Thank you. I want to thank the member for her presentation.

The next member’s statement.

I’d like to recognize our Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation for their inaugural Dancing with the CCH Stars event held on Saturday at Cornwall’s Aultsville Theatre. This fundraiser celebrated the exceptional care, tenacity, compassion and hard work of our local health care professionals who treat patients across SDG, Akwesasne and Cornwall.

Dozens of local businesses sponsored the event. Thank you to the many community-minded businesses that always step up. Success is not possible without the support of the business community.

The event sold out in less than two days, and guests were treated to high-quality entertainment.

Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation will purchase $50,000 worth of medical equipment for a special project chosen by the winning team.

I’d like to acknowledge the six teams of dancers who spent the last five months training with two local dance schools, Powell School of Dance and Studio C Dance School—talk about dedication:

—Dr. Akram Arab and Meghan Cafferky;

—Dr. Celine Lemire and Anthony Powell;

—Dr. Renee Givari and her husband, Tim;

—RNs Joy Cella and Amie McCosham, RPN Kathleen Jack and Dr. Leslie Stephens;

—Josée Amyot, RN, and Rhiannon St. Pierre; as well as

—Andrew Bissonnette and Robin Barillaro, both RNs at the hospital and at the college.

Congratulations to Dr. Akram Arab and his dance partner, Meghan Cafferky, who won the competition, with $50,000 going towards medical upgrades supporting critically ill patients at CCH’s ICU.

Huge congratulations to the Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation executive director, Amy Gillespie, and development coordinator, Kelsey Lindsay, on raising over $125,000.

Thank you to the member from London North Centre. The time for debate has come to an end.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

Mr. Speaker, in my riding we used to have a high school called Western Secondary School. It was a skilled trades high school, the only one in my riding, and the Liberals shut it down.

By contrast, this PC government invests and believes in the skilled trades, and that’s why we have the Skills Development Fund, which we use to help purchase machines for high schools. Some of the high schools in my riding that have benefited from this fund are Belle River District High School, Sandwich Secondary School, Kingsville District High School and North Star High School. They have received CNC milling machines, plasma cutters, lathes, desktop milling machines, high-precision conventional milling machines, lathes with readouts and more.

I want to thank the Minister of Labour and Skills Development for these fantastic investments in our young people and skilled trades because as we say often, when you have a skilled trade, you have a job for life.

I rise today to talk about an amazing group of volunteers in Haldimand–Norfolk who are working to make life better for people in the worst of human situations.

The Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice has been soldiering through the past few difficult years undeterred, with the long-term goal of building a six-bed hospice in a location central to the two counties.

Currently, we are fortunate to have Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice as well as East Haldimand Hospice providing vital palliative supports in our communities, not only in the way of medical care, but spiritual and emotional care as well.

However, right now, Haldimand and Norfolk residents have to go to Hamilton, Brantford or beyond to live in a hospice facility during their final days. Families in already stressful situations find making the trip afar challenging, and it adds to the stress and grief.

I think we can all agree that we want the very best for our loved ones, and perhaps one day ourselves, when we are faced with end of life. Hospice care provides compassion, quality and dignity.

Locals are finding unique ways of fundraising for the Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice, which comes with a steep price tag of about $14 million. The group will undoubtedly reach its goal, but is asking the province to lend a hand with respect to operating costs. The estimated cost of operating the six-bed hospice would ring in around $1.5 million annually.

I am asking this government, in its upcoming budget, to have a good look at the many benefits and value of investing in end-of-life care across Ontario.

Speaker, March break starts next week for families across my riding of Kitchener–Conestoga and, of course, across the province. Members from all parties will be heading back to their communities to connect with constituents and spend time with their families.

I want to remind everyone that when school is out, of course so are kids. With the weather warming up and school out, children will be excited to play outside and visit with friends. So keep in mind that crosswalks or intersections that normally have crossing guards during school days may not have them next week. On residential streets without a school, remember that kids will be present during weekdays. Exercise caution when near community centres, as they will be running camps and activities.

That said, there’s plenty of free family fun to be had across Waterloo region.

Speaker, 3-on-3 basketball tournaments are taking place nightly at community centres across Kitchener. Participation is open to kids aged 12 to 17, and you can register at the door.

In addition, a number of local arenas across Waterloo region are holding free March break skates. There is a free skate on Sunday, March 12, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. at RIM Park. You can also check out the city of Waterloo and the city of Kitchener websites for more information.

