Ontario is providing $175 million to hospitals through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and over $7.6 million to community health service providers through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund. Within the region of Durham, the Lakeridge Health network will be receiving approximately $1.32 million and the Carea Community Health Centre, $87,000.

This funding allows health care system partners like Lakeridge Health to address urgent infrastructure renewal needs, such as upgrades or replacements of roofs, windows and security systems. These are essential improvements that will, in return, deliver excellent care to patients on the front line in a safe and comfortable environment. Through the 2022 Ontario budget, Ontario’s Plan to Build, and as part of its plan to build a stronger, more convenient and connected health care system, the government is implementing the most ambitious plan for hospital expansion in Ontario’s history. This includes supporting more than 50 major hospital projects that would add 3,000 new beds over 10 years.

Good morning. Let us pray.

Prayers.

As I happen to rise on November 21, which is the day to commemorate St. Michael the Archangel in the old calendar, I want to wish all those celebrating a happy saint day. Srećna slava.

The months-long shortage of basic children’s pain and fever medication has impacted families across the province. For too long, most parents and caregivers have been unable to find any on shelves with or without a prescription. The little supply that can be found for sale online has been reported for sale as high as $300 by price gougers.

This shortage has left many parents feeling desperate and panicked as we head into the height of cold and flu season. Matters have gotten so bad that the Ontario Poison Centre has been receiving calls about children who have been given incorrect doses of adult pain medication.

The shortage has put additional stress on our hospitals as many parents have rushed their children to emergency departments because they were unable to manage fevers at home. Hospitals have had to postpone long-awaited surgeries and have also considered transferring patients to Buffalo for treatment because they’re so overwhelmed.

A shipment of this children’s medication is finally on the way, but if you ask parents and guardians, it isn’t coming fast enough. Plans have to be made now so that when the shipments arrive, medications are distributed fairly, and the government must do everything in its power to prevent hoarding and price gouging.

And, finally, these shortages show why we must bring back manufacturing to Ontario so we are not so reliant on the whims of international suppliers, whether it’s for medication or so many other things.

Good morning, everyone. I’m delighted to report that last week the riding of Etobicoke was packed with great news for my constituents.

First, let me express thanks to my colleague the honourable Minister for Seniors and Accessibility for the pending announcement of the recipients in my riding of funding for this year’s Seniors Community Grant Program, totalling nearly $130,000. Thank you, Minister. These grants are awarded to organizations that help seniors stay fit, active and healthy, and they recognize the debt of service we owe our elders, those who built this province and served as the mainstays for our families.

Second, I am thrilled to report that the fabled Dorothy Ley Hospice will receive two additional beds as part of the Ontario government’s Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery strategy. The hospice commemorates Dr. Dorothy Ley, who pioneered hospice care in Ontario. During her career, Dorothy Ley became an internationally respected oncologist before herself succumbing to cancer in 1994. This funding stands as an additional tribute to her memory.

Third, and finally, I’m pleased to share news of significant funding for upgrades, repairs, and maintenance for hospitals and community health centres serving my region’s residents. Trillium Health Partners will receive more than $4.2 million from the province’s Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, and Unity Health Toronto will benefit from $10 million over the same period for the same purpose.

These investments will ensure patients can continue to access the care they need while providing our area’s health system with the tools to improve health care for all Ontarians. Taken together, these all share a common goal for helping to make Etobicoke–Lakeshore one of the best places to live, work and raise a family.

I would like to address the pressing matter of the flawed Bill 23 and the Conservative government’s broken promise to protect our greenbelt. Paving over farmland reduces local food production, which contributes to higher prices and makes it harder for Ontarians to put food on the table. Thousands of people are reaching out to this government through their MPPs, through petitions and rallies, asking them to reconsider. Is this government listening?

Their own housing task force says, “A shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem. Land is available, both inside the existing built-up areas and on undeveloped land outside greenbelts.”

The land in the greenbelt, meant to be permanently protected, provides our food, clean drinking water and clean air. Proposing to replace it with different land, protected only until this government breaks that promise too, would be laughable if it were not so sad.

Bill 23 threatens existing affordable rental housing. My constituents in Don Valley West and Thorncliffe Park, many of whom are new Canadians, are worried that the 50-year-old apartment buildings they live in are being worn down and can be torn down under this bill and not replaced, forcing them out of their community. They need affordable housing in their community, not houses in the greenbelt that line the pockets of Conservative donors and greenbelt land speculators.

With petitions of thousands opposing Bill 23, it’s clear that Ontarians do not support this bill and want major amendments made. Is this government listening?

Mr. Speaker, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Woodstock chambers of commerce have recently handed out their annual awards of excellence. These awards honour local businesses and entrepreneurs for their success and recognize their contributions to our community.

