Last week, the Toronto Star revealed that workers who were forced to work in deemed-essential manufacturing jobs died in larger numbers from COVID than any other sector, more than even our embattled health care workers. Under this government’s watch, hundreds of vulnerable workers in Ontario were dying while making things like floor tiles, bubble gum and jerry cans.

Throughout the pandemic, Speaker, I have asked the member opposite to provide clarity on what criteria defines “essential,” and they’ve failed to answer. But surely, the Premier of this province would know something as critical as the meaning of “essential work,” based upon which a policy, a major policy of life and death, was determined.

My question is simple: Premier, please define what is “essential work.”

My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Last week, the minister and I were in Burlington at the Cultivated B to announce the opening of a new 130,000-square-foot manufacturing and innovation hub. This company is performing ground-breaking work in the field of biotechnology and cellular agriculture. Not only are they true leaders in innovation, but their over $50-million investment will bring 200 jobs to my community.

Speaker, will the minister tell us why the Cultivated B, a German company, chose to invest here in Ontario?

I’m proud to represent the great people of Burlington, a city that is home to a thriving and innovative economy of entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, under the previous Liberal government, the goal of entrepreneurship was not supported. Many hard-working individuals faced excessive red tape, barriers and obstacles.

Speaker, will the minister please explain what our government is doing to help entrepreneurs in my riding start and grow businesses?

Mr. Speaker, as you know, last week Commissioner Carrique was before the federal inquiry into the federal government’s really historic first-time use of the federal Emergencies Act. That testimony will continue. And I’m sure the commission will report back to the Parliament of Canada on the federal government’s use of the federal Emergencies Act.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, when a state of emergency was on in the province of Ontario, we had a select committee that would review the state of emergency in the province of Ontario. That select committee met on a monthly basis. I appeared in front of that select committee during that time when the protests were happening in Ottawa. The Solicitor General at the time appeared in front of it. Prior to that, the Minister of Health and Deputy Premier appeared in front of it. Other officials from the government of Ontario were in front of it.

As you know, when the state of emergency provincially ended, there were two reports issued and debate in this House. On both occasions, debate collapsed in this House when the NDP agreed that it was the right course of action.

Having said that, we still are ensuring that we are working with and assisting the commission by providing cabinet-level documents to the federal inquiry, as well as ensuring that the Deputy Solicitor General and the commissioner of the OPP, who recently testified, are made available.

I appreciate the interest from the member opposite.

When it comes to adaptation resiliency, investing in the future, this Premier is taking decisive action, be it in manufacturing of clean steel—we’ve taken decisive action that has resulted in the equivalent of over two million cars off the road—be it the first-ever Critical Minerals Strategy that is working in partnership with Indigenous leaders in the north to ensure that we’re going to continue being a leader in electric-vehicle manufacturing and attracting over $16 billion in investment into this province.

We’ve also—working with stakeholders like the insurance bureau on the climate change impact panel—worked on the first-ever adaptation climate report in the province’s history, and we’ll continue working with all levels of government to ensure that we build resiliency and adaptation, not just today but for generations to come.

If that member wants to be part of action, then join and actually act. Work with your local organizations’ Canada-Ontario agreements, the Great Lakes Local Action Fund. Work with local groups on the many funding envelopes open today to take meaningful climate action. The reason she is not is because they’re not actually interested in that; they’re interested in cheap political points. We’re interested in clean jobs of the future, taking meaningful climate action, and we’ll continue to do that.

The government House leader.

My question is for the House leader. Across the world and in Ontario, we are seeing effects of climate change, with extreme heat, floods and forest fires. These events rip through communities, costing people their well-being, money and, in severe cases, their lives. Experts like the Insurance Bureau of Canada are sounding the alarm. The Intact Centre at the University of Waterloo tells us that for every dollar invested in climate adaptation, the return is $3 to $8 worth of cost avoidance.

Recently, I announced the creation of an all-party climate change committee. Emergency preparedness is a non-partisan issue, and we need to work together to ensure our residents are aware and ready and protected for the future. My proposal reflects the House, with four Conservative members and one member from each of the other parties, reaching out to stakeholders and reporting back within six months.

Will the government put forward my all-party climate change committee motion to show the people of Ontario that they are serious about climate adaptation and emergency preparedness?

The benefits of climate mitigation are global; the benefits of climate adaptation are local. My all-party climate change committee would focus on the local to ensure Ontarians are ready, aware and protected. Why wouldn’t you want this for your riding? Why not work collaboratively across party lines, with keen members all across the chamber who have already shown interest? Why not save the people of Ontario hardship, finances and unnecessary grief by planning ahead with protection in mind? And why not show true leadership and actually lead on emergency preparedness and climate adaptation?

Our province’s labour shortage is impacting the financial well-being of families across Ontario. Our labour shortage increases the cost of items they purchase every day. It is disrupting businesses and the supply chain and threatens economic stability.

The Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement nominee program is vital to help fill critical vacancies in our labour market and help support jobs in my riding. Unfortunately, this agreement will expire this fall. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development: What is our government doing to not only renew this program but help to expand it?

My question is for the Premier.

It’s Halloween and Ontarians are accustomed to seeing and hearing about spooky things today, but nothing prepared me for a video I saw this weekend. I saw a video of Tyler Russell, an organizer with the hate group Canada First, receiving a call from what sounds like this Premier on February 11, 2022. After our exchange, Speaker, I’ll be posting this video to my Twitter account. This happened on February 11, in the middle of the convoy. If it is in fact the Premier taking this call from Mr. Russell, promising Mr. Russell, as you will see, that it was about ending vaccine mandates and COVID restrictions—that was his priority.

Can the Premier confirm if this in fact was him and why this conversation was even happening when my city was under siege?

The people of Ottawa need you, Premier—Speaker, through you, we need him to come clean on whether this in fact was a conversation he had in one of our worst moments of the convoy occupation crisis. I want to know if there were other members—did the Premier talk to Pat King? Did the Premier talk to Tamara Lich? Did the Premier talk to some of the people who were organized at a high level, infiltrating our city, blocking our city, harassing residents? It is a matter of public interest.

The Premier has been silent beyond talking about policing and jurisdiction. Other members of Parliament, other political office-holders who are not members of federal jurisdiction have had the courage to come testify in Ottawa.

Again, is this the Premier in this video? Will he come to Ottawa to testify?

Bonne Halloween. Ma question est pour le premier ministre.

Members of Hospice Palliative Care Ontario are at Queen’s Park today. Their message is really clear: Annualized operating funding increases are needed now to prevent the collapse of the lower-cost, highly valued hospice sector.

Does the Premier think that palliative care patients should do grocery shopping, cook their own food, wash their own dishes? Does he think that they should change their own bed and do their own laundry? Does he think that they should clean their room, wash the floor, take their trash to the curb? Does he think that palliative care patients should pay for heat, hydro, telephone, cable, Internet? Then why is it that the Premier does not fund any of these basic services in Ontario hospices?

Hospices are not only a pressure valve for emergency room crises, but they’re an access point for grief, for bereavement, for mental health services. Members of Hospice Palliative Care Ontario are here to remind us that hospice palliative care means system savings and efficiencies. It means improved patient care and caregiver experience. Nobody should spend their last day alive washing dishes.

Can your government commit today to funding hospices to a minimum of 70% of their operating costs?

I want to thank the member from Thunder Bay–Atikokan. Since joining our caucus, he has been a tremendous influence. He has presided over consultations that are bringing home to bear an important sector emerging in northern Ontario, and that is the film and television industry.

At the last NOHFC meeting, we announced more than $6 million for film and television production. Some of those resources are going to support production companies that would book no more than 10 major productions moving forward. That’s significant, Mr. Speaker. If you look at the numbers, we’ve invested more than half a billion dollars in the new-look Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, which has leveraged more than $1.82 billion in investment and created more than 7,500 jobs. The film and television stream of the NOHFC has been redesigned to expand the industry across northern Ontario, create more jobs and create better film and television seen the world over.

The member is on to something. We saw first-hand how this helps local residents. Young people are going to college in northern Ontario to work on stages in northern Ontario. From construction to production, from stagehands to stars, from the landscape to “lights, camera, action,” people in the filming sector are talking about Hollywood North, Mr. Speaker; it’s just that it’s Hollywood Northern Ontario.

Thank you to the minister for that answer. I’m pleased that our government is advocating for the significant expansion of the number of skilled immigrants selected by Ontario. However, I often hear from my constituents in my riding that it takes months, or even years, to get applicants processed. Many of these people are eager to start work now, and local businesses in Mississauga–Lakeshore are ready to hire them now.

Mr. Speaker, my question again is for the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development: What is our government doing to help speed up this immigration process?

With its beautiful diverse landscape, it’s no surprise to see why northern Ontario is becoming a highly sought-after destination for many film production teams aiming to create high-quality content. Unfortunately, the film industry experienced challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We as a government must make the necessary investments now to ensure that the film and entertainment industry in northern Ontario remains competitive.

Can the Minister of Northern Development please share how our government is supporting this vital industry?

Northern Ontario truly represents a unique part of the world. We have a unique cultural contribution to the filmmaking and entertainment sector, with individuals representing Indigenous, French and English communities, as well as new Canadians. Together, the north contributes to producing unique, high-qualify film and entertainment content that the world enjoys.

Once again, can the Minister of Northern Development please outline the investments our government is making for this sector and how they will benefit northern communities?

Member for Eglinton–Lawrence.

Thank you to the member opposite for the question. This government, this Premier and the Ministry of Health are committed to supporting high-quality palliative end-of-life care for all Ontarians who need it, and I think we’ve done more than any government in recent history to support that initiative.

