I think it’s fair to say that this government and this Premier have been under a cloud of suspicion—lucrative patronage appointments doled out to Conservative donors, cozy relationships with developers who stand to gain from carving up the greenbelt, a revolving door of lobbyists from ministers’ offices. And while ordinary Ontarians are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table or get the health care they deserve, this government is doling out gifts to everyone that they know.

My question is to the Premier: Are the interests of regular people in this province taking a back seat to the interests of their friends and donors?

Again, to the Premier—I’d appreciate a real answer: Doesn’t the government realize how this looks? How do you explain it?

To the Premier: Ontarians want to know, is this a return to cash for access in Ontario? Is this how we get it done in Ontario again, under the Conservative government?

Thank you to the member for that important question on World Water Day.

Speaker, our government is proud of our record in keeping Ontario’s drinking water safe for all Ontarians. We have comprehensive legislation and a regulatory framework, including the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act. We know water on reserves does not fall under that; it falls under federal legislation. Having said that, that’s not good enough. We’re working with the federal government and with Indigenous communities.

It was this government that, for the first time ever, in the mandate of Walkerton and the Ontario Clean Water Agency, included a mandate to engage with Indigenous communities. I’m pleased to say members of the Ontario Clean Water Agency and Walkerton have been in a number of Indigenous communities on a 24/7 basis, working with Indigenous water operators and the federal government, because it’s not good enough—as previous governments, supported by the NDP—to just pass the buck.

We’re leaning in, working with Indigenous communities.

The member asked what we’re doing.

If we’re going to be intellectually honest with ourselves on the challenge—a lot of it stems from lack of training for water operation.

We know the federal government—this was Indigenous communities that said to the federal government, “Pay us a fair wage.” We supported them.

What has Ontario done? Well, as of June 2022, 168 operators and 116 managers or supervisors have been trained at no cost to Indigenous communities. This was never done by the previous Liberal government. Our government is standing up, working at no cost to these Indigenous communities, and we’re going to work together with them. If the member opposite has any specific communities he feels are not benefiting from that training, let me know and we’ll make sure we have water operators there to work with them.

I want to ask the government House leader a question after that clinic he put on this morning, but my constituents want me to ask a question of the Minister of Finance.

Speaker, as global events, high interest rates and ongoing supply chain issues contribute to worldwide economic uncertainty, we’re experiencing the effects here in Ontario. While Canada’s inflation rate is easing, it’s still stubbornly high, and we know that people are struggling. We remain in a time of elevated inflation that is straining household budgets by driving up prices on everyday goods and services.

People across Ontario are looking to our government to put forward measures that will provide them with direct help and support.

Can the minister please explain how our government is working on behalf of Ontarians during these uncertain economic times?

It’s reassuring that our government is focusing on actions and investments that will support individuals, families, seniors and businesses.

Because of the reckless policies of the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP, Ontario’s fiscal position was severely weakened.

That’s why it is necessary for our government to continue with forward-looking and solution-oriented approaches to successfully navigate our province through this period of economic uncertainty.

With Ontario’s growing population, diverse workforce and an abundance of natural resources, we are well positioned in many areas for continued economic growth and prosperity.

Can the parliamentary assistant please explain the priorities of our government’s economic vision for Ontarians?

The member for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, the parliamentary assistant.

I want to thank the MPP from Mississauga–Erin Mills for this really important question.

Speaker, our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is standing with our military reservists and their families. On Monday, I introduced our third Working for Workers Act. This bill creates a new job-protected leave for military heroes who need time to recover from physical injuries or mental trauma. Anyone who is willing to drop everything to help their neighbours should be rewarded and not punished. They deserve the peace of mind that their civilian jobs will be waiting for them when they are ready to come back to them. I’m proud that our reservist leave will be the most flexible and comprehensive in the country.

Our government is going to continue working for the workers of Ontario.

I look forward to answering more in the supplementary.

Thank you to the hard-working and amazing member from Brampton North for that question.

We all know that these are challenging economic times. As we navigate this uncertainty, one thing I have absolute confidence in is the resilience of Ontario’s workers, businesses, families and its people. Ontario has proven time and again that together we can overcome any obstacle that’s in our way.

And our government has a responsible plan. Our plan to build Ontario is supporting families, workers and businesses while laying a strong fiscal foundation for the future. We are continuing to take a targeted approach after unprecedented investments in response to the pandemic. Now is the time for our government to be prudent and responsible while investing in the priorities for today and planning for the future.

What I can say is, over the past couple of years, Ontario and the rest of the world faced a once-in-a-generation challenge unlike any in our lifetimes.

We have a strong plan for Ontario. By being fiscally prudent and responsible, we can overcome any challenge that comes our way. That’s why I will be proud to be in this chamber tomorrow, when the minister tables the 2023 budget. Ontario’s Plan to Build is a responsible, targeted approach to help people and businesses. This is a long-term economic vision. We are making the investments that we need today while laying a strong fiscal foundation for future generations.

My question is for the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The commitment by the Premier and this minister to advance protection for workers has been continuously demonstrated with measures that support them and help to build Ontario for the next generation.

