The final supplementary?

Minister of Education.

Speaker, the pandemic has exacerbated the growing nursing shortage in Ontario’s health care system. Nurses and personal support workers are the cornerstone of the health care system, and that’s why we must address this problem.

To do that, we have to improve access to post-secondary education. Many young people want to become part of the solution and enter this revered profession, but are concerned about barriers such as limited selection in accessing high-quality local education.

Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister of Colleges and Universities doing for my constituents that wish to receive a nursing degree close to their home?

Speaker, Indigenous communities also urgently need more nurses and PSWs. Unfortunately, Indigenous people have long faced barriers in accessing effective and culturally safe health care. With enrolment in Indigenous institutes increasing by 43% since 2018, we must ensure that students receive culturally relevant, high-calibre education.

Speaker, what steps has the ministry taken in expanding enrolment in PSW and nursing programs at Indigenous institutes?

My question is for the Minister of Education. Industries and businesses across all of Ontario are struggling to find employees to fill jobs they’re offering. A company in my riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, SigmaPoint in the city of Cornwall, is facing extreme difficulties finding engineers that they need to seamlessly run their business.

This labour shortage is hampering our economy. It is often the case that our young people are not aware of, or qualified, to work in these sectors. As legislators, we cannot accept this. We need to ensure that our students, starting with the youngest learners, including my own young children, know about the jobs of the future and are equipped to fulfill the jobs.

Mr. Speaker, through you, to the minister: How will this government ensure that our children are prepared to enter the workforce and fill our employment gaps?

The answer is simple, Speaker: Our young people were not adequately prepared for the current demands of the job market. For 15 years, the previous Liberal government was distracted trying to teach discovery math and other items that failed to help our students find employment with good paycheques.

We need to ensure that our children, including children of my riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, are being taught relevant subjects that are continuously updated so that they can access and be aware of well-paying jobs. To the minister: How is the updated STEM curriculum going to prepare our next generation for the jobs of the future?

Thank you to the member from Richmond Hill for that excellent question.

You improve the security of an organization when you have diverse mindsets.

Today, September 1, is International Women in Cyber Day. It is a day set aside to bring awareness of the challenges women face and to celebrate women’s achievements within the cyber security industry.

To better address the growing demand for jobs in the cyber security field, we have to encourage a diverse set of voices throughout the field and in leadership positions.

I’m really glad the Minister of Education highlighted the importance that our government is making in changing the face of STEM for young kids—because we are modernizing our science and technology curriculum to place an emphasis on STEM that will encourage more young girls and women to explore cyber security.

Mr. Speaker, women can be at the forefront of this industry and can change the landscape in cyber security while increasing their representation.

In the world of cyber security, it is becoming increasingly evident that our sensitive and private information is vulnerable.

The women involved in this industry are our front-line heroes, keeping us safe in an environment of new technology and cyber attacks. The same as a firefighter or a police officer, women in cyber security have the same ability to protect and serve our communities as well.

The industry is booming today and growing in exponential ways. I recently had a meeting with the Ontario Centre of Innovation and learned about the work they are doing to elevate women in the advanced technology industry to start up and scale up their businesses.

Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, I am excited to highlight and encourage young women to consider a career in cyber security. Our government will highlight women’s achievements and cast down barriers as an ally alongside them because women belong in every place, at every table and in every space.