I don’t think the minister heard the question of what was being asked, and again has gone back to the OAP talking points and their funding. This is not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about a program, the legacy program, that is ending March 31. Children will be transitioned into schools across all of our communities on April 1 without programs in place.

We don’t have enough teachers in the classroom. We don’t have enough EAs in the classroom. We have no extra supports happening April 1. Nobody knows what’s happening. We need answers from this government and we obviously need them soon, since April 1 is around the corner.

Can the Minister of Education possibly tell us what is going to be happening April 1 to ensure that there are supports in the classroom to support all of these children, who have never been in school and need services?

I have a petition titled “National Chronic Pain Society petition.”

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas one in four Ontarians over the age of 15 suffer from chronic pain, with 73% reporting that the pain interferes with their daily lives and more than half reporting issues with depression and suicidal thoughts; and

“Whereas pain is the most common reason to seek health care, with chronic pain making up approximately 16% of emergency room visits and 38% of frequent visits, adding to the already lengthy wait times and delaying treatment; and

“Whereas the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is threatening to impose changes to how nerve block injections are administered which would only apply to pain clinics, while leaving similarly in-hospital procedures unaffected. These changes have been proposed seemingly without any consultations with patients or health care workers; and

“Whereas the most common treatment for pain provided by family doctors and hospitals is opioids, despite the current national crisis leading to an estimated 20 opioid-related deaths in Canada every day during the COVID-19 pandemic;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“Prevent OHIP from applying a one-size-fits-all solution to the issue of chronic pain, and allow for consultations with health care workers and pain sufferers to determine the best way to treat chronic pain without resorting to opioids.”

I wholeheartedly support this petition, will affix my name to it and give it to page Shah to bring to the Clerk.