You were in opposition for 15 years.

There’s been no consultation with government for a long time, and I know that because I sat in committee. I sat in Bill 98. Actually, I sat in one with you, Speaker, when you were in committee.

Bill 23, Bill 60, this bill here—do you know what? No consultation with workers, families, nobody—can I ask you a question? Why do you think the Conservatives are so scared of talking to families, talking to unions, talking to workers in the province of Ontario?

My question—actually, the thing that most concerns me and the thing that I’ve been getting a lot of feedback in the community about this bill is the train and trials, the animal hunting, that they’re going to be training dogs by putting coyotes and rabbits in penned cages and using these as bait for the dogs to learn how to hunt and kill. It just seems like an incredible act of animal cruelty to pass this legislation.

So to the member opposite, thank you for your remarks this morning. What would you recommend the government do with the train and trials?

Speaker, I don’t think it’s appropriate for the member for Brantford–Brant to pat themselves on the back for a paltry 5% increase after a 22.5% decrease back in the 1990s.

What is also surprising really is the overt admission by this government they didn’t do their job as the official opposition, but they haven’t really concerned themselves about social assistance. As soon as they formed government, they cut that paltry 3% into 1.5%, waited a number of years for 5%.

Let’s talk about their cuts to minimum wage. They do not care for people who are on the margins, who are being deliberately marginalized by government decisions. In fact, they are upholding that by keeping people below the poverty line. They are kicking downwards to people who can least afford it. They could stand up for renters, they could stand up for students, they could stand up for seniors, but they choose not to again and again and again. There are so many gaps that this government has left, and it’s disappointing. The finances are clear. Poverty has a cost. If they increase social assistance rates—

There are a number of different ways to achieve these same ends without subjecting animals or breeding animals to be treated in this manner. They could be pursuing scent trails. There are a number of different folks from the Animal Alliance of Canada who are suggesting that dogs track through scent. They don’t need to track an animal. That animal does not need to be ripped apart for them to be trained as a hunting animal. It seems incongruous that these animals are simply being ripped apart for really no purpose.

If hunting is involved, then that person is hunting for a purpose: They’re hunting for food. They’re hunting for their culture. It makes no sense that we still have these areas where rabbits, foxes and coyotes are simply mauled for the purpose of what one would call sport.

The FAO has pointed out that this government was sitting on $20 billion in their contingency fund, a slush fund. They’re hiding that so it’s not subject to public scrutiny. And for the estimates process, which normally is 15 hours where the official opposition gets to scrutinize all of the government’s expenditures, this government gave 20 minutes, because they wanted to hide all of the horrible, nefarious things they’re doing with all of the province’s money. It’s a party with the public purse. They just don’t want to know where it’s going. That’s why it’s all pushed aside into the slush fund so they don’t let people know, because accountability and transparency are not this Conservative government’s values.

It is deeply concerning that we have this situation in the richest province, in Ontario. It’s deeply concerning that this government will not address the root causes of poverty and make sure that people are above the poverty line.

We’re going to move to questions.

We’re going to move to the next question, please.

I appreciated the speech from the member beside me. I was intrigued by his comments about how terrible it is that we’re increasing social assistance rates in the province of Ontario. I was curious if he had advice for the members who were here from his caucus from 2011 to 2014 when the NDP held the balance of power. They could have brought down the Liberal government at any time over that period over this issue.

I was wondering, if raising social assistance rates is so important, why the opposition consistently votes against our government on this. And yet when they had the opportunity to make that a point, they did nothing for three years when they had the balance of power.

And so I’ll change the point of my question now. I was wondering who the member would tax—because we know that the opposition never met a taxpayer in the province of Ontario that they wouldn’t like to add burden to. I’m wondering where the member would find the $18 billion a year to fund a doubling of social assistance rates.

At the Back Door Mission, project Mission United brings health care and service agencies under one roof to help those who are unhoused and struggling. People who come to the mission need very real help and are at different stages of healing or hurting. The work done there is tremendous and compassionate, and it helps people on their journey to get the help they need or to have support that they’ve never found before.

