I’d like to let the House know that today is the national day of Nigeria. They will have a session at 12 noon in rooms 230 and 228. Thank you.

Thank you. That concludes our introduction of visitors for this morning.

Leader of the Opposition, supplementary.

Government House leader.

My apologies for rising a second time, but I did not know—and now do—that my sister-in-law, Meredith Martin, is in the gallery. So I want to preserve family—

Thank you for the question. Mr. Speaker, you can see where the NDP’s priorities are—worrying about helping little Ms. Jones on a pothole or helping someone find a doctor or so on and so forth.

I’ll tell you what our priorities are. Our priorities are making sure we cut taxes for people, reducing gas by 10.7 cents, getting rid of the licence plate sticker, cutting tolls on the 412 and the 418, building hospitals in every region of this province, building the 413 and making sure that we’re building the subway system. We’re doubling the size of the transit system right here in Toronto and the GTA.

Mr. Speaker, that’s our priorities—not worrying about little Ms. Jones calling me about a pothole, that’s for sure.

My question is for the Minister of Finance. Across the world, economic challenges continue to grow, and we know that Ontario is not isolated from this geopolitical uncertainty. We recently heard the great news during public accounts that our government received a sixth straight clean audit from the Auditor General. This is a refreshing change from the fiscal mismanagement of the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP. Unfortunately, Speaker, many families and individuals in my riding and across our province are feeling the economic pressures that have been caused by ongoing supply chain disruptions, inflation and increased interest rates. The people of our province are looking to our government for leadership during these times of uncertainty.

Speaker, can the minister please address this House on how our government is providing much-needed fiscal leadership for the people of Ontario?

The minister spoke about the fact that Ontario is not exempt from factors that are contributing to global economic uncertainty. That is why our government must show leadership and demonstrate a strong economic vision and plan that will help families and individuals during this unpredictable financial period.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is continuing to work on behalf of Ontarians during these challenging economic times?

I have to say, Mr. Speaker, that in the many years I’ve been privileged to serve as a parliamentarian, this is the saddest spectacle of any Leader of the Opposition that I have ever seen. We are faced with some very important issues across not only Ontario, but across the world right now. Later on today, we will be voting on a motion in support for the people of Israel against a terrorist attack. The opposition have literally said nothing on this. Hours and hours of debate, they have sat on their hands.

The Leader of the Opposition had her first true test of leadership and has failed so miserably. She’s doing anything to distract—she’s talking about 411 records on somebody’s phone as opposed to focusing on what matters to the people of the province of Ontario. She’s trying to do anything to distract from the full-on revolt that she has in her party.

We will continue to focus on what matters to the people of the province of Ontario. Later today, she will have an opportunity to vote with us. I hope that she does.

Speaker, earlier this week, the government shut down our motion to cancel the really sketchy Ontario Place deal. You’ll remember this deal will see more than $600 million of hard-earned public funds subsidize the private profits of an Austrian spa developer for 95 years. You’ll remember that the people of this province do not support this deal.

The deal makes no sense. What could possibly justify this unprecedented giveaway of prime waterfront property and hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to Therme? Maybe we should ask Carmine Nigro, chair of Ontario Place and a close personal friend of the Premier.

My question to the Premier is, what would we find on his personal phone about the Ontario Place deal?

The appointment of people whose only qualification seems to be a big enough donation to the Conservative Party calls into question the competence and integrity of vital services like the Landlord and Tenant Board and the Human Rights Tribunal. The people of Ontario want to know, and so do I: How many of these unqualified appointees would we find on the Premier’s personal phone logs?

The member opposite is speaking to, yes, a property in a prime location, absolutely; a property that had to be closed in 2017 because of severe flooding that even impacted Budweiser Stage operations. The site is in complete disrepair. It is constantly flooding, which is why we are doing the site servicing work; it’s under way. That is exactly why we will repair the shoreline to make sure we protect the island for years and years so that people can enjoy it in the future.

