It has been said a couple times here today already that it’s hard to believe that this actually isn’t a law that’s in existence right now in Ontario. When we take a look at some of the statistics—my friend from Carleton mentioned a number of them—there’s one that stands out to me, and that’s from the Lifesaving Society: 87% of drownings from boating occur because someone wasn’t wearing a life jacket. That 87% is a big number, a big percentage that’s really easy to change.

If you take a look at what has happened with some other safety devices that we use in Ontario—bicycle helmets were not something that, as a kid growing up, people ever wore, and we had a lot of brain injuries from it. One of the things that changed is that now when you go biking, everyone is wearing a helmet and no one complains about wearing a helmet. That’s because we started with kids and we showed kids how wearing a bicycle helmet would make a big difference. Now, as adults, they wear bicycle helmets and think nothing of it.

That 87% of people who drowned in a boating accident, who weren’t wearing their life jackets—if we start with kids and normalize wearing your life jacket, rather than having it tucked up under the front of your runabout, we’ll get to a point where it’s not uncommon, then, for adults to be wearing a life jacket, and that 87% number will drop significantly as a result of it.

This is a bill that we need to pass. This is a bill that will make a big difference in a lot of people’s lives, because I would hazard to guess that anyone who lives near the water knows of a family who has lost a family member because of a preventable drowning accident like that. My hope is that everyone here today will pass this on voice, and we’ll go straight to committee and then turn it into a law at third reading.

Summer will soon be upon us, and so is the time to enjoy Ontario’s great outdoors, and that includes having fun with our family on the water. Ontario has so many great rivers, so many great lakes, and I know I’m going to be out there this summer on a boat on a lake. We have such beautiful settings to enjoy the water in this great province.

The bill we are speaking to this evening will ensure that Ontarians enjoy this activity in a safe manner, specifically young children who are out with their families. Many of the statistics have already been stated. What I think is important is, not wearing a life jacket is the number one risk for drowning while boating.

That being said, Speaker, I love boating. I have to admit that I was also surprised, just like the member from Nickel Belt, and others have said it here—I was extremely surprised when I heard it wasn’t mandatory. I was very fortunate growing up by a lake in the summer. I remember my mom and dad, who could not swim, always had their life jackets on. The four of us kids hopped in the boat. We called it the Batmobile. Everybody wore their life jacket. It was mandatory for us to wear our life jackets. That carries through to now my generation, my child and all my nieces and nephews. It’s mandatory. You must wear your life jacket. So I was shocked when I found out it wasn’t mandatory. This is just good common sense.

I would like to thank the member from Carleton for bringing forth this private member’s bill. I would also like to thank her for carrying this forward from the previous member from Parry Sound–Muskoka, Norm Miller. Thank you.

As a government, we are taking the common-sense steps to lower the risk of drowning and ensure our children can safely enjoy water sports while on any type of pleasure boat as well as while being towed by that said pleasure boat. This bill makes sure that every parent or guardian knows this is mandatory.

We all agree that this life-saving requirement is a necessity. Let’s have fun out on the water in the safest manner.

It’s my pleasure to represent the residents of Barrie–Innisfil in support of Bill 93, Joshua’s Law (Lifejackets for Life), presented by the MPP for Carleton, and I want to thank her for reintroducing this bill. I want to thank MPP Norm Miller, who I learned quite a lot from, since we represent a similar region of the province. He well knows that I’m surrounded by Lake Simcoe, the jewel of our region, but with Lake Simcoe comes responsibilities like water safety. I want to thank both those members.

The fact that this bill will save lives on the water—as many people get out to the boats on Lake Simcoe for the great summer season and take their kids out, they can have the peace of mind that their children will be saved by this law that requires children under 12 to wear life jackets. So I wholeheartedly support this private member’s bill on behalf of the residents of Barrie–Innisfil, because it will save lives.

I’d just like to start off by thanking my legislative assistant, Daniel Jolic. Today is his last day, and he has been working with me on this PMB and making sure everything is organized. So thank you, Daniel, and I wish you all the best in your law school journey. I know you’re going to do us proud.

