Thank you to the member from Durham for your presentation. I do want to say, as a member from Waterloo, we have the University of Waterloo, we have Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga, so I meet regularly with students and faculty of all those institutions. I think there is a component of this bill that perhaps doesn’t recognize how much courage it takes to come forward when you have experienced sexual violence. When that courage is displayed, it needs to be honoured.

There is certainly a lack of resources on campuses to deal with the counselling that is required to deal with the mental health fallout that often falls from not feeling safe on campus. If we do have the shared goal of ensuring that staff, faculty and students feel safe on our campuses, can the member for Durham address the lack of resources that currently exist and where this legislation does not apply?

I appreciate the comments from the member for Durham. I also appreciated your comments yesterday about the charter rights, with regard to another bill.

You started your comments talking about the legacy of Bill Davis, and there is a very strong legacy in our education system with Bill Davis, but there’s also a strong legacy of standing up for human rights. When this government brought forward another bill implementing the “notwithstanding” clause to strip Ontarians of their charter rights and freedoms, he took a strong public stand, asking this government not to do that. Again this government has got a bill before the House using the “notwithstanding” clause. I would ask you to honour the legacy of Bill Davis and not support using the “notwithstanding” clause in this House. And I would also ask you—

Thank you to the member opposite. I believe the member who has just asked the question is coming near to her 10th anniversary as a parliamentarian, if my knowledge of history is correct, so she would have had the opportunity to join a Parliament with a minority government in 2013, I believe, and then would have been in the opposition under both a Liberal government and a PC government.

Having been here for 10 years as a parliamentarian—and me as a private citizen before being here, I think we both are familiar with the need for supports, the need to address this problem, the need to end practices that see offenders going from one institution to another, the need for transparency. I submit that this bill addresses all of those things in a very positive, constructive and necessary way.

No doubt the member has seen, in her time over the past decade as a parliamentarian, that previous governments either failed to address it or did not address it sufficiently. We are building on what we started in the previous mandate to go forward further.

—strengthening tools available to institutions in order to address instances of faculty or staff sexual misconduct against students; that is, specifically deeming sexual abuse of a student to be just cause for dismissal;

—secondly, preventing the use of non-disclosure agreements to address instances where an employee leaves an institution to be an employee at another institution and their prior wrongdoing remains a secret; of course, such a person would create greater risk at the new institution; and finally

—requiring institutions to have codes of conduct regarding faculty and staff sexual misconduct.

I was quite happy to hear you make reference to Bill Davis and to his legacy. He was instrumental in bringing the network of colleges that we have, the network of public colleges, the network of government-funded colleges that we have. Yet, in this bill, the government introduced publicly supported colleges. That’s not the vision of Bill Davis. The vision of Bill Davis was for the government to fund a college.

How do you explain the disconnect?

Questions?

I just want to acknowledge and thank the member for Durham for his remarks and comments. Bill 26 is very close to the heart of each and every parent. As a father of a son who is in university and a daughter who is in high school and going to university next year—for every parent our asset is our children, and we’re always worried about them, that they’re safe. That’s exactly what this bill is doing. Bill 26 is proposing changes that, quite frankly, are long overdue. Protecting students in colleges and universities is so important. That’s why I’m glad to see this government is making this a priority.

My question to the member from Durham is, can the member please outline how these measures will specifically support students and survivors of sexual violence?

Meegwetch, everyone. It’s always an honour to be able to stand up and speak for the people of Kiiwetinoong. It’s a riding that’s very rich: rich in our ways of life; rich in our identities, our languages; but also rich in community and rich in resources.

This morning, I want to be able to focus my talk on schedule 3, which amends the Ryerson University Act. The schedule of Bill 26 changes the name from Ryerson University to Toronto Metropolitan University.

While we have this official piece of legislation to change the name of this university, it’s important for everyone to know, to talk about and honour the work that happened to make this name change happen, and why the Indigenous community at TMU spent years working to change the university’s name.

TMU, formerly Ryerson, was named after Egerton Ryerson. He played a key role in the design of Indian residential schools in Canada, a system that contributed to the genocide of First Nations people. TMU acknowledged that for years they did not understand the concern of the community people, of the Indigenous people who worked and went to school there, at TMU, about the name. There was also little desire to accept responsibility to address these concerns, and there was also a reluctance to acknowledge the harmful role played by the University’s namesake, Egerton Ryerson.

