I think it will come as no surprise to the Leader of the Opposition that I look at things a lot differently.

When I look back at this past year, I see over 700,000 people who have the dignity of a job, who didn’t have that before. I see billions of dollars worth of investments that have come to the province of Ontario because of the policies of this government—the policies that have reduced red tape, cut taxes. We are investing in infrastructure to support the investments that are coming into this province. We’re investing in transit, transportation.

I look at our students, and for the first time, this Minister of Education has delivered peace in our school system. I say that quite sincerely. Probably for the first time in my life, there is peace in our school system.

I look at the work that the Minister of Labour has done to ensure that we improve access to skilled trades. I look at the amount of women who are coming into the skilled trades.

When I look back, I see a really good year and much to look forward to in the years ahead.

Moreover, we are making significant progress on our commitment to build 58,000 new and upgraded long-term-care-home beds—which are homes for seniors. We’re making progress on that.

We are bringing economic development to parts of the province of Ontario that have never had it before. I look at the people in Loyalist township, who will have one of the largest investments ever made in their community—jobs and opportunity for them.

I look at the Minister of Northern Development and the Minister of Mines—the fact that we are opening up the resources of the north to support investments that are coming in the south.

Good news for all.

I think the questions from the Leader of the Opposition really highlight the dramatic difference between the NDP and the Progressive Conservative government. She calls the historic investments that we’ve made in Windsor a waste of time. She calls the historic investments in Loyalist a waste of time. We have the largest investment probably in Canadian history in St. Thomas—thousands of jobs coming to the province of Ontario.

This is a leader who, in the last election, brought her and her party’s disagreement with the 413, an important piece of infrastructure to support the people of that region—voted against it. The result of that was that the entire caucus that was elected from the NDP was wiped out and Progressive Conservatives replaced them.

We’re going to double down over the next year to improve on all of the things that we’ve brought forward to the province: affordability, infrastructure, jobs, opportunity—a bigger, better, bolder Ontario.

I am excited by the fact that we have 15,000—the highest level of purpose-built rental starts in the history of this province.

But more than that, Mr. Speaker, it is why I am continuously calling in this House for the federal government to come on board with us so that we can put more infrastructure in the ground. The federal government has a $15-billion program across the country right now. That program is estimated to bring about 200,000 homes online; $15 billion worth of infrastructure across this country would build millions of homes.

So I need the member opposite’s support to help us get the federal government to make those investments in infrastructure so that we can build millions of homes, so there are more opportunities for the people of the province of Ontario.

I can assure the honourable member that this government will not allow any municipality to raise their taxes to a point where it is unaffordable to the people who are living there. Just the opposite, what we are trying to do across the province of Ontario is ensure that people have more money in their pockets.

With respect to Peel, as you know, Speaker, the transition in Peel is not scheduled to take place until 2025, so that we can undertake a thorough review of what the consequences of any change in Peel region would be. When there’s more to say, I’ll let the honourable member know.

I can assure the honourable member that I’ve actually been meeting with the mayor of Ottawa on a weekly basis since I became Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. We are working with him to address some of the challenges that he is indeed facing in the city of Ottawa. So I can assure the honourable member that we are working very closely with the mayor and his team to address some of those challenges that they’re facing.

But let me just say this: I am working very closely with the mayor of Ottawa, and also with the members of provincial Parliament from that area on our side. We are meeting very closely with them. We’re identifying some of the challenges that they’re having. We’ll continue those discussions with them, and we will make sure that we continue to support the city of Ottawa. We know how important it is not only to Ontario’s economy, but it is a very, very important tourist jurisdiction.

I had the opportunity to live in Ottawa for a number of years, Mr. Speaker. It’s an important university town. It is so important to the economic development and growth to build a bigger, better, bolder, stronger Ontario. We need Ottawa, and we’ll make sure that we’re there for them.

Speaker, Her Honour awaits.

Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario entered the chamber of the Legislative Assembly and took her seat upon the throne.