It’s an honour to rise in the Legislature today to share the news of another important investment in Sarnia–Lambton by the government of Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, on October 6, I was honoured to join members of the St. Clair Catholic District School Board family, along with Indigenous partners from the Kettle and Stony Point and Walpole Island First Nations, at the site of the new Gregory A. Hogan Catholic School in Sarnia. This new, state-of-the-art facility, which will include spaces for 659 students and a five-room child care centre, is being made possible by an investment of over $24 million by the Ontario government. This new school will provide more student spaces in a new, quality learning environment for the growing student population in Sarnia–Lambton, as well as affordable child care spaces for those local parents.

In total, the government of Ontario is delivering more than $26.6 billion in education funding for the 2022-23 school year, including an increase of over $600 million this past September, which is the highest investment in public education in Ontario’s history.

Mr. Speaker, the funding for the new Gregory A. Hogan Catholic elementary school is great news for our community. This investment will ensure that families and students have access to a quality learning environment in the years ahead and that every young person has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I want to thank the member from Barrie–Innisfil for her exceptional leadership in this space of countering hate in all forms.

Mr. Speaker, democracies and free people around the world have declared, “Never again.” And yet, in this country, according to the study cited by the member from Barrie–Innisfil, one in three students in Canada believe the Holocaust was fabricated or exaggerated, and 42% of students have explicitly seen an anti-Semitic incident in their schools. Mr. Speaker, these are startling data points for any government, and we are absolutely committed to confronting this hate through education, to improve the lives of all citizens and to make sure these kids are in schools where they are respected for their inherent dignity, not because of their difference.

And so I am proud, for the first time in Ontario’s elementary schools, to be mandating mandatory elementary learning on the Holocaust to embed in our schools, to ensure students learn from it and to truly keep every child safe in Ontario.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak about this vital issue that deserves further attention. Students and families in my riding have been negatively impacted by anti-Semitic hatred and discrimination, whether in our schools or public settings. All students deserve the opportunity to learn free from hate and discrimination, especially the students from my riding. To take meaningful action in combatting what’s happening today, we must ensure that young people in this province are aware of the past. This includes Jewish history, culture, perspectives and contributions to Canada.

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Education: Why was it only our government that recognized the urgency in taking immediate action by expanding Holocaust education in the curriculum?

Yesterday, the Financial Accountability Office reported the government is on track for a $6-billion shortfall in education spending over the next few years, including $400 million this year alone, but yesterday’s economic statement didn’t do anything to address this gap.

The Premier has now used pandemic disruptions to schooling, largely caused by this government, as an excuse to trample on the rights of low-paid workers and to spend public money on private tutoring companies. If the Premier is so committed to our kids’ success, why doesn’t he do the obvious thing and adequately fund public education?