To my colleague from Waterloo region, from Kitchener, my next-door neighbour: It’s great to have you elected here in this chamber. You bring a wealth of experience when it comes to these things.

And I’m glad the member for London–Fanshawe is bringing up things that we see with our provincial courts and our Provincial Offences Act.

I’d like to give the member for Kitchener South–Hespeler a few minutes to talk a little bit more about some of the things that she sees in this bill, in regard to the Ministry of the Attorney General, that she thinks are going to help the people of this province.

The member talks about housekeeping, cleaning house, all that kind of stuff.

I have to say, schedule 2, the Courts of Justice Act, where they’re going to cut some red tape by having retiring judges coming back and helping clear that backlog—that’s good. But what they don’t understand is that by cutting legal aid by 30%, they’ve affected the most vulnerable people.

When you talk about saving money and that kind of issue when it comes to red tape—how does cutting 30% from legal aid help the most vulnerable people access a basic right like justice?

The Christmas parades are back, and the world is better for it. All across the valley, communities are getting together to do something that everyone loves but that has been missing for the last couple of years. In my riding of Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, each and every parade is a special experience that speaks in a very visual way about the people, the organizations, the businesses and their expressions of community spirit.

This past weekend, I was able to attend parades in both Cobden and Pembroke.

The Cobden parade is a daytime parade that brings out people from all around the area and sends out the message that Christmas is near. As the first parade of the season in our area, that is most appropriate.

For many years now, the Pembroke parade has been an evening parade, and this year’s edition was truly spectacular. As many as 70 floats took part in the parade, witnessed by the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen in Pembroke.

The floats and the work that goes into them are something to appreciate, and my hat goes off to all those who work so hard to make these parades so very special.

But what really is the most wonderful part of the Christmas/Santa Claus parades is the joy and excitement shown by the children as they anxiously await the arrival of the jolly old elf. As I move along the parade routes exchanging greetings with so many people, it is the reactions of the children that leave the most lasting impressions. The joy of children—isn’t that what it’s all about? I look forward to experiencing more of it this weekend.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

The holiday season is upon us, and today I would like to take the time to commend the communities in my riding for their efforts in offering wonderful activities for the residents. Here are a few events I had the opportunity to attend, just to name a few:

Centre de Loisirs had their annual craft expo, with merchants and artists selling their goods, and a visit from Santa.

La ville de Hearst avait la Magie de Minuit pour encourager l’achat local, ainsi qu’un village des fêtes pour les familles avec du curling, du hockey, du chocolat chaud et une rencontre avec le Père Noël.

La ville de Moonbeam a organisé un souper et une soirée musicale pour célébrer les commerces et leurs employés.

The Rotary Club of Kapuskasing had its second annual Winter Wonderland Parade this past Sunday. Many local businesses participated in the floats and gave out candy to children and families along the road.

There is a lot more to come, with markets and craft shows in Fauquier and Val Rita, holiday office parties for the communities, and the festival of lights in various towns across the riding.

It is time to spread some holiday joy and reflect on what we are thankful for this past year. Remember to support your local businesses.

This time of year is difficult for many families and individuals, so let’s not forget about our food banks, our angel campaigns and our toy drives. I urge you all to be kind and donate where you can. A simple gesture can go a long way.

I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Je vous souhaite, tous et toutes, une belle fête.

Members’ statements.

Speaker, I rise today in the chamber to tell you about an event in my riding of Newmarket–Aurora that happened earlier this month. The Central York Fire Services invited me to attend their annual recognition ceremony. I had the honour of speaking at this great event and congratulating our community’s unspoken heroes.

I would like to begin by thanking Chief Ian Laing and Deputy Fire Chief Rocco Volpe for all their great work and the encouragement that they provide to the Central York Fire Services team.

Thank you to all our firefighters and all our first responders for your selfless commitment and dedication to the safety of our community.

During this event, Captain Chris Airey, an expert in ice water, rope and high-angle rescues, was recognized for his contributions in leadership and supporting the training of his fellow firefighters and community members by being awarded the Jim Allen Award. This award was introduced in 2018 to honour Captain Jim Allen for his dedication and contributions over his 37-year career.

This event was also the first time the fire services awarded “wings” for their new air division, which uses unmanned aerial drones to assist in the firefighting process. I would like to personally recognize the Central York Fire Services for embracing technology to modernize their service and approach to firefighting.

To all the firefighters at the Central York Fire Services, thank you.

I rise today to speak about a constituent of mine from Stittsville, Cara McNulty. Through her advocacy group, Life Jackets for Life, she is a tireless and hard-working advocate for children’s safety. Her group’s goal is to change the law to require children to wear life jackets on small vessel boats. Just over four years ago, her 11-year-old son, Joshua Steinburg, passed away in a drowning accident. The 26-foot speedboat he was riding hit a wave, and Joshua had removed his life jacket just minutes before the accident.

Joshua’s story is not the only one—hundreds of boat drowning accidents happen each year. According to the OPP in 2020, over the last decade, 80% of the people who died in investigated boat drowning incidents were not wearing a life jacket.

These deaths are preventable.

Norm Miller, the former MPP for Parry Sound–Muskoka, introduced legislation in this House, in the form of a private member’s bill, in order to make the wearing of life jackets mandatory. That bill never made it through the House. I’m hoping that I can work with members from all sides of the House and all parties to reintroduce Norm Miller’s legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Cara and every person who has lost a loved one to drowning: Whether you are fishing or riding your speedboat, always wear a life jacket. It saves lives.

