Good morning. Let us pray.

Prayers.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mrs. Julia Munro, who was the MPP for Durham–York during the 36th Parliament; York North during the 37th and 38th Parliaments; and York–Simcoe during the 39th, 40th and 41st Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery is Mr. David Warner, who was Speaker during the 35th Parliament. We are also joined by Jane McKenna, who was the member for Burlington in the 42nd and 40th provincial Parliaments.

Mrs. Munro’s family is watching the tribute from home this morning.

I’ll begin by recognizing the member for Oshawa.

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

On this beautiful day, I too would like to take time to honour the legacy of Julia Munro, or Lady Munro, as she was so affectionately known around the Legislature. With 23 years of service as MPP of Durham–York, York North and, finally, York–Simcoe, she is remembered as the longest-serving woman MPP and an inspiration for women in politics in this province and beyond.

After working as a history teacher in Markham and Newmarket for 24 years, Lady Munro made the bold choice to run for office in 1995, when she won with an impressive margin. Among her many roles, Lady Munro worked as a parliamentary assistant to Premier Mike Harris, deputy opposition House leader, and deputy House Speaker. The work she did during her time as an MPP was pivotal, and she went on to introduce six bills in the Legislature before her retirement from politics in 2018.

Each year, on June 15, we continue to honour Lady Munro on Magna Carta Day, as was mentioned before, through the Magna Carta Day Act (In Memory of Julia Munro, MPP), which remembers the document King John affixed in 1215 that introduced key principles that hold true in democratic societies today, including equal justice for everyone, freedom from unlawful detention, the right to a trial by jury, and rights for women.

Lady Munro was known for her passion for animals in her personal and professional life. As an animal lover myself, I’m grateful for the important work Lady Munro did to protect the well-being of our furry friends. Her bill, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Act, 2001, helped to ban puppy and kitten mills and prevent the inhumane treatment of animals. Our pets become a part of our family, and Lady Munro’s work has helped to protect them, as they so deserve.

Lady Munro was truly a trailblazer for women politicians in this province. At a time when it wasn’t a given for us to have a seat at the table, she got involved. As a mother and wife myself, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to step up and pursue a path in politics. She sacrificed time with her family to advocate for her community and make meaningful change, which we can still see the effects of to this day.

Women and girls in this province can look to Lady Munro as an inspiration and to see that, yes, you can and you should have a voice in politics. Across party lines, having women in the Legislature is crucial to creating an equitable and equal political landscape in this province, and Lady Munro was a shining example of this.

I’d like to leave you with the quote that was mentioned before—I can’t believe she had this on her licence plate; I think it’s amazing: “Democracy: Don’t waste it.”

Ontarians are lucky to have had her serve as a representative.

I am proud to continue her legacy as a woman in this Legislature, and I so strongly respect the work she did during her long service as an MPP.

May she continue to rest in peace.

Applause.

I’m honoured today to rise to pay tribute to the late MPP Julia Munro, known affectionately as Lady Munro. As a respected educator and exemplary MPP from 1995 to 2018—an incredible 23 years; the longest-serving woman MPP in Ontario’s history. She was a trailblazer and a fierce advocate for her constituents and her students.

Mrs. Munro was known for having friends on both sides of the aisle. It wasn’t until yesterday, when I was going through Hansard, that I stumbled upon a tribute she actually paid to me, for the role I played in advocating for the Waste-Free Ontario Act in 2016. But that’s the type of person Julia was—somebody willing to work across party lines and share the spotlight with others to put people first.

I first met Julia in the early 2000s, when I was working with the Holland Marsh Growers’ Association to promote local food and farmers, and I can tell you, she was a fierce advocate to support and nurture local food sources and the farmers that grow that food. As a hobby farmer and gardener, Lady Munro knew the value and the importance of nurturing those local food sources.

As a staunch supporter of democracy, rural communities, small businesses and especially animals, Ms. Munro was an exemplary political model for so many people, including myself.

Speaker, I want to leave us with her commitment to democracy. Now, more than ever, that legacy of her commitment to democracy is needed in our world, and we will be forever grateful for the work that she did in this House for our province.

And so to her family who’s watching, I want to thank you for sharing Lady Munro with us. May she rest in peace.

Applause.

It is a privilege to rise in this House today to pay tribute to the late Julia Munro. As the longest-serving female MPP in Ontario’s history, Julia truly was a trailblazer for so many of us sitting in this Legislature today, but she was also a friend and a mentor.

Beloved in her community of York–Simcoe and adored by her husband, John, and daughter, Genevieve, Julia’s dedication to public service touched so many, and she continues today to be nothing short of an inspiration for men and women alike.

Julia entered the political arena at a time when it wasn’t always easy for women to do so. And as a new politician, I can tell you that she encouraged me as a female politician in so many ways.

Julia was always herself. She was fierce, but she was always elegant and poised, and that’s why she was referred to as Lady Munro here at Queen’s Park but also across York–Simcoe.

Julia battled cancer, but she kept working. She was elected six times and represented the various iterations of York–Simcoe for 23 years.

There is little doubt that Julia’s work and advocacy has made a lasting impact for generations. The Bradford Bypass, which is a project that our government is moving forward with, was championed by Julia for 23 years. She recognized the need for this connecting link because of the growth in our communities, and she was right. It was her work that got the first environmental assessment done in 2002. That is a significant milestone for this project. And to this day, people across our riding are supportive of this project. Our government will get it done, and I know that Julia would be pleased and her family should be proud.

Before entering politics, Julia was a teacher for more than two decades, and in this role she had a lasting impact on the lives of so many residents of York–Simcoe. It was always so lovely when I got the chance to see her interact with one of her former students, which happened quite often as we travelled around the riding together. They would hug her, they would share a memory with her, and they would always thank her for being a wonderful and inspiring teacher to them. They never forgot her. They looked up to her, and how could they not? As a teacher, Julia understood the importance of protecting the interests of the next generation.

Julia also understood the importance of our history and the fundamental democratic principles that define us as Canadians, which she demonstrated by introducing the Magna Carta Day Act in 2014. The principles of the Magna Carta set the foundations of the English system of common law and are reflected in our Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms. When King John proclaimed the Magna Carta in 1215, he proclaimed the principles of our democracy: that no one, not even the crown, is above the law.

I’m so pleased that former MPP from Burlington Jane McKenna is here today, because it was under Jane’s leadership that we reintroduced Julia’s PMB, and our government was so proud that we were able to make that a reality and that this PMB was passed unanimously in 2020.

It’s not just in the Legislature that Julia promoted democratic values, it was everywhere she went, including on the road. Her licence plate frame proudly displayed the motto, “Democracy: Don’t wear it out,” and as Minister of Transportation, I have a great appreciation for this. In fact, I even asked her if I could take over that licence plate cover, and she said I’d have to earn it.

Through her unapologetic stance on key issues, Julia went on to introduce six bills in the Legislature and managed to garner respect across party lines. She was a fierce advocate for her constituents at Queen’s Park, and she never took that privilege for granted. Her commitment to her core values and beliefs helped create a legacy that will continue to shine brightly for generations.

Thank you to John and Genevieve for sharing her with us for so many years and for supporting her and encouraging her. I can tell you that Julia is deeply missed in her former riding, but her legacy is long-lasting and will live on. As the MPP for York–Simcoe, I am humbled to be continuing much of the important work that Julia started many years ago.

Applause.