I rise today to recognize the outstanding work of Donald Halsey and Johnny Valencia from the Salvation Army chapter in Scarborough Centre.

The organization has been serving the community for over 50 years. Their leadership has been instrumental in providing critical services such as operating a homeless shelter, providing housing and support services; running a food bank to help assist the needy; counselling, job training, financial literacy; and the list goes on. They have a network of churches throughout the Scarborough community.

Their school meal program provides meals for children who may not have this regular access at home. Last year, 115,000 students received nutritious meals that helped them learn and thrive.

I want to acknowledge the staff and scores of volunteers for their hard work and dedication in making a positive impact in their community of Scarborough Centre.

It is a real shame in 2023 that we still lose loved ones because of weak enforcement of workplace health and safety regulations. But that is what happens every year—nearly 1,000 workers die from work-related injuries and illness, while others are injured or suffer from occupational diseases. This is why we gather on April 28—a day set aside to honour the memories of fallen workers—to raise awareness for those who suffer the consequences of work-related injuries and illness, and commit ourselves to do more. Across Canada, people will gather to express these common beliefs; that all workers deserve a safe work environment, and that we must learn from past tragedies. This is why we state clearly that we need more than promises from employers and government.

We gather to celebrate the Westray Bill C-45, but also to demand that it be enforced. We have to do this because every year too many workers are victims of work-related injuries, occupational diseases, and lose their lives on the job. Those numbers confirm that the law is not being sufficiently enforced.

It is clear that proactivity is central in the prevention of workplace injuries. Being vigilant to potential threat and holding companies accountable for their neglect are just two ways in which we can ensure workers are able to go home once their workday is over.

The member for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry.

Third reading debate deemed adjourned.

I’ll remind members: You have 90 seconds. I will be cutting you off after 90 seconds for your members’ statements.

I recognize the member for Scarborough Centre.

It’s my pleasure to participate in today’s third reading debate on Bill 60. I’d like to thank the member from Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston for sharing his time with me today.

Speaker, Ontario’s population is projected to increase by almost 15% over the next 10 years. The population of seniors aged 75 and older is expected to increase from 1.2 million to 1.8 million over the same period. We need to continue to grow our health care workforce to meet the needs of our growing population.

Last fall, our government began our work to develop the integrated capacity and health human resources plan for Ontario. We are analyzing current gaps in our system, anticipating needs over the next 10 years and determining solutions to address growing needs in health care. Unlike previous governments, our plan will focus on how to meet this demand through investments, health human resources and innovative solutions.

This year, we are building on this work and shifting our focus to working directly with leaders in our health care system on a workforce plan that includes where to prioritize current and future resources, addressing minimizing system gaps and building a strong health care system for the long term. We will also look at specific strategies for increasing the number of health care professionals, starting with physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered practical nurses and medical laboratory technologists.

We’ll also look at the retention of our health care workforce through incentives, leveraging programs like the Learn and Stay program. We will ensure we have a greater understanding of each community and their needs, and that we have a plan to recruit and retain the health care workers needed, including family doctors, nurses, specialists and other health providers. We will prioritize areas most in need, like rural and remote communities, where gaps already exist. This plan will incorporate the lessons learned from COVID-19 and ensure we are prepared and equipped to meet the health care needs of Ontarians for years to come.

Speaker, that’s why this legislation is so important to the people of Ontario—it builds a framework to ensure that care will be available when and where people need it across the whole province. With that framework come historic investments in new hospitals and adding more beds. Since 2018, we’ve added 3,500 more hospital beds. But we aren’t stopping there. We’re moving quickly to expand and modernize Ontario’s hospitals, to ensure you are able to connect to quality care, when and where you need it.

Our investments over the next 10 years will lead to $40 billion in health infrastructure across the province. These investments will increase the number of people hospitals can care for, build new health care facilities, and renew existing hospitals and community health centres. As of the end of 2022, we have already approved 50 hospital development projects that will create more than 3,000 new hospital beds in communities across the province by 2032. We are also investing $182 million this year to support vital repairs, maintenance and upgrades to Ontario’s hospitals. New and redeveloped hospitals with more space to care for patients will ultimately lead to shorter wait times and less hallway health care.

