SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
October 19, 2023 09:00AM
  • Oct/19/23 10:40:00 a.m.

I would be careful if I were the NDP talking about hiding people, Mr. Speaker. I really, really would.

Look, earlier today, the Minister of Finance announced the date of the next fall economic statement for the province of Ontario. As the Premier has said, he’s not going to stop working on behalf of his constituents—Mrs. Jones who might need a doctor or a pothole filled in front of her home. He’s not going to stop doing that because the Leader of the Opposition is demanding that he stop doing that. That is at the core of everything that this Premier and Ford Nation have been all about. It’s the same type of talk that we heard before when his brother became the mayor, right? It never could happen.

But do you know why Ford Nation became so important to the people of the province of Ontario? Because they actually pick up the phone, because they make the tele-phone calls, because they’re accessible. That is why this caucus has grown, and that is why that caucus has continued to shrink, election after election after election.

Do you know what, Mr. Speaker? The Leader of the Opposition is doing everything in her power to distract from the fact that she has a full-blown caucus revolt on her hands. Why, Mr. Speaker? Because she has failed on her first true test of leadership. When she had the opportunity to stand up to the anti-Semitic hard left of her party, she refused to do anything about it. They looked at her and said, “We will not listen to you,” despite the fact that she said, “Take something down. Apologize.” When they said no, she cowered. She failed the first true test, and it is why she will never be the Premier of this province.

But we’re talking about the things that matter to the people of the province of Ontario. We have a fall economic statement that will set the agenda for the budget, in next year’s budget. We’re opening pre-budget consultations, because we want to continue to focus on the priorities of the people of the province of Ontario. We want to continue to grow the economy. Even more than the 700,000 who already have the dignity of a job, we want to grow that number.

We would like the opposition to help us, participate, give us ideas. I doubt they will—

I have a request on my desk from SickKids hospital, from the mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, to use an MZO to ensure that the Ornge helicopter space is preserved and protected. It is my intention to do just that.

I will let them explain why they are against using MZOs to further the priorities of the people of the province of Ontario, to protect the people of the province of Ontario. We will continue to do it when it is in the best interest of the people of the province of Ontario. That is why we are building a bigger, better, safer Ontario. They are against that every step of the way.

526 words
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  • Rabble!
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