I’d like to thank the residents of Parkdale–High Park who recently attended our transit safety town hall and signed this petition titled “Fund the TTC.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas former Premier Mike Harris and his” Conservative “government cancelled provincial funding of 50% of the TTC’s net operating costs over 20 years ago, downloading these costs to Toronto ... and transit riders;

“Whereas subsequent successive Ontario provincial governments have maintained this underfunding;

“Whereas the TTC is the least subsidized public transit system in North America;

“Whereas this underfunding, for over two decades, has resulted in reduced TTC services, inadequate staffing, and an inability to expand public transit services in line with population growth;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately restore the provincial funding of 50% of the TTC’s net operating costs.”

I fully support this petition and will affix my signature to it.

I want to thank the member opposite for this question. I’m very pleased to confirm that French-language education funding in Ontario is at the highest levels in Ontario history. In addition to that, we introduced legislation in the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act that is specifically responding to the need to certify French educators quicker. I hope the members opposite will put ideology aside and vote for quicker processing times of new French teachers.

In addition, in that very bill, we allow French educators based on what’s called an experience certificate, to allow more individuals mid-career with professional competence working with kids in the French language to work within our schools—a request of school boards to help ensure we attract more. We announced a joint French-education recruitment program with education unions, with federations, school boards and the French community itself to recruit French educators. We announced $13 million more to do it. I am proud that we’ve recruited more French-language educators as a result of that, with a commitment to do much, much more for French schools in Ontario.

Thank you for the lovely privilege to table this petition today on behalf of the residents of Barrie–Innisfil. I’d like to table:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the federal government is increasing the escalated carbon tax by 14%, on April 1, 2023;

“Whereas carbon tax cost increase will put more pressure on consumers who are already struggling with inflation;

“Whereas we call on the federal government to stop the carbon tax, which is a tax hike that Ontarians and Canadians cannot afford;

“Whereas the government of Ontario is helping to reduce the cost of living by keeping taxes low, freezing and eliminating licence plate renewal fees and scrapping the requirement to have licence plate stickers for passenger vehicle, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds and building on these measures in Bill 85, Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023, the government continues to help Ontarians with the cost of living;

“Whereas we call on the Ontario government to urge the federal government to halt the carbon tax increase, that will raise the cost of everything;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To support the passage of Bill 85, Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023.”

I will affix my signature and pass it to the page.

J’aimerais remercier Erick Brunet de Blezard Valley dans mon comté pour cette pétition.

« Soutenez le système d’éducation francophone en Ontario. »

« Attendu que les enfants francophones ont un droit constitutionnel à une éducation de haute qualité, financée par les fonds publics, dans leur propre langue;

« Attendu que l’augmentation des inscriptions dans le système d’éducation en langue française signifie que plus de 1 000 nouveaux enseignants et enseignantes de langue française sont nécessaires chaque année pour les cinq prochaines années;

« Attendu que les changements apportés au modèle de financement du gouvernement provincial pour la formation des enseignantes et enseignants de langue française signifient que l’Ontario n’en forme que 500 par an;

« Attendu que le nombre de personnes qui enseignent sans certification complète dans le système d’éducation en langue française a augmenté de plus de 450 % au cours de la dernière décennie; »

Ils et elles demandent « à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario de fournir immédiatement le financement demandé par le rapport du groupe de travail sur la pénurie des enseignantes et des enseignants dans le système d’éducation en langue française de l’Ontario et de travailler avec des partenaires pour mettre pleinement en oeuvre les recommandations. »

J’appuie cette pétition, monsieur le Président. Je vais la signer et je demande à Nicholas de l’amener à la table des greffiers.

I do appreciate the question from the member from Cambridge because our government has set out ambitious growth targets for our agri-food sector through our Grow Ontario Strategy. In that strategy, we have committed to growing Ontario’s agri-food markets and exports by 8% annually by 2030, and I’m pleased to say that we have already taken steps to accomplish just that.

Last week, we announced our Grow Ontario Market Initiative, and while I was at the Earlton Farm Show, I want to share with you that an astute person said, “If you don’t lock in the sale, nothing else matters. You need good marketing initiatives to secure that sale.” That’s what we are doing, Speaker. We’re introducing a $6-million Grow Ontario Market Initiative program through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Through the Grow Ontario Market Initiative, eligible businesses can receive up to a 50% cost share for their eligible costs in terms of ramping up their marketing initiatives, and that translates into up to $60,000 in funding. We’re also putting out supports for our industry organizations as well, and if they have eligible projects, they could receive up to $125,000.

