I would like to introduce students from the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy: Kate Todd, Napas Thein, Armaan Sahgal, Anton Babak and Dasha Bielik. I would also like to introduce two ladies from Western University who I get the honour of having for the Women In House day: Abi Pannerthasan and Jessica Kim.

Good morning, Speaker, and everyone. I would like to welcome some model Parliament students from beautiful Beaches–East York. That’s Wolfgang Wai-hahn, Quinlan Chang and Romée Looman. I hope you find your time here scintillating.

I, too, want to welcome all the students from across Ontario here today, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give an extra-special welcome and maybe a little tad of embarrassment to the member from Kitchener-Conestoga in the gallery up here. Some of you may remember him as page Jaxon, but he’s back for a second time: Jaxon Harris.

I would like to welcome, from the model Parliament, two students from the fantastic riding of Carleton: Sharaphaajan Sivapalan and Manahil Bhojani. I know they’re somewhere in the gallery. I look forward to meeting them later today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

It’s my honour to welcome students from my alma mater, Western University, for University Students’ Council’s Women In House initiative program, where young women shadow an MPP and participate in professional development sessions to explore the world of politics and empower them to pursue leadership. I’d like to welcome Jessica Look, VP of external affairs; Cameron Cawston, VP of student support and programming; Keemia Abbaszadeh, VP of communications and public affairs; Melissa Kamphuis; Anaum Farishta; Anushka Goswami; Iris Jong; Jessica Kim; Jiya Sahni; Lara Suleiman; Michelle Wodchis-Johnson; Sara-Emilie Clark; Sofia Ouslis; Tamsen Long; and Abirame Pannerthasan. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I would like to welcome four students from my riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry for the model Parliament: Isabelle Gillard, Alexis Grenkie-Brooks, Leah Shirley and Jacob Pilon, who I’m also lucky enough to have work at my restaurant as well. Welcome.

I would like to welcome two students from my riding of Scarborough–Rouge Park who are here for the model Parliament: Tia Seepersad and Neha Devineni. Thank you and welcome to the Ontario Legislature.

I’d like to welcome the following students from Brampton East who are going to be participating in the model Parliament: Asrat Randhawa, Dharra Raheja and Udhay Kapila. Thank you for joining us today. I welcome you, and I hope you enjoy your stay.

I’d like to welcome the following students who are participating in today’s model Parliament program, from Burlington: Su Arslan, Noor Grewal, Grace Sakran and Thomas Antunes.

Good morning, Speaker. I’d like to welcome three Western University students, Veronika, Maria and Sarah, from the Women In House program.

I would also like to welcome Josiane, who is my new executive assistant at the Ministry of Francophone Affairs. I look forward to working with her.

I would also like to welcome, from the Ontario model Parliament, from the beautiful riding of Mississauga Centre, Rishi Jarajapu.

I would also like to welcome the students from Brampton West participating in the model Parliament. Parneet Kaur, Noah Charles, Navya Mahajan, Kushi Iyer, Aditri Janapatla and Kevin Gill, welcome to Queen’s Park.

Thank you for the question. Obviously, events such as the science fairs and going out into the communities, into the schools, to attract our young into these professions are going to have an everlasting effect on our communities. The ability to bring these students into a love of learning and a love of the health care system is going to go a long way to address the health care crisis that we’re facing and the shortages that we’re facing.

And let’s be clear: It’s not a shortage we’re just facing here in Ontario; it’s a crisis that’s being faced across the world. That’s why we have to come up with innovative new approaches to attract these students and these children coming out of post-secondary to get into the health care field, because we’re in competition in the world. If we don’t up our game and make sure that we’re making it more attractive and better for these students to want to stay and practice in Ontario, and in particular in the underserviced areas in northern communities, we’re failing our communities and we’re failing Ontario. So these are great opportunities for us to do that. Thank you.