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 would like to welcome Evan Dickson, Kourtney Adamson, Steve McEachen, James McVeety and Jamie Di Laudo, who are here with the Ontario Road Builders’ Association. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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.

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?

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, 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.

I would like to welcome to the House Francis Lindayen, CEO for ITS Electronics, a leading global supplier of advanced microwave amplifiers, frequency converters and intelligent wireless sub systems for commercial, government and defence customers.

Welcome, Francis Lindayen.

I would like to welcome Vince Accardi, president of the Ontario Motor Coach Association and other members of the coach association: Brian Denny from Denny’s Bus Lines and Shawn Geary from McCoy Bus Service.

Welcome to the House. It was a pleasure to meet with you.

I’d like to welcome representatives from the Ontario Road Builders’ Association and the Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council who are in the chamber today, and especially the board chair, Mario Villeneuve, who’s from my riding.

Bienvenue, Mario. Thank you for the important work you do throughout the province. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.