We’re committed to building Ontario, and it’s through Ontario’s agri-food sector and the building of our marketing initiatives that we are going to absolutely prevail and show the rest of the world—

I’d be happy to, Speaker. It’s interesting that this member asked the question when the person who sits beside her, when he was a regional councillor, asked the same thing that the Auditor General asked, and that was to fix the broken formula from the previous government.

In a 2021 value-for-money audit—you can read it right here—it talks about the inequity of that program. We had Mayor Sutcliffe and officials from Ottawa here. We explained the situation to them. But we are responding directly to the 2021 Auditor General’s report, where it said for funding equity.

You know who you need to ask, member? You need to ask the people from Niagara, the people from London, the people from Windsor, who were shortchanged with that previous formula. Ask your colleague.

The updated formula was developed based on the feedback from the Auditor General and municipal stakeholders. The updated model takes into consideration a community’s share of homelessness, supportive housing units, low-income households, households in deep core housing need as defined by CMHC, and Indigenous and youth populations.

We are not going to facilitate a funding formula that was outlined in the Auditor General’s report that forgets about communities, like those in Niagara, like those in London, like those in Windsor. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to respond to the Auditor General’s report and have a fair funding formula that treats all of Ontario with fairness and equity.

La pénurie des enseignantes et enseignants dans le système d’éducation de langue française met la qualité de l’enseignement en français en Ontario en péril, mais ce gouvernement ne fait pas grand-chose pour l’adresser. Les parents sont alarmés par cette pénurie grandissante, les jeunes sont anxieux et il y a des écoles qui sont en danger de fermer à cause du manque d’enseignants. Il y a des enfants francophones qui ont neuf enseignants dans une seule année scolaire. Ils font les devoirs demandés par l’enseignant et arrivent en classe pour trouver qu’il y a un tout nouveau enseignant qui veut quelque chose complètement diffèrent. Ce n’est pas juste, et ça ne devrait pas continuer comme ça.

Mais deux ans après que le ministre de l’Éducation a annoncé sa stratégie, le problème s’empire. Au lieu de se contenter de paroles vides, est-ce que le ministre peut agir, et agir tout de suite?

I have a petition from a constituent in my riding.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas parents expect that school board trustees and staff be qualified, accountable and focused on putting forward a plan to boost student achievement; and

“Whereas Ontario’s education system should offer the full accountability, transparency and responsiveness expected by families to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow; and

“Whereas currently, Ontario’s 72 school boards set their own priorities, creating inconsistencies in student outcomes across the education system; and

“Whereas training for school board officials, including trustees and directors of education, to ensure they are unified in their respective roles to help students build skills they need to succeed; and

“Whereas a trustee dispute mechanism should be put in place, saving precious time and countless taxpayer dollars by building a provincially appointed roster of qualified integrity commissioners to quickly and effectively adjudicate the disputes;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support the passage of Bill 98, the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023.”

I agree with this petition, will sign my name to it, give it to page Kate to take to the table.

Again, I thank the member from Cambridge for this important question. Mr. Speaker, I’m very happy to share the good news that in our Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act that I just introduced yesterday, our legislation is moving forward in proposing amendments to the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act that will address additional compliance and enforcement.

We’ve consulted with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario and other experts in the field to make sure that we provide strong protection for our animals. This includes enhancing inspector powers and permitting them to immediately remove an animal if it is in critical condition or distress. We’re continuing to strengthen compliance and enforcement. We will always keep our animals safe.

Supplementary question.

Supplementary question.

The next question.

The House recessed from 1142 to 1300.

It is reassuring and encouraging to hear about the additional powers that have come from provincial animal welfare legislation that will ensure that animals and wildlife are protected. However, the residents of Cambridge, like many others across the province, are interested in what additional measures our government will undertake to provide even greater protection for animals. It is important that our government continues to evaluate the effectiveness of current legislation and takes action to strengthen laws that will increase compliance and enforcement.

Speaker, can the Solicitor General please elaborate on how our government is ensuring animal welfare protection is enforced?

Can the minister explain how our government will continue to expand opportunities for the agri-food businesses in my riding?

