All you guys talked a lot about seniors, and we should be talking about our seniors.

Speaker, right now, in long-term care, close to 100 homes have no air conditioning in their rooms. Much of June, July and August, temperatures were above 40 degrees, with the humidity. Some have died, some have had heatstroke. And you talk about working for workers? Those support staff, the workers in those places, are working in those same conditions, working in those rooms.

Is this how you think that seniors in the province of Ontario should be treated? Why are these rooms not having air conditioners for seniors in the province of Ontario? It’s absolutely disgraceful. You need to do something about it.

My question is to the Premier.

The Premier passed legislation requiring long-term-care homes to have air conditioning for residents in their bedrooms; 15% missed the deadline. Despite this, almost 100 homes across Ontario have no AC at all.

In June, July and August—just days ago—temperatures were in the 30s, with a humidex of nearly 40 degrees. In homes with COVID outbreaks, this meant seniors were roasting in rooms above 40 degrees for several days at a time, some having heatstroke and dying.

Across Ontario, staff were overwhelmed and under-supported. Bill 124 continued to cap their wages and force people out of the profession.

He knew that seniors were deprived of water. He knows they’re being confined to their rooms for days and denied air conditioning in a deadly heat wave. Clearly, seniors’ care is not a priority for this government.

Speaker, will the Premier finally make seniors in long-term care a priority? Announce today that being the Minister of Long-Term Care will no longer be a part-time job in this government. Our seniors—

Mr. Speaker, talk about part-time—let’s look at the record of the NDP. The first time they started asking about air conditioning was when we were 90% of the way of getting air conditioning in every single room in the province of Ontario. Then, all of a sudden it became important to the NDP. That’s when it became important. But here’s the reality, for the new colleagues who might not have been here. They actually voted against air conditioning in every room. They voted against it. They voted against adding 28,000 PSWs and health care professionals in our long-term care. He got up in his seat and voted against it. They voted against 58,000 new and upgraded beds for our seniors. That is the shameful record of the NDP.

Welcome to the party. We’re getting it done for seniors. We’re getting it done for health care. We’re getting it done for the people of the province of Ontario in a way that they never could and they never—

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll congratulate all members on what was a very fun and entertaining and very fruitful first week for the people of the province of Ontario and congratulate all members on their hard work.

On Monday, August 15, and on Tuesday, obviously the House will not be sitting so that members from all sides can attend the AMO conference in Ottawa.

We will be returning on Wednesday, August 17. In the morning, obviously, we will be dealing with Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022—again, to remind all colleagues that we will be returning at 1 o’clock on the Wednesday. In the afternoon, we will be dealing again with Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act.

Then, on Thursday, August 18, in the morning, we will be dealing with Bill 2, the budget measures act—and again in the afternoon, on the budget, Bill 2.