Sorry; if I could just emulate that—I missed the opportunity to introduce my amazing volunteers, Ewan and Davide, who are here for my inaugural speech.

There are more people coming, but they are not here yet. Thank you so much.

Madam Speaker, what a beautiful sight to see: a woman in that chair.

I rise today and am honoured to give my inaugural speech in this revered and historic chamber amongst individuals past and present who have contributed to the democracy of our province.

Je suis tellement fière d’être ici parmi les personnes d’hier et d’aujourd’hui qui ont contribué à la démocratie de notre province.

I acknowledge that the land where I live and work is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.

I would like to begin with a colossal thank you to Beaches–East York residents for putting their faith in me on June 2, 2022. I am grateful and humbled, in these increasingly divisive and challenging times, where many are skeptical of both politics and politicians. I am absolutely determined to make a difference in the Ontario Legislature, and I will proudly address the issues that matter, day in and day out.

If you have never been to my neck of the woods, I would be more than happy to provide a guided, scenic tour one day. Part of my riding is like a seaside resort: The Beach or Beaches, depending on who you speak to, is a stunning, serene, urban sanctuary with clean, safe, swimmable beaches connected by a long, meandering boardwalk—with dogs matching the number of people. Summer months are filled with countless outdoor festivals—notably, the world-renowned Beaches Jazz Festival—parades and fireworks. Winter Stations attracts people to the area in the colder months and celebrates the dark days of the season with colourful, creative, interactive art installations.

Other lively areas of Beaches–East York include quaint and connected Kingston Road Village—where small businesses are the backbone of the neighbourhood.

Gerrard Street is akin to a grand boulevard, with the streetcar running down the middle of the tree-lined streets, and patios with twinkling lights.

The Danny, also known as the Danforth, is always hopping, especially now, with the ActiveTO cafes, bike lanes and road murals. Europe should be jealous.

Noon and night, Banglatown is alive with bustling pedestrians, shopkeepers, families, laughter, conversations and excitement. The area continues to grow and is truly the commercial, social and cultural hub for the Bengali community.

From the best cinnamon buns in the world at Courage Foods to the falafel sandwiches at Bodega Henriette; from the chai tea at Gharoa Restaurant to the delicious Ethiopian fare at Hirut, served with a backdrop of jazz; and add to that the intoxicating smells, since 1949, coming from Mondelēz, formerly a Peek Frean factory, we have it all.

Madam Speaker, I may be painting a picturesque version of my home riding, but we in Beaches–East York experience the very same issues seen province-wide: an affordability crisis, lack of housing, a hospital—our pride and joy, Michael Garron—that suffers the same shortages and worker fatigue seen in every facility, schools that beg for revitalization, and neighbours who are looking for answers. One of the main reasons I ran to become an MPP is to contribute to solutions. Change brings opportunity.

There is no “I” in “team”—and wow, did I have a terrific campaign team. They never stopped pounding the pavement, rapping the doors and making the calls, and all the while having fun.

Our campaign manager, marvellous Marietta Fox, thought about our campaign with every breath she took. There is nothing Marietta cannot do—write speeches, design graphics, connect with constituents, style campaign offices. In fact, some people asked if our office was a new art gallery. I’m stopping there because I do not want you to steal her for your next election.

Our co-campaign manager, talented Tanveer Shahnawaz, is a bundle of energy in the east end. This smiley guy has an uncanny way of connecting with everyone he meets and is an integral and admired leader in the Bangladeshi community and throughout Beaches–East York. Again, he is not available for you in 2026.

Our coordinator extraordinaire, effervescent Ellen Pisani, is a master juggler, with such key skills as volunteer recruitment, newsletter creation, and database coordination. She has steadfastly stood by me for the long haul since our lively days at Toronto city hall and has never stopped caring for our community. Ellen is also off limits and is already booked for 2026.

My think tank—you know who you are, behind the scenes—was guiding us with sage advice and strong support. They were an absolute asset and gift.

Also, I’m very appreciative of the encouragement from the leaders of both other levels of government in my riding. Our PLA president, Tom McGee, and his right arm, CFO Josh Makuch, were rock-solid in their support, as were our incredible donors.

One of the most exciting elements of our campaign was the amount of youth helping us. Working with them was like a surge of energy.

I want to thank all of my vivacious volunteers. Seeing them show up on cold wintry days in their Team #TripleM toques to knock on doors with their frozen mitts warmed my heart. These super humans added so much value and camaraderie that we were all sad after each canvassing shift ended. Our campaign was filled with carousing, chaos and conviviality.

It was actually the gregarious member for Guelph who first planted the real seed for my foray back into politics, so he is truly to blame for me being here. Growing up in a small town with parents who dragged my three brothers and I out volunteering every chance they could taught me a lot. I saw first-hand the huge benefits of giving back to your community. The more we give, the happier we feel, and that realization followed me my whole life.

When my kids were small, I was rallying neighbours and reinvigorating neighbourhoods. I actually chose to raise my family in Beaches–East York because it reminded me of the small town I grew up in.

After much volunteering, community-building and environmental activism, I ran for Toronto city council in 2010 and won because people were ready for change. I served eight years, as I strongly believe in term limits.

