To the Premier: The explosion in Wheatley flattened the downtown core and many people were hospitalized. About a year before the Wheatley explosion, there was another explosion just 10 kilometres away near Leamington. That explosion took the lives of a retired couple. Experts believe that a leaky oil and gas well may have been the cause of that explosion as well. People have died, and yet when Chatham-Kent detected a gas leak in downtown Wheatley and begged the province for help, the province dithered.

Past provincial governments have allowed oil and gas companies to walk away from their responsibilities when they abandon these wells. When will your government take action to prevent another deadly explosion like we are seeing in the province of Ontario?

It’s a privilege and honour to address this House as the member for provincial Parliament for Chatham–Kent–Leamington. I want to offer my sincere congratulations on this important role. I also want to congratulate all members on their elections to this historic place in our 43rd Parliament. I acknowledge how proud I am to serve alongside those who chose to dedicate their energies to selflessly serve the betterment of the people of this beautiful province.

As recently as last week, a member here spoke eloquently on the unique and diverse skills elected members of this Legislature bring to serve Ontario. We’re all the products of a diverse set of social, familial, economic and geographic influences. For many reasons, certain people, places and events stand out in our lives and serve to more strongly shape the people we become.

At various points in my journey to this House, I became acutely aware of the many remarkable people I’m indebted to for sharing their time with me, for their mentorship and for believing in me. The commitment I make is to work tirelessly, to the best of my ability and with uncompromising integrity in the service of others. I learned to generously share of my experiences in the hope that it might benefit and improve the lives of others.

I came from a place where you had to earn trust and demonstrate mastery of skills to make decisions of consequence. This is nowhere truer than in this very House, where together we work, debate and ultimately make decisions of great consequence that impact the communities across Ontario.

My story begins at a small family farm in Leamington, near the entrance gates to Point Pelee National Park. Here, the rich earth, being former marshland, is that distinctive, beautiful black loam that grows vibrant onions, carrots, celery and leafy greens. This is where my mother’s amazing Ukrainian family made their home when they immigrated to Canada from a war-torn Europe. My mother, Nellie, is the youngest of 10 and one of only two children born here in Canada to Peter and Minodora Wolf.

From our tiny farmhouse, I could look out my window across the onion fields and see my baba’s house. To this day, I can still vividly recall the heavenly smells from her cooking in that kitchen. This is probably why, in my first formative years, while my parents were busy working, I apparently had the habit of trying to escape their supervision to join my baba in her kitchen for her cabbage rolls, perogies and other homemade treats.

My dad, Paul, worked in a small auto parts factory in Leamington. After his shifts, he would join my mom and her family on that busy little farm. On one occasion during harvest, I succeeded in traversing those fields, alone, barefoot and supervised only by our loyal golden lab retriever to join my baba for lunch. After a frantic call on the party line, which people from rural Ontario will remember, quickly yielded my location, a young Paul and Nellie Jones kept a much closer eye on their adventurous son, who was of course protected from any criticisms by his Ukrainian grandmother.

Our Jones family has Welsh and early American origins, and also made Leamington their home. Attracted to the stunning shores of Lake Erie and the stable, well-paying job opportunities at places like the H.J. Heinz Company, the Joneses lived alongside their dear friends from the Robinson family in a string of small lakeside homes. I am fortunate to have so many fond memories in the company of my great-grandparents, Sidney and Blanche; my lovely grandparents, Joe and Glenna; and our extended family and friends.

At the time, our little lakeside home was well out of town limits, and we were surrounded by orchards, fields and the big waters of Lake Erie. My only sister, Melanie, and I both learned to drive well before 16 years of age in those very fields, and swam nearly every summer day by carefully navigating the rocky makeshift stairs down the cliffs to the waters. Melanie remains one of my best friends and supporters to this day.

The blessing of first being surrounded by pristine marsh fields and then Lake Erie had a lasting impact on me. Since my extended families lived alongside one another and shared our backyard spaces and views of the lake, summer barbecues, bonfires and informal gatherings were a regular phenomenon.

At one such gathering, the Jones gentlemen, most of whom served actively in their younger years as sailors in the Royal Canadian Navy, were trap shooting. With strict safeguards in place that would rival modern military shooting ranges, my grandfathers, great-uncles and father sought out to see if young Trevor, who was the last of their namesake, could shoot. Nervously, I shouldered both rifles and shotguns, and failed to see how this operation worked. I could not actually see the front sight, and I had no idea what was happening to cause this explosion and launching of said projectiles.

