Good morning. Let us pray.

Prières / Prayers.

Members may take their seats.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Jim Brown, who was the MPP for Scarborough West during the 36th Parliament.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are some of Mr. Brown’s family: his wife, Magdalene Bethune; his daughter Roseanne Boileau; his son-in-law Billy Boileau; and his grandchildren William Boileau and Elizabeth Boileau.

Also in the Speaker’s gallery today is Mr. David Warner, who was the Speaker during the 35th Parliament.

I recognize the member for Scarborough Southwest.

I’m very pleased to stand here and pay tribute to former Scarborough West MPP Jim Brown. Jim Brown was a man of firm values and virtues who believed in the values of family. I admire that MPP Brown was a resolute defender of children’s rights and safety, and he is to be commended for his private member’s bill mandating background checks for those who will hold positions of power over children. By obtaining the support of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, he broke down barriers in a way that is uncommon in our world that is too often defined by red-versus-blue, labour-versus-capital, urban-versus-rural political divides. MPP Brown’s effort was one of those common-sense issues that transcends partisanship and appeals to all of our common decency. MPP Brown was horrified by instances of child molestation and chose to immediately take action.

Another issue for which I owe an enormous amount of respect for the late MPP Brown is the participation of women in sports. There is absolutely no activity in this world which should be reserved for boys and not open to girls, and MPP Brown made great strides toward a more inclusive world through his coaching of women’s hockey. MPP Brown was a lifelong hockey fan, and he passed that love on to his daughter. It was his strong belief that girls should be just as big a part of hockey as boys, and he even took that as far as to enrol the girls’ hockey team he coached in a boys’ tournament. This man was far ahead of his time on this issue, as many men of his generation would have scoffed at the idea of encouraging a daughter to play hockey. These strong family-oriented issues are MPP Brown’s legacy, and I am so happy to stand here and honour his legacy.

Thank you to his wife Magdalene Bethune, his daughter Roseanne Boileau, son-in-law Billy Boileau, grandson William Boileau and granddaughter Elizabeth Boileau for being here today. Thank you for supporting him so that he could do the important work that he did.

I have a message from the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, the Lieutenant Governor, signed by her own hand.

Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mr. Jim Brown, with five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group, and five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s government.

Speaker, it is an honour to rise today, as a representative for the good people of Scarborough Southwest, to pay my respects to the late member of provincial Parliament for Scarborough West, Jim Brown, a hard-working public servant and a local representative who has shown commitment and leadership for the community that I now have the privilege of representing.

I would like to take a moment to welcome the late MPP Jim Brown’s family to Queen’s Park as we pay our respects and tribute to his life and work: Magdalene Bethune; his daughter Rosie Boileau; son-in-law Billy Boileau; grandchildren William and Elizabeth. Welcome to Queen’s Park. I’m sure you’re very proud of the work that Jim Brown has done. To Liam and Lily, I am most assured that it is incredibly special to be able to visit the chamber where your grandfather proudly and diligently served his community.

I have always said that, regardless of party lines, what unites us—every single one of us sitting in the chamber today, everyone who has come before us and everyone who will have these seats in the years to come—is our commitment and dedication to our community. We’re all here with the shared goal of delivering for the people who put their trust in us. Mr. Brown proudly served as an MPP for his riding, which is also where he lived with his family and passed away peacefully. He represented what was then known as Scarborough West and is now part of Scarborough Southwest.

Mr. Brown has made great contributions to his community and our province, both in and out of political office. He was a spirited businessman with a knack for entrepreneurship, a founding member of the Toronto Sun—one of the most widely distributed newspapers in the city—and a strong supporter of encouraging youth involvement in sports. As a passionate Maple Leafs fan, Mr. Brown was heavily involved in local hockey initiatives, especially ones that created opportunities for girls to get involved in the sport. He coached, sponsored and led many leagues. He was a strong believer that girls could play the sport just as well as the boys, and always advocated for equality in sports.

Mr. Brown was a hard-working, enthusiastic and diligent MPP, and was well regarded by his colleagues, regardless of party lines. Even though I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Brown, I know that we would have been able to share some great stories about serving this great community full of vibrant and welcoming neighbourhoods. I know Jim and I may not have agreed on many things, but I am certain that we would have enjoyed talking about our shared passion to build a better future for the hard-working people of Scarborough.

