Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to take a moment to wish the Minister of Red Tape Reduction a very happy birthday.

I just wanted to introduce a very special person from the city of Ottawa. A 21-year veteran of the Ottawa Police Service, deputy police chief Steve Bell, has joined us here in the Ontario Legislature today. Welcome.

Thank you, Speaker. I would like to welcome Lorne Brooker, host of the Lorne Brooker Show on 800 CJBQ, and his very capable assistant, Jim Gibbs. I thank all of the members of the Legislature who joined us for his broadcast this morning in the government House leader’s office. And thank you to the government House leader for letting us use your boardroom this morning.

My question is for Ontario’s Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity.

Women entrepreneurs are an integral part of Ontario’s economy, accounting for nearly 20% of all small and medium-sized businesses in Ontario—and I’m very proud to consider that my mother, Lesley, is one of that 20%. Speaker, 20% is a big number, but I think all members of the House could agree that that number could be quite a bit higher.

The reality is that women continue to encounter social and economic barriers when it comes to starting and growing their businesses. While recent numbers show that there is an increase in overall employment for women, more must be done to increase opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

Could the minister please explain what actions our government is taking to unlock even more economic opportunities for women?

There are over 370,000 jobs that are going unfilled in the skilled trades today, with one in three journeypersons over the age of 55, and many of them are heading towards retirement. Over the next decade, Ontario will need 100,000 workers in the construction sector alone to meet this growing demand.

The unfortunate reality is that women currently account for only 5% of the skilled trades workforce. Our government must act now to ensure that we address the labour shortage and help more women to pursue these in-demand, rewarding and well-paying careers.

Building a stronger Ontario means that we need more workers to help grow our businesses, our communities, and our economy.

Could the minister please explain how our government is expanding opportunities for women to pursue careers in the skilled trades?

Mr. Speaker, I wish to remind everybody about the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs reception that’s happening in rooms 228 and 230 just following these proceedings.

It’s so encouraging to hear the grant application process is now open. This is welcome news to my constituents and for communities across Ontario. Financial supports available through this grant program are a positive step in building up this precious workforce. However, there are some regions in our province still in need of health care professionals, and that’s more urgent. It’s up to our government to implement solutions to respond to local health care needs.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how investments made by our government into the Learn and Stay grant will benefit communities that are currently underserved?

This bill, which was first introduced by my predecessor, the former MPP for Kingston and the Islands, Sophie Kiwala, and also introduced by the former Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, requires boards of education to develop policies and guidelines with respect to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, FASD. Teachers’ colleges and early childhood education programs shall be required to provide training with respect to FASD.

Ms. Bowman moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr22, An Act to revive League Technique Inc.

I want to thank my constituents who’ve been collecting these petitions at the Guelph Farmers’ Market. It’s a petition to protect the greenbelt.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Premier has persistently promised over the past four years not to develop the greenbelt; and

“Whereas the Premier has plans to build the Highway 413 that would pave over 400 acres of the greenbelt, and over 2,000 acres of class 1 and class 2 farmland; and

“Whereas the government refuses to repeal Bill 23 and halt their destructive pro-sprawl agenda; and

“Whereas the government now has plans to open up over 7,400 acres of the greenbelt to pro-sprawl developers;

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

“To instruct the Ontario government to immediately halt all plans to develop the greenbelt and commit to cancelling Highway 413, and to instead invest in livable and affordable communities connected by transit that protect the nature that protects us, the farmland that feeds us and mitigates climate pollution.”

I support this petition, will sign it and ask page Sophie to bring it to the table.

I want to thank the students at the McMaster faculty of social sciences for this petition to raise social assistance rates.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and $1,227 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);

“Whereas the recent small increase of 5% for ODSP still leaves these citizens below the poverty line, both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to survive at this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its CERB program that a ‘basic income’ of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I will affix my signature and send it to the Clerk.

I have a petition here.

“To Raise Social Assistance Rates.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and $1,227 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);

“Whereas the recent small budget increase of 5% for ODSP still leaves these citizens below the poverty line, both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to live in this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its CERB program that a ‘basic income’ of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I agree with this petition, will affix my name and give it to page Mackenzie to bring to the table.

It’s my honour to present the following petition. It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services board of directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, announced the permanent closure of the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, effective June 1, 2023;

“We, the undersigned, petition that a moratorium of this decision be implemented by the Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care immediately for a period of a minimum of one year to allow for consultations with all affected stakeholders to occur.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and deliver it with page Senna to the Clerks.

I’m very pleased, as the critic for infrastructure for the party, to read this petition.

“911 Everywhere in Ontario.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas when we face an emergency we all know to dial 911 for help; and

“Whereas access to emergency services through 911 is not available in all regions of Ontario but most Ontarians believe that it is; and

“Whereas many Ontarians have discovered that 911 was not available while they faced an emergency; and

“Whereas all Ontarians expect and deserve access to 911 service, throughout our province;

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

“To provide 911 emergency response everywhere in Ontario by land line or cellphone.”

Of course, I support this petition. I will affix my signature and send it to the table with Akshitha.