After a short evaluation and diagnosis, the result was that I appeared to be left-eye dominant, despite being right-handed. Now, by shouldering the firearm on my left shoulder and closing my right eye, I marvelled at how I could see every bullet travelling to its precise intended destination at the centre of targets, and smashing clay traps as they flew swiftly across the sky. The revelry from the Jones men could not be contained as they continued to test my new-found skill with more and more difficult challenges, and I continued to exceed their expectations. I even surpassed the scores of these senior seasoned marksmen.

Nevertheless, my mother, sister, grandmothers and aunts were far less amused at this and thought I should not be unduly influenced to pursue any hobby or career path that involved firearms of any kind. I was able to appease them for a time, as my early interests were focused on sports, student government and community service.

After graduating from Leamington District Secondary School and understanding that I’d be self-funding any postsecondary education, I chose the University of Windsor to study political science and history, which was a pleasant surprise to my parents, even though I elected to live away from home in residence on campus. I also joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist to help fund my education and carry on our important family tradition of duty.

The community feel of that campus in Windsor, the small classes and engaged professors, certainly contributed to my success and had a lasting positive impact on my life. This is where, despite serious political opinions to the contrary, I met one of my early mentors, friends and life-long professional champions. The first term paper I completed for the Honourable Howard Pawley, my first-year professor, was returned to me with so much red ink on it I surely felt he’d failed me. Much to my surprise, there was a bold “A” on the last page and a handwritten note to “See me” for a visit during his office hours. I took the opportunity and began a lifelong friendship with the kind diplomat who never tried to temper my deep beliefs in fiscal conservatism, but rather offered glimpses into the value of understanding and appreciating opposing perspectives.

After completing undergraduate studies, I pursued graduate work in a unique international program between the University of Windsor and Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. This opportunity was both academically and culturally enriching, as I crossed the border each week to study immigration law and history under the brilliant John J. Bukowczyk, who celebrated my addition to his American graduate class with funny Canadian trivia, maple dip donuts and even rounds of one-dollar Molson Canadian pints—after class, of course—to amuse my American colleagues.

Downtown Detroit, its rich history, sports teams and music, has also had a tremendous influence on me throughout my life. As a student of history surrounded by fascinating architecture and one of the most powerful cities of North America for a time, I was fascinated by the decisions lawmakers made and the impacts these decisions had on the world.

Inspired to serve our communities honourably, I entered Ontario’s public service after graduate school as a front-line member of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. This is where I’d meet my future wife, Najet, this beautiful Lebanese girl from my hometown of Leamington, who was completing her science studies at Western and working as a student. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Ministry of Transportation, or the MTO as we called it, and it was there I became inspired to serve our communities in a different way.

On a warm, humid summer night on Highway 401 in Essex County, I had just finished completing an inspection of a large commercial motor vehicle with several serious safety violations. I had motor oil on my face and grease on my orange coveralls and calmly explained to the driver he’d need to undertake serious repairs before continuing. The driver looked me in the eye and shook my hand and thanked me. He stated he wished all law enforcement officers he encountered could be so respectful, professional and courteous. When I returned home that morning, I had an idea and discussed it over breakfast with Najet and our fussy, beautiful blue-eyed baby son, Nico. I thought about our service, and service to the communities and ways I might be of better service.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, I was standing at attention with a razor-sharp Stetson on, carrying out my first duty as OPP valedictorian, carefully reading out the names of the police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty at the Ontario Police Memorial, only a few steps from here.

As a sworn provincial police officer, I was blessed to learn from and work alongside exceptional leaders from all corners of our province. As far north as Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug—KI—to the western Ontario provincial community of Pikangikum and our National Capital Region, downtown Toronto and as far south as my home communities of Chatham-Kent, Leamington and Peele Island.

As a young police officer, I competed for and successfully earned a position with the OPP’s emergency response team to support a mandate that included canine support, containment, search and rescue, VIP security, witness protection, and complex evidence searches.

My time as a front-line member and, later in my career, as a supervisor offered me very unique insights into better understanding people and peacefully resolving conflicts. Although many of my police colleagues laughed and marvelled at my ability that I maintained since childhood to shoot accurately at great distances even while running fast, I am most proud of my accomplishments in our communities where I was able to bring calm while offering empathy, respect and order to people who somehow found themselves in trouble.

