Mr. Speaker, at a time of historic high inflation and economic challenge affecting all of our constituents, I find it incredibly offensive that the NDP and Liberals would oppose an investment directly into the pockets of parents, because only a New Democrat and Liberal would believe they know better—a politician, a union president or a public servant—than a parent of this province. There is a reason, Speaker, why our government has an enhanced mandate from the people of Ontario: because they can count on us to invest in them, to provide direct support in parents of this province to support their kids, because we know they play a critical role in the life of their child.

But in addition to providing $200 for every child and $250 for every child with special education needs—now I can confirm 800,000 applicants, as of this morning—we know we can also step up support for our publicly funded schools: 5,000 more staff, including 1,000 more educators in our classroom; better training of our staff; and a modern curriculum focused on skills. This is going to get kids back on track.

Speaker, through you to the Premier: Since 2018, I’ve been sounding the alarm about the horrific conditions faced by so many of our most vulnerable citizens living in supportive living accommodations.

Last week, the Toronto Star released an investigative report into SLA homes. They found food with black mould, soiled mattresses and furniture, bedbugs and rats the size of footballs. Residents and former employees report that senior management refused to address these issues, instead telling residents with nowhere else to go to “feel free to move out.”

I appreciate the fact this government supported my private member’s bill to regulate these homes back in 2020, but it was not prioritized and it was never passed.

Through you, Speaker, what action has this government taken since then to protect these vulnerable residents?

At Walnut Manor in St. Thomas, health inspectors went into a supportive living accommodation that reeked of urine and had piles of garbage and rotting food everywhere. The conditions were so horrifying that these seasoned inspectors gagged.

Members of this Premier’s current cabinet have supported this bill in the past, including the current Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Will the government commit today to support, prioritize and, as quickly as possible, pass my private member’s bill to protect vulnerable residents of supportive living accommodations in Ontario?

My question is to the Premier. It has been a heavy and long journey for the families of those who died at Orchard Villa long-term-care home. Ontario remembers the horrors exposed when the military had to be called to the home. Seventy lives were lost. Families are still forced to fight for justice, and now, instead of grieving and healing, they are fighting to keep Orchard Villa and the for-profit operator Southbridge from being awarded an unfathomable 30-year licence extension and more beds.

Does the Premier think this long-term-care home with such a terrible record deserves a free pass and a generation-long reward?

Thank you to the member for Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock for raising this important question. This government understands that investments in college and university hospital research not only strengthen Ontario’s existing innovation and commercialization capacity but also grow our province’s skilled workforce and positions us as a global leader. That is why our government is committed to supporting research and innovation that leads to the discoveries and advancements that make a real impact on people’s lives. Whether our researchers are developing new techniques to detect illnesses faster, finding new ways to understand the human brain or working on the latest AI technology, Ontario’s colleges and universities and research institutes are at the forefront.

To help further the great work being done in this sector, our government has invested more than $198 million in 2022 into research projects at colleges, universities and research hospitals across the province. This funding supports 241 research projects across the province and will be integral in building, renovating and equipping research facilities with updated technology as well as attracting new research talent. We will continue to work hard to strengthen Ontario’s college and university hospital research initiatives and thus provide them with the ability to adopt advanced technologies to remain competitive and continue moving Ontario forward.

Ontario has always been a leader in research and cultivation of life-changing and enhancing products. From the latest in technology to life-saving medication, our researchers are at the forefront. With Peter and IPON, Ontario will take the next step and ensure the benefits of this research go on to support future Ontario-based research and that Ontario is the first to benefit. When tax dollars help fund research, taxpayers deserve to see the benefits from it.

To reply, the Minister of Long-Term Care.

My question is to the Minister of Colleges and Universities. Our health care workforce faces challenges after a difficult few years, starting with the policies of the past Liberal government and now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health care system, neglected by the previous Liberal government, was stretched to the limit. This resulted in many nurses unfortunately leaving the profession when we needed them the most.

Speaker, we need additional health care professionals now more than ever to support the workforce and ensure patients continue receiving the care they need. Can the Minister of Colleges and Universities explain how our government plans to address the nursing shortage and alleviate pressure on our health care system?

Speaker, can the minister explain how our government will start addressing the regional gaps in our health care system and not just open up more seats at schools?

My question is to the Premier. This government is fully aware of the horrific and, in many cases, deadly failures of Orchard Villa during the COVID-19 pandemic because it’s public knowledge. But they’re happy to issue another 30-year licence to this private for-profit long-term-care home. The willingness of this government to grant such a long-term-care-home owner-operator another 30-year licence is unjust, disturbing and, frankly, dismissive and disrespectful to the residents and families who continue to suffer.

