A low-income senior contacted my office because she was trying to make an appointment to get her teeth looked after, but then she was told she doesn’t qualify anymore for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program. She was confused as to why she qualified before but no longer does. The feds tried to do the right thing by increasing payments to low-income seniors. They increased CPP payments by nowhere near enough, but enough to kick seniors out of provincial funding qualification. In this case, she has been kicked out because of about $224 per year. The province hasn’t adjusted the threshold, so she has been cut from the program. She was surprised to no longer qualify by less than 20 bucks a month. However, this government isn’t surprised. They know, and they’re fine to save a couple of bucks, because, ironically, getting them to spend money on real folks and do the right thing is like pulling teeth. Now she needs dentures, and she no longer qualifies for the program. There is no way she can ever afford this without coverage. She shared with my office that she came to Canada for the promise of a better life. She worked hard when she was younger and paid her taxes. She expected the government to fulfill their end of the bargain and care about her in her old age. She is having to fight tooth and nail for what she needs.

This government needs to adjust the threshold so that seniors who depend on the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program aren’t being kicked out of it, and then after that, show some leadership and realize that dental care is health care and that teeth aren’t luxuries. The government knows that they have allowed the lowest-income seniors to be quietly booted out. While they keep saving money while choosing to drag their feet, they leave low-income seniors in pain and without dental care, when they had promised them that they would have it.

Shame on this government. Please fix this.

Kennedy Dabner is our page captain today. Kennedy’s father, Jamie Dabner, and Kennedy’s grandmother, Val Kennedy, are in the gallery with us. A proud day for them and for Kennedy.

I would also like to recognize Melanie Ducharme in the gallery; she’s the executive director of the Pavilion Women’s Centre in Temiskaming Shores and a newly elected councillor in the city of Temiskaming Shores. Welcome.

My colleague the Minister of Agriculture introduced Clint Thomas, who is a wily veteran from the back halls here at Queen’s Park, but I’d like to welcome all of the members of Canada’s Canadian Nuclear Association to Queen’s Park today. They do have a reception in 228 and 230 later this afternoon.

Today, I would like to welcome the cement industry: from the Cement Association of Canada, Adam Auer, Steve Morrissey and Martha Murray; from St. Marys Cement, Filiberto Ruiz and Bill Asselstine; from Lafarge Canada, David Redfern and Rob Cumming; from Lehigh Cement Co., Nick Papanicolaou; from Concrete Ontario, Bart Kanters and Andy Wallgren; and from Ash Grove in Mississauga–Lakeshore, Marie Glenn and Richard Sluce. I welcome you all tonight to the dining room to see them.

It is my great pleasure to introduce the women from Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke: Carla Neto, who is the executive director; Alicia Whyte, who is the manager of programs and client services; and Lina Almanzan, who is director of philanthropy, resources and systems. I just want to say thank you for everything you do for the women of our community.

I have three guests to welcome to the House today. The first one is Cyma Musarat, former Progressive Conservative candidate for Humber River–Black Creek. She’s also joined by two other politicians from Pakistan: Mahnish Rehman and Sobia Ahmed. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome the northern representative of the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses. Jennifer Chamberlin is the executive director of the New Starts for Women shelter, which serves the Red Lake-Ear Falls district and Cat Lake, Deer Lake, Keewaywin, North Spirit Lake, Pikangikum, Poplar Hill and Sandy Lake First Nations. Meegwetch—thank you—for your work, and meegwetch for being here today.

This past Saturday, I had the honour to participate in the opening of the Adult and Teen Challenge community office in Thunder Bay. The Adult and Teen Challenge provides a year-long program for those dealing with addictions. I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with some of the students at the women’s home, where the office is being run out of, about the program. The individuals were more than happy to share their journey with me. I spoke with women that graduated three years ago and are now mentoring others and spoke with others that were a mere two weeks into the program. Regardless of the length of time these students spent in the program, the message was the same: Adult and Teen Challenge saved their lives.

