It is an honour to rise and to pay tribute to the Honourable David Onley. David Onley served as Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor from 2007 to 2014. Named to the Order of Canada in 2017, he was a symbol of dignity and an inspiration to many throughout his years of service.

It would be impossible to overstate the influence that he has had in Ontario. Raised in Scarborough, David Onley had a long career as a television newscaster, starting with Citytv in 1984, where he was a science and a weather specialist. He was also a newscaster for Cable Pulse 24, CP24. Even then, as a broadcaster, he appeared on camera in his mobility device. He was an advocate on disability issues just by doing his job.

For David Onley, accessibility was “that which enables people to achieve their full potential.” I couldn’t agree more. So it is of particular significance that David used his status as the province’s first Lieutenant Governor with a physical disability to raise awareness and help break down barriers facing other Ontarians with disabilities. He blazed a trail that all could access. Leading by example, he helped all Ontarians to see beyond physical limitations to see ability everywhere. He was a man who lived his personal motto: “Through adversity to the heights.”

A tireless advocate for a more inclusive society, David Onley was devoted to the service of people in a way that set him apart and set examples for all. He made Ontario and Canada a more welcoming place, and the legacy of his efforts and advocacy for improved access to employment and opportunities for people with disabilities will indeed be lasting.

David was someone that I worked with at Queen’s Park when I was first elected in 2013, and he is very well-known as a graduate and champion of the University of Toronto Scarborough campus, where, following his tenure as Lieutenant Governor, he returned to teach and to develop courses on the role of the crown in the Canadian political system and on the politics of disability in Canada.

On behalf of the residents of Scarborough–Guildwood, I want to thank him for his service. To his family: Thank you for sharing him with us. My deepest condolences to his wife Ruth Ann; to their sons, Jonathan, Robert and Michael; and to their extended families.

I have the utmost respect and admiration for the Honourable David C. Onley. His contributions will always be remembered with a deep degree of gratitude, and it is my hope that we will all do our best to honour his legacy of accessibility through the kinds of service and action that he modelled so well for all of us.

Speaker, I am truly honoured to rise today to pay tribute to the late Honourable David C. Onley, who served faithfully as the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 2007 to 2014. Mr. Onley was, among many other things, the first provincial Lieutenant Governor with a physical disability and the second-longest serving since Confederation, a father, a grandfather, a husband, a change-maker, a broadcaster, a public servant and an advocate.

I’d again like to welcome Mr. Onley’s wonderful family: his wife Ruth Ann and Robert his son who are joining us here today. Thank you for being here.

David Onley is remembered as one of the most extraordinary figures in Ontario’s rich political history. He contracted polio at the age of three, which made walking a mammoth task. As his family shared with us recently at his funeral, that also left him with a lifetime of pain. Yet when he was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor, he walked up the stairs in front of us today and sat in the Speaker’s chair. That determination and grit transcended to all areas of David’s life. When David saw closed doors, he opened them, and when they couldn’t be opened, he made sure they were made accessible—not just temporarily, not just for him, but for everyone who passed through after him.

Former Toronto mayor David Crombie and I were speaking recently about Mr. Onley, and he reminded me of his son’s reflection at his father’s disability and desire to live a full life. He said, “He lived a life of courage every day,” something we should all aspire to.

Mr. Onley lived a life dedicated to service and continually fought to make this province work for the disabled. He once remarked that accessibility was, “much, much more than just the curb cuts and wheelchair parking spots and automatic doors and ramps.... It’s that which enables people to achieve their full potential.” He shared the joy in the passing of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and was dedicated to using every tool he had to sound the alarm when he felt the province was lagging in fulfilling its legal obligations, and in 2018 he was asked to do the official AODA review.

I was speaking with disability advocate Sarah Jama yesterday—she’s a disability justice advocate who, yes, is running for a seat in this House—and I couldn’t help but ask her what stood out for her about the legacy of David Onley, as somebody who is a disability justice advocate and also a person who uses a mobility device. She said she felt it incumbent on all of us not to let his incredible work pass with him. She says, “We owe him and the millions of disabled people in this province the implementation of every single one of his 2019 recommendations.” Tough words—and she’ll have tougher words too, but I leave her to bring them to this place. And I would say that, if she were to take her seat among us here, or the next person who sits here with a physical disability, she will have been well served by the path that he forged.