I want to share some words from the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission describing Indian residential schools. I want to quote this: “Canada’s” Indian “residential school system for” Indigenous “children was an education system in name only for much of its existence. These residential schools were created for the purpose of separating” Indigenous “children from their families, in order to minimize and weaken family ties and cultural linkages, and to indoctrinate children into a new culture—the culture of the legally dominant Euro-Christian Canadian society, led by Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. The schools were in existence for well over 100 years, and many successive generations of children from the same communities and families endured the experience of them. That experience was hidden for most of Canada’s history, until survivors of the system were finally able to find the strength, courage, and support to bring their experiences to light in” multiple “court cases that ultimately led to the largest class-action lawsuit in Canada’s history....”

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission “heard from more than 6,000 witnesses, most of whom survived the experience of living in the schools as students. The stories of that experience are sometimes difficult to accept as something that could have happened in a country such as Canada, which has long prided itself on being a bastion of democracy, peace, and kindness throughout the world. Children were abused, physically and sexually, and they died in the schools in numbers that would not have been tolerated in any school system anywhere in the country, or in the world....

“For over a century, the central goals of Canada’s” Indigenous “policy were to eliminate” Indigenous “governments; ignore” Indigenous “rights; terminate the treaties; and, through a process of assimilation, cause” Indigenous “peoples to cease to exist as distinct legal, social, cultural, religious, and racial entities in Canada. The establishment and operation of” Indian “residential schools were a central element of this policy, which can best be described as ‘cultural genocide.’

“Physical genocide is the mass killing of the members of a targeted group, and biological genocide is the destruction of the group’s reproductive capacity. Cultural genocide is the destruction of those structures and practices that allow the group to continue as a group. States that engage in cultural genocide set out to destroy the political and social institutions of the targeted group. Land is seized, and populations are forcibly transferred and their movement is restricted. Languages are banned. Spiritual leaders are persecuted, spiritual practices are forbidden, and objects of spiritual value are confiscated and destroyed. And most significantly to the issue at hand, families are disrupted to prevent the transmission of cultural values and identity from one generation to the next.

“In its dealings with” Indigenous “people, Canada did all these things.”

That’s a quote from the report. I share that because, Speaker, it was because of the role that Egerton Ryerson played in this cultural disruption and genocide that the name of Ryerson University had to be changed.

In 2017, the Ryerson University Indigenous Students’ Association called on the school to remove the statue of Egerton Ryerson and to change its name. The student-led campaign from 2020 pushed for the school to change its name out of respect for Indian residential school survivors. They asked the university to “change the name of Ryerson University to a name that does not celebrate a man who supported and created the structures of colonial genocide.”

While Ryerson did not develop the Indian residential school policy, he did recommend the 1842-44 Bagot Commission to the Department of Indian Affairs. That commission recommended “manual labour schools where Indigenous children were separated from their parents to achieve the assimilation” of Indigenous peoples—a legacy that has had a negative effect on Indigenous people in Canada for all the years since.

Ryerson’s role in the development of residential schools was also identified in 2015 in the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, volume 1, part 1.

In 2010, Ryerson University acknowledged the legacy of a painful past, and the Aboriginal Education Council there identified Ryerson’s “role in shaping the concept of the residential school system and the system’s devastating impact on Indigenous people.”

Another step to acknowledge this past was taken in 2018. There was a plaque that was installed on the statue of Ryerson on campus. The plaque was meant to contextualize the role Ryerson played in upholding the residential school system. The plaque read, “This plaque serves as a reminder of Ryerson University’s commitment to moving forward in the spirit of truth and reconciliation.

“Egerton Ryerson is widely known for his contributions to Ontario’s public educational system. As chief superintendent of education, Ryerson’s recommendations were instrumental in the design and implementation of the Indian residential school system.

“In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission reported that children in the schools were subjected to unthinkable abuse and neglect, to medical experimentation, punishment for the practice of cultures or languages and death. The aim of the residential school system was cultural genocide.”

That plaque concluded with two quotes, one by Chief Sitting Bull: “Let us put our minds together to see what kind of lives we can create for our children.”

The other quote that they had on there was from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: “For the child taken, for the parent left behind.”

After this, in 2020, the president of Ryerson University established the Indigenous-led Standing Strong Task Force, which made a number of recommendations to change the university for the better. Their primary recommendation at that time was to change the name of the university in the spirit of reconciliation. But the discovery of the 215 changed the timeline suggested by the task force. At this time, there was an outpouring of grief nationwide after the discovery of the 215 in Tk’emlúps.