As we’ve seen over the last few years, accessing new markets is essential for a business to prosper and grow. Can the minister explain how the Grow Ontario Market Initiative will help agri-food businesses reach these new markets?

I would like to invite members to join myself and members from York Centre, Eglinton–Lawrence, King–Vaughan and others as we proudly raise the flag of Israel. This year we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s 75th year as an independent state. Thank you.

I will be splitting my time with the Attorney General, the member for Etobicoke–Lakeshore, the member from Sarnia–Lambton and the member from Simcoe–Grey.

It’s my pleasure to rise in the House today to open debate on Bill 102, the proposed Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023. Our government knows that a safe Ontario is a strong Ontario. With this legislation our government is taking action to keep Ontario safe today, tomorrow and for future generations. We’re providing those on the forefront of community safety with the legislative and administrative support they need to deliver the highest-quality services across the province.

I’ve said this before: Some things have to matter. The rule of law must matter and public safety must matter. That’s exactly what this bill is about. In my generation there has never been a government that has cared more about our public safety than our government, under the leadership of our Premier. Public safety will always be a top priority for this government. This week we’ve demonstrated that again. I want to thank the Premier for his leadership.

Just yesterday we joined leaders at the Toronto Police College to announce our government’s latest investment in our public safety. Our government is providing free tuition to new recruits completing basic constable training at the Ontario Police College. At the same time, we’re expanding future cohorts to train even more cadets and strengthen our police services across the province.

The future of public safety is bright. But that being said, we have a lot of work ahead of us. Ontarians and all Canadians are concerned by the violent crimes and the illegal use of firearms. Mr. Speaker, we’ll continue to partner with the federal government on these concerns and urge them to act within their areas of jurisdiction to secure our borders and safeguard our communities.

I’ve said this before in the House, as I’ve travelled—I’ve travelled with the member from Sarnia–Lambton right to the shores of the St. Clair River. I’ve travelled up in Thunder Bay. I’ve travelled to Sault Ste. Marie. I’ve travelled towards the Ottawa and eastern Ontario areas. I’ve seen the borders for myself. We need the federal government to act, and we will do so with co-operation.

Mr. Speaker, public safety will always be a top priority for Ontario and for this government, and we won’t wait and we won’t sit by. We are being proactive, purposeful and precise, taking clear action so we can target crime and keep our communities safe. This is why we’re taking firm action to improve safety by introducing this legislation that, if passed, would transform policing and community safety by:

—introducing amendments to the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, and bringing it into force;

—updating other critical pieces of public safety legislation like the PAWS Act and the Coroners Act; and

—supporting the modernization of the justice system.

I’ll spend a few minutes as I go forward and talk a little more in depth about it. There are many pieces to the proposed bill involving both the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Ministry of the Attorney General. The Attorney General will outline elements of this proposed legislation to modernize the justice system, such as freeing up court resources to deal with serious criminal and backlogged cases. I will focus my remarks—along with our amazing parliamentary assistants, the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore and the member from Sarnia–Lambton—on the law enforcement and community safety components of this bill. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, they are not only amazing representatives to this House, but absolutely committed to keeping Ontarians safe.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve said in this House before that our most fundamental responsibility as elected representatives is to uphold the safety of our communities. With this debate on the legislation, all members of this House have the opportunity to honour the commitment that we made to the people of Ontario—and it’s so simple: keeping Ontario safe. I’ve said this in reply to questions in this House: We have an inherent right to live safely in our communities. And I’ll tell you why: because when we have a safe community, we have absolutely everything. We have a place to raise our children. We have a place to play at the park. We have a place to shop. We have a place to pray. Our communities are absolutely everything, and the safety of those communities is something that we can’t take for granted.

In order to keep Ontario safe, we count on the courageous people in our communities who choose to cross the line, who choose a career in public safety, who choose to put service over self. These are our police officers, our firefighters, our 911 call operators—they’re amazing—correctional officers, probation and parole officers, animal welfare inspectors and so many more. They are incredible people who keep us safe every day, and our government is proud of them.

Monsieur le Président, ce sont des gens formidables qui nous protègent au quotidien. Nous sommes fiers de soutenir tous ceux qui assurent la sécurité de l’Ontario, tous les jours.

