I rise today to recognize a great man who passed away on March 12, in his 99th year.

Arthur Boon was a skilled hockey and baseball player. He was invited to the Detroit Red Wings camp, and for many years he played senior A hockey in New Hamburg. He continued to play hockey every Sunday night until the age of 84. He was also a member of the Stratford Nationals in the Intercounty Baseball League, until a broken ankle ended his career. However, that did not stop him from playing slo-pitch until he was 71. He also coached minor baseball and was there to watch his sons, Art Jr. and Rick, play their games, and eventually his grandchildren.

Speaker, in addition to these sports accomplishments, and being a loving husband and father, he was also a World War II veteran. At the age of 15, Art signed up and eventually joined the 19th Canadian Army Field Regiment. His first action in the war was the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. He would fight in many battles up the coast of France, through Belgium, Holland and eventually Germany.

After returning home, Art proudly served with the Perth Regiment, eventually retiring as chief warrant officer.

Art was given the Order of Military Merit, the Order of St. John and the French Legion of Honour.

For over 75 years, Art organized and played a major role in the Remembrance Day service in Stratford.

We owe a great debt to Art, his family, and his fellow veterans. We will remember them.

Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity to make the House aware of a very sad day in Timiskaming–Cochrane. Today at the Floyd Hembruff Civic Centre, people are about to pay their respects for the passing of Victor Lei. Victor was born in Timmins on August 24, 1994. He studied pharmacy at the University of Waterloo, gaining his doctor of pharmacy in 2018. He worked at the Guardian Pharmacy in Iroquois Falls. In northern Ontario, where we’re so short of primary health care, pharmacists are lifelines, and he was a true lifeline.

On Wednesday, March 22, while going home from work, at 28 years old, Victor lost his life on the Trans-Canada Highway. The accident is still under investigation. But we need to remember that the Trans-Canada Highway—for Victor, for us—is our main street.

I’d like to take the opportunity on behalf of everyone here in the House to pay our respects to Victor’s family, friends, his loved ones.

Thank you very much for your attention.

It’s an honour to rise today to share with the Ontario Legislature important news from Sarnia–Lambton. I’m extremely pleased to inform the members of this Legislature that Ontario’s Minister of Health recently appointed Dr. Karalyn Dueck as the new, permanent medical officer of health for the county of Lambton. Dr. Dueck previously served as the acting associate medical officer of health for the Middlesex-London health unit. She has also worked in public health roles in Peel and York region, and as a family physician in both Guelph and Bramalea.

Dr. Dueck’s appointment is key to helping the hard-working team at Lambton Public Health advance important public health programs and services that support the positive health and well-being of our community.

I’m extremely pleased to welcome Dr. Dueck into her new role. I look forward to working together with Dr. Dueck and the Lambton Public Health team in the coming weeks and months.

Congratulations, Dr. Dueck, and best wishes for a great future in your new role.

Joining us today from the Ontario Motor Coach Association we have Vince Accardi, Shawn Gerry, Brian Denny, John Temple, Doug Badder and Ray Cherry. Welcome to the Legislature.

I’d like to welcome Ben de Haan, the father of page Ryan de Haan, who’s here from my riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry.

I’d like to welcome to the House Canadian Olympian and champion marathoner Krista DuChene and her family: Donald, Aimee, Aidan, Genvieve, Martin and Leah.

I would also like to welcome representatives from the Ontario Road Builders’ Association and the Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council who are in the chamber today and attending meetings throughout the day. I’ll be meeting with them this afternoon.

Thank you for the important work you do throughout our province to keep building Ontario. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Yesterday I was happy to applaud the efforts of the Ontario Association of Optometrists and the Ministry of Health in finally getting an agreement after 12 years. In the province of Ontario, we have not had an agreement with the Ontario Association of Optometrists since 2011.

It is very historic that we have been able to settle on something that is going to improve services for our seniors, for individuals on OW and ODSP, and for individuals who have glaucoma—making sure that individuals who actually have eye issues are getting in front of their optometrists and getting the services they need.

So, yes, I am incredibly proud of the agreement that we have settled on.