This petition is entitled “Protect the Greenbelt: Repeal Bill 23.” I want to thank the people from Kitchener and Elmira for collecting the signatures.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Bill 23 will remove protected land from the greenbelt, allowing wealthy developers to profit by bulldozing over 7,000 acres of farmland;

“Whereas green spaces and farmland are what we rely on to grow food, support natural habitats, prevent flooding, and mitigate future climate disasters;

“Whereas Ontario loses” 319 “acres of farmland daily to development;

“Whereas the government’s Housing Affordability Task Force found there are plenty of places to build homes without destroying the greenbelt, showcasing that Bill 23 was never about housing but about making the rich richer;

“Whereas the power of conservation authorities will be taken away, weakening environmental protections, and preventing future development;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately repeal Bill 23, stop all plans to further remove protected land from the greenbelt....”

I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and give it to page Leonard.

Further debate?

J’aimerais remercier Andréane Chénier de Hanmer 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 ... 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 » dans « le rapport du groupe de travail sur la pénurie des enseignantes et des enseignants dans le système d’éducation en langue française ... et de travailler avec des partenaires pour mettre pleinement en oeuvre » ces « recommandations. »

J’appuie cette pétition, monsieur le Président. J’affixe mon nom et je demande à Dominic de l’amener à la table des greffiers.

Resuming the debate adjourned on May 17, 2023, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 85, An Act to implement Budget measures and to amend various statutes / Projet de loi 85, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre les mesures budgétaires et à modifier diverses lois.

I rise today in support of the Building a Strong Ontario Act and to speak to our government’s plan to navigate these uncertain times and help people and businesses.

I want to talk to you today about something that affects my constituents of Carleton: economic uncertainty. My constituents, every day, are facing the cost-of-living pressures due to high inflation, interest rates and supply chain disruptions. Understandably, families, workers and businesses in Carleton are feeling the pinch and looking to the government for help. And that’s precisely what we’re doing.

We’ve developed a plan called Building a Strong Ontario that’s responsible, targeted and designed to help people and businesses today while creating a solid fiscal foundation for future generations. And the good news is that this plan is already showing results. Our population is growing, jobs are being created, and we’re attracting manufacturing investments. In fact, Ontario’s population has surpassed 15 million people, with 275,000 more people moving here yearly. This growth is helping to strengthen my riding of Carleton, and that benefits families, workers, businesses and public services. And it’s allowing all of Ontario to remain resilient during economic uncertainty. Our plan is focused on building up and investing in Ontario’s economy for the future with the infrastructure needed to support growth across the province.

Our government is training workers for future jobs, keeping costs down today, and providing better services for the people of Ontario and their families. One example of this in my riding is the investment in hospice care, with over $3 million going towards the Ronald McDonald House in Ottawa. This expansion will more than double the capacity of Ronald McDonald House from 55,000 stays to 115,000 overnight stays per year for families with children being treated at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

And as a part of our effort to establish a more interconnected and convenient health care system, we have undertaken an exceedingly ambitious initiative for hospital expansion in Ontario. Over the next decade, we will invest more than $48 billion in hospital infrastructure, which encompasses over $32 billion in hospital capital grants.

Notably, the Queensway Carleton Hospital mental health redevelopment project already achieved significant milestones, including the completion of construction in December 2022. This development incorporates two additional acute mental health beds and an expansion of mental health and addiction programs and services. This was much needed. I recall visiting the centre and doing a tour and speaking with those front-line health care workers who were providing services to patients in that facility, and this is welcome news for them. The remaining renovations are expected to be finalized by November 2023, leading to positive outcomes for my constituents in Carleton and the entire Ottawa and eastern Ontario region.

I am pleased to discuss our province’s commitment to improving Ontario’s transportation infrastructure. Our government has pledged $27.9 billion over the next decade to enhance connectivity, reduce traffic congestion and facilitate the movement of goods and people throughout the province. Through the Ontario highways program, over 600 expansion and renovation initiatives are either currently under way or are slated for completion within the next four years. Additionally, we are widening existing highways to boost capacity and enhance traveller safety.

Madam Speaker, I’m particularly thrilled about the ongoing and future projects that will benefit the residents of Carleton. Recently, the rehabilitation and replacement of bridges at Innes Road and Ramsayville Road were completed as part of the Highway 417 project in Ottawa. Furthermore, we’re committed to finishing the widening of a 22.5-kilometre stretch of Highway 17 from Arnprior to Renfrew, which will be a significant boon to both Ottawa and eastern Ontario.

It’s a well-known fact that small businesses and entrepreneurs are the driving force of our province. For this reason, our government is backing regional innovation centre hubs. These hubs play a crucial role in aiding entrepreneurship by working with other regional innovation centres and organizers to provide entrepreneurs with the necessary resources to launch and sustain their businesses. Our government is committed to supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs, and this budget demonstrates that commitment.

