It is always an honour to rise side by side and follow Ontario’s Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, as she is an incredible trailblazer and champion for, of course, women and children and girls right across the province but also Ontario’s Black community. It’s always a pleasure.

Mr. Speaker, as the minister said, every February, Ontarians commemorate Black History Month. This time provides an opportunity to reflect on the rich culture and history of Ontario’s Black communities and the critical role they have and continue to play in shaping our province to everything it is today.

This year’s theme of Black History Month is “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build.” This theme calls on us to remember the contributions, expertise and dedication shown by generations of Black leaders who came before, and how their efforts have helped break down barriers and strengthen communities. We celebrate those who blazed the trail and remain focused on empowering the next generation of leaders who are continuing the legacy by taking up the mantle and are actively driving positive change in communities right across our province, from Windsor in the west to Ottawa in the east, to the southern tips of Lake Ontario, up to the far north.

In this House, we have exceptional Black leaders on both sides of the aisle. I would specifically like to acknowledge my colleagues the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity as well as the members from Ajax and Scarborough Centre, whom I have the privilege to serve with each and every day. Each of these members continues to work tirelessly as advocates for their communities and as champions for Ontario’s Black communities here at Queen’s Park. They have shown to young people from across the province that they, too, can aspire to greatness and one day may take their rightful seat in this chamber as well.

Throughout Black History Month, I have had the pleasure of getting out into communities to meet with local Black leaders and Black-led community organizations, and I have had the opportunity to see first-hand the important work they do to support and empower their fellow community members.

In Ottawa, we met with staff, student leaders and athletes from St. Pius X school; in particular, students Sam and Binae. It was inspiring to see how they were using their platform as student athletes to increase representation of Black youth in athletics and the arts.

In Durham, we joined the MPP for Ajax and the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education in meeting with Durham Region Association of Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs. This business collective helps Black-owned businesses in Durham gain access to the resources needed to take their businesses to the next level through networking and connection building. In addition, the association also provides Black youth with guidance and mentorship programming to pursue post-secondary education, as well as guidance for those participants pursuing careers in STEM and entrepreneurship.

In Etobicoke, we met with the Delta Family Resource Centre to tour their business incubator hub and learn about how the centre is actively working to connect Black youth with critical skills training in IT and entrepreneurship, to provide work-relevant education and help young people establish a network of business leaders to help launch their careers.

These are just a select few examples of outstanding leaders I have had the privilege of meeting with during Black History Month. They, along with the thousands like them from across Ontario, are the unsung heroes of our province and represent the very best of the Ontario spirit. They have given back to their communities in immeasurable ways. And through their ongoing commitment and dedication, they continue to live up to the words of the Honourable Lincoln Alexander, who said, “It is your duty to set a higher example for others to follow.”

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the vital role these organizations and those like it play in empowering Ontario’s Black communities, and we remain a proud ally and partner in supporting the vital work they do.

Earlier this month, my ministry announced an additional investment of $16.5 million into the Economic Empowerment Stream of the Black youth action plan. This will provide organizations with a proven track record of empowering Black children and families with the resources they need to increase capacity and scale up their organizations to support and empower even more Black youth and young professionals right across our great province. This investment builds on the over $138 million invested into the Black youth action plan since 2018. I am proud to say that over 60,000 Black youth, young professionals and families have benefited from the BYAP-funded programming during that time, including more than 5,000 youth and young professionals helped through the economic empowerment stream specifically since the launch in 2020.

Yet, despite our best efforts, we know that even today, there remain barriers that continue to hold Black Ontarians back, preventing them from reaching their full potential. During Black History Month, we celebrate the undeniable progress that we have made while simultaneously recognizing that there is still more work to do.

We know the important role education plays in raising awareness and dismantling barriers. That is why, under the leadership of the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education, alongside the minister, I was proud to join my colleagues for a truly, truly special day. That day was earlier this month, when our government announced Ontario would be mandating education for grade 7, 8 and 10 students on the history and contributions of Black leaders and change-makers who shaped our province and country, ensuring the next generation is equipped with the knowledge and understanding of the injustices of the past and how they too can be allies for the community.