Mr. Speaker, 70 people lost their lives at Orchard Villa, some because of dehydration, starvation and neglect. Will this government tell the grieving families of Orchard Villa today that they will not issue a 30-year licence?

Thank you to the member opposite for telling us about Zoe and her mother. As the member opposite knows, we’ve made significant investments to try to clear the surgical backlog across the board as part of our $3.3-billion investment in the hospital sector. We’ve also dedicated $300 million to reduce surgical backlogs, part of the broader investment of $880 million to reduce surgical backlogs, and specifically we’ve made investments at pediatric hospitals like CHEO, as I’ve said before, because nothing is more important than the well-being of our children.

So I’m sorry to hear about Zoe’s wait and certainly we should make sure that Zoe gets care as quickly as possible. But that’s why we’re investing significantly to address the backlog that has come out as a result of COVID and why we’ve also had dedicated funding of $6.5 billion for pediatric hospitals specifically to address these types of concerns.

But as I said before, we’ve provided $4.6 million more in funding for those hospitals to add an additional nine acute-care beds at CHEO and 10 acute-care beds and three ICU beds at SickKids Hospital. Our government, as we work on addressing short-term stressors on the system, continues to advance meaningful reforms to build a more resilient, patient-centred and integrated system, and we really want to make sure that patients like Zoe do not have to wait in the future.

When it comes to experiencing the great outdoors, we know that Ontarians from all walks of life enjoy various activities in our province’s forests and wilderness. There’s plenty to enjoy, such as fishing, hiking, birdwatching, biking and camping. In particular, hunting is a much-beloved pastime in Ontario, and continues countless years of tradition. With hunting season occurring now, the safety of all participants must be properly addressed.

Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. What is our government doing to ensure that all Ontarians can experience our great outdoors safely?

Can the minister explain what is being done to ensure that funds collected through fishing and hunting licence fees, fines and royalties are protecting our ecosystems and supporting our communities?

Again, I thank the member for the question. Look, as I’ve said on a number of occasions, and I’m not going to stray from that, private members’ business is the domain of the members of this House, and the members will make the decision and determination on whether they will support a bill or not.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I think we have been very clear in everything that we are doing, whether it is the Minister of Labour ensuring safe workplaces, whether it is long-term care having the highest inspector-to-home ratio in North America. Frankly, whether it is the Minister of Health, the Minister of Education, we are putting the people that we serve, the people of Ontario, first in all instances. And when people let us down, let the people of the province of Ontario down, we will take action to ensure that, ultimately, the people of Ontario and the people that we are charged to care for are put first.

In the instances that the member raised, I think we can all agree on all sides of the House that it is particularly unacceptable. It is not what the people of the province of Ontario expect, and we will take action to ensure that the people under our care are taken care of in an appropriate manner.

The long-term-care sector is facing increased capacity pressures. As of April 2022, there were approximately 39,000 people on the wait-list for a long-term-care bed. While seniors wait to be placed in a long-term-care home, their health care needs often fall to their spouses, children and other loved ones.

Speaker, families and friends are excellent at providing love and support, but most are not health care practitioners, and they cannot provide the same level of care as one.

Speaker, what is the Minister of Long-Term care doing to ensure our seniors receive the care they need right now?

The supplementary question.

My question is for the Premier. Speaker, Zoe Rivet is an eight-year-old girl from Sudbury. She has Kabuki syndrome; it’s a rare congenital disorder. Zoe has a dislocated knee and has been on a wait-list at CHEO for three years. Waiting for three years has caused Zoe’s condition to worsen. She struggles to walk and, because she’s unable to bear the weight on her dislocated knee, she relies heavily on her wheelchair. This is causing stress on the rest of her body, and Zoe’s quality of life has been steadily declining. Her mother, Danielle, tells me that Zoe spends many days in tears because of the pain, Speaker.

My question to the Premier is, can the Premier tell Danielle why her eight-year-old daughter Zoe has been waiting three years for this necessary surgery?

Zoe has been waiting far too long already, and she continues to be bumped farther and farther back. Speaker, what eight-year-old girl do you know wishing for knee surgery? Zoe does every single day for the last three years.

My question: When will the Premier finally admit that his government is failing to properly address wait times and surgery backlogs in our health care system?

