I have been extremely fortunate to have lived among, supported, represented and advocated for the Jewish community throughout my life and my time in office.

My best friend, growing up, was the daughter of Canada’s former Solicitor General Robert Kaplan, who was Jewish, and that was my introduction to the community. I know members of the community to be fundamentally decent people who value life and family and have no desire to harm anyone. Representatives of the community are often the first to stand up, stand shoulder to shoulder with other community or faith groups when that group has been targeted, such as joining hands around a mosque, for example, which I saw them do. Unfortunately, some faith leaders have not been so quick to reciprocate at this difficult time for Israel, but I hold out hope that they will.

Speaker, words like “strong” and “united” cannot express the extent of the resiliency of the Jewish community in my riding and abroad in recent weeks. Within my riding, organizations are hosting vigils, community fundraising dinners and workshops on how to cope during these difficult times, and we will stand by them—this government, myself and my colleagues.

Some may recall my previous member’s statement on Wednesday, before the terrorist attack on Israel. I condemned the acts of vandalism against the Jewish community, which had occurred already in my riding during the High Holy Days. With the outbreak of the war, further displays of hate and intolerance, we cannot be complacent. We must remind ourselves that mutual respect and tolerance are no small part of what makes Ontario exceptional.

I want to of course welcome our friends from York region with a special shout-out to the mayor of King, Steve Pellegrini. Thank you, sir, for your leadership and collaboration.

I’d like to welcome SEIU to the House today. I had the privilege of meeting with some Hamilton folks this morning. Christine Outridge is in housekeeping at Grace Villa and Mona Hussein is a PSW at Shalom Village. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

This morning, I would like to introduce the remarkable team from IBT College. I’d like to welcome president Joe Shokour, vice-president James Rice, Andrea Kurth, Mike Hussainyar, Ken Rice and Muhammad Gaboiboev. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I would like to welcome Chris Reily, RPN, and Briar Moore, an RPN from SEIU. Welcome to your House. It will be a pleasure to meet with you later.

As we’ve heard earlier, our friends from the Service Employees International Union, SEIU, are here today. They’re the people who care for the people we care for most. Welcome.

I know they have a reception here tonight at Queen’s Park. Please come and join them.

As I’m terming out from the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians after nine years, I’m really pleased to participate in an event today hosted by the Ontario Legislative Assembly where we’re bringing a couple of young people in to shadow women members of provincial Parliament.

It’s in that spirit that I welcome Marianne Kidd to the House. I met her at Simcoe fair. She’s a dynamo and I’m thrilled that I will be sharing the day with her.

It’s my great pleasure to welcome Alex Hector, executive director of South East Grey Community Health Centre, to the House today. I had the joy of serving on the board of the CHC with Alex for three years. Thank you, Alex, for your great service. It’s great to have you at Queen’s Park today.

I want to extend a personal welcome to my friend and London West constituent Andy Kroeker, who is here today for the Alliance for Healthier Communities and has served West Elgin for years as the West Elgin Community Health Centre executive director. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Beautiful day, everyone. I have an international visitor here I’d like to introduce: awesome Alex Clements, from the Netherlands, doing great work on impact investing in the Ukraine. Welcome to our House.

It’s my great pleasure to introduce my constituency assistant, John Mace, a very smart young man who is here in the Legislature with us today.

I’d like to welcome the mentorship candidate I mentioned earlier, Olivia Batte, and her mom, Fiona, from Waterloo.

Mr. Speaker, this week is the Small Business Week celebration, and I am happy to announce that we are having a business forum right here at Queen’s Park. I’m hosting a small business forum here. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy; 67% of the private labour force in this country is employed by them. I would like to welcome speakers from Digital Main Street, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business—

I too want to give a very warm welcome to my predecessor, former MPP for Parkdale–High Park, Cheri DiNovo.

I would like to extend a very warm welcome to the members of SEIU Healthcare who are here today, in particular E.S. Pohler, Teresa Wheeler, who I met with this morning, and Michael Spitale. Thank you for looking after us and the people that we love and care for.

It’s a privilege to rise and recognize a great initiative and a passionate team of volunteers helping their community during the Halloween season. As we all know, Halloween is a time for trick-or-treaters, jack-o’-lanterns, scary costumes and haunted houses. To prepare for Halloween, my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Ghost Walk for Charity held in Cornwall, Speaker.

If you like to be scared and see spooky things, you do not want to miss this event. The suspense-filled charity walk definitely got my wife and I ready for Halloween. Now my kids want to be spooked.

The Ghost Walk for Charity is an initiative led by Michael Turcotte, who is a dedicated community member with a long history of supporting and volunteering his time to many local charities and organizations. For years, people would flock to Michael’s home in Cornwall to walk through his haunted garage, and from that was born the initiative. This year’s sixth annual Ghost Walk for Charity is being held every Thursday through Saturday evening and a non-scary option every Saturday and Sunday at the Cornwall Square.

Over the last five years, I’m proud to share that this event has donated well over $100,000 to worthy organizations. This year’s proceeds will go to benefit the children’s treatment centre, the Cornwall Hospice, Ronald McDonald House Ottawa, Cornwall Canada Day, Cornwall Comfort Quilts and Centre 105. I’d like to encourage all to attend this spooky event that has provided so much support over the years to great charities and organizations.

I beg to inform the House that I have today laid upon the table a request by the member for Davenport to the Honourable J. David Wake, Integrity Commissioner, for an opinion pursuant to sections 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the Members’ Integrity Act, 1994, on whether the member for Mississauga East–Cooksville, Kaleed Rasheed, has contravened the act or Ontario parliamentary convention.

Introduction of visitors?

There are still members on both sides of the House who want to introduce guests. Does anyone object to me continuing to allow members on both sides of the House to introduce their guests? We will continue.

I’d like to welcome our chair, Wayne Emmerson, from York region as well as all the mayors and regional councillors and councillors from York region. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

We have quite a few people from different community health centres: Sarah Hobbs, who is from the Alliance for Healthier Communities; James Huff from Belleville and Quinte West Community Health Centre; Marc Bisson, Centre de santé communautaire de l’Estrie; Estelle Duchon, Centre francophone du Grand Toronto; Michelle Carr, Community Health Centres of Northumberland; Kim Fraser, Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre; Melissa Kwiatkowski, Guelph Community Health Centre; Jeanie Argiropoulos, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities; Alex Hector, South East Grey Community Health Centre; Charis Romilly Turner, Stonegate Community Health Centre; Michelle Joseph, Unison Health and Community Services; Kimberley Floyd, WellFort Community Health Services; and Andy Kroeker, West Elgin Community Health Centre. Welcome to Queen’s Park.