I wasn’t here on the day when the pages were being introduced, so I want to welcome and thank Isolde from the riding of Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill—and, of course, all the pages—for the great work that she does. But since she’s from Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill, I wanted to thank her and welcome her to Queen’s Park.

Thank you so much for everything you’re doing. See you back in the riding, okay?

Dress Purple Day reminds all of us that we all have an important role in promoting the safety and well-being of children, youth, families and their communities. Every year, children’s aid societies and Indigenous child and family well-being agencies, along with local and provincial partners, wear purple to remind people across Ontario that support is available. Children’s aid societies are key partners in child welfare delivery—not only on Dress Purple Day but every single day.

Our government has been collaborating with our partners to redesign Ontario’s child welfare system. We’re transforming child and family services to make sure that all children, youth and their families receive the help they need to be safe and stay together. Our children and youth in care deserve a level playing field where they are all set up for success in adulthood. That’s why, earlier this year, our government announced an investment of $170 million over three years in the Ready, Set, Go Program. This program provides youth transitioning out of care with earlier and more substantive supports to develop the life skills and mentorship experiences they need to pursue post-secondary education, skilled trades training and employment opportunities. This will help youth build stability in their lives and thrive after care.

Speaker, we have heard for many years that the approach to supporting Indigenous children, youth and families needs to evolve to reflect the central role that First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities have in the well-being of their children and families. In March 2022, Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, Ontario and Canada signed a trilateral coordination agreement in respect of child and family services. The agreement supports the implementation of the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations customary care code. This was the first coordination agreement signed in Ontario. It’s the second agreement in Canada since the federal legislation, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, came into force in 2020.

On March 31, 2023, a second coordination agreement, between Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, or KI, Ontario and Canada, was executed to support the implementation of KI’s child and family services law, which was the first in Treaty 9 territory. I was so proud to attend this historic event in person. Alongside my colleague the Minister of Indigenous Affairs, we witnessed the hard work and dedication of the KI community first-hand. The signing of coordination agreements such as these helps to support Indigenous governments to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services, and foster reconciliation overall.

In addition to this work, we launched a legislative review of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, the CYFSA, which came into force in April 2018. This act is an important one. It governs a range of youth services such as adoption, child welfare and protection services, Indigenous child and family services, out-of-home care services and youth justice services. We need to make sure it continues to promote the best interests, protection and well-being of children, youth and families. We met with sector and community partners, First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and children, youth and families with lived experience, and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the individuals and families from across the province who took the time to provide their feedback. The insight and perspectives they shared will be compiled into a report that we will make available to the public. This will guide our next steps as we continue to improve the child welfare system.

Our government’s vision is for an Ontario where all children, youth and families, including those receiving child welfare services, have the supports they need to succeed and thrive. Together with the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies, the Association of Native Child and Family Services Agencies of Ontario, individual children’s aid societies and local and provincial partners, we are strengthening families and communities across the province.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you once again, and I want to thank all my colleagues in the House, for helping raise awareness about this important day. And let’s remember that we all have an important role in supporting children, youth and families on not only Dress Purple Day but every single day.

Response?

It’s an honour today to rise with my colleagues to reaffirm our support for children and youth, especially our most vulnerable children and youth, on Dress Purple Day and to reaffirm my commitment to working across party lines to support children and youth in our communities.

For years, children’s aid societies, Indigenous and child and family well-being associations in Ontario have used the month of October to remind the public about their role in keeping children and youth in our communities across this province safe. Dress Purple Day is about protecting and supporting children and youth and strengthening families through enhanced community-based prevention and early intervention. It’s also an opportunity to address systemic discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, ability, poverty and sexual orientation that can lead to overrepresentation in surveillance of families in certain communities.

Every child and youth in Ontario has the right to feel safe. Every child and youth in Ontario has a right to be well cared for—their physical and mental health and their community connections. On Dress Purple Day, we have a role to play to help vulnerable families and children and youth to feel supported.

With the focus on prevention, I want to talk about the important work of addressing adverse childhood experiences. I want to give a shout-out to Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington and their partners who have a coalition addressing adverse childhood experiences. We know that by addressing adverse childhood experiences, we strengthen youth resiliency, we prevent challenges happening later in life and we improve the quality of life of children, youth and their families.

