Today I rise in celebration of Women’s History Month, which is marked every October in Ontario and across Canada.

Women’s History Month is an opportunity to recognize the contributions that women have made to their families, their communities and workplaces across the province. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate them for inspiring the women and girls of today, who are continuing to advance gender equality, challenge the status quo and make Ontario a better place to live, work and play for all.

This year’s theme, “Through Her Lens: Celebrating the Diversity of Women,” especially highlights the outstanding achievements and significant contributions of women from diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous, francophone, racialized, rural, immigrant and disabled women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals.

Speaker, I would like to use my time to talk about just a few of these notable Ontario women. Angela James, born in Toronto to a Black father, led the Canadian women’s hockey team to four women’s world championship gold medals between 1990 and 1997, bringing women’s hockey into the mainstream and becoming one of the first three women to be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.

Rosalie Silberman Abella became both the youngest and first pregnant person to become a judge in Canada when she was appointed to the Ontario Family Court in 1976. She then became the first Jewish woman and refugee to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Speaking of the Supreme Court of Canada, there’s Michelle O’Bonsawin, born in Hanmer to francophone Ontarian and Indigenous parents, who became the first Indigenous person to be appointed just last year.

There’s Elizabeth Bagshaw, born and raised on a farm in the Kawartha Lakes area, becoming one of Canada’s first female physicians and the medical director of Canada’s first birth control clinic in Hamilton in 1932, when it was still illegal for women to make decisions over their own bodies.

After years of the federal government failing to build a new school in her community following a diesel fuel leak, there’s Shannen Koostachin of—I’m sorry for missing the name—

Interjection: Attawapiskat.

Interjections.

Lastly, I would like to recognize Mary Ann Shadd Cary, who, following the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 in the United States, founded a private school for the children of freedom seekers in Windsor. She also became the first woman publisher in Canada, having established her own newspaper, the Provincial Freeman, to share her ideas on abolitionism and women’s rights and showcase the accomplishments of Black women in Canada.

Speaker, these history-making women and girls paved the way for many more—like us, right?—and especially those from diverse backgrounds to pursue their dreams and live full lives here in Ontario.

Every day, women enrich Ontario with their unique experiences, knowledge and perspectives. Whether they are innovating in the science and technology sectors, starting and running their own businesses, building homes for young families, educating the next generation of leaders, growing our food or caring for our most vulnerable, the full participation of women is imperative to our province’s present and our future.

Speaker, our government recognizes that when women succeed, Ontario succeeds. That’s why we are taking decisive action across ministries to help women and girls thrive at home, at work and in their communities. This includes supporting affordable child care options; increasing exposure to STEM and the skilled trades at an earlier age; making workplaces safer; and offering targeted training, skills development and employment opportunities for women experiencing social and economic barriers, all of this to increase their participation in the workforce and gain financial security and independence, especially in sectors where we have been traditionally under-represented. Over the coming months, we will continue to work with sector partners to help more women across the province achieve the success they need and the success they deserve.

Speaker, before I conclude, I would like to draw my colleagues to a few other days of significance for women and girls marked in October. Yesterday, October 4, was Sisters in Spirit Day, a day to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. We show our support and our love, and we also are creating opportunities for healing and having the conversation to listen to the stories.

This year, a monument was unveiled in the city of Kenora, in the great riding of Kenora–Rainy River, to remember the lives lost by senseless intimate partner violence. Those three women are remembered, and it marks a day of importance for us to all acknowledge.

On October 11, we celebrate International Day of the Girl. It’s a day to recognize the unique challenges and inequalities faced by girls, and the need to protect their rights and create more opportunities for their prosperity.

Finally, on October 15, we will mark the International Day of Rural Women. It’s an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions of rural women to our food systems and their role in sustaining our families and communities and fighting against hunger and malnutrition.

Speaker, it’s because of these trail-blazing women of the past that women today have the rights and opportunities that were denied to their predecessors. This October, I invite all of us, all Ontarians, to learn about the history of women in our province, celebrate their outstanding achievements and participate in Women’s History Month activities in your local communities. Each and every one of us plays an important role in fostering a more equal and inclusive Ontario, full of social and economic opportunities for women and girls. Why? Because when women succeed, Ontario succeeds.

The deputy government House leader has moved that pursuant to standing over 7(c), the House shall continue to meet past the ordinary hour of adjournment—

Interjection: Dispense.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carries? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

I move that pursuant to standing order 7(c), the House shall continue to meet past the ordinary hour of adjournment until midnight on the following dates: Wednesday, November 15; Thursday, November 16; Monday, November 20; Tuesday, November 21; Wednesday, November 22; Thursday, November 23; Monday, November 27; Tuesday, November 28; Wednesday, November 29; Thursday, November 30; Monday, December 4; Tuesday, December 5; Wednesday, December 6; Thursday, December 7; Monday, December 11; Tuesday, December 12; Wednesday, December 13; and Thursday, December 14, 2023.

This petition is titled “To Raise Social Assistance Rates,” and it reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and $1,227 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both” OW and ODSP;

“Whereas the recent small increase of 5% for ODSP still leaves these citizens below the poverty line, both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to survive at this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its CERB program that a basic income of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my signature to it, and I want to thank Sally Palmer for collecting the signatures on this petition.

I have a petition “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; and

“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 agree with this petition. I’m affixing my signature and giving it to page Minuka.

I want to thank the Save the Minden ER people for coming and delivering those petitions today.

This petition is “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 fully support this petition, will affix my signature and pass it to page Sophia to take to the table.

I believe there are going to be about 10,293 signatures read in on a petition to reopen the Minden ER, by a few of us.

“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; and

“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 wholeheartedly support this petition, will sign it and ask page Ella to bring it to the table, Speaker.

I, too, have a petition regarding the Minden ER.

“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 in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, effective 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 agree with this petition, will affix my name to it and give it to page Sophia Rose to bring to the table.

I have a very timely petition here on international Women’s History Month.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Bill 124, titled Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019, capped salary increases at 1%, at a time of historic rates of inflation and interest rates;

“Whereas the nursing crisis has compromised patient safety and the functioning of our public health care system;

“Whereas emergency rooms are closing and even ICUs are at risk of having to close because of health care staffing shortages”—and we just heard about one right now;

“Whereas an Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruling released on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, by Justice Markus Koehnen says that the law infringes on the rights to collective bargaining and freedom of association and declared the act to be ‘void and of no effect;’

“Whereas the courts have declared this legislation to be unconstitutional;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately repeal Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019.”

Speaker, I fully support this petition, will affix my signature to it and give it to page Emelia to take to the Clerk.

“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 fully support this petition, and I will give it to page Kian to bring to the Clerks’ table.

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.

I’d like to also put in this petition 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 fully support this petition and will affix my signature to it as well.

“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.”

This is a critically important petition. I’m going to add my name to the thousands of names of the good people of Minden and give it to Erin 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.

I’m honoured to be able to lend my voice to this petition today as well.

“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 wholeheartedly agree with this. I’m going to give it to page Ella to bring to the Clerk.

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 am pleased to present this petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on behalf of 242 residents of the Minden area. It reads:

“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 am proud to affix my signature and will send it to the table with page Sophia.

Point of order.