On Monday, November 27, members of the Sikh community celebrated Gurpurab, the 554th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.

Gurpurab is a holy and religious holiday for members of the Sikh community, including myself. This most sacred day in the Sikh calendar is traditionally observed by attending gurdwaras and participating in “seva,” selflessly serving others without expectation of recognition or reward.

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled on foot with a mission of uniting the world through love and kindness. His teachings and lessons contributed to the creation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which is the central holy religious scripture in Sikhism. The three core teachings in Sikhi are Naam Japna, remembering God at all times; Kirat Karni, earning an honest living; and Vand Chakna, sharing your earnings with the less fortunate.

Speaker, I would like to emphasize Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s selfless and compassionate nature, always preaching for kindness and unity. Gurpurab serves as a commemoration of his life, accomplishments and, notably, his enduring legacy.

Heart and Stroke is at Queen’s Park today. Since I was elected, we have worked together many times to call on the government to introduce health promotion and disease prevention initiatives.

I am happy to report that thanks to their support, we have taken many steps forward. Ontario has banned flavoured cigarillos; they were marketed to youth to get them addicted to nicotine. Restaurants now put calorie labelling on their menus to help people make healthier choices.

In 2019, Heart and Stroke joined me in support of a bill to create an automatic external defibrillator registry that 911 operators could use to direct callers in the event of a cardiac arrest. Although it became law three years ago, it is still not implemented, but I am hopeful.

Heart and Stroke is here today because there’s so much more that needs to be done. Ontario needs to be informed, educated, and raise awareness about heart and brain health. We need to accelerate critical research to improve outcomes for people living with heart disease and stroke. And we need to support people in their health journey and recovery.

Heart and Stroke does all of this with their advocacy for public policies, for healthier environments, for improved access to support services and for a strong and equitable health care system. Thank you, Heart and Stroke, for all you do and for all that your volunteers do. Ontario is healthier because of your hard work. Thank you. Merci.

I would like to thank the Associate Minister of Housing, Minister Flack, for his visit in Glengarry–Prescott–Russell last week. We had the opportunity to participate in the inaugurations of two new senior citizens’ housing projects in St-Albert and Vankleek Hill. Our government did provide close to $3 million to help create affordable housing units in the united counties of Prescott and Russell to support our seniors.

The new building at the Résidence Lajoie in St-Albert consists of a two-storey building with 26 units, six of which are fully accessible. Residents have access to fitness equipment, a shared recreational space and a meeting room. The new three-storey building at the Vankleek Hill Senior Citizens Manor includes 30 housing units. The building is also energy-efficient and designed to meet VisitAbility standards with accessibility features such as wide doors and everything.

It was nice to meet with the new tenants that had moved only a few days prior to our visit. We were able to reiterate on our commitment to helping more Ontarians find a home they can afford and that meets their needs. I would like to thank the board members from both non-profit organizations. They have some opportunities from different governments for funding, but it takes their implication, through these volunteers on the boards, to do the work and make it happen.

Me and the minister stopped by the St-Albert cheese factory to get some cheese curds and also stopped by Beau’s beer and Dunrobin Distilleries in Vankleek Hill to shop for Christmas presents. It was a great day.

It was a pleasure to join everyone at the Kanata Santa Claus Parade this past Saturday. I can’t wait for all our other communities to join in the fun. Constance Bay on Saturday the 2nd, and the villages of Carp and Fitzroy Harbour on Saturday the 9th. I want to thank all of the volunteers that make these parades happen.

This time of year is a special opportunity for us to come together to celebrate the spirit of generosity and to appreciate the blessings we have, as a community. Whatever tradition you celebrate, may this season bring you love, joy, reflection and time with your loved ones.

In Kanata–Carleton, our loving communities are our strength. As we gather with friends and families, let us also remember those who may be facing challenges and extend a hand of kindness and support. I would encourage everyone to give to their local food bank. May the festive lights brighten your homes, and the laughter of loved ones warm your heart.

As your representative in the Ontario provincial Parliament, I am grateful for the privilege to serve the people of Kanata–Carleton. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very happy holiday season. May love, joy, and peace be the gifts we give each other. Lord knows the world could use more of that.

It’s Christmas parade season, and all across the valley, communities are getting together to do something that everybody loves.

