I look up to the family this morning—and I didn’t personally know Bob. This is my first honour as a member to stand and provide a tribute to a previous member who was here, and I hope I do him justice for you.

Speaker, it’s an honour to rise in my place on behalf of the official opposition and offer a few words of reflection on the life and service of Bob Callahan.

When journalist Steve Paikin paid tribute to the late Bob Callahan in January 2021, he wrote, “Callahan exemplified some of the best that public life can showcase.” Powerful words.

But when you truly consider Bob’s life and his contributions to his community, it quickly becomes apparent that Paikin’s kind words, while true, don’t fully do justice to the impact the man jokingly known as “Bob from Brampton” had on his city and his family. If you were to drive through Brampton, Bob Callahan Flower City Seniors Centre is an obvious tribute to Bob’s many years of faithful service. But if you took a closer look, it becomes apparent that Bob’s legacy looms large over the Rose City, both in the iconic—such as the Rose theatre, city hall, the Alderlea, and Gage Park skating trail—and the essential public works like GO service expansion, Brampton Civic Hospital, and the A. Grenville and William Davis Courthouse. And those are only a few of the Brampton landmarks that Bob played a role in bringing to life. In fact, Bob’s 43 years of provincial and municipal service almost seem like a timeline of Brampton’s rapid rise from a small rural town to one of Canada’s most diverse and rapidly growing communities.

After two unsuccessful runs for provincial office in 1977 and 1981, he finally made it to Queen’s Park in 1985, when voters chose him to be Brampton’s MPP, following the retirement of the incomparable Bill Davis—the first time someone other than Davis had represented the city in three decades. Knowing he had big shoes to fill, Bob went to work, mindful but undaunted, building on his many years of experience in municipal politics to become an effective voice for Brampton while carving out a formidable legacy of his own, earning the respect of political allies and opponents alike. After his defeat in 1995, Bob returned to municipal politics, driven by his love for Brampton and his passion for public service.

A man of faith, Bob lived his life by the golden rule, treating others as he would want to be treated. This belief guided him as powerfully during his years as a criminal defence lawyer, when he worked with clients to rebuild their lives and offered his services and expertise pro bono to those in need, as it did during his time in elected office, which he treasured greatly for its opportunity to bring positive change to the lives of Bramptonians.

Bob’s commitment to Brampton also stretched beyond the council chamber and Queen’s Park, including volunteer roles coaching lacrosse and service on the boards of St. Leonard’s House, Peel Memorial Hospital, and the Credit Valley Conservation Authority.

Speaker, as elected officials, we owe so much to our families for their love, support and sacrifices they make over the course of our careers in office. But taking a look at Bob’s obituary, it is clear that he had his priorities right. Those closest to him remember him not for his long lists of political accomplishments, of which there were many, but for the lasting and loving impact his life made on those he held dear. It’s clear that Bob put first things first and understood his legacy as a husband, father, grandfather and friend was no less important than his contribution as a politician. All of us who are elected would be well served by following a similar path.

To the members of the Callahan family with us today and to those watching on television or online, thank you for sharing Bob with Brampton and Ontario and for the sacrifices you made throughout his many years of service. This honour belongs to you just as much as it does to him.

In closing, Speaker, Bob wasn’t just from Brampton; Bob was Brampton, and we are all better for it.

Thank you, Bob. You were an exemplary man, an exemplary person of service. Rest well.

The member for Ottawa South.

It’s an honour to pay tribute to Bob Callahan, best known as “Bob from Brampton,” member of provincial Parliament for Brampton and Brampton South from 1985 to 1995.

Welcome, to his family. We’re so happy that you can be here.

I didn’t know Bob, but in preparing this tribute, I got to know the kind of person that Bob was, his qualities.

As a politician, he remembered these golden rules: Never forget where you came from, who sent you and what they sent you to do. Bob’s accomplishments, which were so great, in building up his community and building up the community we have here in the Legislature demonstrated to me that he never, ever forgot that.

Bob was a hard worker throughout his life, in his education, activities in the community.

And after serving here for 10 years, he went back to serve on Brampton council for 17 years, having served there 10 years before he got here. I’m not sure many of us would have that kind of stamina or endurance for political life. It can be a little corrosive at times, but it didn’t wear Bob down.