I’d like to congratulate each of this year’s winners. From the Ingersoll chamber: E&E McLaughlin Ltd, Red Dragon Dairy, Kayla Han for Youth Citizen of the Year award, Ian Robertson for the Mark Warnick Citizen of the Year award and Ella Shelton for the President’s Award.

From Tillsonburg chamber of commerce: Tillsonburg Garden Gate, Tillson Pizza, Fleetwood Metal Industries, Legend Fleet Solutions, Execulink Telecom, Martinrea International, Rob Bilger for Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Amy Rohrer for the Esseltine positive change award.

From the Woodstock chamber of commerce: VON Sakura House, Noods Pasta, Oxford Energy Solutions, Paws Up Obedience Training, the WOMB, Jarful Local Refillery, Willow Grove Animal Wellness Centre and Jack Streef for the President’s Award.

Mr. Speaker, these winners demonstrate that Oxford spirit, hard work, innovation and community giving is going strong in Ontario.

I rise today to honour that, at the end of this week, on Friday, November 25, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign will begin.

In this chamber, we have an obligation to reach across the aisle and across communities to do everything in our power to end violence against women and girls. In this province, we have the road map to reduce, prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

Over the summer, the coroner’s office reported that the province’s inquest into the triple homicide in rural Renfrew county resulted in 86 recommendations; 68 were directed at this provincial government. It has been six months, and this provincial government has not publicly responded to the inquest recommendations in any way—ranging from formally declaring intimate partner violence as an epidemic to the creation of a survivor-advocate role to looking into interpersonal disclosure laws, like my PMB, Clare’s Law.

If we only use our voices to memorialize and honour those we lost, while being silent when asked to meet the moment with action, then we need to reflect deeply on our own values.

These recommendations are responsible and reasonable, and it’s our obligation as leaders in the province to make sure they see action. We all know that the vast majority of domestic homicides are both predictable and preventable. I hope all my colleagues will challenge gender-based violence with action.

For the first time since 1986, the Canadian men’s soccer team will be playing in the FIFA World Cup hosted in Qatar. Not only is this a proud moment for Canadians as we enter the cup after 36 years, it’s a proud moment for Bramptonians as well.

Speaker, Brampton is a city with an immense amount of talent, and a week ago Canada’s roster for the FIFA World Cup was announced. I’m so proud to hear that over a quarter—seven out of 26 players—on the Canadian men’s national team will be from the great city of Brampton. All seven of these players started their youth career in the city of Brampton. The dedication these men have displayed throughout their careers is not only impressive but is motivating for our youth and for our community.

I would like to acknowledge the seven Bramptonians representing team Canada in the FIFA World Cup: Cyle Larin, Liam Millar, Jonathan Osorio, Iké Ugbo, Tajon Buchanan, Junior Hoilett and Atiba Hutchinson. These players are homegrown heroes and, as we prepare for the games to begin, we as a community are extremely excited to cheer them on, as well as all of team Canada, as they head to their first game with Belgium on November 23.

Democracy is important. Humanity struggled for hundreds and hundreds of years to secure democracy. People went to war to uphold democracy. People have lost their lives to secure the right to vote.

Bill 39 is an affront to representative democracy. It is not democratic to have eight out of 25 councillors decide matters that affect 2.9 million people. It is not democratic to have the Premier do away with an election and hand-pick regional chairs.

This has nothing to do with solving the housing affordability crisis, and this has everything to do with taking power away from citizens and concentrating power in the hands of the Premier and the mayor of Toronto.

True leadership means governing for everyone, not just the few. True leadership means listening and collaborating with all Ontarians, not just the ones that donated to your election campaign.

This government has political power—it’s true—but Ontarians have people power. We have people power. And people power always wins, provided that we exercise it. Thank you to the many of you who have written letters, made phone calls, attended protests, joined advocacy groups, spoke out in the media, are going to court and who are persuading and encouraging your friends and neighbours to speak up and get active.

In the face of a government that does not respect democratic norms, our involvement has never been more important.

Speaker, there’s a special energy and optimism in Chatham-Kent right now. Recently, a small group of local business leaders purchased the Downtown Chatham Centre—a large, outdated, underoccupied mall. In earnest and at their own expense, these community partners developed a visionary concept for the future of the downtown entitled Imagine CK. This bold plan proposes entertainment, education, culture, accessible resources, business and a wide range of modern housing to the downtown core, all while preserving charm and historic features and facades. Most importantly, this was accomplished in collaboration with residents and officials.

A modern, inclusive community hub will serve as the new library, art gallery, museum and civic centre. This new design replaces and centralizes several aging, inefficient municipal offices requiring millions of dollars in repairs. Once complete, this hub will also showcase Chatham-Kent’s rich agricultural roots and celebrate the area’s important Black and Indigenous history.

