Yes. My colleague the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s was another name that was put forward.

I heard the government House leader suggest that somehow we were disparaging the members who have been named in this motion for appointment as presiding officers, and I want to say that nothing could be further from the truth.

I read the comments from the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s, and she recognizes that the member from Ajax—she congratulates her on being a hard-working member and acknowledges the historic moment that is before us with a Black woman stepping up to the position of Speaker. That is a signal to Black girls, as was discussed in the debate, a signal to Black people across this province, that they too can serve in the position of Speaker. Now, I do acknowledge the Honourable Alvin Curling, who had previously served in that position, but this is the first time that a Black woman will serve in that chair.

But it’s not about the member for Ajax. It’s not even about the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s. It’s about the process, the history, the need for working across the aisle, the need for partnership and collaboration so that we can make things better for the people of this province.

I read the feedback on the point of order that was provided by the government House leader and some of his comments as to why he decided to disregard the names that were put forward by the official opposition—the only recognized party in this place—why he decided to disregard those names both in the appointment of presiding officers and also in the appointment of committee members. He quoted some percentages, somehow making the claim that the appointments that are included in this motion are more representative of the people of this province. He said the NDP are presently at about 24% of the seats in the House, the government is about 67%, the Liberals at 7%, and he somehow claimed that he’s applying these proportions to the names that are in his motion.

But if the government House leader wants to throw out percentages, I also want to remind this government—as people across the province, in the aftermath of an election that saw an historic low voter turnout—that when only 41% of 43% of eligible voters in this province vote for this government, they are sitting in those seats with the support of 18% of Ontarians.

So 18% of Ontarians have entrusted this government with the responsibility to govern fairly and wisely and responsibly, and what do we see? We see a first-past-the-post system that translates that 18% support into a government that holds 70% of the seats in this Legislature and yields 100% of its power. That’s what this government has done with this motion before us on presiding officers, with the motion last week or two weeks ago on the committee appointments. They have arbitrarily and unilaterally decided to exercise the power that first-past-the-post has given them: the power that they have gained because 18% of Ontarians of voting age have put them into office. They are exercising that power to unilaterally decide who is going to serve on committee.

I do want to respond to some of the comments that were made by the government House leader about, for example, the member for Waterloo. This government House leader suggests that appointing the member for Waterloo to the finance committee is somehow this government looking out for the interests of that member. But I want to remind the government House leader that the member for Waterloo had previously served on the public accounts committee. Again, she had been an exemplary Chair of the public accounts committee. The public accounts committee is a perfect fit for her responsibility as finance critic and that is the committee that she expressed interest in serving on. That is the committee that we notified the government that that member wished to participate in. And in this government-knows-best approach of the Conservatives across the way, this government House leader decides that’s not good enough. This government doesn’t care where the member for Waterloo wants to best exercise her skills, her talents, her duty to hold the government to account and ensure that that appropriate oversight is there. This government decided they were going to remove her from the public accounts committee and instead put her on the finance committee. They did that because they can, because they have 100% of the power. They have the ability to disregard the names that had been provided by the official opposition on those appointments and to put in place whoever they want.

Speaker, that is not a process of collaboration and negotiation that these extraordinary times demand of us. The government House leader today in his comments also pointed to the fact that they have added members to committee. They have unilaterally decided that certain members of our caucus should be added to certain standing committees of this Legislature. Again, I ask the government House leader: Wouldn’t it have been a better process of partnership, a better process of collaboration, if the government had come and had said to the official opposition, “Look, we want to add members to these standing committees. Let us know which of your caucus members would like to serve in that role”? That would have been the appropriate way to deal with the addition of seats on those committees. But, no, that is not how this government operates. And we saw that.

We saw that in the 42nd Parliament with changes to the standing orders at a pace that we have not seen before. The government House leader changed the standing orders more times over that four-year period—actually, it was three years that he was in that role. But there were more changes to the standing orders in that three-year period than there were in the entire 15 years up to the election of this government. And each time those standing orders changed, it was to concentrate power more and more in the hands of the government. It was to limit the ability of the official opposition, limit the ability of all non-government members to be able to have any influence on the legislative agenda that this government is pushing through.

Speaker, the government House leader is quite correct: We will not be supporting this motion. It has absolutely nothing to do with the names of the people who are listed in the motion; it has everything to do with respect for parliamentary tradition, with respect for the way that this place is supposed to function, the way that the government House leader is supposed to engage with the official opposition.

I heard the government House leader talk about the fact that nothing is secret when he meets with the official opposition. You will have read the story in the Toronto Star—all of us read that story—about the meeting that was held between me and the government House leader when he suggested that the official opposition caucus vote unanimously for the preferred candidate that he wanted to see in the chair of the Speaker or else we would not be able to get our recommended candidates for presiding officers and our recommended appointments for Vice-Chairs of committees. He suggested that somehow I was being dishonourable by going public with this threat. I don’t think that threats are a good way for this place to operate. I don’t think that that’s a good way for the government to move its agenda forward. But that is the approach that this government House leader has chosen to take, and we won’t support it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and congratulations on your election to the role.

