Last week, I was proud to attend Community Living Mississauga’s 36th annual tribute dinner at the Mississauga Convention Centre, which honoured my friend Frank Giannone, a visionary Italian Canadian community builder who was among the first to recognize the great potential of building complete communities along transit lines.

Frank has served as the president of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association, which recognize him with a lifetime achievement award. But he’s not finished yet. He’s working to transform the old Texaco refinery land in Port Credit into the Brightwater, a modern, vibrant and new waterfront village. Frank also founded the Port Credit Community Foundation and helped to organize many local events, including the Southside Shuffle, Paint the Town Red, the Mississauga Waterfront Festival and many more.

Speaker, on Thursday, over 900 people attended and over $300,000 were raised to support Community Living Mississauga. With this funding, over 200 children with intellectual disabilities will be able to attend recreational programs this summer. I want to thank everyone who made this night possible, including the chair of the planning committee, Jack Prazeres, and the sponsors, including LIUNA Local 183. And most of all, thank you to Frank Giannone for everything he is doing to help build a better Mississauga and a stronger Ontario.

I have a petition titled “Vulnerable Persons Alert.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas there is a gap in our current emergency alert system that needs to be addressed;

“Whereas a vulnerable persons alert would help ensure the safety of our loved ones in a situation where time is critical;

“Whereas several municipal councils, including, Brighton, Midland, Bonfield township, Cobourg and Mississauga and several others, have passed resolutions calling for a new emergency alert to protect our loved ones;

“Whereas over 90,000 people have signed an online petition calling for a ‘Draven Alert’ and over 6,000 people have signed an online petition calling for ‘Love’s Law’, for vulnerable people who go missing;

“Whereas this new alert would be an additional tool in the tool box for police forces to use to locate missing, vulnerable people locally and regionally;

“Whereas this bill is a common-sense proposal and non-partisan in nature, to help missing vulnerable persons find their way safely home;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“Support and pass Bill 74, Missing Persons Amendment Act, 2023.”

I wholeheartedly support this petition. I’m going to affix my name to it and give it to page bring it to page Keya to bring to the Clerk.