Across our province, thousands of brave men and women are military reservists with the Canadian Armed Forces. These individuals go above and beyond their regular jobs and normal workday to selflessly answer the call of duty in service of our country, both at home and abroad. Reservists should not face an uncertain future when they return to their civilian jobs after deployment.

Can the minister please explain what our government is doing to support our military reservists?

This government is doing more around wetlands than any government has done previously.

Speaker, the previous government, backed up by the opposition, presided over the loss of wetlands in Ontario—tens of thousands of hectares gone.

This government has a different approach. This government has an approach where we want to expand wetlands in Ontario, expand natural features in Ontario. We are going to do that. The previous government could not do it, would not do it. The opposition continues to talk a game that they can’t back up. We’re doing it. We’re getting it done. We’re protecting wetlands in Ontario.

My question is for the Minister of Northern Development.

Under the previous Liberal government, workers in northern, rural and remote communities felt abandoned. Manufacturing plants closed, jobs were destroyed, and the local economy in many communities—my own included—was devastated. Year after year, the Liberals and the NDP chose to focus on urban issues instead of listening to the needs and concerns that are important to the people across northern Ontario.

Communities across the north are counting on our government to promote economic and community development. The north is ripe with opportunities for creating employment, as well as promoting economic and community development and modernizing business operations. It’s not just a beautiful place with beautiful and amazing people.

Can the minister please explain how our government is investing in Ontario’s northern communities to promote opportunities for good-paying jobs?

Thank you very much for the question. I appreciate it, and it’s timely.

I will express a couple of thoughts afterwards, but I’ll get to the point and cut to the chase: The Ontario Arts Council funding is being maintained at the current levels for the upcoming year. So worrying about cuts, at this point, isn’t what we are talking about. We’re talking about and working with people to take advantage of what they have, what they will continue to have, and the impact they will have on our communities.

The arts are cherished by this ministry and this government. It extends into tourism, certainly culture, and makes a huge impact on all demographics—from kids in schools, to be able to go out and experience art, to experience the artists who are delivering it. And we understand from a cultural piece, it has played a huge role in Ontario’s growth. Billions and billions of dollars are spent in tourism—and because of the arts, will get even stronger.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll go back a little bit in time: Since 2018, we have invested over $1.1 billion in arts, culture through the ministry program and agencies. This includes nearly $340 million for the OAC.

In the OAC, we address all art; we don’t single things out specifically. Francophone art—that world is very important to us, and we’ve addressed it. We talk in terms, with respect to our government, of supporting all, not just defining one—the impact within tourism, as I said earlier; the cultural piece; what it does to communities and helps build in communities; the people within those communities who not only actually participate in the arts and the delivery of it, but those who enjoy it and support it and drive the revenue and build communities. Building communities is a part of what we do and what we focus on, and the culture in our sector is very important and will continue to be important to this government.

I want to thank the member for Mississauga–Erin Mills for this question and his leadership in standing up for workers in his riding.

Speaker, remote workers who don’t have a desk in the office are just as valuable to our economy, and they shouldn’t be treated as second-class workers. That is why our government is changing our employment standards laws to ensure they receive the same enhanced severance payments during mass layoffs as their in-office colleagues.

We also know that asking your boss questions on day one of a new job can be daunting, especially for young workers, newcomers and those in precarious roles. To protect their workers, we’re requiring that employers provide them with basic information on their role and how much they’ll be paid before they actually start their first shift.

Under the leadership of our Premier and our government, we are rebalancing the scales and putting workers in the driver’s seat of Ontario’s economic recovery.

I have a question for the Premier.

The arts industry plays an important role in our everyday life, whether we realize it or not. All those moments we’re not working, we’re somehow consuming art, and it improves our well-being and the economy.

We know that the arts industry has suffered incredibly during the pandemic, and it’s still struggling to recover. Just because we are in a post-pandemic economy doesn’t mean our artists don’t need our support anymore. The current high inflation makes it particularly difficult for artists to continue their work, let alone expand.

With the new budget coming out, people have been reaching out to express their concerns about proposed cuts. They’ve been writing to the Minister of Finance and also to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, so they know about it.

How is it reasonable to encourage our youth to get educated and follow their dreams while cutting funding in venues they could earn a living with?

Will this government ensure the survival of creative industries and support the artists who drive them?

L’Association des auteures et auteurs de l’Ontario français et le Conseil des arts de l’Ontario travaillent sans relâche pour promouvoir et enrichir les oeuvres culturelles, y compris la littérature, les spectacles et les expositions d’art visuel de l’Ontario. Leur travail est crucial pour la croissance et la vitalité d’un secteur qui contribue à notre divertissement et notre économie.

Les coupures envisagées—ou le même budget, qui ne sera pas suffisant—aux individus et associations impliqués dans le secteur des arts, seraient particulièrement inquiétantes pour les communautés francophones de l’Ontario, qui dépendent du financement des arts pour promouvoir et préserver notre langue et culture.

Nous avons fait des progrès dans la francophonie. Nous devons continuer de protéger et d’étendre notre culture francophone. Sans le financement nécessaire, nous allons faire face à un recul.