I also want to just highlight the importance of addressing the mental health challenges that so many young people are facing and the importance of investing in things like youth wellness hubs and other supports for young people to make them more resilient and to make sure we address adverse childhood experiences and that we ensure youth have the supports they need.

I’m honoured to rise today to speak about Dress Purple Day and highlight the important role that we all play in supporting vulnerable children, youth and families year-round. The children in our lives deserve our love, encouragement and safekeeping. I am firm in my stance that any child at any time has a trusting and supportive voice in me, in this chamber, in Beaches–East York and in confidence.

Dress Purple Day is hosted every October to raise awareness of the critical work that children’s aid societies do. They are integral community organizations that are part of the circle of care that promotes the well-being of children, youth and families. Dress Purple Day brings attention to the early help and supportive services available to families facing challenges and to the prevention and early intervention work children’s aid societies do to guide families and keep children and youth at home. They are strongly committed to assisting everyone with informed, anti-racist, equitable policies that protect the needs of Indigenous and Black and African Canadian communities. We have an obligation to keep the children in our communities safe. Beyond being kind role models for children, they should be able to come to us to find resources and to share concerns.

In my riding of beautiful Beaches–East York, we are lucky to have a plethora of organizations and spaces making the world a brighter place for children. Thorncliffe Park Youth Wellness Hub is a welcoming space for youth health and wellness offering free services and fun. Michael Garron Hospital’s Child and Youth Anxiety Clinic provides clinical care and mental health services for children and teenagers. We have active Girl Guides and Scouts Canada programs.

As representatives, we have the opportunity to provide children and families with the resources they need to live happily and free from harm. We can work together with children’s aid societies in our areas and advocate for fulsome funding for their services. Children need and deserve safe communities that include trusted adults. Dress Purple Day is a reminder for us all to create a world that fosters this.

Keep children safe, happy and flourishing so they are ready to be the change-makers of the future. Dress purple on October 27 to show your support.

I’m proud to read this petition for the first time in the House. The petition is entitled “Stop Billing Recipients of OW and ODSP for Ambulance Transportation.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas ambulance fees for OW, ODSP and GAINS recipients are waived under the Ontario Works Act, the Ontario Disability Support Program Act and Family Benefits Act;

“Whereas these recipients are still initially billed every time they are transported to the hospital and must have the fee waived after they receive care;

“Whereas this mechanism causes anxiety for those who are entitled to have their bill covered and additional work for caseworkers and health care workers;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the government of Ontario to:

“—immediately eliminate billing recipients of OW, ODSP and GAINS for their essential use of ambulance transportation to the hospital;

“—implement a program, like the easy-to-use Fair Pass Transit Discount Program, where OW, ODSP and GAINS recipients may upload proof of income and make it subject to renewal annually;

“—to not include hidden fees or mechanisms that take from initiatives or programs that are specifically designed for recipients of OW, ODSP and GAINS who have high health care needs.”

I will proudly affix my signature to this petition, send it to the centre table and also give my gratitude in extension to the hard work of Katias Yee, who is in the House today, for collecting these signatures.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario Place has been a cherished public space for over 50 years, providing joy, recreation and cultural experiences for Ontarians and tourists alike and holds cultural and historical significance as a landmark that symbolizes Ontario’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and public engagement;

“Whereas redevelopment that includes a private, profit-driven venture by an Austrian spa company prioritizes commercial interests over the needs and desires of the people of Ontario, and it is estimated that the cost to prepare the grounds for redevelopment and build a 2,000-car underground garage will cost approximately $650 million;

“Whereas there are concerns of cronyism by Mark Lawson, Therme Group Canada’s vice-president of comms and external relations, who” previously held a position of deputy chief of staff in the Premier’s office;

“Whereas meaningful public consultations with diverse stakeholders have not been adequately conducted and the Ontario NDP has sent a letter of support for a public request to begin an investigation into a value-for-money and compliance audit with respect to proposed redevelopment of Ontario Place;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to halt any further development plans for Ontario Place, engage in meaningful and transparent public consultations to gather input and ideas for the future of Ontario Place, develop a comprehensive and sustainable plan for the revitalization of Ontario Place that prioritizes environmental sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity, and ensure that any future development of Ontario Place is carried out in a transparent and accountable manner, with proper oversight, public input and adherence to democratic processes.”