To the Leader of the Opposition: Two different procurements with two different governments with different criteria—proponent is the same. Therme will be at Ontario Place and will offer water park play for families 365 days of the year.

Thank you to the hard-working member from Brantford–Brant for that question. As highlighted by the recent Ontario Economic Accounts, the numbers of our province’s economy remain resilient.

As we’ve said before, Ontario faces potential economic uncertainty ahead. That’s why, Mr. Speaker, as we continue to build more homes, more hospitals, more schools and more transit, investing in better services and keeping costs down for the people of Ontario, we are doing so in a prudent and responsible way.

And I am pleased to inform the House that we will be releasing our government’s fall economic statement just a few weeks from now on November 2, Mr. Speaker.

This government will continue to make targeted investments to support families, to support workers, and to support businesses today while laying a strong fiscal foundation for future generations.

As we have seen over the last year and the last few months, Mr. Speaker, Ontario’s population continues to grow—almost 500,000 people last year; over 15.6 million people, who call Ontario home. That’s why we are building Ontario.

That’s why we’re building in Durham, for Bowmanville, four more transit stations in transit-oriented com-munities. That’s why, up in Sault Ste. Marie at the Algoma Steel plant, they’re going to be building and completing a clean steel manufacturing operation due to open in November 2024. And that’s why, in the west Niagara region, we are building a new hospital that they’ve been asking for, for almost three decades. We are committed to supporting the people of Ontario, and we will build Ontario together.

Meegwetch, Speaker. A question to the Premier: Things are different in northern Ontario. Things are different in Kiiwetinoong. Things are different on-reserve. But since I’ve been here, since I’ve become a member, I’ve talked about many issues that need to be improved on-reserve: housing, fire safety, education, mental health and clean drinking water. It is systemic racism to do nothing and let these conditions get worse.

Will this government acknowledge that they have a responsibility to improve these conditions in First Nations?

Interjections.

First and foremost, I want to welcome the members from the isolated communities here today that I’ve had an opportunity to live in, especially Kasabonika, one of my favourite communities.

Mr. Speaker, we see these as opportunities. We acknowledge that there remain some challenges around things like legacy infrastructure for isolated communities. But when it gets right down to it, we have an extraordinary opportunity to work with those communities to open up corridors for electricity, road access, and to improve the health, economic and social conditions of those communities. Increasingly, leadership from those communities are coming to us to have those conversations and develop real opportunities and create real opportunities through my ministries and other ministries in this government to change the fortunes and the road map to prosperity, Mr. Speaker. I’m happy to continue that con-versation with that member and the leadership across northern Ontario.

Speaker, it’s not prosperity when you have young girls dying by suicide, when you have young boys dying by suicide. That’s not prosperity. But 31 chiefs in the Sioux Lookout area, as part of the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, have declared a public and social emergency because of the disproportionate mental health and addiction issues in the north. The cost of doing nothing, because Ontario uses jurisdiction as an excuse, costs lives and health every day—every day, Speaker.

Will this government acknowledge that colonialism is a determinant of health for First Nations people?

I thank the member opposite for the opportunity to answer this question. We know that there are gaps in care, and they’re wider in Indigenous communities. Since 2019, we’ve invested over $40 million annually in Indigenous care organizations through the Roadmap to Wellness. We’ve strengthened partnerships with community-based organizations doing incredible work: $4.2 million to open 37 treatment beds in Sioux Lookout; $3.8 million to St. Joseph’s health care and Dilico Anishinabek Family Care; 34 new treatment and medical-withdrawal-management beds; $1.7 million to expand beds for KCA youth camps, youth mental wellness service programs; $13.5 million across government with 30 projects aimed at stopping the cycle of intergenerational trauma; two new and expanded treatment and healing centres in northern Ontario through Roadmap to Wellness.

Mr. Speaker, we know we need to do better in Indigenous communities, and we’re working in partnership to build culturally appropriate mental health and addiction supports and services for all the people of Ontario, including Indigenous—

Here are the facts: We are making the largest investment in public transit in the history of this province. Speaker, under the leadership of Premier Ford, over $30 billion is being invested in the city of Toronto.