On May 27, 2021, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation confirmed the unthinkable loss that was spoken about but never documented by the Kamloops Indian Residential School. With the help of a ground-penetrating radar specialist, the truth of the preliminary findings came to light: the confirmation of the remains of the 215 children who were students at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

I remember at that same moment, in June 2021, the statue of Ryerson at Ryerson University was pulled down by demonstrators. I actually was there. I happened to be in town, and I saw it come down. Part of it, I watched, and then the next day, I went to visit the residential school here in Brantford.

It is now time for questions.

Mohawk.

Good morning to everyone in the House. The member opposite spoke to one component of the bill; there are certainly multiple components. I know recently the member from Kitchener Centre, who is the critic for colleges and universities, discussed sexual violence in this Legislature previously and certainly brought up situations at post-secondary colleges, universities etc.

So my question to the member opposite is: We’ve heard from you that you seem to be supportive of the name change for Ryerson, so based on that and other components related to sexual violence on campus, can we assume, then, that you will be supporting this government legislation?

I want to thank our friend from Kiiwetinoong for that incredible offering for us this morning. I want to thank you, actually, my friend, for all of the teachings you have helped us try to grapple with in the four and a half years I’ve been around this place.

You mentioned as you closed that the renaming of the university you spoke about is symbolic. I have heard people say in the past when we’ve raised these issues in our community that we shouldn’t just focus on symbols, that symbols are unimportant. But it struck me, from what you were telling us, that symbols really are important.

At home, we have but we have a parkway we’re trying to rename from the Sir John A. parkway to the Kitchissippi Highway, inspired by the great Albert Dumont, our city’s poet laureate and Algonquin leader. We’re having this debate at home. I’m wondering if you could just help us understand a little further why, in your view, symbols are important.

Thank you to the member from Kiiwetinoong for your comments today. We are all so fortunate to have you in this House, to have your voice and your experience as a residential school survivor in this House. Every time that I hear you speak, everybody in the House is paying attention, and especially in these quieter periods in the House, that’s not always happening.

You mentioned at the end of your speech that renaming Ryerson to Toronto Metropolitan University is one step and that there’s room for improvement in this bill. What else should this Legislature be doing in order to get to true truth and reconciliation about the residential school system?

I appreciate the words this morning from the member opposite. I can say that one of the great things I’ve come to understand and respect about sitting in this Legislature is that we listen and we learn. We can’t listen and learn enough, and I think we all need to take heed of that thought, so again, thank you very much.

That being said, just looking back at a little history, the member opposite from Algoma–Manitoulin once said, “The effects of sexual violence cannot be understated....

“The official opposition supports legislation and policies that keep people safe and provide effective tools to do so.”

Speaker, through you, does the member opposite still support, or does he support—what is the position of the opposition, and will he support Bill 26?

Certainly one of the things that we need to start looking at is implementing the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation report. I know sometimes I hear “reconciliation” so many times. Sometimes I feel that word is overused, overused because we make it look as if we’re doing something without really doing anything. And I think it’s important that we put some resources towards actioning those 94 calls to action. Meegwetch.

I rise today with the honour to speak on behalf and in support of Bill 26, the Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act, 2022. The Minister of Colleges and Universities continues her great work on behalf of Ontario students, and I’m pleased to contribute to her work today.

Our government is committed to ensuring students have access to a secure and safe learning environment. We’ve taken recent steps to strengthen supports for post-secondary students reporting sexual violence or harassment. We must also specifically address sexual misconduct by faculty and staff toward students. That is why we’re proposing legislative amendments that would require publicly assisted post-secondary institutions and private career colleges to have specific processes in place that address, and increase transparency of, faculty and staff sexual misconduct.

If passed, these changes would better protect students who experience faculty and staff sexual violence by:

—strengthening tools available to institutions in order to address instances of faculty or staff sexual misconduct against students; deeming sexual abuse of a student to be just cause for dismissal is one example;

—preventing the use of non-disclosure agreements to address instances where an employee leaves an institution to be employed at another institution and their prior wrongdoing remains a secret; and

—requiring institutions to have codes of conduct regarding faculty and staff sexual misconduct.

As a parent, I am sure I’m not alone in this. We raise our children knowing that at some point they will leave the safety and security of the family home. We do our very best to prepare them and provide them with the skills and the tools for success and their safety, but we still must let them go.

We have recently seen a series of stories regarding sexual misconduct in publicly trusted institutions. Clearly, more must be done to protect the children of this province, and that’s why I’m speaking today in support of Bill 26.