As we close the chapter on Black History Month, our government remains as steadfast as ever in our commitment to being a partner and advocate for Ontario’s Black communities. This work does not end when February does. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the community to build bridges, dismantle barriers and make the investments needed so that all can chase their dreams and reach their full potential.

The diversity of our communities is precisely what makes Ontario such a vibrant place to live, work and raise a family. We as Ontarians take great pride in this diversity and all the ways in which it strengthens the fabric of our province. When we all work together to support and uplift each other, our potential is truly limitless.

Let us all continue to be inspired by the trailblazers who came before us. And let us continue to empower those who are currently driving positive change in communities across the province of Ontario. Together, we can ensure a better and brighter future and build a stronger Ontario for all who choose to call Ontario home.

Madam Speaker, it gives me great honour to stand before you and the members to speak about Black History Month. Black History Month is celebrated during February across Canada to acknowledge and understand the contributions and achievements that Black people have accomplished, despite the historical roots of racism, oppression and slavery. This month is an opportunity to celebrate and honour the past and present contributions of Black people in Canada—amazing—while embracing new opportunities for the future.

The roots of Black people in Canada date all the way back to the 1600s. In 1800, over 30,000 Black people came to Canada through the Underground Railroad, as a way to escape the slavery and racism experienced in America.

For centuries, Black people have been enslaved and oppressed in Canada, which came to an end on August 1, 1834. Since the 1800s, Black Canadians have had a positive impact on the Canadian life. From the stage to the halls of Parliament, from the union halls to Bay Street, Canada has always benefited from its Black inhabitants beyond the role of inexpensive manual labour. Those achievements are often dismissed, not recognized, erased from texts or left undocumented, creating a vacuum, which is often filled with negative, fictional tales.

In 1995, the House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month, and we all know who is responsible for that. It’s the trailblazer Jean Augustine. We have since then recognized Black people for their accomplishments. There are many citizens who have notable accomplishments, such as the Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander—we’ve heard that from Associate Minister Charmaine Williams, in her speech—who was the first member of a racialized community to serve as the Queen’s representative in Canada; and the Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, who is a trail-blazing politician and is the first African Canadian woman to be elected in the House of Commons.

These notable figures have paved the pathway and opened many doors of opportunities for the advancement of Black people in this country.

Black history is important to Canada, because Black communities have been a long part of shaping Canada’s heritage and identity. I want to end by saying—because I didn’t have a lot of time—I would like to recognize the Black MPPs in this House: MPP Jill Andrew, MPP Patrice Barnes, MPP Sarah Jama, MPP David Smith and MPP Charmaine Williams. We are all trailblazers. We are the leaders now. I’m very proud of you all, and congratulations.

I want to start by wishing everyone and all the members in this House and all Ontarians a very happy Black History Month. Today, I have been given this distinct honour of delivering the remarks. I want to be able to speak about Black excellence and the incredible Black communities and the Black leaders who call Ontario their home.

I want to start by recognizing the incredible work done to pave the way for today’s Black leaders, leaders in this House who have stood before us, such as Zanana Akande, Alvin Curling, Lincoln Alexander, Rosemary Brown and so many more. I want to recognize the former president of the Ontario Black History Society, Rosemary Sadlier, as well as the leadership around her, who lobbied the many levels of government to get Black History Month finally recognized by government and institutions right across Canada. And who can forget—who can forget—the Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, the very first Black woman to serve as a federal minister of the crown and member of Parliament in Canada?

In my riding of Toronto Centre, we have an incredible number of communities, including those who live and identify as Black residents and Black people. They truly represent the very best. They live in neighbourhoods such as Regent Park and Moss Park and they are thriving; they have a very diverse Black population. Black residents are at the forefront of organizing for community benefits for their neighbourhoods as they undergo tremendous revitalization.