So let us all together take this moment to thank and remember the late Jim Brown for his contributions to our community and this Legislature during his time as a member of provincial Parliament for Scarborough West and beyond.

Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mrs. Margaret Birch, with five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group, and five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s government.

It is an honour to rise today to pay tribute to Margaret Birch on behalf of the official opposition and the people of Ontario.

I’d like to begin by welcoming Margaret’s friends and family to the Legislature: Randy, her son; Jane Elliott, her daughter; Karen Stirrett; and Mobina Bhimani.

I would also like to recognize her many loved ones who couldn’t join us today—and like anyone who lived such a full life, the list is long:

—her son-in-law Dan Elliott;

—her grandchildren Sarah Schinkel, Jennifer Elliott and Meaghan Kabetu;

—her great-grandchildren Ethan Alexander Bond; Brandon, Ryan, Tyler and Amanda Schinkel; Peyton and Olivia Kabetu; and

—her sister Isabel Dalgleish.

Of course, there is also a large extended family and many friends who miss her dearly.

It’s not always easy to be a woman in politics, particularly not when Margaret was elected in 1971 as one of only two women in the Conservative 69-seat government. And while it’s hard to imagine how that must have felt, from time to time I’m sure every woman in the Legislature has been underestimated, has been disrespected, has experienced imposter syndrome and felt isolated because of her gender. That’s why it’s so important to have a strong support system—people who will love us unconditionally, people who will give us the inspiration that we need to fight through the adversity, and people who will believe in us when we have a crisis of faith in ourselves. So it’s a real honour to have some of you here today who were by Margaret’s side as she made history.

Along with the support of our family and friends, it’s also so important in the success of women in politics that we have great role models—role models who not only did it first, but who also did this job with dignity, integrity, passion and skill. And that’s what truly distinguishes Margaret Birch. Yes, she was the first woman to be appointed to the Ontario government’s executive council, but she also showed people—men and women alike—how tough, tenacious, resilient and impactful women in politics can be.

Margaret had to drop out of school at the age of 12 because her father got cancer and she needed to care for her four younger siblings and a new baby when her mother went back to work.

At 16, she was also working, first in tobacco fields, then at the Heinz plant, where she made sure that the label on every ketchup bottle was up to par.

Later, as she raised her children, she began volunteering for a local hospital, then worked her way up to chair of the Scarborough board of health, and eventually joined the mental health council and the social planners council.

By the time she was elected as MPP, she brought decades of work and volunteer experience, as well as invaluable lived experience, to the job. As a backbench MPP, seeing the gap in services for children and youth, she undertook to create new youth programs. Her work earned her the position of Minister without Portfolio, in which capacity she toured health care and mental health facilities. Outraged by the conditions in both, she worked hard to improve and to get progress on the way.

In 1972, despite what I’m sure were many naysayers trying to hold her back, she ultimately proved herself as the undeniable best choice for secretary of social development, a role she held for almost a decade.

As a woman in this House, as well as the opposition critic for children, community and social services, it’s easy to see how I followed in the path that Margaret started to carve out 50 years ago. I can’t thank her personally, but I hope to honour her legacy by living up to the standard she set in working for her constituents, advocating for those in need and empowering the next generation of women in politics.

Margaret, may the example that you set never be forgotten, and may she rest in peace.

Next, the member for Scarborough Centre.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mrs. Margaret Birch, who was the MPP for Scarborough East during the 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd Parliaments.

Joining us today in the Speaker’s gallery are some of Mrs. Birch’s family and friends: her children Randy Birch and Jane Elliott, her friend Karen Stirrett, and Mobina Bhimani, administrative assistant for the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians.

Also in the Speaker’s gallery is Mr. David Warner, who was the Speaker during the 35th Parliament.

I recognize the member for Hamilton Mountain.

I rise today to pay tribute to the late James Gary Brown, a former member of this Legislature and respected community leader, who passed away peacefully on January 31, 2020, at the age of 76. He is survived by his wife, Lena; his daughter, Rosie; her husband, Billy Boileau; and grandchildren Liam and Lily.

Jim served as a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Scarborough West in the 36th Parliament, from 1995 to 1999. He was a likable, enthusiastic, hard-working MPP, well liked by members on both sides of the aisle.

