I’m honoured to rise in the House as the MPP for Windsor West for a third term. I want to thank my constituents for again placing their trust in me. I want to thank my family. No MPP can effectively do their job without the support of their family. Every one of us in this House can attest to that. Thank you to my campaign team: Farah, Kallie, Robin, Ian, Darlene, Mirna, Brian, Mo, Melanie, Dougie and Joyce, and to every volunteer for all their work supporting me and the people of Windsor West.

I rise today knowing many in my community are struggling to make ends meet. The immense pressure from increasing costs of living and stagnant wages is causing great distress for families in my community.

Everyone in this province deserves a safe, stable place to call home. They deserve access to food and shelter without having to choose between the two or to rely on food banks.

People with disabilities live in legislated poverty, something this government could change, but won’t.

Mental health and addiction struggles are impacting many in my community and across the province as financial pressures escalate.

Our health care system is in crisis and government policy is making it worse. We’re losing our doctors and nurses while this government continues to chip away at public health care.

Seniors deserve the best care, to live with dignity, to choose where they live in the community they want to live in, yet this government is ramming through a bill that strips them of the ability to consent to where they live and receive support, and who has access to their personal information, simply because they accessed hospital care.

My NDP colleagues and I will continue to stand up for the public good rather than private interests, and I will continue to rise in this House to fight for what matters most to my constituents.