I’d like to give a very warm welcome to members of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, and a special welcome to the fire-fighters from the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association that I met with this morning: James Wenger, John Blair and John MacLachlan.

It is my privilege to introduce members of the Council of Canadian Innovators who are visiting Queen’s Park today for a number of roundtables. The Council of Canadian Innovators is a member-based organization reshaping how governments across Canada think about innovation policy and supporting homegrown entrepreneurs to drive our growing economy.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome members from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance: Emily Poirier, Sam Brown, Rory Norris and Megan Spenler.

I’d also like to welcome OAITH board members Melanie Ducharme; Jessie Rodger from Anova in London; Jyoti Singh; Erin Baydak; Tessa McFadzean; Sly Castaldi; Jennifer Chamberlin; Carla Neto; as well as OAITH staff Marlene Ham, Amber Wardell, Lauren Hancock and Sherece Taffe.

I’d also like to welcome member from the London St. Thomas Association of Realtors, Chad Lovell and Jack Lane, as well as the London Professional Fire Fighters Association. That’s a lot.

I’d like to welcome two great women here today: Yasmine Youssef, executive director of the Nisa Foundation; and Shiba Anjum, also a program director for the Nisa Foundation. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I would like to welcome two amazing firefighters from my riding from the Central York Professional Firefighters Association: Jason Beuving and Mike Petrova. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I am pleased to introduced Greg Horton, president, and Bob McCutcheon, secretary treasurer of the Ontario Professional Firefighters Association. We are honoured to have you here today at Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome to the House Chris Seecharran, who’s the new president of the Spadina–Fort York riding association.

I also want to welcome the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association and all their members, and some members of the Wrapped in Courage campaign who I met just a short time ago: Toronto city councillor Lily Cheng from Ward 18, Willowdale; Lina Almanzan from Women’s Habitat; Sheila Baroro, Women’s Habitat; Carla Neto, executive director of Women’s Habitat; Alicia White and Danielle Warren from Aura Freedom; and Tashin Rodoshi, also from Aura Freedom; and Deepa Mattoo from the Barbra Schlifer Clinic. Welcome to the Legislature.

I had the privilege to be able to meet with Ontario Professional Firefighters Association: the president, Ryan Madill from St. Catharines, and their treasurer Liam McGrath from St. Catharines Firefighters Association as well.

I also want to thank all the members and agencies that are here from Niagara region. I want to give a shout-out to Marlene Ham and for their hard work with the Wrapped in Courage campaign to end violence against women.

I’d like to introduce Donna Harvey, who is from the riding of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock, but more important, she’s here today to watch her granddaughter Chloe Hassberger serve as page captain in the Legislature.

I am also glad to welcome the Ontario professional firefighters, and from my area of Oshawa, Local 465 President Pete Dyson and Brad Whittle are joining me. I also understand I’ll be meeting with the Clarington folks: Michale Kalita, Dan Worral and Tyler Muir. And while I’m standing, I am also pleased to welcome the folks from OREA that I’ll be meeting with today: Vickey Sweeney, Chris Vale and Michael Watson. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Good morning. I’d like to welcome Laurie Hepburn, executive director of Halton Women’s Place; Sonia and Kirk Robinson, advocates for Keira’s Law; and Dan VanderLelie, president, Burlington Professional Firefighters Association. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to welcome Tim Lea, secretary of the Niagara Falls Professional Firefighters Association. I’m also looking forward our meeting at 2:30. But really, I want to welcome all the firefighters and thank you for everything you do every day keeping us safe.

I’d like to welcome Dan Bonnar and Clive Deonarine today from my riding here with the firefighters’ association. I also want to give a special shout-out to his mom, Sepelene, who will probably be watching today. Welcome to the House.

I want to welcome all the representatives from the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses on their Wrapped in Courage campaign day. I particularly want to welcome some wonderful women from Hamilton and Brantford. Let’s start with Erin Griver from Inasmuch House; Natasha Dobler, Nova Vita; the fantastic Daniela Giulietti from the YWCA; Tessa Mcfadzean, Good Shepherd Women’s Centre; and the women from Interval House. You do fantastic work keeping our women safe. Welcome to your House.

I’d like to welcome again members of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance who are here for the second day—talk about gluttons for punishment. So I’d like to welcome Abby Samuels, Carleigh Charlton, Simi Olufowobi, Riley Ambrose, Katie Traynor, Sam Brown, Victoria Mills, Alyssa Hall and Jazzlyn Abbott. Welcome to your House.

And I would also like to welcome Dennis Brescacin who has come here from Thunder Bay to represent the Ontario firefighters. Thank you for being here, I look forward to meeting with you.

I would like to introduce, of course, page captain Chloe Hassberger, who’s grand-mother was already introduced by the member for Kawartha–Haliburton–Brock. Her other grandmother, Bev Hassberger is here as well, along with her mother, Carrie Hassberger.

And I want to welcome the various firefighters, Eric Webster and their contingent, who we met with this morning.

I’d like to welcome Wes Case and Karen Hill to the House today. They’re here on behalf of the Ontario Real Estate Association.

As well, I would also like to welcome Dennis Brescacin from the Thunder Bay fire service. I want to thank all the firefighters here in the House today for your service.

Mr. Speaker, all I can say is wow, okay? Wow. When it takes the most popular NDP leader in this country, the mayor, that we can cut a deal with, why can’t we cut the same deal with the NDP with their leadership? Because there is no leadership over there, Mr. Speaker.

Talk about housing: We had the greatest housing starts in 2021-22 that we have seen in over 30 years. We’ve put legislation after legislation forward that that leader, along with the cohorts over there, voted against. They voted against making sure that we have affordable, attainable housing for people who need it. We made sure that we had legislation that’s going to be easier for local municipalities to get permits out, to get people building.

But guess what, Mr. Speaker? She voted against it. She votes against everything we move forward on; votes against building new hospitals, new roads, new infrastructure that these homes need to get built. But, again, the NDP is about no, no—

Interjections.

I, too, would like to welcome the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association who are here today. I’ve so enjoyed working with you. I enjoyed speaking with you yesterday.

I also would like to welcome some incredible con-stituents I have the honour of serving: JimBob Marsden, who’s here with Anishinabek Nation; Nancy Johnston, executive director of Cornerstone in Cobourg; and Dan Worrall who’s here with the firefighters. Thank you for being here at Queen’s Park.