Before entering politics, he attended York University and Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, currently known as Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a bachelor of arts degree, an MBA and a diploma in business administration. He continued his education by completing the Certified General Accountant program and the Registered Industrial Accountant program, which is the old RIA, now CMA, program.

Jim began his career as an office manager of the Toronto Telegram in 1971. He became a founding member of the Toronto Sun, where he served as the first chief financial officer. From 1971 to 1974, he lectured at Ryerson, Seneca College and the University of Toronto, where he taught financial management, entrepreneurial studies, advanced accounting and business management.

Jim was also a self-employed businessman. In 1975, Jim purchased and managed a small established manufacturing company, Normandy Manufacturing, for 25 years, where he helped expand its operation into the United States. In addition, Jim became vice-chair, secretary and CFO of three public mining companies. In fact, Mr. Speaker, it is his experience as a businessman that motivated him to get into politics. He thought that government at the time started to dominate his life and pick on small businesses like his. I believe if he were still with us today, he would appreciate the work that our government is doing to cut the red tape and help small businesses create good jobs.

During his time in office, Jim served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Correctional Services and as co-chair of the Ontario Crime Control Commission. Jim was dedicated to enhancing community safety, fighting crime, ending youth violence and protecting our kids. He was a strong advocate of having school teachers, sports coaches and scout leaders undergo a criminal background check before holding positions of trust and authority over children.

After his time in the Legislature, he was appointed to the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal, where he continued to serve and give back to his community.

When it came to gender equality, he was ahead of the curve. Jim was proud to support girls’ hockey and was passionate about promoting the sport and giving girls an opportunity to play. He coached and sponsored numerous local hockey teams, such as the Toronto Marlborough Girls’ Hockey Club, founded the Toronto Red Wing Girls Hockey Association and served as president of the Scarborough Girls Hockey League, among other leagues.

Scarborough continues to miss Jim and the great work he contributed to our community. I am certain that his life will continue to be celebrated and remembered. May his soul rest in peace.

Applause.

I’m honoured to stand in this House before you all today to truly highlight a heroic woman, a pioneer, a trailblazer, and as the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, I know first-hand the importance of ensuring women’s voices are heard and reflected in this House in Ontario.

Today, there are many, many great women in this House, but before us there was Margaret Birch. Margaret Birch was best known as Ontario’s first female cabinet minister, a pioneer of our history in this province. In September 1972, then-Premier Bill Davis, Mr. Brampton, appointed her to cabinet as Minister without Portfolio responsible for youth. At that very moment, Premier Davis did more than just change cabinet; he helped change history. Minister Birch would later be promoted and serve nearly a full decade as Ontario’s Provincial Secretary for Social Development. Not only does she have this distinct honour, but also the honour of being the first female member of Toronto’s Albany Club, whose membership was limited to men, as we just heard, but that happened until Ms. Birch, as I like to say, kicked down that door.

Margaret Birch did these things at a time when being a woman in politics was infinitely more difficult than it is now. She had taken care of her family since she was 12. Her work ethic and strong commitment to her family took her through an amazing career path: working the tobacco fields of southwestern Ontario to placing the stickers on Heinz ketchup bottles.

She would later get married and move to Scarborough, where she volunteered for the local hospital. She worked her way up to becoming the chair of the Scarborough board of health. In 1963, she was named to the steering committee which built the Scarborough Centenary Hospital and she was a charter member of the hospital’s board of governors.

She would also get deeply involved in both the Scarborough social planning council and mental health council of Scarborough, the latter of which she was instrumental in creating and served as its first chairperson. As I said at the start of this address, this woman has accomplished a lot of firsts.

In 1970, she was chosen as Scarborough’s Rotary Club Citizen of the Year. The Rotary Club is well respected across the world—what an honour. But her entrance to politics was far from assured. She chose one of the most closely contested ridings in Scarborough East. But having Birch as the candidate made all the difference as she captured the seat with 41% of the vote.

Often described by political opponents as “nice,” her love, her dedication and care for her community was evident to all at the Legislature. I’ve been told that she was kind, she respected everyone and worked across the floor. Liberal leader Robert Nixon described her then as a competent and gracious person. NDP leader Stephen Lewis would add that she should be “one of the most capable Tory MPPs of either sex” and she “should be absolutely first-rate” in her job.

She was a beloved daughter of the late Wallace and Mary Stewart of Leamington and wife to the late Guy Birch. She is survived by her wonderful children, Randy and Jane.

