We have time for one quick question.

We’ll go to further debate.

Our government is taking strong action to reduce unnecessary red tape. But in 2017, under the Liberal government, supported by the NDP, Ontario had the highest cost of compliance in Canada, totalling $33,000 for businesses. That is $4,000 more than any other province across Canada.

They’re always in favour of more cost. They are in favour of more delays and more red tape while our government is trying to bring more accessibility, more convenience and less redundancy so that we can enable our businesses to have a thriving work environment, especially during these tough times. That’s why I urge members across the aisle to support this bill to help Ontarians and to help Ontario businesses.

My question is to either of my colleagues: What is the government doing now to support Indigenous people and businesses?

Pursuant to standing order 7(e), I wish to inform the House that this evening’s meeting is cancelled.

I want to talk about an incident that happened in London which was quite disturbing. It happened in December 2020, where eight charges were laid in connection with the incident of Teeple Terrace. It was a four-storey condo building that collapsed under construction. About 40 workers were on site. Two concrete workers—and you mentioned how young workers are—21-year-old John Martens and 26-year-old Henry Harder, and five more were injured.

One of the survivors I met with, Jacob Hurl, is advocating fiercely for changes to the WSIB, which I appreciate that you highlighted that very much in your debate. Jacob is fighting really hard to make these changes, and what he’s looking for—and he’s asked about this comment and I’d like to see if you could reply—is he wants a publicly accessible employer registry where employers are required to disclose their history of on-site accidents and any workplace safety concerns and hazards. Would you comment on that suggestion?

I listened with interest to the comments from the member from Thunder Bay–Superior North. It’s interesting. I’m hearing very similar arguments to what we were talking about with the fall economic statement, I think it was just last week, where the opposition members have really no opposition to anything that’s in the legislation whatsoever. However, they are providing constructive criticism on what we could be adding to further legislation, which I really appreciate.

Since the members listening to the debate aren’t saying anything negative about what’s in the legislation per se, I was wondering if we could count on their support to get this passed as quickly as possible.

We’ll now go to questions.

I thoroughly enjoyed the member from Thunder Bay–Superior North’s comments on Bill 46, and it raised some thoughts that have been happening in my community, and I’m sure across the province, when it comes to injured workers. We know that injured workers have had to fight tooth and nail for every dime that they receive, or every benefit that they receive, and so the injured workers coalition has been put into place and this government has been threatening their funding. I believe that they actually had told them they were no longer getting funding. They’re now getting it back again on 30-day limits with no contracts. The same people that we need to help our injured workers fight this horrible system is the same funding that this government is cutting.

I’m wondering if the member could comment on her thoughts on cutting funding to be able to help injured workers fight this beast of a WSIB.

One of the things I didn’t talk about was the carbon capture section of this, which I think of as probably the poison pill of this legislation because we don’t see any scientific evidence, no consultation with environmental groups. We don’t actually know what the consequences of carbon capture will be, and that, I think, is a very serious concern.

So I think that we need a registry, but we also need changes at other levels so that, if the WSIB was doing what it was supposed to be doing, employers would not be looking for a way to escape from their responsibilities. They would be paying in knowing that their responsibilities would be covered by the system that was originally intended to do that.

The other piece is that there’s no business prosperity without worker safety. One doesn’t come without the other—or there’s no social prosperity. I could say individual businesses, yes, they can make lots of money, but social prosperity needs a balance between the two.

Thank you to the member from Thunder Bay–Superior North for the presentation.

In 2019, Ontario had the highest cost of complaints in Canada, totalling close to $33,000 per business. That was $4,000 more than any other province. That is why our government, since 2018, we created the Ministry of Red Tape Reduction, and in the past four years we introduced some other bills and reduced lots of red tape. For example, we can now renew our licence, our health care card, our driver’s licence and renew the car’s licence online. You don’t need to go to ServiceOntario. All of that, the dealer can transfer, and can register the transaction online. You don’t need to do the paperwork.

So my question is simple, to the member opposite: Do you feel this is comfortable for you or for the dealer to do the business? If yes, why don’t you support this bill?

I just want to thank my seatmate and my friend from Thunder Bay–Superior North for those comments. And, just mindful for people watching, we have paramedics with us here in the chamber. We have people who put themselves in harm’s way every single day in communities. You spoke very eloquently about the need to have a WSIB system that will be there for workers, particularly when they get injured. And it hurts me to say this morning that there is a $6-billion surplus at the WSIB. As you said time and again, we have an organization that makes a business out of refuting claims. So do you have a message for paramedics this morning about the fact that—

There may well be elements in this bill that are worth supporting. The problem is that the government continues to do omnibus bills, and in an omnibus bill you’re forced to take it or leave it, even though there may be very significant parts of that bill that are offensive and will not be working in the best interests of the people of Ontario.

Next question.

We’re going to be moving on to further debate.

