I’d like to welcome the grade 10 students from Père-Philippe-Lamarche secondary school from my riding of Scarborough Centre this morning to Queen’s Park.

It is my great pleasure to welcome the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario in the members’ gallery, one of whom is a University of Windsor student.

I would also like to welcome faculty from the University of Windsor—the university is proudly in my riding: Dr. Gordon, Dr. Houser, Dr. Georgie, who I’ll be meeting with later, Dr. Van Heyst, Dr. Sheppard-LeMoine, Dr. Porter, Dr. Marquardt, Dr. Kar, Dr. Carriveau and Dr. Pratt.

Go, Lancers, go!

I’d like to welcome representatives from AMAPCEO who I’ll be meeting with later today, who are in the chamber: Dave Bulmer, Cynthia Watt, Angela Freeman, Colleen Walsh, Suzanne Conquer and Jennifer Harewood. Welcome to the Legislature.

I had a wonderful meeting today with the Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario team, where they expressed that elder abuse has increased by 250% over the last two years. I want to welcome CEO of Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario Marta Hajek, Mary Shkoury, Mehnaz Rafat, Angela Yenssen, Debra Sayewich, Jane Teasdale—from our Davisville community in St. Paul’s—and Lily Hoang. Thank you for a wonderful meeting, and I look forward to the solutions together.

In follow-up to my member’s statement, I’d like to acknowledge representatives here from the University of Windsor on behalf of members for Essex and for Chatham-Kent–Leamington. A warm welcome to President Gordon, Vincent, Chris, Heather, Ivona, Tom, Lisa, Narayan, Drew, Rupp, Debbie, Bill and Amy. We’re delighted to have you all here with us today. They’re up in the visitors’ gallery to my rear.

On behalf of my colleague, the member for Thunder Bay–Superior North and the NDP caucus, I’d like to welcome members from the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario, in particular Camille Duhaime, the treasurer, and Brandon Rhéal Amyot, a student at Lakehead University. Welcome.

It’s my honour to introduce two good friends of mine from the village of Osgoode in the great riding of Carleton: Canadian veteran Corporal Greg Thurlow, who served from 1971 to 1989 in the air force as an air medevac specialist in search and rescue, as well as his better half, Elizabeth McNee, a dedicated community volunteer and organizer of the Osgoode senior luncheons at the Legion. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I know she’s watching at home—she’s not here in the gallery, but I’d like to wish my Italian wife, Rita De Luca-Gates, a happy 27th anniversary.

Well, Speaker, I’ll be here for 17 more years; maybe you’ll get it right. Thank you.

I want to introduce and, obviously, say hello to our friend Paul Miller, who we all spent a great deal of years with.

I also want to recognize a friend and somebody I got to learn from in a previous incarnation as minister: Vincent Georgie, who’s up with the University of Windsor today, but also with the Windsor International Film Festival.

Welcome to our assembly.

I’d like to welcome Caleb Garrow-Ledoux to the House. He’s a volunteer in the riding of Thunder Bay–Atikokan. It’s his first time at Queen’s Park. Welcome.

I’d like to welcome to the House Sofia Raffat, a student intern from Toronto Metropolitan University who is working in my office. Welcome, Sofia.

It’s my pleasure to welcome a friend, a former municipal colleague and a great community champion: Mark Quemby from the town of Bracebridge—and his son Connor. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Earlier, a member of Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario asked me if we can wear scarves in the House, so I’m seeking unanimous consent from all the colleagues.

The member for—

Interjection.

It’s my privilege to introduce Gaetan Malette, my campaign manager, from Timmins, Ontario.

Gaetan, welcome to Queen’s Park.

I am delighted to welcome today Jess Carpinone, who is a small business owner of Bread By Us in Ottawa and a member of the Better Way Alliance. She was at Queen’s Park this morning to talk about paid sick days, along with advocates from the Decent Work and Health Network, including: Sarah Shahid; Yasmin Beydoun; Deena Ladd from the Workers’ Action Centre; Julie Chowdury; Dr. Bernard Ho, emergency room physician; and Debra Slater from the EMPOWER PSW network. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I, too, would like to welcome representatives from AMAPCEO who are here today. Joining us from their team are Dave Bulmer, Cynthia Watt, Angela Freeman, Colleen Walsh, Suzanne Conquer and Jennifer Harewood. I welcome them to Queen’s Park, and I look forward to meeting with them today.

The Premier has repeatedly claimed that his carve-up of Ontario’s greenbelt is simply about providing the land we need for housing. But a new report released just yesterday found that there is more than enough land to build two million homes without punching massive holes in our greenbelt. So if it’s not about land for housing, what is it about?

Will the Premier admit that this is about paving over protected land so a select few people can make a lot of money?

Speaker, the report that was released yesterday shows what the people of this province already know: We don’t need insider schemes and torching of the greenbelt to build the housing that people need.

We need 1.5 million homes in Ontario, and it’s only getting worse. But I haven’t talked to one municipal leader—not one—one housing advocate or one regular Ontarian who thinks that the problem is that there aren’t enough mega mansions. That is not the problem.

Why won’t this government work with our municipal partners to build affordable homes on the land we already have available?

Planning experts, municipalities and the government’s own task force—despite his creative quoting from that report—have said that land availability is not the problem.

Again, will this government—and I’d love the Premier to be able to answer this question—listen to the experts, use the land we already have available, and reverse the decision to remove 7,400 acres of protected greenbelt land?

Can the Premier explain how, after four years of his leadership, things have only gotten worse?

I’d like to welcome Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario. I’ll be meeting with these folks later on this afternoon: Lauren Bates, Laura Proctor, Michel Tremblay, Jean-Rock Boutin, Tom Carothers and Anna Malfara. Welcome to your House.