Growing up in a vibrant food-producing area of southwestern Ontario, surrounded by productive fields and the protected spaces of modern greenhouses, I always took note when working in other communities that for various reasons had less access to fresh food, and an early notion of food security and access began to nag at me. Around this very time, I was here in Toronto participating in a training program at the Rotman School of Management, I had the privilege of working with the amazing team of Rose Patten, Jim Fisher, Jen Riel and Roger Martin, who challenged their students to think differently about the problems we encountered.

Inspired by people I met from all across Ontario and drawn to more actively participate in the political process, I answered this challenge and sought out an opportunity to learn new skills and apply the ones I’d acquired in policing. I felt both a nervous energy and a quiet contentment when I returned to my farming roots to support local agriculture producers and ensure Ontario remained a global leader for food security.

After almost five years of working with world leaders in agribusiness and building a strong professional network and business IQ, my journey led me here, as your colleague and the advocate for Chatham-Kent–Leamington.

My home was the ancestral home of the Ojibway, Odawa, Potawatomi, Huron-Wendat, Caldwell and the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown on the Thames, and many other Indigenous peoples. Today, my home is also the home of 110,000 people across 3,000 square kilometres in communities that stretch along the northern shores of Lake Erie, from Leamington to Pelee Island, Staples, Comber, Tilbury, Stoney Point, Wheatley, Merlin, Chatham-Kent, Blenheim, Ridgetown, Kent Bridge and Highgate.

Like many parts of Ontario, we welcome thousands of tourists each year. We’re diverse communities whose early settlers were from the UK, Italy, Portugal, Lebanon, Germany, the Netherlands, Ukraine, India and Pakistan. Today, we represent people from every part of the world.

Chatham-Kent–Leamington is an agriculture and economic powerhouse, the historic home to food producers, unique technology companies, freshwater fisheries and manufacturing plants. As a global leader in the production of safe, reliable, nutritious foods, our farms, greenhouses and orchards in Chatham-Kent–Leamington provide thousands of economic opportunities for local and international agriculture workers, who work very hard to directly support our economy and their own families. What led me here is my love of people and my passion for food security, public safety and economic opportunities for everyone who wants to work hard and contribute to the greatness of Ontario.

Speaker, there is nowhere more evident than this very House and from our throne speech that we will rebuild Ontario’s economy. We’ll keep costs down, build highways and key infrastructure like our vital three-highway link from Leamington to Windsor, work for workers by investing in our skilled trades—something that’s happening right now at St. Clair College and in Ridgetown college—and have a real plan to stay open, to have reliable, domestic supply of PPE from producers like Harbour Technologies in my riding of Chatham-Kent–Leamington.

This most recent and most challenging opportunity was only made possible because of the unconditional love of my wife, Najet, a caring and brilliant high school science teacher and vice-principal; our sons, Nico, Alex and Sam Jones; my parents, Paul and Nellie; Gabe and Claudette Andary; my extended family, including Paul and Melanie Mastronardi, Kristina and Aaron Zimmer, Chuck and Jessie Andary, and our nieces and nephews, Annika, Milla, Skye, Macey, Alex and Nathan.

I want to thank my lifelong friends for their guidance and support, including Kelly Robinson, Mark Dunford, Cale Armstrong, Chris Vince, Mark Quenneville, Stew Douglas, Mark Rogers, Chhieu Seng, Tony Tannous, and Ian Barr.

I owe a debt of gratitude to my exceptional campaign team led by Susan Liovas, Kellie Jo Whittaker, Michael Bondy and Sarah Weaver; my special advisers, including the Honourable Darcy McKeough, Doug Sulman, Mike Schlater and Neil Wood; our key supporters and champions that are far too many to mention by name.

I want to thank our Premier, Doug Ford, for his leadership and for believing in me. I want to extend my warmest thanks to the Honourable Ministers McNaughton, Thompson, Dunlop and Todd Smith for offering their friendship, support and advice throughout my campaign.

Finally, I offer my sincere thanks to Chatham-Kent–Leamington for the privilege of serving you and for placing your trust in me. Be assured, I will work tirelessly for all residents with the honour, duty and integrity that you deserve.

I look forward to working collaboratively with all members in this House and will stand shoulder to shoulder alongside our communities to deliver a mandate that builds more homes, brings better paying jobs and builds highways, hospitals and critical infrastructure to return Ontario to its rightful place as a world leader and innovator in business, manufacturing and agriculture. This was the dream that brought my family to Ontario from Wales and Ukraine, and the dream that brought all our families here. This is the dream I want for my sons and for all our children. Together, we will make this a reality.

Report continues in volume B.