At a time when most people are slowing down, Bob appeared to be speeding up—or, at least, not slowing down.

From what I’ve read and what I understand, he was a man of deep faith, and that was evident. He led a very centred life, focused on others, wherever he was. I imagine him going to St. Basil’s church, just a block away from here, where I like to go in the mornings. Being in this place requires you to be centred, and Bob knew what he had to do to achieve that.

My father, like Bob, worked in criminal justice, and he used to say two things: Nothing replaces a genuine interest in people, and people can and will change and the effort to help them do so is worthwhile. I can imagine Bob saying those two things as well, after learning what I’ve learned over the last couple days.

Steve Paikin told a story, which we’ve heard this morning, of Bob being stopped on the street on the way to a hockey game by a man asking for money. All he had was $50, which he gave to the man. He also took the time to talk to him, to show a genuine interest in him, and said to him, “Just remember, I’m Bob from Brampton.” A year later, going to another hockey game, he heard someone shout, “Hey, it’s Bob from Brampton.” It was the same guy. The man remembered him not just because of the money, but because Bob took the time; he listened. I don’t think that was the only time that happened. It happened many times during Bob’s life.

I like to find somebody who sat with the member we’re giving tribute to, and I was lucky enough to get in touch with my old boss Premier Dalton McGuinty. I asked him if he had something to share with Bob’s family. He has written quite a bit, so I had to cut this down a little bit, and I want to apologize to him. Here’s what he had to say:

“Bob embodied that lovely quality that never goes out of style, decency. He was a decent man.

“Bob Callahan was a proud Liberal. But his decency led him to respect and enjoy his colleagues on all sides of this Legislature.

“Bob worked hard on behalf of his constituents and, along the way, encountered the usual frustrations in politics. It was his decency that led him to uphold respect for this place and all our democratic institutions.

“Life can wear us down and rob us of our youthful idealism. Life’s inevitable hard knocks can force us onto the sidelines. We can give up on others and turn inwards ...

“Not Bob.

“Bob devoted an amazing and inspiring 43 years of his life to meeting the needs of others through public service. It would be perfectly understandable for ‘Bob from Brampton,’ the name he gave himself, to have become cynical ... to have grown tired and tainted by what can be a corrosive experience.

“But that wasn’t Bob.

“Bob brought unfailing decency and honour to his political responsibilities. He was devoted to his community and, through his good example, reminds us all that the reward of public service is to be found in the service itself.”

To his wife, Lyn; his sons, Kevin, Peter, Timothy and Brian; their spouses; and all of Bob’s grandchildren: I know that you miss your husband, your father and your grandfather. Bob from Brampton led an incredible life of public service to his community, and that incredible life was possible because you shared him with us. That’s something that we ask from all our families and something that we are all so grateful for. Thank you.

Applause.

We give thanks for the life and public service of Bob Callahan.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Mitro Makarchuk, who was the MPP for Brantford during the 28th, 30th and 31st Parliaments. Joining us today in the Speaker’s gallery is Mr. Makarchuk’s family: his sister, Lisa Makarchuk; his brother-in-law, James Love; his nephew, Darwin Milian Valdez; and his friend Honora Dines. Also in the Speaker’s gallery is Mr. David Warner, the Speaker during the 35th Parliament.

I recognize the member for Orléans.

I’m honoured to stand and say a few words on behalf of my colleagues in the Liberal caucus on the life and work of Mitro “Mac” Makarchuk, the former member of provincial Parliament for Brantford.

Mac, as described by his younger sister, Lisa, was a true character, an inveterate and generous party thrower and partygoer and a genial rabble-rouser. I think that legacy is still alive and well in this place today for a few of our colleagues.

Mac was born in northern Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents who emigrated from Ukraine. Growing up through the Great Depression, like so many others, their family was poor, and Mac would recall always being hungry for lunch. I’m sure that these experiences no doubt played a formational role and were a formational aspect of his future political ideologies.

From his humble beginnings growing up on his parents’ farm, he left his family at the age of 17 to embark on a new chapter, one where he could grow, learn and make his parents proud.

Mac had an eclectic professional life, to say the least, I think. He served in both the navy and the air force, which I’m sure made the rivalry games very difficult for him. He was a boat builder; he was a journalist; he was a Brantford alderman; and of course, he was a member of provincial Parliament.

