Thank you to the member opposite. I don’t know if it is harder than running a dairy farm; I have some friends who run a dairy farm. I’m able to rely on my staff, whereas, on a dairy farm, quite often it’s the family members who are getting up every day of the year. We are closed three days a year, so I can appreciate that dairy farms never close.

Moving all the paperwork onto digital, I think that will save time, money and resources. I’m still the one who likes to mail out cheques. Stamps are not getting any cheaper; the envelopes aren’t as well. Again, I’m not necessarily the most tech-savvy person—I will not pretend to be—but my managers are helping me with that. Ultimately, integrating technology into systems in the business and workplace I think will ultimately help owners be more efficient with their use of time.

Again, as a dairy farmer, you know it’s a balance between family time and work time. I think I’ve got to get with the 21st century and start moving online in some of my forms. I know WSIB has just moved online as well, which, even for myself, I’m very appreciative of.

I don’t need to explain it to this House, but ultimately, there have been supply chain shortages; there have been staffing shortages. So if small-business owners are able to focus a little bit more on the front lines of their business, ultimately they are going to succeed more, and when small businesses and businesses in general succeed, our province does succeed and the people who live here succeed as well.

Most small-business owners I’ve been speaking to over the last three years since the pandemic has started have been stressed and anxious about what’s coming next or what supply chain shortage we’re going into or the inflationary pressures that small businesses are under. Any time a small-business owner can do things more efficiently—again, other than myself bringing things online, most are very happy to be able to bring these types of services online. It’s just a more efficient use of their time

If small-business owners can utilize their time in a more efficient way, the staff will succeed as well, because, ultimately, myself being a human resource grad, we’re able to put more effort into training our staff and ensuring they’re ready for what is presented to them.

I am one of those businesses that didn’t qualify for those grants because my sales weren’t necessarily down; they were flat or slightly up. So I can appreciate that not every business was given the same resources to be able to become more accessible, but it is a priority of this government and our province to be as accessible as possible, even on websites and online features as well.

I listened intently to the remarks from the member from Stormont–Dundas–West Glengarry—close?—and it was interesting that he has a restaurant background. Since we no longer operate a dairy farm, my wife is a server in a restaurant, and I’ve learned from her experience, listening to what happens every day, that I think running a restaurant might be a tougher job than running a dairy farm. I appreciate your experience.

Could you be a bit more specific—and you would know the restaurant business very well—about how Bill 91 would specifically address things that you face running a restaurant?