I have a number of petitions here. There are so many of them, I can barely lift them.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services board of directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, closed the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, on June 1, 2023;

“Whereas the loss of service is jeopardizing the lives of residents in the community;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Minister of Health to use her powers under section 9.1 of the Public Hospitals Act to immediately reopen the Minden emergency department.”

I’ll sign my name to the petition, and I’ll give them to the page.

I’m submitting 500 of over 10,000 petitions to immediately reopen the Minden emergency department. It says:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Board of Directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, closed the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, on June 1, 2023;

“Whereas the loss of service is jeopardizing the lives of residents in the community;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Minister of Health to use her powers under section 9.1 of the Public Hospitals Act to immediately reopen the Minden emergency department.”

Speaker, of course I support this petition. I will be signing it and giving it to page Justin.

I, too, am standing to present petitions on the preservation of emergency care services in rural Ontario.

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Board of Directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, closed the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, on June 1, 2023;

“Whereas the loss of services is jeopardizing the lives of residents in the community;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Minister of Health to use her powers under section 9.1 of the Public Hospitals Act to immediately reopen the Minden emergency department.”

I agree with said petition. I will affix my name and hand it to page Vera-Claire to take to the table.

We have a few hundred more petitions being handed to me. I think we’re almost up to 11,000 now.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Board of Directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, closed the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, on June 1, 2023;

“Whereas the loss of service is jeopardizing the lives of residents in the community;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Minister of Health to use her powers under section 9.1 of the Public Hospitals Act to immediately reopen the Minden emergency department.”

I continue to support this petition. I will sign it and ask page Minuka to bring it to the table.