In my riding, each and every parade is a special experience that speaks in a very visual way about the people, the organizations, the businesses, and their expressions of community spirit. This past weekend, I was able to attend parades in both Cobden and Pembroke.

The Cobden parade is a daytime parade that brings out people from all around the area and sends out the message that Christmas is near. As the first parade of the season, that is most appropriate. I even had the opportunity to entertain the crowd with my rendition of the Burl Ives classic, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.

The Pembroke parade is an evening event, and this year’s edition was truly spectacular. Over 100 floats took part in the parade, witnessed by the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen. The floats and the work that goes into them is something to appreciate. My hat goes off to all those who work so hard to make these parades so very special.

What really is the most wonderful part of the Christmas/Santa Claus parades is the joy and excitement shown by the children as they anxiously await the arrival of the jolly old elf.

As I move along the route, exchanging greetings with so many people, it is the reactions of the children that leave the most lasting impression. The joy of children; isn’t that what it’s all about?

I look forward to experiencing more of it this weekend.

Today, the members in the Legis-lature are wearing purple scarves in honour of the Wrapped in Courage campaign. And today, we have many agencies that support female victims of violence and that are also fighting for an end of violence against women. This Wrapped in Courage campaign was organized by the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses. They note that it takes an entire community to bring an end to gender-based violence, and they’re asking everyone to support survivors of gender-based violence and become part of Ontario-wide efforts to bring an end to this violence. They’re in the House today, and I met some of them before this, just a few minutes ago.

That they’re in the House today is very auspicious, because this morning we had the third reading of Bill 41, which is a bill to bring an end to coerced debts for survivors of human trafficking. This bill was passed by all parties. It’s an all-party bill, and we’re looking forward to the implementation so that survivors who are encumbered by debts from their trafficking, by their traffickers, will have those debts expunged so that they can get on with their lives.

I want to thank all of the agencies who are here for the Wrapped in Courage campaign for all of the work that you do to provide supports to women who are victims of abuse, and also to survivors of human trafficking. Thank you for being here.

We’re looking all looking forward to the day—November 25, we will note that it’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It’s a day that we should all recognize and all commit ourselves to do our part to bring an end to gender-based violence.

Last weekend, our country and, really, the world lost a remarkable individual. Mr. George Cohon, founder of McDonald’s Canada, passed away at the age of 86. And I wanted to honour his memory in the House today and acknowledge his incredible legacy and impact on our province and country.

Although George was born in Chicago, he believed completely in Canada’s distinct identity. He made sure that he used Canadian suppliers, and included the red maple leaf logo in the Canadian arches in McDonald’s.

In 1977, he created McHappy Day. And in 1981, he brought the first Ronald McDonald House to Canada. Today, there are 16 houses across the industry helping over 26,000 families a year and giving them a place to stay while their children face health issues in hospitals.

He has been honoured with so many distinctions for his philanthropy, including the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario.

In 1982, Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade almost came to an end, and George stepped up and he saved and he preserved it—and usually, he dressed up as a clown and he joined in on the fun.

When he was asked about his biggest accomplishment, George said this: “Getting involved with McDonald’s allowed me to do for other people. And that’s the charities—the Ronald McDonald Houses; the McHappy Day. The pride I have ... not only to sell hamburgers ... but to be a good member in communities around the world—to help society.”

For George, it was always about community over self. May his legacy live on.

I want to pay tribute today to the recipient of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce, 2023 Award of Excellence for Citizen of the Year, in my riding, my friend, Mr. Tom Russell.

As a community volunteer, Tom has played instrumental roles in fundraising campaigns that have secured millions of dollars in support of many, many worthy causes. In his professional capacity as the long-serving executive director of the Thousand Islands Community Futures Development Corp., he has played a critical role in supporting hundreds of small businesses with tens of millions of dollars in financial assistance and countless hours of professional advice, helping to create thousands of jobs along the way.

Tom has worked has worked closely with a variety of stakeholders to author or co-author numerous funding applications, which have collectively generated additional millions of dollars in support for community projects. His extensive volunteer and professional roles have Tom sit or chair on many influential boards and committees over the years in my riding.

