I’d like to introduce Barbara Hall, the former mayor of Toronto, to Queen’s Park today.

It’s an honour to welcome Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Victor Linklater, Wally McKay and Wendy Caruk. Meegwetch.

I’d like to welcome Ian DeWaard, provincial director of CLAC, and Karen Renkema, vice-president of the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada. Today they are joined by representatives of workers and companies that build Ontario, from Ottawa to Windsor and Toronto to northern Ontario.

Welcome to Queen’s Park today, and thank you for all you do.

That concludes our members’ statements for this morning.

I’d like to welcome members of the Hamilton Police Association: Hope Paiva, Jaimi Bannon and Jason Leek. I look forward to meeting you this afternoon.

I’d like to welcome, from the Ottawa Police Association, Barmak Anvari, Brian Samuel, Cameron Entwistle and Matthew Cox. I look forward to meeting them today.

I also want to welcome, from the progressive contractors’ association, a constituent of mine, Matt Hill.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome the Invasive Species Centre and partner organizations attending Queen’s Park for their annual advocacy day—Kyle Borrowman, Terry Rees, Andrea Klymko, Bob Lambe, Mark Ryckman, Belinda Junkin. I invite everyone to attend their reception this evening in room 228.

Today I would like to welcome St. Enva’s school in Mississauga–Lakeshore here—especially Mr. Otto and his grade 5 class, as well as Nina Chiarelli and her son Hank Quinn from grade 5. Thank you for being here.

I know he has been recognized, but I’d still like to recognize Mark Baxter, the president of the police association, and your team members. I look forward to meeting you later today.

I, too, am very pleased to welcome a former member to the chamber: the member for Burlington in the 41st Parliament, Eleanor McMahon. Once again, welcome.

There’s a point of order.

It is now time for oral questions.

Minister of Health.

I’d like to welcome Justin Wheeler from the Cornwall police force that’s here today with the Police Association of Ontario. We all know the hard work that they do.

Thank you, Justin, for everything you do.

Point of order, Speaker. I am seeking unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 45(b)(iv), the time for debate on opposition day motion 2 be allocated as follows: 54 minutes to each of the recognized parties and 12 minutes to the independent members as a group.

The most important thing that we can do to protect our children and protect our hospital capacity is to keep up to date on our vaccinations.

If you qualify for a booster, get that booster. Get that flu shot. Make sure you protect yourself so that you can protect vulnerable people in our society.

We have SickKids nurses who are leaders in childhood and pediatric RSV and flu innovations. They are now offering that expertise to nurses in community hospitals, because they understand that, working together, we will get through this flu season; we will get through this higher rate of RSV. They are doing it because they work together and they are innovating.

It is very unfortunate that the member opposite is suggesting that nothing has been happening, because in fact there have been many positive innovations that have—

Interjections.

In August, Niagara hosted the 2022 Canada Summer Games. It was a massive success. Team Ontario won 198 medals—the most. Almost 4,000 volunteers helped pull this event off—world-class legacy with a facility that will deal with sports medicine, sports for all ages, recreation. It is one of the best around, and it will serve a very large audience around the Niagara region and beyond.

The leadership team is here today—look at that; it’s like they’ve got lights on. It’s an opportunity to introduce them: Chair Doug Hamilton, Wade Stayzer, Elizabeth Grimmond, Eleanor McMahon, Mario D’Uva, Lynn Hamilton, Vittoria Wikston, Mahaylia Datars, Steve Sevor, Justan Steele, Janice Robinson, Aimee Maggiacomo, Isaac Blank.

You guys were unbelievable. The next hosts are going to have a heck of a time matching what you’ve done. Congratulations.

I would also like to welcome John Sewell to the House. I know he was our former mayor, and I also recognize that he has been removed.

Thank you, John, for your hard work. You’ve made our hometown of St. Paul’s very proud.

And welcome to all the students in the House. Welcome to your House.

I want to give a shout-out to the members of the Thunder Bay Police Association who are here today, as well as my former colleagues from the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards and the Ontario Police Arbitration Commission.

I’d like to recognize Eleanor McMahon, a friend as well as a mentor, a former Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, as well as President of the Treasury Board and founder of the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, and the president and CEO of the Trans Canada Trail. Welcome.

Speaker, as you know, children in Ontario are facing a health care crisis. Public health officials are saying that we should be masking indoors to protect our children. The Premier and his government are not following that advice, but they are telling others to follow it. It seems like a classic case of “do as I say, not as I do.”

Is the Premier going to be a leader and mask up indoors or not?

There is so much more this government needs to do to address the crisis that our children face. We need an ambitious flu and COVID-19 vaccination push. We need an advertising blitz to encourage people to mask up and get vaccinated. We need 10 paid sick days so that people can stay home when they’re sick. We need government members to show personal leadership. Will the Premier step up today and lead on these critical public health initiatives?

Will the Premier be a leader and act on the recommendations of the medical officer of health or not?

Interjections.

I know they’ve been welcomed already—but a special welcome to the members of the Waterloo Regional Police Service who are here today.

And my wife, Kim, is joining us today.