They spoke of the family atmosphere at the facility, along with the sense of belonging that was instrumental to their recovery. I was able to speak with several men present that are part of the men’s program across town. As successful as the program has been for many struggling with addictions, the leaders of the program, many recovering from addictions themselves, realized that there was more that they could do. They set their sights on those members of the community who were not able to commit a full year of their lives to the live-in program but who were still looking to change their lives.

After many discussions, their vision of a community office was realized, and we cut the ribbon on Saturday to officially recognize the new services in Thunder Bay. The community office is the first point of contact for anyone dealing with addiction. The space provides pastoral counselling, along with family and outpatient small group support programs and mentoring. It facilitates action in the fight against addiction by supporting and referring people to life-changing help and creates a foundation for graduates to succeed when returning to the community.

I want to thank Adult and Teen Challenge for the part they are playing to bring hope and change to the lives of those dealing with addictions. You truly are changing and saving lives. I look forward to continuing to work with this group and others in Thunder Bay as we address this crisis. I want to remind those in need that you are never alone. Please seek help when you need it.

I just want to give a special shout-out and welcome as well to Sly Castaldi, OAITH board member and executive director of Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis. Thank you for the great work you do in our community, and welcome to Queen’s Park.

I would like to welcome back to Queen’s Park Clint Thomas, who is representing Bruce Power. They’re hosting a reception tonight at 5 o’clock in rooms 228 and 230. Welcome, Clint.

I would like to welcome the Ontario Paramedic Association, which is at Queen’s Park. They’re in room 230, if you’re interested in having lunch with them today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome Laurie Hepburn, executive director of the Halton Women’s Place, today to mark the annual Wrapped in Courage event and thank her for her incredible work, and her team and all of the women here, who are working so hard and tirelessly to end gender-based violence.

I want to welcome Jessie Rodger, the executive director of Anova in London, and thank her for all the work she does to advocate for gender-based violence.

I’d like to welcome to the House today, from Leading Influence, our chaplain, Charlie Lyons, and the national director of Leading Influence, Tim Schindel. Thank you for coming today.

I am proud to welcome the students from Palmerston Avenue Junior Public School, and a very special welcome to Aydin Bari, son of my dear and old friend Eban Bari. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome a number of board members and staff from the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, who are here to mark their Wrapped in Courage campaign for Woman Abuse Prevention Month. Here today, we have Abi Ajibolade, Sue Weir, Melanie Ducharme, Jessie Rodger, Christy Savage, Tessa McFadzean, Sly Castaldi, Jennifer Chamberlin, Jyoti Singh, Marlene Ham, Lauren Hancock, Amber Wardell, and Sherece Taffe. I really want to thank you so much for all the important work that you do. I look forward to meeting you all on the staircase for a picture to recognize everything that you do.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to welcome my friends Elena Ricci and Roberta Scott from the Ontario Paramedic Association, here with us today.

Once again, that concludes our 90-second members’ statements for this morning. It’s a subtle reminder that we should try to rein our statements in and try to respect that standing order to the greatest extent possible.

It’s an honour to welcome Marlene Ham, the executive director of OAITH to Queen’s Park, along with staff members Lauren Hancock, Amber Wardell, Sherece Taffe, and board members Abi Ajibolade, Sue Weir, Melanie Ducharme, Jessie Rodger, Jeanine George, Christy Savage, Tessa McFadzean, Sly Castaldi, Jennifer Chamberlin, Sandy Watson-Moyles and Jyoti Singh. Thank you for being here at Queen’s Park today. I can’t eyeball all of you, but thank you for your work advocating for women’s lives free from violence.

To the Premier: Over the weekend, CBC published new information about the amount of protected Pickering farmland owned by the De Gasperis family, who are powerful landowners and PC Party donors. CBC found another 475 acres bought by the De Gasperis family in 2020 for about $24,000 an acre. They own at least 1,775 acres of greenbelt land within the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve. They bought this land cheap because it was protected as farmland in perpetuity.

How much does the Premier suppose an acre of this land would be worth after the Premier removes it from the greenbelt and makes it available for development?

How much speculative profit is the Premier giving his friends and PC donors by removing their Pickering farmland from the greenbelt?

Does the Premier finally understand how corrupt this looks?