My question is to the Premier. Right now in Ontario, people are being asked to pull out their credit cards to pay for health care. The Auditor General has found that for-profit clinics are pressuring people to shell out thousands of dollars for OHIP-covered services. Why does the Premier think it’s okay to force people to pull out their credit cards to access health care in this province?

Last week, this government had a chance to crack down on predatory fees in health care. Instead, this government voted down an NDP bill to stop for-profit clinics from charging for services people should be able to cover with OHIP. Is the Premier refusing to crack down on these predatory fees because it would foil his plans to privatize our health care system?

Why is the Premier opening the door to much bigger bills for patients and much longer wait times in pain for everyone else?

As we’ve heard, we have a building filled today with Ontario Public School Boards’ Association folks. I’m looking forward to meeting with Debora Oldfield, Emma Cunningham and Rusty Hick, trustees from my neck of the woods. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to introduce three individuals I met with this morning at about 8 o’clock: Jack Fletcher from Sarnia with the public school board, Arlene Morell from Strathroy and Bruce Whitaker from Stratford, here with the Ontario public trustees.

I, too, would like to recognize all the trustees who are here from the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association and, in particular, I’d like to say a special welcome to Deborah Williams, the newly elected TDSB trustee for Toronto Centre, my own home riding, and, of course, Jaine Klassen Jeninga, vice-chair of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and representative for the township of Alnwick/Haldimand, town of Cobourg, township of Hamilton and municipality of Trent Hills. Welcome.

I want to welcome all the members of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association for being here today, and I’m looking forward to meeting with some of you this afternoon. I want to give a special shout-out to D. Williams, Alexis Dawson, Michelle Aarts and Jan Johnstone. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I would like to congratulate Mabel Follis, who is today’s page captain. Mabel’s family are here with us today. Welcome to her mother, Carolyn; her father, Sean; and her brother, Finnegan, who also participated in the page program in the past—all nice people from the beautiful riding of Glengarry–Prescott–Russell. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I, too, would like to welcome, from the Rainbow District School Board, a trustee, Judy Kosmerly—she’s a constituent of mine from Val Carron—and Ryan Sitch, who is from the Lakehead District School Board. They’re here from the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, as well as Lee Ann McKenna, who is here for Bill 23.

I just welcome everyone from OPSBA and a special welcome to two constituents of mine, Jaine Klassen Jeninga, who is up in the gallery, and Cathy Abraham. I’m looking forward to meeting with you after question period.

I’d like to welcome a couple of good friends of mine from Belleville—very good friends: Mitch and Lisa Panciuk. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

To reply, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

We’ve been very clear on this side of the House. While we embrace innovation, while we want to see those exciting opportunities that will ensure our surgery backlogs and our individuals have access to critical health care in their community—we’re doing that. We have also been very clear that it will continue to be an OHIP-funded system in the province of Ontario.

This government has taken a hatchet to farmland over the past few weeks, removing thousands of acres from the greenbelt and destroying existing urban boundaries. Frankly, it is no surprise to find out that these changes will benefit powerful landowners, like Silvio De Gasperis and Michael Rice, who have donor and political ties to the Ontario PC Party.

Given how suspicious this looks, the least the government can do is be transparent about what has been happening behind closed doors. So I ask the Premier, how did the government choose which lands were going to be removed from the greenbelt?

It’s all a bit curious, so I will give the government another chance to set the record straight. Prior to the public announcement of changes to the greenbelt, did the Premier or the minister or any of their current or former staff share any information about changes to the greenbelt with owners and developers that was not already available to the public?

I appreciate the honourable member’s question. Look, we have an opportunity here, and that is to build more houses for more families. We’ve heard it from more than just municipalities, frankly. We’ve heard it from Indigenous communities. They see an opportunity to invest in real estate properties. They see an opportunity to create better and more homes in their own communities.