Ontario owes so much to the front-line heroes who have dedicated their lives to keeping our communities safe. Let’s reflect on their work. I’m thinking of the police officers who are responsible for law enforcement and crime prevention, the firefighters who combat smoke and flame and respond to medical emergencies, animal welfare inspectors who investigate animals that are neglected or in distress and alleviate their suffering, and the coroners, unsung heroes of community safety, whose investigations into the unexpected, non-natural or unexplained deaths may prevent further deaths. This is just to name a few. Here in this House, we can make a difference, and in fact, our community heroes choose to have our backs.

For the people who have our backs each day, we must continue to have their backs as well. That’s what this legislation is all about, and that’s what this debate is about in the House today. To all who serve, our message is clear and simple: Your government, under Premier Ford, supports you now and always, 100%.

This legislation presents all of us, on all sides of the House, an opportunity to uphold our community safety, our most fundamental duty. We’re responsible for the legislative framework that enables our heroes to perform their jobs to the greatest ability. Sometimes these frameworks need updating, and to meet the changing expectations of the public, we close legislative gaps that have opened with the passage of time and we make operational improvements and drive modernization.

The goal of the proposed Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023, is to build safer communities by transforming policing and other community safety and justice legislation. First and foremost, Madam Speaker, we will introduce legislative amendments that, if passed, will support bringing the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, into force and deliver on our government’s promise for modernized policing legislation that enables efficient and accountable policing services to the public.

The Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019: Members know and will recall that this act that was passed in 2019 followed an extensive engagement with policing, community and Indigenous partners. Our government has led this modernization from the start, and it listened carefully to our public safety and community partners in the development and the implementation. The CSPA will be the main legislative platform for policing modernization in the province. It will replace the current Police Services Act—which, by the way, came into enactment in the early 1990s—and will make significant changes to Ontario’s legislative framework for policing. This will be accomplished through stronger governance and oversight of policing. Madam Speaker, it’s time.

The CSPA will also support culturally responsive and equitable policing in First Nations, and enable First Nations to opt in to the provincial legislative framework for policing for the very first time.

Since 2019, the Ministry of the Solicitor General has engaged in further stakeholder consultation and administrative, police and legal reviews of the statute, and identified the need for policy and technical refinements to the CSPA to support regulation development required to bring it into force. Key stakeholders and First Nations communities who have been heavily engaged in the development of the CSPA since 2019 are eager to bring this into force. They are also expecting an adequate window between the time we announce when the act will come into force and the date it actually comes into force. This will allow for a smoother transition.

We are entering the home stretch. As I’ve said, all around the province, we are entering the home stretch. We’re at the bottom of the ninth inning, and we want to see everything wrapped up, enacted, proclaimed as soon as possible. The amendments in the proposed Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023, are critical and operationally important to bring the CSPA into force and to create a policing framework that respects front-line officers, strengthens public confidence in police services and delivers quality and efficient policing and police oversight. The proposed statute amendments are essential to bringing the CSPA into force.

I want to talk a bit about the oversight and governance, because it is, again, not a complicated thing:

—adding one or more vice-chairs to the future Ontario police arbitration and adjudication commission, to improve the governance of that agency;

—adjusting the Ontario Provincial Police detachment board provisions to allow flexibility by enabling the minister to make certain regulations related to detachment boards;

—removing statutory requirements regarding the OPP governance advisory council to enable greater flexibility to better reflect the Solicitor General’s advisory needs in relation to the OPP policies; and

—requiring municipalities and the province to actively promote vacancies on police service boards to ensure police service boards are representative of the communities they serve, and this is very important.

I want to also talk about labour arbitration. We want to remove police services as a party to the arbitration regarding a police association’s duty to fairly represent its members, and we want to clarify the responsibilities for costs associated with municipal police service board disputes to align with the current arbitration practice.

I want to talk about police recognition and education. By expanding the issuing of a King’s Commission to municipal and First Nations officers—it’s about time—under the existing Police Services Act, the Lieutenant Governor in Council can be the only one to commission officers from the Ontario Provincial Police.

I want to clarify about the CSPA—this would include removing the CSPA provisions relating to the handling of personal information that are inconsistent with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and adding a regulation-making authority in the statute that requires rules relating to data integration to be set out in the regulation. Madam Speaker, while the primary driver of this proposed bill is to introduce legislative amendments that are important before we bring the CSPA into force, there are other amendments to the CSPA that, if passed, would modernize and improve the effectiveness of those statutes.