I’m excited to be standing in this historic chamber representing the constituents of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry—a dream come true, something that I did not expect or hope for until much later in life, a true privilege I’ll never take for granted.

First, I’d like to thank the previous member, Jim McDonell, respectfully referred to as Jimmy or Gentleman Jim to anyone who worked with him. Both of those monikers proved how hard Jim worked creating relationships with all members of this House, regardless of party. I can only hope to be seen in such a positive light after my time in office. Jim worked tirelessly for the residents of our riding, not only during his 12 years as MPP but prior, with his many years in municipal politics. I have big shoes to fill to carry on the legacy of good representation for our riding. I’m blessed to have inherited a solid Progressive Conservative movement from Jim.

Next, I’d like to thank the strong leadership of Premier Ford and the rest of my colleagues for allowing me to be part of this team and to get things done for the people of Ontario. I’m honoured to be a part of the 43rd Parliament of Ontario.

I’d like to thank my family for allowing me to live out this dream of representing Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry. They’re here today, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to my wife, Kim, a passionate elementary school teacher. Without her, none of this would be possible. Kim thrives to make a difference in the lives of young children she teaches. Kim is the foundation of everything I do. Thank you, Kim, for taking care of everything at home while I’m away, while also being a successful elementary educator.

To my children, Norah, Nolan Jr. and Nevyn, thank you. Thank you for sharing the time with your father as young kids for the betterment of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry and the province of Ontario. I hope to show you, with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

To my parents, Karen and Frank Quinn, thank you for instilling in me the importance of community involvement at an early age. As long as I can remember, my parents taught myself and my four siblings the importance of giving back to our community, both with our time and financial contributions where possible. My mother and I would frequently go door to door, fundraising for heart and stroke, cancer and many other charitable endeavours when I was only knee-high. My father has volunteered his time for decades, helping many charities on the board of directors and with their bookkeeping and other duties. Now retired from working, he spends many hours helping our local church, St. Andrew’s parish and in the historic cemetery.

To my campaign team that made this possible, thank you. My campaign manager, Adrian Bugelli, kept the campaign focused, organized and on track—not only keeping the campaign on track, but also me. Anyone who knows me knows I’m hard to keep in line.

Thank you to the campaign office staff of Tanya McVey and Vincent Blais, who worked tirelessly with all the volunteers. Some of the key volunteers—and hopefully I’m not forgetting anyone—are Amanda and Dan Brisson; Marcel Booyink; Jimmy Duncan; Sam McDonell, who is Jim’s nephew; Rick Marvel; Pierre Roy; Jason Setnyk; Steve Densham; Geraldine Fitzsimmons; and Gerry Boyce. To the dozens of other volunteers who helped with signs, calls and door-knocking, it is greatly appreciated. This could not have happened without your time.

Thank you to all the supporters who helped fuel this win, whether it was support, funding or words of encouragement.

My riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry consists of the city centre of Cornwall and the counties, with many historic villages and towns scattered throughout. The city of Cornwall’s slogan is “A World of Possibility,” and Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry’s slogan is “Where Ontario Began.” Our area has a rich and vibrant history, filled with Franco-Ontarian heritage and Indigenous culture and tradition. Located along the mighty St. Lawrence River, my riding is strategically located beside the border with the United States, our nation’s capital and the province of Quebec. Our neighbours in Akwesasne have lived on the land for centuries, passing down native teachings and tradition from one generation to the next. Akwesasne is an important partner, both culturally and economically, both in the past and in the future in eastern Ontario.

Cornwall began as a United Empire Loyalist town named New Johnstown, originally settled in 1784. It was used as a garrison town in the War of 1812, with the crucial Battle of Crysler’s Farm just a short distance away. Some historians state that the Battle of Crysler’s Farm saved the nation of Canada.

The city of Cornwall housed the first industrial facility to be electrically lit in Canada, under the guidance of Thomas Edison, in April 1883. Cornwall, Akwesasne, and Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry were permanently altered when the R.H. Saunders dam was built, flooding many villages—lost villages, as they are called—to make way for one of the largest hydroelectric dams in Ontario and Canada, which was built between 1954 and 1958. Dozens of villages were picked up and moved to make way for the flooding of the river. Queen Elizabeth took part in a royal visit to the area to marvel in the engineering feat of the seaway, the relocated towns because of the flooding, and the power project in 1959. Her visit literally energized our riding.

With a large industrial past, Cornwall has transitioned from a mill town of one square mile, for a short time as a telemarketing region, and now as a distribution hub employing thousands for multinational companies—truly a world of possibility.

Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry has played an important role in the history of Ontario. It’s where Ontario began in Upper Canada. The Honourable John Sandfield Macdonald—as we all know, the first Prime Minister, or Premier, of Ontario from 1867 to 1871—was born in St. Raphael’s West in Glengarry county. He died in Cornwall, Ontario, and rests a kilometre from my family home in St. Andrews West. He lies across the road from the historic Quinn’s Inn restaurant, which was my grandfather’s general store and Sandfield Macdonald’s stagecoach inn stopover that he built in 1865—built right before he became Prime Minister of Ontario. In the same cemetery that he is buried is the prolific Canadian explorer Simon Fraser, with the location of his farmstead on the road I currently live with my family.

Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry is known for our strong agriculture background. Agriculture is a way of life for many citizens I represent. Whether it’s farming, cash crops, raising beef cattle or producing milk, our region is helping to feed the province, the country and the world. Many youth in our area are raised and work on the farm, including many of my close friends.

Before I start on this next paragraph, I just want to mention that I believe this may be the most times Dairy Queen has been mentioned in this House, after MPP Riddell—because I own a Dairy Queen.

The day I was called and asked to put my name forward for the PC Party nomination, I was heading home on the train from Burlington, Ontario. I felt the world was telling me to move in this direction. Being from eastern Ontario, I will be travelling by train quite frequently to Queen’s Park. I was heading home from my last meeting on a Dairy Queen Canada franchise advisory council—a council I sat on for three terms, totalling six years, representing stores in eastern and northern Ontario. Prior to terming off the board, I learned so much on that council about the politics of working hard for your region, but also working with other regions to make things happen—a true give-and-take to achieve success.

The relationships I have built helped me to have a stronger voice for my region. I thank my close franchisee friends for helping me with that—Michael Liber, Laird Lister, Terry Burnett, Trenton Beday, Rob Clemens, Gary Allen, Terry Smith and Sherry Schaap, who actually owns the Dairy Queen up by Wasaga Beach—as well as corporate leadership Candida Ness and Peter White for showing me the ropes of good governance and representation. I am a stubborn person and I’m very persistent, so they helped chisel me away a little bit to get a little bit more user-friendly, teaching me how to work together and get things done. Those work friendships will last a lifetime, and I’m forever grateful for the lessons and advice they gave me over the years.

Another area with the Dairy Queen Canada leadership councils I have thoroughly enjoyed and learned a great deal from was the supply chain council. The strong leadership group of Jeff Planden and Zhaleh Golwalla have helped with mentorship and advice, both personally and professionally.

Although this is my first venture into politics, I’ve always had a keen interest in the provincial and federal political sphere. Many debates—or arguments, as my mother would say—around our kitchen table about politics during my teenage years were quite common and prepared me for the debates that will take place in this historic chamber in the years to come. Being the youngest of five children, quite often I had to be patient to be heard about my political views with my siblings, some who lean in different directions.

My father and myself, fiscal Conservatives, have always supported Conservative governments, candidates and philosophy. Prior to this election, my experience helping to campaign was helping to deliver lawn signs for my federal MP, Eric Duncan, and that didn’t go too well, with myself running out of gas as we were too focused on political conversations and getting the signs delivered. Today, there’s no reason to run out of gas with the new cars we have. Eric’s executive assistant, my campaign manager, Adrian, delivered gas in a jerry can, which we still laugh about; both will not let me forget that any time soon.

My father has spent decades as the chief financial officer for Conservative campaigns in our riding, both federally and provincially, including previous member Jim McDonell’s three terms in office. My father was one of the first phone calls I made after I was approached by the EDA, to bring him out of CFO retirement for my possible campaign. He reluctantly said yes, but he also stated that the provincial auditing is a lot easier than the federal one, so I think that might have been partially the reason why he decided to sign on. As we all know, financials and the numbers are the most important piece, whether it’s a business or an election. A heartfelt thank you to my father for being part of this journey, something I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Many other confidential calls were made to trusted community leaders, to see if I was off my rocker to think I could run a successful restaurant, be active in raising a young family and be an effective politician. One phone call to Sean Adams, a local lawyer and important philanthropist in our community, stood out to me. Sean’s father was also a lawyer and community leader. Many years ago, Sean and his father were at a charitable fundraiser and Sean was asked by his father to read the room: Who would he want to work with on an important community cause or fundraiser if one were to arise?

Mr. Adams told his son Sean, after they both scanned the crowd, that he would always want to work hand in hand with the people in the crowd who looked like they had too much on their plates, not the attendees who looked like they were always having too good of a time. His father stated that the people who take on too many projects or keep themselves busy with many projects are the ones who you know can handle the pressure and are able to effectively multitask. That was part of the story that Sean shared with myself. I’ve always taken on too many projects or endeavours, as most will tell me, so his words really hit home. He made be believe I was not crazy to think I could take the challenge on of representing our riding while running a business and raising my children.