Tom was born and raised in Brockville and has been with his lovely wife, Kimberley, for 34 years. Tom Russell is one of those special people who has dedicated his life to public service. My riding really owes him a debt of gratitude. Congratulations, my friend. Your parents, Ron and Emma, would have been so very proud of your accomplishments. Congratulations.

It is my honour to introduce some fine ladies who work at Women’s Habitat in Etobicoke: Carla Neto, executive director; Lina Almanzan, who is director of philanthropy; Alicia Whyte, who is manager of programs and client services; and Sheila Baroro, who is manager of finance. Thank you, ladies, for the work you do in our community every day.

It is an honour to welcome the northern representative of the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, Jennifer Chamberlin, and the executive director of the New Starts for Women in Red Lake. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome Josh Van Horne from the Brantford Professional Firefighters Association; Elise deBlieck’s grade 6 class from Hope Reformed Christian School; and Natasha Dobler from Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services of Brantford. Great to have you all in the people’s House.

November, as you know, marks Woman Abuse Prevention Month. Today, we were greeted by the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses with their Wrapped in Courage awareness and advocacy campaign.

I would like to thank OAITH executive director Marlene Ham for your incredible work along with your team: Amber Wardell, learning and development coordinator of OAITH; Lauren Hancock, policy and research coordinator of OAITH; Sherece Taffe, digital office support of OAITH; OAITH board members who are here today: Melanie Ducharme, executive director of Pavilion Women’s Centre; Jessie Rodger, executive director of Anova: A Future Without Violence; Jyoti Singh, executive director of Nellie’s Shelter; Erin Baydak, team manager of Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre; Tessa Mcfadzean, director of Good Shepherd Women’s Services; Sly Castaldi, executive director of Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis; Jennifer Chamberlin, executive director of the Red Lake Emergency Women’s Shelter; Carla Neto, executive director of Women’s Habitat; as well as some other organizations that were here today: Yasmine Youssef, executive director of Nisa Foundation; Daniela Giulietti, director of public affairs of YWCA Hamilton; Alicia Whyte, manager of programs and client services of Women’s Habitat; and finally, the fantastic team from Aura Freedom International.

It is my pleasure to welcome Windsor Professional Firefighters: Kris Matton, Shay Currie and Jeff Goldthorpe. I look forward to meeting with them later in my office. I want to welcome them to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to wish a sincere welcome to so many from Windsor and Essex county. From the Windsor Professional Firefighters Association, Kris Matton, Jeff Goldthorpe and Shay Currie; from the Windsor-Essex County Association of Realtors, Maggie Chen, Mark Lalovich, Elica Berry and Krista Gionet. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I would like to welcome Greg Bostajian, honorary consul of Lebanon in Toronto, and Manal Saaidoun, head of the consular department. I would like to invite all the members for the Lebanese flag raising in front of the Parliament after 12:15, marking the Lebanese Independence Day and the Lebanese Heritage Month. They will be cutting cake in my office, 262.

I’m pleased to introduce members of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. We have Vivian Chiem from Wilfred Laurier, Julian Mollot-Hill from Queen’s University, Angelique Dack from Ontario Tech U and Zarreen Brown and Simi Olufowobi from Laurentian University. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’m pleased to introduce board members from the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses: Melanie Ducharme from Pavilion Women’s Centre in Haileybury; Jessie Rodger from Anova in London; Jyoti Singh from Nellie’s Shelter in Toronto; Erin Baydak from Chrysalis House in Ottawa; Tessa Mcfadzean from Good Shepherd centres; Sly Castaldi from Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis; Jennifer Chamberlin from New Starts for Women, Red Lake; Carla Neto from Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke; as well as OAITH members Marlene Ham, Amber Wardell, Lauren Hancock and Sherece Taffe. Welcome to the House.

Speaker, it’s Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe’s birthday today. Happy birthday, Reg.

This morning, I met with Kristine Galvan, Melany Palacios, Jasmine Bates, Navjot Singh, Shanell Roye, Azi Afousi, Kimberly Almeida and Delaney. They are from the College Student Alliance and IGNITE student association.

I also had the privilege of meeting with Simi Olufowobi and Zarreen Brown, who are president and vice-president at the Laurentian University student association.

And of course, today is heart and stroke day, and I’m happy to welcome Liz Scanlon, April Sabit and Anne Lago. Welcome to your House.