Question?

I want to congratulate my colleague and talk about school bus drivers. Very few people talk about school bus drivers and how important that job is, as they, quite frankly, take our children’s lives in their hands every single day, particularly in the north, I would think, with the highways and roads they have in the north. But I want to be clear: It’s not just a north problem. It happens in my riding. I get lots of calls about school bus drivers and the fact that they can’t find drivers, they’re cancelling bus routes, they’re low-paid.

My question is pretty simple: What do you think we need to do to attract more school bus drivers—

Thank you to my colleague from Nickel Belt for her contribution to today’s debate.

In your opinion, what are some of the ways this bill and this government continue to leave disabled students and students with learning disabilities behind in Nickel Belt?

Since we’re talking about acting for all children, all students, all citizens, let us remember that the workforce is constantly changing and our education system needs to adapt in response. It’s 2023, and our curriculum should reflect this, particularly in math, science, literacy, and civics.

If left with a Liberal government, aided and abetted by the NDP, our curriculum would be left just as outdated as those parties are.

To the member opposite: Does the opposition really believe that curriculum should stay stagnant and become irrelevant, or should it change with the times? What does the member opposite say about that?

I was listening intently to the member’s speech, and I want to thank her for her comments. The member always makes very insightful speeches.

Every school board usually puts out their scores and ranks when it comes to math, STEM and literacy. I’m just wondering what the ranking is in the member’s riding, if she’s aware of that, and what challenges they’ve had, and what parents have told her about the importance of making sure that STEM and literacy, especially financial literacy, are also improved in the education system. And will the member support this bill, which focuses specifically on improving STEM and math and literacy?

After decades serving as a school board trustee in the largest school board in all of Canada, I have seen many of these situations that this bill is recognizing here today and as this debate continues. The opposition had a chance to make positive change, but unfortunately they did nothing. We have witnessed the negative impacts left by the opposition, and we are committed to improving them.

The new legislation we are introducing is a step in the right direction. It’s the first of many steps aimed at getting students back to focusing on the fundamentals.

We are determined to see the graduation rate and EQAO scores improve, and better student outcomes.

I beg the question: Why were these priorities not addressed—

Il y en a qui vont se souvenir qu’il y a très, très longtemps que nous avons eu un gouvernement néo-démocrate en place. Je peux vous dire—je suis très fière de dire—que lorsque l’Ontario avait un gouvernement néo-démocrate, nous avons ouvert le Collège Boréal, un collège francophone à Sudbury, pour desservir les francophones du nord de l’Ontario.

Ça faisait des décennies que les francophones de l’Ontario demandaient d’avoir leur propre collège. On avait le Collège Cambrian qui offrait des cours en français et des cours en anglais. Mais les francophones veulent une éducation pour, par et avec les francophones. Le gouvernement néo-démocrate a financé le Collège Boréal, qui a été un succès phénoménal et qui continue d’être un succès phénoménal.

Je peux vous dire qu’un gouvernement néo-démocrate financerait également l’Université de Sudbury pour s’assurer que les francophones du Nord aient accès à une éducation pour, par et avec les francophones à Sudbury.

Further questions?

The member for Nickel Belt.

Speaker, we know that student success is very, very important, and I know that all members agree that students need to be given every opportunity to succeed in the workforce—ready to go forward with rewarding careers, whether they go to post-secondary by way of university, college, a trade, or another path.

Our government announced that, starting with students entering grade 9 in September 2024, they will be required, toward their Ontario secondary school diploma, to obtain a technological education credit. This is just one example of our government supporting all students for the jobs of tomorrow.

How does this bill further support student learning?

This bill states right in the title that it wants to achieve better outcomes for students.

Right now, in Niagara, 16 schools can’t operate their nutrition program—and they can’t even operate it because of the funding. The kids are going hungry because this government hasn’t increased funding as food prices skyrocket.

Does this member and the Conservative Party think that hungry children perform well at school?

I was very interested in the example the member from Carleton mentioned about getting a new school in Findlay Creek. I don’t know if she knows, but school boards establish their priorities for new schools, and these priorities are then submitted to the Minister of Education, who actually makes the decision and approves which schools might be built. So the fact that schools don’t get built is not the fault of the school boards.

I really wish I had the power of the member to get a new school built in my riding.

My question to the member is, what do I need to do or tell the minister so I can get a new school built in eight months in my riding?

I find it interesting that the member for Carleton says people shouldn’t be commenting when they don’t know what they’re talking about.

The nutrition program at the school my colleague was talking about is actually funded through the province—so I suspect that you’re going to go to the minister, then, and tell him that he needs to provide the emergency funding to feed those hungry children.

Speaker, my colleague from Nickel Belt talked about students with special education needs not getting the supports they need in schools. As a trustee, I can tell you, for many decades, through consecutive Conservative and Liberal governments, every single board runs a deficit when it comes to supporting students with special needs. The special-ed funding is insufficient and has been for a very long time.

I’m going to ask the member from Carleton, is your government, in this bill, going to provide the special education funding that the school boards need in order to actually be able to provide supports to students with special-ed needs so that they can thrive and get the education and the learning experience that they deserve—because currently, under your government, they’re not. In fact—

Questions?

I appreciate the member’s question.