I want to share, Speaker, that I was honoured to attend Mr. Onley’s funeral just a few weeks ago. It was an extraordinary event. It was held in the very church where Mr. Onley and his wife Ruth Ann met and was attended by a who’s who of leaders of all levels of government, past and present; former colleagues in the media; of course, his beloved family; but also hundreds and hundreds of disability advocates, people with disabilities.

I spoke yesterday with Anthony Hylton, his chief of staff when he was Lieutenant Governor, about the time and effort necessary to ensure that that church and service would be truly accessible for this occasion: larger font in the programs, an area for people in mobility devices, the book of condolences had to be accessible to everyone, programs in Braille, screens with captioning and on and on.

Mr. Hylton called David Onley “one of the greatest people I ever met”—and he’s met pretty great people—and he shared that he would receive a call from Mr. Onley every January 30, the anniversary of the day he asked him to be his chief of staff, becoming the first Black person to fill this role anywhere in Canada.

Anthony Hylton also remarked that Mr. Onley was a deeply religious man. His family and his pastor talked about this throughout their service. It was fitting, then, that his coffin was led out of the church by his pastor, now himself needing a mobility device, on David’s scooter.

As Mr. Onley had said often, most people are one fall or one accident away from really understanding how inaccessible places were for him. He lives on in his immortalized words in Hansard, in the results he achieved for the people of Ontario and in the lives and memories of his loving family and the friends who had the pleasure of knowing him. Thank you for sharing him with our province.

Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance of the late Honourable David Onley, 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, with five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government.

I rise today to pay tribute to the Honourable David C. Onley. I share my deepest condolences to David’s family: to his wife Ruth Ann; his sons, Robert, Michael and Jonathan; along with his friends and former colleagues.

I had the opportunity and the privilege of speaking at David’s funeral in January, where I noted that David was a memorable journalist and broadcaster who advocated for accessibility for all Ontarians, helping to put a spotlight on the barriers faced by people with disabilities. He then took the advocacy into Queen’s Park, making accessibility issues a priority as Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor.

As Lieutenant Governor, David served the province with honour and distinction. He worked tirelessly to uphold the principle that every person should be allowed to reach the heights demonstrated by their potential and expanded the reconciliation efforts with Ontario’s Indigenous peoples, paving the way for work that continues today.

As I said last month, he was a true leader and set an example for others. Those who knew him described him as generous, compassionate and determined. He leaves behind a wonderful lasting legacy for the people of Ontario. His contributions to our province will never be forgotten.

May God bless our 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, David C. Onley.

Applause.

Regarding any family matters, my family is separate from the political process. They aren’t involved.

I had an opportunity to speak to the Integrity Commissioner, Mr. Speaker. I asked him for his opinion, and he found there was no violation. Again, this event was cleared by the Integrity Commissioner.

The member for Oshawa.

Today, we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Dr. Charles Morris Godfrey, who was the MPP for Durham West during the 30th Parliament.

Dr. Godfrey’s family, including his son, Mark Godfrey, are watching from home this afternoon.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery is David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament.

The member for Kingston and the Islands.

Family, friends, colleagues and residents of Durham are mourning the loss of former MPP Dr. Charles Morris Godfrey, one of North America’s oldest practising doctors. Joining us today is David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament, and watching from home is his son, Mark Godfrey.

Dr. Godfrey loved life and was famously quoted in 2020 as saying that the trick to aging gracefully is staying interested in life. His other secret was to stay away from TV and to focus on things that mattered.

Born in Philadelphia in 1917, Dr. Charles Godfrey moved to Toronto at a young age. According to a profile published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1987, he remained in Canada for the rest of his life. His father encouraged him to pursue a life in medicine, but he was also inspired by the Clark Gable movie Men in White.

After serving in the Canadian military for over five years during World War II and qualifying as a physiotherapist while in service, he enrolled in the University of Toronto school of medicine. He paid for his schooling by working as a janitor and scrapyard worker before graduating in 1953.