Est-ce que le gouvernement s’engage à assurer la vitalité de la culture francophone et la viabilité du milieu culturel en maintenant le financement dans le domaine des arts de l’Ontario?

Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

My question this morning is for the Premier.

Today is World Water Day.

The UN just released a frightening warning that without urgent climate action, we risk leaving our children with a world that faces extreme weather events and regular flooding. But instead of urgent action, your government is making things much, much worse by unilaterally steamrolling the greenbelt and destroying important wetlands that prevent flooding.

My question, Premier: We already know that your government is working to protect developers, but why won’t you honour treaty obligations and future generations of Ontarians by protecting our water?

This government has no credible climate plan—none whatsoever—and obviously no clear provincial water strategy. This is the government that fired scientists, muzzled the Greenbelt Council, and kneecapped conservation authorities in their important work to protect our watersheds—watersheds that clean our water, protect endangered species and allow bodies of water to remain in the earth and not in our basements.

Back to the Premier: In the spirit of World Water Day, what will you do today to protect the greenbelt and its watershed for our future generations of young people?

I appreciate the question from the member opposite.

It’s important that Ontarians know that we’re very blessed to live in this province that has such robust standards for water—the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act.

It’s unfortunate that the member opposite is choosing to politicize water rather than work with this government to make investments that protect water.

That’s why, as a government, as I mentioned in the previous answer, we’ve worked at no charge to train water operators—dealing with systemic challenges in training for water operators—in Indigenous communities. That’s why we’re working with rural municipalities, the Ontario Clean Water Agency, and dealing with staff and retention challenges there. That’s why we’re investing in the modern and critical infrastructure.

That member said “urgent action”—that’s why we’ve required updated monitoring and reporting in her own community, to ensure that we’re protecting water for generations to come and investing in the modern infrastructure to support those growing communities.

Thanks to the minister for that response.

Since day one, our government has been working for workers, and it is continuing to lead the country with groundbreaking protections.

It is a fact that the way people work has changed. The dynamic has shifted from in-office work to other formats. In 2022, 1.4 million people in Ontario were working remotely, and 800,000 were working hybrid jobs.

Workers also need greater certainty, when starting a new job, that they have been given information about the nature of their job before they start their first shift.

It is vital that regulations and employment standards keep up with the new reality.

Can the minister please explain how our government is ensuring that our labour laws reflect the changing world of work?

My question is to the Premier.

While families across the province are waiting for $10-a-day child care, this government’s low-wage policies threaten the program. Already, child care centres across Ontario are having to close rooms and limit enrolment due to staffing challenges. Families are on wait-lists that are growing.

Experts have said that Ontario needs another 65,000 ECEs and child care staff by 2026.

The Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario has urged this government to implement a province-wide salary scale for registered ECEs and child care staff to address staffing issues. Why is the government refusing to do so?

The average ECE in Ontario spends just three years working in the sector. Ontario will not be able to offer $10-a-day child care without child care workers.

The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care says that none of the strategies the government has put on the table will work until we deal with the low wages.

Will the minister listen to the experts and take action to address the staffing shortage by paying child care workers fair wages?

My question is for the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity.

Over the next six years, Ontario’s construction sector will need to hire 72,000 additional workers due to retirements and expected job growth. However, the reality is that women remain under-represented in this growing sector. Unfortunately, as in so many areas, barriers are preventing women from achieving their full potential in the skilled trades. Some of these obstacles include PPE and other equipment that is not tailored to women. For women to safely and effectively perform their jobs, they must be properly outfitted in uniforms, boots and safety harnesses.

Can the associate minister please explain how our government is making workplaces safer for women?

In Ontario, there are 500,000 construction workers; just a small percentage of those are women. Unfortunately, for women who work in the skilled trades, they’re frequently exposed to a lack of or poorly maintained washroom facilities at their work sites. This is unacceptable, and it is a deterrent for women wanting to take up careers in the skilled trades. It’s very important that women are provided with the supports they need to work safely and comfortably. In this instance, it’s ensuring that washrooms for female workers on job sites are adhering to equitable workplace health and safety standards.

Can the associate minister please elaborate on what measures our government is implementing that will ensure safety and equity for female workers?

We signed a deal with the federal government that is now delivering a 50% reduction in fees for families in this province—$8,000 to $12,000 per child for every child they have in a child care centre. That is a huge achievement and step forward. We also committed to build 86,000 spaces in the province to meet the growing needs of child care. Mr. Speaker, 46,000 spaces have been created to date. We also agree that we need more staff as we grow demand and reduce fees and increase access to an affordable child care system for working parents in this province. It’s why we increased wages each and every year of this agreement by $1 per hour, with a floor now imposed in the sector.

We know there’s more to do. It’s why the government launched a workforce consultation with those stakeholders and many others.

I will note the irony of New Democrats, who advocate for affordability but who would have excluded 70,000 for-profit families who depend on access in this province. We’ll stand up for all of them.

We’re going to continue to step up to support the workers, but most especially the families who now can afford child care—a 50% reduction, an $8,000 to $12,000 reduction per child. That’s going to make a big difference as we save families money in this tough economy.