Margaret passed away in October of 2020 at the young age of 99, but not before she was able to be here at 95 and listen to many pay tribute to her accomplishments here in this House.

I know, Randy and Jane, you are here today with friends and family. To both of you I say, thank you for sharing your mother. Thank you for sharing her with this great province, with her community. As a mother myself, of five children, I know it is hard to balance politics and motherhood, but she did it with grace. I can only imagine, though, how much harder it would have been in 1972.

I have said many times on this floor that women belong in all places, in all spaces and at every single sector and every table. Over 40 years ago, a woman paved the way for my seat and many other women’s seats in this House. Her name was Margaret Birch, and we’ll never forget her.

Applause.

It is my honour to rise today and pay tribute to Margaret Birch, a Scarborough hero—anyone from Scarborough will understand that—who broke barriers for women in Ontario politics as this province’s first female cabinet minister.

Margaret’s story is literally the stuff of legends, and it remains a shining example of how important it is to have women in politics.

First elected in 1971 as the MPP for Scarborough East, Margaret’s arrival on the political scene coincided with the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18. There can be no doubt that her presence on a provincial ballot was an immediate source of excitement and inspiration for a great many young women voting for the very first time.

Despite being one of only two women in a Legislature of 121 members, Margaret was far from intimidated, and I challenge you all to check Hansard to see some of her speeches and debates. You will see that she went toe to toe with those men in debates and in question period. She was already experienced with having to overcome adversity, as was said, after leaving school at the age of 12 to support her family. This willingness to help others was a quality that defined Margaret Birch early on, and it influenced much of what she was to go on to do.

After starting out as a volunteer at the Scarborough General Hospital, Margaret worked her way up to become chair of the Scarborough board of health in 1963. She joined the Scarborough mental health council and social planning council in 1967. She later became a member of the new hospital steering committee and was instrumental in finding the land and support needed to build what would later become known as the Scarborough Centenary Hospital. Scarborough Centenary Hospital opened in 1967, and Margaret was appointed to the hospital board of governors as a lifetime member. How fitting was it that a wing that was named after her was the place that she celebrated her 90th birthday with a strawberry social?

In 1970, she was recognized as Scarborough’s Citizen of the Year and was encouraged to run for a seat in provincial politics. Once elected, Margaret took her experience in health care and she channelled it. In her first year as an MPP, she helped to create a summer jobs program for youth. In 1972, when she was named Minister without Portfolio responsible for youth, Margaret Birch became the first female cabinet minister in Ontario’s history. She was later given the expanded portfolio that had responsibility for social services which impacted the lives of millions of Ontarians, including those living in long-term care and people with disabilities.

Margaret toured hospitals. She was open to meeting with patients and she wanted to learn more about the problems faced by the facilities. She was well known for visiting mental health institutions and advocating for improved conditions, and she was instrumental in the creation of the Assistive Devices Program.

She broke barriers in the Legislature and in society as well. To illustrate this, I’d like to read you an excerpt from Steve Paikin’s book on William Grenville Davis. It’s the story about the Albany Club, and it offers us a window into the world of Margaret Birch as she navigated it:

“Breaking the gender barrier in cabinet wasn’t Birch’s only claim to fame. At this point in its history, the downtown Toronto haunt for Conservatives for nearly a century, the Albany Club, still only permitted male members. The federal PC leader Robert Stanfield was about to make a guest appearance at the club, and Birch wanted to go. But, of course, that wasn’t permitted. Birch approached the Premier to discuss the issue.

“‘If I’m good enough to sit in this cabinet with all these men, surely I’m good enough to be a member of the Albany Club,’ she told the Premier.

“‘You’re right,’ Davis answered. ‘We’ll work on that.’

“And that is how Margaret Birch also became one of the first three female members of the Albany Club. Her proposer was none other than the 18th Premier of Ontario.”

I am so proud of this remarkable woman from Scarborough. I deeply believe that it’s vital to have women—and I say more women—engaged in politics and the trajectory of Margaret’s story shows us why. Her many notable achievements offered the people of Ontario real evidence that the contributions of women make a real difference, our voices matter and that better outcomes are possible when women are at the decision-making table.

So today, I want to express my deepest respect and admiration for Margaret Birch for stepping up in 1970 and blazing a trail for women like me to enter politics. It would be impossible to overstate the impact in expanding the possibilities for women in public life. Ontario is fortunate to have had such a remarkable role model.