I’d like to take a moment to thank all the members who spoke about this legislation today, including the members for Nickel Belt, Barrie–Innisfil, Markham–Unionville, Peterborough–Kawartha, Newmarket–Aurora, Burlington and, of course, the member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke. Thank you very much for your support. Thank you very much for the kind words.

The message that I’m getting from everyone when I’ve heard you speak is that it’s almost a shock that this isn’t law. It’s almost like a surprise, and that was my initial gut reaction too, when I first heard about this legislation. And that’s why it’s always kind of stuck with me, and why I’m pleased to bring this forward. This is something that Cara McNulty, my constituent, has spoken about with me several times after it was first introduced, so I’m pleased to reintroduce it.

Finally, Madam Speaker, last but not least, I would like to once again thank the former MPP for Parry Sound–Muskoka, Mr. Norm Miller, for his tireless advocacy on this behalf, for the hours of work that he has put in, for his dedication to not just making Ontario the best place in the world but, as the member for Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke said, the safest place in the world. And I want to thank the member for working hard to protect Ontario’s children.

It’s an honour for me to speak to this, and I want to thank everyone for their support. It’s such a common-sense bill and I look forward to seeing this become law.

Further debate?

Ms. Ghamari has moved second reading of Bill 93, An Act to enact Joshua’s Law (Lifejackets for Life), 2023. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

All matters relating to private members’ public business having been completed, we now have a late show.

Interjection.

There being no further business, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 9 a.m.

The House adjourned at 1710.

Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak in support of Joshua’s Law. As an MPP with a significant body of water bordering my riding, it is imperative that we consider water safety. With the weather getting warmer in Burlington, water sports and activities become a popular way to beat the heat and get outdoors. Children especially love the water in the summer, but accidents are the leading cause of death for children in Canada, and not wearing a life jacket is the number one reason drowning can occur while boating.

We can teach our children how to swim and the importance of water safety. We know life jackets and proper use of a flotation device can reduce the number of children who drown each year. The statistics from Drowning Prevention Research Centre Canada are staggering: 67% of children between 5 and 14 who have died from drowning were not wearing a life jacket or a flotation device.

Ontario law requires children to wear seat belts while in vehicles and helmets while riding a bike. These are safety precautions to ensure children stay safe. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for water sports and recreation. Although boats are required by law to have flotation devices or life jackets on board, it is not a requirement for children, or anyone else for that matter, to wear them. Furthermore, it is not a requirement in Ontario for children to wear a flotation device or life vest while water-skiing, tubing or being towed behind a boat.

Joshua’s Law would protect children and prevent tragedies like Joshua’s from happening. Wearing a life jacket or a personal flotation device can save and protect countless lives.

I am grateful to have been able to speak to this private member’s bill, and I fully support my colleague on this important piece of legislation. Thank you for your time and the opportunity to speak to Joshua’s Law.

It is a pleasure for me to stand and speak on behalf of Bill 93, in support of Bill 93. I want to thank the member from Carleton for bringing this forward. I know she’s done this not only because she believes in it passionately herself, but she also believes in our old friend Norm Miller, who is here in the gallery today.

I had the pleasure of being in this House when then-MPP Miller brought this bill forward, and it’s a bill we can all easily stand behind because it is such absolutely—you don’t have to think about it. Why would we not want to do everything we can to protect our children or grandchildren or any young person when they’re in a watercraft?

It was the kind of bill that you would expect Norm to bring forward originally, because that’s the kind of person he is. In his over 20 years in this House, he was always looking, “How can I use my voice as an MPP to do better things and do positive things for people in the general population?” He saw an opportunity and he saw something where it was lacking, and that was, why are we not actually doing something to ensure that our children are actually wearing that personal flotation device when they’re in a boat?

So I want to thank, again, my colleague from Carleton and welcome my friend Norm Miller here once again, and thank him for his original idea of bringing this forward so we can make Ontario not only the best place to live, work and raise a family, but the safest place for our children.