Mr. Speaker, we’re putting more money into Ontarians’ pockets. They voted against every single item we put forward. They voted against the 10-cents-per-litre gas tax. They voted against when we scrapped the licence plate stickers for eight million people, an average of $240 per family. We dropped the tolls on the 412 and 418, saving the folks millions of dollars; they voted against that. We increased ODSP by 5%, tied to inflation; they voted against that. We cut the income tax to 1.1 million low-income workers; they voted against that. We increased minimum wage; they voted against that. We extended a 10% tuition cut; they voted against that. And we’re doubling the payments for low-income seniors, which will provide a maximum increase of $1,000 per person.

Mr. Speaker, the NDP campaign on making gas more expensive. We have the carbon tax king over there from Ottawa Centre who wants the highest carbon tax in the entire world, and you’re proud of it. It’s absolutely unbelievable. You’re proud of that—

Interjections.

I’m very pleased to confirm to the member opposite that the city of London is going to be receiving an allocation of an additional 2,000 spaces in the first round and an additional 809 in the second round. That would not have been achieved if we followed the New Democratic advice, which would have omitted a third of childcare operators in London. The for-profit centres in your own riding would have been denied participation.

Decouple the ECE issue—you would have removed the capacity of one in three parents from having the choice of lower fees. You’ve ideologically opposed options for parents because you know better, bureaucrats and politicians, instead of the people who pay the bills and raise their kids. It’s absolutely unconscionable that you would have denied that many participants from enrolling. Some 92% said yes to our offer.

We have a reduction of fees by 50%: $46 to $23 today. Yes, we’re going to help support the creation of 86,000 more spaces in London and right across Ontario.

With respect to wages, in the federal deal we did accept that we’re going to create a wage floor for the first time in the sector’s history. We’ve increased the wages by $1 per hour every year over the course of this agreement, and we’ve committed to going even further.

Mr. Speaker, in the member’s community in the Niagara region, there’s an additional roughly 3,000 more spaces which we are going to fund to support expanded access, to reduce wait-lists and make life affordable for families in Ontario. We are going to invest in a quality child care program that’s going to reduce fees. One of the great legacies, I think, when it comes to affordability during this time of rising inflation federally is that this government has slashed child care fees by 50% for non-profits and for-profits—for everyone, Mr. Speaker. That’s a good thing for people in Ontario.