All of these investments in my riding of Carleton and across the Ottawa region mean more well-paying jobs, and more well-paying jobs grow our economy. But don’t take my word for it, Madam Speaker; just listen to what the president and CEO of Invest Ottawa, Michael Tremblay, said about the government’s proposed budget:

“This government budget firmly secures the key role we play in our community and Ontario, enabling us to serve more high-growth entrepreneurs and companies that fuel our economy. It will help us to achieve an even greater economic impact and ensure that innovative businesses in Ottawa continue to grow and succeed today and for years to come. We are very grateful to the government of Ontario for this critical investment in our community.”

Christine Hardy, the CEO of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Ottawa, has said, “Receiving this incredible $3.1 million grant from the government of Ontario will enable our Ronald McDonald House in Ottawa to officially break ground this year and get started on a much-needed expansion of 22 more bedrooms. We have been operating since 1984 with just 14 bedrooms, we are always at full capacity, and desperately need to grow to reflect the diverse needs of the communities we serve and to reduce our wait-list. When families stay at the house it is because their child is receiving urgent critical medical care far from home, often for months and in some cases years at a time. It is my honour to speak on behalf of all Ronald McDonald House Ottawa-region families with sick children when I say thank you—having this kind of recognition from the government of Ontario is truly helping us make room for all families.”

Madam Speaker, I’ve had the honour and the privilege of visiting the Ronald McDonald House in Ottawa twice. The most recent time was just this past year. I spoke with Christine Hardy, and this is one of the things we spoke about. To see our government taking this feedback, to see our government listening to local MPPs—when I do these tours and I go back to the Premier and the ministers and I say, “This is what the community needs in the Ottawa area,” for this $3.1-million investment in Ronald McDonald House in Ottawa to be specifically in the budget is a testament to our government’s commitment to serving the people of Ontario.

Christine Hardy said thank you to our government. Madam Speaker, I also say thank you to our government for finally listening to the needs of the people of Ottawa and the people in eastern Ontario.

Madam Speaker, as we continue to grow our economy and create more jobs, we have to tackle the labour shortage that’s facing every community in Ontario, including in my riding of Carleton. In order to develop a strong workforce that can meet the demands of today and tomorrow’s job market, our government is investing significant resources. We’ll be investing an additional $75 million over the next three years in our Skills Development Fund. Additionally, we’re allocating an extra $224 million to expand training centres and leverage private sector expertise, including union-led training halls. This will allow us to train and retain skilled workers in high-demand fields.

Madam Speaker, I see my time is running short, so I just want to end my speech by saying that I’m pleased to support our government’s budget. I urge all members to join me in getting it done for the people of Ontario. The people of Ontario will always be able to rely on this government and this Premier to have their backs, and we will continue to do so, because that’s why they voted for us, that’s what they count on us for, and that’s what we will continue to do.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the process popularly known as declawing is actually an amputation, that is the equivalent of cutting off a human’s fingers from the knuckle up;

“Whereas the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association considers declawing to be an unnecessary cosmetic procedure;

“Whereas research has shown that declawing a cat significantly reduces a cat’s quality of life and leads to behavioural and health problems;

“Whereas declawing eliminates a cat’s ability defend itself when in danger; and

“Whereas the process is considered to be inhumane and is banned in more than 40 countries;

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

“To ban the unnecessary and inhumane procedure known as declawing in the province of Ontario.”

I will affix my signature to this and give it to Claire to bring to the table.

Thank you to the member from Carleton for her presentation. I really appreciate how you speak with people in your community and the feedback that you are receiving from your community members.

As you know, the Minister of Finance has mentioned, or told this House about, our 2023 budget, which strikes the right balance. We know that education and health care are the biggest, how shall we say—that’s where most of our funding goes, to both health care and education. My question to the member is, why is it so important to invest in these two areas, and what feedback have you received from your community members, maybe on the increase in the mental health spending that we’re doing?

Madam Speaker, through you, I would like to thank the member for his question.

To ensure that more seniors who need financial help receive it, our government is proposing to make changes to expand the eligibility for GAINS, which is the Guaranteed Annual Income System for seniors. Starting in July 2024, it would see about 100,000 more low-income seniors receive payment, with a 50% increase in recipients.

Madam Speaker, we’re also building more long-term-care beds, and we’re also making sure that seniors are protected at home. For example, we’re investing in community paramedicine: more than $174 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to continue the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care Program.

Our government is investing in seniors, and we will continue to support those people who helped us to build Ontario.

You know, Madam Speaker, when I think about public education, I think about my story My parents immigrated to Canada when I was a year old. They came here to escape a fascist dictatorship, and they came to Canada because they wanted to have an opportunity to raise their one-year-old daughter in a free and democratic society. When they came to Canada, they had two suitcases, $50 in their pocket and a one-year-old daughter, me. Back in 1986, their first night in Canada, they had rented an apartment. The apartment was barren—it was empty, because they had just arrived—and so my dad tells me that their first night in Canada, they slept on newspapers and I was sleeping in my parents’ jackets.

Now, 37 years later, here I am, a politician in the provincial Legislature of Ontario, and that’s because of our public education system, Madam Speaker. I am a product of the public education system. That is why—