At one point, Mac was even a budding sports executive, offering to underwrite a collegiate hockey championship between the western Canadian champions and the eastern Canadian champions. In true western form, Saskatchewan’s native son convinced the Huskies to accept the offer, but it was the Toronto Varsity Blues who turned him down, and so the championship never got off the ground.

Out of all of his professional work, Mac’s entrance into public life, into politics, I think is the most interesting. Certainly, how he first became an NDP candidate was very interesting when I read about it. As a journalist, Mac was assigned to cover the local NDP nomination race. Well, as it turns out, there was no candidate in the nomination race, so when he showed up he put his name forward, and he won. He then went back to work and wrote the story about his victory for the newspaper. I’m sure that’s the kind of press we would all like to get every once in a while for ourselves. So that’s how his journey with the NDP started, in the 1965 federal election. He ended up losing that election, but that was just the start of Mac’s journey in politics.

He became the provincial NDP candidate in the following year’s provincial election and was successful. In fact, he was still working at the Expositor newspaper at the time. He asked for a leave of absence to run the campaign. They refused, and so they fired him. Well, he ultimately won that election for MPP in Brantford in 1967, and after he won, crowds of people went to the head office of the Expositor and chanted, “You fired him, and we hired him.” They were chanting outside the newspaper in celebration. I think that’s a brilliant way to start off your political career. And certainly he had a great deal of success.

He served one term as MPP and then served on Brantford city council as an alderman in 1972. He eventually returned to the Legislature in 1975 and was re-elected again in 1977, eventually leaving this place in 1981. Throughout his time, Mac never failed to speak up for his constituents, either here at the Legislature or at city hall.

Outside of his professional life, he loved to travel the world with his wife, Carolynne, and he always enjoyed a nice glass of wine and fine dining.

To his loving wife, Carolynne; his sister, Lisa; his brother-in-law, James; his nieces, Tanya and Michele; and his nephew, Darwin: Thank you for sharing Mac with the people of Ontario.

Rest in peace.

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

It is an honour to rise in this great House to pay tribute to the life of a colleague who once represented my riding. Today, Speaker, I’m going to spend a few moments to remember and give my respects to Mitro Makarchuk, MPP for Brantford, who was affectionately known simply as Mac.

Joining us here today are Mac’s sister, Lisa Makarchuk; his brother-in-law, James Love; his nephew, Darwin Milian Valdez; his friend Honora Dines; and, of course, former Speaker David Warner. I welcome you all here today.

Mac passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 24, 2021, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie. True to character until the end, Mac waited to pass until a few minutes after an extended family and friend visit.

He was born in 1929 in northern Saskatchewan to hard-working parents who had emigrated the previous year from Ukraine.

In addition to his many different interests, Mac had a long, varied and adventure-filled life as an MPP for the New Democratic Party; a city councillor for Brantford; a journalist; an inveterate and generous party thrower and partygoer; boat builder, cruiser and charterer; Royal Canadian Navy seaman and Royal Canadian Air Force flight lieutenant stationed in various places in the world.

After leaving school, Mac decided to try his hand at journalism and joined the news team at the Brantford Expositor. One day in 1965, he was sent to cover a nomination for the local NDP, which didn’t have a candidate—as we’ve already heard. Nobody was running, so Mac offered himself as the candidate. He ended up losing that federal election, but he was nominated to the provincial NDP and elected to represent Brantford here at the Ontario Legislature in 1967, serving one term. Mac was elected to Brantford city council as an alderman in 1972. He returned to the Legislature in 1975 and was re-elected in the 1977 election.

He lost his seat in 1981 to PC candidate Phil Gillies, who would be a cabinet minister, and who, to this day, is my friend and mentor. Phil Gillies ran against Mac twice. In the 1977 election, Mac came out on top. And in 1981, it was Phil Gillies who won.

After Gillies was himself defeated in 1987, he went to a gathering at the old Press Club on Wellesley Street. With some other now-former MPPs, Phil climbed the stairs to the club. He was enjoying the evening at the bar, but Mac Makarchuk—I’m told Mac looked at Phil and said, “Welcome to the alumni association. It took you long enough. Come on, let’s have a drink.

