During my 2022 debate, I told the people of Mississauga–Lakeshore that Ontario had the best finance minister in Canadian history, and the former finance minister was sitting in the audience.

As the member knows, I used to work at the Ford Motor Co. for many years.

I want you to elaborate on what we’re doing more for the building of electric vehicles in North America to make us the number one jurisdiction in the world.

I knew there was a reason why I liked the member from Mississauga–Lakeshore.

It’s a very important question, and it’s a big question, and I’ll do my best in the time allotted.

As the Premier said, every car that you’ll have a choice to buy in the not-too-distant future will be an electric vehicle. We believe in a clean, green economy in this province. So what are we doing about it? Obviously, not only manufacturing. We’re going to be a manufacturing powerhouse for electric vehicles in this province, but we’ve got to make sure that the production that goes into those vehicles, be it clean steel in Hamilton or Sault Ste. Marie, is fired by clean energy—that the electricity to charge the electric vehicles is done through clean energy. That’s why we’re investing in small modular reactors.

There are many ways to improve the environment. We all believe in that. We’re all going to do it together.

But let me tell you this: We’re also, in the budget, going to put in place the first provincial park in 40 years.

The member is right; there’s no daylight between the member opposite and myself and our government with regard to ensuring that all long-term-care homes have not only the proper infrastructure and air conditioning, but the proper supports.

Let me point out that when you don’t build long-term-care beds—like the previous government in 2011, in 2014, supported by the NDP. You don’t have to air-condition a bed that you don’t build.

Mr. Speaker, not only are we putting in air conditioning right across the province; we’re also building those beds. We’re also putting funding inside—we did in the budget of 2020, almost $5 billion to hire the personal support workers, the nurses to provide four hours standard of care in this province, which will be leading all of Canada.

It is an honour and a pleasure to rise again in this esteemed chamber to kick off my second term as MPP. I want to extend my sincerest appreciation to the residents of Mississauga–Malton, volunteers, supporters and my family for giving me the opportunity to serve.

Globally, more than one billion people volunteer for community well-being, including members of Gujurati Seniors Samaj of Mississauga. Founded as an informal group in 1990 by late Shri Vishnuprasad Raval, today GSSM has over 550 members, with an aim to preserve rich culture, to stay connected and serve the community. Over the years, GSSM has knitted mats out of plastic bags to support areas struck by natural disasters, organized food donation drives, Anand Mela fun fair, yoga, tai chi, picnics, outings and overseas trips, including cruises for senior members and the annual Diwali gala.

GSSM has also raised over $420,000 through a walkathon for helping Trillium Health Partners Foundation. I encourage everyone to contact Kanoobhai, Kalaben and Dilip Bhai and join this year’s walkathon on September 11 at Mississauga Valley Community Centre.

Thank you to the executive committee, all members, volunteers, sponsors and supporters of GSSM. You are the true definition of Ontario spirit. My best wishes to GSSM.

Remarks in Gujarati.

Keep growing and keep serving the community.

We are thankful to our health care heroes across this province for the contributions they make.

Our record investments into health care, Mr. Speaker—let’s take a look at our record in the city of Windsor. For the first time, a government—this government—is building a new hospital in the city of Windsor. After 15 years of being neglected by the Liberal government—which the members opposite propped up—this government took action to build in cities like Windsor and Brampton that were ignored.

Unfortunately, the member opposite voted against a new hospital in Windsor.

We are going to continue to ensure that we build health care capacity across this province, whether it’s building new hospitals in Windsor, in Brampton, in Mississauga, in Niagara or across this province. We hope that the members opposite can support that plan to build Ontario.

I want to thank the member from Mississauga–Malton for this question. I think it is timely, with the challenge of national inflation rising and the cost of living impacting every single one of our constituents.

We have an opportunity in this House to provide additional financially—even if it is incremental—to make life a bit more affordable for the moms and dads of this province, who have borne so much of this pandemic.

It’s interesting; the member from Davenport, as she criticizes me on the other side, said yesterday, “It’s very disappointing.” What is disappointing, Speaker, is that when as legislators we have a duty, an opportunity, to provide relief, that we all stand up and we provide it to the parents of this province—every one of us should be united by that mission. It’s sad that when we did this in August 2020, with $200 to every child; and when we did it in February 2021, with another $200 to every child; and when we doubled it to $400 in May 2021, in each and every example, New Democrats and Liberals opposed it.

This Premier will continue to make life more affordable. And the message to parents is quite simple: Relief is on the way.

Our mission is simple: It is a normal, a stable and, yes, a more enjoyable school year for these kids. They deserve it, and I know we all believe that. In order to put that vision into practice, it’s about having a plan to help these kids catch up. The most consequential policy we can achieve as legislators for these kids is to keep them in school and stand up for stability—be it from the pandemic or from the labour negotiations.

These kids deserve to be in school. In every region of the province I’ve heard this same message from parents, “Get my kids in school and keep them there,” and our commitment is to do just that.

Thank you to the member from Niagara Centre. We’ll now start with questions. We’ll start on the government side, the member from Mississauga–Lakeshore.

The member from Toronto Centre.