Thank you to the member for the question.

Bill 71 was passed last week to increase the efficiency of the mining industry in Ontario. This is imperative if we want to remain a globally competitive jurisdiction. The opposition voted no to this bill even though they know that the minerals in EVs are getting sourced from China, Russia and the Congo—places that do not share our world-class social, environmental and governance standards.

Speaker, instead of supporting a made-in-Ontario supply chain for critical minerals that will create jobs, reduce the reliance on nations like these, and strengthen our economy, the opposition said no. I guess they are satisfied with things the way they are right now; on this side of the House, we are not. That is why we are doing everything in our power to seize the generational opportunity that is the global need for critical minerals.

Our government—

Speaker, in my riding of Timmins, after 33 years of the party of no, the people had enough. They had enough of the lack of action and the neglect to the mining sector, which is essential to northern communities like Timmins.

Thankfully, our government, under Premier Ford’s leadership, is prioritizing sectors that are important to the north by investing through our Critical Minerals Strategy. We invested $35 million in our Ontario Junior Exploration Program to find the mines of the future, but of course, the NDP voted no. The NDP voted against incentives that helped Ontario regain the top spot in Canada for exploration investments in 2022, totalling $989 million.

It is irresponsible that NDP members from northern ridings and mining hubs are voting against exploration investments and against Bill 71, but we have come to expect that from the party of no. They are neglecting the livelihoods of their constituents—