SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
March 29, 2023 09:00AM
  • Mar/29/23 9:10:00 a.m.
  • Re: Bill 85 

That was about as much of a sixes and sevens type of speech I’ve ever heard. In fact, I took great pains to listen each time the member opposite decided to mention the city of Ottawa. I welcome her there to actually see the great work that the Ottawa Hospital is doing, particularly with its partnerships—the partnerships that have been refuted by the members opposite yet have been chastised by our Ottawa Hospital to say that surgical care has improved. As an outpatient each week, I’ve seen that.

She also speaks about the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. I wonder what the member feels about some of the ongoing anti-Semitism that’s happening at Sir Robert Borden High School and if there should be performance standards and if there should be accountability standards placed on our school boards for inaction when it comes to those issues.

I would like to know from the member from Toronto what she thinks about those critical issues—from this member from Ottawa.

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  • Mar/29/23 9:10:00 a.m.
  • Re: Bill 85 

Thank you to the member for Nepean.

I’m not exactly sure what sixes and sevens means, so maybe you can explain that in your question.

We are firmly committed to ending anti-Semitism in Ontario. In our riding, we have many shuls that have been targeted with hate crimes, and we have been working with them to make sure they get federal money to increase their security measures. We are fully in support of measures to bring in a comprehensive anti-Semitism curriculum into the school board, and I am proud to support that.

We are hearing from nurses at the Ottawa Hospital—they have been very clear about this. And I’ll make sure to send you Kenyon Wallace’s article in the Star so you can read it for yourself, where nurses have been very concerned that a four-day cancer blitz was reduced to a three-day cancer blitz because they were not able to find the—

The city of Toronto has the Open Door program that developers, non-profits, for-profit, co-op providers can apply to, where development fees are reduced or waived in return for them building non-market housing or affordable housing.

The challenge we have with Bill 23 is that the definition that is being used for “affordable” is not affordable—80% of average market rent is not affordable; 80% of average sale price means a developer can get a 100% development fee discount and build a one-bedroom condo that is sold for $440,000. There is no one on minimum wage who can afford a $440,000 condo; it’s not happening. So the definition of Bill 23’s affordability program is concerning.

The final thing is that the city of Toronto is deeply concerned about Bill 23 and—

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  • Mar/29/23 10:30:00 a.m.

I understand the member from Ottawa–Vanier has a point of order she wishes to raise.

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  • Mar/29/23 10:40:00 a.m.

Members will please take their seats.

To reply, the Minister of Indigenous Affairs.

Interruption.

The member for Ottawa Centre.

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