I proudly sign this petition and will send it to the centre table with page Michael.

“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 $1,308 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works ... and the Ontario Disability Support Program...;

“Whereas small increases to ODSP have still left 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 agree with this petition, will affix my signature and give it to page Danté to bring to the table.

This petition is titled “Save Ontario Place” and it reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario Place has been a cherished public space for over 50 years, providing joy, recreation and cultural experiences for Ontarians and tourists alike and holds cultural and historical significance as a landmark that symbolizes Ontario’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and public engagement;

“Whereas redevelopment that includes a private, profit-driven venture by an Austrian spa company prioritizes commercial interests over the needs and desires of the people of Ontario, and it is estimated that the cost to prepare the grounds for redevelopment and build a 2,000-car underground garage will cost approximately $650 million;...

“Whereas meaningful public consultations with diverse stakeholders have not been adequately conducted and the Ontario NDP has sent a letter of support for a public request to begin an investigation into a value-for-money and compliance audit with respect to proposed redevelopment of Ontario Place;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to halt any further development plans for Ontario Place, engage in meaningful and transparent public consultations to gather input and ideas for the future of Ontario Place, develop a comprehensive and sustainable plan for the revitalization of Ontario Place that prioritizes environmental sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity, and ensure that any future development of Ontario Place is carried out in a transparent and accountable manner, with proper oversight, public input and adherence to democratic processes.”

I couldn’t agree more. I will affix my signature and pass it on to the page.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas ambulance fees for OW, ODSP and GAINS recipients are waived under the Ontario Works Act, Ontario Disability Support Program Act and Family Benefits Act;

“Whereas these recipients are still initially billed every time they are transported to the hospital and must have the fee waived after they receive care;

“Whereas this mechanism causes anxiety for those who are entitled to have their bill covered and additional work for caseworkers and health care workers;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the government of Ontario to:

“—immediately eliminate billing recipients of OW, ODSP and GAINS for their essential use of ambulance transportation to the hospital;

“—implement a program, like the easy-to-use Fair Pass Transit Discount Program, where OW, ODSP and GAINS recipients may upload proof of income and make it subject to renewal annually;

“—to not include hidden fees or mechanisms that take from initiatives or programs that are specifically designed for recipients of OW, ODSP and GAINS who have high health care needs.”

I, too, want to thank Katias for the signatures on this petition and I’m happy to affix my signature to it.

I’m just trying to see—what have I got, 16 minutes left? Is that what that says?

Interjection: Six.

I just wanted to give the members an update from this morning about the St. Lawrence Seaway. I listened to the news at 12 o’clock, and if that dispute doesn’t get settled in the next two days there’s going to be a number of communities in the province of Ontario that have no gas. So do whatever you can do to talk to your leadership, to get a hold of the federal government as well to put some pressure to get that resolved. It’s really going to start to hit home in the next couple of days.

I want to start where I left off. I was talking about access to local health services, essential for the well-being of our communities. I’m going to turn my attention to Niagara-on-the-Lake. It’s concerning that there’s a lack of primary care services in my town. We know—or we should know, people who have been to Niagara-on-the-Lake—you closed the hospital there in Niagara-on-the-Lake, so we don’t have a hospital in Niagara-on-the-Lake anymore, unfortunately. I believe, as I said in my question this morning to the health minister, every resident deserves access to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner, yet many are left without this basic health care need. I am fully aware of the urgency of the situation and I have been actively advocating for a solution.

The arrival of a nurse practitioner in Niagara-on-the-Lake would be a positive step, not only for the residents but also for this government. Nurse practitioners play a critical role in our health care system, providing essential primary care services. They could bridge the gap and ensure that residents have access to timely and reliable health care. We cannot afford essential health care facilities like Fort Erie urgent care to close. We must work to prevent the privatization of our health care system.

Again, I’m going to talk just a little bit about Fort Erie: 25% of the residents in Fort Erie are seniors. You guys stand up and talk about how much you care about seniors. We have to do better for them. The residents of Niagara-on-the-Lake deserve access to primary care services, and the introduction of a nurse practitioner could be a great step moving forward. Unlike the government, I remain committed to advocating for the health care needs of our community and will continue to fight for better health care services for all—including in your ridings, by the way.

