Good morning, Speaker, on our last day of the Legislature before the summer session.

In between Toronto and Hamilton, Oakville is a hidden gem, rich in history, vibrant with natural beauty and bursting with adventure. As summer approaches, I rise in this House to highlight some exciting events taking place in my community over the summer:

Every Friday is jazz night in the summer, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Towne Square in downtown Oakville.

This Sunday, June 11, the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton annual spring concert is being held at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre.

After four long years, the Annual Mayor’s Picnic is back, taking place on Sunday, June 11, from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Lakeside Park. It will be an afternoon filled with lots of fun family things to do, including face-painting, children’s games, balloons and, new this year, a model train set-up.

The 2023 Oakville Film Festival is running from June 21 to 27. Celebrating a decade of diverse cinema, the festival has showcased hundreds of films of all genres, appealing to a wide range of audiences.

Canada Day returns to Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park on July 1. Enjoy an evening of free performances, family fun and, of course, fireworks.

And be sure to mark your calendars for the last weekend in July, July 28 to 30, as Oakville’s largest outdoor event comes back with the annual Oakville Family Ribfest at beautiful Sheridan College.

Speaker, I invite everyone to bring their families for a staycation in beautiful Oakville this summer. I wish everyone all the best for a great summer.

As the school year comes to a close, I’d like to reflect on a recurring issue my office has heard from parents, teachers and school board staff. That issue? Staffing and resource shortages in our schools.

Recently, my office heard from a mom whose child is struggling with a bullying issue at school. Jacob is a first-grader and is facing problems with another first grader. The mother has tried various avenues for resolution, but the crux of the issue appears to be lack of support in the classroom and a systemic EA shortage. Jacob is hurt, physically and emotionally. He is confused and afraid. I can’t speak for the other child in this case, but I would assume he also feels forgotten and in need of support.

I have also heard from representatives of our local school board, and they have identified the same issues with staffing shortages. The Thames Valley District School Board reported a $5.4-million increase in expenses for special education for the coming year, leaving them with a $3.4-million deficit for special education expenses alone, and there are other deficits across the board for operating costs.

The independent Financial Accountability Officer recently revealed that the government withheld $844 million earmarked for education at a time when school boards are facing significant funding deficits. The government needs to provide proper funding now and ensure appropriate staff levels at schools across the province so children like Jacob are not left behind.

On a point of order, Madam Speaker: Pursuant to standing order 7, I wish to inform the House that tonight’s evening meeting is cancelled.

When it comes to members’ statements, I generally wait for the spirit to move me about what I’m going to talk about. Yesterday, I was in estimates and the Attorney General was speaking about bail vetters and intensive bail supervision, and it had me thinking about being a crown attorney, being a crown prosecutor. To be honest, it made me feel rather sad and maudlin.

When I was a crown, I viewed it very much as almost a calling, an honour. I thought we haven’t had a shout-out for crown attorneys in this chamber recently. When it comes to the legal profession and the profession of being a crown, there really is nobody else that deserves it to the extent that crown attorneys do.

I’ve described crowns as being the first responders of the legal world. When we talk about fire, police or paramedics, there’s a lot of conversation about the trauma they see—PTSD—but the crowns don’t get that. Crowns have to see terrible images. They have to deal with human suffering every single day. They deal with it in a very personal and direct fashion. They are some of the hardest-working people I know.

It’s a job that never ends, I say. With doctors, at least nobody expects you to operate at home on your kitchen table at 2 o’clock in the morning. But with crowns, they do. Increasingly, in today’s justice system, we’re the ones who are having to explain to people why justice doesn’t look the way they thought, why being a victim doesn’t feel the way they thought, and the pressure that puts on us is incredible.

So I want to thank all of the crown prosecutors out there who are doing an incredible job.

Obviously, our hearts and our best wishes go out to the member from St. Paul’s, to her and her family, and we wish her all the very best.

It’s a pleasure to rise and share a wonderful local event in my riding with the Legislature this morning. Speaker, the Rosy Rhubarb Festival begins this weekend in the lovely town of Shedden, Ontario.

The Rosy Rhubarb Festival was founded over 25 years ago to promote the small-town community of Shedden and raise money for a new community centre. The festival is always held on the second weekend of June, when the rhubarb ripens and is ready to become tasty treats for all to enjoy. To date, the festival has raised over $1.2 million to help support local community initiatives, including a local community centre. These funds have been used to construct a picnic pavilion, purchase playground equipment, and build a new library in the village.