I want to talk briefly about the Provincial Animal Welfare Services—PAWS—Act. The PAWS Act came into force in 2020, and I recognize and acknowledge the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore for her passion on this particular piece of legislation. I’m proud, we’re proud, our government is proud that we’ve implemented the most comprehensive animal welfare legislation anywhere cross Canada. Here, again, Ontario has led in some of the toughest penalties and fines for those who mistreat our animals.

As honourable members know animal welfare services operates within the Ministry of the Solicitor General and is responsible for enforcing the PAWS Act. The animal welfare services has its own chief animal welfare inspector and a clear governance and oversight framework. Government enforcement of the PAWS Act is working successfully, Madam Speaker. The proposed amendments are intended to address operational challenges which would strengthen compliance and improve operational efficiency.

I want to talk again briefly about the Coroners Act. The Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service have the authority to retain and store tissue samples and body fluids obtained during a post-mortem examination. The act identifies the type of specimens that can be stored and retained.

The discovery of the structure and function of DNA—which turned 70 this month—can tell us a lot. Madam Speaker, I know a little bit about this. This is about our future and what can be uncovered as science continuously unfolds. The Coroners Act never contemplated the retention of materials for purposes beyond the needs of a coroner’s investigation, and it did not anticipate the advancement in medical science. That’s why the proposed amendments will help us align with the future of medical science.

The Fire Protection and Prevention Act establishes the legislative framework for delivery of fire protection services across Ontario which includes the rights of entry in emergencies and in fire investigations. Amendments to this act would close gaps in the current legislation as it relates to cost recovery and would promote operational efficiencies for the Fire Safety Commission. The proposed amendments would allow for more than one deputy fire marshal and would support more efficient operations by ensuring someone is always available to execute the duties of the fire marshal. This is really a common-sense thing.

The proposed Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act clears a path to enforce the Community Policing and Safety Act. It creates an opportunity to modernize several elements of other community safety and justice legislation across the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Ministry of the Attorney General, and it proposes legislation to keep generations of Ontarians safe today, tomorrow and well into the future.

As I conclude, I want to conclude on a message of hope. As Solicitor General, nothing has been more impactful for me in this honour of a lifetime—an honour that I have said many times is just beyond something I could have ever imagined—to sit in this Legislature as the 1,947th member since Confederation, but I’ve had the honour of going to the Ontario Police College three times since I’ve been Solicitor General and, each time, to see the look in the eyes of the cadets graduating—and many members in this House can speak to graduates they knew from their community, from their own families. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see for yourself, to see the optimism in their eyes, to see the hope and promise that they bring to our public safety.

Madam Speaker, we’re in great hands with the people graduating. They believe in our province and in our future. Ils croient en notre province et en notre avenir.

Today’s announcement is about optimism. It’s about recognizing that our best days lie ahead, and inspired by our front-line heroes, let us share in that belief. Let us look boldly towards the future of Ontario—a safe future for Ontario for all.

I’ve said this before, but it’s a line that hits home for me, Madam Speaker—and I’ve said it here; absolutely I’ve said it here—our province is so big; it’s bigger than all of us; it’s more important than any one of us individually. Ontario was here long before us and those who may have settled here from our own families a long time ago, and it will be here long after us.

I encourage all members here in this House to support the legislation. Madam Speaker, let’s keep Ontario safe.

Point of order, the member for Thornhill.

It is an honour and a privilege to rise today and present this petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It reads as follows:

“Whereas the federal government is increasing the escalated carbon tax by 14% on April 1, 2023;

“Whereas carbon tax cost increase will put more pressure on consumers who are already struggling with inflation;

“Whereas we call on the federal government to stop the carbon tax, which is a tax hike that Ontarians and Canadians cannot afford;

“Whereas the government of Ontario is helping to reduce the cost of living by keeping taxes low, freezing and eliminating licence plate renewal fees and scrapping the requirement to have licence plate stickers for passenger vehicle, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds and building on these measures in Bill 85, Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023, the government continues to help Ontarians with the cost of living;

“Whereas we call on the Ontario government to urge the federal government to halt the carbon tax increase, that will raise the cost of everything;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To support the passage of Bill 85, Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023.”

I see signatures here, Speaker. I will also be adding my signature to this petition because I fully support this petition. I will be passing the petition over to page Kundanika, who will bring it to the table.

Il me fait plaisir de lire une pétition, qui a été signée par M^me Diane Bannister de Kapuskasing, intitulée « Soins de santé : pas à vendre.

