In addition to welcoming my MP, Anthony Rota, to the House, I also want to welcome our friends from local chambers all across Ontario and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

On February 28, we celebrated Rare Disease Day in Ontario and internationally, and I want to recognize two hard-working constituents from my riding of Simcoe–Grey: Beth and Madi Vanstone from Beeton, Ontario. For over 10 years, the Vanstones have been coming to Queen’s Park advocating for people living with cystic fibrosis.

Through their dedication, perseverance and advocacy, our government was the first province in Canada to expand coverage for Trikafta to include all Ontarians aged six and over through our publicly funded medical drug program. This transformational medication has built on the effectiveness of predecessor medications Orkambi and Kalydeco to improve the quality, health, and length of the lives of people afflicted with cystic fibrosis right here in Ontario.

One in every 3,600 children born in Canada has cystic fibrosis, and there is still no cure. More than 4,300 Canadian children, youth and adults with cystic fibrosis attend specialized CF clinics today.

I was happy to meet the Vanstones last week for Rare Disease Day to discuss the need for a rare disease strategy in Ontario. I recognize there is more work to do, and I look forward to continuing working with Beth and Madi and other stakeholders and the members of this House to ensure that life-saving medications for rare diseases are available to all Ontarians.

I’d like to welcome the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant, David Prang, to the people’s House. It’s good to see you today, my friend.

I’d like to welcome the Ontario Autism Coalition today and specifically Alina Cameron, Bruce McIntosh, Jannet Da Rocha, Tony Stravato and all of the families who are here today. Welcome and thank you.

I’d like to welcome Laura-Jane Benoit and her colleagues from Ontario Autism Coalition to Queen’s Park. As well, I would like to thank and welcome two students from Brock University, St. Catharines—my hometown—Sydney Sloane and Xavier Alexy. Welcome to your House and thank you. Go, Badgers, go!

C’est le Mois de la Francophonie et cette semaine nous soulignons aussi la Journée internationale des femmes.

La semaine dernière, j’ai eu l’opportunité de travailler dans un cadre qui combinait ces deux thèmes, soit la francophonie et les femmes. Ainsi, j’ai participé à la réunion du réseau des femmes de l’assemblée des parlementaires francophones. Ce fut une expérience des plus enrichissantes de représenter l’Ontario à cette conférence qui rassemblait des représentants de plusieurs pays, dont la Côte d’Ivoire, le Niger, la Roumanie, la France, la Belgique, la Nouvelle-Calédonie, le Cambodge, le Cameroun et le Maroc, qui était l’hôte de ce rassemblement.

Les discussions approfondies que nous avons eues ont certes révélé que le Canada et l’Ontario ont fait des progrès sur les questions importantes telles que le harcèlement, la discrimination basée sur le sexe et la place des femmes au Parlement. En tant que chef de file, l’Ontario doit continuer d’avancer dans les domaines importants comme la traite de personnes, qui est malheureusement une réalité partout dans le monde.

Il y a deux semaines, cette Assemblée a voté en faveur du projet de loi 41, qui, si adopté, pourrait mieux soutenir les survivantes de la traite de personnes ici en Ontario. J’espère que tous les membres de cette Assemblée feront le nécessaire pour assurer que ce projet de loi important reçoive rapidement la sanction royale.

À toutes les femmes et tous les Franco-Ontariens, je souhaite une semaine et un mois de réflexion sur comment nous pouvons ensemble trouver des solutions à nos défis.

On Saturday, February 25, I was pleased to host a farmer appreciation breakfast at the Richmond Memorial Community Centre in my riding of Carleton to recognize the hard work that farmers do in my riding to contribute to Ontario’s success. Farmers feed families, farmers feed Ontario, and Carleton is home to some of our province’s best.

I was also pleased to host the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to the riding and discuss what our government is doing to get it done for farmers in Carleton and across Ontario. With the release of the Grow Ontario Strategy, our government is strengthening the agri-food sector and ensuring an efficient, reliable and responsible food supply network through new innovation. Our plan will also increase both the consumption and production of food grown and prepared in Ontario by 30%, increase Ontario’s food and beverage manufacturing GDP by 10%, and boost Ontario’s agri-food exports 8% annually by 2032.

Moreover, just last week, our government negotiated a sustainable Canadian agricultural partnership for Ontario that will see upwards of $1.77 billion in support for the agri-food sector over the life of the agreement. Over $569 million will be invested in strategic initiatives, which is a 25% increase over the previous funding agreement.

Mr. Speaker, our farmers play an invaluable role in this province. They are the reliable providers of so many different safe, high-quality and delicious foods we all enjoy. Let’s give our thanks to the hard-working farmers of Carleton and across this province.

I would like to welcome Sara Kitlar-Pothier, who is from Nickel Belt. She is the vice-president of the northern region of the Ontario Autism Coalition. Welcome, Sara.

I’d like to welcome today—I know it’s been mentioned before—on behalf of the Solicitor General and myself, J.P. Hornick, the president of OPSEU; Chad Oldfield, chair of the OPSEU bargaining unit; and also Joel Bissonette, from Sarnia corrections from my hometown. Thank you, and welcome to all of you.

I’m glad to also welcome the folks from corrections, specifically those that I will be meeting with today: Leanne White, Jenny Diplacido, Richard Jeronimo and Stryder McCormack. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Also, as we’ve had Tony Stravato already welcomed, I won’t do it again. Hi, Tony. And welcome to Peter Garrett from Durham College, who I see sitting in the gallery.

It’s great to see the Queen’s mining engineering students here today for PDAC. I would like to introduce Jonah Odlozinski from my riding of Simcoe North. Great to see you here, Jonah.

I’d like to welcome Peter Harding and his colleagues from Sudbury from OPSEU youth corrections.

I would like to welcome Sara Kitlar-Pothier and Alina Cameron, both northern representatives from the Ontario Autism Coalition. Alina lives in Slate River Valley, which is just outside of Thunder Bay, and she’s watching this online this morning. Welcome, both of you.

I would like to welcome Mortgage Professionals Canada, and Susan Thomas in particular, back to Queen’s Park, and Paul Markle and Salim Bardai with the Barrie Chamber of Commerce.

I also would like to acknowledge Peter Garrett from Durham College in Durham, Rocco Rossi from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, and all the members from various chambers of commerce around the province and the boards of trades, and a little bit of shout-out to Nicole Gibson, the former head of the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade, and her colleagues, including Glen McFarland. Thank you to all the businesses across Ontario who make this province terrific.

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce CEO Brenda Whitehead. Welcome to Queen’s Park. It’s great to have you.

I’d also like to extend my welcome to Kristen Danson and Greg Durocher from the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, as well as the representatives from the Christian Labour Association of Canada, whose beautiful and very functional head office is located in my riding of Kitchener South–Hespeler. Thank you so much for coming.

I’d like to welcome Alma and Peter Scovil from the beautiful town of Waterford in my riding of Haldimand–Norfolk. Alma and Peter are here this morning to watch their granddaughter, Lindsay Matheson, who is a page in the House. Welcome, and all the best to Lindsay.

I’d also like to welcome Anthony Rota. Just to confuse people, he’s also my MP.

I’d also like to welcome the OPSEU corrections division—it’s their lobby day today—specifically, the MERC chair, Chad Oldfield; the vice-chair, Janet Laverty; and their health and safety commission: Ryan Graham, Peter Figliola, Adam Cygler, Denise Sidsworth, Scott McIntyre, Joely Price, Mike Lundy and all the other people here to show us what it’s like in Ontario today.