I thank her family for sharing her with us for all of those years. The difference Margaret Birch has made in this province is profound.

I recognize the member for Scarborough–Guildwood.

I thank the members for their eloquent tributes as together we give thanks for the life and public service of Margaret Birch.

Today, we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. James A. Taylor, who was the MPP for Prince Edward–Lennox during the 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Parliaments.

Joining us today in the Speaker’s gallery are some of Mr. Taylor’s family: his children, Cynthia Taylor Huff, Kim Taylor and Jim Taylor; his daughter-in-law, Sue Taylor; his granddaughters, Kaitlyn Taylor and Taylor Huff; and his granddaughter’s partner, Mark Badrov.

Also in the Speaker’s gallery is Mr. David Warner, who was the Speaker during the 35th Parliament.

I recognize the member for Ottawa West–Nepean.

It is an honour to rise in the House on behalf of the official opposition and all people of Ontario to pay tribute to James Allan Taylor, a former member of the Legislature.

James was born in 1928 in Timmins, Ontario. He attended the University of Toronto, then studied law at Osgoode Hall, and then immediately embarked on a long career of public service in Ontario, serving from 1951 to 1957 with the borough of Scarborough. He worked his way up from an articling student to become a legal adviser and solicitor for the municipal corporation of Scarborough.

James was named a Queen’s counsel in 1963. He served as legal counsel to the Ontario Select Committee on Conservation Authorities in Ontario from 1965 to 1967. During this time, he moved to Prince Edward County and eventually purchased property in South Bay, where he settled into life in this community.

In the 1968 election, James ran as a candidate for the federal Progressive Conservative Party in Scarborough East. Although he was unsuccessful in his bid for a seat in the House of Commons, he persisted in his electoral pursuits, running in the 1971 provincial election in Prince Edward–Lennox. He served the people of Prince Edward–Lennox continuously for 17 years, winning four elections during that time.

During his time in this assembly, James held a variety of positions and was a strong and effective parliamentarian. He served on all of the standing committees and a number of select committees.

In 1975, Premier Bill Davis appointed James as the Minister of Community and Social Services. Davis tasked James with reining in spending in community and social services, but James quickly learned about the complexity of the issues in the portfolio and shifted to advocacy. In particular, the challenges facing seniors prompted him to advocate for a 5.5% funding increase for community organizations that supported seniors. He also funded 27 pilot projects across the province, with the goal of delivering care for seniors through the use of community organizations. In his home riding of Prince Edward–Lennox, this pilot project facilitated the coordination and collaboration of nearly 20 local groups. This project became the genesis of the Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017. James has had a lasting impact on community supports for seniors across Ontario.

In 1977 and 1978, James served as the Minister of Energy, leading the government’s restructuring of public utility commissions.

Prior to the 1987 election, James announced that he would not be seeking re-election as an MPP. This announcement was met with appreciative remarks about James from across the political spectrum. Liberal MPP Larry South of Frontenac–Addington remarked that “NDP people even liked him,” and went on to say, “You always knew where Jim was coming from.... Everyone seemed to have such admiration for him and for the way he always put forth his case. Jim was such a classy guy, no rancor and no personal attacks.”

Despite near-universal admiration, there may have been one person who was a little less impressed. James once quipped that “behind all successful men, you will probably find a very surprised mother-in-law.”

James did not stay away from public life for long. His devotion to his community and his neighbours led him to run for mayor of the newly amalgamated Prince Edward county in 1998. He served as mayor until 2003, helping to shape 11 formerly independent municipalities into one cohesive government.

His decision in 2003 to leave municipal politics was motivated by his love for and desire to be with his family. James was a very family-oriented individual. His wife, Mary Marguerite, was his best friend. He once noted that Mary was indispensable to him on grueling campaign trails, as he relied on her for inspiration and energy.

He was a father of four and grandfather of 10, and I want to take a moment to recognize members of James’ family who are here with us today and watching us. Cynthia, Kim, Jim, Sue, Kaitlyn, Taylor and Mark, thank you for joining us today, and thank you for sharing your father and grandfather with us.

Throughout his career, James demonstrated a commitment to the principles of democratic governance and meaningful participation in civic life. He passed away on September 1, 2020, at 92 years of age. He leaves behind a commendable legacy, and his family, friends and community should be so proud of his accomplishments and contributions.

