Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 74(b), the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy be authorized to meet to consider Bill 23, An Act to amend various statutes, to revoke various regulations and to enact the Supporting Growth and Housing in York and Durham Regions Act, 2022, this afternoon.

I am seeking unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 45(b)(iv), the time for debate on opposition day motion number 3 be allocated as follows: 54 minutes to each of the recognized parties and 12 minutes to the independent members as a group.

Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Health. For months, there have been worrying signals from this government about their plans to privatize parts of our public health care system. In August, the Minister of Health received speaking notes that included the phrase, “No, we are not privatizing health care. Full stop.” But this phrase was scribbled out and never used by the minister. Why did the minister or her staff cross out this phrase in her speaking notes?

The Minister’s notes also had this phrase crossed out: “I want to be clear, there has been no expansion to the number of private hospitals who offer publicly funded procedures in Ontario.”

Did the minister or her staff cross out that phrase because there are plans to expand the number of private hospitals and private facilities in Ontario?

Speaker, the minister’s answers today have been very concerning. I’ll give the minister one more chance to reassure Ontarians about our publicly funded, publicly delivered health care system.

Can the minister tell this House today that this government is not privatizing delivery or operation of our health care system?

Interjections.

I will answer that question the same way I answered that question in August: No, no, no. We will continue to fund health care in the province of Ontario so that people get the health care they deserve in the communities they need to have that access to care. We have incredible doctors, nurses, physician assistants—I can go on and on—who are doing that work in hospitals, in community, in our long-term-care homes, and that work will continue.

We have expanded the number of nurses who are training in the province of Ontario. We actually have programs that they can learn and stay, where we pay for their tuition and their books. We have expanded the number of physicians who can train in the province of Ontario. We have worked with the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Nurses of Ontario to make sure that individuals who have applied and asked for licences in the province of Ontario get those assessments done quickly.

We are acting; you are fearmongering.

I’d like to welcome several physicians from Kingston and the Islands. I have Dr. Joy Hataley, Dr. Premkumar, Dr. Veronica Legnini, Dr. Salim, Dr. Rao, Dr. Burley and Dr. Rijal. Thank you very much. I’m looking forward to seeing you later today, and welcome to Queen’s Park.

The NDP has laid out their housing policy pretty clearly. They stand with higher fees that add up to $116,900 on the cost of a home in the greater Golden Horseshoe. That’s what—

Interjections.

They will always stand up for higher fees. They will always stand up for delay which adds cost at the end of the day. We’re going to stand with young families, with new Canadians and with seniors who want to realize the dream of home ownership. That’s who we stand up for.

Interjections.

We’re going to continue to stand up for those taxpayers who want to realize the dream of home ownership. The NDP—it’s really Ontari-no that they stand up for.

The member can disagree with her former colleague at Toronto city council, but we are going to ensure that those mayors in Toronto and Ottawa and the work we’ll do in those six regions—that we’ll be able to get shovels in the ground.

We’ve got an ambitious plan, Speaker, one that will put a plan in place to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. A third of the growth in the next decade will take place in Toronto and Ottawa. We need to ensure that those mayors have the tools. This bill does just that.

Official opposition, come to order.

Speaker, through you to the Premier: On the heels of controversial legislation that would axe conservation authorities, open up the greenbelt for development and download hefty costs from private developer friends of the Premier onto the backs of municipal taxpayers, this Premier is now forcing his unwanted and undemocratic strong-mayor scheme onto regional councils so he can wield even more power, giving himself the authority to hand-pick regional chairs whenever he chooses and institute minority rule.

This affront to democracy has left AMO, conservation authorities and newly elected municipal councils struggling to understand the Premier’s motives. Everyone knows it has nothing to do with building affordable homes.

Will the Premier admit he’s playing “let’s make a deal” politics, setting up a system where he can serve up our greenbelt and farmland to his rich friends in exchange for political support and donations to the Ontario PC Party?

Is the Premier playing “let’s make a deal” politics, setting up a system where he can serve up our greenbelt and farmland to his rich friends for donations to the Ontario PC Party?

My question is to the Premier. When Torontonians went to the voting station 29 days ago, they had no idea that Bill 39 was going to be tabled or that John Tory personally requested the steroid-injected, supersized mayor powers from you, enabling him to create new bylaws with only one third of city council votes. Many, including the mayor’s own supporters, are now having serious buyer’s remorse. Among others, local constituent Samantha wrote to my office stating, “Although I voted for Mayor Tory, I would not have if I was aware of his position on Bill 39.

“Democracy may be difficult at times to work within”—but it is possible—“majority plus one ... that is democracy and we all love it in Canada.”

Will this Premier respect Toronto’s local democracy and withdraw the undemocratic Bill 39?

Minister, this government has been in power for four years, and during that time, rent prices have gone up and housing prices have gone up, and nothing has become more affordable. That is your record.

The city of Toronto is very alarmed about Bill 23. In their submission, they say the city is on track to lose $230 million in fees at a time when they’re facing an $815-million budget shortfall. They will have no choice to postpone or cancel capital projects.

Minister, can you at least press pause on Bill 23 so the true consequences of this bill can be known?

My question is to the Minister of Finance. Many constituents in my riding of Windsor–Tecumseh, including families, seniors and newcomers, continue to express concerns about the rising costs of living. Ontario is not an island, and we are not exempt from worldwide economic challenges driven by geopolitical instability. Ongoing supply chain disruptions and inflation levels that we have not seen in over four decades continue to negatively impact individuals and families.

Speaker, with our government’s recent release of the fall economic statement, could the minister explain what we are doing to provide financial relief for all Ontarians?