It is enjoyable to see Shedden come together for some good old-fashioned country fun at the start of every summer. Vendors, artisans, food trucks and businesses fill the fairgrounds. All have fun. Rhubarb baking contests, country music, dancing, face painting, petting zoos and a Sunday car show are all part of the festivities. However, the best part is obviously tasting the renowned rhubarb pies and rhubarb sauce with ice cream.

I invite all members of this House, along with your families, to attend the festival this weekend and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of southwestern Ontario.

Good morning, Speaker. It feels really good to be here in the Legislature today.

My mother has been hospitalized for almost two months, and I’ve been able to be right by her side—I promised I wouldn’t cry—as her primary caregiver, thanks to the support of the leader of the official opposition and my Ontario NDP colleagues. Thank you.

I want to thank my staff for their support, as well as other staff who have reached out. I want to thank other members, including government members who also shared their concern. I won’t ever forget it.

Over the last several weeks, my mother has been cared for by dozens of hard-working doctors, specialists, nurses, OTs, PTs and PSWs. I can’t thank them enough. Only about 10 days ago, after hundreds of vials of bloodwork, tests, consultations and two biopsies, we got a diagnosis: neurosarcoidosis, a rare autoimmune-related multi-systemic disease that involves inflammation of the brain, spinal cord, meninges, cranial and peripheral nerves. It attacks the central nervous system. This disease has no cure, but remission might be possible. I have seen it ravage my mother’s body and brain and mind and strip her of her independence, but she is a fighter.

Thank you to the Speaker for giving me a few extra moments.

The treatment for this disease is incredibly difficult on the body with its own laundry list of complications, some of which can be life-threatening.

I want to thank countless constituents in my community of St. Paul’s across party lines for their love and support, phone calls and text messages.

I especially want to show gratitude to our local faith leaders and many congregation members at St. Michael and All Angels, St. Matthew’s, Holy Blossom, Verity Centre for Better Living, previous pastors from MCC Toronto, and right here at the Legislature, Charlie the chaplain, for their consistent shoulder and faith when I’ve had none.

To my chosen family, family members, dear former caucus members and education colleagues and friends, my mom’s friends, thank you.

To my partner, Aisha, thank you for being my rock.

Speaker, to all of the members in the House: I don’t know what our future holds, but my mom and I are so lucky to have experienced all this compassion during this unbearable time, and I cannot thank you all enough.

Minden’s local hospital closed on June 1 due to a staffing shortage and despite overwhelming opposition from the local community. Minden is far from alone. Lanark county, Guelph, Hamilton, Perth, Grand River, Windsor, Alexandria, Wingham, Thessalon, Kemptville, Seaforth, Ottawa, Bowmanville, Clinton, Orangeville, Carleton Place, Essex county, Kingston, Waterloo, Credit Valley, Smiths Falls, London, Chesley, Fort Erie, Port Colborne—all communities that have seen either no ambulances available or the closure of hospital services in the last year due to staffing shortages.

The staffing crisis continues in our health care system, and the government still refuses to repeal Bill 124 that suppresses the wages of health care workers. At the same time, staffing agencies like Canadian Health Labs are convincing hundreds of health care workers to leave their workplaces by offering them double the salaries they normally earn. The company made $154 million from just 500 nurses and PSWs they hired out of our public health systems. Their plan is to hire as many as 5,000 people. These agencies take health care workers out from the public system and sell them back at huge profits.

This is the systemic destruction of our public health care system, and we the public end up paying way more for declining services. I can only think this is happening due to the Conservative agenda to undermine the public health care system, because no one can be so incompetent to not see the damage these policies are creating.

Critical metals, like cobalt, lithium and nickel, go into batteries. Rare earths like dysprosium, neodymium and praseodymium go into electric vehicle motors and wind turbines. Recycling these critical materials is a strategy which would give Ontario workers a shortcut into the value chain between the mine and EV.

Right now, rare earths mining and processing is led by China, which also dominates in other critical minerals such as graphite. Australia and South America are leading sources of lithium. Indonesia leads in nickel, but much of this is controlled by Chinese companies, as well.

In the future, for economic, environmental and security reasons, a circular economy must develop for critical materials.

Today, production of critical metals and rare earths involves value-added work in chemical processing, and it is performed offshore. However, Ontario is amongst the global leaders in technology to recycle critical metals and minerals.

To maximize the economic benefit to you and me of EV and battery production in Ontario—production for which the federal and Ontario governments have agreed to pay dearly—I believe we must be a first mover and leader in the cyclic economy for critical materials. This means supporting the ecosystem around critical minerals processing and recycling before other regions in North America begin to dominate.

