Once again, I reiterate that there is the Roadmap to Wellness that specifically looks at the needs of children and youth during the education period, which includes prevention, education and building resiliency, which is extremely important. That is being funded, as the minister stated before: $90 million for school-based supports, annualized.

In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, we’re looking at $31 million in new annual funding to reduce wait-lists and supports in the community, which is where the supports are needed for treatment, and $11 million annually so children and youth with eating disorders can heal closer to home, another very important issue that needs to be addressed if we are going to help children and youth.

In addition to that, we’ve invested in beds—

Interjections.

There is a plan. We’re implementing the plan, and we are making a difference in the lives of children and youth throughout the province of Ontario.

I want to assure the member opposite that this government has increased funding, this school year alone, by $650 million more, an investment in publicly funded schools—a sharp contrast to the closure of schools under the former Liberals: hundreds closed, and opportunities closed with it.

Mr. Speaker, we are building new schools. We’re investing in a modern curriculum, aligned with the labour market needs, so our young people can get a good job. We’re ensuring mental health is increased from when the former Liberals, at the peak of spending, at $18 million in Ontario’s schools—it is today 400% higher. It is at $90 million. Each and every year, we’ve increased those expenditures, because we believe in these kids.

With respect to staffing, Speaker, there are 7,000 additional education workers in our schools and almost 900 additional teachers, because we know our kids need support, particularly because of the pandemic and the learning loss that has been realized in this province and around the country.

This Premier will continue to invest, to give our kids every opportunity to achieve their potential in Ontario.

Thank you, Speaker. I wasn’t expecting to be up speaking so soon. I thought maybe the Conservatives would want to have something to say on this motion.

I want to applaud my leader, the leader of the NDP official opposition, for bringing this very pertinent and timely motion forward.

We are seeing a drastic and very dramatic increase in the need for mental health supports for people in this province. I don’t think there is one member in this House who could honestly say that they haven’t had constituents reach out to them, telling them that their family is desperate to get their child or another loved one in their family the supports and services they need. They’re terrified, and rightfully so, because we are losing children to suicide in this province at alarming rates. We are losing people in this province to overdoses at alarming rates. And what we are seeing—based on data—is that this Conservative government is not investing the funds and resources into the front-line agencies and workers that actually provide supports and services.

CMHA is asking for an 8% increase to their budget, because their budget has largely been frozen for many years now. What that means is that they can’t get a base funding increase. That means they’re going to lose staff. That means fewer supports in every community around this province. That means more crisis. That means more hospital visits. It means more people being turned back out on the streets because the hospitals cannot support them the way that they want to or should be able to, and that means that more people will die due to inaction by this government.

Speaker, I want to share a story with you—and this is someone I’ve become good friends with. It’s a story that I think many people in this chamber are going to nod their heads at and say, “We’ve heard something similar in our communities.” Frankly, I wish that there were never these stories, ever again. This was from a mom:

“After a few admissions to hospitals for her mental health, our oldest daughter died by suicide at the age of 19. She left behind two younger sisters and a large, close-knit family.

“The health system was not adequately funded or equipped and ultimately failed our daughter. Since then, we have watched another family member struggle and fight to receive mental health services for a loved one.

“Several times, upon arrival at the ER in a suicidal state, this individual has been turned away, or discharged within hours of being admitted to the psychiatric floor because there are no beds available.

“When discharged, the resources provided as an option for follow-up are booked for months in advance. When in a time of crisis, there are no resources available to people experiencing ... mental illness or a mental health crisis. Until our government puts aside bipartisan differences and places the same emphasis and funding for a publicly funded mental health as there currently is on our physical health system, suicide will continue to be an epidemic that plagues our society. After years of talk, isn’t it time for this government to step up and provide adequate funding for mental health services for everyone” in this province?

I want to point out that this family lost their daughter. They waited eight months—eight months. Their small children, their two other daughters, and themselves waited eight months just for intake into the mental health system.

This is not something I talk about personally, usually—my time is running out—but I’m going to do it today. It’s hard to talk about. I lost a brother to an overdose.

Nobody in this province grows up and says, “I want to struggle with mental health.” Nobody in this province says, “I want to struggle with addiction.”

What I can tell you, Speaker, is, if this government doesn’t step up and put more funding into mental health and addictions, more families like mine will lose people they care very, very deeply about.

Do what’s right. Invest in the system.