Anchored by a new state-of-the-art family-focused entertainment complex, the second phase includes a modern 4,000-seat multi-use arena as well as space for farmers’ markets, festivals and concerts. With a focus on sustainable growth that embraces multi-generational residents and youth retention, Imagine CK offers people of all ages a reason to make Chatham-Kent their home and brings meaningful, well-paying employment and a multitude of lifestyle opportunities back to the area.

I’d like to introduce the following members from the Ontario General Contractors Association: Lewis Cowan, president, BDA, and chair of the OGCA executive committee; Sheila Thompson, president, Rosenberg and Parker of Canada; Francis Pomerleau, chief executive, national strategies, Pomerleau; and David Morley, VP, national strategy and government relations. Welcome to Queen’s Park, and thanks for building Ontario.

Like other MPPs, I’d like to welcome the OMA to Queen’s Park, in particular: Dr. Ganesh Ram, Dr. Andrew Park, Dr. Sunit Nanda; Dr. Sean Peterson, from the London area; and Dr. Cathy Faulds and Dr. Sharad Rai, who I know are London West constituents.

November 23, 2022, Speaker: That’s the date when 26 players on Team Canada’s men’s rosters will make history, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast will stand witness. For the first time since 1986, and only for the second time ever, Canada’s men’s team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

Speaker, this World Cup could not be more special to the great people of Brampton. As a certified Brampton boy, it fills me with tremendous pride to say seven of the 26 players on Canada’s World Cup roster are from Brampton. Speaker, they would have had an eighth player from Brampton, but I told them that I was busy in this House, fighting for taxpayers.

I’ve had the privilege to rise in this House on multiple occasions and speak on behalf of my constituents and the residents of Brampton. I know how hard they work for what they have. Brampton is home to people from all walks of life, who chose to build their home here and make a life that they are proud of. The hard work, the sacrifice, the resilience—I see it every day in Brampton North. It makes me proud to be their voice here at Queen’s Park.

I want to wish Tajon Buchanan, Cyle Larin, Jonathan Osorio, Junior Hoilett, Liam Millar, Atiba Hutchinson, Iké Ugbo and the rest of the team the best of luck. This is a historical moment. I encourage every member of this House to cheer on our Canadian boys as they take on the world in Qatar.

I’d like to thank the Ontario Medical Association for a wonderful meeting today, and especially Dr. Naomi Macrae, Dr. Victoria Young, Dr. Hava Starkman, Dr. Kunal Kolhatkar, Dr. Ali Kajdehi, Dr. Inna Ushcatz, Dr. Raghu Venugopal, and Dr. Lorne Sokol. Thank you for your outstanding work and for meeting with me today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Like everyone else, I’d like to welcome members of the Ontario Medical Association here, but particularly my friend and constituent Dr. Audrey Karlinsky.

I would also like to welcome members of the Ontario Medical Association from the Ottawa region: Dr. Aly Abdulla, Dr. Tarun Rahman, Dr. Alan Drummond, Dr. Bev Johnson, Dr. Reed Morrison, Dr. Sephora Tang and Dr. Karen Breeck. I’m looking forward to meeting you later. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

As with others, I would like to welcome the Ontario Medical Association. I am pleased to recognize the doctors in the public gallery who have come from across Ontario to meet with MPPs to share their solutions for increasing patient access to care.

As part of today, the OMA is hosting a panel discussion with doctors who will be sharing solutions for reducing wait times, addressing the doctor shortage and expanding palliative care. The event starts at noon in room 230.

I would also like to recognize and introduce the leaders of the Ontario Medical Association, who are in the members’ gallery: CEO, Allan O’Dette; board chair, Dr. Cathy Faulds; and president, Dr. Rose Zacharias. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’m pleased to say that we have with us in the Speaker’s gallery today a very special guest, Ms. Susan Crystal, who is the consul general of the United States of America, based here in Toronto. She is accompanied by Michael Benton, Claudia Valladolid, Paul Hur and Katherine Zhang from the US Consulate General.

Please join me in warmly welcoming our guests.

I want to wish everybody from the Ontario Medical Association a warm welcome to Queen’s Park; I’m trying to take names off my list, as some of you have already been introduced, but certainly: Dr. Rose Zacharias, president of the OMA; Stephen Singh, president of the palliative care group; Cathy Mastrogiacomo, family medicine group; David Urbach from Women’s College; and, of course, Dr. Vera Etches from Ottawa Public Health. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to introduce guests who are here today for Doctors’ Day, which I remember participating in, myself, a number of years ago: from the Ontario Medical Association, from the Ottawa region, Dr. Aly Abdulla, who I have known for a very long time, and his colleagues. Welcome. I look forward to our meeting today.