Kitchener Public Library has hockey skates that you can borrow from the Central Library on Queen Street North. Waterloo has a similar program at the Eastside branch of the Waterloo Public Library.

Local libraries are another source of activities for little ones, as well.

Today is International Women’s Day. Today, we remember that International Women’s Day was inspired by working women.

Today, we remember that, in 1908, 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York to protest unfair working conditions.

Today, we remember that, in 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire killed 146 workers in 20 minutes. Today, we remember that most of the workers were Italian or Jewish immigrants aged 14 to 23. Today, we remember that these workers were trapped behind locked doors, trapped out of reach of firefighter ladders. Today, we remember these workers died from the fire, these workers die from smoke inhalation, and today we remember that 62 of these workers died by leaping from factory windows to the pavement below. These workers died because the doors were locked to prevent worker theft. These workers died because the doors were locked to prevent union organizers from entering. The 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire killed 146 garment workers in 20 minutes, and from those ashes International Women’s Day was reborn.

Speaker, we are legislators. If we want to truly celebrate International Women’s Day, let us honour the workers who died. Let’s write labour laws that make it easier to join a union. Let’s write labour laws that demand better working conditions, demand better wages and demand better safety.

We are legislators. Let’s truly celebrate International Women’s Day and make life better for Ontario’s workers.

Earlier this month, I was able to make a Northern Ontario Heritage Fund announcement in the digital tech sector in beautiful Sault Ste. Marie. Village Media was a recipient of two separate grants, totalling nearly $130,000, that were used to upgrade their Sault Ste. Marie facilities and assist in the purchase of technology and communications equipment.

Ontarians may recognize names like SooToday, OrilliaMatters, StratfordToday and many other digital media platforms that are based at their headquarters on Queen Street in my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie.

And Village Media does not stop there. They own and operate local news sites in a number of markets and also provide technology, consulting and fulfillment services to strategic media partners.

Village Media has grown to become a worldwide media company, with outlets across Canada, the United States and even Nigeria.

I would like to congratulate Jeff and the entire Village Media team on the newest Village Media outlet based right here at Queen’s Park, the Trillium.

Just to add on to the member from Timiskaming–Cochrane, Kawartha Dairy will be here at lunch scooping Kawartha Dairy ice cream from the great riding of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock.

I beg to inform the House that the following document has been tabled: a report entitled Ontario Health Sector: Spending Plan Review from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario.

I’d like to welcome Jason Cleugh, Lindsay Fitch, Colin Cleugh, Joe Raspa, Joel Spiridigliozzi, David McAdam, Richard Court, Charlie Lyons and Tim Schindel. Thank you for breaking bread with us this morning at the prayer breakfast.

I’d like to welcome Fraser Passmore to the Legislature. Fraser is a kind person who I had the pleasure of working with in my riding of Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas and can always be counted on to protect birds and rescue cats. Welcome to your House.

I would like to introduce Dr. Hava Starkman, Dr. Mary Boulos, Dr. Nour Bakhache and Liz Thompson from Cover ContraceptiON. Welcome to Queen’s Park today.

Please welcome members of the Ontario Dairy Council with us today, and a reminder that there is a reception in rooms 228 and 230 immediately after question period. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like, this morning, to welcome a constituent of mine who I was pleased to see when I walked in, Albert Borgo, from Quality Cheese. He’s the vice-president, making cheese with Ontario milk and having it sold and distributed throughout the province of Ontario. Welcome to your House.

We haven’t had an opportunity to see her here in the Legislature over the last while, but I did hear Barbara Stevens—Barbara, it’s good to see you on TV. Thanks for tuning in today.

I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Youth Without Shelter to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Joining us here today are board members, directors, staff, as well as some of the youth who are visiting us from the shelter: Emily Reign, Jacob Messam and Don Martins Obioha. Welcome to the House. I look forward to seeing you after question period.

I also see my chief of staff, Alexandra Hoene, and my manager of stakeholder relations, Shaida Maleki.

On behalf of the official opposition, I’d also like to welcome the Ontario Dairy Council here today. Ontario dairy farmers produce the best milk in the world, and without the people who process them to make the best products in the world, we wouldn’t have the industry we have.

I want to welcome my friend Charlie the Chaplin. He’s here every day to support members, to help members, to keep healthy faith at Queen’s Park, and we thank him for his work and help in making a prayer breakfast this morning for everyone.