Speaker, if you’ll indulge me this opportunity, I’d like to quote the minister on introduction of this important bill. The minister stated, “Our government believes that no one should have to worry about sexual violence or misconduct on or off campus. And from day one, we have been clear: this government has zero tolerance for sexual assault, harassment, or any other forms of violence or misconduct. All post-secondary institutions have a responsibility to provide a safe and supportive learning environment and are expected to do everything possible to address issues of sexual violence and misconduct on campuses. While our government has taken action to strengthen the policies that protect post-secondary students who report incidents of sexual violence or harassment on campus, we must also address acts committed by faculty and staff towards students.”

I know that the Minister of Colleges and Universities is passionate about this issue, as she too is a parent. As I said earlier, we as parents do our best to prepare our children for the rigours and risks of the real world. That’s why we are here today, to enhance the safety of our children and students in the post-secondary world.

That’s why last summer the minister held consultations with more than 100 stakeholders, including representatives from post-secondary institutions, labour and student groups, private career colleges, faculty associations and community organizations. Today, I am pleased to support the minister on the legislative amendments contained in Bill 26 that, if passed, would require publicly assisted colleges and universities and private career colleges to have specific processes in place that address and increase transparency of faculty and staff sexual misconduct on post-secondary campuses.

Again, the strengthened policies would allow institutions to:

—deem the sexual abuse of a student as just cause for dismissal;

—prevent the use of non-disclosure agreements to address cases where an employee leaves an institution to be employed at another institution and their prior wrongdoing remains a secret and unknown; and

—require institutions to have sexual misconduct policies in place that provide rules for behaviour between faculty, staff and students, as well as disciplinary measures for faculty and staff who break these rules.

These changes would not only help protect students in cases of faculty and staff sexual misconduct, but also allow the institutions to better address complaints when they arise. The changes also build on the new regulatory amendments that our government introduced last fall to protect students from inappropriate questioning or disciplinary action when they report acts of sexual violence. All of us have a role to play in creating learning environments where students feel safe and supported, and with these legislative amendments we will ensure that all post-secondary students in Ontario can feel safe on campus.

The Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act, 2022, if passed, would further protect students by providing measures for post-secondary institutions to address faculty and staff sexual misconduct towards students on campus. I can’t say it better than the minister, so I’ll once again share her powerful words upon her introduction of Bill 26, words I feel all of us in this great House can get behind and support.

The minister stated, “All students deserve to learn in a safe and supportive learning environment. From day one, we have been clear: This government has zero tolerance for sexual assault, harassment or any other forms of violence or misconduct. That’s why we’re taking action to better protect students from sexual violence and misconduct on and off campus.”

Additionally, I would like to point out that through Bill 26, if passed, our government is introducing legislative amendments so Ryerson University can legally change its name to Toronto Metropolitan University. The proposed change in name supports our government’s efforts to ensure Ontario has a post-secondary system that embraces diversity, inclusivity and promotes success for all learners, including Indigenous learners, so they can find rewarding careers. These legislative amendments contained within Bill 26, if passed, will help Toronto Metropolitan University begin a new chapter in its history and better reflects the current values and aspirations of the institution.

Bill 26, the Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act, is about combining student safety and student protection as they go about their learning experience at Ontario’s 23 public universities, 24 colleges or 400-plus registered private career colleges.

Heading off to post-secondary school is a new-found freedom for many of our children. It’s an exciting time of their lives in a new environment, maybe a new community far from their home. This exciting time in our students’ and our children’s lives should serve as a safe and secure experience for learning. That’s why I’m speaking today on behalf of my colleague’s important bill. Any effort we can take to protect our children, our students, is something I can proudly stand in the House and support.

The member talked about Egerton Ryerson within the context of the piece of legislation, around the renaming and the importance of that. And he said that there was some resistance, I think, to contextualize Ryerson’s role in establishing the design and the implementation around residential schools. And so my question to the member is, how important is it to recognize the truth of our history, and in a moving-forward way, how important is it that that history be taught in a safe and accurate way?

Questions?

Further debate?

Questions and answers?

Further debate?

Thank you to the member opposite for your comments today on this bill. Sexual assault on campus is a huge issue that needs to be addressed, and a couple of the things that we in the opposition have asked the government to do—I’m wondering if your government is willing to incorporate these into this legislation.

One is that the government disbanded the Roundtable on Violence Against Women. We’re asking that this be re-established, and we’re also asking that a private member’s bill from a member on our side to create a consent awareness week also be established in this province. Would you be supportive of these two initiatives to help address sexual assault on campus in Ontario?