I want to thank the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities for your commendable work in providing wraparound supports in mental health for our youth.

Mr. Speaker, over the break, I had the privilege of attending the 40th annual meeting of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women, which was capped by the announcement of the first National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.

Ontario’s endorsement of the 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence includes a framework for anyone facing GBV to have reliable and timely access to protection and services, no matter where they live. The action plan is anchored by five pillars: support for victims and survivors and their families; prevention; a responsive justice system; implementing Indigenous-led approaches; and social infrastructure and enabling environment. I’m really happy that this agreement marks a milestone investment on Ontario’s path to ending gender-based violence.

That’s why I was really proud to be able to announce, alongside the Minister of Finance and my colleagues from Durham, that our government will expand the Investing in Women’s Futures program by up to 10 additional service sites. The call for proposals has just closed, and I can share with the House that we received about 136 applications. My ministry is currently reviewing those applications.

Building programs that give women wraparound supports to overcome barriers, build their skills and gain employment is a key step for women entering and re-entering the workforce.

This investment of $6.9 million over the next three years for the—

Order.

The next question.

Interjections.

The next question.

Interjections.

Start the clock. Next question.

I want to thank my friend and colleague for the chance to highlight and honour the contributions of individuals and organizations across Ontario who have been recognized through the Attorney General’s Victim Services Awards of Distinction.

We all know, in the face of unprecedented challenges, dedicated professionals around Ontario—generous volunteers, outstanding organizations—they’ve all demonstrated an irrepressible drive to raise awareness of victims’ issues, increase access to crisis intervention services, and provide compassionate service and support in times of need. This esteemed recognition highlights the dedication and compassion of professionals, organizations and volunteers working to support people who have experienced victimization due to crime. The award also recognizes the courageous efforts of individuals who have been personally impacted by crime and are now working to raise the profile of victims’ issues in this province, including in rural, northern and Indigenous communities.

Last year we gave awards to individuals and organizations in Thunder Bay, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Oshawa, Sarnia, Thornhill, St. Catharines, Burlington and Whitby; this year, I hope and expect that we’ll have nominations from as broad a field again.

I can confirm to the member opposite that we’ve increased funding in public education by $3 billion since the Liberals were in power. We’ve hired nearly 7,000 more workers from when the Liberals were in power. We have another 1,000 educators in our schools from the last time the Liberals were in power. We’ve done that, Speaker, because our government and our party believe in publicly funded schools.

It’s why we are increasing investment each and every year. And it’s why, in this proposal before the union, we’re increasing their salaries by $335 million more. We’re increasing opportunities for benefits, for compensation, for pensions and, of course, for sick leave, which we know is generous in this province, especially when compared to the other provinces. It leads the nation. We are hiring more staff. We are increasing wages.

As the member opposite rightfully recognized, we’ve withdrawn Bill 28. We did our part. It’s now up to the union to do theirs: to stay at the table and not walk away from our kids so the children in this province can stay in school.

It is always perplexing when I don’t hear the Liberals or New Democrats raise a question to the government about the impact on children, families and the economy when strikes take place. It’s as if you could decouple the impact on children from all of your questions this entire week, and yet we know the impact on children, on special education families, and on those who need physical or mental access benefits from our schools. That’s why, Speaker, we brought forth a plan, as we committed to the people of Ontario, to withdraw Bill 28, to increase funding and spending for wages by $335 million more week over week. We’ve also committed to a flat rate, which they required, which we have moved on. And we are maintaining their sick leave, their pensions and their health benefits, which few in the private economy can say they have as well. We’re brought forth a program that’s designed to respect our workers and keep kids in the classroom.

Minister of Education.

Minister of Education.

The government House leader will come to order.

Start the clock.

The Minister of Finance can reply.

Speaker, back to the Premier: In my riding of Scarborough–Guildwood, Helen says, “My grandson in grade 3 is behind. He is in grade 4. There are no EAs in the whole school!!! I am sure there are many who could use extra support. After COVID, many are behind. Many will get lost. Yet we never hear about this in the news. We need to support education workers for all children. Tutors are not the answer.”

Speaker, this minister just said that they believe in public education, but that is not what their actions confirm. In fact, this government, on the morning of an election, gave Ontarians who have cars $2 billion in cheques issued to them. Recently, in your fall economic statement, $1.2 billion was returned in the gas tax.

So, Speaker, if this—

Interjections.

The 2022 Daily Bread Food Bank report paints an alarming picture for the city, but especially for Scarborough. We have seen a 29% increase in food bank visits in Scarborough; that’s over 554,000 visits in 2021. Some 28% of adults reported missing a day’s meal because they did not have enough money for food—

Interjections.

Some 49% were skipping meals to make up for the cost of housing or transportation. This is one of the richest provinces—

Interjections.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker, when people become victims of crime, they can face tremendous harm and trauma, which extends into all facets of their lives. These effects can persist for years and, in some instances, can have lifelong negative implications. Many victims feel isolated and will withdraw from their families, friends, work and community. Our government must stand up for victims of crime by providing them with the needed support and intervention.