I invited the minister for mental health and addictions to Oshawa, and I want to thank him for coming. I appreciate immeasurably that he came for hours to tour the mission, meet with and learn from front-line service providers and the medical team there. He saw the hub model in action.

What he didn’t see and couldn’t have seen is what we don’t have. We don’t have a system that will help people without financial means get from hurting through recovery to stability; 18 months is the wait-list for a bed for treatment.

The minister for mental health and addictions saw the value in the work done at the acute-care clinic that treats folks on-site so they don’t have to go to emergency rooms. But in our province, the ministry for mental health can’t pay for the health needs, and the doctors who serve so many homeless people without ID can’t be paid salary so they can continue to supply street wound care and addiction support. That doesn’t make sense.

We heard from victim services that survivors often have no affordable and supportive living opportunities, because it doesn’t exist, and they’re forced back into danger. CMHA Durham told us they have housing units available, but don’t have the subsidy. So we could have housing for more people in need, but agencies can’t afford it.

At Mission United, they have figured out how to work together to best support people living in poverty and on the street. I wish this Premier would acknowledge the crisis we’re facing and choose to heal and help our community, so people wouldn’t have to live on the streets and in pain.

I’d like to thank the member from Barrie–Innisfil for her comments. This government has established so much of their own red tape, we may as well call it blue tape at this point. We brought forward so many positive pieces of legislation from the side of the official opposition which this government is just ideologically choosing to ignore. We’ve talked about continuing the Passport Program past the age of 18, removing that arbitrary red tape; removing the restriction on who someone on ODSP lives with. We’ve talked about so many different things.

We’ve also talked about the importance of the government actually building the affordable and supportive housing that is necessary, yet this government would simply be happy to tie this province up in red tape. They have removed the ability for municipalities to levy development charges. They’ve stripped $5 billion away from municipalities at a time when everyone needs to create housing, yet they have given that to wealthy developers. That is the biggest definition of red tape—or blue tape—that this government has done.

The beautiful community of Gogama in my riding is located across the street from a new gold mine. In 2020, the Premier came to the groundbreaking ceremony. He said, “This gold mine will bring economic prosperity and change lives in Gogama.” I agreed, Speaker, but for this to happen, people need a place to live, and businesses a place to set up shop. The good news is that there are plenty of empty lots and empty homes located on paved roads, with streetlights, hydro, telephone, Internet, water and sewage—everything a modern family or business needs. The bad news? None of them are available for sale or rent. Do you know who owns them all, Speaker? The government of Ontario or, as the locals call them, the worst slumlord in this province.

Since 2020, my office has been relentless in trying to motivate this government to put them up for sale, or at least to rent them out. I wrote and delivered letters to the Premier, to the Ministers of Finance, Government and Consumer Services, Infrastructure, and Natural Resources and Forestry. And the answer for the last three years has been crickets.

While over a dozen properties are left to rot in Gogama, they, like many others in our province, are facing a housing crisis. Gogama is missing out on the prosperity the Premier promised. The people of northern Ontario are tired of waiting. This government needs to put these homes and lots up for sale right now.

As everyone knows, June is Seniors Month. It’s our annual opportunity to dedicate a month to that group of citizens that has reached a point in life where they can look back with a sense of pride on the many things they have accomplished.

But let’s be clear: The seniors of today aren’t just looking back; they’re looking forward. Our seniors, particularly those who still enjoy good health, are more active than any of the previous generations. Seniors are not sitting back with their feet up; they’re continuously engaging in and around their community, in ways that not only benefit themselves socially, but also provide benefits to their community.

I know when I do voluntary service awards every year, the majority of those receiving those awards are in fact seniors who, after contributing so much through their working lives, continue to be the driving forces in so many of our institutions, organizations and service clubs. I dare say that most of the service clubs that exist in our community could not operate or contribute the way they do without the involvement of our seniors.

I encourage everyone to visit one of the Seniors Active Living Centres in their ridings in the month of June and see what amazing things are taking place there to ensure that our seniors continue to be vital and engaged. In the month of June, as summer approaches, be sure not to just honour our seniors for what they have done for us, but celebrate them and celebrate with them, and be grateful for the gift that they are.

