First, I would like to thank my two staff who are sitting in the chamber this afternoon: Omar Farhat and Marceau Jovin. They are my LA and EA. You can stand up, if you wish.

Today, Madam Speaker, I’d like to bring my inaugural speech to the floor. It is with pride and humility that I rise today to add my voice to the generation of devoted men and women who also have the occasion to speak for the first time in the great House of the assembly in this, the greatest province in our Confederation.

I must also begin by conveying deep gratitude to the fine people of Scarborough, a wonderful, diverse and dynamic microcosm of Ontario—indeed, of Canada. To you, my constituents who sent me here, I say directly that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Rest assured that I will continue to work hard on your behalf, exactly as I have done over the last 12 years, as the Toronto District School Board trustee for Scarborough Centre.

My friends, I must also tell you that the significance of this moment is not lost on me. I stand before you as the first African Canadian man elected to the Progressive Conservative caucus. What does that mean, Madam Speaker? Perhaps this is an occasion to draw upon the memory of the late Honourable Lincoln MacCauley Alexander, who served as the first Black man in Canada’s Parliament—and as a result of that, he also served as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. He said, “It is not your duty to be average. It is your duty to set a higher example for others to follow.” Those are powerful words, like a bright lighthouse beacon lighting the path against a murky grey sky. Those words have guided me today, and those words tell you that, alongside my colleagues in this House, I’m ready to work that much harder. It means I clearly understand the important duty and extraordinary responsibility that falls upon me.

For the residents of Scarborough Centre, it means my sleeves are rolled up and I have already hit the ground running for you. I pledge that I will continue to give my very best to all members of Scarborough and residents.

We are 113,104 residents of a 28.12-square-kilometre riding, extending from the 401 in the north to the Eglinton Avenue boundary in the south; from McCowan Road, Lawrence Avenue, Bellamy Road in the east to the Victoria Park Avenue boundary in the west. Over the last 230 years, we have gone from a collection of small, rural villages and farms to becoming a fully urbanized, diverse, cosmopolitan community. Today we are home to many new Canadians who brought not only rich culture but knowledge and expertise in the areas of technology, medicine, skilled trades, and all the other sectors. Our streets feature Caribbean, Chinese, African and South Asian restaurants and shops, as well as businesses representing other ethnic groups. Our differences enrich us and bring us closer together.

Scarborough is also diverse in business as we have hundreds of different companies across many different industries. This includes the food sector, manufacturing, education, skilled trades, entertainment—and the list goes on—which itself includes cultural festivals and creative hubs.

Let there be no doubt that our best outcomes are generated in an economy where skilled individuals are working productively and being fairly compensated in their area of professional expertise.

Madam Speaker, we are all understandably concerned about the current labour shortage across Ontario. COVID and other dynamics have altered the landscape. Today, businesses of all sizes are struggling to find the skilled women and men they need. In Ontario, there are approximately 380,000 jobs that need to be filled right now. I say to you that Scarborough Centre is ready to be part of the solution. We are open for business. We have the people. We are ready to be partners in enhancing skills and expanding capacity to address the workforce shortages.

Madam Speaker, I have heard it said that leadership is not about running away from problems; leadership is about tackling those problems head-on, and that’s what this government is all about. That is why I am proud of the leadership of Premier Ford and the Progressive Conservative government. Yes, one can say that we have grabbed the proverbial bull by the horns. We are doing this by putting workers and their families first, with game-changing investments in education and training.

For example, our flexible Skills Development Fund supports innovative programs that help workers learn the skills that local employers want.

As well, our brand new Better Jobs Ontario program is offering training to whoever wants to train for in-demand jobs in any community across the province. This means better jobs and bigger paycheques.

As a former school board trustee who knows something about the impact of knowledge-based investments, you will understand my optimism about the path we are on.

This is good news for Scarborough Centre, which is on track to benefit from the government’s commitment to provide housing to the tune of 1.5 million new homes over the next 10 years. Scarborough Centre residents will also benefit from nearly $1.2 billion in support which is being provided through the social services relief fund. This is one of the biggest investments in supportive housing and homeless supports in Ontario’s history.

I would also like to thank our leader, Premier Doug Ford; Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney; and Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma for following through on the Eglinton streetcar extension, which has made its way through to Kennedy. Less gridlock means greater productivity for everyone.

I would add that initiatives like the Golden Mile project help improve transportation by getting people to work while encouraging economic growth.

Thank you again to the Premier, as well as Health Minister Sylvia Jones, for the government’s $1-billion investment in several projects to improve Scarborough’s health care system. This includes the creation of a 450-bed hospital, with an additional $300 million to renovate the existing Birchmount Hospital infrastructure to double its capacity.

To further support our development and growth, Canada Post is set to move further into the heart of Scarborough. They are relocating a new $470-million state-of-the-art facility and expanding the size of their parcel operation. Yes, this will also create many jobs in Scarborough Centre and all over Scarborough.

Malvern Town Centre is transitioning into condos. Large chains are establishing roots in Scarborough. This includes the new Amazon plant and an IKEA, to support the needs of our growing housing market.

I thank the minister of economic development, industry and commerce, Mr. Vic Fedeli, for all the good work being undertaken and the investments in Scarborough.

Let us not forget festivals like the Taste of Lawrence, Toronto Carnival, and the Junior Carnival Parade, which is the largest children’s festival in the province outside of the Santa Claus Parade.

Madam Speaker, let me share a childhood story. I remember my teacher writing on one of my report cards that one day I would be a brilliant politician for some of the things I did—I don’t want to get into them here. At the time the comment was made, I was only nine years of age—perhaps a bit too talkative, a troublemaker, argumentative. But I knew right from wrong. I guess the University of Toronto’s late luminary scholar, David Easton, put it best when he said that politics is simply about who gets what. My friends, that means my political lifespan went over 30 years. I have experienced proud achievements, but as I peer in my rear-view mirror, I think I have landed in the best place to use my skills and ability.

