Thank you to the member opposite for the question. It gives me an opportunity to highlight some of the many initiatives that we’ve been working on with our community paramedics, end paramedics and other health care providers, like Ornge air ambulance, which would, of course, be of particular interest to the member opposite.

We’ve ensured that we have opportunities other than paramedics having to drive only patients to their emergency departments. In fact, in some communities, we’ve seen success and satisfaction rates of over 85%. It means that someone who doesn’t need to go to an emergency department and can get services within their community, with the patient’s consent, can go to that long-term-care home, can go to that palliative care home, can go to access other opportunities.

I think it is really an example of the innovation that we’re embracing in our health care system.

We talk about all of the different ways that our health care providers work together to improve the system. These are the initiatives, these are the proposals and changes that our government is funding to make sure that we have the appropriate care and we have the appropriate health human resources doing that work.

I know that I have been speaking to Minister Duclos, on almost a daily basis, to get updates, and I have assurances that that is happening. But I wonder if the member opposite has done the same. I wonder if the member opposite has actually congratulated CHEO on doing something that has added capacity in a very expedited manner. These are the leadership qualities that we need to encourage and make sure that we’re acknowledging, we’re funding and we’re supporting. We’re doing that, as our government is; I wonder if the member opposite has done the same.

Interjections.

My question is to the Premier. Paramedics across northwestern Ontario, including in the riding of Kiiwetinoong, have been raising the alarm. They are dealing with high call volumes, a huge geographical area and understaffing.

What is this government doing to improve ambulance coverage for patients in the area, as well as working conditions for these paramedics?

What is this government doing to improve this crisis of care across the region?

My question is for the Premier. Children’s hospitals across Ontario are facing unprecedented challenges. In Ottawa, CHEO is operating at 113% capacity, while its intensive care unit is at over 180%. CHEO is cancelling surgeries and converting that space for more intensive care need. There are shortages in the lack of children’s pain medications, which is forcing more and more parents to go to the emergency room to seek care for their kids. Under the watch of this government, CHEO has had to cancel appointments and surgeries because of this influx of patients and the lack of sufficient resources to deal with the surge.

They don’t have sufficient resources because of Bill 124. They don’t have sufficient resources because this government is fixated on election gimmicks instead of investing in our health care. The hospitals don’t have sufficient resources because this government doesn’t have their back.

Mr. Speaker, what is this government going to do today to fix the health care crisis in our hospitals, in particular our children’s hospitals?

Despite the level zero crisis we’re facing, neither the word “paramedic” nor the word “ambulance” is mentioned one time—not once—in the fall economic statement. The city of Ottawa is asking for $5 million to strategically position paramedics at hospitals across the city to help with offload delays. Will the government provide the city this funding to reduce level zero events and ensure an ambulance is there to respond to 911 calls?