It’s my pleasure to talk about this red tape bill, because there are ways that we always try to work with government despite the, “We’re always opposing, we’re not proposing”—we certainly are.

We like to have things work smoothly here on this side of the House, and my background is insurance. Insurance is all about systems and how to operate systems so that you get the best performance out of your work. Last night, Intact was here, if anyone went to the reception. I didn’t get an opportunity to meet with Intact, but they talked about many efficiencies, and I encouraged them to put those things forward to the government and not to be shy or reserved about it. Because sometimes when we’re looking to make changes to systems, we have to open up all topics to talk about those things to make sure that we get the best result.

In this case, the government’s intention is to try to cut some red tape to make things better, and there are some things in here that they put through that, you know, some of it makes sense, right? But when we talk about things, what people are looking for today—families are struggling in my riding of London–Fanshawe. There are so many issues that are top of mind, and I have to say that—every piece of legislation is important. It changes people’s lives. There are things that come to my riding that people really want to see done. They want systems changed so that their life is better, and a system such as health care is one of those things that I hear about every day. There’s nothing on health care in this red tape bill.

I want to read an email from a resident that I got just recently, at the end of November. She said, “I’m a resident in the east end of London, Ontario”—that’s my riding that I represent. “Today, while I continue to scour the Web for a family physician, I was brought to a web page that told me that if I had been on the Ontario physician wait-list for an extended amount of time, to then contact a member of Parliament for my district. I’m not sure what amount of time classifies as an extended period of time. However, myself and both my children have been on the wait-list since 2016 or 2017, and still nothing. Thank you for your time, and hopefully there’s something you can do to help us with this relentless journey.”

Here is a system in our Legislature, in our province—a health care system that we all rely on. It’s not to say that we don’t rely on some of these pieces that have come in this red tape bill, but we’re all going to use the health care system. We have the paramedics here today. They know how important it is for that system to work when they pick up their patients, when they pick up that 911 call and bring them to the emergency room. That system is broken. We’ve heard from paramedics that it takes hours—20 hours, so long—and they’re stuck in that hospital area waiting to pass on their patient. That’s a system that I think we need to look at and fix, because there are 911 calls not being answered and people are not getting help.

I mentioned a constituent recently whose wife had fallen twice in the last couple of months. He called 911, and they were waiting for hours. In one of the incidents, a repairman was able to help them, so they cancelled that 911 call.

So it’s no fault of the paramedics, it’s no fault of the people calling 911; it’s the system. The health care system needs to be fixed, and it has been broken for decades.

I urge this government, as they’re looking through red tape and as they’re coming out with schedules—I think there are eight in this act here—to take the same diligence to look at the systems that are affecting people’s health care, affecting the wait times for paramedics to get to their calls and then drop off their patients, do that patient transfer, and to limit that or minimize that amount so they can go back to doing what they’re supposed to be doing—to a wait time for someone who has been on the wait-list since 2016-17, and then to be told on a website to contact your member of provincial Parliament. Those are the systems that we need to focus on.

But here we are, today, talking about different red tape systems, and that’s fine. That’s where the government wants to take the time of the Legislature. I respect that. They have a right to set their agenda.

One of the things that we’ve been talking about is the Courts of Justice Act that extends the time of judges. I met with the Ontario trial lawyers as well. These are civil cases, but they talked about how there were not enough judges to hear their cases, and they wanted an option of asking for juries in civil cases. That’s not in here. They’re talking about how jurors will be selected to make that system work better for jury selection, most likely, obviously, in criminal cases. When we’re talking about a court system and judges in civil cases—there’s not enough of them. The Ontario trial lawyers told us that this is causing a problem, and the ones I was speaking to directly said it was about insurance injury claims—so delays and delays, which is costing the person who’s injured, which is costing the system, a lot of heartache.

So if there’s an option to choose juries as opposed to the judge having to hear it over and over again, finding those judges—and as I said, there’s a shortage of judges—in every sector we’ve been hearing, people are retiring and they’re not infilling the new people coming in. So in this case, we’re talking about having retired judges come in and work more hours to try to clear the backlog. And that is a solution. I have to say it is a solution. But the other part they could also consider is hiring new judges, because that’s not going to solve the problem, from what I’ve heard, in the civil part. And I know with criminal court, with provincial courts, it’s also an issue. So let’s get new judges, young judges who are coming on and who are very much aware of different issues in society—one of them being the Internet and cyber, right?

So it’s not terrible, like I say, to allow judges to come out of retirement or add in more hours, but we could be looking at other ways to supplement that and hire new judges to fill the ones that are retiring and making sure we have enough judges to put those court cases through in a timely fashion.

