It’s actually a very important question because, as the member will know, the Premier and this government have put an emphasis on developing the north, because we understand how important the north is to the economic success of the entire province. That has not, of course, always been the case in the province of Ontario. For many, many years, the north was ignored.

He will also know, Mr. Speaker, how important it is when you consider all of the work that the Minister of Mines and the Minister of Northern Development are doing with respect to the Ring of Fire.

The member is correct. It’s not only about economic development in the north, but it is also about the communities that will follow the enormous development that is happening there. We are building hospitals in the north, long-term care in the north. We’re building roads in the north. This is all part of what happens when the Ring of Fire comes to the north, and the infrastructure in the north will have to be improved. It is all part of the emphasis that this Premier has put in place since he was elected back in 2018, and we will continue that work.

For far too long, people have thought of the north as a drag on the province of Ontario, but it was this Premier and this government who said that it’s absolutely the opposite, that there is a tremendous amount of wealth and resources in the north. There are skills in the north; we have seen it. The Minister of Mines has been a passionate advocate for the north and has brought jobs and opportunity to the north.

But the member is right. Infrastructure needs to be improved as we make these important investments which will bring hundreds of billions of dollars to the province of Ontario, thousands of jobs, enormous opportunities for all of the people in the north. The member is right, and that’s why we’re making investments not only in roads and bridges but, of course, airports will need to be part of this, because that’s what happens when you—

Having said that, we do contemplate working with hospitals to make space that is available in long-term-care homes available to our hospitals so that patients who need more complex care can have that care. That is something that has been working very well in communities across the province of Ontario. It works well in Markham–Stouffville. It has been working quite well in Ottawa. That is part of our changes to the health care system—our modernizing of the health care system.

We’ve said it a million times: We’re not just going to simply go with the status quo. It is not a good level of care when a person who wants to be in long-term care is sitting in a hospital. This has been the case in this province for years. I read you yesterday a report from the Auditor General, dating back to 2011, that highlighted how dangerous it was to have seniors waiting in hospitals when they should be in a long-term-care home. We’re acting on it, Mr. Speaker, and that is one of the ways we’re doing it.