This was the disposition of Brantford–Brant politics, regardless of party affiliation. The camaraderie of public service always comes first.

After Mac Makarchuk left the Legislature in 1981, he dove into some really interesting business projects, one of which was the construction of a large tour boat to accommodate meetings, tourists and parties in Toronto harbour. He also built a personal yacht that led to some media questions. When the Globe and Mail interviewed Mac about this, the reporter asked, “How do you reconcile being a socialist-leaning politician and owning a $2-million boat?” Mac replied, “I’m still a socialist. I think everybody should have one of these.”

He was active in the anti-nuclear-arms movement. He supported various political and environmental organizations and was actively engaged with all of them.

With his wife, Carolynne, he was a global traveller through dozens of countries. He sunned in the tropics, and he enjoyed good wine, fine dining, and conversation, especially if it was political.

He was one of a kind—charismatic and imbued with a boundless sense of humour. He had a powerful influence on everyone around him. He turned political adversaries into lifelong, trusted friends. He had the ability to turn dreams into reality.

Mac was certainly one of a kind and leaves behind a legacy of working across the aisle for the people he once represented, and I currently represent, in Brantford–Brant.

He used his charisma to get things done, and he championed the creation of the Doug Snooks community centre in the Eagle Place community in Brantford.

Even though he retired from politics four decades ago, his name is mentioned with affection, respect and fondness not only in Brantford–Brant but at MPP alumni gatherings throughout southern Ontario.

In conclusion, on behalf of the government of Ontario and the riding of Brantford–Brant—and I know I speak for many former MPPs who served in this grand House alongside Mac—I salute you, sir, for your service to Ontario. Thank you for serving the people of Brantford–Brant with professionalism, style and respect.

And to Mac’s family who have joined us, thank you for loaning him to the people of Ontario for so many years.

You will be remembered as a journalist, an MPP, a city councillor, a shipbuilder, a businessman, and a compassionate, caring man who wanted to figure out what binds us together rather than what drives us apart. For all of that, Mac, we respect and salute you.

The member for Timiskaming–Cochrane.

I recognize the member for Brampton North.

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

I’m honoured here today to pay tribute to a former member of provincial Parliament for Brampton North, Mr. Carman McClelland. Carman McClelland passed away earlier this year, on June 1, and is survived by his children, Emma and Doug. He was born in 1951, in Angola, and soon after moved to Canada. Here, he was educated at York University and the University of Windsor faculty of law.

Mr. McClelland began leaving his legacy in Brampton early on. He was a resident of the city for over 25 years, and he was a practising lawyer in the city prior to seeking election. He also was a passionate advocate for his community. Mr. McClelland was a member of the local advisory board of the Canada Community Development Project, and he was chairman of the local advisory board for the summer 1981 Canada Student Employment Program. He was also a member of the Rotary Club of Bramalea, and he was on the board of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.

Carman McClelland was first elected to the then new riding of Brampton North on September 10, 1987, under Liberal Premier David Peterson, just a few weeks before his 36th birthday. This was the first election for a city once represented by one riding by somebody who will be known in this House, former Premier Bill Davis, after it was divided into two ridings, Brampton South being the other riding in Brampton. Ultimately, it was represented by Liberal MPP Robert “Bob” Callahan.

Carman was re-elected in 1990 and sat as an opposition MPP until he lost his seat in the 1995 election, after which he returned to his law practice.

There are a few parallels that I can draw between myself and Mr. McClelland, both of us having been raised in Brampton and taking it upon ourselves to put our names on the ballot and stand up for the people of our great city.

Some of his key priorities when seeking election were transportation and health care for Brampton, which are also my two key priorities as I stand here in the House today, and what I promised to be a champion for on behalf of my community. Ultimately, I think it led to my election and the election of my other Brampton colleagues here in this House.

In 1987, after his election win, he said “a second health care facility” was his major concern. In 1987, the population of Brampton was 180,000 people, a time when it was growing quickly. It continues to grow today as a diverse city, with a population of over 650,000 but only one hospital. We’re still fighting for a second hospital here today.

Speaker, I think it is more than appropriate that I have the privilege to stand here today to speak about the great man, Carman McClelland. People like Mr. McClelland are the reason Brampton has become the city that it is today—home to people from all corners of the world, who come to our city and succeed in their respective fields.