On behalf of all members, I would like to thank James for his service and offer his family and loved ones our sincere condolences.

Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mr. James A. Taylor, with five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group and five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s government.

It’s an honour to rise to say a few words of tribute to the Honourable Mr. James A. Taylor, member of provincial Parliament for Prince Edward–Lennox from 1971 to 1987.

While writing this tribute about Mr. Taylor, one thing became very apparent: He was an extremely hard worker and took nothing for granted. Mr. Taylor was a candidate in many elections, and unlike most people who run, he had the good fortune of being victorious on numerous occasions. As all of us in this chamber can agree, that type of good fortune requires a lot of dedication and hard work, especially since Mr. Taylor’s first kick at the can didn’t end up the way he hoped. But perseverance and dedication seemed to be in his nature. Trying again, he was successful in his next five elections, even in a riding where, as one newspaper put it, “You could run a spotted dog or a hydro pole and as long as it was a Tory, they would still win.” Mr. Taylor worked diligently to ensure he earned the trust of his constituents, knocking on doors, talking to his neighbours, and not taking anything for granted.

Representing our constituents and our neighbours is a privilege, something that should be taken with the utmost responsibility. James Taylor lived by that rule every day. Not only did he have a reputation of being a loyal and dedicated public servant, he had a great track record of growing his community, and not only getting results for his constituents but for all of Ontario. From improving arenas in small-town Ontario, where that can mean the world, to leading overseas trade missions, as a backbencher and a member of cabinet, James Taylor was always working for Ontarians.

He was also an avid traveller, and because of his keen interest in local governance, Mr. Taylor had a broad knowledge of international affairs, an area he was always passionate about.

Outside of his professional life, Mr. Taylor was inseparable from the outdoors. He liked to spend much of his time with his family: skiing, boating, hunting and fishing. Mr. Speaker, as someone who represents a neighbouring riding, I can see why Mr. Taylor loved the outdoors so much. Prince Edward county, even to this day, is absolutely stunning no matter what time of year.

I’d like to thank his family. James was husband to Mary Marguerite, father to Kim, Cynthia and Jim, grandfather to Kaitlyn and Taylor, many of whom are here in the Legislature today with all of us. Thank you for sharing him with us.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to say a few words of tribute on behalf of the Ontario Liberal caucus in honour of Mr. Taylor.

Good morning, everyone. I want to thank my colleagues across the aisle for their kind remarks about Mr. Taylor and all of the other members that we’ve recognized here today. This is such a great tradition that we have in the Legislature now, to honour our former members, and everybody has spoken very eloquently this morning.

Before I begin my remarks, I just want to say that I believe our collective thoughts are with Queen Elizabeth this morning as well. Hopefully, she is resting peacefully at Balmoral Castle.

I’m really honoured to see the Taylor family here this morning. We’re missing Cynthia, I believe, but I see Kim and I see James Jr. there, and I see a number of other people. It’s great to have you here with us today.

Jim was somebody I knew pretty well, having now been the member—not a spotted dog—for Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward–Hastings for 11 years. Jim was one of the guys who paved the way and he had a great career here at Queen’s Park. He was a great consensus-builder who discovered Prince Edward county in his travels. As we heard, he adopted it as his home and served its people for the rest of his life—including being elected to this House by the residents of Prince Edward–Lennox five separate times between 1971 and 1987.

He grew up in Timmins as the middle child in his family. He headed to Toronto for higher education, as many northerners did at that time, ultimately graduating from law school at Osgoode Hall in 1953. He was not only tough to best in the courtroom in those days, he also loved to box, and he was a championship wrestler and brought a title to the University of Toronto Blues back in his collegiate days. Of course, he linguistically wrestled many of his opponents for 17 years here on the floor of the Legislature—and I know he especially loved to wrestle the members of the NDP to the ground during his time here at the Legislature.

It was through the law that James got into public service and spent most of his life there. He started the legal department at the city of Scarborough, managed its affairs for a time before becoming a Queen’s Counsel.

Perhaps it was our region’s good fortune that he lost that federal election in Scarborough back in the early 1970s, because after that, he decided that he would move to Prince Edward county, and he had all the success there. He found some farmland in the county and adjusted to local life by raising beef cattle in South Marysburgh, one of the beautiful parts of Prince Edward county indeed.