He joined the royal college of physicians in 1958 and became the medical director of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Toronto East General Hospital. Later, he split his time working at Sunnybrook and Toronto Rehabilitation Centre.

Dr. Godfrey married his wife, Margaret, who shared his passion for medicine and helping people. For over 20 years, Dr. Godfrey and his wife would spend six weeks per year as volunteers travelling to developing countries on lecture tours, on behalf of CARE, an international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief and long-term international development projects. From 1983 to 1985, he chaired CARE, and he later served as chairman of CARE’s international health advisory committee. In 1986, he was awarded the distinguished service award by the organization.

He was invested as a member of the Order of Canada in 1989, and he received the Order of Ontario in 1996.

He was later elected to the Ontario Legislature, representing Durham West as a member of the New Democratic Party of Ontario, from September 18, 1975, to June 8, 1977. He was a member of the 30th Parliament. He ran because he did not want a new international airport built near him. He organized People or Planes in 1975, which grew to an astounding 8,500 members. Two days after being elected, the airport plans were cancelled. He later joked with reporters, “I don’t think there’s another politician in the world who can say he accomplished his political goals as fast as I did.” He later left politics, saying politicians have too many bosses, but he encouraged people to stand up and stick to their convictions.

Dr. Charles Godfrey died at his home in Madoc, Ontario, on July 24, just weeks short of his 105th birthday. He had continued to practise medicine up until age 102.

The university said, “He possessed a remarkable longevity in his practice, supported by his enduring love for medicine and incredible care for his patients.”

Mark Godfrey, his son, said, “He was the smartest guy in the room, all my life, any room we were in.”

Dr. Charles Godfrey was a renowned physician, a true pioneer, and a leading community member.

Thank you, Dr. Godfrey, for all your great contributions to the Durham community and to the medical field.

I rise today on behalf of His Majesty’s government to pay tribute to a special public servant, the late Mr. David Caplan. I also want to acknowledge the presence here of our former Speaker, Speaker Warner, who is with us in the gallery.

I want to begin by recognizing, as you did, Madam Speaker, David’s loved ones: his mother Elinor, a former cabinet minister, both of this House and in Parliament in Ottawa; his father Wilfred; David’s wife, Leigh, and sons, Jacob and Ben; his brother and best friend Mark; and many other family members who are with us today joining us at Queen’s Park. And thank you, former Minister Caplan, for sharing a few words about your son earlier.

David’s career at Queen’s Park was based on the values that many of us hold dear, of service over self, and this was a value instilled in him at a young age by both of his parents, Elinor and Wilfred Caplan.

Although I did not know David, I really would have liked our paths to have crossed, because I know from the colleagues in this House what a good fortune it was to have him here with us. It’s a real honour to have both a mother and son not only serve in this House, but serve in the same portfolio in different administrations as the Minister of Health. It’s quite unbelievable, and something rare.

When he passed, my colleague from Nepean who served with Mr. Caplan said, “He was a good public servant and a kind soul.” His former staff members noted that he was really “someone who had friends from all political stripes.” These recollections give us an important glimpse as to who David Caplan was as a person.

In preparing this tribute, I spoke to colleagues of mine here. My great colleague and friend, the member behind me from Sarnia–Lambton, was here when David was here. He said he had a great sense of humour and made an effort to get to know MPPs from all parties, even while serving as a government minister.

My colleague from Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock, who would sit here, echoed this sentiment, noting that Mr. Caplan was a team player and could disagree on policy but was always friendly and able to share a laugh. She noted his dedication to his family and constituents.

We are lucky to live in Ontario, and we’re fortunate to serve here at Queen’s Park. Former Minister Caplan, as you know, less than 2,000 of us have had the honour to serve here, and both you and your son were one of them.

This is a place where we strive to make collegiality count, and members across the aisle have a lot of mutual respect for one another, especially in the halls. David Caplan emulated these values.

David cared about important causes like the Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity. Before coming to Queen’s Park, he started as a school trustee, as you told me earlier. He was always looking forward and working towards a better tomorrow.