Mr. Speaker, as members in this House will know, it’s not easy to seek public office, and it certainly doesn’t get easier once you’re successful—or it hasn’t yet, but I’m also new, so maybe give it some time. For some, the private sector calls their name. Carman McClelland, however, was eager to get back into politics and once again served the people of Brampton after his last election, this time in 2007 as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the now defunct Brampton–Springdale riding—an unsuccessful election at the time.

In 2008, Mr. McClelland tried his hand at municipal politics, running for regional councillor in Brampton wards 1 and 5. Although he did not find success in running for office after his second term in provincial politics, Carman’s desire, passion and commitment to the people of Brampton is exemplary. And that passion and commitment to the people of Brampton North is what I hope to bring to Queen’s Park myself.

Carman served two terms and served this province in numerous roles, as the Chair, Vice-Chair or a member of different committees. He was a critic. He was a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of the Environment. Filling so many roles across his two terms, he left his mark on this province, a record that his family should be very proud of.

After his first election in 1987, Carman thanked his supporters at the Brampton Briar Hill Recreation Centre while the theme song from Rocky played in the crowd. The legendary quote from Rocky rings in my head: “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward—how much you can take and keep moving forward.” It’s a quote we should all believe in.

We all have our time to go—and, for me, coming in as a new member, I think God places moments like these into our lives to remind us of our own brief time that we have, and our own mortality. As members, we have limited time in this chamber; as humans, it’s limited time on earth.

May we all leave such a mark on this Legislature but also in life, and live a life as rich as Carman did.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me the opportunity to speak here today in honour of a fellow Brampton boy I can look up to as I fight for the same city he did.

The member for Timiskaming–Cochrane.

We give thanks for the life and public service of Carman McClelland.

Orders of the day? I recognize the member for Barrie–Innisfil.

The House recessed from 0953 to 1015.

It’s an honour to stand here in the Legislature on behalf of the Ontario Liberal caucus and pay tribute to former MPP Carman McClelland from Brampton North.

As has been stated, Mr. McClelland was born in Angola, Africa, in 1951, and after his family immigrated to Canada, he attended York University for his undergraduate degree. He later attended law school at the University of Windsor, and upon his graduation, he began to practise with the firm of Fogler, Rubinoff here in Toronto. He was also a board member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.

Carman fell in love with Brampton, and it is where he chose to settle down and raise his family.

In those days, it wasn’t easy being a Liberal in Brampton. The Big Blue Machine was dominating provincial politics and, of course, Brampton was home of chairman Bill Davis. But the riding went red in 1985 and, in 1987, it would be split in two, and this is when Carman took his shot in the newly formed riding of Brampton North. Carman coasted to victory in Brampton North in 1987. He led through the advance polls and finished above the Tory candidate by nearly 7,000 votes. Being re-elected in 1990 in a squeaker, he bested the NDP candidate by only 98 votes. That’s a big swing, 7,000—I’m not sure my heart would take that kind of close election, Mr. Speaker.

His tenure in the Legislature was ended in 1995 with the Common Sense Revolution, and this is when he chose to return to his life as a lawyer. He also served as vice-president of the Peel Law Association executive committee and, later, he was president of the Brampton Board of Trade.

But politics was in his blood. Carman attempted a provincial comeback in 2007 and ran again municipally in 2018—and while unsuccessful, it was clear that his dedication to public service was at the core of his being.

He was an active member of the community, involved in local sports leagues, and he also served on the boards of many local clubs in Brampton. As has been mentioned, he was a member of the local advisory board for the Canada Community Development Project. He was vice-chairman of the local advisory board for the summer Canada Student Employment Program in 1981, and he was a dedicated member of the Bramalea Rotary Club.

Mr. Speaker, it’s without a doubt that Mr. McClelland cared deeply about his community—not just by advocating for them inside this Legislature, but through his extensive involvement in the community on local boards and with the board of trade.

On behalf of the Ontario Liberal caucus, I’d like to extend my sincerest thanks to his family—Karen, Emma, Doug; siblings, Brad and Sandy—for sharing Carman with us, sharing him with the people of Brampton.

May he rest in peace.

Applause.