It’s so important that all children are supported, but ultimately the nutrition program is run by the municipality, and so the school boards have to work with the municipality to ensure that nutrition is being provided in schools—and this bill allows school boards to do this. So I encourage the school board to work with the municipality, and I encourage the member to work with his municipal counterparts to resolve this situation.

Madam Speaker, our government is making an historic investment in Ontario’s schools by providing a projected $27.6 billion in public education for the 2023-24 school year.

Along with the funding for school board operations, targeted initiatives will support student achievement and well-being. The proposed legislation would, if passed, refocus Ontario’s education on student achievement, prioritizing skills development in reading, writing and math, and hands-on learning. It advances a vision for the system that is centred on preparing students to succeed in life and work, putting highly qualified educators in the classroom while strengthening the voices of parents in their child’s education.

That’s why I’m proud to support this legislation.

This is the challenge—when you’re asking a question about a situation you know absolutely nothing about and assuming that the member doesn’t know what they’re speaking about.

In that particular situation in Findlay Creek, the school was actually not on the capital priorities list. The school board had other schools on the capital priorities list, even though Vimy Ridge Public School had 24 portables at the time and the population was doubled. Even though the school was overpopulated, the school board refused to add a second public elementary school to their capital priorities list.

I worked with the community of Findlay Creek, we created a petition, and we petitioned the school board to place a public elementary school on their capital priorities list and, in fact, they listed it as their top capital priority. As soon as they did that, the Minister of Education, during the next round of funding, provided funding to approve the top capital priority. But that was something—

One thing that our government will do is, we will always respect and value the unique and diverse nature of Ontario’s communities, Ontario’s students and Ontario’s families, because they’re just one piece of what makes our province great.

Our school boards must be able to tailor education delivery to local contexts and needs. The school boards have a responsibility to use the funding that they receive responsibly and appropriately.

That’s why not only are we making historic investments in our education budget, not only are we spending $27.6 billion in education, but we are also making sure that school boards are being held accountable for the money we are giving them. Ultimately, we want to make sure those dollars are getting into the classroom, where they belong.

OPG is currently in talks with New Brunswick Power over the ownership and operation of the Point Lepreau nuclear plant. I asked the Minister of Energy last week what he would do to protect Ontario from taking on debt or financial risk in any deal related to the plant. His assurances were just boilerplate; they were not comforting.

Since then, media reports from New Brunswick indicate the power company there is looking at a number of options.

One article noted, “That could include giving up direct ownership and management of some power generation so that outside companies absorb more of the cost and the financial risk.”

I think that’s a pretty clear statement.

New Brunswick Power has over $5 billion in debt and says the status quo can’t continue. Last year, poor operations at Point Lepreau cost New Brunswick Power almost $400 million in losses.

New Brunswick Power is also talking about the option of a partnership arrangement with OPG that some say could shield the deal from New Brunswick regulators and allow OPG to take on financial risk.

Speaker, the people of Ontario have no interest in taking on someone else’s debts and losses. Our hydro rates are high enough; we don’t need to subsidize another province’s power company.

The Minister of Energy should make sure OPG is focused on looking after Ontario and not signing agreements that put us in harm’s way.

Further questions?

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

In a press conference this week, the Minister of Education talked about provisions which would potentially allow for the purchasing of school properties for the development of long-term-care homes. Given the crumbling private long-term-care system, I just want clarity around whether these properties would remain in the public long-term-care system.

The month of Ramadan is coming to a close now—late Friday, early Saturday.

I have had the opportunity, as many of us have, to attend a number of Ramadan events and community iftars. I’ve also been to several Ramadan bazaars and Eid bazaars; some have seen the henna on my hand.

What I wanted to comment on, as far as my community, is, first of all, a couple of the bazaars I have been to. These are organized shopping events, basically, that are focused on jewellery and clothing and handbags. They are real community events. One of the things I noticed when I was there is how many female entrepreneurs this really gives an opportunity to. When you go there, most of the sellers are women, and it’s this incredible community.

I also had the chance to go to an iftar held by the organization Muslim Social Services of Kitchener-Waterloo, and I really wanted to give them a shout-out. They are filling a really important void in the mental health space, which is, offering mental health supports that have a cultural sensitivity that would be otherwise missing. Understanding that socio-religious background is very important when it comes to building strong societies, and they’re absolutely essential in that space. I wanted to thank them for inviting me to iftar.

I rise in the House today to honour a friend, a colleague and an exceptional leader from my riding of Elgin–Middlesex–London. Last month, on March 11, sadly, only two weeks before his 70th birthday, Duncan McPhail passed away. He was an active farmer and egg producer. He grew up and spent his life on his family farm, where he also raised his own family. He was also a great customer of my former employer, Masterfeeds.

A strong community advocate, Duncan also served as West Elgin’s mayor. I believe it’s fair to say that Duncan McPhail was the voice of West Elgin.

Duncan was a man of honour and integrity, and he was truly loved throughout Elgin county.

Duncan served on council from 1988 to 2002, and he returned to politics in 2018. In 2000, 2001, and 2019, Duncan served as Elgin county’s warden. He also served as deputy warden last year, in 2022. This meant that Dunc had an unmatched wealth of knowledge.

I certainly appreciated his advice and guidance in the time I was fortunate enough to work alongside him.

His experience, wisdom and sense of humour were appreciated by all in Elgin county.

We have lost a steadfast leader, and I know that Duncan McPhail will be greatly missed by his family, his community and the many, many people who called him friend.