I would like to thank the 1,764 people who have signed this petition since Sunday. It goes as follows:

“Keep Coverage for Uninsured People in Ontario.

“Whereas the Ford government is set to cut access to health care for uninsured people on March 31, 2023;

“Whereas three years ago, the ... government expanded access to health care for uninsured people across Ontario, with coverage for all hospital-based care and some community-based care;

“Whereas cutting access to health care will lead to immense suffering and possibly death for migrants, the homeless and others without health insurance. It also burdens our already strained health care system, as people may delay seeking care until they are very sick;”

They “petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to reverse” the “decision” of the government “to ensure access to health for all.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name to it and ask my good page Shah to bring it to the Clerk.

I want to read a petition on behalf of Kitt Tremblay from London and thank them for submitting this.

“Demand Fair Funding for Provincial Schools.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the provincial schools for the deaf and blind provide high-quality education in an accessible, supportive and affirming environment; but

“Whereas under successive Liberal and Conservative governments, these schools have been faced with deep cuts and are under constant threat of closure; and

“Whereas these cuts have led to fewer teachers, support staff and less specialized support and resources for students with disabilities; and

“Whereas provincial schools for the deaf and blind have seen programs, resources, staff and services cut and downsized to a skeleton staff while key infrastructure like pools and heating systems are left in disrepair; and

“Whereas deaf and blind children are being denied access to services and programs, or forced onto growing wait-lists for services from the resource department, including painful waits for psychological and psychoeducational assessments; and

“Whereas parents of students at the schools have been forced to advocate in the media and at public rallies because the ministry has not addressed their concerns;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:

“Call on the Ontario government to immediately increase funding for services, staffing, infrastructure and resources at the provincial schools, and act to improve transparency and accountability while improving the working and learning conditions at the provincial schools.”

I fully support this petition, Speaker. I’ll give it to page Morgan to take to the table.

I really want to thank Dr. Sally Palmer for her advocacy and for getting these petitions and presenting them to me. This petition is, “To Raise Social Assistance Rates” in Ontario.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and soon $1,227 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both” OW and ODSP;

“Whereas the recent small budget increase of 5% for ODSP still leaves these citizens well below the poverty line, both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to live in this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its CERB program that a ‘basic income’ of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I certainly support this petition, will be signing it and giving it to page Mikaeel.