Speaker, I’ve got a petition here.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas police provide protection to some of the most vulnerable members of our society; and

“The provincial government has launched the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy; and

“The 2023-24 budget commits an additional $13.4 million to this strategy;

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

“That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario reject the ‘defund the police’ position, and continue funding police, seizing illegal guns, suppressing gangs, and supporting victims of violence through the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.”

I wholeheartedly endorse the petition. I’ll be putting my name to it and giving it to Ameer.

My question is for the Solicitor General.

I want to read an article that came out about nine days ago in my community, in Brampton. The title says, “Brampton Shooting Sends 17-Year-Old Girl to Hospital, Schools Lift Hold-and-Secure as Police Look for Suspect.”

“Nine schools in Brampton were under hold-and-secure protocols Friday as Peel police responded to a daylight shooting that sent a teen girl to hospital.”

Unfortunately, these stories are all the more common in my community of Brampton and communities across Ontario.

We hear from some members of the House that their proposed solution on public safety is to defund the police. We hear that from members, particularly, in the NDP. I’m just wondering: Does the minister think that’s the right way to approach the problem, or is there another approach our government can take?

I want to thank my colleague from Hamilton Mountain for her remarks. I want to note a particular piece the member talked about: her own community in Hamilton and the need for more police officers in that community in Hamilton. I’ve shared with the member before that I’ve got family in Hamilton, some on the Hamilton Mountain—two wonderful nephews. I’ve got a niece in Stoney Creek. Personally, but also professionally, I think it’s important that we stand up for the residents of Hamilton and make sure that the community is as safe as possible.

Some members of this House have, in the past, talked about defunding the police or diverting resources away from police and into other places.

I just want to give the member a chance to clarify her position. Does she think we should be defunding the police or putting more police officers on our streets?