This pan-provincial plan that we have to build more homes is for all Ontarians. We continue to honour the duty to consult, Mr. Speaker; there is no question about that. We began in earnest on this bill and we will not back down from the opportunity to share an opportunity between Indigenous communities and municipalities, and for the greater good of this province, to build more homes for more families.

I’ll ask the House to come to order so that I can hear the member who has the floor or the minister who has the floor.

The next question.

To reply, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

I’ve said in this House there are properties that are part of that posting that local mayors have asked to be developed. The one property in Pickering in particular has been the subject of discussion since the early 2000s. The property the member talked about in York region, at the end of the day, would be an opportunity to build the new Southlake hospital, something that the local council member wrote to me about.

Over and over and over again, there is a chorus of voices—not New Democrats, granted—who actually want to get shovels in the ground and build homes so that new Canadians who are coming to our wonderful province, the best place to live, work and raise a family—I want to make sure we get housing for them, Speaker—

Interjections.

We’re committed as a government to meeting the province’s constitutional and other obligations as outlined by the member, and our government is committed to honouring the principles of truth and reconciliation and focusing on Indigenous priorities—specifically, sharing our prosperity with them.

We continue to work with all Ontarians. I appreciate the question from the honourable member.

Speaker, there is not a shred of evidence that this is going to build a single affordable home, but there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that these wealthy PC donors made a very careful bet against our greenbelt despite the Premier’s promises never to touch it.

I have written to the Auditor General to ask for an investigation, but the government could clear the air right now. Will the minister and the Premier launch an independent investigation into suspicious sales of greenbelt lands and make the findings public?

Thank you to the member from Kitchener–Conestoga for the question.

Mr. Speaker, last week I was in Timmins to launch the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund. This is a very exciting time for Ontario as we decarbonize our economy. What we’re doing is critical to the future of not only Ontario, but to the globe. This is a two-year, $5-million fund which will support research, development, and commercialization of innovative technologies, techniques, processes, analytical solutions for critical minerals.

These projects will help increase exploration, mining, development, production and processing capacity of critical minerals in Ontario. Our investment will leverage Ontario’s expertise to tap into new and growing markets and to ensure we capitalize on the demand for critical minerals.

Mr. Speaker, I know there are industries that will leverage this fund to partner with Indigenous communities, non-profits or colleges—academics—to ensure Ontario remains a leader in innovation in the mining sector. This will strengthen our Critical Minerals Strategy and help us achieve our goal by creating a supply chain for clean technologies right here in Ontario.

As the member opposite would have heard me say numerous times in the last week, there is no room in our system for providers who are not in compliance with the requirements that are set out. I have said this repeatedly. The time for more reports is over. It’s our government that is taking action on this.

This is a child welfare redesign that has been discussed and consulted across the sector. It is about improving the inspections. We’ve increased the number of inspectors. We’ve increased the number of unannounced inspections. We’ve addressed the medication—the chemical restraints.

Again, the consent for medical treatment, including youth in care, is enshrined in law. That means it’s not achieved through coercion. It means that the homes have to abide by the law. That’s why we have the inspections. It’s why we have improved accountability. It’s why we’ve improved oversight. It’s why we are doing this after decades of neglect by the previous government, supported by the NDP.

Good morning, Speaker. Remarks in Oji-Cree.

My question is to the Premier. First Nations across Ontario have stated their opposition to Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, due to the clear violation of First Nations’ constitutionally protected, inherent and treaty rights. Chiefs of Ontario, representing 134 First Nations in Ontario, have said, “First Nations are not stakeholders; we are sovereign nations and are entitled to proper consultation.”

Speaker, it’s 2022. It is very colonial for Ontario to abuse their power by making these bills without consultation or engagement with First Nations.

Are you going to consult First Nations affected by this bill?

People from across Ontario have contacted my office because they oppose Bill 23. Municipalities are speaking out against Bill 23, and now all First Nations across the province have said they don’t want this bill. That is a lot of people to listen to. Will this government start listening to people who are protecting the lands and the waters, instead of their developer friends?