My wife, Kim, is a major contributor to this being possible, and that cannot be understated. With my many years working seven days a week at the restaurant, and now this role, my mother reminds me weekly of Kim being a saint for being by my side. Thank you.

Another one of those many calls went out to my oldest brother, Cameron, who lives here in Toronto with his family. He was excited that I was thinking of putting my name forward for the nomination. Again, I asked him if he felt it was possible to manage it all with young children. As everyone in this chamber and those who came before us know, we sacrifice our time with family and friends in our roles for the betterment of our communities.

My personal plan was always to possibly run when I had more life experience, and my brother knew that. His response was that you’ll always sacrifice, whether now when they are young, when they are teenagers or when they are married with children. We all know our children grow quickly, and the time when they are little goes fast. He, as well as many others, told me not to wait.

Other conversations for confidential advice were had with my restaurant managers, as I truly needed their blessing before I put my name forward, and with my other siblings, some close friends and MP Eric Duncan, as well as MPP Jim McDonell.

I’ve spent many years with our local United Way in Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry and Akwesasne, first as the campaign chair for two years—which was right when Kim and I got married, so there was no honeymoon; I still owe her that—and directly after as a board member. I finished my time on the board as the president for two years. I quickly realized that the need was always greater than we could fulfill with any of the charities under our funding. My experience with the United Way made me appreciate the impact we can have in the short time we are on this earth. Impact is the main reason I chose to run in this past election.

I recently spent time on my local Children’s Treatment Centre board of directors. The mandate of the centre is to look after the well-being of children who have been physically or mentally abused. The centre helps the siblings and the parents cope with trauma as well. This centre has been developed from the community, for the community. Angelo Towndale and Sean Adams have been the heart and soul of this important charity for many years.

I grew up as a shy and awkward youth. Many around me are shocked when I tell them that I’m an introvert nowadays. As a child, I had a slight speech impediment and could not pronounce my Ls. Tagging along with my brother, Tremain, to deliver papers and collect funds, quite often I was asked by the paper customers at the door what this little boy’s name was, to which I would reply, “No one.” I was obviously trying to say Nolan, but shy, awkward me, that is not what would come out. On many occasions the adult at the door would burst out laughing and say something along the lines of, “This boy’s name is ‘no one’”—talk about making a shy kid even more introverted. As I age, I have embraced all of my shortcomings. As most will say, if we can’t laugh at ourselves, it will be a long life.

About 10 years ago, my restaurant won an award with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cornwall and District. We proudly won big business of the year at the gala which, if memory recalls, was the 40th anniversary of the organization, so many were in attendance. When I accepted the award, I had no prepared remarks as I was not aware that I was actually receiving it. When I got on stage, I spoke about the importance of the organization with mentoring youth. I explained to the crowd, probably a few hundred supporters, how important youth mentorship is to help both young boys and young girls gain life skills with their matches. Somehow I connected the youth mentorship theme with the fact that I could not tie a tie and I told the crowd that, even with my father showing me dozens and dozens of times. Since that night, I get many grown men who have not forgotten that moment and quite often come up to me at events after having a few drinks to bravely tell me that they will teach me how to tie a tie. This memory has allowed me to connect with many strangers that I would normally not, sharing a laugh about one of my many weaknesses.

To all the young kids who feel they don’t fit in, are not the smartest student or are just shy, just know that hard work can get you anywhere. I worked my way up from the cleanup kid at my own restaurant who was too shy to serve customers and just cleaned bathrooms and the parking lot, to the manager to owning the restaurant and now a provincial MPP.

My mother would always state two quotes to me growing up. One was that most people don’t like to youngest child in the family as she believed they could be spoiled or have bad attitudes, and she would not let that happen, and I think those are better words than what she used to say, but she was darned that was not going to happen under her watch.

The second quote I will carry from my mom is that God has given you the talents and ability to achieve things others have not and not to waste it.

I am not going to stand here today and say I’m the smartest, most athletic or best looking, as I am not any of those. To be honest, I’ve had about 12 concussions playing sports and broken many bones. But I will proudly state and try to instill in my children, who are here today, that if you work hard and put the extra effort in that most are willing not to do, you can achieve things others may not be able to do.

Everything I do in my role as an MPP in the coming years needs to be appreciated in 20 years by my children, Norah, Nolan Jr. and Nevyn. In the future, if they’re embarrassed of me in my previous role in provincial Parliament, I know I would have failed as MPP for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry.

I will finish today with a quote from one of the best Prime Ministers, in my opinion, that Canadan has ever had, Brian Mulroney: “I believe in judging people and governments by results, not myths.”