The Northern Policy Institute and Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association each opened their recent events with an address by Anishinaabeg Elder Marlene Pierre. Dr. Pierre spoke of our responsibilities as leaders to respect the land, respect our roles as treaty partners and build right relations amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. These are two major northwestern Ontario organizations putting their commitment to build right relations front and centre.

Unfortunately, last week, we witnessed a much older, discredited approach to relations with First Nations. Every single First Nation in Ontario strongly objected to the building mines faster act, yet the Ford government pushed it through anyway, claiming they know better than First Nations peoples themselves what is good for them. But isn’t this the same attitude that led to the violent removal of children from their families and the deaths of so many children at residential schools? And hasn’t the Conservative government thus guaranteed years of business instability and conflict?

By taking the time to build good relations, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, the town of Marathon and Generation Mining have shown the way to creating mutually beneficial projects that protect the land, water and traditional economies and guarantee land remediation. Bulldozer politics will always lead to conflict, but if we put building right relations first, good jobs and a protected environment are possible.

Meegwetch. Merci. Thank you.

I thank the member opposite for his remarks. The member used the word “investment,” and I agree with that investment. Certainly, this government agrees with that approach. That’s why the Ministry of Economic Development has been so incredibly active in all the investment opportunities here in Ontario—$25 billion in the electric vehicle industry.

You mentioned investment in terms of numbers, and I come back to one of my favourite pages in the budget, page 139, where we look at health care spending, which increases $15.3 billion over the next three years from the previous, including $1 billion extra in home care, with education increasing as well. Wouldn’t the member agree that those are very substantial investments in health care and in Ontario?

Members, 16 days ago, on May 1, it was moving day in Owen Sound. As MPP during the past year, and for Bill Walker, our great past member, we’ve been at 9th Street and 1st Avenue West in downtown Owen Sound. It has been a great location for the office, as Owen Sound is the geographic centre of our big riding, which goes up to Tobermory in the north and down to Hanover and Dundalk in the south—as members know, of course, Dundalk is the bee-swallowing capital of Ontario.

The office has now moved to the Greystone, a newly renovated building on 8th Street, also in downtown Owen Sound. It has a great layout and lots of parking. I say this not only to let you know, because you’re all welcome to visit, but more importantly, to acknowledge and thank the great team who made it happen. Moving, whether it’s your home or your office, is a big load of hard work. In this case, with the newly renovated space, it went from planning and managing the layout, to technology and safety support, and then to the move itself. Happily, everything made it in one piece.

I want to sincerely thank Karen MacInnis, Lisa LaPierre and Julie Blake, the great Owen Sound team for all your hard work in getting it done and for the great support of Anetes Anton here in Toronto.

Colleagues, this is just one example of all the hard work our teams do to help us in our jobs. Whether it’s moving, answering calls or managing issues, we are all lucky to have this great support. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

Many times over the last five years, I have referred to my riding as God’s country, and for good reason. We have so much to offer, not only to the province of Ontario but all of Canada, not the least of which is the sweet maple syrup that we produce.

In my opinion, some of the best maple syrup in all of Canada comes from the townships that surround the city of Peterborough. And Speaker, my team and I have decided that we should be celebrating all that great maple syrup. Just last Saturday, we held our first pancake breakfast in Apsley, featuring maple syrup from North Kawartha. This Saturday, we’ll be at the Isabel Morris Park in Lakefield for our next free pancake breakfast, where residents can sample that sweet breakfast nectar from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. On Saturday, May 27, we’ll be at the Curve Lake community centre serving up pancakes and maple syrup. And then on Sunday, May 28, we take our pancake road show down Highway 7 to Havelock, where you can sample syrup from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at the Havelock Lions centre, also known as the Havelock arena. We’ll wrap things up on Saturday, June 10, in my home township of Douro-Dummer at the Warsaw arena, from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.

I’d like to invite everyone to come on out to one of our pancake breakfasts to sample the great nectar from eight different local producers.

I rise today on behalf of Ontarians living in rural communities, who lag behind provincial averages in quality of health and health care. Across Ontario, we have seen a real problem, intensified by COVID-19, such as a shortage of nurses, family doctors and other health care workers. We’ve seen the toll it has taken on people’s faith in Ontario’s health care system.

To see the Minden hospital shut its doors is just another example of this Conservative government’s health care crisis. Closed emergency facilities and an absence of medical support services are a reality through many of our rural communities.

Dr. Paul Zalan recently wrote in Minden’s newspaper, The Highlander, “Closing an emergency department causes more than inconvenience. In case of a stroke, heart attack, embolism ... every minute counts. Interceding quickly is crucial for recovery. Delay results in death or permanent disability.”

Outraged by the lack of planning and consultation, residents brought a petition calling for a moratorium on the closure, with over 17,000 signatures.

As the summer season begins, Minden’s population triples, with cottagers, kids attending camp and other tourists. The new Haliburton plan has not yet filled its doctor shifts for the summer, while the Minden hospital had its schedule filled until September 2023. Community members are seeking full transparency on the decision-making process and access to the transition plan. They need to know the impact of closing the hospital on vulnerable populations, health care staff and regional growth.

If this government cannot keep Minden hospital open, it’s a signal that they have given up on rural health care. The people of Ontario—

I would like to highlight the noble work of the Mukti Foundation in Brampton, an organization founded and lead by seniors whose main goal is helping grieving families move on with respect and dignity. This organization strives to help reduce the stress these families face with the loss of a loved one by helping to alleviate the financial burden.

Each time a member unfortunately passes away, the organization collects a matching donation amount from each member, and these funds are put towards the funeral and commission costs. Their goal is to ensure that every member is honored and remembered with respect, empathy and kindness, and that their loved ones are supported throughout the grieving process.

Speaker, great community-led initiatives like the Mukti Foundation are truly inspirational, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to the founders.

This past week, I had the privilege of attending the York Regional Police Appreciation Night, where our community gathered to honour and recognize their outstanding contributions. I have a personal connection to law enforcement, as I proudly served as a member of the York Regional Police Services Board in 2005.

While we celebrated their accomplishments, our joy was overshadowed by the devastating news of the tragic loss of OPP Sergeant Eric Mueller. At only 42 years old and a father of two, he was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance. Our hearts go out to his grieving family, as well as to the two other OPP officers who were injured in the ambush. We will never forget their bravery and sacrifice.

In expressing our gratitude, we must not forget the invaluable support provided by the families and loved ones of our officers. They understand the challenges and uncertainties that come with this profession.

As we observe Ontario Police Week from May 14 to May 20, let us focus on raising awareness and recognizing the exceptional work of our police services. May God bless and protect them as they continue their noble service to this great province.

That concludes our members’ statements for this morning.

Member for Waterloo.

I too would like to welcome my friend and mentor Cindy Forster to the Legislature today, as well as the parents of my page, Randall Marsh, Scott and Deanna Marsh, as well as Laken and Marilyn are here today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I would also like to welcome CIJA to the House today and thank my friends Noah Tepperman and Jeff Arbus for our meeting this morning.

I would be remiss not to also welcome my dearest friend Cindy Forster back to Queen’s Park.

On behalf of the official opposition, I want to welcome guests from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, who are here today for their annual advocacy. Welcome to Queen’s Park. I look forward to seeing you at your noon reception.

Liberals and Conservatives always say that the whole point of public-private partnerships is supposedly to avoid cost overruns and risks to the public, but the Eglinton Crosstown P3 has been a total fiasco for the public, for small businesses, for Ontario.

How much more will the public be forced to pay before this government accepts that P3s are riskier, take longer and cost more than publicly procured projects?

In her 2018 report, the Auditor General said Metrolinx should not have paid Crosslinx $237 million to settle its first lawsuit. But Metrolinx did pay. Then Crosslinx sued again. And Metrolinx paid again. And, now, Crosslinx has sued again. Not only that, the P3 project has been delayed until 2024 at the earliest.

Back to the Premier: How many lawsuits and how many delays will it take before this government abandons its costly and risky obsession with P3s?

I would like to take the opportunity to welcome my new legislative assistant, Caleb Samuels. He’s in the gallery today. He volunteered with me in 2018 and 2022, and he was part-time with us in the office. He just graduated last month, and I welcome him to Queen’s Park.

In addition to welcoming Cindy Forster to Queen’s Park today, we also want to wish her a happy birthday.

From my riding of Burlington, I’d like to introduce Johanna Chevalier. With Johanna today are Meera Mahadeo, Victoria Sewell, Shawn Cruz and Jignasha Gohil.

Also joining us today in the members’ gallery from the Halton Regional Police Service are Constables Robert Del Villar and Kevin Bochsler.

Let me say to the Leader of the Opposition we share her frustration with the delays with the Eglinton Crosstown. The litigation that was announced yesterday is another delay tactic by CTS, which is completely unacceptable.

People who live along Eglinton and businesses who are there have suffered greatly. But our government is focused on making sure the Eglinton Crosstown opens as quickly as possible but when it opens, that it is safe for transit riders.

Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker: Our government has been looking out for taxpayers since day one. That’s why when we brought forward our plans for subways for the GTA, we introduced legislation, the Building Transit Faster Act, to make sure we can get shovels in the ground faster, which reduces delays and also helps control costs. But the Leader of the Opposition and her party voted against our plan. They voted against building transit faster. We’re going to get it done for the people of Ontario, and we’re going to stand up for transit riders and taxpayers.

I would like to welcome Dr. Ailya Patel from the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors; as well as Dr. Jessica Carfagnini, who practises in Thunder Bay; and Dr. Shawn Yakimovich. Welcome to your House.

I want to follow the Leader of the Opposition in welcoming the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs to Queen’s Park today. There will be a reception in room 228 immediately after question period. I want to acknowledge the chair, my friend Barbara Bank; Noah Shack, the vice president; and Zehavi Zynoberg, the director of government relations, and also two amazing Ontarians who will be joining us at the reception, great philanthropists Rochelle Zubcov and her husband Mark Albert.

I, too, would like to welcome the members of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs to Queen’s Park today. I appreciate your great counsel. I’m looking forward to our meeting.

I also just realized that page Frederick Funk’s parents, Justin and Elisha, are in the gallery, from Guelph, as well. Welcome to Queen’s Park.