Within three years, he had won his first election by a 3,000-vote margin, and as a backbench member of the Bill Davis-led government here at Queen’s Park, he sunk his teeth into committee work related to public accounts, justice, and natural resources.

Following his first re-election in 1975, it was at that point that he got that familiar phone call to serve in the cabinet as Minister of Community and Social Services. He once recalled to the Gazette that he thought that Premier Davis liked him because he was a tough, no-nonsense person who could make the difficult decisions needed in that era of rising inflation. In getting into the portfolio, he discovered that he had an opportunity to really shape social programming to make lives easier for Ontarians. He started a series of community-based pilot programs, as we heard, including one in Prince Edward county, to provide services for seniors living in their communities—what has now grown to become, in most parts of the province, Community Care for Seniors. They just celebrated their 40th anniversary in Prince Edward county. I would say that the Honourable James A. Taylor is responsible for that great program that exists in many of our communities across the province today. They’re beloved in Prince Edward county, offering Meals on Wheels, rides to appointments, social inclusion and recreation, and they were incredibly valuable during the recent pandemic, for the last two and a half years.

After his time at the Ministry of Community and Social Services, he did step into the energy portfolio in a challenging period. Canada faced an energy challenge with skyrocketing oil prices and supply shortages. He was a stern advocate for affordability, and he stepped down from his post when he felt that the House wasn’t doing enough to meet the challenge posed.

As the MPP for Prince Edward–Lennox, Jim continued to work hard in this place for his constituents for close to a decade, warning about inflationary costs and, again, sinking his teeth into committee work and advocating for his community.

The member from Kingston noted that he fought very hard for the Picton Arena when it burned down. There’s a great story behind that. I won’t bore you with the details today, but it is a great story about how he went to bat for his community and the arena.

He also spent time as the parliamentary assistant to the Honourable Frank Miller on the industry and trade file, and that allowed an opportunity to see the world. He travelled all around the world, bringing the Ontario message to countries everywhere.

After deciding not to run again in 1987, Jim enjoyed retirement with his wife and his children, Kim, Cynthia, James Jr. and Timothy, at their North Port home on the north shore of Prince Edward county on the Bay of Quinte. I know those family dinners at the dining room table were incredibly important and a great memory for the family members, of course, because it was there where Jim would also hold court. He had a great sense of humour and a dry wit and was a very, very knowledgeable person. I can just picture the family sitting around the table and the great memories they must have of those family dinners.

But he wasn’t retired for long. He felt that calling to public service, and an unusual opportunity presented itself in Prince Edward county. The legislated municipal amalgamations of 1998 would bring all of those separate communities in Prince Edward county together, and there was a change in the way that services were going to be offered and paid for. Who better to lead this new municipality as its first mayor than Jim Taylor, with all of the experience he had at Queen’s Park and also in Scarborough? He had the resolve to bring people together in consensus and the strength to demand professionalism. He was that pro at the table.

I was just talking to Kevin Gale, who was a long-time councillor, last night, about Jim. Kevin said, “Jim was the right man for the job, period,” at that time. And as the first mayor of the new municipality of Prince Edward county, he served two terms there. He also lent his experience on the finance resources committee and other economic bodies, and that’s when I first met him. I was a young member of the local media there, and Jim was super accessible as the mayor, always advocating for his community and always had great humour and a joke.

Years later, in 2011, I’m running in my first election, and being the good Tory that he is, he was at the campaign office opening in 2011, and he was there in 2014, and he was there in 2018 as well. A great sense of humour—same jokes every campaign, but they always went over extremely well with the crowd that was gathered there. Just a super supporter, and Mary was always at his side at these campaign office openings.

He was always there, and I remember visiting him at his home in Picton, and offering great advice and support to me during this time. I think we all have mentors in our lives, and I would say that Jim Taylor was one of those people for me. I’ve paid tribute to other former members like Doug Rollins and others that have passed, in my riding—Bud Gregory, the “Mississauga rattler,” as he was known in this place—who were great mentors. But Jim Taylor certainly was one of those people.

And I can tell you that in 2022, when we had our campaign office open, Jim wasn’t there, of course, because he passed in 2020, and it just wasn’t the same. There was something missing at our campaign office opening this time.