The moment that opened my eyes was when I witnessed an unsettling, unkind situation from an elected member. I thought it was uncalled for. More importantly, right then and there, I understood clearly how important it was for an elected representative to do his or her best to listen to every constituent. Their thoughts matter. So here I am today with you at the Legislative Assembly of the greatest province in our federation.

Today we are seeking solutions. Together we must always strive to be good listeners.

Fellow members, my time as an elected public school trustee for Scarborough Centre was one of the most significant periods in my public service career. It has been a true privilege to advocate for children and represent the needs of all students and parents in the Toronto District School Board. It was my responsibility to ensure that parents had peace of mind as they dropped off their kids and left them in the care of teachers.

Day in and day out, I was honoured to do my best to provide the best possible outcome for these families. However, in my time as a trustee, I understood then, as I do now, that no system is perfect; I understood that while championing the cause for equitable distribution of resources across the system, not just a preferred postal code. Education is fundamental and without limits. Our children should all have access to the same educational tools.

I want to thank Minister Stephen Lecce and his ministry for removing streaming of students into separate applied and academic pathways. Yes, I am pleased to be part of the government making strides to help students pursue their highest potential.

I also want to thank Minister Monte McNaughton for the tremendous work he and the Ministry of Labour are doing to help build and equip a successful workforce. I have closely followed the good work over the years. I am proud to serve as his parliamentary assistant. I look forward to productive collaboration with other government levels to pursue the best results.

Mr. Speaker, we still have a long way to go. That is why these sleeves are rolled up. I am ready to work with everyone in this chamber for a better Ontario. I am proud to be part of this dynamic Progressive Conservative team.

I call upon all members of this House to come together and support the important initiatives we are putting forward to build a stronger and more inclusive, more successful Ontario.

Yes, we are good people, who strive, day in and day out, to do the best we can for our loved ones, for our community and for those who believe in the values that are important to us.

To my family, campaign staff and volunteers: You have travelled the course with me. Regardless of sleepless nights, personal commitments or other pressing matters, today we put Ontario first.

I would like to thank my long-time staff: Ms. Novelette Mitchell, Mr. Ramesh Munngal, Mr. Badawi, Ken Modeste, Adrian Hill, Omar Farhat, David and Elizabeth Ricci, Obaid Noore, Samid Noore, Miss Kadijha, Miss Ruby, Steve G., Garry the sign man, and many scores of young volunteers—not to mention, before I forget, Kareem South and Lydia. I’d like to thank all of the individuals. Once again, I thank them all wholeheartedly. This, too, is our moment.

Madam Speaker, I’d like to thank you and every one of my colleagues in the House. Each of us knows first-hand that campaigns are no easy undertaking. During my own campaign, unfortunately, I lost my brother Percival. Needless to say, that was tough. But I was in and out of the hospital, and I was able to see first-hand that health care in Ontario is working. I also recognize that there is still work to be done. These are especially difficult times. I empathize with fellow Ontarians who have experienced otherwise. Yes, it was a sad time for me and my loved ones. There were hard days pushing back the emotions. But as I knocked on the doors of Scarborough, they were opened with beautiful, welcoming smiles that brought me a level of comfort. It kept me going. With the strength and support of family, colleagues, campaign staff, volunteers and the Scarborough Centre community, I was able to persevere and complete the task at hand.

Madam Speaker, Premier Ford, parliamentarians, colleagues: Scarborough stood with me. Ontario stood with me. That is why I now stand here for them today.

You did your best. We may not have gotten the result we wanted, but you gave your best. That was good enough.

My overarching goal as a parliamentarian is always to do what I can to deliver a better quality of life for Ontarians. I believe that under the leadership of Premier Ford, we can continue to conquer old hurdles. We have done much already, but we will continue working hard to address gaps and bolster opportunity. We will continue pursuing actions to move young people into successful, satisfying careers. My friends, it is my intention to help develop the road map that generates even more opportunity.

Our Premier has said time and time again, “We will get it done.” That is the drumbeat to which I am marching. I ran for office because I believe in my community. I believe in the people who call Scarborough their home.

The recent election delivered an 83-seat majority. The people of Ontario have spoken. Scarborough Centre has spoken. I should tell you that my riding holds the distinction of having voted for the winner in every election since 1971. That is longer than any other provincial riding.

So we have a strong mandate to get it done. For our Progressive Conservative government, that means to continue putting in place the fundamentals of a strong, vibrant and successful province and economy. That means lower taxes and a competitive business environment that attracts investments and creates good jobs. That means a highly skilled workforce prepared for jobs today and tomorrow. That means roads, highways and other infrastructure that help get goods and services to market sooner. And, of course, that means livable and safe communities with good schools, high-quality hospitals and long-term-care homes, as well as convenient transit options. I am under no illusion that this will be an easy road.

In conclusion, I wish to congratulate the members of the 43rd Legislature present here today, both new and returning. I stand firmly behind the oath I swore as a member of this 43rd Parliament of Ontario. We all have been entrusted by the people of Ontario to represent their interests, to improve their quality of life—simply put, to get it done.

The decisions we make here at Queen’s Park are serious and far-reaching and often difficult. But as I continue to follow that powerful beacon and the example of the late Lincoln Alexander, rest assured there will be positive outcomes for the people of Scarborough and Ontario. It is my hope that it will once again include the visible smiles of people who have good homes, access to education, jobs, world-class medical infrastructure, and thriving communities.