Thank you to the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound for that important question. The safety of Ontarians is something our government takes very seriously. Ontario’s forests provide a world-class backdrop for many outdoor activities. At the same time, we know hunting plays an important role in the cultural and economic fabric of our province, and that’s why hunters need to make sure safety is their top priority every hunting season. All hunters must wear solid orange clothing and a hunter orange head cover during seasons for deer, moose and elk. Hunters must handle firearms responsibly and never shoot unless they’re absolutely sure of their target and what lies beyond it. It’s illegal to shoot from a vehicle or carry a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle.

Mr. Speaker, we’re fortunate to have highly trained and dedicated conservation officers all across the province, and we made good on our promise to hire 25 additional officers across Ontario.

Speaker, my ministry is ensuring the responsible management of fish and wildlife in Ontario. Through the province’s fish and wildlife special purpose account, the province spends 100% of hunting and fishing revenue on fish and wildlife management programs. The funds collected are used for programs like fish culture stocking, wildlife population studies, research and enforcement.

Our government has also made life more affordable by putting a stop to hunting licence fee increases for all Ontario residents and removing the $2 service fee. Government also waived fees for resource-based tourism operators during the tough times that we’ve seen in the last couple of years—bait fish operator fees, commercial outpost camp land use fees for 2020 and 2021 waived. And we know the people of Ontario have seen relief by making it easier and faster to buy and print licences online.

Mr. Speaker, there’s more work ahead, but the people of Ontario can rest assured knowing we’re getting it done.

On behalf of the good member of Nickel Belt, who is stuck—I mean, happily in committee right now, I’d like to introduce Madame Monique Farrell, who is the mother of our page captain today, Molly Farrell.

Speaker, as Ontarians age, their health care needs grow, and the impact of these needs has ripple effects that can be felt throughout the community. When families reach a point where they can no longer provide the full care needed for a loved one, they turn to hospitals, long-term care and emergency services.

Globally, health care systems are facing unprecedented challenges, due in large part to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ours is no exception. The minister mentioned that community paramedicine is a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Health to address cross-sectoral challenges. Speaker, could the Minister of Long-Term Care please explain how community paramedicine addresses the strain on these sectors?

I want to thank the member for Markham–Unionville for this question. It’s actually a very important one. He raises a good point: There are still a number of people who are on the long-term-care wait-list.

While it is a very positive step that we are building 58,000 new and upgraded beds across every part of the province—urban, rural and remote communities—it is also very true that a lot of people want to stay in their home as long as possible, and they need assistance in order to do that. And so do the family members who care for them. That is why I was very happy that we returned the respite care program to our long-term-care homes. But also the community paramedicine program, which was launched by my predecessor, which is available throughout the province of Ontario, is a very significant way—it leverages the resources of paramedics, who we all thank for the incredible service that they do. It leverages their services when not on an emergency call to assist our seniors in their homes, and it has proven to be a very popular and very effective way of keeping our seniors in their homes as long as we possibly can.

I’m very pleased with our municipal partners across the province of Ontario, and of course, it’s just another great reason why we all support our front-line workers, like paramedics, across the province of Ontario, who are helping seniors stay in their home longer.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has been making unprecedented investments into the largest health human resource recruitment initiative and training initiative in Ontario’s history. We’ve already added 11,700 new health care workers since March 2020, and we’ve invested $4.9 billion to hire 27,000 long-term-care staff.

We’ve also got the largest enrolment of new medical students in 10 years, and two new medical schools in Brampton and Scarborough.

We’re working, as I said, on short-term stressors, while also trying to plan for the future and fix the system long-term. We’ve made significant investments in our health care workers. You’ve heard about some of the nursing investments we’ve made already today, but let me give you a couple more: $35 million to increase enrolment in nursing education in publicly assisted colleges and universities—these new spaces will add 1,130 new practical nurses and 870 registered nurses—and up to $100 million to add 2,000 nurses and personal support workers who want to advance their careers in long-term care.

My question is to the Premier. Recently, Sam wrote to me to share that her father, who was admitted to St. Joseph’s Health Centre in my riding, had no room from Monday evening to Friday night. He had to stay in a hallway for four days straight because there was no staffed room available. Sam said that the workers at St. Joe’s were professional and pleasant, but they were short-staffed.

Speaker, front-line staff have been very clear. They have asked the Premier to repeal Bill 124 and urgently recognize the credentials of tens of thousands of internationally trained health care workers. Why does the Premier continue to say no to our health care workers and leave Ontarians in hospital hallways?