I am seeking unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 40(e), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to respond during statements by the ministry and responses today.

Actually, I think it was the member for Kitchener who was actually singled out as having used government resources to raise funds. But, having said that, Mr. Speaker, we are going to continue—

Interjection: Member for Waterloo.

I think, Mr. Speaker, what matters is exactly what the Premier said, that we continue to double down on ensuring that we build 1.5 million homes across the province of Ontario.

The Leader of the Opposition, of course, talks about fundraising. I guess I could ask her the same thing: When Silvio De Gasperis gave you $1,000, to the NDP, what did you promise him?

Interjections.

I wonder if she thinks that Carlo De Gasperis, who also made a $1,000 donation to the NDP, is sketchy as well, Mr. Speaker. I wonder what the Leader of the Opposition promised both Silvio De Gasperis and Carlo De Gasperis for the now $2,000 donations that we have found that went to that party.

What we’re going to continue to do is ensure that we continue to build 1.5 million homes, working with people like the De Gasperis family, who are building homes across Ontario, and other home builders who want to do so, Mr. Speaker.

But then, again, I asked the Leader of the Opposition—the NDP has accepted $2,000 in donations from the very same people she now calls sketchy, and if she has a third question, I might highlight some of the additional donations.

I want to thank the members for their eloquent tributes. We will remember them.

Point of order, the member for Ottawa–Vanier.

It is now time for oral questions.

The supplementary question.

I believe the standing orders indicate that questions go to the government, not the reverse. But at the same time, I would encourage all members to make their comments through the Chair.

Start the clock. The Leader of the Opposition.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Interjection.

Interjection.

If you ignore my requests to come to order, I will warn you.

Start the clock. The Leader of the Opposition.

Like any party, including the NDP over there and the Liberals and the Greens and ourselves for decades, you go to fundraisers. You meet hundreds of people. They chat with you.

But you know, Mr. Speaker, I’ll tell you what the people of Ontario are concerned about right now. They aren’t concerned about what the leader of the NDP is saying. They’re concerned about the carbon tax. They’re concerned about their mortgage when they’re about to lose their house next year or the year after, when they have to renew. They’re concerned about groceries and gas bills.

I just went to an opening over at Costco, met hundreds and hundreds of people, and every single one of them said, “Just keep going. Make sure you protect our backs. Make sure you lower the costs and the burden on the backs of the taxpayers.” And that’s what we’re doing. We’re making sure that we’re lowering the gas tax by 10 cents. We got rid of those tolls on the 412 and 418. We’re making sure that we’re giving 1.1 million low-income folks in Ontario a tax break. We’re going to continue doing that.

We’re going to focus on making sure we’re fiscally prudent with taxpayers’ money, and we’re going to be cutting taxes, not worrying about—

My question is for the Premier. The Premier told the Integrity Commissioner that he does not recall speaking with Sergio Manchia about changes to government land use policies, and yet new documents revealed this week show that the Premier met with Mr. Manchia on at least two occasions before announcing changes to the greenbelt—changes that benefited Mr. Manchia. One was a fundraiser for a fellow caucus member, the member from Flamborough–Glanbrook.

So to the Premier: How many other government members have had fundraisers with people who are looking for preferential treatment from this government?

Speaker, this government’s questionable fundraising is very well known to the people of Ontario. They’ve been warned and even cautioned on multiple occasions by officers of the Legislature and even Elections Ontario about their fundraising practices. The Integrity Commissioner revealed that the Premier’s fundraiser-in-chief was selling tickets to the infamous Ford family stag and doe to developers with business before the government. Those developers at the event succeeded in getting their properties removed.

So to the Premier: Was the Premier aware that his top fundraiser was peddling stag and doe tickets to developers who were lobbying the government?

Interjections.

Interjections.

Interjections.

To the Premier: Will his minister correct the record?

It’s pretty clear the only thing this government is sorry for is the fact that they got caught.

The FOI documents show that the Premier or a member of his staff wanted to make sure that the Premier’s friend, Mr. Rehmatullah, could develop these greenbelt lands in Nobleton. On November 4, Mr. Amato wrote, “Premier’s office has asked me for a picture to make sure it’s captured.”

