We all remember the year 2000. Y2K never happened, but something monumental did happen for the NDP. That was the year that Kevin Modeste started working as a constituency assistant for Frances Lankin.

In the year 2008, Kevin started working for the House leader and whip’s office—once again for the NDP—under Peter Kormos. Peter Kormos was an incredibly intelligent man, but he believed in tough love as teaching, and one of the reasons why Kevin is the great expert on House rules and on procedure is Peter Kormos.

It is a bittersweet day for us in the NDP, because this may be Kevin Modeste’s last day sitting in that chair.

There are many people in the precinct who have never been able to stand on this floor but who have had a great impact for the benefit of the people of Ontario. Kevin Modeste is one of those people. On our side, Kevin Modeste has had a greater impact as one person than, I would say, any of us.

On behalf of all our caucus and, I believe, all the people in this precinct, I would like to thank Kevin. He’s one of my closest friends.

It has been an honour to work with you. I hope to work with you in any capacity in the future.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just rising in accordance with standing order 59 just to remind members, of course, that we will be returning on Tuesday, February 21, and, as I always do, I very much look forward to contacting the opposition House leaders and working closely to let them know what business will be coming ahead.

On behalf of the government, I also just want to congratulate and thank Kevin Modeste for his exceptional work here on behalf of you, but on behalf of all of the House. It is a very, very difficult job, a very, very difficult task being in the House leader’s office—even more difficult, I would suggest, being in the opposition House leader’s office, and he has done an exceptionally good job of doing it. To his wife, Shawna, and his daughters, Reya and Riley, congratulations; your dad has done an extraordinarily good job and we congratulate him and wish him all the best in the future.

Also, I just want to, again, Speaker, thank you for what was a wonderful reception last evening. I know that many members had a great time. It was very, very nice to see everybody back after a couple of years’ hiatus.

To all of my colleagues on all sides of the House: Thank you for what was a very, very productive session—more great work on behalf of the people of the province of Ontario by all members on all sides of the House.

And of course, to the wonderful staff here, who have done extraordinary work in keeping this place going—we’ve said it before: not only the only Legislature that continued to sit during COVID in person, a testament to their hard work, but bringing us back strong and working very hard for us. We all thank you very much for your hard work.

Applause.

Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario entered the chamber of the Legislative Assembly and took her seat upon the throne.