Madam Speaker, let’s take a look at the name of this bill. It includes two very common Conservative catchphrases: “cut red tape”—we’ve heard that before, many times, even in this House—but the one that they’ve added, which is why I’m arguing I can continue to speak on this, is “common sense.” I think everything I’m bringing forward today is common sense. We heard it for eight years under the Mike Harris government. What happened when they brought forward common sense was they closed hospitals, they laid off nurses—again, all in the name of cutting red tape. I’m trying to figure out why we go down this path of saying “common sense.”

The rationale is always about supporting businesses—“We need to cut red tape to allow business to thrive in this province.” However, they very rarely mean small or medium-sized businesses. Look how they are currently treating Ontario’s wine industry, a very, very important industry not only to Niagara but I believe right across the province of Ontario.

We have, without a doubt, some of the best small and medium-size wineries in the world. They are fighting to ensure this government listens to them and provides the necessary support for them to flourish. We have the potential to really grow that industry in Niagara. I know there’s been lots of proposals being talked about with the government, but if they want to cut red tape—and this is certainly one that can fall under “it’s not in the bill but it should be”—they could start with the 6.1% basic tax here on wineries here in Ontario.

Ontario’s wine industry has come a long way, and it now stands as one of the jewels in the crown of our province’s agricultural sector. This industry has seen remarkable growth, and the Niagara region has played a pivotal role in this success story. With its unique microclimate and fertile soil, Niagara has become the best of Ontario’s grape production. The region boasts some of the best wineries, numerous vineyards, and is home to an impressive number of wineries, making it a world-renowned wine-producing region.

This is really interesting; you should listen to this. Niagara has a very distinct climate. It’s responsible for a significant portion of grapes that are used in the production of high-quality Ontario wines. You may or may not know—the members who are listening—that 90% of the grapes are grown in Niagara—90%. It shows how valuable the grape industry is and the wine industry is to Niagara. These grapes give our wines that unique and delightful character, and I’m sure everybody in the House who has tried Niagara wines will say they taste great. The Niagara region is a beacon for wine enthusiasts and tourists from around the globe and it plays an essential role in promoting Ontario’s rich heritage.

Here’s how we can fix it and we can cut red tape: Promoting local wines through the LCBO is crucial for the success of our homegrown wineries. By enhancing the presence of local wines on LCBO shelves, we not only support our local winemakers; we also give the consumer more opportunity to experience the unique flavours our province has to offer.

What’s happening in Niagara—and I’m meeting with them tomorrow—is we have grapes that are going to sit on the vines and they’re probably just going to end up on the ground because we continue to allow, on some of our wines that aren’t VQA 100% Ontario wines, blended wineries. We end up importing grapes, importing wine into our communities. It makes no sense. So I’m really asking the government to really listen to the grape industry to make sure that our grapes are 100% grown in Ontario and are not going to rot on the vine. I don’t have the number, but I believe it’s something like $40 million. It’s something that I really want to—

The petition is entitled “National Chronic Pain Society petition.”

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas one in four Ontarians over the age of 15 suffer from chronic pain, with 73% reporting that the pain interferes with their daily lives and more than half reporting issues with depression and suicidal thoughts; and

“Whereas pain is the most common reason to seek health care, with chronic pain making up approximately 16% of emergency room visits and 38% of frequent visits, adding to the already lengthy wait times and delaying treatment; and

“Whereas the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) is proposing to limit the number of nerve block injections a pain sufferer can receive to 16 per year, regardless of the severity of the patient’s condition or the number of injections needed, and seemingly without any consultations with patients or health care workers; and

“Whereas the most common treatment for pain provided by family doctors and hospitals is opioids, despite the current national crisis leading to an estimated 20 opioid-related deaths in Canada every day during the COVID-19 pandemic;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“Prevent OHIP from applying a one-size-fits-all solution to the issue of chronic pain, and allow for consultations with health care workers and pain sufferers to determine the best way to treat chronic pain without resorting to opioids.”

I will sign this petition and return it to the table with page Danté.

Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have for petitions.

Resuming the debate adjourned on October 26, 2023, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 139, An Act to amend various Acts / Projet de loi 139, Loi modifiant diverses lois.

