It’s my great pleasure this morning to welcome the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association here today. I’m honoured to welcome Cathy Abraham, president; executive director Stephanie Donaldson; my own trustee from the wonderful riding of Davenport, Alexis Dawson—and all of the other school board trustees from across the province. Thank you for the work that you do in advocating for public education in Ontario. I look forward to going to your reception later today.

Our page captain today is Elliott Bernier from Kanata–Carleton. Je suis heureuse de reconnaître son père, M. Eric Bernier, qui est avec nous aujourd’hui. Bienvenue à M. Bernier.

Et aussi, I would like to introduce members of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, including Cathy Abraham, who are here today for the Queen’s Park lobby day. Thank you for being here.

I’m going to go for the hat trick here: I also want to welcome, from Sault Ste. Marie, our former MPP and now president of Sault College, David Orazietti.

I also want to introduce Sherri Smith, the vice-president of academics, innovation and student services at Sault College; Rachel MacDonald, the director of communications and stakeholder relations at Sault College; and a very good personal friend of mine, Don Mitchell, the chair of the board of governors at Sault College.

Welcome, everyone, to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to introduce a good friend of mine from Hospice Peterborough: Len Lifchus.

I would also like to welcome the many public school board trustees who are visiting us today, including President Cathy Abraham and, from the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the chair of the board, Lynn Scott, and Trustee Jennifer Jennekens. Welcome.

I have a few introductions today, from the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, who are with us today—from my riding, in my area, I have Greg Bowman, David Farrow, Judy Kosmerly, Julie Bertram, and Allison Jarvis.

Also, I want to thank Mr. Rick Firth, CEO from Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, for the very, very informative meeting this morning.

I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome Volker Kromm and Ashley Quan from the Regional Food Distribution Association in Thunder Bay here today.

As well, I’d like to welcome Alicia Cameron from Thunder Bay.

And, again, a shout-out to Judith Monteith-Farrell—thank you for your time serving at this House.

On behalf of the Minister of Health and the government, I would like to introduce Rick Firth, president and CEO of Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, and Jennifer Mossop, along with the executive directors from hospices across Ontario to the Legislature. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I also want to add my voice to welcome all the wonderful, hard-working trustees from the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, including mine.

Dee Williams, thank you very much for being in the House.

I also want to welcome Malika Dhanani, who is from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. They’re here at Queen’s Park for their student advocacy week.

I am delighted to see so many former colleagues and friends from OPSBA today. I’m looking forward to the meeting.

I want to say a special welcome to Sherri Moore and Lori-Ann Pizzolato, who are here from the Thames Valley District School Board.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome Donna Edwards, trustee for the Ajax area. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome the president of OPSBA, Cathy Abraham, and executive director Stephanie Donaldson, a great friend of mine, along with my TDSB colleagues: Michelle Aarts, Nathan Shan, Deborah Wilson, and Alex Dawson. Welcome to your House.

I would like to introduce class 5 students from Blessed Trinity Catholic School in my riding. They have a trip to Queen’s Park today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Speaker, I’d like to welcome guests Kate Azure, Lynn Blaxley, Nick De Carlo, Gail Fairley, Moya Beall, and Henry Lowi, here with Seniors for Climate Action Now.

I want to welcome all members from the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, and particularly Nadeem Mahmood and Elizabeth Sinclair, whom I will be meeting later on today. I’m looking forward to it. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

We also have with us in the House some former members: the member for Stoney Creek in the 38th Parliament, Jennifer Mossop; from the riding of Sault Ste. Marie in the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st Parliaments, David Orazietti; and from the 42nd Parliament, the member for Thunder Bay–Atikokan, Judith Monteith-Farrell. Welcome back.

We also have with us in the visitors’ gallery a trustee from the Halton public school board, Jeanne Gray. She represents Halton Hills on the school board.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I missed her earlier, but I see her up in the public gallery now: Diane Lloyd from Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

Remarks in Anishininiimowin.

Good morning. We have a visitor in our office who is at the Legislature for the first time today: Valerie Bedassigae-Pheasant. She comes from Whitefish River First Nation, but she is a principal at Migizi Wazisin School, which means eagle’s nest school, in the Long Lake #58 First Nation. Also, she is with her daughter Athena, who is my EA—but she just calls her Mom. Meegwetch for being here today.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome all of the wonderful people from Feed Ontario. There’s a copy of their most recent report, Hunger Report 2023: Why Ontarians Can’t Get Ahead, on each member’s desk. The members I’d like to welcome are Carolyn Stewart, Ashley Quan, Adelaide Wimpenny, Kirstin Beardsley, Neil Hetherington, Kimberley Wilhelm, Meghan Nicholls, Christine Lind, Vanessa Glasby, Brendan Carlin, June Muir, Lynda Davidson, Rachael Wilson, Radhika Subramanyan, Benjamin Earle, Ryan Noble, Connor Evans Davis, and Andrea Waters. Welcome to Queen’s Park.