« À l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« Alors que les Ontariennes et les Ontariens devraient obtenir des soins de santé en fonction de leurs besoins—et non de la taille de leur portefeuille;

« Alors que le premier ministre, Doug Ford, et la ministre de la Santé, Sylvia Jones, ont déclaré qu’ils prévoyaient privatiser certaines parties des soins de santé;

« Alors que la privatisation poussera les infirmières, les médecins et les PSSP hors de nos hôpitaux publics, aggravant ainsi la crise des soins de santé;

« Alors que la privatisation se termine toujours avec une facture pour les patients;

« Par conséquent, nous, soussignés, demandons à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario d’arrêter immédiatement tous les plans visant à privatiser davantage le système de soins de santé de l’Ontario et de résoudre la crise des soins de santé en :

« —abrogeant la loi 124 et recrutant, retenant et respectant les médecins, les infirmières et les PSSP avec de meilleurs salaires et conditions de travail;

« —certifiant les titres de compétences de dizaines de milliers d’infirmières et d’autres professionnels de la santé formés à l’étranger déjà en Ontario, qui attendent des années et paient des milliers de dollars pour être autorisés à travailler;

« —rendant l’éducation et la formation gratuites ou peu coûteuses pour les infirmières, les médecins et les autres professionnels de la santé;

« —incitant les médecins et les infirmières à choisir de vivre et travailler dans le nord de l’Ontario;

« —finançant les hôpitaux pour qu’ils aient suffisamment d’infirmières à chaque quart de travail, dans chaque département. »

Il me fait plaisir de signer cette pétition que je supporte et de la donner à Lazo pour qu’il l’amène à la table des greffiers.

This petition is titled “In Support of Ontario Getting More Boots on the Ground by Making it Easier to Recruit and Train Police Officers.

“To the Solicitor General:

“Whereas the government of Ontario is committed to ensuring the safety of Ontarians and Ontario communities; and

“Whereas the government of Ontario is committed to supporting our hard-working women and men in blue, who put their lives on the line every day, and police forces across the province of Ontario to keep our communities safe;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To support Bill 102 and ensure its passage to ensure the following:

“(1) Make it easier for police services across the province to recruit and train more police officers by removing tuition fees for the basic constable training program at the Ontario Police College (OPC) and immediately expand the number of recruits that can be trained each year;

“(2) To expand the basic constable training program at the Ontario Police College immediately to accommodate an additional 70 recruits per cohort from 480 to 550;

“(3) Starting in 2024 to expand the basic constable training program to four cohorts per year instead of three;

“(4) Additionally, to support recruitment efforts at a time when local police officers have signalled challenges in doing so to introduce legislation that, if passed, will eliminate the post-secondary education requirement to become a police officer as set out in the Community Safety and Policing Act and, if passed, this act would amend the CPSA to provide that a secondary school diploma or equivalent is sufficient education for the purposes of being appointed as a police officer; and

“(5) To make the elimination of the tuition fee for the basic constable training program at the Ontario Police College retroactive to January 1, 2023, and that recruits who paid for their 12-week basic constable training earlier this year to be reimbursed.”

I proudly affix my signature to this petition and I will be giving it to page Nicholas.

Point of order.

Mr. Kerzner moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 102, An Act to amend various Acts relating to the justice system, fire protection and prevention and animal welfare / Projet de loi 102, Loi modifiant diverses lois relatives au système judiciaire, à la prévention et à la protection contre l’incendie ainsi qu’au bien-être des animaux.

I’m pleased to stand in the House today for second reading of the Strengthening Safety and Modernizing Justice Act, 2023. If passed, the bill would introduce a suite of important new legislative changes to improve community safety and to build upon our previous efforts to transform the justice system.

But before I begin, I’d like to take a moment to thank my excellent colleague the Solicitor General along with his team and ministry staff, for introducing this important legislation as a bundle. I’d also like to thank the stakeholders and the justice partners whose input and perspectives have been key in the development of this bill.

The Solicitor General has spoken about the evolving nature of public safety and crime in Ontario, something we’re all very concerned with, and people’s expectations of how we do justice and how things are changing. They want to see a legal system that works better, that works the way they expect it to—fewer delays, fewer obstacles—but of course as much as we have in this bill, there is more to do and we’ll continue to work for more change.

