I would like to welcome the amazing representatives from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture: Peggy Brekveld and Bill Groenheide, both living very close to where I am in Thunder Bay–Superior North; Andrea McCoy-Naperstow, who is doing amazing educational work; and Derek Brekveld who is here as a youth representative. Welcome to your House. I’m so glad you’re here.

In northwestern Ontario, we experienced another dreadful weekend of carnage on our highways. Two houses were taken out by a transport truck in Beardmore. Tragically, another snowplow driver was killed near Ignace. Highway 17 was closed for a second 12-hour period because two transports crashed into each other, scattering debris all over the highway and killing one of the drivers.

Auditor General reports have told us that certain carriers are licensing drivers with next-to-no training. I heard from an OPP officer this weekend who is afraid to go to work because the highways are unsafe.

What is the Premier doing to make sure that all truck drivers are fully trained and experienced in winter driving before they are licensed to do cross-Canada deliveries?

Thank you. I’d like to rise on a point of order.

On March 21, we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day, also known in some circles as Rock Your Socks day. It’s a chance to wear outrageous socks, which I am doing, thank you very much.

Really, World Down Syndrome Day is an opportunity to advocate for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down’s syndrome around the world.

This year, Down Syndrome International has chosen the theme “With Us Not For Us,” a—

This is a petition from the national chronic pain society.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas one in four Ontarians over the age of 15 suffer from chronic pain, with 73% reporting that the pain interferes with their daily lives and more than half reporting issues with depression and suicidal thoughts; and

“Whereas pain is the most common reason to seek health care, with chronic pain making up approximately 16% of emergency room visits and 38% of frequent visits, adding to the already lengthy wait times and delaying treatment; and

“Whereas the Ontario Health Insurance Plan ... is proposing to limit the number of nerve block injections a pain sufferer can receive to 16 per year, regardless of the severity of the patient’s condition or the number of injections needed, and seemingly without any consultations with patients or health care workers; and

“Whereas the most common treatment for pain provided by family doctors and hospitals is opioids, despite the current national crisis leading to an estimated 20 opioid-related deaths in Canada every day during the COVID-19 pandemic;

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

“Prevent OHIP from applying a one-size-fits-all solution to the issue of chronic pain, and allow for consultations with health care workers and pain sufferers to determine the best way to treat chronic pain without resorting to opioids.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my signature to it and give it to page Evelyn with my thanks.

To the member opposite: I’m glad that you raised the topic of WSIB. Workers who experience a permanent disability are turned down routinely by the WSIB for compensation and left to appeal year after year after year to get the meagre benefits that they’re actually entitled to. This government also gave employers money back that should have gone to workers, to widows, to people who need that money. It’s not normal to give back the insurance premiums when you’ve already paid them, so I don’t understand why that money was given back to employers.

What I’d like to ask is if you will also be removing the red tape and barriers that keep injured workers from accessing the support that they deserve and that is paid for by businesses and workers.

There’s really no greater example of burdensome red tape than the over 800 regulations associated with the ODSP Act. Can you imagine becoming disabled, with no income, and then having to navigate 800-plus regulations? These are not only barriers to growth; they are barriers to survival. Will the government be reducing the heavy burden of regulatory overreach attached to social assistance programs?