To staff these new, upgraded facilities, we’re launching the largest health care recruiting initiative in our province’s history. Ontario has the most dedicated and highly trained health workforce in the world. They step up day in and day out to keep you and I and communities across the province safe and healthy. We’ve made significant progress recently to increase the number of health care workers available to provide care and support. Together, we’ve come so far. Over 60,000 new nurses and nearly 8,000 new doctors—

I was able to listen to Jillian Lynch address the crowd. Jillian is here today, and she is a young professional who is unstoppable in her drive to help others. Jillian is the example of selflessness and strength. She grew up with her family not far from where I live in St. Andrews West, along with her brother Myles, who had a lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis. Myles Lynch was the first Canadian to successfully undergo three double lung transplants at SickKids here in Toronto.

Myles tragically passed away on December 31, 2021, after bravely living life to the fullest. In the months before his passing, Myles had told Jillian to chase after every dream without hesitation.

Jillian has been committed to sharing Myles’s story and giving back to the institutions that helped Myles and her family.

Jillian is chasing dreams and changing the world. This young lady has quite the impressive résumé. Hopefully, Speaker, I’ll have enough time to share some of her accomplishments. Jillian has become a sought-after public speaker for the non-profits that had supported her family. Jillian has delivered speeches for the SickKids Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Federated Health Charities of Canada, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Jillian delivered 178 presentations for the Heart and Stroke Foundation within four months to companies across Toronto, raising $1.6 million. Jillian also dedicated cycling across Canada to raise funds for SickKids in Toronto. She was recognized as a top 30 change-maker under 30.

I know your community is proud of your work, Jillian. I have no doubt your parents are proud of your drive and determination. Myles would be quite proud of the accomplishments and advocacy, Jillian. Keep up the amazing work.

Housing is a human right, but in Ontario, things have gone terribly wrong. There isn’t enough actual affordable housing across communities. This government isn’t building it, and it isn’t supporting low-income tenants.

Lately we’ve been hearing about slumlords who aren’t maintaining units. They’re allowing mould to fester. They’re not fixing appliances. They’re not turning the heat on. We know of abuse of the landlord’s-own-use evictions, where landlords have been caught lying, trying to evict tenants. There’s rampant discrimination in applying for housing. Many landlords are not accepting folks on ODSP, new Canadians, or racialized people.

Recently, I met with folks on Ontario Works who need better protections from slumlords. They told me that instead of first and last months’ rent being required now, they’re being asked for four months or more to even compete for a spot.

People who are sharing a room have zero protections, because they aren’t technically tenants. So when they answer an ad and are forced to pay $800 a month for a room and then move in and find another person, a stranger, paying the same amount for the other half of the room, there’s nothing they can do and there’s nowhere for them to go.

The human trafficking coalition in Durham recently flagged that a new danger is accommodation ads targeting vulnerable, unhoused women. Ads for a bedroom rental in a house or apartment often look safe and renovated. However, many of these addresses aren’t even residential, but a young girl looking for a safe place to live doesn’t know that, and predators are counting on it.

Ugly things are happening in Ontario. Home is supposed to be a safe place, and in Ontario, this government is turning its back on low-income and underserved Ontarians. Just because this government pretends it isn’t happening doesn’t mean it isn’t.

Do better. These are people’s lives.

Earlier this week, in question period, I raised the issue of wait times for breast cancer surgery at the Ottawa Hospital. I told the story of Lisa, whose wait was so long she was forced to travel to a private clinic in Montreal and pay $50,000 for life-saving surgery.

Lisa is not the only woman who has suffered as a result of unconscionable wait times at the Ottawa Hospital.

Christine MacMillan of Ottawa was stunned when her surgeon suggested that she go private. She said the wait “was torture.”

Gail Kelpin said that two surgeons suggested she consider a private clinic for surgery, and because she travels for work, one surgeon suggested that she may have to go to another country.

How is it that at the Ottawa Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Ontario, only 13% of women are getting their breast cancer surgeries within the safe recommended time? At the Civic campus, it’s not much better: 29%. And for gynecological cancers at the same hospital, it’s 30%.

There’s a reason that Ontario started measuring wait times in 2007: It was to prevent this from happening.

The hospital, the ministry, the minister, and the Premier have failed these women and their families.

There needs to be action now so that these women can get the care they need and deserve.