It’s an honour to rise on behalf of the official opposition to pay tribute to Carman McClelland in acknowledgement of his years of service to the people of Brampton and Ontario. I’d like to acknowledge his family for this celebration of life. We know that public service poses unique challenges for the family members of those who hold office, and we both honour them and thank them for sharing Carman with Brampton and Ontario.

Carman brought a unique perspective to this place. As a child of missionaries, he spent many of his formative years abroad in Africa, moving to the then small town of Brampton in 1964 for his high school years.

Carman had a front-row seat to the rapid changes in Brampton, watching it transition from a small community of 20,000 in his teens to one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities. His riding alone, one of two in the city at the time, was nearly five times larger than the entire town of his youth, boasting over 95,000 residents during his time in office.

Carman loved Brampton and its people and took great pride in the things that made a fast-growing Brampton special. He always spoke very highly of the city’s diversity, its economic and social potential, and the unique characteristics that made Brampton North, in his words in this chamber, “one of the greatest communities in the province.”

Carman’s service to Brampton and its people went far beyond his time in elected office and was reflected in his volunteer work with his church; Rogers Cable 10; the William Osler health centre; The Bridge, which was an in-custody and release program; and the Brampton Youth Hockey Association, just to name a few.

During the 1987 election, Carman won easily in a campaign where improved transportation and a new hospital were top priorities for Brampton voters—issues that continue to resonate with the community some 35 years later.

Regardless of where he sat in this chamber, be it in the government benches or over here on the opposition side of the House, he never forgot the people who sent him to this special place, always bringing the challenges and triumphs of his beloved hometown to the floor of this Legislature.

Carman was a fierce advocate for improved health care in his city and pushed for increased services and access in Brampton North from both sides of the aisle.

He was also an outspoken voice for the environment, using his platform as an MPP to draw attention to issues like acid rain, landfill expansion and water quality.

After losing his bid for re-election in 1995, Carman returned to practising law in Brampton, though elected office never strayed far from his thoughts.

Carman re-emerged with a desire to serve, putting his name forward as a candidate for Brampton council in 2018. In an interview with the Brampton Guardian during the campaign, Carman spoke passionately about his desire to share his “experience and commitment to ‘servant leadership’” as part of an overall goal to help “build a better Brampton.” Though unsuccessful, it is clear that his passion for his city continued to play a prominent role in his life.

Thank you, Carman, for your service to Ontario. May you rest in peace.

Speaker, I rise in the chamber today to inform you of an important organization in my riding of Newmarket–Aurora that is making a positive impact on the lives of seniors. It is called the 108 Health Promotion Association. It is our local Chinese community organization. Their president, Mr. Nan Zhou, named it “108,” as he wants to help their members live to 108 years of age. Their vision is to support healthy aging and culturally appropriate community programs that encourage physical activity and mental well-being. Current programming includes yoga, health-related workshops, singing and dance clubs, as well as seasonal vegetable cultivation workshops, and a training course on preventing the elderly from falling.

At the beginning of 2021, I am proud to say that 108 was a recipient of our government’s Seniors Community Grant Program. Through this funding, they were able to help older adults and seniors in our community stay mentally and physically healthy during COVID-19. They transformed their programming to a digital format to continue social interaction within the community of 2,000-plus seniors, promoting healthy and safe engagements.

This past Saturday, I was honoured to be invited to the 108 family bonding event. There was a barbecue and a dragon dance, as well as a Chinese waist drum dance and many other forms of entertainment for the entire family.

Seniors are and will always be important members of our communities. We must take care of them and each other as we grow as a province.

On a daily basis, my office receives emails and phone calls from constituents about the health care system, from doctor shortages to excessive wait times in the ER, and about this government’s Bill 7, More Beds, Better Care Act, demanding public hearings take place.

Bryan sent me an email and asked me to get his story out there, because he says he’s not alone. His daughter is a registered nurse with over 30 years’ experience, and she has seen the health care system crumble. Bryan is an 82-year-old senior. His doctor has just retired. He signed up with Health Care Connect, and all he was offered were phone numbers to call doctors’ offices in hopes that they were accepting patients. He couldn’t get through to speak to doctors and fill out applications, and he has heard nothing. He is being forced to monitor his own health—blood pressure, arranging blood samples to check cholesterol, and, as a cancer survivor, his blood count. He is attending an urgent care clinic just to have his prescriptions filled. He also has a pacemaker, and—lucky for him—he’s monitoring by downloading an app. Bryan has been living in London for 51 years, and he feels like a senior who has been cast out in an open boat. This is beyond shameful.