They are also leaders for incredible grassroots organizations such as Youth Gravity, which empowers young people to become leaders; Shoot for Peace, who promote non-violence and unity through photography and the arts; and Mothers of Peace, a very important peer-led organization which is very close to my heart. They are a grassroots group of mothers in the neighbourhood who came together after a horrific summer of gun violence in our community, which affected so many families. They carry out school supply drives; they create education opportunities, work with community partners, support social enterprises and organize respite opportunities for their members. Their work is a model for positive community building and I am in absolute awe of them.

I also want to give a shout-out to the neighbourhood of Little Jamaica in my colleague’s riding of Toronto–St. Paul’s. Little Jamaica is a thriving and culturally rich neighbourhood full of small, family-run businesses serving uniquely Jamaican products to the community. But the community of Little Jamaica has been struggling for years. The core of the business district is along Eglinton Avenue, so it’s safe to say that you probably will know what I’m about to say.

The businesses of Little Jamaica have been hidden behind construction hoarding board for 13 years as the Eglinton LRT is being built and then rebuilt and then repaired. Their businesses have suffered tremendously and some of them have closed under this uncertainty. They’ve received, unfortunately, not enough government support, and definitely not enough respect from Metrolinx. This government needs to do so much more to support the community through the strains of these closures, as well as the flooding and pandemic impacts that this community has faced. But through all of it, the community is resilient. I am so encouraged, and I want to encourage all of you: Every single one of us should be visiting and supporting Little Jamaica and we should all go out to all our respective communities right across our ridings to support Black-owned businesses.

There is so much critical work being done by Black folks in communities to uplift marginalized voices. My friend leZlie lee kam and other Black and queer seniors are working so hard, Speaker, to address the issues of homophobia and transphobia in long-term-care spaces, which is vital to make sure that queer and trans elders don’t have to go back into the closet as they enter the long-term-care phase of their life.

As we talk about Black history, we also need to talk about today’s Black realities and Black futures. I want to give a shout-out to Black CAP; African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario; Friends of Ruby; Supporting Our Youth; Pride Toronto, especially their Sankofa fest celebrating Black artists and performers. I want to thank them for all the work that they do in Toronto Centre day in and day out.

We cannot celebrate Black history in Ontario without recognizing today’s Black realities, that black students are being left behind also in overcrowded and underfunded schools; when Black girls and women, including Black trans women, are most susceptible to gender-based violence and misogynoir; when Black men and boys are overrepresented in foster care, youth detention centres and jails; when Black maternal health is overlooked and intentionally deprioritized.

Next week, Speaker, is Black Mental Health Week. I want to take this opportunity to thank—

Further debate?

Further responses?

I move that the following changes be made to the membership of the following committees:

On the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, Mr. Oosterhoff replaces Mr. Kanapathi; and

On the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Ms. MacLeod replaces Mr. Byers, Ms. Vaugeois is removed, and Mr. Ke is added; and

On the Standing on Finance and Economic Affairs, Ms. Pierre replaces Mr. Dowie; and

On the Standing Committee on Justice Policy, Mrs. Stevens is removed and Mr. Mantha is added; and

On the Standing Committee on Social Policy, Mr. Clark replaces Mr. Riddell, Ms. Kusendova-Bashta replaces Ms. Barnes, and Ms. Gallagher Murphy replaces Ms. Pierre; and

On the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy, Mr. Kanapathi replaces Ms. Kusendova-Bashta, and Ms. Clancy is added; and

On the Standing Committee on the Interior, Mr. Riddell replaces Ms. Gallagher Murphy; and

On the Standing Committee on Government Agencies, Mrs. Gretzky is removed and Ms. Jama is added.

I have the ability to respond.

I believe that everyone should have input in committees. We believe that. We’re not here to debate that. The committee process is very important. But since the standing orders have been changed—that the government House leader decides whoever is on committee—for everyone else, it has changed the dynamics of how this place works and how the committee system works.

I fully expect the government House leader and the government to pick their own cabinet, to pick who they think is best, to pick their own committee members.

I do question whether the government has the best observation or the best view of who would be the best committee members for the opposition to be on committee. This isn’t something that is going to change how government functions. Truth be told, we can sub in other people. But the simple idea that one team picks the players for the other team and picks the lines for the other team is absolutely, utterly ridiculous.