I just wanted to welcome two of my very dearest friends, who have been so for a very long time, Jamie and Joanne McCormick. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I just wanted to give a warm welcome—she’s always watching us every day—to Barbara Stevens. Thank you for tuning in through this entire session. It’s great to have you as a phenomenal supporter in the riding of Kitchener–Conestoga.

It is my great pleasure to welcome Thornhill resident and cofounder of the Indigenous Action Committee and most excellent guitar player, Mr. Matthew Bergman.

It is my pleasure to inform this House that in my riding of Durham, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving. I’ve had the pleasure to attend some grand openings and reopenings for small businesses over the past few months.

In Port Perry, I had the opportunity to meet with Stacey Burns and her team for the grand reopening of Ocala Winery.

In Bowmanville, I proudly joined Amanda Green in cutting the red ribbon to open her dream business, Exquisite Lashing Co. Amanda acknowledges our government’s cutting of red tape and regulations helped make her business dream a reality.

One block west of my office in downtown Bowmanville, Carmela and George Mangos just opened Sugar Dust Sweets and Cafe, delighting their customers with elegant cakes, sweet treats and delicious lunches.

Earlier this month, one of the youngest franchisees for Firehouse Subs, Jasmine Nellis, opened her second franchise in west Courtice, to a sellout crowd.

Like many successful entrepreneurs across Ontario, my constituents are expanding their businesses and creating jobs, because our government is getting it done by reducing red tape and regulation, and creating an environment for growth and prosperity.

On behalf of all members of this House, I want to congratulate all the small businesses of Durham. Keep up the great work. Let’s grow together. Let’s make Ontario strong.

I’m delighted to welcome, from York Centre, Lisa Fruitman, a person who has followed in her own parents’ footsteps as a great innovator and advocate, especially for Reena; together with Colin Ruskin; Stan Greenspan; and Rabbi Sean Gorman. Welcome to the Ontario Legislature.

I’m pleased to inform the House that we have with us in the Speaker’s gallery today a delegation of members from the Standing Committee of Selection from the Parliament of Ghana. They are accompanied by Mr. Hakeem Balogun, who is the consul general of Ghana in Toronto. Please join me in warmly welcoming our guests from Ghana.

Applause.

It’s all about timing. I just want to mention that all of the staff are here today from the Ministry of Education, the engine that keeps us running. I want to thank you for all you do, and welcome.

I would like to thank Milan Viswanathan, who is one of our pages, from St. Paul’s, for doing a wonderful job. I understand his mom and grandfather, Karen and Ashok Gautam, are in the audience today in the members’ gallery. It’s very, very nice to see the two of you.

I also want to say hello to Ross Dixon and Joanna Dixon and their son, Silas, who is a wonderful young man, who has also been a page. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’m delighted to introduce to the House today two of my dedicated constituency staff, up to Toronto for the first time: Jada Malott and Brianna Robinson. Welcome to the House.

I’m very happy to introduce Elaine, a marvellous volunteer from my riding of Scarborough North. It is her first time here today at the Legislature. Welcome to Queen’s Park, Elaine.

Speaker, as the 43rd Parliament rises for the summer, I’d like to acknowledge my fellow MPPs on both sides of the House for your continued dedication to your constituents and connecting with them over the summer months.

As we look forward to a season full of family gatherings, graduations, vacations and day trips to some of the most beautiful destinations in Ontario, I invite you to visit my riding of Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston. From hiking the trails to taking in live music at one of the world-famous festivals, there is something for all ages.

Enjoy cultural events like the Spirit of the Drum Pow-Wow this Saturday and Sunday in Smiths Falls. Experience one of our festivals, like the world-renowned Stewart Park Festival in Perth, Puppets Up! in Almonte, the Sydenham Lakes and Trails Festival and the Blue Skies Music Festival in Clarendon, just to name a few. Families will enjoy our many fairs in Lombardy, Carleton Place, Pakenham, Mississippi Mills, Smiths Falls, Perth and many others.

Experience canoeing or kayaking along the natural waterways in Lanark and Frontenac counties and take in the pristine, protected wilderness, or travel the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rideau Canal, which passes through Perth, Smiths Falls and many other towns from Ottawa to Kingston.

Mr. Speaker, I wish everyone a safe, happy and healthy summer, and if you’re thinking about a day trip or a multi-day adventure, remember: There is much to do and see in Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston.