SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
February 22, 2023 09:00AM
  • Feb/22/23 11:10:00 a.m.

I think the Premier has answered that on a number of occasions. Equally important, the integrity commissioner has also reviewed that.

What this is obviously about is the inability of the opposition to see what is happening in the province of Ontario—the progress, the prosperity that is happening across our province. We want to build new homes for people. We want the over 300,000 people who are coming to Ontario each and every year to fill the thousands of jobs that are available because of the incredible investments that have been made by this minister, by this Premier, to bring jobs back to Ontario.

And do you know what they want? They want what everybody wants—what my parents wanted, what everybody wants when they come to this country: They want to have the ability to buy their first home. They want to have a community to live in that is prosperous. They want to be able to raise a family, have good schools and safe streets. That is what we’re doing: building a stronger, more prosperous, safer Ontario. They’ll do everything in their power to avoid that happening.

Interjections.

And what are we doing? We’re building back this province, stronger than it was before. We’re cutting taxes for people. We’re building roads. We’re building highways. We’re building transit systems. We’re building 60,000 new long-term-care beds across the province of Ontario. Our Minister of Agriculture is doing everything that she can to make one of the most important industries in our province prosperous, despite punishing carbon taxes from the federal government. We’re going to continue to get the job done despite the Leader of the Opposition.

Interjection.

But look, the people of the province of Ontario made a very important decision in June. What they decided to do was reduce the opposition and elect more Progressive Conservatives to this chamber to get their priorities done. They had had enough of the negativity that was coming from the opposition. This is a party who couldn’t even muster enough energy up to have a leadership race; they had to appoint their leader. It’s a party that has been so diminished by the people of the province of Ontario that their newly elected, selected leader won’t even sit in the seat of the opposition leader, but wants to sit over. But that’s not important.

What is important is building better for the people of the province of Ontario, building more homes so that the next generation can have every bit of optimism that they can afford to have a home, that people can have jobs and opportunity, like millions of other Ontarians have had. The people of Ontario know that only this side and the members of the Conservative caucus on that side will get it—

Interjections.

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  • Feb/22/23 11:20:00 a.m.

My question is to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development.

Because of the policies of the previous Liberal government, supported strongly by the NDP, jobs were driven out of our province, holding back our full economic potential. Ontario’s northern, remote and Indigenous communities experienced these losses and setbacks most severely.

That is why it’s vital that our government partner with and promote economic development in Indigenous communities to create more opportunities for businesses and jobs throughout the province. Supporting Indigenous economic development furthers reconciliation and creates opportunities to strengthen relationships with Indigenous partners.

Speaker, can the minister please inform the Legislature on how our government plans to increase economic prosperity for Indigenous communities in Ontario?

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  • Feb/22/23 11:30:00 a.m.

Thank you to the minister for his response. Businesses are only part of a vibrant economy, and there are additional ways to amplify prosperity and build up all of Ontario. Indigenous communities and organizations are providing leadership in developing infrastructure and growth plans to build businesses and create employment opportunities. Investments with First Nations partners will ensure long-term economic growth for Indigenous communities and for all of Ontario. Let’s continue investing in Indigenous communities and creating more opportunities for everyone.

Can the minister please explain to the Legislature what our government is doing today to support prosperity in Indigenous communities?

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  • Feb/22/23 11:30:00 a.m.

I want to thank the member opposite for the extraordinary work he does on behalf of his constituents in southwestern Ontario.

I’m so proud to serve with a Premier and a caucus that has put a particular emphasis and a top priority on economic development and prosperity for Indigenous communities across this province. Let the record reflect now-National Chief RoseAnne Archibald’s idea to develop a wealth and prosperity table with Indigenous business leaders and political leaders across the province and Regional Chief Hare’s suggestion that that manifest itself in a fund to ensure that Indigenous businesses have a place in the supply chains in every sector of economic opportunity in the province.

They’re manifesting themselves. We’re pleased to work with them as full partners, and our own ministry has come up with two exciting programs to ensure that Indigenous communities and businesses play an integral role in Ontario’s economic prosperity.

We heard loud and clear in Greenstone, just a week or two ago, that the Kenogamisis development corporation has got a lot of opportunities there for growth in that region, but they need a building to operate and to be fully integrated, not just on-reserve, but off-reserve, where all of the action is taking place in and around their communities.

Full partnerships with Indigenous communities and their economic development corporations is what this government’s priorities are moving forward so we can ensure Indigenous businesses and communities are fully integrated into economic prosperity for this great—

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