What makes this almost laughable is, the way the committee structure is set up—and again, we’re not arguing this. The committee structure is set up in the same proportion as the elected members, so that a majority government has the majority on the committee. So they control the votes, regardless. So why they have to play around with the opposing members is beyond me. It is really beyond me, other than for a term that would not be appropriate in this House.

It’s merely tinkering. Again, we are not talking about how many members of the opposition are on the committee or how many members of the independents are. We don’t want to stifle anyone’s voice. But just the idea that the government House leader wakes up one morning and says, “Do you know what? We are going to take one NDP member off and maybe put another NDP member there”—and not the member, but the actual person. So all the scheduling—just from a mechanical point of view, the scheduling gets messed up.

Perhaps we have a person on the committee that has an affinity, who really wants to be on that committee, who wants to be there. That’s why we used to be able to put that person there. But now, perhaps if that person has too much of an affinity for it, from the government’s view, and asks too many tough questions, they’ll solve that problem. They’ll try to take that person off the committee. And then we’ll have to sub them back in again.

I don’t understand why a government with a majority even bothers. Wouldn’t you want—really, for democracy to work, for this House to work at its best, for the committee to work at its best, you would want the opposition—whether it’s a recognized party or independent, you would want to have the best people at committee with the most interest in those issues to give the hardest questions so that the best legislation possible could come out of that committee.

The government has a majority. They are going to get their legislation through. Let’s not kid ourselves. A majority is going to get the legislation through. A majority at the committee—the government has a majority at the committee. There will not be an amendment passed that the government doesn’t like. There are very few opposition amendments passed, but there is not going to be one amendment passed at any committee in this House that the government doesn’t like.

They have a majority, but that’s not enough. That’s not enough. They also, for whatever reason, have to have the power to pick the opposition members on the committee. It’s silly in a way. It is silly in a way, and again, we’ll work around it. It’s not the end of the world. Despite the roadblocks, the silly little infantile roadblocks that the government puts forward, the opposition will continue to do our job. It will just be extra paperwork for everybody, extra sub slips, extra running around.

What it actually is—it’s extra red tape.

Interjections.

I’m honoured today to recognize Black History Month, a month where we honour the heritage, courage and contributions of Black Canadians.

As a person who identifies as white, I regularly reflect on the systems of privilege and the systems of oppression that exist in our society. I think by constantly reflecting on systems of privilege and oppression, we can ensure that Black history is not just a month, but every month. Then, we can dismantle systemic anti-Black racism in our society.

As a school social worker, I’ve worked alongside many families. So I want to take this moment to ensure that we wish love and kindness for all young Black people in our school system so that they can be safe, they can be healthy, they can be loved, and they can love themselves as they are. Let’s ensure that everybody in this chamber continues to tap people on the shoulders. Too often, I’ve been in spaces that are very white, and people need to be tapped on the shoulder so that they continue to climb the ladder to these leadership positions today.

I’m grateful for all of you who are tapped on the shoulder and continue to tap people on the shoulder. This is how we can combat anti-Black racism and hate that persists in our community and online. Don’t forget about our online spaces. Let’s create regulations to make sure that those are healthy spaces for Black people too. It’s only getting worse. So we need to do these things so we can build an equitable, accessible, safe—safe—and caring Ontario for all.

I’m grateful to talk about the organizations in my community that fight everyday to have racial equity and to celebrate Blackness: AFRO, Kind Minds, ACCKWA, the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region, just to name a few. The work they do is so vital and appreciated.

I also want to recognize my mentors who remind me all the time how to be a better ally: regional councillor Colleen James, city councillor—

Thank you for that. It’s red tape created by the government that claims to be anti-red tape. But when it comes to legislation and how this place works, they love red tape that protects them. They love red tape that protects them.

While I am on committee—I was at a committee, the committee of the interior. I’m the House leader; I’m very rarely on committee. I am kind of a jack of all trades. If something goes wrong, they put me in, and it usually goes worse.