At city hall, I worked across party lines to get things done. I don’t care where the good ideas come from as long as they just come. I worked with many people in this chamber, including the Premier, and I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with everyone here to build a better and dramatically more sustainable Ontario.

I have been referred to as the “accidental politician” on many occasions. My father was mayor of Collingwood when I was growing up—a pretty embarrassing thing when you’re a teenager, to say the least. At that point, I vowed I would never go into politics. Was I ever wrong, thinking politics was boring.

I am proud of my track record at city hall of spearheading the laneway suites game-changing planning policy that helps deal with our housing crisis by allowing people to age in place and add to our rental stock.

TransformTO, the city’s first climate adaptation and mitigation plan was a crusade of mine. I worked hard to get a unanimous vote—a rare feat at council.

This time around, when my family found out I was jumping back into politics, they knew what we were in for. We all know how taxing and tough this wild world can be for our loved ones.

In 2010, when my son, Liam, found out my “McMahon-Can” election signs were going up at homes near his new school, he was mortified. Liam has certainly changed his tune. Recently graduating with a political science degree from McGill University, he’s a strong supporter of my crusades, and he was instrumental in securing votes at the door with his incredible wit, charisma and smarts. He helped me prep for debates, and he advised me to stop saying “schmooze,” advice I did not heed.

For eight years, my daughter, Rebecca, who’s right here in the chamber—hello, Rebecca—witnessed first-hand the struggles I went through dealing with controversial development applications. Could Lick’s hamburger spot turning into a six-storey condo have been a contributing factor to her decision to study urban planning at UBC? Maybe.

This election, Becca listened to Beaches–East Yorkers while phone banking and at the door, and brought out friends with no political experience—and they’ll probably write a screenplay about what they heard at the door.

My husband, Jim—in the chamber as well—is my rock. I would not be able to enter public service without him having my back. He is a behind-the-scenes guy who puts wind in my sails on a daily basis. He actually deserves the Order of Ontario.

When I told my father I wanted to run for office, he tried to talk me out of it. Ron Emo was a town councillor and mayor of Collingwood. He, too, believes in term limits and has found endless ways to give back outside town hall even now, at 85. He has received the Order of Collingwood and the Companion of the Order, and he has a road named after him, which he seriously wants to turn into a toll road, as it is en route to the Collingwood Brewery. Collingwood is a much better town because of my dad. “To thine own self be true” and “Keep your feet on the ground” remain his key messaging to me.

I finally have to be nice and thank my three brothers. I realize that after years of teasing and tormenting each other growing up, they are the reason I have the thickest skin anyone could ever have. They also stepped up to help me run, especially for MPP. My eldest brother, Michael—with our identical, upbeat personalities—actually surprised me when he flew in from Vancouver before e-day. He is such a bundle of positivity and exuberance that he should come with a safety warning. Stephen is a community leader in his own right. He’s exceptionally observant, with a keen eye for details and logistics. And my youngest brother, Timothy, was the one my father was grooming for politics. We sometimes call him Socrates, as he as an uncanny ability to strategize, calm the waters and bring forth rational and reasonable advice. When I was little, I did not think I was lucky to have three brothers, but boy, do I feel like I won the lottery now.

The true role model in my life is my mom, Gloria Emo. Quite frankly, she ran Collingwood and basically every organization—Meals on Wheels; hospice; Katano-shi sister-city association, which inspired me to move to Japan years later; and Kinettes, to spotlight some—all while working tirelessly as a nurse and raising four rambunctious children. Her zest for life was explosive. She was part of my 2010 campaign for city hall, where, despite not knowing anyone in Beaches–East York, she managed to discover every Collingwoodian with a connection to my ward, convincing them to vote for me through her incredible charm. Gloey saw us victorious on election night but, tragically, passed away a few months later of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I miss her every day, but her spirit lives on in my children and in me as I try to emulate her belief in public service. My family sponsored the nursing station in Campbell House hospice in Collingwood in her memory, and I will definitely be crusading for more hospices all across Ontario for the next four years, as we all need a peaceful end-of-life journey.

Fast-forward to 2022: As election night drew to a close, I was met with two emotions: a sense of gratitude and elation for the vote of confidence that was placed in me, but concern about the results.

We as Liberals are a small but mighty team ready to take on what is necessary to make change happen in Ontario and serve the needs of our community. We will stand up for better health care, better education, more affordable housing and strong business recovery, all through an inclusive lens to ensure that no one is left behind.

The one reason I jumped back into politics is because of the climate emergency. Around the world, we are seeing the effects of climate change. This is the crisis of our lifetime. We have one chance to get it right. We can all work together to transition to a resilient province. We can build up the green economy by creating thousands of jobs for Ontarians in renewable energy, retrofits, resilient infrastructure, and that will make us truly open for business. It can be done. Ontario is falling behind, and the key to success for a climate future will be action.

There is much climate despair and anxiety, especially amongst our youth. Our kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, families and friends are looking to us for direction. They are looking to us to work together to get things done for the greater good.

Change brings opportunity. Life doesn’t get better by chance; it only gets better by change.

Thank you. Arigato gozaimashita. Merci.