Speaker, today I rise, honoured to represent the people of Ajax. Over the last week, I had the privilege of touring two exceptional community care organizations in my riding, which I would like to share with you. The first one is SE Health, an organization providing exceptional health care services for over a century, with more than 8,000 employees nationwide, including nearly 1,000 health care workers in Ajax and its surrounding areas. SE Health delivers over 20,000 home care visits per week to Ajax and its surrounding communities. During my tour, I had the pleasure of meeting with Kyle the manager, and I would like to extend my gratitude to him and the entire SE team for their dedication to our community. I’d also like to thank the patients who shared their stories of satisfaction and the difference their care has made outside of the hospitals.

The second organization I had the pleasure of visiting was Carea Community Health Centre, where I was joined by my colleague PA Dawn Gallagher Murphy. This registered charity offers free community services and programs, such as health promotion and wellness programs, counselling, primary care, and education. I was particularly impressed by their recent event Taking Black Our Health, which focused on advancing health equity in Durham.

I’d like to take a moment to extend my sincere gratitude to SE Health and Carea health for the exceptional work they do in our community. Your commitment to high-quality health care services and programs is truly commendable. The dedication of your staff—

Being a Heart Lake boy, Professor’s Lake was a neighbourhood in my riding that I honestly wasn’t that familiar with until I sought public office. Since deciding to run, I set out to get to know the neighbourhood as best I can, and I was thrilled when the residents’ association invited myself and local councillor Rod Power to host an Earth Day barbecue and litter pick-up. The weather didn’t co-operate, Madam Speaker, but I’ve never been part of a group that was so happy, literally lining up to get pickers in the rain, to go out and pick up garbage and clean the neighbourhood. We had about 70 people out at once picking up litter and had around 150 attendees for the barbecue, total.

I’d like to thank wards 7 and 8 Brampton city councillor Rod Power, the Professor’s Lake Residents’ Association, Peel paramedics, Peel police, Brampton fire, the Brampton Honey Badgers, EnRoute 2 Success, Bramalea Boxing Club, Starbucks, Maple Leaf Foods, Enbridge, Boys and Girls Club of Brampton, Young Bosses, and Coca-Cola for all coming out to support the event.

Professor’s Lake is a heck of a neighbourhood, and it’s even prettier today because of the community getting together to clean up the neighbourhood.

I want to thank everybody for coming out on Sunday. It was a great time.

May 1, 2023, marks National Physicians’ Day in Canada and Doctors’ Day in Ontario.

In the trying times of 2020, when COVID-19 has struck the world at large, we see how dedicatedly and selflessly the doctors all around the world have served the people at large and emerged as true heroes. They haven’t thought about their health, family, personal issues, but worked around the clock to help and heal.

I’m pleased to rise today to express my gratitude and appreciation to all Ontario physicians for the critical and life-saving services they perform daily.

Our government continues to support our physicians by accelerating efforts to build up the province’s health care workforce. We’re investing over $100 million to expand and accelerate the rollout of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

Our physicians work around the clock, sacrificing precious time away from their loved ones, facing burnout, putting themselves at risk to protect the health and well-being of Ontarians.

Thank you for your service.

On behalf of my family, my constituents and my caucus colleagues, I want to express my most sincere appreciation to the Ontario Medical Association and thanks to our province’s 31,500 practising physicians and 1,900 medical students.

Thank you for the care you provide in an abnormal and extraordinary time. You are true representatives of Ontario spirit.

Members’ statements?

This week being National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, I’d like to welcome Jillian Lynch to the House today. Her brother was the first to have three double lung transplants here at SickKids in Toronto.

I would like to welcome all the members of Save Minden Ontario Emergency Room who are here today, including Laura and Patrick Porzuczek, Richard Bradley, and many more.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to recognize my friend and former colleague on Ottawa city council—and newly engaged: Michael Qaqish, from Algonquin College.

I recognize the member for Kitchener–Conestoga on a point of order.

Interjection: Good luck, Speaker. Good luck.

Laughter.

I know it may not be a valid point of order, but I did want to congratulate you. To my recollection, you are the first female to preside over the entirety of question period here this morning. Congratulations.

Applause.

I’m delighted to introduce three amazing individuals from York Centre who believe in our province and in our future: Mr. Howard Paskowitz, Mr. Joshua Kaufman, and Mr. Amir Roizman.

Welcome to the Legislature of Ontario.

I’d like to welcome my friend Ryan Jordecska to the House today.

Welcome to the people’s House.

It’s my honour to introduce Michael Sud, formerly with the NDP Western university club. Michael is studying law and hopefully business, as well.

Welcome to Queen’s Park, Michael.