Once again to the Minister of Finance: How is our government providing support that addresses the rising cost of living?

To reply, the government House leader and Minister of Long-Term Care.

The short answer is, no. Obviously, Bill 7 is about the right care in the right place at the right time. We’ve said that right from the beginning. I don’t think anybody would suggest that the right place for somebody who wants to be in a long-term-care home is in a hospital bed. That is obviously not the right place for them. What Bill 7 allows us to do is continue those conversations to ensure that somebody who is waiting for a long-term-care bed can get access to that long-term-care bed.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, last week alone, over 330 ALC patients have chosen to go to long-term-care beds in the province of Ontario. It is a better quality of care; it is where they want to be. Very plainly to the member opposite: No, we will not repeal Bill 7 because it is in the best interest of people who are sitting in acute-care beds, keeping beds away from people who need them, and from people who want to be in long-term care. We’ll continue to work with patients to ensure that they can transition from being a patient to being a resident in a home.

Now, we’ve gone even further than that. It wasn’t just about Bill 7. It’s also about the staffing, Mr. Speaker. That’s why we’ve increased staffing to four hours of care. We’ve made that commitment, and each and every year, we’re adding onto that commitment. In fact, in the member’s own riding—now, get this, Mr. Speaker—he voted against it. He voted against an increase in staffing of $4 million in 2021. He voted against $10 million the year after. He’s voted against $18 million for 2021-22 and he’s also voted against $26 million in extra nursing care in his own riding to support the over 400 new and redeveloped beds in his own community.

I’ll try, Mr. Speaker. It was great to be in beautiful Smooth Rock Falls last Friday to announce more than $750,000 in investments through the Community Enhancement Program of the modernized, new-look Northern Ontario Heritage Fund: upgrades and repairs to the municipal pools, revamping the community hall, renovating the Reg Lamy Cultural Centre and refurbishing the historic Mattagami Railroad Company steam locomotive.

The member opposite was there. He was all smiles, his Chiclets in full display. I had to remind his constituents that he voted against them, but I was going to give them an opportunity next spring, when we table our budget—with lots of support for northern Ontario—to stand with us and vote for those investments to northern Ontario.

How about that, Mr. Speaker?

My question is to the Premier. Some 5,000 seniors have died in long-term care under this government’s watch. Now, with Bill 7, the Conservatives will rip seniors and people with disabilities away from their families and force them into dangerous, understaffed, mostly private, for-profit long-term-care homes. If a senior refuses to go to one of those homes, the Premier has threatened to financially ruin them.

Our parents, our grandparents, our brothers and sisters will be forced into mostly private, for-profit homes with horrible records of neglect. I’m sure the owners of these homes are excited about even bigger profits, but the people of Ontario deserve better.

Bill 7 is cruel, will tear families apart and put more seniors’ lives at risk. When will the Premier admit that, do the right thing and please repeal Bill 7?

Whether it’s a local cultural centre or the municipal pool, residents, especially those in rural, remote and northern communities, rely on these types of facilities to stay connected to one another. We know that people’s lives are enhanced through community connection and interaction with others.

Unfortunately, under the previous Liberal government, the infrastructure needs of the people in these communities were often overlooked and neglected. That is why our government must take action by providing critical funding support.

Speaker, can my neighbour in the north, the Minister of Northern Development, please share with the House what support we are providing to communities in northern Ontario?

The community infrastructure needs of northern Ontario are just as vital as anywhere else in this province. Local community infrastructure is a critical point of connection for recreation and cultural engagement opportunities.

Speaker, can the minister elaborate further on how local infrastructure support is essential for northern Ontario?

My question is to the Premier. Speaker, Kate recently moved to London and wants to get flu shots for her two kids. She can’t get the shots in a doctor’s office because she can’t find a family doctor. She can’t get the shots in the pharmacy because her youngest is under two. Since our local health unit doesn’t offer flu clinics, she must either wait hours in a crowded walk-in filled with sick people or drive outside the city.

She ended up booking in Guelph and says, “Sad and ironic that it is the pediatric hospitals that are overrun, and this was the only way to get a scheduled appointment for the age group that is filling up the hospitals.”

Speaker, why is this government not pulling out all the stops to help kids get their flu shots?

Speaker, where is this government’s plan to make it easy for parents who want to get flu shots and COVID vaccines for their kids?

Bien sûr, c’est vrai que nous sommes fiers du Programme pour l’amélioration communautaire. Dans les villes comme Smooth Rock Falls, un minimum de 90 % de ces projets sont couverts par le programme. C’est à propos de la qualité de vie, monsieur le Président, dans nos petites villes dans le nord de l’Ontario.

C’est pourquoi nous investissons dans les quatre projets suivants : moderniser la piscine municipale de Smooth Rock Falls, réorganiser la salle communautaire, la rénovation du Centre culturel Reg Lamy, et la remise à neuf de la locomotive à vapeur historique de la compagnie ferroviaire Mattagami.

Les électeurs de Smooth Rock Falls apprécient les contributions de notre gouvernement et ont été surpris que leur membre de la législature ait voté contre ces investissements. J’étais ravi de voir le député de Mushkegowuk–Baie James tout sourires à l’annonce et j’espère qu’il va supporter et voter—

In fact, Speaker, we are. We have the OMA here today. We have family physicians who are offering flu shots to their patients. We have public health units that are putting on clinics. We have local pharmacies that have historically offered flu shots in the province of Ontario and continue to do so. There are many different pathways for individuals who wish to get their flu shot, and I would strongly encourage they do so, to get it depending on what is convenient for them in their community.