Jim did a fabulous job and was a great, great leader in our community for many, many, many years. I had the opportunity this summer—and the family members were there and Jim Jr. was actually speaking at that time. We were up at Macaulay Mountain in Picton and opened a special millennium project there in honour of James A. Taylor. It’s a lookout where you can see over not just downtown Picton, but you can see all over the county from this site that’s named in honour of Jim Taylor.

It was a great day, and Mayor Ferguson, the current mayor of Prince Edward county, and other council members were there to dedicate this park and lookout in his honour. It was there I joked about the similarities with Jim Taylor and another famous James Taylor, who was obviously huge in the 1970s. Member Yakabuski could probably sing a few of his tunes if I asked him to because he has 6,000 songs in his head. But the singer James Taylor aptly described a politician’s life in one of his hit songs:

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain

I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I’d see you again

I think so many of us in this Legislature can relate to that. There are great days and there are lonely days as well in this job. His other big hit was You’ve Got a Friend. As was mentioned, he had friends on all sides of the aisles. He had some spirited debates in this House, Mr. Speaker, but at the end of the day, there was always a smile and a handshake. It was all in making the province a better place.

So to the family members who are here and to those who will be watching this, I want to say thank you to the family of Jim Taylor—a great member of the Legislature, an amazing first mayor for the beautiful county, Prince Edward county, where many of us go to visit, especially during the summertime, but all around the year now. It’s because of his great work that Prince Edward county is what it is today, and because of his great work on files at social services and also at energy, our province is in a better position today as well.

I just want to thank all of you for sharing your father and grandfather with us. His leadership meant a world of difference to the people of Ontario and the people of Prince Edward county. Thank you all for being here.

Thank you for your kind words.

Applause.

The member for Kingston and the Islands.

It is my pleasure this morning to bring this House news about two recent events in Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound.

The first is the two fantastic fall fairs I had the privilege of attending this past weekend. In the great community of Durham, our colleague the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs was there with us to see this excellent fair. There was a great presence from the local agricultural community, including many members of local 4H clubs—lots of future farmers showing their skills. Then I was off to Desboro for their fall fair opening. The Desboro fair always starts with a great parade through town. I was pleased to be part of that parade as MP Alex Ruff and I rode in a manure spreader. I understand that Bill Murdoch started this great tradition, and it was lots of fun. Congratulations and thanks to the organizers of both these great fall fairs.

The other event I want to highlight and make this House aware of was the Stanley Cup coming to Sauble Beach on August 29. Kurtis MacDermid, who plays for the Stanley Cup champions, Colorado Avalanche, grew up in Sauble Beach and played minor hockey there and in nearby Shallow Lake. Kurtis and his family were all there, along with an estimated 10,000 local people. The sun shone brightly on Lord Stanley’s cup in Kurtis’s hometown. Congratulations on your great achievement, Kurtis. You’ve made our great Grey-Bruce community very proud.

Good morning. It is an honour to rise in the Legislature and bring awareness to great organizations, celebrations and events in my home riding of Oakville.

I want to thank the Kerr Village Business Improvement Area, the BIA, for keeping Oakville a friendly, successful community for all business owners and residents. I would like to thank the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for bringing the Reconnect Festival and Event Program to Oakville. I would also like to thank the minister for your support for the funding for our community with a generous investment of $173,000, and specifically $55,000 to the Kerr Village BIA.

Each year the Kerr Village BIA organizes a September weekend event. Tonight I’m excited to be attending the opening of the seventh annual Kerrfest and Kerrfest Kids festival event, which runs from Thursday, September 8 to September 11.

To kick off the fall season, the Kerr festival will be bringing delicious food vendors and incredible live musical entertainment, including—many of you may remember—the Canadian rock band Chilliwack; an east coast night with Jimmy Rankin, and the Irish Descendants; 54-40; the Box, Bill Durst; and many more.

Kerrfest will have something for all ages and Kerrfest Kids will provide a meet-and-greet with characters from PAW Patrol and Bob the Builder.

Not only will I be attending the Kerr Festival tonight, I’m proud to have my constituency office located right in the heart of the Kerr Village community. Kerr Street has a welcoming, eclectic, trendy vibe that merges small-town hospitality with urban revitalization.

I invite everybody in this Legislature to bring their family, have a staycation and visit Oakville for the entertainment this weekend at the Kerr Village festival.