The changes we’re proposing today, though, in addition to enhancing the safety of communities, will continue to drive this transformation with sensible and responsive legislative improvements. These changes will clarify processes in the courts and the way we deliver certain services.

I want to take a moment here to reflect on the idea of safe communities. When we speak about safe communities in Ontario, it applies to everyone, especially the most vulnerable of our community members. It includes those who are most affected by the root causes of violence and crime, such as victims and their family members. I would like to speak in more detail about one of our proposed changes.

If passed, the change would support survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault throughout their involvement with the justice system and help them feel safer during the very challenging process. Madam Speaker, it takes strength and it takes courage to confront intimate partner violence. There are devastating impacts to victims, families and their communities. In my work as Attorney General, I’ve met many victims and many survivors, as well as their loved ones and the front-line workers who support them. Some of these individuals have faced challenges in ensuring the courts understand the risks and warning signs of intimate partner violence and its after-effects.

Within this space, the federal government recently passed legislation enhancing the judicial education provisions under the Judges Act to encourage training on sexual assault for federally appointed judges.

Additionally, there is a private member’s bill, currently, passed unanimously by the House of Commons, and it’s in the Senate, referring to the need for judicial education on intimate partner violence and sexual assault. This bill was spearheaded by the mother and the stepfather—I’d like to introduce Dr. Kagan and her husband, Philip. Without them—I’m very emotional. This is a very, very important piece of the bill. In 2020, young Keira was found dead with her father following an access visit. It’s so important that we acknowledge this tragic story and take action.

That’s what we’re doing today. We’re taking action. We’re proposing changes to the Courts of Justice Act and the Justices of the Peace Act today. The changes, if passed, will support education and training on gender-based and intimate partner violence for provincially appointed judges and justices of the peace, and they would ensure a consistent approach to the way judges are educated about these types of violence and its impacts on their loved ones and their surrounding communities.

There are similar calls to action taking place close to home for some, closer to home for others.

In August 2019, Ontario’s chief coroner announced an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam. These three women were murdered by an individual whose name I will not mention—a former intimate partner—on September 22, 2015, in the great riding of my friend John Yakabuski. The scope of the coroner’s inquest addressed gender-based violence, intimate partner violence and femicide in rural communities, including police policies and practices as well as policies and practices in the justice system. On June 28, 2022, a total of 86 jury recommendations were presented. These included providing more trauma-informed training and education for all justice system employees who work with intimate partner violence survivors and perpetrators. As a government, we are taking time to carefully review and consider all recommendations in order to provide a whole-of-government response and to ensure meaningful steps can be identified and taken to address these important issues.

The changes we are proposing today are one of many steps forward. By enhancing judicial education about the nature and consequences of gender-based violence, we are continuing to build public trust in our justice system. And, in turn, these changes build upon the good work our government has done so far in developing programs and education to support victims and survivors as they seek access to justice and look for pathways to healing.

Aside from these changes, our work supporting victims of crime also includes promoting continued education for crown attorneys. My ministry’s criminal law division currently offers several courses for crowns during the summer, including a week-long intimate partner and family violence course. The division has also launched an intimate partner violence education page as part of its electronic library, to provide crowns with easy access to all related resources and information about legal developments.

There are also opportunities for continuing education, with a conference focusing on intimate partner and domestic violence every few years for crowns and victims across government. Among other issues, this conference focuses on the effective prosecution and management of IPV cases, and enhancing the support provided to IPV victims and survivors. The 2023 IPV co-leads conference will be held later this year and will focus on many of the training areas identified by the Renfrew county inquest jury recommendations.

Madam Speaker, I want to underscore here the type of education we are proposing as part of the legislation we are debating today. It will fall under the purview of the independence of the judiciary, but we will work with them and we will let them lead to a better outcome. And this must remain the case, given their independence. But I think we’ve struck a good balance with these changes. If passed, they will help victims and survivors have confidence and trust in the justice system while maintaining that crucial independence. We’ll continue to enhance victims services, training and supports through our Victim/Witness Assistance Program and through other programs that we maintain both within my ministry and in other ministries.

So, Madam Speaker, I just want to take a moment again to thank Dr. Kagan and her husband, Philip, for the great work they’ve done to make this possible. Thank you for your leadership.

Thank you. Merci. Meegwetch. I’ll now cede to the parliamentary assistant to the Solicitor General.