’t know where we’re going next. You’ve created an environment where municipalities don’t know what you’re going to do from day to day. They’ve spent endless taxpayer dollars trying to address your changes and address your re-changes. What you have done has not created housing, but you’ve created substantial cost and waste for taxpayers across the province.", "1750", "I want to just turn a little bit to Hamilton, because when we were in committee we did hear from Steve Robichaud, who is the director of planning at the city of Hamilton. I want to start by saying that in Hamilton, we voted against an urban boundary expansion. Very handily, we voted against it. And the government, despite that, decided that they were going to big-foot that decision and force an urban boundary expansion on Hamilton that had to then be reversed.", "These reversals, coming back and forth, are not helpful for planning departments. They actually are professionals and they take their job seriously. They take planning seriously and they make very reasoned, well-thought-out decisions when it comes to planning. Despite the fact that the government tried to strong-arm the municipality of Hamilton to expand into the urban boundaries, I want everyone to be really, really clear that the city of Hamilton met the housing targets that this government—" ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Exceeded." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Actually, you’re right. They exceeded the housing targets that this government put forward to the municipality that the municipality agreed to. But they exceeded those targets within existing urban boundaries. They didn’t need the expansion onto farmland and greenbelt to accomplish what we all want to accomplish, which is adequate housing.", "So now, despite not having learned from that, the government now has decided that in this bill they’re going to introduce something which is about third-party appeals. Let me just explain this. If a developer at any point wants a municipality to change zoning or expand a boundary, they can come to the municipality at any time, even if the municipality is through an infrastructure planning cycle. And if the municipality says no, the developers could appeal it to the Ontario Land Tribunal and the municipalities have 120 days—120 days—to sort out how they are going to build the roads, the sewers, the infrastructure and how they’re going to pay for it. But if they say yes and that boundary expansion happens to impact your property, you do not have the right of appeal.", "I’m just going to read from Mr. Robichaud what he says about this draconian, straight undemocratic, thumbing-down of people’s property rights in this bill. Mr. Robichaud said:", "“The concern of the city is that decisions will be made by a third party. And just to put in context, there’s nothing in Ontario in law that requires the owner of the land to be the person applying for an official plan amendment.... A developer could apply for a secondary plan affecting my property, and I may not realize it. The council may not realize that not all the landowners are in agreement or are aware of it. That could be approved by council. The landowners would have no right to appeal. That is one of the concerns that we have, by removing the third-party appeal rights from the process, so that I could end up having the school, the park and stormwater management pond put on my property.”", "That is a fear that everyone needs to understand. You, as an individual owner, a municipal Ontario taxpayer, do not have the right to appeal.", "We put forward 12 amendments to this bill. The only amendment that the government came forward with was an amendment that would allow airports, large industries and cities to have third-party appeal. So again, it goes on and on and on: This government knuckled down and must have been lobbied hard by their speculator friends, and preferential treatment in the province of Ontario continues and we see it in this bill." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Christine Hogarth", "text": [ "I love talking about cutting red tape, because that’s what this bill is all about. Our government is taking unprecedented action to make life easier for Ontarians and our small businesses. This bill is the 13th red tape reduction package our government has introduced so far to streamline processes, modernize regulations and create an economic climate that drives new growth and investment.", "Just so the members opposite know, we have eliminated over 16,000 regulatory compliance requirements, and I know you like numbers, so that is $1.2 billion in annual regulatory compliance savings for our small business owners. I think that is great work which our government is doing.", "Now I’m just wondering if the member opposite and her party would support this bill so we can continue to pave the way for better services while helping Ontario businesses grow." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Really, the only thing this government is paving is the greenbelt and the farmland in the province of Ontario.", "You are not doing anything. You are not seeing results—this is not producing the results that the people need. I don’t know what world you live in over there, but in my riding, in our ridings, people can’t afford to eat. They can’t afford baby formula. Red tape is not top of mind for the people that have no child care; for people like my uncle who waited five days in emerg before he was treated. Red tape is not number one on their list, but what’s on their list is your evident catering and making sure that your insiders continue to profit while they suffer." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Wayne Gates", "text": [ "This question was actually going to go to the Conservatives but seeing they didn’t stand up in their last rotation, I’m going to have to do it to you.", "I sat on government agencies until the government decided that I was asking tough questions and decided to take me off. Here is what they did in this bill: I’ve noticed in schedule 10 of this bill it creates some changes on how members of the Niagara Parks Commission board are and will be appointed. Do you feel the appointment process should ensure individuals are appointed to the board based on merit and ability, rather than what the Conservative government is doing, through political loyalty or donations, or whether they are a past candidate—that ran against me—for the Conservative Party?", "Do you feel that it should be merit and ability, not by who you know and if you’re a candidate for this party?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "This is what in the US they might refer to as pork-barrel politics, that patronage, appointing people to high-level positions that have influence—" ] }, { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Like judges." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Like judges that are like-minded. People that were former candidates that are appointed to boards—important boards that do important work. Unfortunately, what this is doing is continuing to make the people of Ontario cynical about all politicians. Your actions taint all of us. So you would think that if you were truly a responsible government, you would go out of your way to make sure that these important boards and commissions that protect important natural treasures like the Niagara Escarpment have people on it that, it’s not who they know, it’s that they know what they’re doing. But that does not seem to be the case in this province and everybody knows it." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Christine Hogarth", "text": [ "I’d like to continue on my line the questioning, talking about red tape.", "We talk about patients before paperwork. Our government has been tirelessly working to improve health care in Ontario. We’ve increased access to care. We continue to build new hospitals, reducing wait times and we hired more health care workers. Bill 185, which we’re talking about today, proposes to streamline the registration process for internationally educated health professionals, ensuring they can provide high-quality, safe care.", "I’m just wondering what the member opposite says. You mentioned red tape and health care don’t go hand in hand. Can you tell me a little bit about this? And would you support this initiative of patients coming before paperwork?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "If there’s anything in more crisis and complete chaos than housing in this province under this government, it has to be our health care system. Some 2.4 million people do not have a doctor or primary care, and that’s expected to double in the next few years. The people of Sault Ste. Marie—how many, 10,000—are going to lose their family physician—10,000." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Guy Bourgouin", "text": [ "And 70% of First Nations people don’t have a family doctor." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "Yes—70% of First Nations people don’t have a family doctor.", "So, really, how are any of these red tape bills—show me the evidence where they’re impacting the things that people care about—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Thank you to the member from Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas.", "Third reading debate deemed adjourned." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "This House now stands adjourned until Tuesday, June 4, at 9 a.m.", "The House adjourned at 1800.", "", "", "", "", "", "" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "I’m pleased to recognize the member for Hastings–Lennox and Addington." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Ric Bresee", "text": [ "I’m very proud today to see this bill, Bill 99, An Act to provide for safety measures respecting movable soccer goals, come before us today for third reading.", "I do need to say thank you to my colleagues the MPP from Newmarket–Aurora and the MPP from Burlington, who will also be speaking today.", "I want to express my appreciation to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, to all of my colleagues on both sides of this House and, of course, to my awesome staff team and the team here in the Legislature for their co-operative approach in getting this bill drafted, processed through first, second and committee hearings. And now, here we are at third reading.", "Most importantly, I need to express my deepest gratitude and my greatest sympathies for the families of the victims that we’re speaking of today, that they have participated in this process. I also have lost a child, but I can’t imagine the strength that they endured—the horror, if you will—of having to come before this House, come before the committee and continue to talk about the tragedy that impacted their lives. I am deeply grateful for their participation in this process.", "I hope and I believe that we all hope that if this bill passes into law, it will help to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.", "Speaker, unfortunately, I need to remind the House of the tragic event that led us to where we are today, to this final debate.", "On a sunny spring day in May 2017, a 15-year-old by the name of Garrett Mills, in the town of Greater Napanee, was playing in a local park with his girlfriend, Joanna, and his best friend, Josh. This was a young man who enjoyed making others laugh, apparently especially with silly puns. He made everyone around him feel better just by being around him. His parents, Dave and Gwen Mills, who are in the audience today, were very proud of this thoughtful, intelligent, responsible and quite charming young man. His girlfriend told them that day that it was actually one of the best days of his life.", "Unfortunately, on that beautiful spring afternoon, as this young man was hanging around the park with his friends like any teenage boy would, the unthinkable occurred. This day, he was hanging off the crossbar of a movable soccer net, doing chin-ups, when tragedy struck in this small community. That 200-pound soccer goal tipped forward, falling on top of him and fracturing his skull. Later that afternoon, Garrett, that healthy, joyful, energetic young man, passed away from his injuries. He was the victim of an entirely preventable accident.", "Speaker, I didn’t personally have the pleasure of knowing Garrett, but because of the marvels of technology, I’ve been able to see pictures of that spring and even that day. ,When I was learning about this young man, I heard stories from his mother and father—stories about how they admired their son’s outlook on life. His motto was to get out there and make a change in the world, make the world better. It’s a motto that we should all aspire to.", "As we look at the final consideration for Bill 99, we are carrying on the legacy of Garrett, making a change in the world and working together to make sure that a tragedy like this does not happen in any other community in Ontario or to any other Ontario family.", "Bill 99 addresses a growing number of incidents of soccer-net-tipping fatalities and injuries. Across North America, there have been over 40 fatalities, mostly young children, where tipping soccer nets were to blame.", "Speaker, I think we all can remember growing up and being out at a local park. As kids, we may have felt invincible. But as parents, we all need to trust that every safety measure possible is in place to ensure that our children are safe.", "In this bill, we’re not mandating a particular type of soccer net to be used in a park. Many field operators, often municipalities or school boards, use these temporary nets to allow for many sports to be played on their fields. It essentially doubles or even triples the value of that field as an asset to their facilities. What we are doing with this bill is enhancing an organization’s ability to provide outdoor recreation in a safe environment that our children can have access to.", "If passed, this bill will allow the minister to create regulations on how the installations of mobile soccer nets are managed and how they are secured. These regulations will include properly securing the net to the ground, proper storage, and provide for signage, stickers and other educational resources to inform everyone of the risks involved.", "The regulations that are suggested in this bill are not unique. Many jurisdictions across North America have already passed laws requiring that nets be secured, and almost all soccer associations in Canada have guidelines on how to do this. After a similar incident in 2003, when six-year-old Zachary Tran died in Chicago, the state of Illinois implemented Zach’s Law in 2011.", "Speaker, I know that the minister is a strong advocate for sports and recreation. I know that he wants to ensure that the people of Ontario can enjoy a game of soccer and not need to worry that the soccer net could injure a player. Again, we don’t want to restrict the use—but instead ensure the devices are used safely. So I am encouraged to see members of all parties co-operatively working together to bring this bill into law.", "In committee, Jacqueline Palm, the mother of Jaime Palm, who died in 2014 when a soccer net fell on her, told our committee, “Losing Jaime as a result of a preventable, avoidable tragic accident is heartbreaking.” Her father is in the House today. “Our lives will never be the same.”", "I also want to quote from Dave Mills’s testimony in committee. He shared a segment from an op-ed piece written by Russell Wangersky:", "“It’s hard enough for parents to deal with the unpreventables, the bad luck and the being in the wrong place at the wrong time situations....", "“Like I said, it’s hard enough dealing with the unpreventables.", "“But the preventables?", "“If we can’t stop those from happening, what the heck is wrong with us?", "“There should not be a single set of soccer goalposts anywhere in this nation that are not properly and permanently fastened down by now. Not indoor nets, not practice nets, not movable nets.", "“There is a point where things just aren’t accidents anymore. If you’ve been warned and warned, it eventually crosses the line into sheer negligence.", "“And we’ve been past that point for years.”", "Tragedies like both Garrett and Jaime’s are preventable. This bill provides legislation to prevent tragedies from temporary and movable soccer nets from happening to any more Ontarians.", "In an August 2014 CBC news article, Dr. Charles Tator, founder of Think First Canada and a neurosurgeon, said, “It’s been recognized for a long period of time that goalposts that are improperly anchored can cause injury, and in fact there are several recorded fatalities....”", "Incidents like this date back to 2001, when, in Montreal, nine-year-old Patrick Rivest was severely injured. At the time of the incident, the Montreal Gazette stated that that was the sixth incident that year of injuries from toppling goalposts in Montreal.", "0910", "Speaker, I need to take a moment to recognize the Minister of Energy and the Minister of Long-Term Care, who both, in previous governments, worked extensively to bring this bill forward. I’m honoured to be the one to carry the baton to carry this past the finish line.", "In fact, back in 2018, our Premier came to the Quinte region and met with Dave Mills. After hearing about the tragedy of Garrett’s death, he made a promise: “Don’t worry, buddy. We’re going to get this done for you, and we’re going to get this done for Garrett.”", "Today, I’m honoured to be the one to carry the torch across the finish line and get this done for Garrett.", "Today, I ask that all members put partisan politics aside. Let’s unite together and prevent the preventable from happening.", "I want to conclude my remarks by repeating Garrett’s motto one more time: Let’s get out there, make a change in the world and make the world better. This will be Garrett’s legacy." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?", "Happy belated birthday.", "I recognize the member from St. Catharines." ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens", "text": [ "Thank you. This will be the second time that I rise and speak to support Bill 99, Garrett’s Legacy Act. This legislation is aimed at ensuring the safety of our children as they play on or play around soccer fields across this fine province of Ontario. More than any of that, however, it is legislation that is built on the foundations and principles of learning from a tragedy.", "Enduring the pain and loss of the kind that was endured by the Mills family is heartbreaking, and while this bill will never make whole their loss, it does make sure that we endeavour to do what is right—ensuring that we do everything in our power to make sure it will not happen again.", "My condolences again go out to the Mills family, out to their community—and a reminder that making amateur sport safe, and the fields and arenas that they play on, must be a primary concern for this province.", "This bill is named in honour of Garrett Mills, a young man whose life was tragically cut short due to the lack of safety measures for movable soccer goals. His story is a poignant remainder of the responsibilities we bear as legislators to protect the youth of our communities. During the second reading of this bill, I highlighted the profound impact of Garrett’s story on the community and the necessities for robust safety measures. Many members of this House shared their heartfelt support for the bill and recognized the importance of preventing future tragedies. We also heard from representatives of all parties who stood together in support, sharing a commitment to enhancing safety in sports.", "I’ve always been a firm believer that only together are we able to accomplish the public good. As myself and others have walked across the aisle to accomplish positives for our communities, I am glad to see we are doing something here for sports safety. Today, I recognize it is a small step. For some, it will feel large—the largest mountains.", "While I risk sounding too proverbial or using a platitude that will not sound genuine, if passing this bill makes certain that we save even one life, then it’s well worth all of our efforts in this House.", "When I saw the news break originally about Garrett Mills, a young teenager from Napanee, what stood out to me was his energy. In 2017, that life of promise was heartbreakingly cut short when an unsecured soccer goalpost fell on him. He was doing chin-ups on the soccer goalpost—the type of activity that my own children have done countless times at our own soccer fields throughout the city of St. Catharines.", "My thoughts and prayers go out to any family who experiences this tragedy—and in this case, especially his father, Dave Mills, known to many as Buzz Collins—are beyond words.", "This bill, Garrett’s Legacy Act, is born out of a father’s loss of a son, but also the commitment to prevent any other family from facing such a loss. Garrett’s Legacy Act is more than just a bill; it is a father fulfilling his son’s request to leave a legacy, and it is about a family ensuring that the loss of their loved one was not in vain.", "Speaker, as we engage in this debate, let us not lose sight of the family and their motivation behind this legislation. It is a tribute. It is a tribute to a young boy who should have been playing, laughing and continuing to grow up. Let Garrett’s memory inspire us to pass this bill, ensuring that his legacy is one of protection, care and enduring love for all of our children.", "The journey to pass this bill has not been without setbacks. I know this is not the first time it has been tabled, and its timeline is longer than I think has been intended, but, together, collectively, we can move it through the process to having it be fully passed today within this House.", "Garrett’s Legacy Act has specific requirements for organizations and entities that provide movable soccer goals for public use. These include ensuring that goals are located on level surfaces, securing goals in accordance with prescribed regulations, and meeting any additional prescribed safety requirements. The bill also empowers the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport to appoint inspectors to ensure compliance and to establish a mechanism for the public to report non-compliance.", "The bill’s main provision, which is to establish safety standards for movable soccer goals, is a reasonable step towards the goal of child safety. This is not an overly restrictive measure, nor does it impose burdensome regulations on sporting organizations. Rather, it asks us to take responsible and reasonable precautions to prevent avoidable accidents in the province of Ontario.", "There are those who may argue that the measures proposed in this bill could present challenges to small sporting organizations. It is a fair concern, but cost does not always have to lead to a stalled process—that is well needed. While responsibility and accountability are the cornerstones of good governance, this bill encourages responsibility, not just at the governmental level, but also within our community organizations. It asks everyone to play their part in safeguarding our children.", "Speaker, the cost of action of keeping sport safe is an important one. What we are proposing here cannot be simply symbolic, nor can it be a responsibility shifted onto local recreation groups without any resources to follow through. The former measure does not do this bill justice, and the latter one is just passing the buck. That is why this is vital. It is vital—I cannot overstate this piece—to make sure that the government will be required to do their proper due diligence with amateur and sport non-profits across the province that maintain these facilities, to ensure there’s no undue cost.", "While I recognize that the member opposite who’s proposing this legislation cannot include funding to this type of legislation, I will publicly muse that it might be reasonable for the ministry to commit to community consultation and consider a type of reserve or additional measures or funding to offset any costs so that organizations can meet any new protocols.", "0920", "While there is no space for amendments at this point, I will continue to work with and advocate to the ministry in my role as critic for sports in Ontario, to ensure that there are solutions for safe sport. In this case, it could mean an additional pot of money granted to all municipalities across Ontario, ensuring that soccer fields and goalposts across Ontario will be modernized in the way we are talking about right here. Without steps like these, then we are providing obligations without the seriousness of ensuring the goals of this legislation can be completed.", "This cannot be political. It must be practical. In this case, not only does the province hold the decision-making on regulations, but we also hold the purse strings to ensure it’s done right the first time. So it is my hope that it is done right.", "Rules are only as strong as they are used and enforced. If this chamber and, ultimately, the House moves forward to codify this bill into law, then we should be mindful of ensuring that, down the road, the ministry evaluates resources to ensure compliance. The ministry must check in with our sports stakeholders across the province, the actors who are doing the work—and they’re often volunteers—of youth sports.", "The experience of children and youth sport in Ontario is a core part of being Canadian. The benefits of sport are well-documented, from providing a baseline for a habit for a lifelong healthy lifestyle, to promoting physical development, to teaching life skills such as teamwork, discipline and resilience. Sports serve as a platform for our children and youth to learn about co-operation, leadership and the importance of setting and achieving goals.", "I myself have been a youth coach. I have coached softball, soccer and hockey in the Merritton Athletic Association. I know that beyond the personal growth opportunities, youth sports play a critical role in our community-building. They create bonds among children, families and community members, fostering a sense of unity and belonging. Youth sport is where my family grew our friendships—some of our best friends, actually; ones that last to this day. They provide a safe, constructive environment for children to engage with their peers, thereby promoting social inclusion and diversity.", "Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, I was a former coach of youth sports. This brings me to St. Catharines, a community that is passionate about its youth sports, and home to countless soccer fields, where thousands of children play, grow and foster a love for the beautiful game, the beautiful sport of soccer. Sports are to be enjoyed.", "We have great sporting leagues in my riding: the St. Catharines Jets soccer club; the Garden City United soccer club; the St. Catharines Minor Baseball Association; the Kiwanis aquatic club; St. Catharines rowing, where we’re going to be hosting the world championships; St. Catharines Falcons hockey—and I basically need to stop there, or I’ll take up all the remaining time. These are great local organizations in my backyard of St. Catharines.", "All of us here in the Legislature represent great communities with similar leagues. We owe it to them to make sure we do all we can do to keep the children safe and make sure that their playing fields are as safe as we need them to be.", "It is my hope that the ministry will follow up with consultation with the community and the volunteer and amateur sporting organizations to ensure that any measures enacted today will be met with the equally weighted support of Ontario, to ensure costs are offset and goals can be reached.", "I will be supporting this bill, my colleagues will be supporting this bill, with the understanding that it’s not just about movable soccer goalposts, but about the legacy we leave behind for our children, about the safe and vibrant sporting culture we want for them.", "I would like to again say my condolences to the Garrett family.", "I think that we need to leave behind, for our children, safe playing fields and the vibrant sporting culture we want for them.", "Also, let us remember Garrett; let us remember any other child who has been injured and given their life on an unsafe playing field. Let us honour his family’s advocacy today, and let his legacy be one of safety, care and love for the sport that all of Ontario should be able to play." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I’m pleased to be here today to speak in support of this bill.", "As a mom, I can only imagine what it must be like to lose a child. It’s an awful tragedy that no parent or caregiver should ever have to experience.", "As a social worker, I’ve walked with many families who have lost their children, and it’s nothing that people easily recover from. The grief journey is unlike anything else.", "My sincere condolences go to Garrett’s parents. I appreciate their advocacy. To make meaning of such a tragedy is really hard. I know lots of families find it in themselves to be advocates, to ensure that no other child is lost in this way. I admire very much how Garrett’s parents have worked with our member across the aisle to make sure that no other parents have to experience this kind of loss.", "I have to admit that I didn’t know a lot about the type of risk involved in this sporting equipment, so I thank you for that, as well. I’ve learned a lot about how it’s a growing concern across North America, with 40 individuals losing their children. That’s 40 families who go home without their child every day and live the rest of their lives grieving and trying to make meaning of that loss.", "Today we have an opportunity to bring real therapy and relief, to find value in an awful tragedy, to try to make sure that no other child is lost in such a way.", "I am a hockey mom. There are many kinds of hockey moms, I’ll say. My kids play hockey, so I appreciate all the efforts that have gone into our sporting organizations over the years. Whether it’s baseball, hockey, lacrosse, cricket, dance etc., we have so many wonderful ways in which kids can be active in our province. We have to find ways to make sure that when we send our kids out into our play spaces, out into these sporting environments, they come back whole, without concussions, without injuries, and without losing their life. I’ve participated in webinars, I’ve signed all the forms, but I also acknowledge that we are putting the onus on caregivers and families and young people to stay safe, and that’s not okay. We need to start ensuring that the systems and the organizations and the landscapes where we send our kids to play sports are safe implicitly, that we send them out knowing that that safety is woven into the landscape, woven into the environment. We can do that by preventing harm and not putting the onus on a hodgepodge of individuals and play spaces and organizations to do this work, but putting the onus on the institutions to get this work done and ensure that there’s safety there. We always say “safety first,” and we’ve seen our society evolve over the years to embed safety. Whether it’s through stop signs on the back of jerseys, or helmets, or seat belts, we’ve done so much to try to keep our kids safe and make sure that lives aren’t lost. So I appreciate very much the spirit of this bill and its efforts to prevent life—and make meaning from tragedy that has, unfortunately, happened.", "I do want to see us properly fund not-for-profit sports. Sometimes when we create more red tape, which I know we are all against—and this isn’t red tape; it’s meaningful, important legislation, but if we don’t properly fund it, it can equate to a cut. I go home to my riding, as we all do, and we experience the feedback from these not-for-profit organizations that are not only struggling to get donations back but are struggling with volunteerism. We don’t need to impose cuts on these organizations if we can help it, so we need to back up any new legislation with proper funding to make sure that these organizations can continue to thrive.", "0930", "Just last night, I was at the Athlete of the Year awards. It was a beautiful moment in my region, and I think it’s because we’ve created opportunities for all young people to get involved in athletics and shine and find bright spots in their lives and achieve great heights to make us all proud.", "As a city councillor, I have been in lots of conversations about playgrounds and play spaces.", "We haven’t just underfunded our not-for-profit sector, but we’ve also underfunded cities and regions to create more opportunities for green space.", "Kitchener Centre is densifying. I come from a region where we are putting up high-rises like never before, especially in the downtown core, where I live. We haven’t done a commensurate investment in the green spaces, so we’re looking at overpopulated, intense green spaces in our city.", "So not only do I hope the government can fund the not-for-profit sector, who are looking to make sport accessible, but I hope that we can make that same investment in our green spaces and our public spaces like schools.", "I know a lot of the soccer nets that we are putting up that are accessible to the public are on school playgrounds and school soccer fields. But what we hear from schools is that they are struggling to pay the bills. They are struggling to fund these things. So if we need this safety measure in place, we need to fund it, and that equates to funding schools, as well.", "I appreciate this very much. I appreciate the effort to make our kids safe when they go out of our homes, when they go to play sports.", "I also urge the government to invest in athletics to make sure that we can pay the bills and keep this opportunity available.", "Finally, I’d like to talk a little bit about the use of these soccer pitches and how Garrett’s life ended. I know it was through doing a chin-up. He was using a soccer net to do chin-ups, and it wasn’t anchored down.", "I hope we can enforce this bill. I hope we can find that these public spaces—not only during when sports are happening, whether that’s a soccer practice, that it’s anchored down; but we have the ability to make sure they’re anchored down and secured and safe 24 hours a day, because I know that these soccer pitches, whether they’re at a school, whether they’re at a city park, are used by our public on a regular basis. We have many layers of people who make access of these public spaces. So let’s make sure that the efforts we’re making today include all of these voices, whether it’s city sports, the education sector, minor sport organizations. Include them in the conversation to be sure that we can all be vigilant and we can all ensure that this effort is enforced overall.", "I appreciate the bill, as a sport lover myself. I see it as a mental health tool. Sport is not just physical activity and fun. We see young people facing severe mental health challenges at this moment in time. I truly believe that we can ensure every child in Ontario, whether they’re low-income, racialized or from various cultural backgrounds, has access to affordable and safe athletics in the province of Ontario.", "Thank you to the member opposite and to our many MPPs in this House. I appreciate this bill. I will support it.", "I urge the government to keep working towards safe, accessible and equitable access to athletics in the province of Ontario." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "MmeDawn Gallagher Murphy", "text": [ "I rise this morning to express my strong support of my colleague’s private member’s Bill 99, Garrett’s Legacy Act, 2024. I thank the member from Hastings–Lennox and Addington for putting forth this bill, as it addresses the safety and well-being of children in Ontario—specifically, to enhance the safety measures of movable soccer goals used by the public. The act sets out specific requirements for the safe usage of these goals. It mandates inspections and establishes a mechanism for reporting non-compliance.", "Sadly, young Garrett was not the only child who lost his life too early due to an avoidable, tragic accident.", "In my riding of Newmarket–Aurora, young Jaime Palm, a 15-year-old girl, an athlete, a blossoming soccer and field hockey player and volleyball team player, died when a soccer net fell over and she was caught under the crossbar in 2014.", "I want to recognize Robert Palm, Jaime’s father, who is here in the chamber today, and Jaime’s mom, Jacqui Palm, who could not be here today. But with all her strength, Jacqui provided a deputation in front of the Standing Committee on Social Policy last July 2023, when this bill was under review.", "Speaker, children are supposed to enjoy the outdoors, play and make use of public amenities like parks, fields and soccer pitches. When these amenities which are meant to bring joy instead bring grief, we know that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Today, we can take a step towards ensuring that such tragedy never happens again.", "First and foremost, the act mandates that all movable soccer goals be placed on level surfaces and securely anchored in accordance with prescribed regulations. This provision ensures that the goals remain stable and significantly reduces the risk of them tipping over and causing injury. Moreover, the act empowers the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport to appoint inspectors to enforce these safety standards.", "Another essential aspect of Bill 99 is the establishment of a compliance mechanism. This allows members of the public to report any non-compliance that they observe, ensuring that these safety concerns can be promptly addressed. It fosters a culture of accountability and vigilance, reinforcing our collective commitment to public safety.", "The penalties outlined in the act for non-compliance serve as a deterrent, underscoring the seriousness of these requirements. By imposing fines for violations, we emphasize that the safety of our children and communities is non-negotiable.", "I would like to quote Jaime’s mother, Jacqueline Palm, from her deputation to the Standing Committee on Social Policy:", "“The soccer net that was above Jaime’s head fell on top of her and crushed and killed her. Had this net been properly secured after the lawn was cut, my daughter would still be with us today. This was a movable soccer net. Tragically, it had not been securely anchored....", "“Losing Jaime as a result of a preventable, avoidable tragic accident is heartbreaking. Our lives will never be the same....", "“It is our hope that this Bill 99 will help to prevent any other parents like Rob and myself from having to suffer the loss of a child in a completely senseless, avoidable way.”", "Jacqui went on to say, “Please remember, over 40 children in North America since 1979 is the latest statistic; that’s 40 children’s lives too many. This bill needs to be passed.”", "The passage of Bill 99 is not just about compliance with regulations; it is about honouring the memory of a young boy, Garrett, and a young girl, Jaime. It is about preventing future tragedies of this nature. It is about taking proactive measures to protect our children and ensuring that recreational activities remain safe and enjoyable.", "0940", "I met Jacqui Palm close to nine years after her tragic loss of Jaime. As a mom, I felt the pain that Jacqui so evidently was carrying in her heart. As her member of provincial Parliament, I am honoured to stand in my place today and speak to this bill in its third reading.", "I encourage every one of my colleagues in this chamber today to support this bill. Together, we can protect the innocence of our youth and prevent any unnecessary family grieving, community grieving and provincial grieving.", "Let’s honour Garrett and Jaime’s legacy and make our province a safer place for everyone." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Ted Hsu", "text": [ "One of the most rewarding and fruitful parts of the job of MPP is to connect the issues that you encounter or work on in your constituency office with legislative work at Queen’s Park.", "I want to thank the member for Hastings–Lennox and Addington for bringing forward Bill 99, and I’m pleased to speak in support of it. This legislation comes out of the events in Napanee, only a 30-minute drive west of my home in Kingston.", "Garrett’s Legacy Act is named after Garrett Mills, a young boy who tragically lost his life in 2021 after being pinned and hit by a movable soccer goal. Garrett was doing a chin-up, something so many kids do on the crossbars of soccer nets. I’ve done that myself. But what happened next is something that doesn’t normally happen: The net fell, hitting Garrett on the head. This could have happened to anyone playing soccer. This tragedy has highlighted a safety concern—the potential dangers associated with unsecured or unstable soccer goals. Bill 99 is a direct response to this tragedy. The core objective of Bill 99 is to prevent similar accidents from ever happening again. It establishes clear safety standards for organizations and entities that make movable soccer goals available for public use.", "Imagine a soccer player, brimming with enthusiasm, practising on the field. We want them to focus on the game, on developing their skills and, most importantly, on having fun. Bill 99 creates a safer environment for these experiences. Having features like weighted bases, anchoring systems and double post construction for movable goals will reduce the risk of an accident or injury. It should be a given that our kids are playing recreational sports with equipment that is safe.", "The act doesn’t just set standards; it also establishes a framework for accountability. The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport has the authority to conduct inspections and ensure compliance. Additionally, there are mechanisms for reporting instances of non-compliance. This creates a system that prioritizes safety and holds organizations responsible for upholding the standards. Working together, we can ensure everyone understands the importance of safety and implements best practices.", "Bill 99 is a tribute to Garrett’s memory and a future where our children can just enjoy soccer. Let’s work together to create a safer environment on the soccer field. Our kids have enough challenges as it is. Choosing to protect and invest in our kids is always a good choice." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Natalie Pierre", "text": [ "Today, I have the honour to speak to Bill 99, Garrett’s Legacy Act, An Act to provide for safety measures respecting movable soccer goals.", "Legacies are powerful. They are passed on and have a long-lasting impact, imparting wisdom and action.", "Today, we call for action. We call for the sort of action that would prevent injury for children and for people of all ages.", "It’s common in the warmer months for people to spend time outdoors in local parks. Sometimes it’s just to relax and enjoy the weather; other times it’s to work out, spend time with friends or play a sport like football, baseball or soccer.", "One thing we don’t really think about is the safety of the soccer goals found in a lot of our local parks, schools and sports fields. Many people don’t realize that not all soccer goals are anchored to the ground, and they don’t recognize the danger when they hang off the crossbar to do a pull-up, a chin-up, or even just a stretch. Improperly secured soccer goals present a serious threat to athletes, to children and to anyone using them or around them.", "Sadly, we’ve all heard of incidents across the country of goalposts collapsing and falling on unsuspecting children, youths, adults, that have resulted in fatal injuries. These accidents are preventable and wouldn’t have happened if the goalposts were secured down. One life lost to a preventable accident is one too many, but the fact is, there have been over 50 lives lost since the 1950s to these kinds of incidents. That number is far too high for us to ignore.", "There are solutions we can action. Similar to the Movable Soccer Goal Safety Act implemented in the Yukon, we too can ensure that goalposts are anchored down, and have inspections to make sure the equipment is safely secured.", "In the Yukon, owners of movable nets for public use are now required to inspect their goals twice annually: once at the beginning of each soccer season and at another time during the year. They’re also required to keep records of the goals’ condition.", "The Yukon and many states in the USA recognized that there needed to be laws surrounding the use of movable goalposts.", "For example, in the state of Illinois, Zach’s Law requires all movable soccer goals manufactured and sold in the state of Illinois to be tip-resistant. It also requires organizations that own and control a movable soccer goal to create a safety plan and an education policy that outlines how the organization will specifically address the safety issues associated with movable soccer goals.", "These changes in how equipment is installed will prevent injuries and fatalities, and enhance safety.", "Garrett’s Legacy Act aims to protect the lives of people around movable soccer goals. The bill states that organizations or entities that make a movable soccer goal available for use by a member of the public shall ensure that the goal is located on a level surface, securely anchored in accordance with the regulations, and meet any educational training or other requirements that may be prescribed. The bill aims to allow for regulations and mandates for safe usage of movable goalposts and allows the minister to establish an avenue to report non-compliance with the act. Non-compliance would also result in fines for first-time and repeat offenders.", "This bill is a step in the right direction in safeguarding children and the public while playing soccer, sports, or even spending time in the vicinity of goalposts.", "Sport is an excellent way for children and youth to learn to play together and to work as a team to achieve a common goal.", "Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, and the unfortunate incidences that have caused tragedies in communities are preventable and can be avoided.", "Garrett’s Legacy Act, if passed, will require organizations to ensure that any movable goalposts are secured safely so that tragic accidents like Garrett’s never happen again. Tragedies like this are preventable, and we hope to implement solutions that will save lives.", "Speaker, the safety of children and everyone in Ontario is a priority for our government.", "Thank you to my colleague the MPP for Hastings–Lennox and Addington for bringing Garrett’s Legacy Act forward and for the opportunity to speak to the bill. And thank you to Garrett’s parents and family for your continued advocacy. Together, we can prevent these types of tragedies from happening." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate? Further debate?", "MPP Bresee has moved third reading of Bill 99, An Act to provide for safety measures respecting movable soccer goals.", "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.", "Applause." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Thank you to Garrett’s family for being here today, and congratulations on the legacy.", "Orders of the day? I recognize the House leader." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "No further business." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "There being no further business, the House stands recessed until 10:15 a.m.", "The House recessed from 0951 to 1015." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Deepak Anand", "text": [ "Speaker, Toronto Pearson airport holds a special place in my heart. It was the place where I first set foot on Canadian soil, marking the beginning of my dream life on January 15, 2000.", "Situated in Mississauga–Malton, Pearson airport is the front door to Canada for millions of visitors and newcomers to Ontario every year.", "Premier Ford always says, “Ontario is an economic powerhouse,” and Pearson airport stands as a testament to this by contributing over $42 billion annually to Ontario’s GDP and employing over 50,000 workers.", "With the increasing demand for air travel, the Pearson LIFT project is preparing to elevate Pearson as one of the most advanced, sustainable and passenger-friendly airports in the world. This initiative will modernize facilities while creating world-class amenities and commercial spaces.", "Thanks to the excellent leadership of CEO Deborah Flint, Pearson LIFT will strengthen vital infrastructure and reaffirm Pearson’s commitment to supporting a sustainable and prosperous future for Ontario.", "Pearson remains a transportation cornerstone and an integral part of Ontario’s supply chain for the critical goods residents and businesses rely on every day.", "My best wishes for Toronto Pearson’s evolution as it reflects our national values and aspirations. I look forward to seeing the shovels in the ground for a stronger and prosperous Ontario." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Peter Tabuns", "text": [ "Speaker, as everyone knows, insurance rates are going up. People are getting sick at work from heatstroke. People are being forced from their homes by out-of-control forest fires. These damages from climate change are already here. It is not a distant issue but one people are being hit with today.", "We need to help people make their homes better able to withstand extreme weather. We need to ensure that the measures to protect people from climate-driven floods are not abandoned, as is being done with attacks on conservation authorities; in fact, we need to put in more flood protections. Making homes and communities safer from fire saves lives and avoids huge personal and financial costs. Failure to act and, in fact, action that makes things worse mean that people will lose their homes and that all of us will pay higher insurance premiums.", "The government’s refusal to carry out a credible climate plan or to put in place measures to protect us from existing climate damage is hurting people in Ontario.", "The government must act now on climate." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Christine Hogarth", "text": [ "It is my privilege to share that on May 10, I joined the Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, to announce an investment of $33.4 million for a new school in Etobicoke–Lakeshore. This new public school investment will create another 823 student spaces and 88 licensed child care spaces for families in south Etobicoke.", "I’m happy to note that the new Etobicoke City Centre Elementary School is the fifth major school investment for Etobicoke–Lakeshore during my tenure as MPP. That’s over $135 million invested in schools and linked child care spaces in our community. I’m proud to advocate for and deliver these much-needed investments for our fast-growing community, to support working families and young learners. Two out of these five schools, St. Leo and Holy Angels, are expected to open in September 2024. The new Holy Angels school will accommodate 600 students and have 88 child care spaces. There will be room for 500 students at St. Leo, along with 49 child care spaces. The new and improved Bishop Allen Academy and St. Elizabeth school are anticipated to open in September 2027, with 1,300 and 600 pupil places, respectively.", "I also want to share that for the upcoming 2024-25 school year, the Toronto Catholic District School Board will get nearly $1.2 billion in education funding, which is an increase of over $15.6 million from the current school year; the Toronto District School Board will get $3.3 billion, an increase of $68 million from the current school year.", "1020" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Miss Monique Taylor", "text": [ "Hamilton is facing the worst homelessness and housing crisis yet. Speaker, 1,900 are homeless, with 258 visibly homeless, sheltering in encampments. Close to 8,000 Hamiltonians are on a wait-list for housing eight to 10 years long. And 16,000 affordable units have been lost in the last 10 years—lost units with rents of $750 or less. For every one unit of affordable housing created, Hamilton loses four to the private rental market. Life expectancy is half when you are homeless. None of this is okay.", "On Saturday, I joined the march to end homelessness in Hamilton. I met Dorothy, a 72-year-old sheltering in a nearby encampment since November. She was evicted from her home by a renoviction. Dorothy was there with so many others calling for change. I met Angela, affectionately known as “Jordan’s mom,” a pillar in the community who continues to stand up and speak out. Angela spoke passionately and challenged all of us in attendance to come together to support, to help, to make a difference. It was an emotional gathering that wrapped up with a communal meal, distribution of clothing and blankets, and the collective sense that now is not the time to give up.", "Political will got us here, and only political will will get us out. Together, we must end this crisis.", "In the words of those marching on Saturday, “We are unstoppable! Another world is possible!”" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Patrice Barnes", "text": [ "I’m always happy to stand and rep Ajax.", "Over the weekend, I had the privilege of joining the Sashbear Foundation at their annual walk in Toronto, which saw the incredible support of over 700 participants.", "I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Lynn and her husband, Mike, the founders of the Sashbear Foundation, who are here today along with Marlene, Melanie and, I think, Paul. Their initiative stems from the tragic loss of their daughter Sasha to suicide, and they have since dedicated themselves to promoting mental health education, awareness and suicide prevention strategies.", "In a world where mental health stigma still persists, organizations like Sashbear serve as a place of hope and understanding. Their commitment to breaking down barriers surrounding mental health conversations is not only admirable but also vital for our community’s well-being. They focus on educating parents and caregivers on how to effectively support children facing mental health challenges.", "Sashbear’s remarkable efforts include empowering families and communities through life-transforming skills workshops and evidence-based programs. All of these services are provided for free. Their work has touched countless lives.", "I want to express my gratitude to Lynn, Mike and their incredible team for the dedication and impact that they have had." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. John Vanthof", "text": [ "I was wondering this morning what I was going do my member’s statement on, and then I got a text that made my decision. My wife texted me and wished me happy anniversary. I tried to save myself; I called her back and—you know, “Happy anniversary.” Someone asked me how long we’ve been married, and I had her on the phone, so I had to ask her that too. We’ve been married 38 years.", "We met—she came to our farm with my cousin from Holland for a day, and then she came back on a year for an exchange program, and then she went back to Holland and, amazingly enough, she actually came back again.", "She keeps me grounded. Just a little story: When I first got the job as whip, I came back and explained to her what a whip does, like that we’re supposed to organize things. All she did—she just laughed. When I came back one time and said I’m the finance critic, she said, “But you don’t even do the books.”", "Anyway, I love her dearly. She is my rock.", "Happy anniversary.", "Applause." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Nicely done. And I’m sure the flowers will be delivered later today.", "Further members’ statements?" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Stephen Crawford", "text": [ "Happy anniversary.", "Speaker, in seven days, Canada will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the largest combined military operation in history.", "On June 6, 1944, D-Day, 14,000 brave Canadians stormed Juno Beach in Normandy. They launched a campaign that helped turn the tide of World War II. This day is etched in history as a testament to courage, sacrifice and the unyielding spirit of soldiers. We must remember the bravery demonstrated by our Canadian heroes who landed in Normandy on that day, defending freedom, our rights and democracy.", "To honour those who fell 80 years ago, I will be attending the annual D-Day parade in Oakville, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion, Chris Vokes Branch 486. Veterans, Legion members, dignitaries and cadets will assemble at the Legion hall and march to the cenotaph. The cenotaph, located in the centre of Bronte Village in a park by the lake, honours those who served in World War I, World War II and Korea. The park is dedicated to Major-General Christopher Vokes, an Oakville resident and a distinguished veteran. It stands as a reminder of the bravery and sacrifices made by our fellow Canadians.", "As the 80th anniversary approaches, we are also mindful of the conflict happening today, including the wars in the Middle East as well as Ukraine. We are reminded that our freedom should never be taken for granted.", "Speaker, I encourage all of us here in the House, and all Ontarians, to take some time to remember over the next seven days those who fell on D-Day." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady", "text": [ "Today, I stand to boast about an exciting business on the western edge of Norfolk county called Gopher Dunes. Many locals driving by on Highway 59 might view this as a dirt track where dirt bike enthusiasts just go to rip it up once in a while. Truth be told, Gopher Dunes is a premier race track that broke ground in 1986 with Frank and Barb Schuster, the masterminds behind bringing world-class racing talent and entertainment to their property. I’ve known the Schuster family since I was very young—quiet, behind-the-scenes folk who have always given back to their community. Today, Barb and Frank’s son Derek has his hand on the throttle as owner and president.", "The main feature of Gopher Dunes is the world-famous two-kilometre sand track. The course features man-made obstacles with a 40-rider starting gate. Racers who have travelled the globe maintain that Gopher Dunes is one of the most difficult sand tracks in the entire world. After a long day of riding, most riders quip, “Just happy to have survived.”", "Over the years, the property has grown to include a beginner, novice and peewee track.", "Tired of watching action on the track? No problem. There’s fishing, swimming, trail riding and camping right on-site.", "As someone who has grown up frequenting Gopher Dunes, I assure you, the family atmosphere is one to behold.", "A few weeks ago, I took part in the kickoff of the Honda Canada/GDR/Fox racing season. A stellar team racing out of Courtland includes one of Canada’s top racers, Dylan Wright, seasoned veteran Tyler Medaglia, and from down under Australia, the youngest member of the team, Tiger Wood, who joins as an amateur.", "Good luck." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta", "text": [ "As May is coming to an end, I want to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate Polish Heritage Month in Ontario.", "The month of May commemorates the 1791 constitution, symbolizing Poland’s enduring aspirations for freedom, democracy and independence. It also highlights the significant impact Polish Canadians have had on Ontario’s history, culture and democratic values. Polish Heritage Month provides a valuable opportunity to educate all Ontarians about the challenges Polish Canadians have had to overcome, escaping oppression, the Iron Curtain and eventually settling here in Canada.", "This past Tuesday, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a Polish Heritage Month celebration alongside my wonderful colleagues Minister Surma and MPP Christine Hogarth.", "I’m also proud to sit in the chamber next to a fifth-generation Polish Canadian, MPP Yakabuski.", "Speaker, I’m proud to be part of a government that champions the many diverse cultures within our province.", "Our government’s commitment to the strength and diversity of Ontario was particularly evident on Tuesday evening. The celebration showcased the traditions, talents and contributions that make our community vibrant and inclusive.", "We will continue to support and promote cultural diversity, ensuring that all voices are heard and appreciated in our collective journey toward a stronger, more unified Ontario.", "1030", "Remarks in Polish." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MPP Zee Hamid", "text": [ "I’m delighted to invite the House and everyone listening to Downtown Milton SummerFest this Saturday.", "Just to give you an idea, the small stretch of main street that hosts this festival was built for a town of 3,000 to 5,000 people, and yet, every year, we welcome 35,000 attendees at this festival. In addition to food, drinks, vendors and everything else, we also have eight different concerts—not at the same time.", "I would love to see my colleagues and everyone listening out there come out to Milton and enjoy some of the hospitality my community has to offer." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "On a point of order, I recognize the member for Peterborough–Kawartha." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Dave Smith", "text": [ "As members will see, on their desk is a notice that today is Peterborough Day at Queen’s Park. We’ll have a reception in rooms 228 and 230.", "I am seeking unanimous consent to wear my Peterborough Petes jersey for Peterborough Day as well as my Trent University Converse running shoes for Peterborough Day." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "The member from Peterborough–Kawartha is seeking unanimous consent to wear Peterborough garb. Agreed? Agreed." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Michael Parsa", "text": [ "Speaker, after 34 remarkable years of public service, assistant deputy minister Karen Glass at the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services will be retiring tomorrow.", "Karen, on behalf of the people, I want to thank you for your service. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for the province of Ontario. Enjoy your retirement." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Chandra Pasma", "text": [ "I’m very pleased to be able to welcome my husband, Matt Helleman, and my daughter Mira Pasma-Helleman to the House today.", "Thanks so much for coming to spend time with me, guys." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sam Oosterhoff", "text": [ "I have two wonderful guests from the riding of Niagara West who are here today. The mayor of Wainfleet, Brian Grant, and Joe Gonzalez are here at Queen’s Park witnessing democracy in action.", "Welcome to Queen’s Park." ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens", "text": [ "It gives me great honour to be able to introduce Carol Dueck, the executive director of the Mack school of nursing alumni association; also Willy Noiles, who’s a good friend of mine. He is on my riding association, and he is a great advocate for injured workers.", "Welcome to your House." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Patrice Barnes", "text": [ "Once again, I’d like to welcome Lynn Courey, Melanie Jani and Marlene Yip to the House from the Sashbear organization." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "I would also like to welcome the renowned disability and injured workers activist Willy Noiles. Thank you for being here. It’s always a pleasure to see you." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Dave Smith", "text": [ "I have a number of people to introduce:", "—from my constituency office, my assistants Sally Carson and Jini Ganesalingam;", "—from the city of Peterborough, Councillor Lesley Parnell and government relations adviser Sarah McDougall Perrin;", "—from the Peterborough Petes, general manager Mike Oke and Roger the mascot;", "—from the Peterborough County-City Paramedics, Chief Randy Mellow, Chief Patricia Bromfield, Michelle Walsh and Alison Gratton;", "—from Peterborough county, Deputy Warden Sherry Senis, Councillor Ron Black, Tracie Bertrand, Karen Jopling and Emmanuel Pinto;", "—from Miranda Water Treatment Systems, Michael Skinner and Ryan Moore;", "—from Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, Sarah Budd;", "—from Trent University, Ryan Sisson, Alison Scholl, Jessica Gordon and Sabrina Kuipers; and", "—from the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, Meredith Staveley-Watson and Lauren Wilkinson." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Stephen Crawford", "text": [ "I have the great honour of introducing to the chamber today, in the Speaker’s gallery, my wife, Najia Crawford, and my mother-in-law, Zahida Mahmood, who are here to see page captain Farah Crawford today." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Ric Bresee", "text": [ "Speaker, if you will indulge me, I have a few.", "First, I would like to introduce Dave and Gwen Mills from my riding. They’re the parents of Garrett Mills—in the Garrett’s Legacy Act that was passed this morning.", "Welcome to the House." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta", "text": [ "I’d like to welcome the parents of one of our staff members from the Ministry of Long-Term Care: Speranzo Guida and Francesca Guida. Welcome to the House." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady", "text": [ "I’d like to introduce my friend Diane Elms and welcome her to the House. Diane is a trusted voice, a respected homeopath with many years of experience as a natural health care researcher and practitioner focusing on drugless cancer care.", "Welcome to the House, Diane." ] }, { "speaker": "MmeDawn Gallagher Murphy", "text": [ "I’d like to welcome a constituent, Robert Palm, who is here. He saw the unanimous passing, third reading, of Garrett’s Legacy Act, which is also a tribute to his daughter, Jaime Palm." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Amarjot Sandhu", "text": [ "It gives me great pleasure to welcome a group of seniors from North American Seniors club who are visiting Queen’s Park today. Welcome to Queen’s Park." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Ric Bresee", "text": [ "I’d also today like to introduce a good friend of ours, Steven Halloran, who is in the audience; my fabulous constituency team, Anita Ramski, Jamie McGarvey, Lixy Rolston, Tiffany Lloyd, and my executive assistant, Chris Dopking; and, of course, my best teammate, my partner, my beautiful wife, Heidi Galloway Bourgoin." ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "I would like to welcome Natalie Mehra and the 6,000 people from the Ontario Health Coalition who will be on the front lawn of Queen’s Park right after question period. Please come and join them. They come from all over the province." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Before we get to questions, I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 9(h), the Clerk has received written notice from the government House leader indicating that a temporary change in the weekly meeting schedule of the House is required, and therefore, the House shall commence at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 3, 2024, for the proceeding orders of the day." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "This question is for the Premier.", "This afternoon, thousands of people from all across Ontario are coming to Queen’s Park to stand up for public health care. They’re standing up for seniors who are being charged thousands of dollars for cataract surgery, for patients who are being charged an annual fee just to get primary care. The minister knows that these practices are illegal under the Canada Health Act, but she refuses to investigate or take action. Instead, she’s blaming patients, saying that extra billing is their own “misunderstanding.”", "So how many misunderstandings need to happen before this Premier finally stands up for patients?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "Each year, our government invests nearly $50 million to connect hundreds of thousands of Ontarians to primary care through 25 nurse practitioner-led clinics across the province. Ontario is the first jurisdiction to use the nurse practitioner-led-clinic model of care, and we will continue to use this innovative way of delivering publicly funded primary care to connect hundreds of thousands of people across the province to the care they need.", "Speaker, this year, we invested a record $110 million to create 78 new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams; and then in this year’s budget, which the opposition voted against, we’ve expanded that to $546 million over the next three years, to another 600,000 Ontarians to receive primary care.", "While the opposition continues to stand in the way of our innovative ways of delivering publicly funded health care, we will continue to do what’s needed to get the job done for the people of Ontario." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Supplementary." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Speaker, “innovative”? That’s code for privatizing our health care system; that’s what it is.", "There are busloads of people who are coming here to get answers from this Premier and this minister. At the same time, there are going to be rallies all across the province, in Ottawa, Cornwall, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Dryden and Thunder Bay. I hope the government has some answers, because patients and families and our overworked and overburdened health care workers have had enough. Hospital departments—closed. Emergency rooms—closed. Urgent care clinics—closed. While this government enriches their shareholder friends, Ontarians are literally paying for it.", "1040", "What is this government going to do to protect public health care—or are we going to see more pay-for-it health care?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "Speaker, if someone is wrongfully charged for health care services, we will investigate it. That has always been the case.", "We’re investing a record $85 billion into our publicly fund health care system this year, which is a 30% increase from when we took office in 2018. We’ve invested into our primary care expansion of $546 million over the next three years—to expand our primary care to another 600,000 Ontarians. We’re also investing in hospital infrastructure, with over 50 projects under way, with $50 billion associated with that.", "Ontario has the most internationally educated nurses in Canada, with internationally trained nurses now making up 41% of the new applications to the College of Nurses.", "Speaker, in Ontario, we have a plan and it’s working. And the opposition will continue to vote against our plan." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the leader of the official opposition." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Well, Madam Speaker, the member is right about that. We’ll keep voting against the privatization of health care every single time. You can be sure and you can count on that.", "The government keeps repeating the same line over and over again—that people are paying with their health card and not their credit card—but it’s simply not the case. You will, as Ontarians, have to pay for this, and you’re already doing it—countless publicly reported examples of patients who are having to pay for upgrades before they’re eligible for OHIP-covered services in private clinics. Over and over again, it’s happening right now. It’s costing patients, it’s costing their families, and it’s happening at a time when the cost of living has become absolutely unbearable for most people.", "So I’m going to ask the Premier again: Why is this Premier expanding pay-for-it health care?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "I don’t think I need to remind this House that the Leader of the Opposition was a Bob Rae staffer—who actually eliminated 10% of medical residency seats in the province of Ontario; that’s thousands of less positions that would be practising in Ontario today.", "Last year, we registered 2,400 new physicians, with 1,000 of them being internationally trained, which the opposition voted against.", "Speaker, Ontario is the first province to have a publicly funded nurse practitioner-led clinic.", "In addition, the new Practice Ready Ontario program will add 50 physicians this year. The new and expanded teams are the results of a province-wide call for proposals that took place in 2023.", "Ontario leads the country in how many people benefit from the long-term, stable relationship with a family doctor or primary care provider. Since 2018, the province has added over 80,000 new nurses and 12,500 new physicians, which is actually outpacing the growth of the province." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Yesterday, when the MPP from Parkdale–High Park asked the minister to fix a school in her riding where kids are wading in deep puddles, the Minister of Education pointed fingers. He blamed the school board. He said it wasn’t his responsibility.", "I was in a school, last week, where I asked grade 4 and grade 5 kids what their dreams are for their school. I asked them, if they could have anything at all in this school, what would they want? Do you know what they said? They said, “Can you bring back the soap in the soap dispensers?” That’s what their dreams are right now.", "That is the state of education in the province of Ontario right now—no soap; leaky roofs.", "This government is failing the future of our province.", "Can the Premier explain why his Minister of Education thinks the learning conditions of Ontario’s students are not his problem?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response? I recognize the Minister of Education." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "Speaker, what Ontario parents want is that their kids are financially literate and graduate with life skills in this province—which is why we brought forth a comprehensive plan today to do just that.", "The Leader of the Opposition has a history of voting against every single investment in our school-building fund.", "It was Premier Doug Ford who doubled the funding to build more schools, who cut the timeline in half, who actually achieved the Auditor General’s recommended investment of maintenance funding.", "But the member opposite lacks the courage to stand up to the TDSB, which many of her compatriots sit on, and insist to the NDP trustees of the board to actually do their job and invest the money in that very roof.", "It is comical that you think it’s acceptable they’re sitting on $300 million when they ought to be investing it in our school system. They are the only board to have done so. We passed a law to prohibit it in the future. It’s unacceptable. We’re standing up for students.", "“Invest in our schools” is our message to the TDSB." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Speaker, this government is running their own massive deficit, but they expect school boards to balance their budgets, when they can’t even do it themselves. That’s the truth. That’s the irony.", "Meanwhile, Ontario is facing a whopping $16.8-billion school repair backlog. We know both Liberal and Conservative governments have left our schools crumbling. Students are left to learn under caved-in ceilings or in classrooms with garbage bins that are collecting the rain. We’ve all seen it on this side—boy, have we.", "The minister can blame the school boards all he wants, but they at least are legally bound to balance their budgets. And it’s basic math—when the minister underfunds them by millions of dollars, they are forced to make cuts, and they are not going to be able to make repairs.", "So I want to ask the minister again—and the Premier: When is this Premier going to make his minister take some responsibility—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response? I recognize the Minister of Education." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "The NDP math makes the case that you actually really should be the first student for our financial literacy requirement in this province. We’re going to offer it to the Leader of the Opposition. The member for Davenport is getting a sneak peek on our graduation requirement.", "My goodness, 22% increase in funding—we doubled the funding, 136% increase in capital. We added $1.3 billion of investment. We cut the timeline in half—maintenance funding, as encouraged or recommended by the AG, at 2.5%, which we have done.", "This school board, specifically, is literally sitting on $300 million of cash—so much so that they conceded yesterday that they don’t even have the capacity to spend it all because there aren’t enough skilled trade workers to do it. It’s not a lack of money. It’s a lack of will.", "Stand up to the school board and demand better for your kids." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Marit Stiles", "text": [ "Speaker, the minister needs to take his own financial literacy assessment test.", "The TDSB alone is facing a deficit of $26.5 million.", "In Thames Valley, classroom supplies are scarce amidst an $18.5-million deficit, the largest they’ve ever seen.", "Ottawa-Carleton is facing $70 million in deficits.", "The minister says there’s historic education funding, but a budget that ignores inflation is a budget that ignores reality. The only thing historic is the fact that our kids are now lobbying us to fix the roofs of their classrooms, to bring back soap in the bathroom, and to keep the lights on in classrooms.", "I want to ask the Premier, do we need to hire a lobbyist or reach out to you on Gmail to get some answers?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "For the first time in 25 years, our province is updating the Ontario secondary school diploma, giving it meaning and purpose in alignment with the economy that’s changing around us.", "We announced today a plan to introduce Ontario’s first financial literacy graduation requirement, that actually will ensure young people graduate with real life skills and practical knowledge on how to balance a budget, live a life of purpose, save and retire.", "We announced a plan today to hold new educators to account, something the Leader of the Opposition would never do—they’ll never stand up to the teacher unions—while we expect better from our new educators by imposing the math proficiency test, elevating standards; something that is radically different from the NDP, who want to water us down and talk us down in this province.", "We announced a plan to introduce home economics—a modernized version.", "This is how we restore life skills, job skills and give young people knowledge they can apply to their lives.", "1050" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Chris Glover", "text": [ "On May 10—this is to the Premier—last year, this government’s Minister of Health stood in this House and said, “The Minden hospital is not closing.” Yet, two weeks later, on June 1, they took down the hospital sign and they rolled the beds out in a minivan, and that hospital has been closed ever since.", "The community warned this government that closing that emergency room was going to take lives.", "Last summer, a father had a heart attack in Minden. He was rushed in an ambulance to the next nearest hospital, in Haliburton. He died of a cardiac arrest five minutes from the destination.", "A girl with a fish hook in her eye in Minden had to be transported 30 minutes to Haliburton.", "Two weeks ago, the Haliburton hospital—the one remaining emergency room in the community—was without a doctor for at least four hours.", "Will this government acknowledge its mistake and reopen the Minden emergency room?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "For a decade under the Liberals, supported by the NDP, they underfunded the health care system, closing hospitals and hospital beds, firing nurses and cutting medical school residency spots. Our government inherited a health care system under severe pressure due to the actions of the previous Liberal government.", "Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government has made record investments in health care. We’ve grown our health care budget by over 30% since we took office in 2018, with a record investment of $85 billion into our publicly funded health care system.", "Continuing their legacy of not supporting health care across the province, both the Liberals and the NDP constantly vote against our innovative investments and the bold action our government is taking to rebuild our health care system after years of neglect.", "We’ll continue to make the investments that are required to ensure that we have the best publicly funded health care system across Canada." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Next question. I recognize the member from Nickel Belt." ] }, { "speaker": "MmeFrance Gélinas", "text": [ "Durham hospital in West Grey is this government’s next Minden. On Monday, their emergency room will close 14 hours per day, and all in-patient beds will be closed. West Grey town council had to declare a state of emergency. South Muskoka Memorial Hospital is going down the same path, looking at closure. And the hospitals in Chesley, Clinton, Almonte, Arnprior, Campbellford, Hawkesbury, Listowel, Mount Forest, Palmerston, Seaforth, South Huron, Walkerton, Wingham—their list goes on—are not far behind.", "How many rural hospitals does this minister intend to close?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "Ontario has some of the shortest wait times across the country, but we know there’s more to be done. As I mentioned in my previous answer, we have 50 hospital projects right now across the province, totalling $50 billion. Again, we’re making up for lost time under the Liberal government propped up by the NDP.", "Last year alone, we had a record number of new nurses: 17,500 new nurses registered in Ontario, with another 30,000 nurses enrolled and studying at a college or university. But we’re not stopping there. We’re investing over $740 million to address the immediate staffing needs, supporting the expansion of over 3,000 new nursing seats at Ontario colleges and universities.", "We have also expanded the Learn and Stay grant, which the opposition voted against, which pays for tuition, books and supplies for nurses and other health care workers.", "We’re also funding the largest expansion of medical school spots in over 15 years, with 1,212 undergraduate and 1,637 post-graduate seats." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Christine Hogarth", "text": [ "My question today is for the Minister of Energy.", "Do you know what? It has been two months since the federal government increased the carbon tax by a whopping 23%, and everything seems to be getting more expensive. Speaker, while the Liberals like to blame everyone else for the damage they’ve caused, Ontarians know that their costly tax has driven the cost of living to record highs.", "The carbon tax queen, Bonnie Crombie, along with her Liberal caucus continue to prop up their federal buddies’ costly measures, despite witnessing the financial hardship Ontarians are facing. I hear this every day when I’m knocking on doors.", "On the contrary, our government has been opposing the carbon tax since day one. We want to keep costs down for Ontarians and deliver real affordability.", "Speaker, can the minister please explain why the carbon tax must come to an end?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd Smith", "text": [ "Thanks to the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore for the question this morning.", "This is the number one issue that we’re hearing about across the province—the increased cost of living in our province, but also across our country, and the impact that the federal carbon tax, supported by the queen of the carbon tax, Bonnie Crombie, is having on their household bills. Gas bills for their vehicles, home heating, grocery bills—they’re all going up, and they’re all a result of the increasing federal carbon tax year after year.", "We’ve taken a different approach in Ontario. We’re lowering the cost of living, the price of gas, taxes, fees. We have reduced taxes across the province. And our plan is working.", "As a matter of fact, this morning, the Premier and the health minister and the Minister of Economic Development announced another major investment in health sciences, at Sanofi in north Toronto." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Christine Hogarth", "text": [ "As families across the province continue to see soaring prices for gas, groceries and energy, many of them have cancelled their summer vacation plans. Even a simple road trip has become unaffordable as parents struggle to pay for the basic necessities of life. This simply is not fair.", "Life is harder under the Liberal government and its flawed policies. The federal government and the Liberal members sitting in this Legislature must come to their senses and give a break to Ontarians who just want a vacation this summer.", "Speaker, can the minister please explain how the carbon tax continues to hurt every single person living in this province?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd Smith", "text": [ "Madam Speaker, it is that serious, and it is that dire for a lot of families across our province, particularly in rural parts of Ontario that don’t have access to, say, a transit system or a TTC.", "We’ve done as much as we can to lower the cost for those folks in the GTHA to get around with One Fare that the Associate Minister of Transportation has introduced, saving those who take transit up to $1,600 a year.", "We’ve cut the gas tax by 10.7 cents a litre here in Ontario, but at the same time, the federal carbon tax continues to drive up the price at the pumps, which makes it really difficult for people to get out and visit beautiful parts of our province like Prince Edward county and Kingston and Essex and Windsor counties and, in northern Ontario, beautiful places like Kakabeka Falls that are wonderful this time of year.", "It’s the federal carbon tax that’s making it more difficult for those people.", "We should all, in this Legislature, be supportive of Premier Ford’s motion to scrap that tax in Ottawa." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Catherine Fife", "text": [ "My question is for the Premier.", "On May 14, this government chose to silence the voices of survivors by sending Lydia’s Law, Bill 189, straight to committee without debate, claiming it expedites the process.", "Yesterday morning, I asked the Chair at justice committee if they had received instruction to review Lydia’s Law at committee. The answer I got was no. They had received no instruction. There is no timeline for when this bill will be called.", "There were 1,326 sexual assault cases thrown out of court in 2022. I hope that we can agree that rapists should not be walking free in the province of Ontario.", "My question to the government: Why did you silence survivors on May 14, and when will you call the bill to committee?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response? I recognize the government House leader." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Honestly, it’s an unfortunate question from the member opposite, because the member would know that members on all sides of the House would take this very seriously, and to assume anything less really is beneath the dignity of every member in this place.", "The member, who is a long-time member of this House, would also know that the government does not direct committee business. The member would also know, being a long-time member, that there is a subcommittee that works on each committee, and that subcommittee is made up of a member of the NDP, and it is made up of a member of the government party. So what I would suggest the member opposite do is reach out to the subcommittee member from her party on that committee to call a subcommittee so that they could bring a study forward. I know that they have been working very closely together, in fact. The NDP member of the subcommittee and the member for Kitchener South–Hespeler have been working very closely to put together a very thorough study on this, and I trust that—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the member for Waterloo." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Catherine Fife", "text": [ "Speaker, that is a pathetic response from the House leader.", "This government is knowingly and deliberately starving the system, and sending a message to survivors and families across Ontario that they do not care about the lived injustices that women have experienced.", "1100", "If expediting was the goal of the government, why hasn’t the committee been instructed to call the bill? If you had read Lydia’s Law and if you had read Lydia’s victim impact statement, you would never have deferred this piece of legislation to committee, where it is languishing.", "Lydia asked me, “Why would women report, knowing how broken the system is?” This is our opportunity to correct that system. We need to change the justice system because the status quo isn’t working, and change begins with transparency.", "My question, again: When will the government call the bill at committee so that survivors can get the justice they deserve in this province?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Again, it is the subcommittee and it is the committee which will decide the fate of that study, and I trust that they will do their job very well.", "I need no lessons from the member opposite on respecting the rights of victims of crime in this province—and to suggest anything else is beneath the dignity of that member. I have two daughters of my own. Do you not think I want them to be made safe, Speaker?", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Order. Order." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Do you not think I’ll stand up for victims of crime? The member opposite should know that I’ll do that and—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Order. The member for Waterloo will come to order. The member for Oshawa will come to order.", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Stop the clock.", "The member for Hamilton Mountain will come to order. The government House leader will come to order. The member for Waterloo will come to order. The member from Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas will come to order.", "Question?" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Lorne Coe", "text": [ "My question is to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.", "The federal carbon tax continues to drive up the cost of the goods we buy and the interest we pay. At a time when prices are out of control and people are having trouble paying their bills, the federal Liberals hiked the tax again by 23%. It’s not fair. We know that it’s possible to improve on the impacts of climate change without forcing people to pay a costly, job-killing carbon tax. The Liberals must reverse this tax, so that Ontarians can put food on their table.", "Can the minister please share how our government is protecting the environment for future generations to enjoy without introducing a punitive carbon tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Andrea Khanjin", "text": [ "I’ll tell you what we’re not doing: We’re not driving 300,000 manufacturing jobs out of this province, like the former government did and which a punitive carbon tax would continue to do.", "Instead, we have hard-working members like the member for Whitby, who is building up his community and building up Ontario, building on transit—this member takes GO train transit every day—and that’s a vision our government wants for all Ontarians.", "We’re getting more cars off the road and more people into transit. If it was up to the opposition, the cost of these transit projects would go up. But no fear, Speaker: Instead, this government will continue to build transit, and we’ll lower fees by introducing the One Fare program for all Ontarians, making it more economical to get more cars on the road and to transit.", "In addition, just next door to the member’s riding, we’re building the first urban provincial park. If it was up to the opposition, the cost of building this park would also go up." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Lorne Coe", "text": [ "Thank you to the minister for that response.", "Speaker, our government continues to invest in the future of Ontario and create a legacy of environmental health for generations to come.", "The people of Milton and the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex sent a clear message on May 2—a very clear message. They rejected the queen of the carbon tax, Bonnie Crombie, and the carbon tax she supports. They, and everyone else in Ontario, want to see our government continue to stand up for them, to fight for affordability and oppose the Liberal carbon tax.", "Can the minister please explain how our government is keeping costs down for hard-working families in Ontario without imposing a costly tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Andrea Khanjin", "text": [ "The member is correct; Carbon Crombie would drive up the cost of everything in this province—driving up the cost for Ontarians who want to go camping this summer in the great provincial parks which this government is building. Under this government, we’re expanding and building more campsites—something many Ontarians have said, loud and clear, they want to do this summer with their children. It’s an affordable activity, but if it was up to Carbon Crombie, it would be very expensive to put gas in these vehicles.", "But don’t worry, Speaker. This government is lowering the cost of gas by 10 cents a litre. In addition to that, we’re building the EV infrastructure by putting EV charging stations in Ontario parks and making sure we’re using clean, green steel to build these electric vehicles—again, creating jobs and building up our economy." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mrs. Lisa Gretzky", "text": [ "My question is to the Premier.", "Over a month ago, I brought forward Bill 173, the Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act. The government sent it to committee instead of making the declaration immediately. They have yet to call it at committee, pass it, enact it or declare IPV is an epidemic.", "The 2022 Renfrew county coroner’s inquest report had 86 actionable recommendations, 75 of which were for this Conservative government to implement. The very first one: Declare IPV an epidemic in Ontario.", "More women continue to be killed in this province due to this government’s inaction.", "Survivors, victims, their families, communities, municipalities, advocates, experts are all wondering: Will the Premier declare today gender-based violence and IPV to be the epidemic that it clearly is?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response? I recognize the government House leader." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "In fact, this Parliament agreed, and that is why this Parliament voted unanimously to pass that particular bill. At the same time, when Parliament as a whole unanimously voted to pass that bill, we also went a step further. We said that we had to find out how we can make the system better for victims of crime. We wanted to bring together not only ministries, but we want to bring in service providers who have told us that while there are a lot of services, often that is disjointed. We wanted to bring in the justice system. We wanted to bring in crown attorneys. We wanted to ensure that not only are we just making a declaration but that we’re actually providing better services for people. We wanted to look across the country, across our partners worldwide, at what we can do better, in much the same way that we did with human trafficking.", "If the NDP are that afraid to work over the summer, to try to do something effective here, to bring forward legislation that will make a difference in the lives of the people of the province of Ontario, like our human trafficking work has made a difference in the lives of people not only in Ontario but across the country, I feel sorry for them." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the member for Windsor West." ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Lisa Gretzky", "text": [ "I just want to point out that Bill 28, which was a direct attack on women, passed in four days through this government with no committee—no committee. Bill 124, eight sitting days—another bill that directly attacked women in the province of Ontario.", "If you really wanted to take action, you would declare intimate partner violence an epidemic today and implement the 75 recommendations from the Renfrew county coroner’s inquest.", "The Conservatives claim they won’t declare intimate partner violence an epidemic until they have actionable measures, and yet for nearly two years they’ve had 75 recommendations from an inquest into the deaths of three women in Ontario. Nearly 100 municipalities have made the declaration. And I have a letter that was sent to the government House leader and other government members from the warden of Lanark county imploring the government to pass my bill and declare IPV an epidemic before the House rises in a few short days.", "Last week, Shannan Hickey, a 26-year-old nurse from Belleville, was killed by her partner.", "Will you make the declaration—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "Speaker, what we did is, we went a step further. Parliament passed that bill unanimously. Unanimously, Parliament passed that declaration. At the same time, what Parliament said is that we have to make sure that it’s not just a declaration; that there has to be work behind the declaration, and that is what Progressive Conservatives are willing to do. We are willing to do the work behind making sure that victims, that service providers have access to the absolute best system in the world. We’re prepared to do that work.", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "The member for Windsor West will come to order." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "If the member opposite just simply wants a declaration without meaning, well, then I feel sorry for the NDP—", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "The member for Windsor West is being warned.", "1110" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "It highlights just why they are so irrelevant in the province of Ontario. This is an irrelevant party that has nothing to say—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Question?", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "The member for Hamilton Mountain is being warned. The member for Hamilton Mountain has been warned.", "To the member for Kanata–Carleton." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mrs. Karen McCrimmon", "text": [ "Speaker, inexplicably this government doubled down, saying that the retention and—", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "The member for Niagara Falls has been—not warned; I’m going to call you to order, but be careful, because if I hear a response like that again, you will be." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Wayne Gates", "text": [ "I appreciate that. Thank you." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I apologize to the member. Please ask your question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Karen McCrimmon", "text": [ "Thank you, Speaker.", "Inexplicably, this government doubled down, saying that the retention and recruitment of doctors is not a major concern. Excuse me? Some 2.3 million Ontarians don’t have a family doctor, yet nothing is happening because we are told the cupboards are bare.", "It is true that this year’s budget forecast a $10-billion deficit, and it is also true that in the past six years this government has added $86 billion to Ontario’s debt. So the money is being spent somewhere; just not in health care.", "Speaker, I want to ask the Premier how he could possibly think that spending $1 billion to expedite beer and alcohol sales should be his priority instead of solving the family doctor crisis." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response? I recognize the member from Oakville." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Stephen Crawford", "text": [ "To the member opposite, who I believe is on the record for supporting a carbon tax and thinking that’s great for the people of Ontario—well, that gives us a sense of where you’re coming from.", "But let’s go back. We ran, in 2022, on a key promise to deliver convenience and competition to the people of Ontario. The people of Ontario spoke. They want competition. They want convenience. They’re sick and tired of the Liberal deal that they put into place—a 10-year monopoly deal which gave higher prices and a monopoly to large, foreign-owned companies.", "We, on the other hand, care about small businesses. We care about the people of Ontario.", "Some 7,500 jobs are going to be created by our change here in Ontario that we’re putting forward—good-paying jobs for the people of Ontario. Our GDP is going to grow by an estimated $200 million. New investments in infrastructure, in cooling systems for various companies are going to expand. And most important, it’s going to give—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Karen McCrimmon", "text": [ "I get it: This is strictly a distraction from the truth that this government has no solutions for the many challenges facing Ontarians—no solutions for an aging, ailing public health care system; no solutions on improving housing; no solutions on safeguarding and improving public education. This government has no solutions for overwhelmed Ontario families, children, seniors or patients; just giveaways to wealthy friends and insiders.", "Speaker, I want to ask the Premier once again: How could he possibly think that the priority of this government should be renegotiating beer contracts instead of investing in the solutions that Ontarians urgently need?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Stephen Crawford", "text": [ "Let’s be clear to the House here and the people watching on TV: We’ve made it a very big priority to hire doctors, create new medical schools in the province of Ontario, hire foreign registered nurses and bring them into the province. That’s very much a priority.", "But let’s get back to what the member was asking about, with respect to the liberalization that we are bringing in.", "The previous Liberal government signed a multitude of bad deals. I know the Minister of Energy could certainly point to the Green Energy Act, which was probably one of the worst bills ever signed in the people of Ontario’s history—but also the Master Framework Agreement, a 10-year deal which gave high prices, high taxes and high profits to foreign corporations.", "We are acting on the promise that we ran on in 2022, which is to give liberalization to this, stop the old agreement—a 97-year monopoly—bring convenience and competition to the people of Ontario, and bring back economic growth. This is what the people of Ontario want, and we’re delivering." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mrs. Daisy Wai", "text": [ "My question is for the Minister of Long-term Care.", "The federal government’s unfair, regressive carbon tax is forcing Ontarians to pay more for everything, from their groceries to home heating and gas.", "Speaker, families in my riding of Richmond Hill are concerned about the impact the costly tax will have on their loved ones.", "I have heard from long-term-care operators in our province who say that the Liberal carbon tax is driving up the cost of building. As our aging population continues to grow, it is vital that our long-term-care capacity grows alongside it.", "Ontarians want an end to this tax, and the federal Liberals need to do the right thing and scrap it immediately.", "Speaker, can the minister please tell the House what our government is doing to build more long-term-care homes in Ontario?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Long-Term Care." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta", "text": [ "I thank the member for Richmond Hill for her question and also for being such a strong advocate for seniors not only in her riding but across the province of Ontario.", "Madam Speaker, the member is absolutely correct; as the minister and I travel across the province, what we hear from operators is that the carbon tax is increasing the tax of absolutely everything, including construction of new homes. That is why, in our recent budget, in 2024, our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, stepped up to the plate and invested $155 million to the construction fund subsidy. We talked to the industry and heard them loud and clear. However, the Liberals—surprise, surprise—voted against this increase in funding to make sure seniors can receive the care they need. Instead of supporting our government’s plan to build Ontario, they continue to support this cost-hiking carbon tax.", "Speaker, I stand with the Premier, and I stand with the minster, who is making life easier for Ontarians, especially our seniors." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Daisy Wai", "text": [ "Thank you to the parliamentary assistant for the response. She is also as compassionate to all the seniors in this province.", "Unlike the NDP and Liberal members of this Legislature, our government understands the challenges Ontarians are facing. That’s why we have been asking the federal government to scrap the carbon tax since day one. But the opposition continues to turn a blind eye. They would rather support a costly carbon tax that does nothing besides punishing families, businesses and workers. Despite their inaction, our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is getting it done for Ontarians.", "Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant elaborate on the work our government has been doing to ensure that our seniors receive the care they need and enjoy the high quality of life that they deserve?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta", "text": [ "After a decade and a half of the Ontario Liberals’ hopes and prayers, complete lack of vision, complete lack of investment into long-term care, we are finally getting the job done. And despite the work the federal government is doing to hold down construction with their tax on everything, we are still getting it done for the people of Ontario. In fact, we are not letting the carbon tax slow us down. Last year, we approved over 11,000 beds to start construction.", "Contrast this with Carbon Crombie’s record of failure as the mayor, where she failed to build almost any housing—Mississauga is one of the only jurisdictions in Ontario that actually lowered, under her leadership. She didn’t build then, and she isn’t building now. We just can’t afford her.", "Once more, I ask Carbon Crombie and her high-cost Liberal caucus to join us and call on their federal Liberal cousins to finally give people a much-needed break and scrap this tax." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Jeff Burch", "text": [ "Speaker, through you to the Minister of Health: Today, thousands of concerned citizens are outside Queen’s Park protesting this government’s disastrous health care policies and privatization scheme. Among these citizens are residents of Port Colborne and Fort Erie, who have now gone 330 days without after-hours services at their local urgent care centres.", "1120", "Nearly 10,000 residents in Port Colborne alone are without a family doctor, and many are forced to rely on their local urgent care centre.", "Through you, Speaker: When will this minister finally listen to the citizens of Niagara and step in to restore full urgent care services in south Niagara?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response? I recognize the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "That’s why we’re investing in a new hospital in the Niagara region. We’re also investing in connecting 600,000 more Ontarians to an interprofessional primary care team. The new and expanded teams will include family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, community health centres and Indigenous primary care organizations.", "Speaker, I’ll remind the member opposite, they actually voted against our budget that included a $546-million expansion over the next three years to expand the interprofessional primary care teams.", "The Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team has already hired a new nurse practitioner. And we’re going to see more in the months to come.", "In Ontario, we have a plan, and it’s working." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Jeff Burch", "text": [ "Speaker, again to the Minister of Health: As a result of this government’s failed health care policies and mistreatment of health care workers, residents in Welland have now endured a staggering 457 days without after-hours emergency surgical services at the Welland hospital—a cut that Niagara Health said was temporary due to staffing shortages. With Welland’s population surging and housing targets being surpassed by 276% last year alone, we should be seeing a historic expansion of services in south Niagara.", "Speaker, through you: When will this minister listen to the people of Niagara and step in to ensure after-hours emergency surgical services are restored at the Welland hospital?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "Speaker, let’s talk about historic: Our government is investing $3.1 billion in the new hospital in Niagara. Once completed, the new hospital will consolidate five separate campuses and expand acute-care services, replacing outdated infrastructure that the NDP allowed to crumble under the Liberal government. Additionally, we’re meeting the growing demand in the region. The new hospital is planned to have 159 more beds than the combined total of beds at Niagara Health’s Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Niagara Falls campuses. The minister recently met with Mayor Steele about the creative ideas they’re exploring locally.", "We will continue to work with all of our health care partners across the province to ensure that we have the best publicly funded health care system in the north, south, east and west." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Vincent Ke", "text": [ "My question is to the Minister of Finance.", "For years, consumers and retailers have been urging the government to expand alcohol distribution policies to align with most other Canadian provinces and the US, to allow for an open market and greater convenience for consumers. Currently, consumers can only buy alcohol from a limited number of grocery stores. This often results in the need to make additional trips or makes it inconvenient to pick up a bottle of wine before visiting a friend.", "Speaker, my question is: How will this expansion for retailers be implemented to create an open and convenient marketplace?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Response? I recognize the member for Oakville." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Stephen Crawford", "text": [ "Thank you to the member for Don Valley North. I must say, that was a very good question.", "In terms of the liberalization and the changes that we are making, it’s going to have a tremendous impact, not only on families across Ontario and individuals who just want to buy a bottle of wine on a Friday night and not have to go to the LCBO or the Beer Store, but it’s also going to help small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of the province of Ontario. Speaker, 7,500 new jobs will be created in small businesses and convenience stores and other areas, so this is going to have a tremendously positive impact.", "In fact, I can assure the member opposite that there has been great support from the convenience store industry. In fact, the president of the Ontario Convenience Stores Association said, “This is great news for all convenience store owners and their staff in Ontario. We at the” Ontario Convenience Stores Association “have been petitioning the Ontario government for beer and wine” in corner stores “for the last 30 years.” We’re delivering." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Vincent Ke", "text": [ "Thank you to the parliamentary assistant for his response.", "Speaker, in Ontario, a survey showed that 75% of youth in grade 12 had reported lifetime alcohol use.", "Based on research from Alberta, awareness and education campaigns can help shed light on alcohol-related harms.", "Alcohol consumption has surged post-pandemic, especially amongst the youth in Ontario. Can the minister please tell this House, what is the strategy to combat this rise, and what is this government doing to promote responsible drinking?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Stephen Crawford", "text": [ "It’s a very good question. It’s important to understand that the Ontario government takes this very, very seriously. With the modernization, the Ontario government is investing an additional $10 million in funding to support social responsibility initiatives and organizations that maintain the rigorous standards of social responsibility. That will include warning signs, mandatory staff training and high standards for licensing and enforcement." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Sheref Sabawy", "text": [ "My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business.", "Speaker, the cost pressures driven by the federal carbon tax have placed a significant burden on Ontario’s small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. Young people in our province with innovative ideas are finding their dreams stifled by the increasing affordability challenges stemming from this tax. The carbon tax is not only driving up operational costs for existing small businesses, but it’s also hindering the ability of these budding entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground in the first place.", "Our government must continue to demonstrate leadership in helping Ontario’s young entrepreneurs succeed during their start-up phase.", "Speaker, can the associate minister tell us how our government is supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in our province who are negatively impacted by this disastrous tax?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Nina Tangri", "text": [ "Thank you to the great colleague of mine from Mississauga–Erin Mills for the question.", "Speaker, I’ve heard from so many young entrepreneurs who are finding their dreams of starting their businesses harder due to the mounting affordability challenges caused by the carbon tax. Many tell me their parents are willing to help, but with the costs of groceries, gas and everyday essentials growing, there’s just nothing left over to help them secure the necessary capital or invest in the supplies needed to start or sustain their businesses through the crucial start-up phase.", "Our government recognizes the crucial role young entrepreneurs play in driving our economic growth. That’s why we’ve invested $1.5 million more into our Summer Company program, for a total of $4.7 million a year, so an additional 250 young people can be their own boss this summer.", "Speaker, while we're making it easier for our entrepreneurs to get started, the carbon tax is making it harder. That’s why—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sheref Sabawy", "text": [ "Thank you to the associate minister for this response.", "The Summer Company program has an important role in supporting young entrepreneurs across our province, and I know many aspiring business owners in my riding were happy to take advantage of this valuable initiative.", "However, the challenges posed by the federal carbon tax go beyond just affecting students and recent graduates looking to start their first businesses. Entrepreneurs aged 18 and older are also struggling with the cost pressures this tax is creating, and it has become increasingly difficult for them to secure the necessary investments and resources to start or grow their enterprises.", "Speaker, can the associate minister tell the House what additional measures our government is using to support this vital demographic of business owners?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Nina Tangri", "text": [ "Thank you, again, to the member for the question.", "Speaker, I’ve been hearing similar concerns from more seasoned business owners who are grappling with the significant cost pressures this tax is creating as they seek to launch and grow their own business.", "1130", "Our government is taking proactive steps to bolster our support for all prospective small business owners.", "Just last week, we announced a $4.8-million investment over the next two years to expand the Starter Company Plus program, which provides training, mentoring and grants of up to $5,000 to help entrepreneurs age 18 and older start or grow their business. This will give an additional 500 entrepreneurs the opportunity to succeed, building on the over 5,500 companies it has already supported and the more than 6,300 jobs we’ve created across Ontario.", "Speaker, this Premier, this government is focused on reducing the barriers to starting a business, and the biggest one that still stands in their way is the job-killing carbon tax." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens", "text": [ "In St. Catharines, Shannon Horner’s mother fell ill in Jamaica and couldn’t come home due to claims of no available beds in Ontario. Communication failures between the ministry and the insurance companies caused this. We know that there were actual beds available at the time. I wrote a letter and was assured that it was being handled. However, I have yet to see any action.", "The health care system is in crisis right now.", "How are you going to explain to the people stuck in other countries why they cannot get home for care? And will you work with me and update on the steps your ministry has taken to make sure it will never, ever happen again?" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the parliamentary assistant to health." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "CritiCall Ontario is the organization that is prepared to be able to handle people who get injured while abroad. There was a miscommunication there, and that member did come home.", "Speaker, under a decade under the Liberals, supported by the NDP, they underfunded the health care system, which put us in this situation. They closed hospitals, closed hospital beds. They fired nurses. And most importantly, they cut medical school residency spots, which leaves us with hundreds and hundreds of less doctors performing services in the province of Ontario.", "Speaker, our government inherited a health care system under severe pressure due to the actions of the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP.", "Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government has made record investments in health care, including a $3.1-billion investment into a new hospital in Niagara, which that member voted against." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens", "text": [ "I’d like that member across the way to explain to Shannon Horner why her mother fell ill in Jamaica. And, yes, she did make it home, but she unfortunately has passed now—my condolences to Shannon.", "This happened twice in one week in Ontario, and dozens of times over the years.", "It is heartbreaking that St. Catharines lost an amazing community member and family pillar.", "It is time for action from this government. The minister called the family, but there has been no follow-up to the family. The president of Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada asked for changes. However, again, there has been no follow-up.", "Please, follow up.", "My community of seniors, travellers and snowbirds need assurance that their health care system will be there for them when they need it the most.", "Speaker, when will we see real, compassionate action—and prioritize action with the experts to fix these issues?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "The status quo was no longer working for the people of Ontario when we formed government in 2018. That’s why we’re taking bold and innovative action to rebuild Ontario’s health care system to deliver more connected and convenient care.", "The Liberals, in 2015, removed those 50 medical residency seats. That is now hundreds of less doctors in our system today.", "Speaker, since 2018, over 80,000 new nurses have registered to practise in Ontario—including 12,500 new doctors who have registered in Ontario. Over 2,400 new doctors were ready to practise last year alone, including 1,000 internationally trained doctors—", "Interjections." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "The member for St. Catharines will come to order." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "The opposition voted against our motion to ensure that we can have internationally trained nurses and doctors practising in our province.", "We’re investing over $740 million to address the immediate staffing needs, supporting the expansion of over 3,000 new nursing seats in Ontario colleges and universities." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Laura Smith", "text": [ "My question is for the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery.", "The Liberal carbon tax is making life unnecessarily more difficult for people throughout the province. Due to the increased costs of goods and services, more Ontarians are struggling to afford basic essentials and make ends meet. Behind this record inflation and rising carbon tax, people are facing real harsh realities.", "It’s time for the federal government to finally listen to Ontarians and stop piling on even more financial burdens. They must scrap the tax now.", "Speaker, can the minister please explain how the Liberal carbon tax is impacting consumer confidence in Ontario?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "I thank the member for Thornhill for her excellent advocacy for her community and that very thoughtful question.", "Yes, the Liberal carbon tax is a major burden on families and households and our elderly and our young people, and on small businesses, the engine of the economy.", "We must do all that we can, and we are doing, as a provincial government, all that we can to decrease the cost of living. My ministry has introduced the Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act, which ensures that price gouging will be recognized for what it is and declared unconscionable conduct. We have cut the gas tax. We have eliminated tolls on the 412 and 418 in Durham. We have banned licence renewal fees. So we’re doing all we can.", "We ask the federal Liberal government—and if the NDP supported us on consumer protection, call your federal cousins, tell them to defeat the Liberal government in Ottawa—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Laura Smith", "text": [ "Thank you to the minister for his response and for the solid work that he does for the people of Ontario every day.", "I’m glad to see that, unlike the Liberals and the NDP, our government is actually listening to the concerns of the people who elected us.", "Speaker, Ontario has had enough of the Liberal carbon tax. After last month’s carbon tax hike, commuters are being forced to pay more at the gas pumps. That’s unfair to the residents in northern, rural and remote communities—and Thornhill—who rely heavily on vehicles for their work and to run their daily errands. The federal Liberals and their provincial buddies need to start respecting Ontarians and get rid of this unnecessary tax.", "Can the minister please elaborate on how the Liberal carbon tax overlooks the varied needs and challenges experienced in communities across Ontario?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "Speaker, I thank you for the follow-up question from the great member for Thornhill.", "When we talk about communities and how communities experience it, I can talk about my riding of Durham, which, as I have said many times, is a microcosm of the great province of Ontario. We have rural communities and farms in the northern part of Durham. We have suburban communities in Bowmanville, north Oshawa and Courtice and Newcastle. All of my fellow residents and citizens communicate with me regularly about, for example, the increased transportation, energy and operational expenses for our farmers, and the burden upon those who own homes or rent homes in terms of the energy cost impact.", "As I said, we’re doing all that we can for our fellow citizens and residents to reduce the cost of living, but it’s time for the tone-deaf Liberals and NDP in Ottawa to pay attention to our citizens and scrap this ruinous, regressive carbon tax." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "That’s all the time we have for questions." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I’d like to, first of all, mention that we have a former member of the Legislature joining us today. Jeff Leal, the member for Peterborough, is here. He was a member in the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st Parliaments.", "Welcome back." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "I recognize the government House leader on a point of order." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Paul Calandra", "text": [ "I rise in accordance with standing order 59 to outline the order of business for next week.", "On Monday, June 3, in the morning and in the afternoon sessions, we will be dealing with Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act.", "On Tuesday, June 4, in the morning, we will be on third reading of Bill 159; in the afternoon, we’ll be on private member’s Bill 45 and third reading of Bill 185. At 6 p.m., we will be dealing with private member’s Bill 192, for the member of Nickel Belt.", "On Wednesday, June 5, we’ll be on to third reading of Bill 159 in the morning and in the afternoon. Private members’ business that day will be business for the member for Oshawa.", "On Thursday, June 6, in the morning, third reading of Bill 159; in the afternoon, third reading of Bill 194; and private members’ business will be Bill 133, for the member for Sudbury." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Seeing there is no further business, this House stands in recess until 1 p.m.", "The House recessed from 1140 to 1300." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "I just want to join my colleagues earlier who welcomed the guests who are on the front lawn: 6,000 advocates for public health care." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Mr. Deepak Anand)", "text": [ "I beg to inform the House that today the Clerk received the report on intended appointments dated May 30, 2024, of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies. Pursuant to standing order 110(f)(9), the report is deemed to be adopted by the House.", "Report deemed adopted." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Mr. Deepak Anand)", "text": [ "Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.", "First reading agreed to." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Mr. Deepak Anand)", "text": [ "Would the member like to make a brief statement?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Bhutila Karpoche", "text": [ "As the affordable housing crisis worsens, more and more Ontarians are falling into homelessness. The approach so far has failed. We need a coordinated, resourced provincial strategy to tackle the homelessness crisis.", "My bill requires the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to establish a homelessness task force to support the government of Ontario in creating and maintaining a provincial homelessness strategy. In a province as rich as ours, no one should be unhoused." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Jeff Burch", "text": [ "With thousands of people on the front lawn of the Legislature asking for an end to cuts in health care, I’m pleased to present this petition with hundreds of signatures from the good people of Port Colborne, asking that the after-hours services at their urgent care in Port Colborne be restored so that folks who don’t have a family doctor in Port Colborne can have a place to go when they are ill.", "I affix my signature and send it to the Clerk." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Bhutila Karpoche", "text": [ "This petition is titled, “Raise Social Assistance Rates.” Right now, recipients of Ontario Works receive only $733 per month and a recipient on the Ontario Disability Support Program receives $1,227. Both of these rates are far below the poverty line. This petition is calling on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately double social assistance rates." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Jeff Burch", "text": [ "Again, with thousands of people on the front lawn of the Legislature asking for a stop to health care cuts, I’m pleased to present this petition with hundreds of signatures from the good people of Welland, asking that their after-hours surgical services be restored at the hospital and that in the future, when a new hospital is built, it be a full-service hospital for the people of South Niagara.", "I affix my signature." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Terence Kernaghan", "text": [ "The petition I have to read into the record today is entitled “Improve Ontario’s Child and Youth Mental Health Services”—and with everyone gathered on the front lawn, I think they would also agree that mental health is health.", "This petition calls upon the government to invest more in mental health services. We know the wait-lists are incredibly long, sometimes up to two years, as pointed out in the petition.", "So, this petition calls upon the government to urgently invest rather than cut and make sure that children have mental health services when and where they need them.", "I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and deliver it with page Farhan to the Clerks." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "I want to thank the Canadian Federation of Medical Students for the following petition, which is about universal access to contraception.", "I know my friend here from St. Catharines has been an advocate for it, as have many people in this House, but in the community, what I’m being told is that the direct cost of unplanned pregnancy between people aged 15 to 29 is $381 million and that what we need to do as a province and as a country is give people more control over their reproductive health and that universal access to contraception is a key way to do it.", "I note that the federal government has made some inroads thanks to the federal NDP and the hard work of Jagmeet Singh and that team to move in this direction, but I encourage the House to listen to the people who have signed this petition, particularly the Canadian Federation of Medical Students, who are doctors in training, asking us to move on universal contraception for everyone in the province of Ontario right away." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Mr. Deepak Anand)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "Meegwetch, Speaker. It’s always an honour to be able to speak on behalf of the people of Kiiwetinoong.", "As you know, Kiiwetinoong is a very unique riding—294,000 square kilometres. We are so rich when we talk about land and resources.", "I rise today to speak on Bill 188, Supporting Children’s Futures, again, on behalf of the people of Kiiwetinoong.", "Last time I spoke about this bill, I spoke about the colonial history, and the care system reminds us of what it is like, in Kiiwetinoong.", "I’ll talk about in my remarks—we still see examples of these practices that are implemented and imposed upon our children in the care system. And I talk about that because—particularly when they are forced to relocate from the north, far northern Ontario, to southern Ontario for care.", "When I look at this bill, Bill 188, even with its supportable steps moving in a better direction, I know we can do so much more. We can always do more. Why take half-measures on this bill? As the province and as the government, it’s your responsibility to fix problems left unaddressed.", "1310", "I want to be able to highlight some of those issues. I want to be able to highlight some of those problems that come with the bill and the many, many recommendations, most of which are not new, to help resolve these issues.", "A few years ago—it was the summer of 2019—there was a cabinet shuffle that happened, and Minister Todd Smith looked at that file. One of the things that he had done was to show up in Thunder Bay, at the door, and introduce himself as the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. He bumped into one of the directors of social services who looks after that children’s file, and they sat down for about half an hour or 45 minutes. That director of social services at Nishnawbe Aski Nation was able to tell Minister Smith at that time what he could do. There was a jurisdiction issue between two First Nation agencies, where they were fighting over the resources, fighting over the children, because when you have children in care, it means money.", "And I know that, I think about two weeks after, Minister Smith, at that time, in the summer of 2019, made a letter to ensure that children in northwestern Ontario, in the Tikinagan area—that the Tikinagan children’s services have jurisdiction over their children. I share that story because I remember listening to a chief saying, “There are five kids who are under the age of five. I don’t know where they are. They’re somewhere in the system. I don’t know where they are. They could be all over Ontario somewhere.” She had no idea where they were. That’s the welfare system that exists for us today.", "Going back, there was a letter that was provided by, at that time, Minister Smith under MCCSS. He made a decision to make sure that the people of northwestern Ontario, in that specific area, had the jurisdiction over their children and there was no more fighting over the children. Of course, the other agency was not happy, because of where they were located. That’s how you make change, and I encourage the current Minister of Children, Community and Social Services to meet with Nishnawbe Aski Nation to ensure he learns what the issues are that they are facing in the north.", "Speaker, I know that in the north, First Nations are experiencing tragic death after tragic death. I say that because I’m thinking of Amy Owen, who died by suicide while she was in government care. She was 13 years old. And she was from Poplar Hill First Nation, which is part of my riding.", "I am thinking of Kanina Sue Turtle, also from Poplar Hill First Nation, who filmed herself as she ended her life, getting care in Sioux Lookout, where I live. She was grieving the death of her friend, Alayna Moose, who had taken her life two weeks earlier.", "I am thinking of so many others, so many other children from our communities, from our First Nations, who died in state care—but not all died by suicide.", "What I’m talking about here tells us so much, Speaker, but to start taking away our children and pulling them into these places is hurting our kids. It’s hurting our families. It’s hurting our communities. They are not getting the care that they need.", "I want everyone in this House to be aware of the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the care system, which should also be top of mind when we discuss issues related to care. In their inquiry in 2016, out of the 27 agencies looked at by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Indigenous children were overrepresented in 25—for example, in 93% of the agencies. They are also admitted into care at a rate 2.6 times higher than their proportion of the child population. But these numbers are very low estimates, because the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s sample was comprised of only mainstream or non-Indigenous children’s aid societies.", "Speaker, we need to put an end to these policies that take our children away from our communities and put them into settings where these assimilationist practices are imposed on them. First Nations’ right to self-determination and jurisdiction over how our children are raised needs to be respected and supported by this government.", "Just about a year ago, Ombudsman Paul Dubé published a report titled Missing in Inaction: Misty’s Story, which was an investigation into the adequacy of measures related to ensuring the safety of an anonymous child referred to as “Misty,” an Indigenous child living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, who by 15 years of age had interacted with the child welfare system a number of times and had already experienced tremendous amounts of trauma.", "1320", "Speaker, she was sent to southern Ontario by the children’s aid societies in northern Ontario because of their difficulty finding the appropriate resources closer to home. She was only in care in southern Ontario for 47 days, but these 47 were the focus of the Ombudsman’s investigation, because “over the course of the 47 days Misty spent in the care of Johnson Children’s Services in southwestern Ontario, she went missing seven times, including one period of 19 days. There is evidence that during these absences, she was physically and sexually assaulted, suffered injuries requiring medical treatment, used methamphetamines, fentanyl, cannabis, cocaine and Xanax—and overdosed.”", "The investigation into this inadequacy of the three organizations’ fulfillment of their responsibilities towards Misty was very revealing. It showed us that the system failed Misty in many ways, in more ways than one, and left her vulnerable to harms, including human trafficking.", "It also highlighted the need for agencies in southern Ontario to be educated in the learnings provided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which should inform how they understand and make decisions regarding the risks surrounding Indigenous children in care: “It is particularly pressing that agencies in southern Ontario such as Johnson Children’s Services Inc. educate themselves and their staff on the learnings from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. They should also consider the risk factors unique to Indigenous children and their decision-making around their care.”", "Speaker, I could go on, but due to the limitations of time, I just want to emphasize how important it is that all legislation and policy change takes into account the recommendations in the Ombudsman’s report but also the calls to action, and the justice, from the TRC, the very first of which is “to commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care.”", "In the MMIWG inquiry, it emphasizes the need for Indigenous communities to have their inherent jurisdiction and self-determination respected when it comes to child welfare and service design/delivery.", "Among their critical recommendations are to prohibit the apprehension of children on the basis of poverty and cultural bias; fully investigate deaths of Indigenous youth in care; and establish a child and youth advocate in each jurisdiction with a specialized unit with the mandate of Indigenous children and youth within a period of one year of this report.", "So you might ask, where is the children and youth advocate in Ontario today? I remember back in 2019, this government closed down the Child and Youth Advocate office, and the Ombudsman has not been given power equivalent to those that the Child and Youth Advocate once had.", "The story of what happened to Mindy, as well, is from 2020, but the grim details of how First Nations children are treated in the care system keep emerging. This is only four years ago, but since 2022, we have seen investigations from APTN and Global News that shared about the terrible abuses First Nations children have faced in for-profit, privately run care homes.", "For some of these group homes, First Nations kids from northern Ontario are seen as necessary for the profit model where they have been called cash cows and the bread and butter, and First Nations in the north paid so much more to place children in these homes—cash cows.", "I don’t have enough time, but I want to conclude my remarks by talking about the life and the tragic death of Devon Freeman, whose story should remind us all of the impact that the implementation of our legislation has. We know that Devon Freeman should be an adult today, a man somewhere around the age of 22 or 23. He should still be here, a member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. He should still be able to ride his bike. But that concludes my time for now. Meegwetch." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Logan Kanapathi", "text": [ "Thank you to my colleague opposite from Kiiwetinoong. Member, thank you for your presentation. I have a lot of respect for you. Thank you for bringing your own story and for sharing with us. Thank you for your perspective to this House.", "Madam Speaker, we understand the harsh reality that many young people face within the foster care and child welfare system. Our bill, Bill 188, will bring more accountability in the foster care system through the hiring of more inspectors, allowing for random inspections—it’s never happened before—giving the ministry more weight to enforce the laws that protect the rights of children in out-of-home care.", "My question to the member opposite: Does he agree that there should be a stronger role in place to punish bad actors in the foster care system? That’s including in the Indigenous foster care system. Thank you, Madam Speaker." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "Meegwetch. I think one of the things—back in March or May of last year, which was 2023, I was able to travel up to KI for the signing of bringing power and authority to the First Nations in the care of their children. I think that was the first week of the current Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Minister Parsa—that was his first trip up north. It’s always important to learn of who you serve and learn of our ways of life and who we are in the north. I think I would encourage the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services that they meet with Nishnawbe Aski Nation to see how the shared priorities are working. Meegwetch.", "1330" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "I want thank my friend from Kiiwetinoong for his remarks. For those tuning in who don’t know what we’re debating, we’re debating Bill 188, the government’s latest effort around child protection law.", "The member spoke about Amy Owen. This is a story from our community that broke hearts wide open when we learned of it, because it’s exactly as the member is describing: It is a child discarded to the for-profit foster care system, which disregarded her life. For the record, I want to read in something that Amy wrote on Facebook 11 months before she took her own life. She wrote, “I am just a kid and my life is a nightmare.”", "I guess I would ask us, would we allow any child anywhere in the province of Ontario to be housed in a place that did them harm? And are we going to correct that harm—I’m asking the member: Are we going to correct that harm by continuing to fund for-profit operators who, as you say, often refer to the children in their system as “cash cows,” or do we need to move to a non-profit public system, with appropriate staff, that is well run?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "That’s a good question from the member. I think the children who come into care pay the full price when the system is not working. They pay the full price of their life when the system is not working. We cannot continue to have organizations that are for-profit, continue to use our children as cash cows. I think it’s important that the child welfare system that’s there—we need to make it better.", "I know, again, that’s the way colonialism works. That’s the way oppression works. What you describe in that story is exactly how it harms people. We need to do better. There’s always room for improvement. Meegwetch." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions? The member from—wait—Simcoe–Grey." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Saunderson", "text": [ "Thank you, Madam Speaker. Since taking office, my hair is getting grayer, and I continue to live in Simcoe.", "I want to thank the member opposite for his comments today. The Indigenous communities are separate and apart in some ways with respect to the children’s aid societies. I know the member opposite knows that Indigenous children’s aid societies make their own placement decisions without the province interfering. That’s the law; it’s not an option.", "I’m wondering if the member opposite could comment on his opinion of the children’s aid societies in his communities and their effectiveness in making sure that children are placed in culturally appropriate settings." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "I want to talk about the 59th recommendation, which called for: “That the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and all institutional parties to this inquest”—I’m talking about the Freeman inquest—“work together in a collaborative manner towards ensuring that First Nations children have the right to return to their home communities when receiving services under” this ministry. “This should be adopted as ‘Devon’s Principle.’”", "There are far too many children whom the government has failed, too many children who have had to have principles named after them. It is our duty in this House to end this cycle and pattern of institutionalized mistreatment against Indigenous children and youth." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "Thank you to the member from Kiiwetinoong. I live in Thunder Bay, so I have seen and heard about many, many deaths of young people, of an adult who had a trailer hitch thrown at her and children who died in the river in Thunder Bay. There has been no justice for those people, as there was no justice for Barbara Kentner.", "But what I want to focus on is Ian. He was one year old. He was in care. He was the child of somebody I knew through family. He died in care, and he had a major bruise on his head at the time. The family never got any resolution as to what actually happened to him. They always thought that something wasn’t right.", "So my question to you is, do you feel confident that when things happen when children are in care, that it will be taken seriously, that their families will achieve some kind of justice? We want to prevent it before it happens, but if it does, will there be justice?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "Sometimes, time after time, if you’re First Nations, the systems of care—this government continues to fail our kids. When you talk specifically about Thunder Bay, the Seven Fallen Feathers, all they were doing is getting an education. Even though it was in the child welfare system, it was an education system where we do not have high schools where we come from. They have to leave at 13 years old to get an education. When they did that, when those seven young youth went to school, they came back in caskets. That’s not right, but it continues to happen when we talk about the child welfare system. We need to better that system. Certainly, again, this legislation, Bill 188, can move further than that to be able to invest to make sure that we have the proper resources to protect our children." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Quick question, quick response?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Charmaine A. Williams", "text": [ "I listened to the members really speaking very clearly about how we can make better strides to increase autonomy of our Indigenous communities. Wabaseemoong, Pikwakanagan, KI: It was our government that was working with these communities to make sure that we are giving them the opportunity to have more care and the right to have more care over their children, which is so important—because you know it’s a system that has been rooted in colonization and has impacted so many Indigenous families. That’s a lot of pain and hurt to fix.", "So I’m asking the member, based on the direction you see our government going, can you see the good faith that our government is putting into making changes that will be impactful? This is the beginning in a series of changes that we want to make." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "First Nations, our families have always had jurisdiction and power over children. You don’t give them the authority or the jurisdiction as a government; we’ve always had those." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I’m happy to share a few words about the bill. I was part of the committee that debated amendments, and it was a good process to hear from people with lived experience about how they felt about the bill and different partners in the community.", "I do have to commend the government; we did get a lot of really good feedback, especially from young people who have lived experience. They were grateful that their information will be sealed off when they leave care, that they don’t have to worry about people going back into the system, accessing their information. They were grateful to hear about holding bad actors accountable. And they were grateful that we’ll be making a better effort to ensure that young people know how to reach out and have a voice and share when things are not going well.", "I also want to commend the government because I know they have made investments in the Ready, Set, Go Program and have made investments in mental health services and homelessness services.", "I’m here to share a bit more about the concerns I have about the sector and what I think we could do to improve the bill.", "1340", "When I went back to the CAS in my community, they shared really dire concerns about their level of funding. They say they’re at a 10-year low in funding, and we know the sector has shared the number $63 million that they need just to stabilize. When we say stabilize, it means not living in overdraft. I think everybody here knows what it feels like to live in overdraft—or maybe you don’t, and that’s a privilege. If you’ve lived in overdraft, you know how that feels. It’s sickening, it’s stressful and I can’t imagine being an executive director of a children’s aid society looking at the reality they face, of living in overdraft.", "We know now that our systemic gaps that we face in mental health, in housing and other issues—autism funding, developmental services etc. are impacting children’s aids societies. Families are not able to provide shelter for their families. They are not able to feed their families at a growing rate. So 20% of people referred to children’s aid society were done so because of inadequate housing. We know there’s 20% to 30% that need complex mental health care that’s being cut.", "I’ve had three expert mental health professionals that I know personally—one agency was shut down, another program was shut down and another service that provides attachment trauma in a culturally relevant way was shut down. We are providing more access to those who need eight to 15 sessions, but these kids aren’t that, and we can prevent them going into care by properly funding complex mental health care and developmental services.", "We need to reflect on the privatization of the child welfare system. I know that the societies that I talked to said that the rates that they’re being charged have gone up, but the funding they receive to pay those for-profit agencies has not gone up. We know that kin care, for example, only gets one tenth—one tenth—the amount of money. So we will pay someone in the private sector 10 times the amount we will pay their family member, who could be living in poverty, to care for an additional child. They’re doing it because they care, but they face real financial strains as a result. We need to stop that. We need to start looking at the funding model and looking at a funding model that looks at prevention, because the government should not be parenting children at the rate that it’s parenting children.", "We know, just in my riding, oneROOF—I spoke to them last week; they had a meeting on Monday. They are questioning closing because of budget shortfalls. This is a youth shelter that is an essential service in my riding, serving young people ages 16 to 24, and we know that 60% of the kids in care are teenagers. So we need to look better at the services that we offer teenagers and the services we offer those on the autism wait-list, for example.", "We also need to do better for racialized communities. In Toronto, for example, there’s an 8.5% Black-identifying population, but 40% of the kids in care identify as Black—that’s a huge gap—for Indigenous children: 3.4% of the population, but 25.5% of kids in care; Latinx and Asian individuals and families are much more likely to be referred for investigations. We need to look at systemic racism that increases the likelihood of people going into care.", "We have to worry about these unintended consequences because if we add this red tape without commensurate funding, it equals a funding cut. And that’s what the CAS in my riding said. They said, “If you give us more administrative work and not the funding to do it, it equals less time with families, not more.”", "And as a social worker, I know what it’s like to have growing caseloads. Growing caseloads is a serious reality that children’s aid societies are facing. If you have a growing caseload and a growing number of times you have to see those people, it becomes a tick box—you’re doing it to be sure that you did it—but the depth and the quality of that service is severely lacking—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Thank you to the member—very passionate.", "Moving on, questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "I guess I just offer the member an opportunity to finish her thought. She was in the middle of a thought." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I want to acknowledge that, in 2018, this government fired the Child and Youth Advocate. One of the people who came to committee with lived experience said she would not be where she was today if it was not for the Child and Youth Advocate, that he became a special member of her support system. And as a social worker, I did experience heartbreak and felt crushed at a government firing the lawyer for kids who have no legal guardian.", "We know that the numbers speak to that. We know that, right now, the Ombudsman office only provides investigations for 1,491 cases, whereas with the Child and Youth Advocate, it was 2,790 cases. There were also half as many children dying in care when the Child and Youth Advocate was in office.", "That is the request I have: that we reinstate that office. It was vital." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Saunderson", "text": [ "I want to thank the member opposite for her comments and for her lived experience. I know she spoke of the child advocate office. From 2008 to 2019, the office of the child advocate wrote 79 different reports, totalling over 4,600 pages, and that’s just one source.", "My question to the member opposite: Would you agree that for 15 years—and you cited this statistic, actually; the number of children that died while in care—that this is long overdue, that these changes are much needed and that this bill, as you indicated in your comments, is moving the needle forward in a very important way?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "Thank you for bringing that up. I agree that this is a step forward. I think, as someone in the opposition, what I find troubling is that I’m bringing forward in committee reasonable expectations, like people getting service in their first language, the ministry itself having the same privacy restrictions as the CASs—let’s apply that. That’s from the Information and Privacy Commissioner. I’m sharing information from the Ombudsman, that we should make accessibility possible in schools and libraries, using text and digital means. If we leave it on a website, young people are not going to have better access.", "So, I agree; this is a step in the right direction. What I hope the government opposite will see is that we bring forward amendments of good intention from the Ombudsman, Information and Privacy Commissioner, and Indigenous leaders, and we ask for those amendments to be considered so we don’t have to have another conversation in five years. We can get it right." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Jeff Burch", "text": [ "Thank you to the member from Kitchener Centre for her words based on her experience. I was interested in what you had to say about red tape and the administrative burden that’s placed on social service workers. I wonder if you’d like to expand on that, given your experience in social services." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "Sometimes, when there’s legislation that comes forward, I want to talk to the experts. I look at those in the child welfare sector as the experts in this, and I want to hear their input about what this bill means to them. They say they are one of the most regulated professions in the province.", "Yes, we need this accountability, we need these measures, but they have ideas on how we can cut red tape to ensure that that administrative time is really used efficiently, effectively. There’s a lot of red tape we can cut to just shift the amount of time that they’re using on administrative tasks to what we’re asking for today, instead of adding to some levels of administration that we need to address.", "I hope when the government comes forward again, they will consult with the CASs and talk about cutting the red tape that they want to cut and optimizing their time so they can be with families." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "A very quick question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Mike Schreiner", "text": [ "I appreciate the member from Kitchener Centre’s speech and her service for her community. You talked about the underfunding of CAS and the programs that support kids to prevent them from being in care. Can you talk about some of the real-life examples of what that underfunding means?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Aislinn Clancy", "text": [ "I know people with their master’s—they’re psychotherapists; they are experts at trauma care. They were working in the not-for-profit sector. They have been shoved out.", "One agency in Ontario that treats people who sexually offend—these are young people. We know early intervention for those who sexually offend is essential. The place is closed. Shame. Offered their jobs down the street in a non-unionized environment for $10,000 less—now she will work in the for-profit sector. She will work for two days, get the same amount of pay that she was getting for five days. And why did she leave? Because we closed that organization.", "I can’t believe it." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Saunderson", "text": [ "It’s a pleasure to rise today on behalf of my constituents in Simcoe–Grey to address this important legislation. I want to start by thanking Minister Parsa and his staff and PA for their hard work on this bill, as well as Associate Minister Williams for her hard work.", "I will be sharing my time this afternoon with the hard-working MPP from Brampton East.", "Madam Speaker, we’re here today on an extremely important topic. I’m a father of three children—well, they’re not children anymore. They’re 30, 28 and 26, which might explain the grey—although I think it was grey when they were five, three and two, as well.", "1350", "Parenting is a difficult task, Madam Speaker, and ensuring that children that aren’t in the care of their families are in the care of a safe, secure and nurturing environment is essential to making sure that all children have an equal opportunity. We, on this side of the House, support the goals of Katelynn’s Principle, that every child needs to be seen, to be heard and to be respected. Children and youth need to be at the centre of the child welfare system while taking into account their voices around decisions that affect the services they will receive. And that’s enshrined in the preamble of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act and that is why this government is continuing to improve the legislation.", "That is why, since 2020, our government has been redesigning Ontario’s child welfare system to enhance early intervention, improve outcomes for children and address barriers to supports. Our government has introduced the Supporting Children’s Futures Act, a bill that proposes changes, including new and enhanced enforcement tools, as well as accountability tools. These changes will support better compliance, with requirements designed to protect the safety and security of children and youth in out-of-home care, and these changes aim to better protect the privacy of children and youth with a history in the child welfare system that would further restrict access by others to their child welfare records while allowing them to disclose and discuss their experiences to enhance the system.", "Madam Speaker, the measures proposed in the bill would also enable individuals who grew up in care to speak freely about their lived experience. The changes are one way that we are working to better protect and support children, youth and their families across Ontario to set them up for success.", "Why are this legislation and these changes so necessary? From 2008 to 2019, the office of the child advocate wrote 79 reports that total over 4,600 pages, and that is just one source, Madam Speaker. That should have been a spur for the Liberal government of the day to act and it should have been a spur for the NDP to demand action from them. However, it wasn’t. Neither the Liberals nor the NDP pushed this issue forward nor redesigned the system as we are doing now, and so it falls upon this government to take action now to further the legislation that we passed back in 2020. I don’t think anyone on this side of the House, Madam Speaker, needs to take lessons from the opposition on care of our youth and vulnerable.", "That is why we are strengthening oversight for out-of-care youth in our communities. All children and youth deserve care, to live safely and securely, and high-quality services that are culturally appropriate and meet their unique needs. That is why, as part of Ontario’s Child Welfare Redesign Strategy, this government is proposing changes to the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017, that would allow for a modernized enforcement model. These changes would better support compliance with requirements to protect the safety and security of children and youth in licensed out-of-care homes.", "We are proposing amendments to the regulations under the act to further support the safety and oversight of children and youth, including creating 20 new inspector positions. We have boosted the number of unannounced inspections. To increase transparency, we started publicly posting licensing information. We’re improving the quality of the child welfare data to establish a common standard for every children’s aid society across the province. And we’ve introduced this bill to continue that work with proposals that will enhance and improve accountability and oversight in out-of-home care. Through these measures, Ontario will modernize, standardize and improve important safeguards throughout the child welfare system. This will support service providers in delivering high-quality care to children and youth and support their health and safety and ability to reach their full potential.", "Our government has worked to support customary and kinship care, which has allowed Ontario to have one of the lowest rates of children in care in Canada. The aim is, wherever possible, to keep children with people they know in communities that they know. We are supporting that through the child welfare redesign, which will improve experiences for children, youth and their families by, among other things, making a new investment of more than $2.9 million to help support kinship service and customary caregivers, adopted parents and caregivers.", "We are enhancing child, youth and family well-being through better integration and coordination of services, with diverse cross-sector community-based service providers in all communities; improving the overall quality of out-of-home care, focusing on family-based options like kinship and foster care where possible; and helping to ensure children, youth and families have a strong voice in the decisions about their care, including access to resources and better supports to transition successfully to adulthood.", "This work, which has been occurring for years since we’ve taken office, is yet another measure in tandem with this bill of how we are working to improve the well-being of Ontario’s youth and children in care.", "We heard earlier from the member opposite about the situation in Indigenous communities. As I indicated in my question to that member, Indigenous children’s aid societies make their own placement decisions without the province interfering or intervening. The law requires children’s aid societies to place children in safe and culturally appropriate settings. If the child is First Nations, Inuit or Métis, the society must place the child with their extended family or community wherever possible. These are not options, Madam Speaker. These are the law.", "This bill includes high-impact enforcement tools to ensure operators meet their obligations, including those to provide culturally appropriate care. So I urge the members opposite to support this legislation.", "Strengthening the protection of personal information of former children and youth in care is a critical piece of the puzzle here. Prior to this legislation, not only were the records sealed, but the individuals who grew up in child care were unable to speak about their lived experience and talk about their lives through the system. So, while through this legislation we continue to protect the privacy of children and youth once they leave care, this bill will not restrict their ability to speak about their own experiences. The changes aim to better protect the privacy of the individuals who were formerly children or youth involved in care and to better protect the privacy of children and youth with a history in the child welfare system that would further restrict access by others to accessing their records. However, it will allow them to talk about their own lived experience and work towards improving the system. These changes are aimed to better protect the privacy of adults who are former children and youth in care by restricting access by others but allowing them to speak about their lives.", "Madam Speaker, our government will always be there to protect the children. That’s what’s driving this legislation and our comprehensive redesign of the child welfare system. Through the redesign, we’re making new initiatives to improve out-of-home care, like improved oversight and accountability. And we’ve launched the Ready, Set, Go Program so that youth leaving care will be set up for success. We’ve backed that work up with investments. In this year’s budget alone, there’s an increase of $76.3 million for child protection services.", "Madam Speaker, we know through discussions we’ve had in this House that this is an all-of-government situation. So these changes to the child welfare system, operating in tandem with changes and increases we’re making through the education system to access to mental health, to access to counselling, to restrictions on cellphone use, are all designed to place the interests of our children, whatever their backgrounds and beginnings, on an even playing field so that they get the best foot forward in their futures and that we equip them in the best way possible for their futures.", "Parenting is a very difficult task, as I indicated at the outset. As a father of three, I know the challenges, and they are day to day, and they are not consistent, and they are always evolving. This government, on a whole-of-government approach, is doing everything we can to make sure children, regardless of their beginnings, are set up for the best opportunities, the best protections, the best access to care that they need to move themselves forward and be the workers of the future to shape this province and carry us forward." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "I recognize the member from Brampton East." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal", "text": [ "It’s my pleasure to rise today to speak about and discuss a matter of great importance, the Supporting Children’s Futures Act, 2024. This act is crucial to the commitment that demonstrates our unwavering dedication to the well-being and future of the children across this province. The act stands for a fundamental belief that every child deserves a fair chance at life, no matter their background. We must come together to provide them with the support and protection they need to thrive. Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, and it’s up to us to ensure that they do. Let’s work together to create a brighter future for our children and ourselves.", "1400", "The Supporting Children’s Futures Act, 2024, holds the power to shape the lives of countless children and young people in our province, and the legislation is a sincere commitment to protecting the well-being and future of some of our most vulnerable citizens: our children and our youth. In a world where the innocence of childhood is often overshadowed by the harsh realities of life, it’s our duty to ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstance, has access to care, protection and the opportunities they deserve. This bill, if passed, will be a beacon of hope, bringing improved safety and quality to our children and youth services.", "Our government has worked diligently to create this bill, consulting far and wide across the child welfare sector. Ministry staff held over 30 virtual engagements with various stakeholder groups, including youth with lived experience. These extensive consultations have ensured that this bill addresses the real and pressing needs of children and youth in Ontario’s care.", "At its core, the Supporting Children’s Futures Act is about protecting children and youth in Ontario’s care today, through new measures for safety, service, oversight, accountability and privacy. It’s also about providing better opportunities for these children and youth to thrive as adults tomorrow.", "If passed, this bill will protect children and youth in care and provide them with a better future by strengthening oversight and enforcement tools for out-of-home care, protecting the privacy of youth formerly in care and updating the Child, Youth and Family Services Act with lessons learned since it became law. The changes proposed in this bill will improve safety and independence for children and youth in care and moving on from care. In the short term, this will mean safer and more consistent services for those who need to live away from home. In the long term, it will prepare these children and youth for adulthood and set them up for success. They deserve a chance to grow up safe and happy.", "Speaker, to ensure applicants are fit to provide quality care, this bill proposes a more thorough application process and new powers to refuse a licence on several grounds, most importantly the public interest. To ensure all children and youth in care receive safe, high-quality services, this bill proposes to increase accountability for operators. This includes requiring inspectors to take certain actions when they find non-compliance and a better range of penalties, including compliance orders, administrative monetary penalties and enhanced charges with larger fines.", "All members of this House know of shocking instances where some providers have failed to provide the high-quality care that we expect them to deliver, and our government has been clear: There is no room in our province for providers who don’t operate in compliance with the law.", "This bill proposes new high-impact enforcement tools to root out non-compliance, such as:", "—an order for funding to be returned where a licensee has failed to use funds in accordance with the terms-of-service agreement for a child;", "—an order for new management for an out-of-home care setting;", "—restraining orders to restrain individuals who pose an imminent threat to the health, safety or welfare of any child or young person; and", "—compliance orders to instruct the licensee to achieve compliance; for example, arranging staff training within a specific time frame if reoccurring non-compliances are identified.", "These are critical changes that will reshape the way the rules and regulations are implemented and monitored throughout the program. We’re creating new provincial offences for violations of a youth’s rights against corporal punishment, physical and mechanical restraints, and detention—all positive changes, making it better and easier for youth to thrive.", "We’re enhancing the penalties for provincial offences under the act: up to $250,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both; and for corporations, fines of up to $250,000 and new administrative monetary penalties of up to $100,000. This is how seriously we’re taking this.", "Bill 188 also proposes new processes for inspectors, requiring documentation of findings and, in the inspection report, the ability to conduct investigations with a warrant when an offence is suspected. Changes to the appeal process for licensing decisions, conditions, suspensions and revocations are also proposed, ensuring the appeals do not automatically result in a stay.", "The appeal process to require more information from the applicant or licensee, improving the rules for evidence before the tribunal, and clarifying the tribunal’s orders following an appeal: These crucial new tools will hold service providers to the standard of care that youth deserve and our government expects. These new enhanced penalties will give ministry inspectors a more responsive and useful range of tools to use when they find a service provider that isn’t consistently complying with requirements.", "We understand that the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable youth are our top priorities. The Supporting Children’s Futures Act is a comprehensive and necessary step forward in protecting and empowering the children and youth in Ontario’s care. Let’s work together to provide better care and a better future for all Ontario kids, because when we take care of them, we’re taking care of the heart of our community, Speaker.", "You can see in the great work done by the ministry and done by the great minister that put forward this bill the amazing effort that they put in to capture all of those details that were given to them in consultation throughout their various ministry consultations and throughout the consultations that took place in committee as well. It shows the government’s dedication and understanding of what needs to be changed. I’m so proud that it’s this government that has taken action, after years and years and years, that’s finally delivering for these children and youth to ensure that they’re in a safe environment, they’re encouraged to grow, they’re encouraged to succeed. That’s the Ontario that we all grew up in and we all want to see, where that Ontario dream, where that Canadian dream is instilled in every single youth and child, where they’re able to dream to become anybody they want to be.", "Speaker, we hear these amazing stories across the province of people who grew up in very, very harsh poverty situations, and today have some of the biggest corporations or run some of the biggest non-profit organizations. Those are the types of inspiring stories that we look up to as children, as we continue on in our daily lives. I remember even when I was a kid visiting, with a grade 8 or grade 7 class, Queen’s Park way back when. And I got to sit in the public gallery up there and watch members debate. It really generates a form of vision and encouragement for children that this too can one day be achieved by anybody who puts their heart on their sleeve and works hard for the people. Not only does that apply for parliamentarians, but that applies for anybody working in the private sector. Inspiration for youth is so important, because when we follow our dreams and work hard at it, we’re able to achieve them.", "This bill helps support children and helps ensure that they are able to succeed in Ontario and grow in Ontario. As we continue to approve services—I know the minister has been working very hard to continue to improve services and ensure that children and youth are being supported across the province—we’re looking at new examples and new conversation pieces of where children felt that they were left behind and they needed more support. That’s what our government is doing: bringing in those changes to help support them, help grow their futures and ensure that we live in a society where each and every child in this province can grow up to live their absolute full potential.", "I’m so proud to be a part of a government that takes this so seriously and is moving forward on these swift changes, and not only when it comes to the Ministry of Children, Social and Community Services. I believe all my colleagues that are ministers, parliamentary assistants and MPPs are doing amazing jobs in their portfolios to ensure that we have a better future for Ontario, a future where we all thrive and that Ontario dream continues to live on where we can all have a home, where we can all afford to raise a family and have a good life." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Terence Kernaghan", "text": [ "I would like to thank the members from Simcoe–Grey and Brampton East for their presentation today. My question will be for the member from Simcoe–Grey. According to statistics, roughly a thousand teens age out of care every year; 400 of those will drop out of high school and 400 will qualify for post-secondary education. But only 20%—that’s 80 of those kids—who age out of care will pursue post-secondary education. If you follow it along, only eight graduate from post-secondary education.", "I want to know if the member can speak about the importance of fully subsidized post-secondary education for kids who age out of care." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Saunderson", "text": [ "Well, I want to thank the member opposite for the question. As he indicated, while we’re here today debating Bill 188, we’re also talking about a whole-of-government approach to making sure that all our children, regardless of their backgrounds, have equal opportunity moving forward.", "Just on an interesting and related point, I was at the Ontario Association of Counselling and Attendance Services recently. They were holding their AGM in Collingwood. We were working with that sector and counsellors to make sure that children in school have the best opportunity moving forward, through access to counselling and attendance officers, to address the kids at risk, to come up with a plan to keep them in school. To the extent that children in care fall under those headings, I would hope they would have the opportunity to have those same services.", "1410", "This is a government that’s invested record amounts since we’ve come into office, a 555% increase in mental health supports in our school system. This is a government that is working across the board to make sure that all children, including the children in our child care and welfare system, have the best opportunity moving forward to get the training skills they need moving forward." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Billy Pang", "text": [ "This question is for the member for Brampton. Thank you for his presentation. We’ve heard that this bill won’t be the last step in improving the lives of children and youth in care. I understand that at the time this bill was introduced, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services filed several additional regulations.", "To the member: Can you expand on what these regulations do and how they complement Bill 188’s goals?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal", "text": [ "Thank you to my colleague the member from Markham–Unionville for that question. Our government has been clear that this bill is one step of many, neither the beginning nor the end of the child welfare redesign. That’s why in tandem with introducing this bill, we filed two regulations containing a number of new measures, including mandating information-sharing between children’s aid societies and the ministry about specific health and safety risks to children in licensed and out-of-home care settings. We’re requiring information-sharing between different children’s aid societies as needed and we’re going to continue to do the great work to ensure children are protected and children are safe." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens", "text": [ "While Bill 188 introduces crucial compliance measures, can the government guarantee that it will be accompanied by increased resources for the children’s aid society and other child welfare agencies?", "The reason I ask this is the service providers in Niagara and the children’s aid society do so much and have to do a lot of heavy lifting, but they are only as effective as we are able to provide them with the resources to do that hard work. Without proper funding from this government, how can we ensure these measures will be effectively implemented to protect our most vulnerable children?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Saunderson", "text": [ "I thank the member opposite for her question. Yes, children’s aid societies play a pivotal role in making sure that our children at risk have access to the supports they need. That’s why this government has increased investments into child welfare and protection. In this year’s budget, it contained a $76.3-million increase for child protection services. On top of that, the estimates tabled recently show an investment of almost $1.9 billion in child welfare and protection, an increase over last year.", "We recognize the importance of stabilizing the child welfare sector as the redesign work continues. My colleague spoke about the ongoing efforts in the review process. The child welfare sector saw a huge increase last year. We continue to look at ways that we can reduce any deficits for the children’s aid societies, and we will continue to work with them to ensure that those children being serviced by them get the best service." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Daisy Wai", "text": [ "I want to say thank you to the member from Brampton East for sharing with us how his grade 8 experience has stimulated him. It is with this vision that he’s now our MPP, doing all the work together with us. This is the importance of us doing the best for our children. Of course, the health, safety and well-being of children is paramount to us.", "I would like to know what oversight mechanisms are currently in place for the ministry to hold licensed out-of-home care providers accountable. How does this bill enhance those mechanisms?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal", "text": [ "Thank you very much to the member for that question. This bill looked at introducing various new levels of enforcement mechanisms to ensure that students are protected and that when enforcement is needed, enforcement is happening, which are new regulatory requirements that if something is not working right, the government has measures in place to ensure that that organization is reprimanded for those mistakes and those repeated mistakes, Speaker. That’s why we see now fines up to $250,000 for corporations and additional fines of $100,000 and combined fines as well.", "As we continue to move forward, we want to make sure that children are protected, that they’re in a safe space, and we’re going to continue to do that. This bill really allows regulators to move that one step forward to ensure compliance is there." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I want to thank both the speakers for their remarks.", "I’m privileged to not have to deal with child and youth services in my career, but I have, as a volunteer with youth, run into a number of individuals who have had issues at home. As volunteers, we have a duty of care to the youth that we help or that we work with. And so, I was hoping to ask—I’ll ask the member for Simcoe–Grey—how the duty of care is being improved upon for practitioners in child and youth services through Bill 188?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Saunderson", "text": [ "I want to thank my colleague for the question. I spoke briefly, in my comments, about how we are continuing to protect the privacy of the individuals, but also allowing them to speak about their lived experience. But we’re also making sure that, in a very confidential nature, information can be shared about the individuals in care through various different organizations to help make sure that their care is seamless and the services they receive complement each other.", "This bill proposes to enable information-sharing between the children’s aid societies and the College of Early Childhood Educators and the Ontario College of Teachers, which will allow for timely action when there is an allegation of a risk to a child involving a teacher or early childhood educator. Currently, Madam Speaker, that obligation to report only applies to the early childhood educators. This broadens the scope of those protections to allow other professionals who see a threat or risk to an individual in care to share that information to ensure that the child is being protected and served in the best way possible." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions? A quick question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sol Mamakwa", "text": [ "Many instances—there have been reports of children being badly treated where I come from, when they come down for service. By “badly treated,” I mean use of restraints; forbidding languages; in one case, being asked to be rescued.", "It’s racist and deeply unethical for our children’s lives to be considered in terms of money and profits. I’m not surprised, but I am saddened that I have to say this here: No one should profit off our First Nations children. How does this legislation, Bill 188, stop that?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal", "text": [ "Thank you to the member opposite for that question. The ministry currently—we have 50 children’s aid societies across the province and 13 Indigenous children’s aid services. This bill is designed to ensure that they too are well respected, and those new penalties that are assigned will also ensure that those providers in Indigenous communities that are not providing the service that we expect them to will be held accountable." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate? Further debate?", "Interjection." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Oh, sorry. Thunder Bay–Superior North." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "Thank you very much, Speaker. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today to Bill 188, Supporting Children’s Futures Act, 2024.", "There are many things in this act that I’m happy to see: greater privacy protections, the extension of support for people in care up till the age of 23, the Ready, Set, Go Program—although, I have to say, I can’t see any teenager embracing that particular title. It sounds more like elementary school to me. But I do want to take the opportunity today to talk about things that need to be addressed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services that are not addressed in this bill and are not being addressed at any other level either.", "As the minister and many members of the House already know, there are continuing problems in group homes, especially for people with disabilities, where parents who raise concerns about the care or living conditions of their children are met with the improper use of the Trespass to Property Act.", "1420", "This is not a new issue to this government. We’ve raised it several times regarding people being banished from visiting their family members in long-term care, again by the improper use of the Trespass to Property Act. In fact, in 2021, the government unanimously passed motion 129—brought forward by my colleague from Ottawa Centre—called Voula’s Law, and I want to read that now:", "“That in the opinion of this House, the Ford government should provide clear direction to operators that the Trespass to Property Act does not permit them to issue trespass notices to exclude substitute decision-makers and guests of the occupants of retirement homes, long-term-care homes and other congregate care accommodations when they raise concerns about their loved ones’ living conditions.”", "Now I should say that the House voted unanimously in support of that motion in 2021, but I’m going to carry on a bit:", "“The Retirement Homes Act, 2010 ... stipulates that residents have ‘the right to have his or her lifestyle and choices respected and to freely pursue his or her social, cultural, religious, spiritual and other interests as long as the resident’s lifestyle, choices and pursuits do not substantially interfere with the reasonable enjoyment of the home for all usual purposes by the licensee and other residents.’”", "Also, “the Ontario Human Rights Code says the same thing: Tenants of care homes have the right to decide who they want to invite into their home, just as homeowners do. If the landlord tries to control who can visit the tenants, this can be considered harassment.”", "Now where did this all come from?", "When Maria Sardelis mustered up the courage to defy the Trespass to Property Act, she had been banished from visiting her mother for that 316 days. Her mom’s name was Voula.", "“She called the Ottawa police and told the person on the other end of the line, ‘I’m going to defy this trespass to property order. I don’t think it’s a lawful order. I’m not going to put up any resistance, but I think what’s happening here is wrong.’ Police were called, and charges were laid.” She went to court. “Guess how long it took for a judge to throw this out of court? Twenty minutes—gone. The judge said, ‘What’s this doing in my courtroom?’”", "My point is that, in 2021, the House acknowledged that the Trespass to Property Act should not be used, cannot be used—it’s not legal to be using it to prevent people from visiting somebody who is in care.", "The situation seems to arise when a parent or caregiver raises concerns about the quality of care in the home, and then the threat of the Trespass to Property Act is used against that person.", "A lot of people don’t actually know that it can’t be used and, unfortunately, many police services don’t know that that’s not the correct use of the act. Now there are some police services that do know. There are some police who specialize in elder abuse and they understand very well how that act can and cannot be used, but unfortunately it’s not the case.", "Now, where we get into more of a problem—so I’m going to a letter. I’m going to read from sections of the letter that I wrote to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.", "We need “a system-wide response from” the “ministry.” Since 2021, I’m aware of 100 cases of this taking place in long-term care and in group homes for children or adult children with disabilities living in group homes.", "“There are ... two different violations” actually “taking place” right now. “One is the unlawful misuse of the Trespass to Property Act,” but “the other is also the use of unauthorized evictions.”", "So what’s happening first, especially in group homes, is that somebody complains about the care that somebody is getting in the home. The Trespass to Property Act is used to threaten, and if the person says, “No, no, no, you can’t do that,” then they are not only threatening but actually evicting children or adult children with disabilities from these homes.", "Now, in some cases, these threats or issuance of trespass and threat or action of eviction are in response to female residents who have asked that only female workers help with their intimate care. That doesn’t sound like it should be a tall order. The homes are refusing this and then threatening trespass or eviction when the resident or family member raises concerns. Requesting a same-sex worker for intimate care seems like a basic human dignity that someone with disabilities deserves to be accommodated for. We know the high rates of sexual abuse for people with disabilities. Staffing shortages cannot be allowed to stand as an excuse to continually re-traumatize residents or deny their requests for dignity by refusing their intimate care done by staff with whom they feel safe.", "We have a really basic problem here, and you might say maybe it’s coming down to staffing, maybe there isn’t enough money in the system so that the staff is there to provide the services, but threatening to evict somebody from a home because they want a woman—it’s a young woman who wants to have her toileting done by another woman and not a man; that shouldn’t be a problem, but it is. Once again, we’re seeing the Trespass to Property Act used again and again and again.", "I have another example here, and what’s interesting is this case was already used as an example in 2021, only it’s gotten worse since then. Joy Seguin, mother of Andre Seguin, a disabled young man living in an MCCSS facility, was denied his mother’s visits via the unlawful use of the trespass act. When the mother fought back, Andre was evicted without notice and dropped off at his uncle’s rural farm. Several court rulings were in favour of Andre’s legal proceedings. However, the MCCSS agency ignored all the rulings, including the Ontario Superior Court ruling, for the immediate reinstatement of Andre in his group home. Four years later, Andre and his family continue to be victims of unlawfulness by the MCCSS agency. The Seguin family have repeatedly asked for assistance from the parliamentary assistant and from the minister. The last correspondence was October 2, 2023. Nothing has happened. Even though court orders have been made to reinstate this person in his care home, nothing’s happening.", "There is another issue here in that when these homes decide to illegally use the Trespass to Property Act and someone decides to take them to court, first of all, it costs a lot of money to go to court; secondly, the homes that are launching these legal problems are being funded by the province, so we are actually paying, through our taxes, to have these homes illegally trespass individuals who then have to pay out of their pocket to defend themselves. That shouldn’t be happening. There is so much case law that says it’s an improper use of the law. It just shouldn’t be happening.", "I’ve actually written to this minister, I’ve written to the Minister of Long-Term Care, I’ve written to the housing minister and I’ve written to the Solicitor General. There has been no movement at all. In the correspondence from Parliamentary Assistant Quinn, he wrote, “The ministry does not administer the Trespass to Property Act nor does the ministry provide legal advice to third parties, including licensees, visitors or residents with respect to bans or orders issued under the Trespass to Property Act. If a visitor has been issued a trespass order, independent legal advice may be sought, as required.”", "1430", "But this answer fails on numerous grounds, and one of the most obvious—this comes from the Ontario Agencies and Appointments Directive: “Ministries must ensure compliance with legislation, directives, accounting, and financial policies.” So the unauthorized abuses of the Trespass to Property Act and unauthorized evictions—which, by the way, are taking place because a person can get evicted, and it should be going before the Landlord and Tenant Board, but it’s not, so there is due process that is not taking place.", "But those abuses are not simply interpretations of the law that only a judge can decide. Judges have repeatedly decided, and court rulings are clear: Across all scenarios, the only person who can deny access to a visitor is the occupier of the premises, the occupier of the unit. Notably, our courts have also ruled that neither behaviour, nor occupational health and safety or a pandemic, are grounds to issue trespass orders or to issue access restrictions. If a visitor is disruptive or behaving in a dangerous manner, there are other applicable laws.", "The difference, and it’s an important difference: With those other laws—if it’s a disturbance of the peace, for example—there is due process. You’ve got to bring evidence, and there is a process, so a person can at least defend themselves against whatever evidence is brought forward. Also, staff has some means if there’s a person there that really is dangerous, to have them removed, but not the Trespass to Property Act. The problem with the Trespass to Property Act is that there is no due process. There’s no evidence required. It winds up being “he said, she said,” and then the person who has been banned has no other choice but to go to court.", "I’ve just been through this with somebody else who went through nine months of not being able to visit his mother because he had raised concerns. It took him nine months. He finally had a court hearing. He was out of there in 10 minutes. He won. But why did he have to go through that? Why was he kept from visiting his mother for nine months? This is something we already agreed on in this House. The abuse is still taking place, so we need action from the government to actually address this.", "Actually, I have specific recommendations: We need a clear directive from the office of the minister for MCCSS, pursuant to motion 129, that the Trespass to Property Act does not permit the facility operator to trespass the invited guest of the occupier or a person with legally conferred authority for the care of the occupier. Your agencies must be told by you that they are to abide by, with group homes, the Residential Tenancies Act, and must apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for a decision to evict or to restrict the visitors of their clients.", "Further to written clarification on the Trespass to Property Act and the Residential Tenancies Act, the minister should state unequivocally that if facility operators continue to act above the law, there will be financial and legal consequences. These homes operate under the guidance of various ministries, whether it’s long-term care or the MCCSS. This is Ontario law, and these institutions continually break the law and, as a result, abuse the people living there.", "Isolation is deadly. We know that. And keeping people from visiting their loved ones, keeping people who are in care from having visitors, is not acceptable, and it’s not acceptable that raising concerns about living conditions becomes a reason to impose a trespass-to-property order. It’s not right, and as I say, this government agreed to this in 2021, but has been unwilling to actually address what’s really happening on the ground.", "Now, I was speaking with a young man earlier today who is living in a supportive living home. It actually comes under long-term care, but what has happened in this case is that he brought up concerns. He brought up concerns, and ever since then, he’s been threatened with eviction.", "The workers there are saying, “Well, nobody else is complaining.” But that’s because everybody else is afraid to complain, because when you complain, you get threatened with eviction. This is happening too often. Now, this particular person has cerebral palsy, he’s in a wheelchair, and yet, they’re saying he’s a bed blocker, so they’re trying to find a reason to push him out. He says most of the other people living in the same place are quadriplegic. They just cannot risk raising concerns.", "I have somebody in my own riding, also, who has been going through the same thing, and he is constantly being threatened with eviction, mostly because he wants to stay out at night. He’s completely wheelchair-bound, but he works. He has a life. He likes to stay out. But if he comes home past 11, boy, does he get punished, and he’s been left in his wheelchair overnight, obviously not able to relieve himself and so on. And because he has complained, he’s constantly under pressure to be evicted.", "As I said, I’ve only got a couple of minutes left. I have one more example that is a slightly different concern. This is a letter from Lori Ann Comeau. “This is my 13th letter”—this is addressed to Minister Parsa—“over the three years since May 2021.” Thirteen letters.", "“I express no confidence in the Ontario government’s publicly funded group homes, with institutional abuse rampant, leading to the repeated request for investigation into the care and supportive services at L’Arche Toronto. Drug therapy changes were made at the direction of this ministerial partner, and in a year, there has been no investigation, no service options. However, L’Arche has paid over $240,000 for their poor service since 2023.”", "I’ll get to the crux of this: “It has taken DSO 25 months to provide an incomplete file on my vulnerable brother, and I’m his legally appointed guardian. On May 16, 2024”—so that’s 25 months after the request went in—“I received one file on my brother. However, I also received files of seven other DSO recipients.”", "So take a moment to think about that. This person has now randomly received private information, the private files of seven residents of this home. So each of these individuals’ families and legal designates now have the grounds to seek legal action against both the DSO and the ministry for breach of privacy, and what’s unfortunate is that there has still been no response to this.", "Also, she goes on to say, “It is noted the Residential Tenancies Act governs the MCCSS agencies housing people with disabilities, and yet, I am aware of at least four eviction notices in our family network across Ontario. More so, the DSO information shared with me, three of the DSO recipients are being evicted from their group homes. MCCSS continues to be non-compliant with Ontario laws in their own program and service delivery.”", "These are issues that are important. They’re not in this bill. I hope they will be addressed in future bills. In fact, we don’t need any bills to address this. What we need is the government to recognize that they have a role, a responsibility and the power to insist that these agencies actually abide by the law.", "I’ll stop there. Thank you." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I want to truly thank the member from Thunder Bay–Superior North for her comments and really getting into some subjects that are tough for us to discuss and really indicating where the rubber hits the road for a lot of these cases.", "I mentioned I’m a scout leader on the side and the duty to report is something that I know is hammered into me as someone who is responsible for youth. Professionals in Ontario have an ongoing duty to report directly to authorities any information about a child suspected to be in need of protection, and that could include being harmed or neglected by their parents or their caregivers or suspected to be at risk of being trafficked or exploited.", "1440", "And so Bill 188 does look to address this by expanding the responsibility and the obligation to apply these rules to early childhood educators and adding to the overall number of professionals that have this duty to report and are looking out for children who are at risk of being harmed.", "My question to the member opposite is whether she supports having the inclusion of the early childhood educators within the auspices of the duty to report?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "Yes. People who have that responsibility generally do have that duty to report. Hopefully they’re being paid well enough to do their job well, but what’s missing in the bill is actually protection for parents who also report. They are kind of missing from the duty to report; in fact, they’re kind of excluded. That’s fine. But when they do report, there’s punishment happening. So they are being faced with this abuse of the Trespass to Property Act or their children are being threatened with eviction.", "So there are some loopholes there where abuses are going to be able to continue to take place." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens", "text": [ "I want to thank my colleague for really enlightening different parts of this bill.", "I just want to say, given the tragic and well-documented abuses in the for-profit group homes, isn’t it long, long overdue that a government prioritizes people and the services over profit? The record of this government across the board on the matter has been very grim, and I’m sure you’ll agree.", "How important is it that not-for-profit systems prioritize the well-being of our children over profits?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "Thank you very much for the question. I have argued many times in many contexts that we don’t have the money to be paying for profits—that public money needs to be going to care. It needs to be going to make sure that we have staff and that staff is properly paid, that staff are able to work safely and that all the resources that we have go into care.", "We don’t have the resources, nor should we be putting that money to line stockholders’ or shareholders’ pockets, so I absolutely would like these to have no for-profit care involved." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Deepak Anand", "text": [ "Any bill, every bill, that pertains to our children is important for all of us. Children, and especially those that are at risk of harm or are already in care come to many different professionals in their lives. This bill proposes to strengthen information-sharing practices when individuals providing service and care to the children are suspected of posing a risk to children. It would create an all-hands-on-deck approach, with professional colleges, like the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, ensuring that their members are working in the best interests of our young people and that those professional colleges are working together with children’s aid societies to do that.", "My question is very simple to the member: Does the member support timely coordination between our professionals and professional colleges when there are opportunities to make services safer for our children?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "Yes, I think that coordination needs to be there, but I have to say, I also think that the children and youth advocate still needs to be in place. Because there are ambitions here in this bill—there’s a lot of hope to make things better, but the reality is, it’s not going to happen tomorrow.", "In addition to that, no matter how well a system of care operates, we know that we are a long way from having a well-functioning system in place, even with this bill moving significantly in that direction. Any child or youth in care has been traumatized and needs to know there is someone outside the system who is proactively listening and proactively looking out for their best interest—communication, but we need that child and youth advocate to support those kids." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Bhutila Karpoche", "text": [ "Before I ask my question, I just want to acknowledge that we have young people in the House here—students—who are watching the debate. Welcome to Queen’s Park.", "Okay. So, the member from Thunder Bay–Superior North—thank you so much for your presentation. You’ve talked about some really difficult topics, but it is something that needs to be brought to the attention of the House so that we can right these wrongs in our communities.", "I know that in the member’s riding there are many Indigenous communities, First Nations groups. As we heard earlier from the member from Kiiwetinoong, the Indigenous people, First Nations people have the right to be able to determine for their own communities, especially when it comes to children, to be able to raise them in their communities and in their culture. But there are many, many challenges that they’re experiencing, particularly when dealing with children in foster care.", "Could you please share your insights, based on what you see happening in your riding?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "We do have Dilico in Thunder Bay, which is Indigenous child and family services. They, too, struggle with funding and staffing. We also know that children are often put into care because their families are poor, but that is not a good enough reason to take them away from their communities.", "It’s a long-standing problem that there are so many children who are in care who shouldn’t be in care, or who are in care but don’t have enough support or their families don’t have enough support. I’m very good friends with a kid who used to be in care. She now has three children. Well, she’s got us to help, but actually, she needs a lot more help than that. There are so many effects that have come out of colonization and those damages. There needs to be a recognition of those specific kinds of supports needed for those Indigenous kids." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Deepak Anand", "text": [ "Our children are our future. Our children are our asset. Our children are our responsibility. The children in care are some of Ontario’s most vulnerable individuals. They’re not in care as a punishment. The whole purpose of the child welfare system is to protect children at risk of harm or abuse and set them to be successful once they leave care and continue to do higher education, skilled training and work, and grow into healthy, happy young adults. There is no room in care for abusive practices like corporal punishment and there is no room in this province for care providers who intentionally put children in harm’s way.", "My question is very simple, Madam Speaker: Does the member opposite support having a law on the books that would deter and punish individuals who harm children in their care? Is she going to support this bill?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "Yes, I support that law. Again, though we have a vision, putting that vision into practice requires putting the resources in place. That’s what needs to happen. We can wish it all we want. We know those abuses are still going to take place until the staff and resources are there to prevent it from happening." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto", "text": [ "I appreciate the opportunity to rise this afternoon for the third reading of Bill 188. As well, I’ll be sharing my time with the member from Windsor–Tecumseh.", "The Supporting Children’s Futures Act was introduced by my friend and my former colleague at the Treasury Board, and now the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. I want to thank him and his team, including his parliamentary assistants from Thornhill and Markham–Thornhill, for all their work on this bill, including over 30 consultations right across the entire child welfare sector, including children’s aid society service providers, but also youth and families with experience in the system, from every part of Ontario.", "Before I begin my remarks, I just want to take the opportunity to congratulate Sabra Desai, a registered social worker from Mississauga–Lakeshore, on winning the Attorney General’s Victim Services Award of Distinction yesterday. Sabra is chair of the board at the Gatehouse in Etobicoke, which provides support to victims of childhood sexual abuse. Many years ago, she helped to establish the Embrave Agency to End Violence in my community, which was originally known as the Interim Place. I was honoured to join the virtual awards ceremony last night. Again, I just want to congratulate Sabra and all the other award winners yesterday.", "1450", "Speaker, most of the witnesses who appeared at the consultations and at the committee hearings on Bill 188 were former youth in care or people like Sabra with direct work experience in the child welfare system. As the minister said, they told us that the province needed new rules to better protect the rights of children and youth, to improve the quality of child welfare services and to hold service providers accountable for the quality of services they provide. I know that this feedback was invaluable to the minister and his team in developing Bill 188.", "I also want to thank my friend from Sarnia–Lambton, who has been an incredible advocate for children and youth in care, and for the improvements to the child welfare system. I know that some of the key measures in his private member’s bill on this issue are now included in Bill 188.", "Speaker, together, the measures in Bill 188 would build on all the work that we began four years ago to modernize Ontario’s child welfare system and to ensure that Ontario’s children and youth in care have all the support they need so that no one is left behind. That includes a $170-million investment in the new Ready, Set, Go Program that we launched a year ago to help connect youth who are transitioning out of care with skills they need to succeed, including post-secondary education or training in the skilled trades. Last year alone, this program supported over 4,000 youths across the province.", "And it includes a new $310-million investment, as part of the 2024 budget, in community organizations that support children and youth in care, and other vulnerable Ontarians. In Peel region, it includes the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence program—the first of its kind in Canada—which helps children’s aid societies address immigration status issues for children and youth.", "If passed, Bill 188 would build on that work by modernizing the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, enhancing ministry oversight and introducing new and improved enforcement tools. Because, as the minister said, while it is true that the vast majority of service providers deliver the highest-quality care for children and youth, we also have to deal with the fact that there are a few who are not acting in good faith, and others who should never have been allowed in the system in the first place.", "I want to thank Carly Kalish, the executive director of Victim Services Toronto, for her recent testimony at the Standing Committee on Justice Policy in support of Bill 188, including heartbreaking stories about human trafficking of foster children in Ontario who were exploited by their own foster parents. As she said, this is a demonstration of the urgent need for reform, and there are stories like this right across Ontario, including in Mississauga, with victims as young as 13 years old.", "That’s why the changes provided in Bill 188 would allow us to expand background checks beyond the formal police record checks in order to better protect children and youth in care. As well, I know that the minister is working on new regulations to standardize the requirements for police record checks across the province and to allow the college of social workers to share information with other colleges in other provinces, or with children’s aid societies, in order to confirm when a social worker is under investigation or to address any other serious risk that a child or youth may be harmed. At the same time, the bill will help restrict access to records about children and youth once they leave care in order to protect their privacy.", "Bill 188 would also provide strong enforcement tools to hold bad-faith providers accountable, including new orders to comply and larger fines. In some cases, fines would increase from $5,000 to $250,000. As well, the bill would clarify that early childhood educators can be guilty of an offence if they fail to report child protection concerns to a children’s aid society. This would be similar to the rules for other professions including social workers and teachers.", "I’d like to conclude by reading some of the feedback that we have received on Bill 188 from experts in the child welfare sector.", "Susan Wells, the CEO of Family Service Ontario, said that Bill 188 would enhance “the safety, privacy and rights of children and youth. Family Services Ontario strongly supports this legislation for its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our children and youth.”", "John Fleming, the chair of the Ontario College of Social Workers, said Bill 188 is a “step towards” strengthening “protection for the public, including the province’s most vulnerable children and youth.”", "Valerie McMurtry, president of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, said, “We value the government’s commitment to making sure young people receive information on the high-quality supports that are available.”", "Speaker, as I said, the voices of Ontarians with direct experience in the system have been the most important in developing Bill 188, so it is appropriate for me to close with the words of former foster child Diana Frances. She said, “Speaking from my life experience, I believe with all my heart that these improvements to the safety, well-being, and privacy of children and youth in care are of vital importance.”", "Again, I want to thank the minister and his team and everyone from the child welfare sector who has come forward to share their story and their recommendations on Bill 188. This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s a looking-after-our-children issue. I also want to thank my friends from across the aisle for their remarks and for their support for this important bill." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Mr. Deepak Anand)", "text": [ "I recognize the member from Windsor–Tecumseh." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "Thank you, Speaker. Certainly it’s a privilege to rise today in support of Bill 188. Even though I’m not present on the committee, certainly in reading the transcripts I certainly got the sense that there are heartbreaking stories from all across Ontario. I know many are in my own community. My constituency office certainly receives a number of them.", "I’ve taken the opportunity to sit down with Derrick Drouillard, who’s the executive director of our local children’s aid society in Windsor-Essex county, and he has given me a lot to think about, a lot of feedback, particularly about the limitations that exist in the system. That’s exactly why we need to pursue a redesign of the system.", "Some of the issues that have been brought to my attention locally have been a number of gaps in terms of service delivery. Organizations are doing their utmost to do what they do best, and sometimes that means that their mandates change, but, ultimately, gaps then get bigger and bigger and bigger as mandates are refined. We know we have to keep the child at the centre of everything we do. That includes safety, stability and access to the resources that can help them succeed and to thrive. Sometimes that means caring and love that they hadn’t received from others, it could be skills development, but, ultimately, we want to have a system in which a young person in Ontario knows they can achieve anything that they put their mind to. If they have a dream, they should be able to realize it.", "We have so much potential in our young people, and it’s heartbreaking to see when there’s trouble at home. Actually my wife and I spoke last night—and I remember a child who was in my scout group; they actually ran into each other out in the community. She had gotten something to eat with some friends of mine, and this former youth had covered her bill. I don’t think he had ever met my wife, but he knew who she was. That’s a great youth, and it’s a youth who came from a place that I knew was difficult. His mom worked really hard to keep him on the right track, and ultimately, he developed into a remarkable young man.", "1500", "This is exactly the kind of potential that exists in our youth and why the government introduced the Supporting Children’s Futures Act, which includes new and enhanced enforcement tools for those who are being victimized and those who need some support in order to get them to a place where they can look back at themselves and see the potential inside them.", "I know that the changes are intended to support compliance by the different practitioners with requirements designed to protect the safety and security of children and youth in out-of-home care. In many cases, being at home is the best medicine, but there are cases when it is not. It’s not just among children and youth; I think of the victims of intimate partner violence, as an example. They should not be left with a spot where their only option is to go back to a horrible situation.", "The changes in this bill also aim to protect the privacy of children. We do not want a child’s future to really be ruined or harmed by casual or careless distribution of their personal information. We want to know that their information is not going to be accessible to just about anybody. One of the great things about the information age is we can actually find out a great deal of information. Someone actually is watching us right now, and they may be screen-capping it and archiving it, and that’s a great thing to shed some light. But sometimes, there’s a need for protection.", "We all have made decisions I think we’d like to change, and we also sometimes have stories that we really don’t want to have told. In cases like these involving children and youth, especially in care, it’s not their fault, but they feel it’s their fault that they’re in that situation. This can be incredibly demoralizing to them.", "The measures in the bill look like—it actually opens up an opportunity to share an experience. There’s nothing better for a youth than to open up and not feel a stigma if they do and say, “You know what? It’s important that I tell my story.” Certainly, the committee heard instances in the past where youth felt that they had to keep everything quiet, even though probably the best remedy would have been daylight. So these changes as a whole are intended to better protect and support children, youth and their families and set them up for success.", "Protection services are mandated and legislated under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017. They’re provided by children’s aid societies all across Ontario. I’ve got to tip my hat to everyone who’s working in this sector. I can’t even imagine how difficult it is to be knowledgeable of a situation in which you know you may not have a caring family or a family that cannot provide for the members of the family. Perhaps it’s deliberate; perhaps it’s not. But ultimately, you must get a sense of hopelessness for certain situations that you run across.", "I tip my hat to the many boards of directors of children’s aid societies across the province. There are 50, and there are also 13 Indigenous children’s aid societies. I would like to give a special shout-out, should he be watching, to Adam Coates, who’s one of my former colleagues who sits on the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society board. He’s a professional planner. I worked with him at the city of Windsor. The fact that he is committing his time to helping support youth in our community is truly, truly commendable.", "Looking at the investments in children’s aid societies—$1.5 billion this year—it’s really a steady increase. I know we can have an amount that increases and may not see the immediate results, but the investment is worth it. And the increased investment in child protection is $14 million, approximately, and that builds on last year’s increase of $76.3 million. And there’s $109 million for children and youth services, which had been increased the year prior by $92.4 million.", "And so, we have a number of practitioners in this sector. We’ve got out-of-home care for those children who are not staying at home. That includes accommodation. It could include supervision and a specialized program for special needs. I know that we have a shortage of practitioners. Parents are certainly telling me that.", "We have an interesting situation down in our neck of the woods, because we have Michigan and Detroit metro just 15 minutes away. Because of that international border, even though there are practitioners able to practise, that international border is precluding us. That’s maybe one of the things I’d like to work on on a broader scale for us in border communities: that we have some access that could be out there, just in Michigan; that, perhaps, our families could have those services covered as if they were delivered by Canadian practitioners.", "Care is also provided in foster homes, children’s residences and staff model homes. Previous remarks have also mentioned kin families, and certainly I’m aware of many in our community. I appreciate the government’s tremendous investment in kin families. It didn’t exist before. There are still some challenges with the set-up there, and while there are solutions, they may not always be considered to be in the best interest of the child.", "Looking at Bill 188, it was developed through widespread consultation. There was lots of testimony at committee. There were 35 written submissions, 30 virtual engagements, and really, the feedback was, I’d say, positive. I see that I just have a minute and 30 left to relay a few, but just in general: “Bill 188 is a fantastic piece of legislation” was one of the items heard. “As a former youth in care, I cannot overstate” the importance of this bill.", "There was comment about progress in the past, such as Ready, Set, Go; that the enhancements are key; that inspectors have increased and penalties have increased. One of the children who had been in care said one of the sections was “groundbreaking” and that the status quo had been a “stigma that young people in care are problem kids,” and this helps to address that and give hope and optimism for the future. And really, that optimism that you can be something better, something that you can dream about, is the best opportunity that we can give to our young people in Ontario.", "So Bill 188 is a tremendously progressive bill that helps us get there and helps our young people who are being served by care agencies to realize the potential in themselves. It’s important they see that value. Bill 188 gets us to where they can feel that inside them. I’m delighted to support it, and I want to thank the minister for bringing it forward and the Legislature for getting this through to third reading today." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "I recognize the member from Ottawa Centre." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Joel Harden", "text": [ "I want to thank the member for Windsor–Tecumseh for those remarks. I particularly enjoyed your comments when you were talking about the staff, and the burden on the staff when they are aware of an unsafe situation for a youth and how that must weigh on them. I completely agree. That has been my experience meeting with workers for the children’s aid society in Ottawa.", "I wonder if the member could elaborate on what this House could do, empowering this legislation even more to be mindful of making sure we hold on to those talented children’s-aid-worker staff? The member for Kitchener Centre said it earlier in debate this afternoon, and she comes from this particular sector, so she should know that, at the moment, in some cases, for-profit group homes and for-profit foster homes are pulling some of the children’s aid workers, paid non-profit, publicly, out of that system, because it’s difficult to compete. It’s difficult to retain talented people.", "1510", "Do you think it would make sense—my question to the member—for us to make sure that there was proper funding for children’s aid societies so they can maintain the staff, the competence they have and reward those hard-working people?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I thank the member from Ottawa Centre for his question. Certainly, one thing that I have noticed in my discussions is that staff have to feel that they’re empowered and that they’re supported. That’s a big piece of this where responsibilities are more clearly defined in this legislation in terms of your duty to report, in terms of your obligations or the expectations for the protection of young people that you work with.", "So I think instilling that confidence that, “Hey, the staff are there. Their management has their back” is a terrific way—it’s just being established in this bill and reinforced in this bill. The funding has continued to increase over the last number of years while serving relatively fewer children. So we’re getting there with this bill. I see lots of hope on the horizon as a result of this bill." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Logan Kanapathi", "text": [ "Thank you to my colleagues from Mississauga–Lakeshore and Windsor–Tecumseh for their thoughtful comments and passion about this bill. Thank you for your support. Thank you for sharing your own story about the children’s aid society in Windsor and your good friend who is managing—he was a former staff, and we’re getting all the inside information. Thank you for sharing that.", "Madam Speaker, this bill is about working to fill the cracks in the foster care system and protecting our vulnerable children in our wonderful province by hiring more inspectors, conducting random inspections that never happened before and creating more accountability for licensees. My colleagues, could you elaborate on this: How are we protecting and enhancing this premise to protect our children in our foster care system?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I want to thank the member for his kind words. There are a number of measures in here that help. So number one, I explained a list of professions that can receive personal information from children’s aid societies beyond regulated health professions, social workers and social service workers now include teachers and ECEs. So that’s one way that we’re supporting. It clarifies with absolute justification that ECEs are a profession. We need to recognize them. This bill does recognize these ECEs are professionals that work with youth and that we are reliant upon them to help our youth succeed in life. So this also enables the call to social workers and social services workers to share information about their members with bodies that govern other professions, such as children’s aid societies. So those are just a few of the measures in which we’re supporting those that work with our youth." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Bhutila Karpoche", "text": [ "I want to thank both government members for their presentation. As we’ve already indicated, the official opposition NDP will be supporting this bill. But I have a question around inspection, because we know that good policies can only work if they are resourced and if there is appropriate funding that goes hand in hand with it. So when it comes to inspection, what resources have been given for inspections and enforcement? Will it mean that there will be proactive inspections? How many inspectors are there now and how many do you expect to have once this bill comes into force?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto", "text": [ "I want to thank the member for that great question. Our government will do whatever it takes to protect children and youth in this province. Not only that, we are creating 20 new inspection positions. As well, we’re going to be boosting the unannounced inspections to increase transparency through the system.", "I want to thank the member. We’re going to continue to protect our children, because children are very important to all of us in here, especially myself. I have two young boys, and I know how important it is to protect our children through the province of Ontario." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further questions?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Deepak Anand", "text": [ "When it comes to our children, our government launched our plan to redesign child welfare in 2020 and has taken action through many initiatives since then, from hiring more inspectors and increasing the number of inspections; to creating a new quality standards framework so there is a common benchmark across the province; to launching Ready, Set, Go, which ensured for the first time Ontario had a plan to support children and youth in care as they near adulthood and set them up for success. These measures made a real difference.", "At this time, I’d like to ask the member from Windsor–Tecumseh if he can explain to us how Bill 188 complements and builds on the work done by the child welfare redesign." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "Learning about Ready, Set, Go, which was brought forward just prior to my arrival, although it was launched April 1 in 2023—this was something that I really, really appreciated seeing. At the time, the minister said, “Children and youth in the child welfare system face additional barriers throughout their lives. Our government is enhancing the way youth leaving care are supported so they can access the same opportunities as their peers. The Ready, Set, Go Program will help youth get the skills they need to build a brighter future for themselves.”", "That’s a $68-million program, and it helps children’s aid societies focus on helping children plan their futures at an earlier age. Basically, it allows you to remain in care until the age of 23, up from the age of 21, which was what happened before. And funding increased $850 per month to $1,800 for age 18, $1,500 for age 19 and $1,000 for age 20. So, these are some supports that can help under Ready, Set, Go. It really gives our youth an opportunity for a better path for the future." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Quick question, quick response." ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Lise Vaugeois", "text": [ "I was sorry to hear from the Minister of Colleges and Universities yesterday that the government does not support a return of the Child and Youth Advocate. The work being done by that advocate cannot be replaced by the Ombudsman. An ombudsman is complaint-based, and an advocate is there to be proactive.", "But the implication was that with this new bill, everything would be fixed right away. So my question is, how long do you think it will take to bring staffing levels up to the point where it is actually possible to implement the programs suggested by the bill and protect the children as we know they need to be protected?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I know the office of the child advocate wrote 79 reports from 2008 to 2019, and about 10% of the calls to the Child and Youth Advocate led to investigations in 2008 to 2019. So the investigative powers of the Child and Youth Advocate were transferred to the Ombudsman. There’s no loss of authority in this change; in fact, it provides a greater component of staff that can look into these issues. There have been inspectors hired as well in addition to the opportunities now with the Ombudsman.", "The Ombudsman being part of the amount of information given to children and youth as an option—there’s nothing that’s brand new. That awareness is something that’s important, that they know that they have an ally in the Ontario Ombudsman that is looking out for them." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Further debate? Further debate? Further debate?", "Mr. Parsa has moved third reading of Bill 188, An Act to amend the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 and various other Acts. 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." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "Orders of the day?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Trevor Jones", "text": [ "Good afternoon, Speaker. On a point of order, please." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "On a point of order, I recognize the member for Chatham-Kent–Leamington." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Trevor Jones", "text": [ "Speaker, if you seek it, you’ll find unanimous consent to the see the clock at 6 o’clock." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (Ms. Patrice Barnes)", "text": [ "I seek unanimous consent to see the clock at 6. Agreed? Agreed.", "Report continues in volume B.", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Pursuant to standing order 100, the member has 12 minutes for his presentation." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "It gives me great pride to speak to Bill 193 today, the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Amendment Act.", "Just in preparing for today, I found a book—I know I’m not supposed to use props—on my bookcase called Protected Places: A History of Ontario’s Provincial Parks System. It details the entire history of the provincial park system in Ontario. Actually, I found a passage related to one of my predecessors from 1894, MLA Solomon White, representing Essex North, which encompasses my riding today. MLA White claimed the province was reaching a stage at which it would have too many parks; this was back in 1894. So even though he was a Tory, as written in this book, I have to respectfully disagree with MLA White.", "Really, the purpose of this bill today is to recognize a distinct and dedicated classification for urban parks within the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act. As written, section 8 of the PPCRA names six classifications that are currently in place. This comes from the much-beloved “blue book” that Gerald Killan, the author of Protected Places, goes into great detail to speak about and how they came about. These are: wilderness class parks, nature reserve class parks, cultural heritage class parks, natural environment class parks, waterway class parks and recreational class parks. So think of the parks that are near you; they fall into one of those particular classifications.", "Parks are a bit different amongst themselves. Take a grocery store: They’ll have a discount version, they’ll have a full-service version, and something in between. Our parks don’t go based on those lines, but rather what features the province wishes to protect.", "Last year, our government announced the proposed creation of the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park. Uxbridge is proposed to be made up of, to start, six parcels of land representing almost 1,300 acres in the township of Uxbridge, all within walking distance of the built environment in Uxbridge. I had the distinct pleasure to travel to the finance minister’s riding and see this property first-hand, just about two weeks ago.", "The public response to the government’s proposal has been quite impressive. Between June 19 and September 4 of last year, a survey was conducted to gauge public opinion on urban provincial parks in general, as well as creating an urban provincial park in the township of Uxbridge. More than 4,200 submissions were received—that’s pretty significant; not everything generates this amount of response—and three quarters of the respondents spoke in favour of the concept as a whole and the Uxbridge park.", "Really, Uxbridge has the makings of a spectacular destination. It has ponds and creeks. It has leftover uses, let’s call it, from the previous occupants of the land. There’s a tennis court in the middle of the forest at one point. Really, it’s a place that’s got an identity and a place where you can go hiking, you can go bird-watching. And you can walk to it if you’re a resident of Uxbridge; you can get to it very, very quickly. I have no doubt that there is strong potential for the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park to become a beloved property, enhancing the quality of life for so many residents up in Durham region. There’s even potential to connect to the Rouge National Urban Park, which extends the naturalized corridor even further.", "Yet only a few short years ago, the “For sale” sign was affixed to these properties, even though they were home to families and to retirees as their oasis away from the hustle and bustle of life. Ultimately, the families ended up disposing of them, and really there was a risk to them remaining in their natural state. And kudos to the people of Uxbridge for speaking up, crafting the initial vision for the area. And then kudos as well to the then-Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Mr. Piccini, for finding a path forward to realize the vision.", "Speaker, I go back to prior to my time here in the chamber, when I was the drain superintendent for the city of Windsor. I was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the municipal drains all throughout the municipality, and this gave me an incredible insight into the city of Windsor’s urban footprint. I became very well acquainted with thorns, bugs, mud, phragmites—you name it, I walked through it—but I also witnessed how vital these idyllic sites could become.", "One of my first visits was in the dead of winter, in January, to the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve. It was a cold, windy, wintry day. We have a lot of humidity down our way, so when it’s cold, you feel it. It’s a different kind of cold than the rest of Ontario. We are surrounded by water, and so we feel that wetness of both the cold and the heat down our way.", "Ojibway is home to the Titcombe and Reaume drains. As I walked the drain, I actually heard music. This is the dead of winter on a weekday. As I approached the junction of those two municipal drains, there were two people there, neither of whom appeared to know each other. One was painting on a canvas and the other appeared to be meditating. But they co-existed in peace, and this was in a protected nature reserve within the municipal boundaries of the city of Windsor. Truly, I saw this special sense of place that made braving the wind coming off the Detroit River an incredible allure for those two people.", "The city of Windsor, in its own right, is protecting a number of properties surrounding the nature reserve as well. Kudos to them. They have been protecting those lands since the 1950s, and the province protected its nature reserve in 1977.", "The Ojibway Prairie Complex is home to over 4,000 species, including 160 rare plants, insects, reptiles, birds and mammals. Really, Ojibway is not a faraway place; you can actually walk there from downtown. You can see these lands from Highway 401, leading to the new Gordie Howe International Bridge. Really, the collaboration that exists has caught the eye of the federal government, which is now creating the Ojibway National Urban Park. It’s proposed to include the nature reserve, and everyone’s collaborating to get there.", "Really, the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park and what we’re creating in Windsor, the Ojibway National Urban Park, show that urban and near-urban environments contain biodiversity of provincial significance that is worth protecting, with light recreational opportunities such as birdwatching, hiking, snowshoeing and, as I witnessed, self-reflection. But these sites are truly difficult to classify in the current PPCRA.", "We saw that—actually, there’s a reference in Protected Places by Mr. Gerald Killan about the establishment of the Bronte Creek Provincial Park, which was effectively a near-urban park. But it was problematic in terms of finding the right classification for it because it does not give the same—I’ll call it “model”—of provincial park that you are used to, of a wide landscape in a natural environment. A place like Bronte Creek is right in the middle of the city, too.", "So because of this potential to complete the provincial parks system using urban land, protecting biodiversity that already exists, but just may not meet the test that we seem to implicitly put in for what is considered a provincial park, that’s why this bill is creating the urban classification that will set the path to creating and including these sites of provincial significance. They may not always have vistas, landscapes and a traditional protected environment, but they have attributes that are vital to protect and to manage for the people of Ontario.", "In the lead-up to this bill, I received a lot of support, actually. I received a letter from the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of Ontario, and they say this: “We believe that your bill would help provide access to conservation areas for those that live in dense urban settings. Your bill would also help define the objectives of urban provincial parks more clearly, which would be beneficial to the consulting engineering community as we support the growth of our urban centres.”", "Dr. Anneke Smit of the University of Windsor, the associate professor and co-lead of the National Urban Park Hub, says, “The research tells us that having more access to parks and biodiversity is good for people as it provides options for healthy living activities, social interaction, and connection to the natural world. With the majority of Ontarians now living in cities, ensuring that access to nature is possible even in urban centres is all the more important. For” this “reason we are pleased to support this private member’s bill on provincial urban parks.”", "I’ve even got supportive quotes, too, from Mike Fisher, president of the Friends of Ojibway Prairie; Tom Henderson, chair, public advisory council, Detroit River Canadian Cleanup; and Ian Naisbitt, chair of the Little River Enhancement Group. All are quite excited about the prospect of seeing even more urban spaces realized as protected areas to recognize their biodiversity.", "1810", "Actually, I’d like to just cite a part of Mr. Fisher’s quote: “It is our hope that these new urban parks will help ensure future generations of Ontarians have access to nature-based recreation opportunities that we know provide so many physical and mental health benefits while protecting the ecological integrity of crucial ecosystems. We look forward to visiting Ontario’s first proposed urban provincial park in Uxbridge and to the establishment of many urban parks across our great province.”", "I see, Speaker, I have about a minute and a half left, so I just want to detail a little bit of what would be an urban-class park. An urban-class park would be within 50 kilometres of municipalities with a population of over 200,000 people. My city of Windsor is definitely over 200,000, and we are getting the national urban park, but there are plenty of centres that don’t have a park currently protected which meets those criteria. But also, an urban provincial park would provide opportunities to enjoy the area’s natural beauty, strengthen the long-term protection of the area’s biodiversity and that can be located adjacent to developed urban areas.", "Truly, we have those spaces. I know you probably have a chance in Hamilton to see some wonderful waterfalls. There are plenty of cities all across Ontario that have special spaces that have provincial significance. So by adding an urban classification to the provincial parks system, we can secure those lands and ensure they are protected for generations to come and make sure that Ontario’s biodiversity is protected and thrives through a management plan with the appropriate level of consideration for biology, while meeting the needs of our people for places to meditate, places to go for a walk, clear their heads and enjoy wildlife because it is certainly worth protecting.", "With that, I’ll wrap it up. Thank you so much, Speaker." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Sandy Shaw", "text": [ "I would like to start by saying I agree with the member that parks are important; urban parks are important. We know that. It’s obvious both for physical and mental health, so I appreciate you bringing this bill forward.", "This bill—let’s be clear—gives the government new powers to establish the class of urban-class parks whose objective, as you have said, is to improve access to compatible, nature-based recreation in or near urban centres. That seems fine as it goes. But with this government, the devil is always in the details, and those are really, I’m sorry to say, not to be found in this bill.", "On paper, the concept of a new designation of urban park seems fine, even potentially good. But honestly, let’s be real: I have no reason to trust the Ford government. Actually, correction, Speaker: No one has any reason to trust the Ford government when it comes to anything to do with the environment or with natural spaces. Really, I just ask you: Think of the greenbelt sell-off; think of this government exempting a $15-billion highway that will pave over precious farmland. You’re exempting that from an environmental assessment.", "This government has broken the law numerous times by disregarding our Environmental Bill of Rights. They’re now currently in the process of forcing conservation authorities to conduct an audit to identify surplus lands potentially for sell-off. This government has de-listed species at risk such as the Redside dace, which is a cute little minnow that has the unfortunate fate of being inconveniently located where this government wants to build a highway. So what have they done? They just de-listed it rather than protect this endangered species.", "Absolutely, this government has an unquestionably abysmal, dubious record when it comes to our environment. With that in mind, here are five very concerning aspects of this bill.", "First, will these parks fulfill the purposes of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, the PPCRA? Those purposes are protecting ecosystems, protecting provincially significant elements of Ontario’s natural and cultural heritage, maintaining biodiversity and providing opportunities for compatible, ecologically sustainable recreation. Urban centres already exist. We have things like parks, obviously; football fields, playgrounds for kids, even golf courses. But under the provincial parks and conservation reserves and the purposes of that, these types of parks should not count as urban parks, but, again, this is not addressed anywhere in the bill.", "My second serious misgiving is: I seriously question whether this government has a coherent understanding or actually cares about how urban parks should fit into our national park system. Exhibit A is the Rouge National Urban Park, which is a federal example of an urban park—actually, so is the Ojibway National Urban Park, as well.", "I will note—and I’ll read from this article—that the federal government was obliged to threaten federal action after Parks Canada warned that the Ford government’s proposed removal of the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve could cause “irreversible harm” to the Rouge National Urban Park.", "I’m quoting from this article: “Parks Canada has issued a stark rebuke to Ontario’s plan to open up sections of protected greenbelt land for housing development, saying the move risks ‘irreversible harm’ and that proper consultation on the proposal has not taken place.”", "They go on to say, “Should these lands be removed from the greenbelt and developed as proposed, Parks Canada’s analysis suggests that there is a probable risk of irreversible harm to wildlife, natural ecosystems and agricultural landscapes within Rouge National Urban Park ... reducing the viability and functionality of the park’s ecosystems and farmland.”", "Finally, they say, “It is our opinion that, to date, the province has not met the consultation requirement ... as the province has not ... reached out to discuss these matters with Parks Canada.”", "So, again, I seriously question whether this government understands or cares about how new designations, the new powers that you’re asking for to designate urban parks, will fit within a national framework—again, a dubious track record from this government.", "My third serious concern, and this is a very legitimate concern shared by many people that have looked at this bill and many people that are concerned with biodiversity—many environmentalists, many biologists—who say the concern here is that the powers in this bill could be used to downgrade existing classes of lands that are conserved. So this government should make a commitment right here and put it in this bill that existing conservations and provincial parks will remain as is, that their ecological functions would be reduced if converted to urban parks and that you promise that that will not be the case. So we need to add, clearly, new parks, not downgrade existing spaces with high ecological function, which is what this government tried to do with the Rouge National Urban Park.", "So, as we said, we agree urban parks are good for our health and well-being, but they are not sufficient for ecological function. We need to have both conservation areas and urban parks; we can’t substitute one for the other. We don’t want to downgrade spaces that provide the much-needed biodiversity, species habitat and flood mitigation that exist in already protected areas—and flood mitigation, Speaker, is an important concept. This is a government that’s prepared to pave over wetlands, to not take into consideration the role that wetlands play in protecting us from floods and cleaning our waters. They’ve shown that they have a disregard for that, so I have a concern right here that this government will use these new powers without consideration to how we are protecting Ontarians from the impacts of flooding, which we will see more and more with the advent of more serious climate change impacts.", "So, again, we need both urban parks and conservation areas, not one at the expense of the other, and I would like to hear from the member that that is not going to happen.", "My fourth concern is, what lands are we going to be using to create these urban parks? I would like to propose—we have hundreds and hundreds of abandoned gravel mines and abandoned oil and gas wells in the province. These are areas that could be rehabilitated. I will use an example from the riding of Hamilton, which is the rock garden at Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. I didn’t know this until I researched the bill, Speaker. That’s the oldest part of the RBG. It was acquired in 1932, and it was the earliest example of how industrial landscapes could be reimagined and repurposed. It was an abandoned gravel pit. It began in late 1929, during the stock market crash, which is when the gravel pit was closed. We used labour to complete this, the help of Depression-era labour. If you ever go there, to the rock garden, it’s a spectacular, beautiful place. It’s so well visited. It’s a gem in the RBG, and it’s a perfect example of how we can re-imagine these barren landscapes which are left behind when we have abandoned gravel mines.", "1820", "I will bring your attention also to Mount Nemo, which is not far from Hamilton. It’s a UNESCO biosphere reserve. There’s a quarry there that wants to continue to mine in that area. I would suggest that we could consider that this would be a perfect area for an urban park.", "An advocate who has been working for years on this is Sarah Harmer. She’s a Canadian, decorated, award-winning singer-songwriter. They fought, many years ago, to stop this aggregate from digging out the Niagara Escarpment on Mount Nemo:", "“The group argued the escarpment, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, was not a good place for another quarry. That application was denied, but now, the company ... is trying again.", "“Harmer”—who, again, is an award-winning, Juno-winning musician—“grew up in a farmhouse there.” She said, “It is so pristine and incredible ... and yet it’s so close to millions of people. So it’s at an interesting crossroads.” If you ask me, that is the perfect definition of what could be an urban park.", "The one thing about quarries that we need to understand is that quarry licences just go on forever. There’s absolutely no end. As long as quarries continue to just even take a spoonful out of the ground, they’re considered to be active, so they go on forever. The Nelson company had “proposed to mine it for 30 years, then turn the site into a massive 944-acre park, twice the size of Toronto’s High Park.” They have renderings posted on the company’s website showing “a crowded beach, kayakers on a lake and families walking and biking.” They say, “It will become a green space for the city and the region to enjoy,” but people like Sarah Harmer say, “It might not happen in the lifetime of myself and yourself.”", "There’s a perfect example of how you could use this bill to look at areas that need to be rehabilitated, that are scars on our landscape. This bill could help in a very real way for people who have to live beside these abandoned quarries that are often close to urban centres and are often in really beautiful natural areas.", "Finally, I have to say, it is with extreme disappointment that I can’t begin to understand how we could be talking about designating land in this province without talking about free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous nations, on whose traditional territories all parks in Ontario reside. Just yesterday, we had a historic moment when the MPP from Kiiwetinoong, Sol Mamakwa, for the first time was able to speak in his language, Oji-Cree. We were all moved by that moment. Sol said that this was a step toward reconciliation.", "So I can’t for the life of me understand how this bill does not explicitly acknowledge that we have a duty to consult, that the Indigenous communities have the right to be consulted when it comes to designating lands that are their traditional territories. I would say, with as much respect as I can, you didn’t even address that in your debate.", "Let me end, Madam Speaker, by saying that despite these serious misgivings, we will support this bill. But be forewarned that we and all Ontarians will be watching you very carefully because we see what you have done in the past, your track record. So these new powers, we hope that you use them wisely and well, as the Speaker advises us every morning.", "I would like to end my speech with a quote from that famous English poet, Peter Townshend: “Won’t get fooled again.”" ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Stephen Crawford", "text": [ "It’s great to be here in a private member’s bill and great to be speaking on behalf of the member from Windsor–Tecumseh and great to see that Windsor elected a Progressive Conservative. We look forward to more seats in that region going Progressive Conservative because we’re getting some really great legislation from members in that region from our side of the House here.", "I’m honoured to support the member from Windsor–Tecumseh on the importance of Bill 193, Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Amendment Act, 2024. This bill, if passed, seeks to introduce a new urban classification of provincial parks. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between nature and urban living, and this will provide much-needed green spaces for our growing urban populations.", "The concept of urban provincial parks is essential. Last year’s consultation by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks raised a point about creating the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park. This consultation highlighted the public’s growing interest in integrating natural spaces within urban environments, a concept known as urban provincial parks. These parks will offer the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of our surroundings while strengthening the long-term protection of our biodiversity. This bill seeks to fill the gap, ensuring that our urban populations have easy access to nature, and this is crucial for both physical and mental well-being.", "A prime potential candidate for the reclassification to an urban provincial park would be Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Located in my riding of Oakville and partially in Oakville North–Burlington, this park shows how a park can be situated very close to—in fact, right in—an urban area can enhance the quality of life for local residents. Bronte Creek Provincial Park falls under the criteria for an urban provincial park classification: It’s within 50 kilometres of a population of over 200,000—in fact, it’s right in the heart of that urban area between Oakville and Burlington; it provides opportunities to enjoy the area’s natural beauty; it strengthens the long-term protection of the area’s biodiversity; and it could be located right adjacent to a developed, urban area.", "Bronte Creek Provincial Park would be a perfect example of how such a park would work. The proximity to the urban footprint allows residents to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, providing a sanctuary for relaxation, recreation and connection with nature. Such parks offer a multitude of benefits, including improving mental health, fostering a sense of community and encouraging outdoor physical activities.", "I know I speak on behalf of the residents of Oakville, in my riding, that they thoroughly enjoy and take advantage of Bronte Creek Provincial Park. In fact, recently, at “Bring your MPP to school day”, I visited Abbey Park High School. I was so impressed with the students’ enthusiasm for the environment and sustainable living. Speaker, the students in Oakville, I know, and in Windsor–Tecumseh and other parts of the province care deeply about our environment. Local schools use Bronte Creek Provincial Park to teach students about biodiversity. Students also use the space for events like long-distance running and social gatherings. Bronte Creek Provincial Park in Oakville offers my residents and constituents easy access to green spaces, allowing more people to enjoy nature 12 months of the year. Our local park also serves as a community hub where people can gather, socialize and participate in recreational activities. It also provides a venue for cultural events and festivals, and the park plays a crucial role in protecting Ontario’s biodiversity.", "Urban parks can boost local economies by attracting tourists and visitors, creating jobs for youth related to park maintenance and natural environment.", "The creation of urban provincial parks aligns with our children’s broader goals of sustainable development and environmental stewardship. By integrating these green spaces into urban planning, we can promote a healthier, more balanced lifestyle for our residents while ensuring protection of our natural habitats.", "I hope everyone here in the House will join me in supporting the member from Windsor–Tecumseh with Bill 193 in adding urban class parks as a new classification to improve access to nature-based recreation in or near urban centres. Creating urban provincial parks will be providing our urban populations with an invaluable gift of accessible green spaces.", "I hope we can all support this bill and help us build a future where nature and urban life coexist harmoniously, enhancing the quality of life for all of our residents and continue to make Ontario the best province to live, work and raise a family." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon", "text": [ "Good evening, everyone. I’m happy to rise this evening to speak to Bill 193, Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Amendment Act, 2024.", "Thank you to my favourite member from across the House, the MPP for Windsor–Tecumseh, for creating this bill and for your passion for our green spaces." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Steve Clark", "text": [ "I thought I was your favourite member." ] }, { "speaker": "Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon", "text": [ "Yes, he is my favourite, and—sorry—you’re not.", "1830", "Bill 193, if passed, would create an urban provincial park classification, extending official protection for the first time to provincially significant biodiverse areas located within or near large urban areas. As I represent an urban area, I’m excited about how this bill will positively impact my community.", "Ontario’s park system is a magnificent thing. Covering a swath of land measuring more than 78,000 square kilometres, it encourages biodiversity, natural areas, and also allows families to have fun and affordable vacations exploring Ontario’s great outdoors.", "Not many people know that Ontario is home to 250,000 lakes, many that are within provincial parks.", "I’m curious about how the expansion into natural urban areas will make the park system that much better. The member from Windsor–Tecumseh outlined that if an area is provincially significant, then this bill will help the province participate in protecting them by providing a provincial urban park designation. So I’m curious about how the government will determine which areas are provincially significant, and I’m wondering if this would require people visiting them to pay a day fee, as they would at another provincial park.", "For example, in my riding of beautiful Beaches–East York, we have wonderful Woodbine beach. We have three swimmable beaches, actually—I invite you all to come down—and Woodbine park, which is more than a local park. It’s kind of deemed like a festival park, so there are many concerts there throughout the summer. This destination is visited from folks across Ontario and is the reason for our namesake—the Beaches. So would that be in the running for a provincial park? I’m not sure.", "When I was a city councillor, because I’m a green girl, I was determined to create a “friends of” group for every single one of the 25 parks in my ward at the time, and I have to say, I got it done, and that is thanks to my residents, who are super green and keen as well. They wanted to animate the public green space, so we had—I’m not going to list them all, but I’d love to.", "East Lynn Park is a local park near me. I happened to start a farmers’ market there. I may have worn a vegetable costume or two, promoting Ontario farmers. And that is still thriving. Fairmount Park has, I think, one of the oldest outdoor skating rinks in the city, run by the residents. Glen Stewart Ravine—we have many ravines. Friends of Taylor Creek Park, Cassels—all great urban spaces that people in the city who don’t have huge backyards and don’t need them, because they can be out living and enjoying the green space. They all exist. So I’m wondering how they would be incorporated in your new bill.", "I just want to congratulate the member from Windsor–Tecumseh for your bill. Let’s keep collaborating on keeping Ontario’s environment beautiful and precious and protected." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "MPP Zee Hamid", "text": [ "It is my privilege to speak on this bill today. I represent a riding that has been urbanized very, very rapidly. In the past 25 years, our population went from roughly 30,000 people to over 150,000 today. So this opportunity that this private member’s bill provides is more important now than ever to my riding.", "My family and I live very close to Bronte Creek Provincial Park, which the member from Oakville mentioned earlier. We’ve enjoyed that park for over a decade.", "I’d like to give a little bit of a background on parks in my riding. My riding is home to eight conservation parks, and they’re managed by Conservation Halton, which I had the privilege of being on the board of. These eight parks are Crawford Lake, Mountsberg, Mount Nemo, Kelso, Robert Edmondson, and our newest park—Hilton Falls, and the newest park, Area 8.", "Conservation Halton, in 2008, had a vision of merging all the conservation areas and creating a new, 10,000-acre park, which would be the largest urban park anywhere in North America. However, because this classification did not exist, that still remains a dream that this classification would now allow us to realize.", "We’re fortunate that we don’t just have these conservation areas but Bruce Trail runs through my riding, as well as Sixteen Mile Creek. Crawford Lake, I mentioned earlier, alone is home to 2,300 native plant species. The First Nation called the Niagara Escarpment that runs through my riding Giant’s Rib, and that’s the name we envisioned for this new, giant urban park.", "This is why I’m excited that the first opportunity I have to speak on any bill is on this specific private member’s bill, because this has a potential of making a generational difference. This bill allows us to, hopefully, realize this dream that we’ve had since 2018, for six years now, of creating this urban park that we frankly wouldn’t have been able to do without this classification that I hope this House passes unanimously.", "I would like to thank my colleague for all the hard work he did on this bill. We now have this opportunity to finally create this urban park, hopefully, in my riding that will be enjoyed for generations, not just by people in my riding but for all the ridings around us as well." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Steve Pinsonneault", "text": [ "Speaker, I’m pleased to rise in the Legislature today and speak on this great bill from my colleague from Windsor–Tecumseh.", "This bill establishes an urban class of provincial parks which is not recognized in existing legislation. We’re lucky in Ontario to have so many beautiful parks for people across the province to enjoy, but it is important for us to recognize that parks within urban areas play an entirely different role than those in rural areas.", "My riding is home to Komoka Provincial Park, a vital place for not only Londoners but people of Middlesex county in keeping the community active and healthy. Komoka is truly an oasis close to home. I know my constituency staff and their families love to hike, canoe in the warm weather, and the park is open in the winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. No matter the season, the scenery is stunning, a perfect escape for a busy city.", "The urban classification will help create new parks close to home just like Komoka, places that are beloved to Ontarians. It brings a natural beauty and will help bolster the protection of the park’s biodiversity. Urban natural environments like Komoka Provincial Park make a real difference to the communities of Komoka, Kilworth and London.", "We know that urban and rural areas have entirely different landscapes, and parks in these areas are no different. Recreational options offered at Komoka Provincial Park are also naturally different than those offered in parks farther from the urban core, but they are just as invaluable and important to the province. As our provincial urban areas continue to grow, access to green space for families, youth, seniors are critically important, and this bill will help support these green spaces in our urban centres of provincial significance.", "Speaker, I am proud to support this legislation and I encourage my colleagues in the House to vote in favour of a better access to green spaces in Ontario’s urban municipalities." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Further debate? Further debate? Further debate?", "Back to the member for a two-minute response." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "I want to thank the member for Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas for her comments, as well as the member for Beaches–East York. Actually, in both their cases, I’m looking forward to visiting the spots you named. I haven’t been to the Beaches enough, and for the member for Hamilton–West–Ancaster Dundas, I’ve had the privilege of hiking Mount Nemo. It’s an incredible place. Knowing that that’s in your backyard, I can’t wait to go back, because it truly is a beautiful spot.", "And to the member from Oakville, the member from Milton and the member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, thank you so, so much for your contributions as well.", "There’s been such support that I just want to share. There’s a gentleman named Tom Henderson, who is with the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup. He’s been active in this for quite the better part of 20 years, if not more. And Ian Naisbitt is one of my neighbours, actually—Little River Enhancement Group, for 40 years.", "So Tom says, “Windsor-Essex has green space that could be encompassed by the bill. Among the most important are seven acres of natural shoreline, Ojibway Shores on the Detroit River, soon to become part of Windsor’s Ojibway National Urban Park. As municipalities naturalize, Mr. Dowie’s bill could include those lands as protected areas. Biologists agree that naturalization and shoreline rehabilitation lead to cleaner water, improved fish habitat and overall natural beauty.”", "And Mr. Naisbitt says, “The existing wetlands, woodlands and the drainage pattern of the rivers in the Windsor-Essex region (Ontario for that matter) provide the ‘nature-based recreation’ areas that could be included in MPP Andrew Dowie’s Bill 193 as ‘urban class parks.’", "“Furthermore, the creation of ‘urban class parks’ will help to address two significant issues today: climate change and biodiversity.", "“Creation of linear or corridor ‘urban class park’ connections would ‘improve access’ by the general public to use these unique parks. It is imperative that humans connect with nature and Bill 193 will help to do that.”", "And that’s exactly my goal with the bill.", "Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to all who contributed today." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "The time provided for private members’ public business has now expired.", "Mr. Dowie has moved second reading of Bill 193, An Act to amend the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.", "Second reading agreed to." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Pursuant to standing order 100(h), the bill is referred to the Committee of the Whole House unless the member would like to refer the bill to a standing committee." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "Speaker, I’d like to refer it to the Standing Committee on the Interior." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Mr. Dowie would like the bill referred to the Standing Committee on the—" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Andrew Dowie", "text": [ "Interior." ] }, { "speaker": "The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly)", "text": [ "Is the majority in favour of this? Agreed. The bill is referred to the Standing Committee on the Interior.", "All matters relating to private members’ public business having been completed, this House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 9 a.m.", "The House adjourned at 1842.", "", "", "" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott)", "text": [ "Would the minister care to lead off the debate?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "Through you, Mr. Speaker, good morning to all honourable members of this House. On behalf of the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery, it gives me great pleasure to lead off debate in regard to second reading of a very important and timely piece of legislation, the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, which if passed—if it passes this House—promises to strengthen digital protections for people in our great province. I welcome the opportunity to speak about this critical new legislation and I look forward to an informed debate about what it will mean for ministries, public sector organizations and the citizens who elected us to serve them.", "I will be sharing my time today with the Minister of Education, the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services and the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health.", "I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the excellent work of my ministry officials in putting this bill together after many years of consultation and bringing it to the point where we can engage now in a thorough and thoughtful debate in the House. I want to particularly acknowledge and thank my deputy minister, Renu Kulendran; the associate deputy minister, chief digital and data officer, chief privacy archives, digital and data, John Roberts; ADM Melissa Kittmer; ADM, corporate chief information officer, Mohammad Qureshi; chief information security officer, Daniela Spagnolo; and our legal director, Fateh Salim. Thank you to all members of the ministry for making this possible today.", "In an era dominated by technology, where our lives are increasingly intertwined with digital platforms and our data is stored in virtual realms, the importance of safeguarding against cyber attacks and protecting personal data cannot be overstated. The pace of digital innovation is accelerating like never before. On a daily basis, new technologies and modernization of services are revolutionizing the way we live and work. These new advancements are not only reshaping but enhancing the lives of individuals globally.", "It is important that we harness the benefits of these changes as they have a profound effect on day-to-day life, impacting people of all ages while also safeguarding Ontarians against potential harms. By doing so, we aim to ensure Ontario remains a leader in the digital arena, fostering a future where technology enriches our lives while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security.", "The Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, 2024, Bill 194, would, if passed, build a foundation to better protect the personal data entrusted to us by the people of Ontario when interacting with public sector organizations, with additional protections to safeguard the health and safety of Ontario’s children.", "The overarching key outcomes of this important legislation, if passed, are as follows: enhancing cyber security by strengthening resilience and maturity within key public sector entities; building a strong foundation for artificial intelligence governance while ensuring its use is transparent, responsible and accountable; improving digital service delivery to provide a consistent, secure and seamless experience when accessing government programs and services; reinforcing data and privacy protections so Ontarians can confidently and safely participate in today’s digital world; and last, but certainly not least, strengthening children’s protections to prevent the misuse of their data, especially in classroom settings.", "As a government, it is paramount that we do our part within our jurisdictional powers to ensure the proper safeguards are in place to protect the residents of Ontario. We are steadfast in our commitment to put guardrails in place to better shield Ontarians from potential harms, a key priority guiding all of our work on cyber security and digital trust.", "In today’s digital age, we simply—I’ve said this many times before, and I’ll say it again: We simply cannot afford to be off-line in an online world. We live in an era dominated by technology, where our lives are increasingly intertwined with digital platforms. Personal data is stored virtually in the cloud; the importance of safeguarding it against cyber attacks for the people of Ontario can never be overstated.", "Trust is the main pillar upon which our digital economy is built. Without trust, people are reluctant to interact with the ever-evolving digital economy, and businesses then hesitate to adopt new technologies moving toward the future. Building and maintaining trust in our digital ecosystem requires a multi-faceted approach involving not only robust cyber security measures but also transparent policies, effective regulation and co-operation among government, people, families, industry and civil society. As our lives become increasingly reliant on digital technologies, it is paramount that we enhance our safeguards and protections to maintain the trust of Ontarians in our government and our institutions.", "We all know how increasingly sophisticated, relentless and frequent cyber attacks have become. According to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, cyber attacks are a growing threat to Ontario. The number of cyber incidents in this province has risen from more than 10,000 in 2018 to over 28,000 in 2022. From critical infrastructure to personal data, our digital systems are under constant threat from cyber attacks. These attacks can come from a variety of sources, including malicious hackers, organized cyber criminal groups and even hostile nation states. The consequences of a cyber attack can be severe, ranging from financial loss and identity theft to the disruption of essential services, and even threats to our national security.", "0910", "There is no doubt about it, we must lead in protecting people’s personal information online, and that is why we developed Ontario’s first-ever Cyber Security Strategy in 2019. As part of that strategy, we established an all-new cyber security expert panel. The job of that panel is to identify and report on areas where we could grow and improve our efforts. After the expert panel released its report in October 2022, we very rapidly got down to work on implementing the recommendations of the panel. The report pointed to the need for strong governance, education, communication and co-operation. All of these are areas that we are targeting in this proposed legislation in a multitude of ways in our day-to-day work.", "The proposed legislation, if passed, would establish regulation-making authority and empower the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery to lead the cyber security direction for select public sector entities, especially for vulnerable sectors such as hospitals, schools and children’s aid societies. Regulations may include sector-specific requirements and mandatory cyber incident reporting to government. These regulations would be developed through consultations with key government and public sector stakeholders to help these organizations better prepare, respond and recover from cyber threats and attacks.", "We are also proposing centralized reporting within government to better respond, deploy and get involved in emergency management of cyber incidents, particularly with those public sector organizations that do not have strong cyber security practices. Not only will this elevate the overall maturity of Ontario’s cyber security regime, but it will lead to long-term cost savings by mitigating the quantity and severity of cyber attacks. On average, a cyber attack costs an organization almost $7 million. Cyber attacks on public institutions are not just attacks on Ontarians’ data, but also their tax dollars that fund and maintain these institutions.", "Simply put, cyber security challenges are immense, and we must rise to meet them head on. We must safeguard and limit exposure to cyber threats and attacks for the people and the businesses of our province. If this legislation is passed, it will empower our government to take the serious measures needed to enhance protections across the board, to better protect the personal data entrusted to us from unauthorized use as well as curb the impact when cyber attacks do occur.", "Let us shift gears to a core responsibility entrusted to the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery: the transparent, accountable and responsible use of artificial intelligence. This legislation, if passed, would empower my ministry to lead the way by building a strong foundation in AI governance to leverage its tremendous benefits while ensuring it is used safely and responsibly across government and the public sector.", "As we embrace transformational and powerful artificial intelligence tools to help us build a better province, we are committed to ensuring that these technologies are used transparently, accountably and responsibly in the public sector. To that end, we are introducing safeguards through proposed legislation that will guide the use of AI in our government and public sector. This legislation will include a clear definition of an artificial intelligence system, aligned with other leading jurisdictions. This step is crucial to create consistency in how AI is defined and understood across the public sector, supporting our AI-related initiatives across government. We are also proposing to establish strong accountability and transparency requirements.", "These measures will require public sector organizations to inform the public whenever they are interacting with AI systems. Additionally, any decisions made by way of artificial intelligence must always have a channel for human, recognizing the potential for bias in AI systems.", "The proposed legislation will also create regulation-making authority to ensure the responsible, risk-based use of AI by select public sector organizations. This includes strict adherence to Ontario’s Trustworthy AI Framework. This framework has been developed by my ministry and it aims to protect people from unintentional harms and reduce both liability and reputational risk associated with artificial intelligence technologies.", "We understand the importance of co-operation and consultation in this process. Therefore, these regulations will be developed through extensive consultations with government and public sector stakeholders, Indigenous partners, industry leaders and AI experts. These legislative changes are designed to ensure that Ontario remains at the forefront of AI guidance and usage, setting an example for transparent, responsible and accountable implementation of AI technologies.", "The immense promise that artificial intelligence holds in putting forward solutions to some of our most pressing challenges cannot be overstated. It can unlock the potential for unprecedented innovation in virtually all industries, and it fosters long-term economic growth across Ontario.", "With more than 400 artificial intelligence firms and institutions in our province—the number of which is growing daily, I might add—Ontario truly is at the forefront of an artificial-intelligence-enabled future. Ontario is where global giants and start-ups can grow side by side.", "Under the leadership of our government, we have been exploring the use of AI, recognizing the amazing potential of its application in health care, education, crisis response and so much more. While working together with our public and private sector partners at all levels, we will position Ontario as a global leader in the responsible adoption of AI.", "AI technology is, of course, evolving very rapidly. In the last year or so, we have seen its adoption and expansion advancing at a blistering pace. Every day, more and more companies of all sizes are building AI systems into their operations to increase efficiency or expand their range of products and services.", "While we recognize that the potential of AI is incredible and can impact all in the province in a positive manner, our government is extremely cognizant of the many possible risks that it could pose as it continuously evolves. We are the first province in Canada that is taking initiative to create and implement substantial legislation that protects everyone of all ages in the online world. The AI pieces within this proposed legislation build upon our existing work to responsibly adopt this revolutionary technology.", "Our consultations on AI began in 2021 to develop the principles of Ontario’s first trustworthy artificial intelligence framework. At that time, my ministry began by bringing together experts from the tech and AI industries as well as academia to form our AI expert working group, a group to provide advice and recommendations on the development of this proposed AI framework.", "Round tables and bilateral meetings have been held with Indigenous groups, industry, civil society and legal organizations on the development of the framework. They play a pivotal role in ensuring we do not lag behind when it comes to AI. We will adopt the best policies and the best practices and invest in the appropriate technologies within government to create efficiencies in the work that we do. The regular advice of these stakeholders and advisers and their recommendations to my ministry have assisted and will continue to help support the development of any future updates to Ontario’s Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Framework.", "Additionally, we will continue to actively engage with our federal partners to advocate for the people of Ontario when it comes to the federal government’s work on cyber security, privacy and AI. This includes the federal government’s Bill C-27. We constantly monitor the progress of federal bills to ensure alignment in areas of common priority and sectors of critical importance for Ontario and how to be nimble as we integrate our future work for the benefit of the province of Ontario and, indeed, all of Canada. We will waste no time working with our federal counterparts and all of our partners to protect the people of Ontario in terms of their privacy and their online security. This is a top priority for our government.", "0920", "Our government prides itself on protecting all citizens and consumers in Ontario. My ministry recently introduced the new Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act, 2023, and the Building Infrastructure Safely Act, 2024, both of which received unanimous consent in this House. Just yesterday, I tabled legislation that, if passed, will retroactively ban notices of security interest, or NOSIs, on the land registry with respect to consumer goods and services. This legislation, Bill 200, will protect seniors and the most vulnerable from bad actors, predatory practices and, indeed, organized white-collar crime.", "These are just a few examples of the great work the various teams across my ministry have done, and I am proud to lead the ministry’s efforts to ensure that our government is providing safeguards for all consumers. Moving forward with this legislation, our goal remains the same: to protect all of our citizens and residents across this great province.", "Another enhancement that will be delivered if Bill 194 is passed into legislation focuses on the critical topic of modernizing digital service delivery. In an era of rapid technological advancement and evolving public expectations, it is vital that we continue to evolve in the way our government interacts with citizens and businesses. Our government wants to ensure that we are creating the necessary changes to keep up with the ever-changing digital world, and we have already begun to make changes to help make life easier for the people of Ontario.", "Digital technology has transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, revolutionizing the way we work, communicate and access information. The proposed changes in this legislation include enabling powers for service provider organizations like ServiceOntario to enhance digital service delivery; and allowing online service delivery to be more convenient by offering those who provide consent the ability to benefit from what we call the “tell us once” feature, which includes pre-populated fields and communication preferences so that citizens and residents don’t need to restate their information every time they interact with government. Again, this is a matter of choice, but it’s also a matter for convenience if selected by those of our fellow citizens and residents who interact with government.", "This modernization requires a fundamental rethinking of the way government interacts with the people it serves, placing their needs and experiences at the forefront of service design and delivery. By embracing a holistic, integrated approach, we can streamline processes and provide a seamless, safe and consistent experience across all touch points.", "For far too long, previous governments have been lagging when it comes to adopting new technologies and providing efficient and modern service delivery. Ontario is prepared and equipping itself to lead in this space and become a global model for how we can embrace technology for the benefit of all.", "One of the key aspects of modernizing digital service delivery is the adoption of user-centric design principles. By engaging directly with the people of Ontario to understand their needs, preferences and pain points, we can create intuitive, user-friendly interfaces that enable a smooth interaction with government services across the board. From applying for permits to accessing social benefits, every interaction should be as simple, intuitive and efficient as ordering a meal or booking a ride.", "Finally, modernization is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey, one that demands continuous iteration, adaption and improvement. As technology evolves and societal needs change, so too must our approach to digital service delivery. As we build a better Ontario together, it is vital that no one is left behind. Our government is providing muti-channel options, making services more convenient and accessible whenever and wherever Ontarians choose to obtain those services. The people and businesses of Ontario deserve nothing less, and we will continue to make changes moving forward based on the needs and wants of our citizens and residents.", "As one of the top global leaders in the digital space, our Ontario government not only needs to demonstrate that we are taking a positive and responsive approach to preventing cyber attacks and breaches and ensuring that AI is used responsibly, but that we are also taking other measures to protect people by effectively safeguarding their personal data. Our proposed legislation, then, if passed, would further update Ontario’s privacy framework to reflect emerging digital and data issues. It is imperative that the data the people of Ontario entrust to government always remains safe and secure.", "As I indicated previously, trust is essential. We need to continue to build up the trust of Ontarians so that we all feel safe participating and we are all able to thrive in today’s vast online world.", "As we have seen over the past few years, privacy breaches have been occurring at an alarming rate. These breaches have the ability to impact our most important sectors such as our hospitals and our schools, indeed putting children and the most vulnerable at risk. Our government is therefore working tirelessly to strengthen these safeguards against those breaches and put mechanisms in place to mitigate and minimize their impacts when they do occur.", "That is why we are proposing to modernize privacy protections and reduce risks associated with privacy breaches and unauthorized data access, including identity theft. This will be done, we submit, through proposed amendments to FIPPA, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.", "The proposed amendments would establish requirements for privacy breach notifications and mandatory privacy breach statistical reporting to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario by all FIPPA institutions. This would provide information that is key to mitigating breaches and do better in terms of ensuring personal information is kept safe and secure. Let there be no doubt about it, Speaker and fellow members of this House: Safeguarding data and privacy in today’s increasingly digital world is, and will remain, a top priority for our Ontario government.", "The proposed changes reflect a series of consultations with the public, key stakeholders and experts, including the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Ontario Human Rights Commission, to modernize protections for data in our province. The changes would update our policy landscape to reflect the emerging digital data and privacy issues that deeply impact our citizens and reflect the rapid technology changes we see globally.", "Now I would like to speak about the core priority of this landmark legislation, the protection of our province’s future: our children. In this world of ever-changing technological advances, there has been no period of history where children have been subjected to the online world more than right now. We must ensure that children are protected from bad actors online and that their personal data is not being mined or used for harmful practices. That is why this bill also includes targeted updates to improve privacy safeguards and establish information protections for our children, aligning with recommendations from a variety of partners.", "The Law Commission of Ontario in 2023 issued recommendations citing the lack of protections for youth, the elderly and other vulnerable communities against risks in the digital landscape. As minister—but more importantly, as a father and as an uncle and a family man—I am beyond proud to have tabled this new act, which, if passed, will be a comprehensive approach to strengthening data protections for children in provincial settings such as schools and children’s aid societies.", "0930", "Studies indicate that children are accessing the Internet at a younger age more than ever before, and experts agree that children are at greater risk of harms posed by digital platforms. Recent years have seen increasing instances of privacy violations, cyberbullying and other data-related harms. Yes, an expanded online world does provide tremendous benefits for our children, but we must recognize the unique risks that they face—risks that, quite frankly, none of us ever had to face growing up. We are truly, then, charting new territory in the digital world, and we must do what we can as legislators to place the appropriate safeguards needed to protect them. This is what we owe to our children: never accepting complacency, and putting their best interests first and foremost always. This is the priority of all our Ontario government, and I urge the member of House to adopt it unanimously because it goes above partisan politics.", "Make no mistake about it, we must all work together, sparing no efforts to ensure their safety. That is why, if this bill passes, my ministry will work in lockstep with our partner ministries to develop consultation plans with priority sectors, the public and targeted experts. We are eager to work with school boards, parents, all groups overseeing children in provincial settings, social media and tech industry experts, as well as law enforcement. These extensive consultations would inform the development of regulations and directives to ensure the right protections are in place, matching the unique needs of our various public sector institutions and the children they serve.", "It is paramount that we do our part, that we do everything that we can in protecting our children and our youth by acting in their best interests for a successful and secure future. We will be proposing to introduce clear rules to strengthen the protection of children’s information to combat the misuse of data created by children and youth engaging with schools and children’s aid societies. We must safeguard children’s information from being stolen or used inappropriately due to cyber incidents.", "Based on the consultations, future regulations could include age-appropriate standards for the software programs on devices, such as laptops used by students at school, and strengthening the standards for software procurement by schools to prohibit the usage or selling of student data to third parties for predatory marketing.", "Make no mistake about it, our government must and will take decisive action to safeguard children from harm and to ensure that their online experiences are safe, positive and empowering. It is not just about protecting them in the present, but also about safeguarding their future autonomy and agency over their personal data. The health and well-being now and in the future of the children of Ontario depends on meeting the new challenges of this age as we move forward in the ever-changing digital world.", "My ministry’s work on safeguarding children in provincial settings through this proposed act goes hand in hand with the important protections for children and youth in educational settings implemented by the Ministry of Education’s latest proposed ban on cellphones and social media in schools. My colleague the Minister of Education will elaborate on this further in his remarks in the House today. And my colleague the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, I anticipate, will highlight how our proposed changes also align with and work in parallel with his ministry’s Supporting Children’s Futures proposal. We will continue to build off the great work we have done with these ministries and consult with all impacted ministries and public sector entities on any policies that may impact them.", "I wish to express my sincere thanks to the various teams across my ministry who helped make this bill a reality. This is a culmination of years of work by resolute Ontarians committed to securing the bright future of our great province, especially for our children. This legislation, if passed, would give Ontario residents and businesses critical peace of mind when interacting with their government and all public sector organizations.", "Speaker and fellow members of this House, make no mistake about it: Ontario needs these new digital trust policies to reduce the risk of exposure to cyber attacks on critical infrastructure and government operations, the risk of privacy breaches that threaten individual trust in public services and the risk associated with irresponsible use of artificial intelligence.", "As I hope I have made abundantly clear, the time for action is now. Bad actors in the digital world are increasingly sophisticated, persistent and growing in numbers exponentially each and every day. But we have the backs of Ontarians, and we are here to protect our children. We will combat the threats posed by these criminals head on. Together we are taking a government-wide, holistic and responsive approach to strengthening cyber security, keeping sensitive data protected and ensuring adaptability to emerging technologies. We in Ontario are taking the lead and will continue to consult with all partners and make the necessary changes as we move forward in our ever-changing digital world.", "Cyber security, digital privacy, protecting children online, artificial intelligence risks and modernizing digital service delivery are interrelated issues that require our urgent attention and concerted action. I have no doubt that together we can build a more secure, resilient and inclusive digital society for generations to come.", "Speaker, it has truly been an honour to address the House today with respect to our proposed Bill 194. I appreciate the kind attention of colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I look forward to listening carefully to all contributors to this important debate. I know that there will be many thought-provoking and thoughtful comments that will be shared among us, and I look forward to a conversation that will result in a very, very effective and forward-thinking bill.", "I encourage all here to support the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, 2024, because it’s the right thing to do in moving the province forward in this digital age." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "I recognize the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Michael Parsa", "text": [ "I thank my colleague for his remarks.", "Speaker, let me start by stating that our government takes the privacy and safety of young Ontarians very seriously, so I’m very pleased to be here today to speak in support of Bill 194, the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, 2024. I’m grateful to my cabinet colleague the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery for his comprehensive approach to Bill 194 that works towards making the digital world safer for all Ontarians, especially our most vulnerable and the future of this province: the youth and children.", "The proposed legislation would help strengthen privacy protections, including those for children whose personal information is held by children’s aid societies. My ministry has complementary legislative proposals before this house through Bill 188, the Supporting Children’s Futures Act, 2024, that was introduced on April 17.", "The work in both pieces of legislation is a result of collaboration and the valued input of children, youth and families with lived experience in the child and youth protection sector. And it’s also done in collaboration with partners like children aid societies and service providers as well as First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous communities from across the province. I would like to acknowledge and express my deepest gratitude for the incredible work that these partners do. Their tireless efforts have a profound and lifelong impact on the outcomes of vulnerable children and youth as they transition from care into adulthood.", "Speaker, we are here today because our government will never leave anyone behind, and it is especially important that no child or youth is left behind, that they have every chance to thrive and succeed regardless of their circumstances or history. We have heard from sector partners and communities about the need to implement measures that will better protect the rights of children and youth, that will enhance the quality of out-of-home care services and improve the accountability of service providers. That’s why we have introduced a broad range of legislative proposals and a suite of regulatory and policy changes in both Bill 188 and Bill 194 that will support the futures of some of the most vulnerable children in our province.", "0940", "Today, I want to outline for the House how these two bills, if passed, would result in a safer online space for Ontario’s young people. The children and youth services sector supports a wide range of individuals with diverse needs as well as their families and caregivers right across the province. For example, the sector supports those in need of protection, who have experienced or may be at risk of abuse or neglect. It also supports youth who are involved in the youth justice system, including those admitted into custody or detention to help them find their way and engage with their community. The sector empowers children to overcome barriers and reach their goals.", "Our ministry’s legislation, Bill 188, would, if passed, modernize and standardize important safeguards throughout the child and youth services sector. This includes stronger enforcement tools to hold licensed out-of-home care operators accountable to keep children and youth safe and healthy. It will create a framework that would enhance privacy protections of those who were formerly involved in the child welfare system. This will be done by further restricting access to records comprised of their personal childhood histories, once regulations are developed.", "The proposals would also enable individuals to speak freely about their lived experience and give them more control over what they want to share publicly. These circumstances will be outlined following further consultations with the sector. They would also provide authority to expand the information that individuals working with vulnerable children and youth can be required to provide. This will go beyond formal police record checks such as offence declarations.", "The proposals would reinforce the requirement for children’s aid societies and out-of-home care licensees to explain the role of the Ombudsman and how to contact their office to children and youth. Finally, they would clarify that early childhood educators can be subject to an offence for failing to report child protection concerns to a children’s aid society. This would be similar to other professions such as teachers and social workers.", "Speaker, this bill is just another step forward in the work of child welfare, but not the final step. We’ll continue to engage and learn from stakeholders, including youth with lived experience and many others, as we work to improve safety, supports and access to resources for children and youth who are served by the child protection system.", "Our government wants children to have a healthy, safe and age-appropriate digital experience when engaging with public sector organizations like schools and children’s aid societies. The proposed amendments in Bill 194 would enable the creation of protections that could help prevent inappropriate data practices that affect children and ensure that software applications support the health and well-being of all students. For example, future regulations under this legislation could include age-appropriate standards for software programs on devices like laptops that are used by students every day at school. These initiatives better protect how children’s personal information is collected and used, and they align with proposed measures that we introduced in the Legislature just six weeks ago.", "Taken together, Bill 188 and Bill 194 will strengthen digital and privacy protections for children and youth right across our province. As you can see, this bill is an important element of the government’s ongoing redesign of the child welfare system.", "Now I would like to speak to the connection with the proposed work and the broader Child Welfare Redesign Strategy, as it’s key to understanding the context in which Bill 194’s reforms are being proposed. Speaker, my colleagues and members of this House will recall that in July 2020, our ministry introduced the Child Welfare Redesign Strategy. Our government wants children and youth in care and in out-of-home care settings to feel supported and to be set up for success in life. But every child and every youth deserves a safe, loving and stable home, regardless of their circumstances. Through the comprehensive redesign, our government is introducing new initiatives to improve the quality of out-of-home care.", "We commend the many service providers who are de-voting their lives to support vulnerable children and youth. However, sometimes there are gaps, and our proposed changes seek to close these gaps.", "Some of these changes have included developing a new framework for what out-of-home care looks like; increasing and enhancing oversight and accountability for out-of-home care; supporting that oversight by adding 20 new positions across the province to support the management, inspection and oversight of out-of-home care for children and youth; and launching the Ready, Set, Go Program, which provides youth in the care of children’s aid societies with the life skills they need, starting at the age of 13, and financial support when they leave care, up to the age of 23, so that they can focus on post-secondary, including the skilled trades, or pursuing employment.", "Every child and every youth deserves a fair starting position in life, and our government is delivering that. We hit the ground running by consulting widely in the community with service providers to better serve children and youth. We did that by increasing the number of responsive inspections; by bolstering customary care arrangements to focus on family-based options like kinship and foster care, to ensure children and youth and families have a strong voice in decisions about their care; improving the quality of child welfare data to establish a baseline of common measures across children’s aid societies that can be reported publicly, as well as developing an outcomes-based performance measurement framework; releasing the children and young persons’ rights resource to help child and youth understand their rights and to use their voice; and of course, connecting youth leaving care with more supports to succeed.", "We’ve backed this important work with significant investments of over $1.5 billion in the child welfare system to support Ontario’s 50 children’s aid societies, including 13 Indigenous children’s aid societies. That is a historic amount.", "As you can see, the Supporting Children’s Futures Act and the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act are not the first steps that we have taken to improve child welfare, nor are they the last. These new proposals build on the work that the government has undertaken over the past several years and will continue to take in the coming years. Bill 194 is an important step towards achieving stronger data protections for all children. Together, we will continue to strengthen families and communities right across our province.", "Madam Speaker, I would like to end by thanking my colleague the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and his team for all the great work in putting this bill forward." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "I recognize the Minister of Education." ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Stephen Lecce", "text": [ "I want to build upon the minister’s gratitude to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. Minister McCarthy has been a strong leader in this space, ensuring that we protect our children.", "The introduction of legislation followed on the government’s landmark introduction of a comprehensive policy to remove distractions by eliminating vaping and cannabis within our school facilities, by restricting cellphone use during instructional time and by outright denying access to social media on school websites and devices, a common-sense provision supported overwhelmingly by leaders both in education and in law enforcement and by the parenting community of the province, who want government to strengthen the regime that protects kids online and in class from the harms—the constant, rising harms online—that can manifest in bullying, in trafficking and in self-harm.", "I think we recognize inherently as the adults in the room the necessity to build those safeguards, and that’s why I am grateful to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery for bringing forth a program that helps to prevent—at its core, a legislative document that is designed to prevent and avert the types of tragedies we hear about too often in our society.", "Madam Speaker, it is recognized that with the advent of AI, with 40% of jobs potentially being disrupted through the changes and disruptions of this technology, we need to really understand and recognize that the train has left the station in this space.", "And so how do we protect kids, particularly when it comes to their privacy and data rights, which is a fundamental, sombre responsibility of government?", "What I value is that most governments globally are seized with how to keep up with the rate of change in this space, and here we are in Ontario’s Legislature with legislation brought forth, demonstrating a sense of proactivity and a willingness to move at the speed of change in the market and the economy.", "0950", "I’m grateful for this, because I was just in the United Kingdom representing Canada at the Canadian ministers of education council in my capacity as Chair. They held their global education forum. The number one issue seized with Ministers of Education in all regions of the world across the Commonwealth and beyond is the question of AI, the issue of academic integrity, of privacy and of online harm and how to create some conditionality around that technology to protect children.", "That’s why the legislation, as it is proposed, gives the cabinet regulatory-making power to create those limitations and safeguards as a responsible government would do. It aligns with the vision of the minister and I and others in this House, including the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, about bringing forth the social media executives in the country with OPP, law enforcement, parents and school boards to look at how we can strengthen and protect kids online, particularly when it comes to issues of the algorithm and the impact it’s having on children and how it is very much a challenge for many young people in Ontario who are being targeted.", "We also see issues related to privacy. The inappropriate distribution of images without consent, so many examples of tragedy on this space. So we need social media companies to work with us, and the government’s inclination is to collaborate instead of to litigate with the largest businesses and corporations, working with law enforcement and academia, to build a program that works for Canadian young people and for Ontario students. That’s why we have committed ourselves to doing that. In addition to strengthening knowledge in the curriculum on concepts of digital literacy and online citizenship, how do we create a more resilient young people where they’re able to understand fundamentally issues of misinformation, disinformation, issues related to the inaccurate presentation of concepts and really how do we strengthen the critical thinking skills that need to be front and centre of our young people’s knowledge in the classroom today?", "So we understand these threats. We also recognize the strengths in having digital fluency as a graduation requirement. It’s why we have introduced in the curriculum mandatory learning years ago, and then we announced together we would strengthen that learning to help young people better understand AI and understand how to be cautionary users of AI. But with the recognition that we welcome the innovation that’s taking place online. We just simply seek to keep up with it.", "When I have spoken to job creators, when we have spoken to parents and when we have spoken to young people, we understand that AI can be an incredibly powerful tool for learning. We can reimagine education through its use, but it will never supplement the necessity of human judgment and intelligence. You cannot replace that, the value of an in-person teacher, but AI can be complementary to it. So we have undertaken a commitment to bring forth safeguards to really clamp down on distractions to protect young people’s ability to learn and stay focused in classrooms.", "I know that educators welcome this, school boards have endorsed this legislation, and most particularly leaders in cyber security have acknowledged the leadership of Ontario in the nation for stepping forward. This wouldn’t have been possible unless our government and the Premier was committed to the protection of children. For that, I just express gratitude. It is the sombre responsibility of governments to protect the most vulnerable, and I am grateful, in partnership with the minister, that we built a program, a legislative document, that sets out a road map that enhances the safety of children and protects our kids learning, playing and interacting online. That is what a responsible government would do." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "I recognize now the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Nolan Quinn", "text": [ "Thank you for the opportunity to be part of the debate on the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act. The proposed legislation is an important step in our government’s efforts to continue strengthening cyber security and privacy measures that will better safeguard our significant investments in key services such as health care.", "Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making record investments in our health care system. We are taking bold and innovative action to build a better-connected health care system that is expanding access to key health services and growing our health care workforce for years to come while providing Ontarians with a better health care experience at every stage of life.", "In an increasing digital world, digital tools have become vital to people’s health and well-being. Greater access to data will enable better health outcomes. A better health care experience also means connecting people to more digital and online tools that support more convenient care. Strong cyber security and privacy measures are an essential part of the ongoing work to implement new and improved digital health care tools and services.", "The Ministry of Health and Ontario Health have been working in close partnership with the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery to improve health care preparedness by improving the sharing of cyber intelligence across the health sector and the broader public sector and helping to strengthen defensive capabilities and system resilience.", "We have also introduced, for the first time in Canadian health privacy legislation, administrative penalties into Ontario’s health privacy law, the Personal Health Information Protection Act. This provides the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario with the authority to impose administrative monetary penalties on contraveners of the act, and the regulation will do even more to protect the safety and privacy of Ontarians and the operational security of our health care sector.", "Speaker, digital tools are a key part of our government’s commitment to build a health care system that focuses on the needs of patients. These tools save time, improve access to services and help people avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency department. This includes the acceleration of an expanded centralized wait-list program for surgical and diagnostic services, which will help take the guesswork out of the referral process and provide faster access to care for patients.", "This includes enhancing Health811, the tool through which Ontarians are able to call or chat online with a registered nurse and find the health care services and information they need in one easy-to-use website. Health811 receives up to 90,000 call or chat requests per month, and 95% of those requests are directed to an adviser or clinical staff member in less than one minute. Through Health811, people will be able to save time and better manage their health care journey by booking appointments with select health care providers no matter where they live and utilizing a symptom assessment tool to understand their health concerns and how to access care.", "We’re further supporting more coordinated connected care that will help people transition between health care providers with the goal of making it easier for patients to transition between providers. Expanded remote virtual care programs will also help people across Ontario to avoid emergency department visits and support independent living. These programs help people with chronic and complex conditions connect remotely with a health care provider, increasing their access to care and improving self-management. They also support people who are recovering from surgery and transitioning home from the hospital to manage their conditions at home, where they’d prefer to be.", "Our government is also making changes that will enable family doctors and other primary care providers to spend more time with their patients and less time on paperwork by expanding an innovative program focused on AI scribe technology to more than 150 primary care providers. This program safely utilizes artificial intelligence to automatically summarize or transcribe conversations into electronic medical notes, reducing the time and effort required, and physicians can spend more time on patient care and less time on clinical documentation. AI scribes will only be used during a visit if the patient gives their consent, and the privacy of patient health information will continue to be protected under the Personal Health Information Protection Act.", "These tools and services build on the significant progress we’ve made in digital health. Over 300,000 health care providers have access to provincial digital health systems to obtain patient information such as lab results and hospital records from the provincial electronic record system. Digital and data tools are also playing a key role in enabling Ontario health teams to provide more connected and patient-focused care in communities across Ontario. We’ve invested more than $124 million in digital and virtual care projects for Ontario health teams and health service providers, benefiting over 6.1 million Ontarians.", "Ontario has also improved the sharing of health records between hospitals and long-term-care homes, with support from St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. This is saving up to 30 minute of administrative time each time a resident needs to go to the hospital. More than 30,000 digital record transfers have taken place. Over 4,000 providers are also offering online appointment booking across the province. In the last five years, an additional 11,800 health care providers joined the provincial e-services program to send e-referrals, providing people with faster access to care.", "1000", "We’re also expanding e-services to digitize more referral and consultation forms so they can be conveniently shared electronically in a timely manner to obtain specialist advice. This often eliminates the need for an in-person specialist visit entirely.", "We are improving the e-forms platform to use more digital tools that make it convenient for providers to auto-fill and share forms. And the “axe the fax” initiative will replace fax machines over the next few years to speed up diagnosis, referrals and treatment while improving the privacy of patients’ health information. These types of initiatives are aimed at putting patients before paperwork and will free up time for physicians.", "Over the last few years, Ontario has become a hub of health innovation and technology. There are many examples of innovative, state-of-the-art care taking place across our health care system. We know that a modern, connected and convenient health system is a digital one and that digital tools are critical to supporting people’s health and well-being.", "Our government will continue to work with our partners in digital health to enhance and expand digital services to ensure front-line providers and health care workers have the tools and resources to reduce their administrative burden and enable them to spend more time with patients while also empowering patients to better manage and have more control over their health and providing them with the right care in the right place.", "I encourage all members to support Bill 194 and support the security and privacy of our health care system." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Further debate? If not, we’re going to go to questions." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Trevor Jones", "text": [ "Point of order." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Sorry. I recognize the deputy House leader for a point of order." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Trevor Jones", "text": [ "On a point of order, pursuant to standing order 7(e), I wish to inform the House that tonight’s evening meeting has been cancelled." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "We’re going to move to questions for the members." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sheref Sabawy", "text": [ "Thank you to the minister for this important piece of legislation. I would like to highlight that, in today’s world, with AI coming strongly in place and more tools coming with AI in them, we need to protect the identity of, and data identity, keeping in mind as well that AI is coming and it’s going to be here to help—" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Chris Glover", "text": [ "Point of order, Madam Speaker." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "I’m just going to interrupt. There seems to be some confusion. Does the member for Spadina–Fort York have a point of order?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Chris Glover", "text": [ "Yes. It’s the question time. I think the member is actually continuing the speaking." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Does the member have a question? We’re in the questions." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sheref Sabawy", "text": [ "Yes, that’s my question, actually." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Okay. That’s what I understood that to be as well.", "We were done with the debate. I was confused about the continuation of the debate, but I said we were moving to questions, and he was the member who stood up for a question. So he’s asking the question.", "I will ask the member to conclude their question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Sheref Sabawy", "text": [ "Minister, can you highlight how this piece of legislation is striking the balance between the importance of AI as a good tool to use and protecting the data identity and identity of the people?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "I thank the member for Mississauga–Erin Mills for the question. Of course, that member was parliamentary assistant to the ministry for some time, even before I had the privilege of being appointed minister, so this piece of legislation is very much something that he has contributed to through his efforts.", "Now, the bill was crafted in response to valid concerns raised by Ontarians. We recognize, and all Ontarians recognize, the incredible potential of AI—but its risks. So we begin with trust and, of course, the bill contains the words, “trust in the public sector.” Also, schedule 1, which contains the comprehensive definition of artificial intelligence, is the Enhancing Digital Security and Trust Act—once again, the word “trust.”", "The AI definition that we have come up with in this bill is at section 1, subsection 1, paragraph (a) of schedule 1: “‘artificial intelligence system’ means, (a) a machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers from the input it receives in order to generate outputs.” That’s the key, and this can include things that influence physical or virtual environments." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Next question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Chris Glover", "text": [ "As part of this government’s privatization agenda, they are bankrupting our schools, our colleges, our hospitals and our universities. Just for example, most of our school boards in this province are facing funding shortfalls and having to make massive cuts next year. Eleven of our 23 universities are running deficits next year. And in consultation about this bill on AI and cyber security, one of the things that public sector agencies consistently said is that when agencies are underfunded, they become vulnerable and they become targets for cyber security attacks.", "Will this government acknowledge that they are undermining and jeopardizing the cyber security of the data held by public agencies in this province by their agenda of privatizing our public sector agencies?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "I appreciate the question, Speaker. Let me say that, again, the bill is about trust, and it’s about Ontario leading by example. And it’s about leading with the protection of the data of our children in all agencies and government sectors where children have to be protected: hospitals, school boards, children’s aid societies. No parent in the province of Ontario, I submit, should worry about their child’s safety when they’re at school, and this includes digital and online safety.", "So we are taking the lead. We have made the investments. We are getting the good advice within the ministry and across the public sector, and so much good advice has been provided. We are building that trust, and we’re getting it done for the children of our province—our future." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Next question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Ric Bresee", "text": [ "This government has made a commitment to improve the way that government services are delivered. As our society and economy transition further into the digital realm, there’s growing expectation that government services follow suit and evolve to meet the demands of the modern world. Our government must recognize and ensure that government services are accessible to all and secure across a variety of delivery platforms. So, Speaker, can the minister please explain how the proposed legislation will enhance the delivery of services in a manner that is both responsive and reliable?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "Thank you for the question from the excellent member. Of course, service delivery is about putting the customer first, and we’re all consumers; we’re all customers of the government. And we have to make sure that we have convenience and options, so we’re always developing new service solutions that provide customer service excellence. This includes making sure that the online interactions with government—and we have that; 55 ServiceOntario products, for example, are available online 24/7. But when people of this province need to want or want to come in in person, we have many different varieties of ServiceOntario, including the mobile units in northern Ontario and in Indigenous communities. We have the retail partnerships with longer extended hours and all-day Saturdays. All of this is about putting the customer first, ensuring convenience and ensuring choice and confidence and trust." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Next question?" ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Chris Glover", "text": [ "Again to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery: You just said that you want to make sure that children have a healthy and safe experience online, and yet when the Toronto District School Board and other school boards brought a lawsuit against social media giants in this province, citing the number of negative mental health impacts that social media has on children—for example, the director of the Toronto District School Board said, “It leads to pervasive problems” including “distraction, social withdrawal, cyberbullying ... and mental health challenges.”", "When this lawsuit was brought forward, this government and its Premier stood solidly behind the social media platforms, and the Premier dismissed that lawsuit as nonsense. How can this government pretend that they are standing up for children’s safety online if they will not support at least an investigation in this court challenge to social media platforms?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "Thank you, Speaker, through you to the member opposite, for the question. This bill leads with protecting children in a digital age, and we have worked with both the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services and the Minister of Education on this.", "1010", "As the Minister of Education has said, and I completely agree, we prefer co-operation and conversation with all partners in the public and private sectors, rather than litigation. We choose co-operation and conversations over litigation. That’s why this proposed legislation aims to establish data protections for children and minors engaged with public sector organizations. Parents need to be confident that their children are protected. They certainly can be. We worked carefully with not just the Minister of Education and the—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Thank you for the response. We’ll move to another question." ] }, { "speaker": "Mr. Graham McGregor", "text": [ "I’m very lucky to have a beautiful niece and two beautiful nephews. Olivia is seven. Conor is going to be seven in September; he’s wrapping up lacrosse season and he’s about to start soccer season. And then Shea is going to be three in July, and he actually played his first soccer game. He really likes scoring goals, so we hope that bodes well for him.", "But I’m nervous about the impacts of technology, AI and social media—what impacts those are going to have on my two nephews and my niece. Could the minister explain how this bill will help protect Conor, Shea and Olivia?" ] }, { "speaker": "Hon. Todd J. McCarthy", "text": [ "I thank the member for Brampton North for his care and concern and his excellent advocacy for his riding, and for being an excellent member of this government.", "It begins with the definitions, and I already touched on the AI definition. I want to finish where I left off with respect to the answer to the question from the member for Mississauga–Erin Mills. The types of outputs in the AI definition include “predictions, content, recommendations or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments.” That’s section 1(1)(a).", "And then the cyber security definition—these are comprehensive approaches to these key concepts: “‘cyber security’ means the security, continuity, confidentiality, integrity and availability of digital information and the infrastructure housing”—" ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Thank you to the minister. That’s all the time we have.", "Second reading debate deemed adjourned." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "We’re going to move to members’ statements." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Jess Dixon", "text": [ "This weekend, Waterloo region hosted the spring games of Special Olympics Ontario, and myself and my friend Corey attended the opening ceremonies. Frankly, we were blown away. It was held in Waterloo, originally scheduled prior to the pandemic but rescheduled, and incredibly well organized by Waterloo regional police, with Chief Mark Crowell heading it up for the first time. I was amazed by how organized everything was and the amount of passion and dedication that had gone into it.", "We were able to witness the law enforcement torch run and athletes entering the arena to light the torch. The torch run is something that has been going on for years now to support the Special Olympics. It’s a really interesting partnership between police as sort of the community members that bring everything together.", "The one thing that everybody kept saying as we watched the athletes come in was people saying that their faces hurt, because they couldn’t stop smiling, and I was one of those. In a time where people are somewhat dour and cynical, it was quite amazing to see a group of athletes who are so incredibly delighted to participate in something that they love and to have that much enthusiasm.", "It also marked the retirement of CEO Glenn MacDonell, who has spent 35 years supporting Special Olympics Ontario. The love that these athletes had for him was just incredible to see. So thank you to Mr. MacDonell, thank you to WRPS and thank you to all of the amazing athletes that competed this weekend in Waterloo region." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Terence Kernaghan", "text": [ "I rise today to speak about punishing and mercenary social assistance rates. Even after the 21.6% Harris cuts of the 1990s, people are far, far worse off now. Most disturbingly, these Conservative cuts carry judgment, creating anger and resentment towards those who simply require our help and assistance.", "Conservatives try to strip away our communities’ desire and responsibility to care for the less fortunate. Poisonous words like “handout” deliberately infected common discourse. After 15 long years of Liberal rule, those on social assistance were worse off than during the Harris regime. Many empty, vacuous words were spoken, but Liberals only decided to help those who need it the most at the end of their rule with the Basic Income Pilot project. Instead of actually fixing the well-known problem with funding, they committed to a study.", "Premier Ford promised that he would let the study carry out, but it didn’t take long until that promise was broken and it was shut down—shut down because Conservatives didn’t want to see the positive results. They took away hope. How can anyone stabilize their life when they’re consistently struggling and at risk?", "Ontarians on social assistance live in deep, deep poverty and their monthly housing bills are often more than what they receive. This is before even attempting to buy food. It’s survival mode for most, if not all.", "This government pats itself on the back for indexing people well below the poverty line. Maytree has found that Ontario Works recipients would need $17,000 more per year just to reach the poverty line.", "I want to thank the United Way for their Make It Livable campaign to double social assistance rates. I call on the government members to remember our common humanity, think of those in desperate need and double social assistance rates now." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Trevor Jones", "text": [ "Good morning, Speaker.", "On May 24 and May 25, Chatham-Kent celebrated a rare and unique ceremony in honour of one of our residents, George Osei, a native of Ghana and proud Ontarian.", "In Ghana, the installation of a new chief is marked by a ceremony called an “enstoolment.” This is a significant event in the community. It signifies the transfer of power and authority to a new chief. The ceremony involves playing traditional music, song, dance, a community feast and the wearing of traditional attire. During the ceremony, the new chief is recognized and given symbols of authority, such as a crown and a traditional stool. The event is also a time to celebrate unity and reaffirmation of community values.", "George Osei was originally from the town of Atebubu, Ghana, and he can trace his roots back to the region’s royal family. George has been a pillar of Chatham-Kent and has exemplified the virtues of leadership, integrity and dedication to his work and his family, committed to the advancement and the well-being of all people in our multicultural community.", "Chatham-Kent has a long history of welcoming those from every corner of the world. Congratulations to George and your family. I thank you for contributing to Chatham-Kent’s rich tapestry as we continue to celebrate the history and traditions of all people who call beautiful Chatham-Kent and Ontario home." ] }, { "speaker": "The Acting Speaker (MmeLucille Collard)", "text": [ "Thank you. I will just take a moment before we move to the next member’s statement to ask the members in the House just to keep the volume down so we can hear the members speaking. Thank you. I appreciate your orderly behaviour.", "And now I move to the member for Sudbury for the next member’s statement." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "MPP Jamie West", "text": [ "La semaine dernière, j’ai visité le Club Amical du Nouveau Sudbury et j’ai été impressionné par toutes les activités qu’il offre aux personnes âgées de notre communauté. Il offre des jeux, comme les fléchettes, le billard et les cartes. Il planifie des soirées de théâtre, de musique et de danse. Il organise des ateliers, des évènements et des soupers en communauté. Il encourage la vie active avec du yoga, de l’exercice, des journées de golf et plus. Et tout ceci est organisé par des bénévoles.", "Le club amical compte 333 membres, et ils ont créé une communauté positive et solidaire. Non seulement est-ce que le club est un espace sécuritaire et amusant pour toutes les personnes âgées, mais c’est aussi une place très spéciale pour ceux qui n’ont pas de famille en ville ou qui sont seuls. Cela les aide à se faire des amis, à remonter le moral et à s’assurer qu’on prend soin d’eux comme communauté.", "Vous pouvez ressentir l’engagement du conseil d’administration envers le bien-être des personnes âgées dans la façon dont ils s’expriment—ils sont un groupe attentionné. Tu peux vraiment voir ceci par la manière dont les membres sont impliqués avec le club. Certains font du bénévolat depuis plus de 30 ans.", "Pour plus que 40 ans, le club amical offre de nombreux services pour aider à soutenir la communauté francophone âgée à Sudbury. Ils et elles devraient être fiers de leurs réalisations passées et présentes.", "Mes amis du club amical, merci beaucoup pour la belle visite et pour tout ce que vous faites pour nos personnes âgées de la communauté.", "1020" ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Billy Pang", "text": [ "Speaker, as we are approaching June, we are also approaching the Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week and Seniors Month in Ontario. This is a time dedicated to honouring our seniors.", "In 2021, this House passed my Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week Act, establishing the first week of June each year as Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week. I am proud to say that this initiative has since inspired our communities to express their gratitude towards our senior volunteers. It has also encouraged seniors to remain active and involved in community life.", "To mark this special week, I will once again be presenting the senior volunteer awards to our cherished senior volunteers in Markham–Unionville. Their efforts have had a profound impact across multiple generations, fostering a spirit of community and continuity. Their selfless sacrifice deserves our utmost respect and recognition.", "I sincerely encourage my fellow members to honour our seniors and senior volunteers this June. I am also grateful for the opportunity this legislation has provided to highlight their invaluable contributions." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Ms. Chandra Pasma", "text": [ "Recently, I attended a seniors’ tea in Ottawa West–Nepean, with over 200 seniors in attendance, and as I made my way around the room chatting with people, I heard the same thing over and over again: “Can you please get the Premier to fix our health care system?”", "It was the same at the General Burns community fun day on Saturday as hundreds of residents stopped by my tent. Person after person told me, “Our health care system is broken. What can we do to get the government to actually care?”", "But while Ottawa residents are desperate for action, the health minister says that there is no recruitment and retention problem for family doctors; this at a moment when 2.3 million people in Ontario have no family doctor, and every week, my office hears from constituents who are about to lose their family doctor or have already lost their family doctor.", "The Premier has also fought in court for two years against your right to know how many nurses and personal support workers we are short in Ontario, saying it would be “economically damaging” to share this information, even as they don’t care how damaging it is to your health.", "The government is also paying more to private, for-profit clinics to perform the same surgeries that are being provided for less in our public hospitals, meaning that taxpayer dollars are going to fund profits instead of increasing the number of surgeries, even though our public hospitals have the capacity to do more.", "I agree with my constituents. It’s time for the government to stop playing games with our health care system and get to work on fixing it so that you get the health care you deserve." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Graham McGregor", "text": [ "It’s a pleasure to rise in the House and highlight some good news we had over the weekend in Brampton, particularly for our Sikh community. The Sikh community have been in Canada for over 100 years and they played a vital role in shaping our province and the beautiful city that Brampton is today.", "This past weekend, I spent time at Brampton North’s own local gurdwara, the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Mission Centre. The sangat at Guru Nanak Mission Centre has been fundraising for years, with the goal of building a new gurdwara on the site. Countless individuals have given their time, their money and their resources, and on Sunday, we were finally able to announce and put shovels in the ground on the site of a brand new gurdwara, right at Guru Nanak Street and Dixie.", "Speaker, a gurdwara is not only a place of worship, but it’s also a community hub where all are welcome, and at any time you can drop by for a free warm meal and be greeted with open arms and blessings. Selfless service, or “seva,” is an important value for the Sikh community, and the construction of the new gurdwara doesn’t just mark a good day for the Sikh community, but a good day for religious freedom in Brampton and all across our country.", "I invite all members of this House to come up to Brampton North and learn more about the values of the Sikh community. Join me for the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Mission Centre’s annual Nagar Kirtan parade on June 9. I hope to see you all there.", "I’ll end my speech today with the way I ended it on Sunday, Speaker:", "Waheguruji Ka Khalsa Waheguruji Ki Fateh." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. John Fraser", "text": [ "What is it with this Premier’s obsession with booze? Spending a billion dollars to put beer and wine in corner stores a little more than a year earlier than planned is simply unjustifiable. You have to ask yourself, who benefits? Well, it’s the same people who always do: the wealthy and well-connected insiders and friends and multinational corporations. It’s the Premier’s billion-dollar boozedoggle—a billion dollars to speed this up by a little more than a year.", "What’s the rush, Premier? Premier, you could have waited for the contract to end and made a better deal—a deal that would have benefited all Ontarians, not just the wealthy, well-connected and large corporations.", "The Premier gave away the store in his billion-dollar boozedoggle, and Ontarians will pay.", "I wish the Premier had the same sense of urgency for the 2.3 million Ontarians who don’t have a family doctor, or for fixing our crumbling schools, or for helping children with exceptional needs who aren’t getting the help they need in our schools, or for keeping rural emergency rooms and hospitals open. A billion dollars could have been better spent on the things that matter most to Ontario families." ] } ]

[ { "speaker": "Mr. Brian Riddell", "text": [ "May 17, 1974, is a day that many Cambridge residents will never forget. It started as a beautiful sunny day, but Mother Nature had other plans. On that fateful day 50 years ago, a flash flood swept through the city, literally swallowing up all of downtown Galt. I was a teenager at the time, and I remember my friends and I riding our bikes downtown, where we witnessed the most incredible scenes. There were people in canoes and motorboats rescuing people from their homes and from their businesses. There were cars literally floating down the streets. Fortunately, no deaths resulted from the flood, but it did cause more than $6 million in property damage. That was a lot of money back in the 1970s.", "Recently, the people of my riding gathered at the Fire Hall Museum to mark the 50th anniversary of the great flood of 1974. They reminisced about what they saw and what happened on that devastating day.", "Speaker, the events of May 17, 1974, were a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many people of Cambridge. I thank the volunteers in my community who have worked hard to preserve the memories of that day." ] } ]