I might add, to his wife, Leigh: We know it. We know that without having a supportive spouse and parents, you can’t make it here. You helped him along the way, and it’s important that we acknowledge you as well.

He served in both government and in opposition, always willing to extend a hand of friendship.

He was also one of the few members of the Jewish community who served here, both as a member and as a cabinet minister, and we acknowledge that as well.

We know that when someone passes, it’s a dark time. As the years go on, although the pain hopefully subsides, grief continues in different ways. Learning about David’s life and legacy, especially from my colleagues and his family, it’s clear that David was a light, and we should take comfort in remembering what a little light can do in darkness: It can give us that little bit of hope.

Today we honour David Caplan because he believed in Ontario, he believed our best days lie ahead, he believed in our province and in our future. Parce qu’il croyait en notre province et en notre avenir.

David fulfilled his duty to his province, honoured his commitment to his constituents and his family and brought so much light to so many. We will always remember him. May his memory be for a blessing.

Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mr. David Caplan, with five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government, five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition and five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group.

I want to welcome the family of David to Queen’s Park. When I was first elected in 2007, I became the critic for the Ministry of Health. Soon after—in June 2008, I think—David became the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. I knew his mother and had a lot of respect for what Minister Caplan had done before, so I was looking forward to working with her son. David did not disappoint. From the first time I went and introduced myself, he greeted me with respect. He greeted me with a huge smile and said, “I’m new on the job.” He had just been named Minister of Health. He was going to learn the file, but if there was anything he could do to help, he was always willing to talk, always willing to listen.

He wanted to make a difference. He would talk about his sons, Benjamin and Jacob, who were quite small 15 years ago, but he wanted to make Ontario a better place for all of us and for them. They were always there at the front of what he was trying to do.

I introduced my first private member’s bill while he was Minister of Health. I introduced it on November 5, second reading November 27, third reading December 4, and royal assent on December 10. Not too many private members’ bills go forward. It was a private member’s bill—I printed it just for fun.

The number is Bill 124, but not the Bill 124 we all know. This one, nobody knows about it. It’s called An Act to amend the Smoke-Free Ontario Act with respect to cigarillos.

David understood health promotion and disease prevention. He loved the topic. He knew that if Ontario was to make a difference in health promotion and disease prevention, it would not only help the people of Ontario; it would also help the health care system, and this is why he agreed for my first private member’s bill to carry forward and become the law in Ontario. We were the first to ban flavoured cigarillos. Cigarillos were really cheap little cigarettes that were marketed mainly to kids. They came in flavours like strawberry shortcake and chocolate, and they really, really, targeted the kids with those products. David understood that and agreed to pass the bill.

There’s something else: I got to ask him a ton of questions, being health critic. He was Minister of Health during his time as minister. I want to read one of his answers and I’ll put it in perspective.

He’s answering to me: “I know that Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has had the chance to connect with the member opposite, has in fact chatted with the member and answered her questions related to the protocols between medical officers of health, public health units....” I’m putting that forward because he always made the resources of the Ministry of Health available to the opposition. That’s not something that I’ve had the pleasure of having with other Ministers of Health that came after him, but David always did. If we wanted more information, if I wanted a briefing, if I wanted a more in-depth discussion about anything, he was always open, and I truly thank him for that.

I also thanked him—he invited me and hundreds of other people to a huge conference in July 2009, when he was Minister of Health, and organized the biggest conference on mental health and addiction. I want to put you back in 2009: The stigma against mental health and addiction that is still alive today was way worse in 2009, but David, as the minister, had the confidence to take that on.

He helped address stigma right on. He gave people with lived experience an opportunity to be heard. I would say that this conference—it was huge, I forgot how many hundreds of people. We had never had anything like that in Ontario before. It was something that David really believed in; we needed to change the way mental health and addiction was being supported in Ontario, and he did that. He did that very well. I would say a lot of things in mental health and addiction changed for the better after he organized this huge conference.

I could go on and on to share some personal experience with David. I want you to know that I was as shocked and saddened as anybody else when I heard of his passing. He will be remembered for a lot of good work that he has done in this Legislature. He left way too early, but he did a good job when he was there. He was a friend, and I miss him.