I’d like to thank Dr. Sally Palmer for her tireless efforts in bringing these petitions to the House. This 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 two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (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 could not agree more and will affix my signature to it.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas mental health care is health care;

“Whereas the mental health crisis facing Ontarians has gotten worse with the pandemic;

“Whereas BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, women and people with disabilities have historically faced significant barriers to accessing equitable health care services due to systemic discrimination;

“Whereas registered psychotherapists provide vital mental health services, especially as an early intervention;

“Whereas a 13% tax added to the cost of receiving psychotherapy services is another barrier for Ontarians seeking this vital care;

“Whereas registered psychotherapists are still required to collect HST from clients, while most other mental health professionals have been exempted;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pass the Making Psychotherapy Services Tax-Free Act, 2023.”

I support this petition, will affix my signature to it and give it to page Paxten.

I apologize to the member. Just on a point of order, standing order 59, I’ll outline business for next week.

In the morning we will have Bill 136, which is the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act; in the afternoon, Bill 142, Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act.

On Tuesday, October 31, in the morning, Bill 142, Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act; in the afternoon, Bill 136, Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act; and in the evening, the private member’s business standing in the name of the member for Richmond Hill, Bill 137, Planning for Your Silver Years Awareness Week Act.

On Wednesday, November 1, in the morning, Bill 136, which is the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act; in the afternoon, Bill 142, Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act; and in the evening, Bill 67.

On Thursday, November 2, in the morning, again back to Bill 142; in the afternoon routine, the Minister of Finance will deliver the fall economic statement; and in the afternoon, we will return to Bill 136.

I want to thank the member from Niagara Falls for certainly his comments on the bill and just having the great familiarity with the Niagara region that you’ve got. I know I asked this question yesterday, but I’d love to hear from you too about the Niagara Escarpment Program and the permitting process involved. Given that it has been in place for such a long time, almost 50 years, it seems to be overburdened and outdated. It asks for newspaper ads instead of online tools. I’m wondering if you agree with the changes that are proposed in this bill that are recommended by the Auditor General that will modernize some of the notification measures that are related to the Niagara Escarpment Program.

I would like to thank the member from Niagara Falls for completing his debate this afternoon, which I know he began probably yesterday.

I’d like to thank the member from Niagara Falls for his presentation. We all know in this House that he’s a strong advocate for his constituents in Niagara Falls and, frankly, all of Niagara. He has also been a very strong voice on labour unions and health care.

Today, I was quite concerned to learn that in his riding, they had requested an RNP which the government promised a year ago, and the community has not seen that happen yet. I was wondering if the member could explain to me why this Conservative government is not delivering for the people of Niagara.

This morning.

I can tell you, like we always find out during these things, we all know about—

What I would really want to make sure is that who gets appointed to the Niagara Escarpment board is not always just either defeated PC candidates or donors. I would like to see that citizens actually who aren’t in that ring—we get other people to sit on that board who may have some experience in Niagara Parks. I think that would be really good.

So to answer your question, anything that’s going to help the Niagara Escarpment I think is good. I think it’s good for the province of Ontario. I think it’s good for Niagara. Modernizing is always a good thing, so I appreciate the question.

The reason why I raised it today is I’m trying to say to the MPPs on that side of the House, when you make a promise to a community, my suggestion is you keep that promise. Because we are having residents from 60 to 90 who don’t have a family doctor, who have to drive to St. Catharines—or find some kind of transportation—or to Niagara Falls. So that’s why it’s important to raise those issues here in the House so my colleagues can hear some of the things—

You have run out of time.

Yes, I have a question. There are certain areas where there is an enormous amount of red tape. For example, ODSP: 800 regulations. But there are other areas where there needs to be enforcement where perhaps there isn’t enough regulation or inspection taking place. I wonder if you could speak to the situation in seniors’ housing and long-term care and actually the lack of necessary following of the rules and follow-up with inspections.

Thank you to the member from Niagara Falls. I understand and hear that you advocate for the winery business in Niagara Falls. Our government always supports all the businesses and that’s why we have this less-red-tape bill. This is the second bill that we are proceeding on and we know that this is a process and we know what you are asking for is getting there, as well.

But my question for you is, we’ve now achieved over $939 million in savings a year and we’re going to continue moving forward with the important work, and part of that is what you’ve just asked for. Would the member support these continued efforts to make it easier for people and businesses to work with the government?