Back to the Premier: Who in the Premier’s office was so interested in these Nobleton greenbelt lands, and why?

Interjections.

The Integrity Commissioner reported that Mr. Rehmatullah’s request for changes to these greenbelt lands in Nobleton caused quite a stir among the minister’s political staff. I think this is actually the first time I’ve ever seen the F-word written in a report tabled by an independent officer of the Legislature. The report does not explain why the minister’s political staff would give so much attention to a request from Mr. Rehmatullah.

Back to the Premier: Did he or any of his staff direct the ministry to make these changes that benefited his close friend? The people of Ontario deserve an answer.

Interjections.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Interjections.

Start the clock. Leader of the Opposition.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Interjections.

Interjections.

Start the clock. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Start the clock. The next question.

The supplementary question.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

We’re just 15 minutes into this. We have 45 minutes to go.

We are doing the public’s business. People are watching. People are in the visitors’ galleries. The pages are here.

Interjections.

Like the minister said, everything was rescinded.

But what I am concerned about is how deep they’re involved with the public sector unions—like Fred Hahn, who’s an anti-Semite, by the way, who’s donating money to you to the maximum amount. What do you owe Fred Hahn? That’s my question. Extra deals? Backroom deals? Giving you more money?

Again, I’ll tell you one thing: He supports Hamas. You know he does. He said it publicly. He’s disgusting, as far as I’m concerned, and he’s a supporter—

Interjections.

To the Premier: After a decade of Liberal scandals, this Conservative government came in promising transparency, but, since then, we have seen the most egregious displays of preferential treatment from a government in Ontario’s history. Apologies ring hollow when every day new details trickle out that show we don’t yet have the full truth about the Premier’s involvement in these donor deals.

Can the Premier please tell us how he will increase the powers of the Integrity Commissioner and the Auditor General to bring an end to Conservative and Liberal scandals?

This afternoon, the NDP will be tabling a bill that will make some vital reforms to our democratic system, the most important of which will be to finally ban preferential treatment under the Members’ Integrity Act. This will mean no more billion-dollar greenbelt grabs for Conservative donors, no more shady bidding processes leading to a 100-year giveaway of public parkland at Ontario Place.

This government has to work for everyone, not just the Premier’s insider friends. If you agree, will this government support the NDP’s motion?

Interjections.

Like the member from Essex, I can’t understand why the federal government is leaving Ontario out in the cold. It just doesn’t make sense, especially when half of the federal Liberal caucus comes from the province of Ontario. It’s quite shocking.

The Prime Minister, though, this time last week, did finally admit what everybody in this House should know: that the carbon tax is making life more unaffordable for the people of Ontario and more unaffordable for people from coast to coast to coast across this country. As the Premier said in the House on Monday, the Parliamentary Budget Officer has indicated that it’s costing significantly more for the people of Ontario and the people of Canada, and it’s only going to get worse as the carbon tax goes up and up and up.

So despite having all of this information and that knowledge that the carbon tax is making life more unaffordable, why does the current Ontario Liberal caucus of nine continue to vote against motions calling on the removal of carbon tax from grocery—

Fortunately for them, the Liberals have a cherished history of saying one thing and doing another. The Prime Minister once told us that families would get more back from the carbon tax than they would pay. We now know, thanks to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, that that’s not true. Liberal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault once said it wouldn’t be fair for the rest of the federation if we started carving out exceptions for provinces, but that’s the direction that the federal Liberals have gone.

My question for the members of the Ontario Liberal caucus and the federal Liberal government is, why are they so opposed to making life more affordable for the people of Ontario?

Ma question est pour la ministre de la Santé.

On Monday, Toronto’s paramedic union issued a code red to indicate that no ambulance was available to respond to emergency calls. That was their second code red in October. During that period, a 98-year-old woman waited unconscious for over 28 minutes for an ambulance to end up being dispatched from Peel.

Can the minister tell us if an elderly woman, unconscious, waiting for 28 minutes for an ambulance is quality care?

Minister, is this the level of care that the good people of Waterloo can expect from Doug Ford’s Ontario?

Interjections.