Mr. Speaker, I’m delighted to introduce some special people, entrepreneurs and doctors from the riding of York Centre: Dr. Lew Pliamm, Mr. Alaa Tamous, and Dr. Robert Cooper and his wife, Mrs. Simone Cooper.

My question is to the Minister of Health.

Yesterday, the Minister of Health defended her government’s recent decision to make seniors wait longer between eye exams. She claimed that cancelling eye exams for seniors is “actually going to increase care” for people with ocular diseases. She claimed that their planned reductions in care will give “better access” to eye exams.

Through you, Speaker: Could the minister explain how making seniors wait longer leads to better care?

Today I’m going to shine a light on a tremendous citizen from Minister Rickford’s riding, in Kenora.

This past weekend, northwestern Ontario’s very own Jeff Gustafson brought home an international fishing championship after competing in the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, Tennessee. The first Canadian and second non-American to ever win the top prize, Jeff honed his craft on Lake of the Woods, winning tournament after tournament from the young age of 10. Gustafson was able to secure his win with 13 ounces over second place, catching two fish that weighed six pounds combined during Sunday’s final round. He described the event as one of the hardest days of his life. Nevertheless, Jeff showed tremendous grit and determination in his triumphant victory down south.

When he’s not winning fishing championships, Jeff spends his days as a full-time outdoors guide, and he has written for countless outdoor publications and is even the feature of his own television show.

I’d like to congratulate Jeff Gustafson on behalf of myself and Minister Rickford.

You’re an inspiration to many, and we all wish you luck in your next Elite Series event, coming up this April.

At the risk of being repetitive here, on behalf of the government, I would like to welcome the Ontario Road Builders’ Association and the Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council. I value their work with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

And a special shout-out to my good friend Michael McSweeney—thank you for being here.

It’s my pleasure to welcome Fanshawe College today. They’re going to be hosting us in room 228, so please make your way there after question period.

I would like to welcome the Taykwa Tagamou First Nation to the House today; specifically, Chief Bruce Archibald and Deputy Chief Derek Archibald. I invite you all to their reception happening this evening.

I’d also like to welcome Doubra Ambaiowei, Mark Mallett, Steve Manolis, Matt Powell and Alfredo Maggio from the Ontario Road Builders’ Association. I’m looking forward to meeting them this afternoon.

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to page Paul Hu, who I think is page captain today, as well as his mother, Jennifer Hu, and his grandmother Wendy Nichols, as well as Glen Hung from my riding. Glen is a first-year political science student at U of T. He was president of his model UN club at York Mills Collegiate, and he also had an honourable mention from the UN club from Princeton University. Welcome.

I know the member just mentioned the TTN is going to be here for their reception tonight, but he left out the best part, Mr. Speaker. While everybody is going to the ORBA reception—TTN has brought in some star power tonight for their reception: Doug Gilmour, Shayne Corson and Ric Nattress. A bunch of Toronto Maple Leafs all-stars are going to be there. So come on down and get your picture taken.

I’m delighted to welcome a group of political science students from the University of Toronto today. They are our future, and I’m delighted that they’re here to witness democracy in action.

I, too, would like to welcome representatives from the Ontario Road Builders’ Association and the Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council; specifically, Mark Mallett, Doubra Ambaiowei, Steve Manolis, Matt Powell and Alfredo Maggio, who I’ll be meeting with later today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Speaker, I wish a warm welcome to David Colle of Green Infrastructure Partners, Peter Hamstra of Dufferin Construction, Andrew Hurd of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association, Rick Tamburro of Miller Group, and Steve Smith of Roto-Mill. Thank you so much for being here with us today.

I’d like to welcome representatives from the Ontario Road Builders’ Association and the Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council from across this province to Queen’s Park today. We’re looking forward to meeting with them.

With us we have Brianna Puigmarti, Ivan Levac from R.W. Tomlinson, Lisa Laronde from Powell Contracting Ltd., Mac Carmichael from Green Infrastructure Partners Inc. and, perhaps, one of my most favourite constituents, Michael McSweeney.