Two years ago, I introduced a bill to recognize May 10 in each year as Lupus Awareness Day in Ontario, which later came into force. This is our second year observing this important day.

This May 10, I welcomed 21 members of Lupus Ontario to Queen’s Park. For over 40 years, this amazing group has been providing education, awareness, advocacy and research to support those who have lupus to live longer, healthier and better lives. It is exciting to learn that this year, the group launched the Lights for Lupus campaign, where 43 landmarks across Ontario were illuminated in purple on May 10.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself, causing inflammation and pain. It can also damage any organ or tissue. Currently, without a cure, one in every 1,000 Canadians is affected by this disease. Lupus affects more than just the person with the disease; it also impacts their family, friends and work colleagues. By raising awareness of the disease, we also save lives. I would therefore like to commend Lupus Ontario on the important work they are doing in our province, and encourage Ontarians—

In my riding of Barrie–Innisfil, I host many round tables, and one that gets people really excited particularly is the red tape reduction round table. I was able to have Minister Gill come do a round table, and through that process, we get so many ideas. And I get the feedback of constituents saying, “Thank you. Thank you for the $120 million in savings and the red tape reduction burdens that you have created. Thank you for the $700 million a year that businesses are now saving because of red tape reduction.”

But I also hear from folks who have family that might live in opposition-held ridings, and they’re frustrated that their red tape ideas aren’t being heard. So I hear that many people in the opposition haven’t had red tape reduction round tables and haven’t proposed any red tape ideas. Why?

The return of summer also means the return of farmers’ markets right across Ontario. Visiting the market is a tradition that families across the province look forward to each and every year.

In my riding of Flamborough–Glanbrook, the Waterdown Farmers’ Market kicked off the season last weekend with an exciting opening day featuring live entertainment and activities for children. The market will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday until October 14, with over 20 vendors offering everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to baked goods, meat, wine and fresh-cut flowers. The market is made possible by the dedicated volunteers who help with set-up and teardown every week and ensure the market is accessible to all by helping customers carry heavy purchases to their vehicles. This year will be the market’s 10th season since it reopened in its current location at the Waterdown Legion.

Farmers’ markets are an excellent opportunity for Ontarians to support our local farmers, growers and producers, who work hard every season to put food on our tables. The province’s agri-food sector is vital to our food security. It employs thousands of people and contributes billions to the economy. I encourage everyone to visit a farmers’ market this summer to support local agriculture and enjoy some fresh and delicious Ontario-grown produce.

I rise today to highlight the outstanding work being carried out by the Durham Community Action Group in our community. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is dedicated to providing support to address the challenges faced by our residents, particularly around the rising cost of living. I’m thrilled to announce that the Durham Community Action Group has a remarkable team, headed by Ms. Gloria Small-Clarke, and has been granted $95,000 from the Resilient Communities Fund. This grant will be utilized over a period of 24 months to aid in their recovery and to strengthen the community programs being offered.

Their primary focus will be on addressing mental health needs among seniors, especially with Black seniors in Durham. Gloria Small-Clarke and her team and countless other community leaders who selflessly devote themselves to supporting our communities in Durham region deserve our utmost recognition and appreciation. Their commitment to providing vital services and programs is truly commendable.

As the representative of Ajax, I feel an immense sense of pride knowing that organizations like the Durham Community Action Group are working tirelessly to uplift our community. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient community where no one has to face insecurities or mental health challenges alone.

I want you to know, I’ve had far too many gut-wrenching meetings with parents on the wait-list for the Ontario Autism Program. We know that, under this government’s watch, the number of children with autism waiting to receive core services has more than doubled, to over 60,000 children. These numbers have real-world consequences for children and families.

One mother last week sat in my office in tears, worried about losing her home to finance care for her child. She’s had to pay out-of-pocket for services, calling every week, trying to figure out where her child is on the wait-list. There’s no answer and her daughter is becoming increasingly violent. The situation is so severe that the family finally secured urgent response services funding, but it’s a 12-week band-aid and the funding is coming to an end.

I want members to imagine the frustration and fear about what comes next, the unimaginable choice of caring for your child or a roof over your head. Some 60,000 children in this province and their parents are facing similar choices. We can do better. We must do better. These kids cannot wait longer. They need a needs-based program that works for everyone, regardless of age.

As we come to the conclusion of Polish Heritage Month, I’d like to acknowledge the 550th anniversary of the birthday of Polish mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus—Mikołaj Kopernik.

Often thought of as the father of modern astronomy, Copernicus would forever change our understanding of the cosmos, challenging long-held beliefs and ushering in a new era of scientific thought.

During his time, the prevailing belief was that the Earth was at the centre of the universe, but, through his meticulous observations and bold intellect, he unveiled a revolutionary heliocentric model in 1543 that would send shock waves throughout the scientific world. Supported by astronomical calculations, he proposed that the sun, not the Earth, is at the centre of the solar system and that its planets revolve around it in circular orbits. He inspired future generations of astronomers, scientists and philosophers.

Copernicus is an inspiration to the 600,000 people of Polish heritage here in Ontario, and today we have the honour of having the Canadian Polish Congress, the Polish Canadian Business and Professional Association of Windsor and Wladyslaw Reymont Foundation here at Queen’s Park hosting a reception to commemorate the life and contributions of Nicolaus Copernicus right after question period in room 228.

I want to thank the organizers for commemorating this amazing day and wonderful month, and invite all members and staff to join us as we conclude Polish Heritage Month in Ontario.

I’m sharing this list with my colleague, MPP Bailey there.

First, I want to welcome all our fire chiefs to Queen’s Park today, and I want to introduce Brian Arnold, Mark Berney, Paul Boissonneault, Chad Brown, Andrea DeJong and Rob Grimwood. As I said, Mr. Bailey will have the following list. Welcome to Queen’s Park, and we’re inviting everybody to the dining room at 5:00 to 7:00 for a reception.

Last week, the Ontario Health Coalition organized a referendum on the privatization of our publicly funded, publicly delivered health care. People in my community came out to vote at the Douglas Memorial urgent care in Fort Erie, which the community is fighting to save; at the GNGH in Niagara Falls; and at St. Davids fire hall in Niagara-on-the-Lake to send a clear message to the Premier that the people of Niagara do not want privatized health care.

We have a real crisis in our health care system, from wait times to staffing shortages to emergency room closures. This government could choose to address this crisis, but instead they’re choosing to underfund public health care by $21 billion—that’s with a “B”—while they pursue an agenda of privatization.

The Legislature will recess for the summer in less than two weeks. Instead of spending the necessary time to fix these problems, the Premier is choosing to end this session while our health care system falls deeper into crisis. As a province, we can choose to either follow the Premier’s plan of unequal care, longer wait times and no transparency, or we can choose to repeal Bill 124, repeal Bill 60, invest in publicly funded and publicly delivered health care, and finally end the disastrous system of private, for-profit care and long-term care in the province of Ontario.

I want to thank the volunteers in Niagara for organizing the vote. The people came out to make their voices heard, and I’m looking forward to learning the results later today.

I’m proud to rise today and celebrate a remarkable entrepreneur and a change-maker in Scarborough: Sam Ibrahim.

Born and raised in Scarborough, Sam’s roots trace back to Egypt from where his parents immigrated to Canada in the 1980s. It was in the neighbourhoods of Scarborough that Sam found his inspiration and drive to reach for the stars. At the age of 26, Sam founded the Arrow Group of Companies, which has grown to become one of Canada’s largest private corporations. Sam is also the co-founder of Scarborough’s very own basketball team, the Scarborough Shooting Stars.

Sam’s contributions extend far beyond the basketball court. It is Sam’s philanthropic endeavours and his love for Scarborough that truly set him apart. It came as no surprise when Sam announced his plan to invest $25 million into the heart of Scarborough to build the Sam Ibrahim Centre for Inclusive Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus. This centre will provide promising entrepreneurs with resources and connections to make their ideas a reality.

Today I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Sam Ibrahim for his exceptional leadership, his unwavering dedication and commitment to giving back to Scarborough.

Sam, you are truly an inspiration to the next generation to dream big.

On behalf of the official opposition, I would like to welcome the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs here today and invite everyone to the reception they’re having in the dining room tonight.