Mr. Speaker, through you, could the Attorney General please share with us the importance of recognizing individuals and organizations that support people who have faced victimization due to crime?

Mr. Speaker, through you, can the Attorney General please share with the House an example of leadership demonstrated by a previous recipient of the victim services awards in support of their community?

The supplementary question.

Interjection.

Ma question est pour la ministre de la Santé.

The health minister asked for ideas from our health providers to alleviate the burdens they face. The Hearst hospital had made a proposal in March 2021 for an extra anesthesiologist. My office sent two follow-up letters for a response; I have given two letters in person to the minister.

Now the Hearst hospital is facing another crisis: They need a minimum of 10 doctors; presently they have six, and two are retiring soon.

My question: Minister, if we can’t get an answer for an extra anesthesiologist, will the minister agree today to meet with the Hearst hospital in the next two weeks to address these two crises so that we can find a solution so desperately needed for the Hearst area?

Thank you to the hard-working member from Don Valley North for the question and for his advocacy on behalf of internationally educated health care workers.

This government is breaking down long-standing barriers so that health professionals can work here in Ontario, no matter where they come from. These changes will finally bring more internationally educated health care workers into our health care system faster, helping to care for Ontarians when they need it. So far this year, through our Supervised Practice Experience Partnership program, over 900 internationally educated nurses have been matched with hospitals, and in total the college of nurses has registered 5,848 internationally educated nurses.

Working in partnership with the College of Nurses of Ontario and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, these changes will support our record-breaking, historic recruitment plan and make it easier and faster for health care professionals to be trained in Ontario.

The important changes that will come into effect immediately include allowing internationally educated nurses to register in a temporary class and begin working sooner while they work toward full registration; making it easier for non-practising or retired nurses to return to the field by introducing flexibility to the requirement that they need to have practised nursing within a certain period of time before applying for reinstatement; and creating a new temporary independent-practice registration class for physicians from other provinces and territories, making it easier for them to work up to 90 days in Ontario.

Additionally, even more changes will come into effect on January 1, including requiring health regulatory colleges to comply with time limits to make registration decisions, prohibiting health regulatory colleges from requiring Canadian work experience for the purpose of registration, and accepting language tests provided under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to reduce duplicate language-proficiency testing for immigrants who want to practise here.

Together, these changes are going to help make sure we have the health care workers we need in Ontario.

I haven’t seen the letters you referred to, and I can’t speak to the minister’s schedule, but our government does understand the unique health care challenges in the north. We’re committed to ensuring that everyone in Ontario has access to the health care that they need.

While physician supply across Ontario is projected to consistently exceed population growth—leading to an average annual net increase of approximately 581 physicians each year until 2029—we know that there are still some northern communities that have trouble recruiting and retaining doctors, which is why our government is investing in initiatives to help improve access to physician services across the north.

This includes, for example, $32 million this year for residents’ salaries and benefits, medical education and training, allied health professionals and remote First Nations family residency programs at the northern Ontario medical school.

We’ll continue working to make sure everyone in Ontario has the health care that they need.

My question is to the Premier.

The government can’t ignore our health care crisis any longer.

In Niagara, only 17% of patients are receiving MRIs within the provincial target times. The average wait time in Niagara is 164 days. A constituent in my community has informed my office that their 90-year-old mother, Joyce, who requires an MRI for severe back issues, will have to wait until August 2023. The Niagara community rallied to raise funds for another MRI machine. Niagara Health received funding to run the Niagara MRI machines. So why is this happening? We know that Niagara has not been spared from the provincial health care staffing crisis.

When will the Premier work with Niagara Health, address our health care staffing issues in this province, reduce our outrageous MRI wait times, repeal Bill 124—

Let’s go back in time a little bit. Many will remember in 2011 what happened. The NDP supported the Liberal government for three years. If they really believed that they needed to support disability, let me ask you this, Mr. Speaker—let me ask all of Ontario this question: Did they index ODSP payments to inflation? No, they did not, when they had an opportunity to do that.

This is a government that is acting. That is why we increased the ODSP payments by 5%. It’s why for the first time since the program was set up over 20 years ago that it’s getting indexed to inflation. That’s why we increased the earning exemption for the hard-working people of Ontario.

Interjections.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in our health care system caused by the neglect and indifference of the previous Liberal government. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. We must ensure that people in our province can access the health care services they need when they need them.

We know that internationally educated nurses in every community are eager to work, but have expressed concern over the lengthy registration process. Can the Minister of Health update this House on what our government is doing to make it easier for internationally educated nurses to work here in Ontario?

It is great to hear that changes are being made to have internationally educated nurses work in Ontario much sooner, but as a government, we must do more.

Speaker, retired nurses in my riding of Don Valley North want to return to work and assist those in need once again, but unfortunately, they have faced barriers in applying for reinstatement. Our government must act now to find a solution to bring these nurses and others with medical expertise back into practice.