In 2019-20, the ministry provided Hospice Palliative Care Ontario with $1.7 million in additional funding over two years to support initiatives related to advance care planning. In October 2021, Ontario introduced a one-time investment of $23 million in hospice residences across the province to help them continue to provide high-quality, compassionate end-of-life services and care to people and their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry is also supporting new hospices across Ontario by contributing to the cost of operating and constructing new and existing facilities. This government is making historic investments in palliative and end-of-life care, and we will continue to do so.

This government and Ministry of Health recognize the important role that hospices play in helping people live well from the time of diagnosis to a terminal illness at the end of life and while grieving a death. We continue to look for other opportunities to work with and implement the province’s palliative care framework and to work with Hospice Palliative Care Ontario.

Thank you to the member for Mississauga–Lakeshore for this very important question. Ontario proudly welcomes more immigrants than any other province. However, we are only able to select 5% of them, less than any other province in Canada. To build a stronger Ontario that works for everyone, we need to double the number of skilled immigrants we can select. That is why in our ongoing negotiations with the federal government, we have been calling, since day one, for 18,000 nominations. We need all hands on deck. That’s why we are working to welcome those with the skills Ontario needs.

On average, our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is processing immigration applications within 90 days—so within three months. But then it takes Ottawa up to 42 months to do their part. We are never going to resolve labour shortages if it takes four years to get a skilled worker into Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, we have offered our processing capacity to the federal government to help speed up the process. We want to work together to resolve these challenges and to help fill the 400,000 jobs that are going unfilled every single day in Ontario.

Thank you to the member from Brampton West for that question—and all the members from Brampton that are surrounding me here.

We know the people of Ontario are facing the rising cost of living and shortage of homes, and our government has a strong mandate to help the people of Ontario find a home that is right for them. Ontario needs more housing, and we need it now.

We are building a durable foundation for action that will increase housing supply and attainability over the long term. That is why we announced an increase to the Non-Resident Speculation Tax to 25% to prioritize Ontario families and homebuyers. Mr. Speaker, this increase means Ontario has the most comprehensive NRST in the land.

And finally, Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: As part of this commitment to tackle Ontario’s housing crisis, we are prioritizing Ontario families and homebuyers, not speculators.

The foreign buyer ban the federal government is proposing would be temporary, and some proposed exceptions appear to still permit residential property purchases in Ontario that may be subject to the NRST.

But, Mr. Speaker, while we support the federal government’s actions following Ontario’s lead in addressing housing supply, this government knows the housing crisis is not temporary. It is a long-term challenge that requires long-term solutions. That is why we increased the NRST to 25% and eliminated loopholes by focusing relief eligibility to newcomers who commit to laying down roots in Ontario long-term so that Ontario has the most comprehensive Non-Resident Speculation Tax in the land.

Mr. Speaker, all levels of government need to work together to co-operate and address the housing crisis.

My question is to the Premier. In September, alongside my colleague from Toronto–St. Paul’s, I wrote to you about reports that Niagara hospitals turned away sexual assault survivors from receiving a local sexual assault evidence kit due to staffing shortages. Over the last three years, nearly 30 Niagara survivors had been asked to travel as far as Burlington or to come back later. Survivors need to be put first, not have their justice put at risk.

Niagara Health is seeking additional funding to support their staffing shortages for their sexual assault hospital program. They’ve heard nothing from this government. Today, will you approve that funding request? And will it explain why survivors in Niagara are being left behind?

New Brunswick as well reported that survivors had been turned away. However, last week they announced sweeping changes. Simply, this is about priorities. It’s about women. It’s about justice. Niagara Health, our nurses and front-line staff are going above and beyond, doing the best they can. However, they need more support. They need more funding.

Can the minister assure women that Ontario’s hospital response programs are not understaffed across this province, and that it will find ways to make sure this situation never, ever happens again?

I recognize that the Premier is in his chair today, so hopefully we can get an answer from him today. Nevertheless, my—

Interjections.

Bill 23 does nothing to house a single homeless person in encampments. Bill 23 does nothing to end homelessness or the mental health or the opioid crisis that 29 big mayors have spoken to.

Why is the Premier cutting $100 million from Ontario’s housing program when we need more investments and not less for deeply affordable housing in Ontario right now?

I appreciate the question from the honourable member. She will of course know that across both sides of the House, we have constantly taken this issue very, very seriously. That is why we are putting a significant amount of resources into health and human resources into our hospitals.

I know it’s a cross-government approach. It’s not just about this instance, but we want to make sure that across the province of Ontario, in every region of the province, that the issues raised in the member’s questions are being addressed.

That’s why we’re looking also outside—the Minister of Colleges and Universities has a bill before this House, I think, that moves the bar further, Speaker.

But having said that, the member raises a very important point, which we are dealing with, which we are addressing, and we are ensuring that, not only in her region but across the province of Ontario, we can help to ensure that all people have access to the important services that the member raises.