My question today is for the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Ontario’s Great Lakes help make our province a great place to live—and I’ve had such a privilege to live steps from Lake St. Clair growing up, and even today. The resources of the Great Lakes provide us with drinking water, energy, food, and recreational opportunities. It is of the utmost importance that we continue to protect, conserve and restore the health of the Great Lakes and support the well-being of communities that rely on them now and for generations to come.

Our government understands that for Ontario’s Indigenous communities, the Great Lakes hold deep spiritual and traditional significance. Respecting and recognizing traditional knowledge will only help in strengthening our shared understanding of the Great Lakes.

Can the minister please explain how our government is collaborating with Indigenous leaders to help protect and restore our Great Lakes?