But anyway, the committee of the interior: It was an organizational meeting for a bill, a bill we all agreed on, and the first thing that happened was that it went in closed session. So I can’t talk about what happened, but I can talk about what I said before it went in closed session, and I brought up the point that why and for what reason do you need to make an organizational meeting in closed session? It’s a simple thing. Why would you do that in closed session? Why would you make people distrust the political system even more? There is a massive distrust of the political system. We all can feel it, and yet the government of the day continues to do—again, is that going to create a massive outcry across the province? No—let’s be serious—but it just adds that level of mistrust that isn’t needed.

For the government to try and play around with which member of the opposition is on which committee, and do it not once in a while but do it on a fairly continuous basis—quite honestly, you have to question the government’s—I won’t even use the word “motive,” because there’s not really a practical purpose for this. They get done what they need to get done regardless of this. This is micromanagement at its ultimate. It’s, “How can we just exact that little bit of extra pain?” That’s what this feels like, for no obvious purpose. It doesn’t benefit the people of Ontario. It certainly doesn’t benefit the official opposition. It doesn’t really benefit the independents either. I don’t even see what it does for the government.

The standing orders have changed enough that they can ram their legislation through so fast that who is sitting on the committee doesn’t make a lot of difference, so I question why they’re even bothering. Specifically, the government never wants to change standing orders again, and, if they ever want to reintroduce an inkling of trust in the system, they should change the standing orders back so that members of the officially recognized parties could pick their own committee members. That would be a sign that the government is actually learning.

Do you know why the government needs to learn? On this closing point, why the government needs to learn how to use the Legislature and how to use committees: I think this government holds the record—certainly the modern-time Ontario record—of introducing legislation and then having to rescind it, continually. Bill 124, that wasn’t the first one. There was the one I call the “Men in Black bill,” where they wanted to take constitutional rights away, and we rescinded it so far that it never existed. It was rescinded back to the day before it was created. If the government was using the Legislature and using the committee system as it was designed, perhaps bills wouldn’t have gotten through the way they were in the first place.

Again, the government is going to get their way. There’s nobody arguing that they won the election. When you win an election, you get to put your agenda through. It’s up to the opposition to point out the problems in the legislation, and believe me, on those ones, like on Bill 124, you cannot say that the opposition did not point out the problems on Bill 124—

Again, I’ve taken enough time. We are opposed to this change, because of what I’ve put on—but that concludes my remarks.

The greenbelt.

I wasn’t quite ready, Madam Speaker, but—hang on, one second. Apologies. I was sleeping at the switch there. This petition is entitled “Save Ontario Place.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario Place has been a cherished public space for over 50 years, providing joy, recreation and cultural experiences for Ontarians and tourists alike and holds cultural and historical significance as a landmark that symbolizes Ontario’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and public engagement;

“Whereas redevelopment that includes a private, profit-driven venture by an Austrian spa company prioritizes commercial interests over the needs and desires of the people of Ontario, and it is estimated that the cost to prepare the grounds for redevelopment and build a 2,000-car underground garage will cost approximately $650 million...;

“Whereas meaningful public consultations with diverse stakeholders have not been adequately conducted and the Ontario NDP has sent a letter of support for a public request to begin an investigation into a value-for-money and compliance audit with respect to proposed redevelopment of Ontario Place;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to halt any further development plans for Ontario Place, engage in meaningful and transparent public consultations to gather input and ideas for the future of Ontario Place, develop a comprehensive and sustainable plan for the revitalization of Ontario Place that prioritizes environmental sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity, and ensure that any future development of Ontario Place is carried out in a transparent and accountable manner, with proper oversight, public input and adherence to democratic processes.”

I support this petition, will affix my signature and pass it to page Mercy to take to the table.

I have a petition here.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas since 1980, whilst accounting for inflation, the average domestic undergraduate tuition has increased by 215%, and the average domestic graduate tuition by 247%; and

“Whereas upon graduation, 50% of students will have a median debt of around $17,500, which takes an average of 9.5 years to repay; and

“Whereas the average undergraduate tuition for international students has increased by 192% between 2011 and 2021, and in colleges, they pay an average of $14,306 annually compared to the average domestic fee of $3,228; and

“Whereas the government of Ontario made changes to OSAP and student financial assistance in 2018-19, resulting in over a $1-billion cut in assistance to students; and

“Whereas the so-called Student Choice Initiative was defeated in the courts, students need legislation to protect their right to organize and funding for students’ groups;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, support the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario’s call and petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to commit to (1) free and accessible education for all, (2) grants, not loans, and (3) legislate students’ right to organize.”