Speaker, can the minister provide more details on what else our government is doing to expand our health care workforce?

If the minister thinks that the licence plate sticker rebate helps those people in those food bank lineups, he needs to come to Scarborough and I will take him to the Bluffs Food Bank, and I will take him to the Feed Scarborough Food Bank and show him what’s happening there, because those rebates do not support the people.

Yes, that lineup has seniors. It has children. It has people who are on ODSP. You know, ODSP recipients are among the top demographic being forced to rely on food banks because we have legislated poverty. Government after government—not just this government; I know it’s the previous government as well—has legislated poverty policies. From children to seniors to BIPOC communities and communities in my riding of Scarborough Southwest, people are relying on food banks. Poverty costs, and the minister knows that. It costs our health care system, it costs our labour force and it’s costing our province.

The report also highlighted that guaranteed income security and the elimination of systemic poverty is a solution. My question is simple. Will the government—and I know the fiscal update does not address it. It does not address the crisis that we’re facing in our province. It does not address the crisis that we’re facing with the wage suppression—

Question?

Yes, that statement did, in fact, cross the line in terms of making reference to the absence of a member. Again, I don’t know why I have to keep explaining this. It’s in all of our interests not to do that. Let’s not do it again.

Interjections.

Start the clock.

The member for Toronto Centre has the floor.

—and at least ensure Joyce can get an MRI in a reasonable time frame and not have to wait until August—

Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

Our government has got a record investment in recruitment, retaining and training new health care providers, and we’re making sure we have health care providers all across the system.

The College of Nurses of Ontario has reported that in the first eight months of this year they registered 12,800 nurses. That is a record. So our changes and our investments are having an effect.

I understand that nobody likes to wait for diagnostic imaging, and diagnostic imaging has caught up—our surgical backlog. We’ve had the diagnostic imaging actually exceeding targets that existed before—although there may be one reason why this individual is waiting. I understand that Niagara has just gotten a new MRI machine. So I hope she gets her MRI very shortly.

On March 28, 2022, a three-year physician services agreement was ratified by the Ontario Medical Association and its members. It’s a true milestone, as it is the first time that a deal has been reached in over a decade without an arbitrator. Under the new virtual care framework, the ministry and the OMA are implementing a new pricing structure for virtual care—something which didn’t really exist before the pandemic—that ensures that patients are receiving services through the avenue that best reflects a patient-physician relationship, video versus telephone.

We want to be clear: All medically necessary virtual care services, including initial patient visits by telephone, will continue to be insured under OHIP. Patients will continue to have access to clinically appropriate virtual care where virtual care is the appropriate service, like in rural and remote mental health services. We’re going to make sure that Ontarians get the care they need, and we’re making virtual care permanent for the first time ever.

This government wants to make sure that every Ontarian has the health care they need and deserve. Ontario funds team-based care, such as community centres and family health teams, to improve access to primary care for vulnerable populations and trans populations. Many primary care teams run primary care programs as part of their LGBTQ+ services, or specific clinics for trans populations, providing interdisciplinary primary care services, including mental health services, for their clients.

In addition to the many groups that provide services to the trans community, there are two specific family health teams that have dedicated trans programs: the Couchiching Family Health Team for trans health services, and the Queen Square Family Health Team in Brampton for trans health/gender health in the community. There is also the Sherbourne community health centre, which provides guidance and resources that could be used by all primary care providers when caring for transgender individuals.

Ontario also funds over 500 community-based mental health and addictions providers across the province. These are services targeted to LGBTQ+ and available through many of the agencies free of charge.

My question is to the Premier. I know that he has arrived, so his timing is perfect. Because—

Interjections.

Because of the changes to billing that are coming under the physician services act that will come into effect on December 1, 2022, physicians like those who are actually practising at virtual-only care clinics such as Connect-Clinic will have to stop delivering gender-affirming care. Gender-affirming care, as many will know, is life-saving care—care that Connect-Clinic’s 1,500 patients, as well as 2,000 wait-listed patients, will then lose access to by the end of this month. Many of those patients live in rural communities. They are without access to a family doctor. Many of them are actually reliant on virtual care; it’s the only access to care that they have.

Will the government commit to an alternative funding plan in order to meet the needs of trans and gender-diverse people in Ontario?

My second question is to the Premier. The patients waiting for gender-affirming care want a concrete answer; they’re hoping to have it today. Yesterday, I tabled a private member’s bill, Gender Affirming Health Care Advisory Committee Act. This House, on numerous occasions, and previous governments, have actually created working groups, advisory committees, round tables to inform the government on their work. It actually helps them build better programs and services and legislation for the people of Ontario. Will this government support that bill? Will this government stand for the trans and gender-diverse community? November 20 is the Trans Day of Remembrance. It’s coming up. Many of the members will be attending those events. Will you be able to pass this bill today?