Good morning. Let us pray.

Prières / Prayers.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. David Rotenberg, who was the MPP for Wilson Heights during the 31st and 32nd Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Rotenberg’s family and friends—his stepchildren Jacob Freedman and Jonathan Freedman; his niece Reena Greenwald; his nephews Noam Rotenberg and Paul Rotenberg; his great-nephew Zev Rotenberg; his grandchildren Joshua Freedman and Elishua Benchoreen; and his great-grandchildren Ora Aviner, Shoshana Aviner and Tiferet Aviner. Also in the Speaker’s gallery: Phil Gillies, who served as the MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; Judy Marsales, who served as the MPP for Hamilton West during the 38th Parliament; and David Warner, who was the Speaker during the 35th Parliament.

Welcome to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The member for Humber River–Black Creek.

The member for Thornhill.

We give thanks for the life and public service of David Rotenberg.

Orders of the day?

Orders of the day? The member for Barrie–Innisfil.

The House recessed from 0919 to 1015.

Order.

Sadly, it is now time to say a word of thanks to our legislative pages. Our pages are smart, trustworthy and hard-working. They are indispensable to the effective functioning of the chamber, and we are very fortunate to have had them here.

To our pages: You depart having made many new friends, with a greater understanding of parliamentary democracy and memories that will last a lifetime. Each of you will go home and continue your studies, and no doubt will contribute to your communities, your province and your country in important ways. We expect great things from all of you. Maybe some of you will take your seats in this House as members or work here as staff someday. Who knows? We wish you all well.

Please join me in thanking our legislative pages.

Applause.

Applause.

I also want to introduce someone today—although he’s not new around the Legislature and he has already been introduced: Kevin Modeste, who has been working with the NDP caucus for 22 years. He must have started as a page to reach that milestone. He is attending, of course, his final question period today as a staff member.

We wish Mr. Modeste well as he moves on from Queen’s Park at the end of this year.

I would ask the members to keep their introductions brief and to avoid political statements.

The member for Toronto Centre.

We’ll continue, if there are no objections, with introduction of guests.

The Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

The final supplementary.

Interjections.

Interjections.

Start the clock.

The next question.

Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

The member for Toronto–St. Paul’s and the member for Brampton North will come to order.

The next question.

Supplementary question? The member for Ottawa West–Nepean.

Order. Stop the clock. The member for Hamilton Mountain will come to order. The member for Kitchener–Conestoga will come to order.

Restart the clock. The member for Beaches–East York has the floor.

Once again, I’ll ask the member for Kitchener–Conestoga to come to order.

The Premier to respond.

Interjections.

Start the clock. Next question.

The Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs.

The Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Order.

There is a lot going on at the moment.

Start the clock.

The member for Niagara West, next question.

First of all, the government House leader.

The division bells rang from 1202 to 1207.

On December 7, 2022, Mr. Calandra moved third reading of Bill 51, An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Deferred vote on the motion that the question now be put on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 39, An Act to amend the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the Municipal Act, 2001 and to enact the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Repeal Act, 2022 / Projet de loi 39, Loi visant à modifier la Loi de 2006 sur la cité de Toronto et la Loi de 2001 sur les municipalités et à édicter la Loi de 2022 abrogeant la Loi sur la Réserve agricole de Duffins-Rouge.

The division bells rang from 1212 to 1213.

On December 7, 2022, Ms. Khanjin moved that the question be now put.

All those in favour of Ms. Khanjin’s motion, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Mr. Clark has moved third reading of Bill 39, An Act to amend the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the Municipal Act, 2001 and to enact the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Repeal Act, 2022. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard some noes.

All those in favour of the motion will please say “aye.”

All those opposed will please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1216 to 1217.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Call in the members. This is another five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1221 to 1222.

All those in favour, please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Second reading negatived.

Government House leader?

Report deemed adopted.

Ms. Bell moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 58, An Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and other Acts with respect to certain categories of evictions and the provision of legal representation with respect to such evictions / Projet de loi 58, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2006 sur la location à usage d’habitation et d’autres lois en ce qui concerne certaines catégories d’expulsions et la représentation juridique en cas d’expulsions de ce genre.

First reading agreed to.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

First reading agreed to.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? The motion is carried.

Motion agreed to.

Before I ask for orders of the day, I have a brief message for the House.

As we leave Queen’s Park to return to our ridings for the holidays, let the light of the season symbolize the hope and promise of good things to come. Amid the darkness of challenges that we have confronted in the past few years, we have found light in our support for one another, the dedication of our front-line workers in all sectors and the promise of the bright future that lies ahead for all of us.

Here at the Legislature, light also symbolizes the work that we do each day. In 2017, the Washington Post adopted the slogan “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” At the seat of Ontario’s Parliament, light reminds us of our commitment to the principles of democracy as we work together on behalf of all Ontarians.

Our work as elected members could not be possible without the dedication of our Legislative Assembly staff, from the cleaners to the Clerks, Hansard to human resources, broadcasters to buyers, protocol to protection services. Thank you all for the work that you do behind the scenes to allow us to do our work in Parliament.

I also want to express thanks to the presiding officer team, the Deputy Speaker and member for Flamborough–Glanbrook, the member for Parkdale–High Park, the member for Ajax and the member for Ottawa–Vanier, who worked to support me in my role as Speaker; and express my appreciation to the members of the Board of Internal Economy, the government House leader as well as the member for Timiskaming–Cochrane. I look forward to working with you in 2023.

To all members on both sides of the House, after a busy start to the 43rd Parliament, I hope you’re all able to rest and reconnect with family and friends as we close out the year.

Merry Christmas, Hanukkah sameach, happy holidays and best wishes in the new year. Thank you very much.

Applause.

Orders of the day? I recognize the government House leader.

The House adjourned at 1255.