I support this petition. I’ll sign it and give it to page Skye to deliver to the table.

I am proud to advance this petition that has been signed by thousands of college and university students from across the province. It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas since 1980, whilst accounting for inflation, the average domestic undergraduate tuition has increased by 215%, and the average domestic graduate tuition by 247%; and

“Whereas upon graduation, 50% of students will have a median debt of around $17,500, which takes an average of 9.5 years to repay; and

“Whereas the average undergraduate tuition for international students has increased by 192% between 2011 and 2021, and in colleges, they pay an average of $14,306 annually compared to the average domestic fee of $3,228; and

“Whereas the government of Ontario made changes to OSAP and student financial assistance in 2018-19, resulting in over a $1-billion cut in assistance to students; and

“Whereas the so-called Student Choice Initiative was defeated in the courts, students need legislation to protect their right to organize and funding for students’ groups;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, support the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario’s call and petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to commit to (1) free and accessible education for all, (2) grants, not loans, and (3) legislate students’ right to organize.”

I fully support this petition, affix my signature and will send it to the table with page Isaac.

I have a petition here titled “Fight the Fees,” and it reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas since 1980, whilst accounting for inflation, the average domestic undergraduate tuition has increased by 215%, and the average domestic graduate tuition by 247%; and

“Whereas upon graduation, 50% of students will have a median debt of around $17,500, which takes an average of 9.5 years to repay; and

“Whereas the average undergraduate tuition for international students has increased by 192% between 2011 and 2021, and in colleges, they pay an average of $14,306 annually compared to the average domestic fee of $3,228; and

“Whereas the government of Ontario made changes to OSAP and student financial assistance in 2018-19, resulting in over a $1-billion cut in assistance to students; and

“Whereas the so-called Student Choice Initiative was defeated in the courts, students need legislation to protect their right to organize and funding for students’ groups;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, support the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario’s call and petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to commit to (1) free and accessible education for all, (2) grants, not loans, and (3) legislate students’ right to organize.”

I’m proud to affix my signature to it, and I will pass it to the table through Max.

I have a petition here to the Ontario Legislative Assembly.

“Pause the Expansion of Methane-Fired Electricity Generation.

“We, the undersigned, call upon the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pause the expansion of methane-fired electricity generation and evaluate the role of renewable energy and storage, conservation, distributed energy resources, and municipal net-zero plans in meeting Ontario’s electricity needs.”

I will affix my name to this petition and send it with page Jeremy.

“To Raise Social Assistance Rates.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and $1,308 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);

“Whereas small increases to ODSP have still left these citizens below the poverty line. Both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to survive at this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its CERB program that a ‘basic income’ of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I’m happy to support this petition to do the right thing, and I’m going to send it with page Anushga.

Further debate? Further debate?

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour of the motion, please say “aye.”

All those opposed, please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Interjection: On division.

Motion agreed to.

This petition is titled “To Raise Social Assistance Rates,” and it reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and $1,308 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);

“Whereas small increases to ODSP have still left these citizens below the poverty line. Both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to survive at this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its CERB program that a ‘basic income’ of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I could not agree more. I will affix my signature to it and give it to page Anushga to bring to the table.

I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“Whereas there is overwhelming evidence to show that paid sick days significantly reduce the spread of infectious disease, promote preventive health care and reduce health care system costs; and

“Whereas 60% of Ontario workers do not have access to paid sick days, and cannot afford to lose their pay if they are sick; and

“Whereas low-wage and precarious workers are the most likely to be denied paid sick days; and

“Whereas enabling workers to stay home when they are sick without losing pay helps limit the spread of illness in the workplace and allows workers to recover faster; and

“Whereas during an infectious disease emergency, it is unreasonable and dangerous to public health to make workers choose between protecting their communities and providing for their families; and

“Whereas legislating paid sick days through the Employment Standards Act, with transitional financial support for struggling small businesses, will ensure that workers have seamless, uninterrupted access to their pay;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately amend the Employment Standards Act to provide Ontario workers with 10 employer-paid days of personal emergency leave each year and additional paid sick leave in the case of an infectious disease emergency.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my signature and send it to the table with page Mercy.