That member and the members from the Toronto team in the party of the opposition have voted against key projects in transit. They voted against the Ontario Line. They voted against the Scarborough subway extension. They voted against LRTs across this province. They don’t want to build transit in cities like Toronto. They don’t want to build transit in Ontario. We will take no lessons from them.

We will continue on our path to making sure the people of Ontario can move, whether it’s through transit or highways.

Mr. Speaker, I will tell you what the Premier is doing, and that is building the subway system, expanding the subway system by 50% in the city of Toronto and York region. He’s also building public transit in other communities—like Mississauga and the Hurontario line.

Interjections.

Interjections.

The supplementary question.

The next question.

The Minister of Transportation to reply.

Start the clock.

My question is for the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Every region in Ontario is experiencing a labour shortage. More workers are needed to deliver on our government’s plan to build homes, schools, roads and other critical infrastructure. That is why our government must develop a workforce to take on these important projects.

In northern Ontario, many businesses, supply chains and industries are expanding. That is why more people in First Nations communities must be connected with well-paying, in-demand jobs in the skilled trades that are close to their home.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is providing accessible training for First Nations communities to prepare for careers in the skilled trades?

As communities and businesses in northern Ontario continue to grow, workers must be prepared for in-demand careers with local employees. That is why our government must take action to break down barriers so that workers can have rewarding careers that are close to home.

Can the minister please explain how our government is developing a sustainable workforce in northern Ontario and Indigenous communities?

Businesses in my riding of Toronto–St. Paul’s and the community they serve have suffered because of delay after delay of the Eglinton Crosstown P3 project. These businesses have not been compensated for these delays—although we’ve asked many times of this government. But the P3 contractor has been rewarded with hundred-million-dollar bailouts paid by the public. Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster has been rewarded with huge raises and just had his contract extended. We might as well call him the million-dollar man.

My question is to the Premier: Why are the people responsible for this fiasco getting rewarded while business people in Toronto–St. Paul’s and, frankly, elsewhere are left to suffer by this Conservative government?

Interjections.

The Metrolinx board won’t hold Mr. Verster accountable. Instead of firing him, they want to give him another raise and pay him over $1 million per year.

The Premier won’t hold the Metrolinx board accountable. Instead, he keeps stacking the board with cronies and PC donors. Where is the transparency and the accountability in that?

Again, back to the Premier, if he’d only answer the question: Who will finally hold the Premier accountable for the Metrolinx gravy train? The RCMP, maybe?

Thank you to the member for that question. Speaker, 700,000: That’s how many more people woke up today with a paycheque thanks to the leadership of this Premier. One of the most successful funds to get people into those jobs, to upskill, to get bigger paycheques, is our Skills Development Fund.

I was proud to be in northern Ontario, a place my Liberal predecessor called no man’s land. I was proud to be up there to announce a $7.3-million investment through the Skills Development Fund to help 1,700 people find better jobs, bigger paycheques. And I was honoured to meet with a number of Indigenous youth and a number of Indigenous men and women who are going to be beneficiaries of the Skills Development Fund, who are going to be supported into getting better jobs, bigger paycheques, to support the skills development in those growing communities in the north.

Speaker, I’ll give you another number: 17,000 jobs go unfilled in northern Ontario in construction, in health care, in tourism, in logging, in mining.

Under the leadership of this Premier, we’ve invested almost a billion dollars through the Skills Development Fund to help people get a leg up. But what’s most exciting is that these projects are led by partners in the north. They’re led by partners—unions, for example—that have been beneficiaries of this.

I was with ironworkers in the north to announce that $7.3 million, and I heard Phil’s story. Phil was at a Safeway. He was working dirty jobs with low pay, and thanks to the Skills Development Fund, he now has a better job and a bigger paycheque.

We’re transforming lives in the north. We’re unlocking the potential. It’s no longer no man’s land. We’re unlocking that potential—