I’m not sure if he’s watching today, but a former—well, he’s not a former friend of ours; he’s still a friend of ours, Percy Hatfield.

Percy, this one’s for you, if you’re keeping an eye:

It’s always a pleasure to stand up for my riding.

But this morning my statement seems to be rhyming.

‘Twas the day before December, and all through this House,

Members got so quiet, you could even hear a mouse.

And if you’re looking for plans to be made,

Come to Kitchener–Conestoga for a Santa Claus parade.

The floats and decorations have been made with care.

In hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there.

Elmira this Saturday, New Hamburg on Sunday.

Bring the whole family and you’ll have a fun day.

If you’re busy this weekend there’s no need to take fright.

Wellesley has their parade on December the 9th.

And if you still think Santa will never be seen,

He’ll also be in St. Clements on December 17.

You’ll see me or my helpers, I call them my staff.

Like Santa’s own elves they work and they laugh.

Keep an eye out for Cupid, for Donner and Blitzen,

And my new friends MPPs Riddell and Dixon.

Look for this jolly old elf with a brightly lit sign,

Propped up by hockey sticks and held together with twine.

As I look at the clock I can see my time’s tight.

So Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

The cost of living in Ontario is out of control. People feel it every day, and many middle-class families are doing things they never expected.

The Feed Ontario report reveals record-high food bank use. Since the pandemic, first-time visitors are up 64%, with one in three people accessing food banks for the very first time. In its report, Feed Ontario cites precarious employment, underfunded disability supports, and unaffordable housing as reasons why middle-class people are turning to food banks in numbers never seen before. They say, “The reason that so many people must turn to a food bank is because our once-strong economic foundation has weakened.”

In my community of London, average rent jumped 36.9% last year, one in four children are living in poverty, and 6,230 individuals and families are on social housing wait-lists.

People are being crushed under the skyrocketing cost of living. Families shouldn’t have to turn to food banks to help feed their kids when they work hard for a living, but that is the reality in Ontario right now.

The middle class built Ontario because of public health care, because of public education, and because they earned good wages. The Ford government is strangling these public systems, while more and more people are being pushed into poverty.

This government should take Feed Ontario’s recommendations: improve the quality of work, improve social assistance, invest in social housing, and put people at the centre of policy and program design.

To this Conservative government: Protect Ontario’s middle class; not just wealthy, insider donors.

Today is the last day this government can choose to save Connect-Clinic, the only virtual clinic in Ontario dedicated to delivering gender-affirming health care. An alternative funding plan could save the clinic. They are commonly used in academic, northern and specialized health care settings already. Connect-Clinic checks all three boxes.

Tomorrow, 3,500 trans Ontarians will lose access to life-saving care. And I cannot stress this enough: They will have nowhere to go for this specialized care.

Losing virtual health care does not only affect patients in the north or rural areas of Ontario; I’ve heard from my own constituents in Toronto Centre who are reeling at the loss of virtual health care.

My constituent Andrew shared, “My partner and I are among 1.8 million Ontarians who don’t have a family doctor. We’ve registered multiple times for the Health Care Connect and contacted doctors’ offices with zero responses to date. My partner and I have just found out that we’re expecting a baby. So this weekend we booked a virtual appointment to be referred to an ob-gyn. If this service is no longer supported after December 1, we would lose access.”

Speaker, this government brags about their embrace of innovation, and yet they’re throwing away that same innovation that enables virtual care.

Funding cuts to virtual health care will not all be replaced with in-person appointments—they’ll be replaced with Ontarians without access to health care.

I urge this Conservative government to change course.

I’d like to welcome, from Diabetes Canada, Russell Williams, Ashley Bergwerff, Terezinha Hignett, Walter Robinson, and John Whitehead. My caucus colleagues and I, and some other members as well, look forward to meeting with them during lunch today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I want to give a warm welcome to my father, Ray Lecce; my brother Michael Lecce; and two future Prime Ministers: my nieces Valentina and Vivienne. Thank you for coming today to watch Queen’s Park.

Today I would like to welcome an amazing young city builder and resident of the beautiful Scarborough North riding, Amina Mohamed. It’s always great when you come here.

I’m very pleased today to welcome many people here from the teachers’ unions and education unions.

But I want to make a special point—to point out Paul Kossta, in the members’ gallery. He has been the legislative observer for OSSTF for many years and is going to be retiring soon.

Interjection: What?

Thank you for all you do for the people of this province.

I’d like to welcome to our House Kevin Davis, mayor of the incredible city of Brantford, and his key staffer, Sasha Hill. Welcome to the people’s House.

I want to welcome Janice Folk-Dawson and Patty Coates, the vice-president and president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, to the Legislative Assembly.

I’d like to welcome today’s page co-captain Isabelle Casselman and her family, who are here as well—her mother, Melissa; her father, Stephen; and her younger brother Nolan.

I’d also like to welcome Patty Coates and Janice Folk-Dawson from OFL.

I’d also like to say thank you very much to all the education workers, ECEs and health care workers outside who came out in support.

I’d like to welcome Upasna Kumar, my executive assistant—the first time in the chamber watching question period.