I’ll be sharing my time today with the amazing and passionate member from Scarborough–Guildwood.

The Get It Done Act: What does this bill actually get done for the people of Ontario? Does it help the health care crisis? No, no mention of that. Fix the education system? Nope, no mention of that. Housing affordability? Nope, no mention of that, just promoting more sprawl. Address the climate crisis? Nope, it will actually make that one worse.

This bill would amend the Environmental Assessment Act to explicitly allow provincial and municipal governments to expropriate land before environmental approvals. The bill, however, offers few details about how wide-ranging these powers would be or how they would play out on the ground, and we all know the devil is in the details.

The environment minister won’t even directly answer questions about how she will make sure these changes won’t harm the environment—wow, the Minister of the Environment not sure about how she will prevent harm to the environment. She said the goal is to streamline the environment and assessment process, which has been historically been “slow and complex” with “too much red tape.” Well, if the minister is so interested in red tape reduction, I hear there’s an opening in that ministry.

Biodiversity is one of the most precious and important things we have. Maybe this government thinks it’s merely something that’s nice to look at and enjoy spending time in, but actually, it’s so much more. Without biodiversity, our entire support system for human as well as animal life would collapse. We rely on nature to provide us with food and clean water, for a lot of medicines and to prevent flooding and other extreme weather events.

So much is provided by the natural ecosystems around us. They are truly vital to life on earth. The government may think, “Okay, we can just trash one bit or remove a species, and it will all be okay.” But the different plants and animals are interconnected in vital ways that we don’t even always understand.

Biodiversity loss is at an all-time high: Southern Ontario alone has lost more than 70% of its wetland habitats, 98% of its grasslands and 80% of its forests. Over 200 plants and animal species are classified as at risk of becoming extinct in Ontario. We need to tirelessly work hard to preserve what we do have left, not pave over paradise. We can’t survive if we don’t have our ecosystem. That means our farmlands, our wetlands, our flood plains—the very things that would be impacted by this bill.

Might I add that while the government continues to ram through Highway 413 they directly have a highway that runs along the same corridor. The government could be bold and fiscally responsible by moving truck traffic onto Highway 407. This would solve freight congestion right now at a much lower cost and a vastly lower upfront cost, less than the $10 billion it would cost to build the environmentally disastrous Highway 413.

In 2022, the Premier himself even admitted it was a big mistake for the Progressive Conservatives to privatize Highway 407, so why not rectify that now and instead of promising to impose no tolls on highways that already have no tolls take some real action and allow trucks to use the 407 toll-free? I would say, “Kill two birds with one stone,” but I believe in preserving biodiversity and the lives of wildlife, unlike this government.

Just for the record, Highway 413 will raze 2,000 acres of farmland, cut across 85 waterways and pave over 400 acres of protected greenbelt land. It would also disrupt 220 wetlands and the habitats of 10 species at risk. The Bradford Bypass would cross 27 waterways and slash through environmentally sensitive Holland Marsh lands, impacting about 39 hectares of wildlife habitat and 11 hectares of wetlands. The government hears that and says, “Let’s do it,” instead of using an underutilized highway that is already built.

They love cancelling things. Just look at the 758 renewable energy projects they cancelled when they first took office. Why not cancel the tolls on trucks for the 407?

Yesterday there was a 20-degree jump in temperature in a matter of one day. The climate change is in front of our eyes. If this government plans to continue on this, the Get It Done Act is a misguided attempt that sacrifices long-term sustainability and social equity for short-term gain. We cannot afford to prioritize hasty development over thoughtful planning and responsible governance. We must focus on the well-being of our communities and the preservation of our environment.

Further debate?