And when we talk about systems, again—I don’t know if you guys have heard about the Landlord and Tenant Board; that is destroyed. It’s so broken. It’s so broken not only for tenants but for small landlords. I know you were on that call with SOLO, the Ontario small landlords association. They’re representing small landlords, because—for an example, I had a constituent come into my office. They live in the basement, they’re renting the main floor, and they’re having to wait eight months for a hearing. So tenants who are facing issues with their landlord are having to wait eight months, in a system that is completely destroyed and broken. Small landlords, like the example I used where the couple lives in the basement and they have the rented upstairs, are having to wait eight months, if not longer, to get a hearing.

So these kinds of systems are broken, and I wish this government would, again, not just hire adjudicators in the Landlord and Tenant Board, but look at other ways we can look at the backlog, because small landlords and big corporate landlords are two different entities, and maybe those are pieces of a system that we can help clear that backlog.

Speaker, the other part of systems and red tape that they were talking about is the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Corporation Act. Again, this is acknowledging that when the OSPCA enforcement was ended in 2019, there was a bit of a technical issue, and now they’ve corrected that so that the society can then be incorporated.

And I want to thank all the farmers in Ontario for all the work that they do.

There are a lot of publications, Speaker, that come into our office. Every day we get magazines and reports from many stakeholders, lobbyists that come here, and I want to let them know that we really appreciate the actual ones that come in my mail, because I do look at them, especially when there’s legislation that can relate to these publications that we get into our office.

I just want to point out that the Beef Farmers of Ontario, who sent the publication, were at Queen’s Park this year, and it was their 15th annual barbecue at Queen’s Park.

We all know that the government has a new strategy for sustainability around agriculture, and, again, I hope that they’re listening to the beef farmers.

They captured our MPP Sol Mamakwa—if no one’s seen the magazine—in one of the articles here, but this is one of the things they put in the article. They said, “In speaking with MPPs, BFO requested a review of the PAWS Act as it relates to enforcement on farms and removal and seizure of livestock in partnership with agricultural stakeholders.”

Again, we have discussions with groups that come here, with lobbyists, with stakeholders that want to give feedback and solutions or criticisms to a system that we set up, to legislation that we put forward, and they’re looking for solutions. I hope that this government is working with the Beef Farmers of Ontario to listen to them, to correct—

Today is the fifth day of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. I am so grateful to the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly every day to end gender-based violence in Waterloo region and across Ontario. It is my privilege as the Waterloo MPP to recognize the ongoing work of local women leaders in K-W, including Jennifer Breaton at the YWCA, and the former ED, Elizabeth Clarke; Sara Casselman at the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo; Jen Hutton at Women’s Crisis Services; the Feminist Shift; and, of course, Project Willow.

In the callous absence of leadership and adequate funding by this government, these women have stepped up to fight for supportive housing and anti-human-trafficking resources. They have stretched their budgets to support women and children who have experienced unthinkable violence and whose innocence has been stolen. And yet, in Ontario we must fundraise to keep women safe.

When survivors have the courage to come forward and ask for help, the resources should be there for them and their children. Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region reports a 26% increase in femicides in 2021 compared to the previous year. OAITH reports at least 50—50—femicides in this last year, and yet Women’s Crisis Services had to turn people away at times, because their 90 shelter beds are full.

This should serve as a wake-up call for this government. My colleague MPP Lindo and I will not rest until we see women supported through the court system, through supportive housing, through counselling, and until all women in Ontario no longer have to live in fear.

Of course we are.

Yes. Thank you. I appreciate you recognizing that it is time to move to members’ statements.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

Yes, and the Minister of Agriculture has said that of course they are, and that’s a good thing.

Speaker, I see that my time is running out, and I will sit down.

Madam Speaker, two weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting the 50th anniversary of the Artisan Craft Show, featured in the historic Heintzman House, located in my riding of Thornhill. This annual craft show is a special tradition started by the Heintzman House auxiliary, and is now managed by a dedicated group of board members. The event showcases the diverse and creative talents of local artisans, and also features the historic, beautiful 19th-century heritage property.

The Heintzman House has an interesting history, built in 1798 by Empire Loyalists, then eventually purchased by Charles Theodore Heintzman of the Heintzman piano company—Heintzman piano, also known as the Steinway of the north. This brand of piano was a fixture in homes all across Canada. The Heintzman House has also been a venue for a seniors’ health club and high tea, Halloween events and its very special seasonal art shows.

Sadly, members of the board, including Bob Wilson, are no longer with us, but their memory lives on through the efforts of current members, including chair Ken Steinberg and previous ones like Roger Jones.

This Sunday evening, the Heintzman House hosts their family carol singalong, a favourite tradition for the community. By the way, Madam Speaker, we are fortunate to have a beautiful Heintzman upright piano right here at Queen’s Park. I discovered it last week. It plays at special events and is very much a part of this House, and I would be happy to show anyone interested at the break.

Madam Speaker, our community is grateful for the timeless privilege of the Heintzman House. Like a well-built piano, this House may have a few years on her, but she withstands the test of time and still looks pretty beautiful to me.