It’s time to fix the health care system, and the NDP has put forth solutions.

Will this government finally agree to reinstate the Practice Ready Assessment Program for internationally trained doctors and nurses, and repeal Bill 124 to give health care workers the pay and incentives and respect they deserve? Yes or no?

After a two-year absence, the fall fairs—which actually happened in the summer for the most part—have returned to the Ottawa Valley. The fairs are back, and in a big way.

It all began a few weeks ago, as it always does, with the Beachburg Fair—as Dai Bassett referenced in his song, “the first big summer fair.”

That was followed by a new weekend fair in Arnprior called the Valley Agricultural Festival.

This past weekend, as I did in Beachburg and Arnprior, I opened the 163rd Cobden Fair.

And coming up the second weekend in September will be the 167th edition of what we call the greatest fair in the Ottawa Valley, the Renfrew Fair.

While every one of these fairs is unique in its own way, they all have two things in common: They bring communities together, and each one of them has agriculture at its roots. While today there is something for everyone, including midways, horse draws, live entertainment and smash-up derbies, the heart of our fairs is still the farm and the families who work so hard to put food on our tables.

When attending these fairs, I can’t help but think how much they’ve changed over the years but how much people still anticipate going to the fair with their families, rubbing shoulders with and enjoying the company of friends and neighbours in such an enjoyable environment. While always being open to the reality of changing times, by holding fast to the traditions that made them a must-see, must-attend event so many years ago—it’s what makes our county fairs so special and gives me confidence that they’ll still be around 100 years from now.

No further business.

There’s this beautiful community in Nickel Belt called Gogama. They are about an hour and a half south of Timmins, and about two and a half hours north of Sudbury. The only access for the good people of Gogama to our health care system is through a nursing station. The nursing station has been there for decades, giving all of the residents of Gogama—I must tell you, though, that over 60% of them are over the age of 65, and they gain access to our health care system through the nursing stations.

Unfortunately, tomorrow, September 1, the nursing station will close. They were given notice that the nursing station would close on September 1, which means that all means of access to health care will stop.

I have approached the Minister of Health to see what can be done to make sure that the people of Gogama continue to have access to a full-time nurse practitioner in their community so that they have what we call equity of access.

Do we do a double lung transplant in Gogama? No, we don’t. But we need a full-time nurse practitioner working in Gogama so that the people of Gogama can gain access to the health care system.

I was talking to Dan Mantha yesterday. He needs to go to a walk-in clinic in order to gain access, an hour away from his home.

The minister has to get on this file. She has to sign a new agreement so the nursing station stays open.

Mr. Speaker, it’s with a heavy heart that I rise today. On August 19, 2022, Gerrie Kautz—father, grandfather, friend, colleague, and one of my closest mentors—passed away peacefully and quickly at the age of 84 in Ottawa. Gerrie will be lovingly missed and cherished by his daughter, Cammie Ritchie, and grandson, Marshall Ritchie. Gerrie’s many friends and colleagues will remember the memories of happy times together for years to come.

Gerrie was born in Winnipeg and grew up in the southern Manitoba town of Ridgeville.

In 1956, he entered the Royal Roads Military College as a navel cadet, moving on to the University of Manitoba, where he received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

After a wonderful career in the military, Gerrie’s second career was spent in international marketing, where he conducted business in over 40 countries.

He retired in 1998 to help care for his wife, Edna-May “Eddie” Kautz. During this time, Gerrie worked for over 10 years as a business and marketing consultant. He was also an author, with over eight published books in Canada and the USA. His golden years were spent happily helping and sharing his vast business knowledge and support, sitting on local committees, assisting local businesses, building and organizing community associations, and volunteering his time and services to charity events, including assisting me on my campaign as part of my election campaign committee team.

He was an active and dedicated member and pillar in the Greely area and beyond.

I’d like to express my sincere condolences to Cammie Ritchie, his family, and the entire Greely community on this loss. My condolences.