I guess the minister forgot that the Conservative government voted against anti-scab legislation when I was a worker standing over here while scabs were crossing my picket line.

In the gallery, Speaker, we have members from ACTRA representing 6,000 of their members, who have been locked out for 18 months while wealthy ad agencies are demanding wage cuts and an end to benefits and retirement contributions. And then, because Ontario doesn’t have anti-scab legislation, they locked them out and hired scab labour to do the work.

Instead of standing with these workers, the Conservative government keeps buying ads from union-busting ad agencies. For 18 months, the Premier has turned his back on these workers. For 18 months, the Premier has been proud to use ad agencies using scab workers in government-funded ads.

My question: Will the Conservative government finally stand with these 6,000 workers instead of wealthy union-busting corporations and pass the NDP’s anti-scab legislation?

Interjections.

Ontario used to have anti-scab legislation that was brought in by an NDP government. However, the Harris Conservatives got rid of that straight away, and ever since, workers and those who respect them have been fighting to reintroduce protections against the use of replacement workers.

This minister is a big talker, but I wonder if this new Minister of Labour would walk a strike line and hear how ugly working conditions can be and maybe understand how scab labour leads to higher-conflict picket lines, jeopardizes workplace safety, undermines the bargaining power of workers and drags out strikes.

I am proud to have co-sponsored Bill 90, which is the 16th time that the NDP has brought anti-scab legislation to this House. I hope the government will pass Bill 90 today. My question is this: Why won’t this minister and government support workers and support anti-scab legislation?

Interjections.