Ever since this government was elected, we’ve been working to make life more affordable for people in Ontario. To this end, we even fought the carbon tax all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Now, the federal government has finally admitted that the carbon tax, which we knew all along, hurts people in the province of Ontario. Unfortunately, the federal government has only taken steps to exempt a small number of people in Atlantic Canada from the carbon tax. However, what about us in Ontario? What are we, second-class citizens?

I want to ask the Minister of Energy: Would he share his views on the federal government’s decision to exempt only a small number of people from the carbon tax, and not the province of Ontario?

Speaker, please, I’m asking the minister to share his views on the harmful impacts that the carbon tax has on hard-working people here in the province of Ontario.

A number of members have repeatedly ignored my requests to come to order. I’m going to start warning them if it persists.

Start the clock. The next question.

The supplementary question.

Once again, I’ll remind the members to make their comments through the Chair—and questions normally go to the provincial government from other members.

Start the clock. The member for Nickel Belt.

I’ll once again remind members to refer to each other by their riding name or their ministerial title, as applicable.

I recognize the Minister of Health to reply.

My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. The independent Liberals and the opposition NDP members in this House support increasing the federally imposed carbon tax. They know that increasing the carbon tax will result in a significant spike in fuel prices, setting off a chain reaction of increased costs across our economy. For instance, the cost of manufacturing raw materials will increase dramatically. Businesses, particularly those in rural, remote and northern communities, are already struggling to keep prices affordable for their customers. We must do everything we can to reduce taxes for all Ontarians during this period of economic uncertainty.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how the carbon tax is negatively impacting Ontario’s natural resources sector?

Of course, the member opposite knows I cannot speak to specific cases. I was not in the dispatch centre, nor was she, and she was not there on the scene. What I will say, and she knows it full well, is that ambulance dispatch in the province of Ontario is a seamless system, which means wherever you are in the province of Ontario, the closest ambulance to you will assist you.

Now, having said that, we have ensured, through working directly with our ambulance and paramedic experts, to make sure that we have put in additional programs and supports, always there as a 50-50 partner with municipalities as they expand their ambulance services, whether that is personnel or vehicles.

Look, I know that the NDP have categorically stated that they don’t want to see any change in our health care system, but the truth is, we are making changes that are impacting people’s lives and making sure that services are available closer to home.

Order.

The minister will take his seat. I’ll remind the members that when the Speaker stands, you sit.

Supplementary question?

The next question.

Interjections.

The member for Ottawa Centre: supplementary.

I’ll remind members to make their comments through the Chair.

To reply, the Minister for Children, Community and Social Services.

The supplementary question?

Back to the minister: It’s nice to hear good news in this House, I have to admit, because Sam Ludmer, a veteran, who is watching—hi, Sam—back home in Ottawa Centre was the first person who raised this matter with me. He’s frustrated that as he has made the shift to an electric vehicle, he can’t display his pride in being a veteran on its licence plate. So, Minister, it’s good to hear that we’ve got an opportunity to work together on this.

And Sam, I want to thank you for taking the time to push politicians to do the right thing, because look what you just did: You’ve created unanimity in this place.

Can we get once more for the record, Minister, a commitment in this House as Remembrance Week approaches to work with the opposition, to do the right thing and make all vehicle licence plates available to be proudly displayed with veterans’ licence plates today?

Interjections.

Absolutely, I’ll work with the member.

The member from Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill has had this conversation with me earlier, a couple of weeks ago, as well.

I’m committed to working with all members of this House to ensure that that is something that we can work towards. It is of utmost importance to myself, and thank you for raising it, but also to my colleague who has been working with me on this for the past couple of weeks as well.

My question is to the minister. Raised by veteran organizations and residents alike, there’s a gap in how the Ministry of Transportation honours our veterans: the exclusion of RVs and green electric vehicles from the Veterans’ Licence Plate program. Today, I will be tabling a clear solution: expand the program to all vehicles.

Our veterans’ service is invaluable, and our gratitude shouldn’t be limited by their choice of vehicle. Minister, let’s close this gap together. Will you work with me to ensure all veterans can display the veterans’ poppy licence plate, guaranteeing equal recognition for their service to our nation and our country?